Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Modding BG: Legacy (Toying with mod ideas)

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A true elf. Despite her exuberance, behind her eyes there lies the regret and loneliness of years.
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AERIE: Balduran… he was perhaps the greatest explorer in Faerunian history. Until me, of course.
TAV: So when are you getting a city named after you?
AERIE: Well that’s the great thing about my name; there are already lots of things named after me.
TAV: Not sure that’s how ‘naming after’ works.
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TAV: So, you’re really into this dungeon stuff?
AERIE: I’m a follower of Baervan Wildwanderer. Poking my nose inside places like this is kind of my sacred duty. And, I just want to anyway.
TAV: An elf venerating a gnomish god? That’s unusual.
AERIE: It’s a long story. A gnome saved my life, once, and began teaching me the ways of magic. Oh… I guess it wasn’t that long…
TAV: So you’re a cleric?
AERIE: Er, kind of. A bit of wizard and a cleric, although I’ve never really been ordained or anything. I’ve always preferred the title ‘witch’.
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AERIE: Strange feeling, isn’t it? Seeing even gods succumb to time. *sigh* Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair…
TAV: You know, there is another way of thinking about that poem.
AERIE: Oh?
TAV: In a way, the king does achieve immortality, through the poem; now there are people alive still speaking his name, sharing his story.
AERIE: Well, I’m not such a great poet, but if you are heading to Baldur’s Gate, I do carry in my heart many stories to share.
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KARLACH: So, you fought alongside Jaheira back in her prime?!
AERIE: I did. I fought with her a few times as well.
KARLACH: How’d that go?
AERIE: Hmm… imagine a kitten squaring up to a lioness. About as well as that.
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TAV: You gave away your power?
AERIE: Well not quite all of it. I still retain an instinct and intuition for magic, and I’ve been slowly remembering and relearning the things I’d forgotten.
TAV: Why would you do such a thing?
AERIE: To save someone. My friend Nalia taught me that the best thing to be done with power is to give it away to others, although I never imagined it would be literally. But I’m sorry… if I hadn’t done that I might have been able to help with your worm problem.
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AERIE: Well, there is a statue of me down in Trademeet. I think it’s still there, although they moved them away from the fountain.
TAV: Why’d they make a statue of you?
AERIE: Oh, it’s a long story.
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TAV: Not joining in the party?
AERIE: I’ve never been very comfortable around crowds and noise. I’d prefer to just sit out here until its quieted down a little. Catch up with some reading.
TAV: I’d have thought you’d have gotten used to crowds and noise in the circus.
AERIE: Used to… doesn’t mean I liked it. Don’t worry; I’ll be fine on my own… it’s another thing I’ve gotten used to.
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AERIE: Why are people always trying to force other people to dance? Why can’t you just accept that some of us just aren’t keen on it?
TAV: Come on, it’s fun!
AERIE: For you, maybe. For me it’s like being glazed in honey and surrounded by bears.
TAV: Well, what if we just danced here then? Where it’s just us.
AERIE: You won’t let it go, will you?
TAV: Not until I’ve gotten one dance from you.
AERIE: I hope you know this is bullying. But, fine.
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TAV: So, where are your wings?
AERIE: Yup – that’s usually the first thing people ask.
TAV: Sorry. Is it offensive to ask an avariel that?
AERIE: No – I’m never offended by curiosity. But it is a long story. We should probably get out of this dungeon first.
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AERIE: When I left Faenya-Dail the second time, it was my choice, and so I accepted all the consequences.
TAV: Why did you leave?
AERIE: I was a child when I was taken. I suppose I dreamed that when I returned, everything would go back to how it had been, or at least how I remembered them being. And when I was finally reunited with my parents, my teachers, my old friends – it was the happiest I’d ever been. If my life were a children’s book, that is where the story would have ended. But it’s never really the end. Later, one evening over a meal my father started spouting some ignorant prejudiced nonsense. We argued. It got silly. But it made me realize that I didn’t really know who any of those people were, and they just didn’t understand me either. And so I left. I’ve explored and wandered ever since.
TAV: You’ve never wanted to settle down?
AERIE: I tried it once – a gnomish village. But after a while I just grew restless. I just needed to fly - figuratively speaking, at least. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to be all maudlin just now. Just tired. We should get some rest.
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TAV: Oh, and I suppose you never lie?
AERIE: I’m an avariel, not an angel. Of course I have fibbed on occasion.
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BAR PATRON: Hey - did it hurt?
AERIE: *eyeroll* When I fell from the heavens? Actually, yes.
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AERIE: Imoen used to say that it whenever you really got to know someone, it was impossible to ever hate them.
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AERIE: Okay, well, I’m not ‘macho’, or whatever the feminine equivalent of being macho is – guess its whatever you’re doing. I am absolutely certain you would crush me in a straight fight.
LAE’ZEL: You admit that you are weak? So then how did you defeat so many Githyanki warriors?!
AERIE: The truth is, there are many great Githyanki fighters, but few good soldiers. Luring them into a trap was easy.
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AERIE: Mazzy is the bravest warrior I’ve ever known.
CHILD: What about Minsc?!
AERIE: Minsc is a great warrior too, of course, but it is much easier to be brave when you’re twice the size of most people.
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AERIE: The Underdark. The first time I was here, it terrified me. Now I will admit I find there is a numinous beauty to it.
TAV: Your claustrophobia?
AERIE: That, and like many elves I’d been raised on horror stories about the drow and all the creatures and monsters that lurk below. Um, a few of which are true, so don't let your guard down here.
TAV: How did you make it through the first time?
AERIE: I had a guardian back then, who gave me the courage I needed. But no need to worry about me now. You just watch where you step, and remember whatever happens I’ve got your back.
TAV: Well now I am scared…
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TAV: So what was a native of the sky doing all the way down here?
AERIE: Oh, it’s a long story. We should save it for camp.
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AERIE: Well you could always call me by my real name, instead of my slave name.
TAV: What’s your real name?
AERIE: Aeroiquantaisilarelenarossi.
TAV: Let’s just stick with Aerie.
AERIE: Yeah – that’s what I thought.
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AERIE: You might not get sick; that doesn’t mean you can’t spread all sorts. Do you have any idea how many plagues are caused just because of vampires forgetting to wash?
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JAHEIRA: Wipe that off your tunic, and straighten this damn collar. Honestly, how do you get by at all without me around to do absolutely everything for you?
AERIE: *sighs*
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JAHEIRA: I cannot believe that actually worked.
FAKE-AERIE: What worked?
JAHEIRA: It is not a bad likeness, but you see I taught Aerie how to hold a weapon, so know an important detail about her that you missed.
FAKE-AERIE: And what is that?
JAHEIRA: She’s left-handed.
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AERIE: Get down!
TAV: What now?! What – who is that?
AERIE: It’s… my wife. I have no idea how she’s tracked me here!
TAV: Long story?
AERIE: Yeah…

Basically, going with a combination of all her endings in BG2, minus the romance and kid; she finds her way home, she settles in Understone – but only in fact briefly – then she wanders off to keep exploring the world, and beyond. Her relationship Haer’Dalis may not have lasted long, but he still instilled in her an interest in seeing the planes for herself; she’s been to Sigil and many other places by this point. Wanting to travel, experience, and learn, is the only real personal ambition she ever has beyond just wanting to be a better witch, and its what her chosen deities encourage too. And of course she fights evil – especially slavers – whenever she comes across it.

She’s essentially evolved into a Doctor Who type of character; a wandering vagabond who goes around helping people and solving their problems, but never staying one place for very long. Jaheira gets reports of her popping up various places, but she’s always moved on before a message can reach her.

I was also thinking of respeccing her to be a sorcerer. Functionally a Divine Soul Sorcerer (a sorcerer that can choose from both wizard and cleric spells), and maybe there can be a story reason for the change which would also conveniently explain why she doesn’t have god-like levels of power anymore. But there is the possibility of her receiving a certain reward for all her sacrifices.

Suffice to say, she’s had a lot of adventures in the intervening century, been in a few battles, although she does prefer to avoid bloodshed whenever possible. Although sometimes, that’s just led to her getting into other types of trouble.

And a full character mod is just one possibility, way down the line. Another is to just have Jaheira say she's tried to reach Aerie to let her know what happened to Minsc, but its difficult because of her wandering around so much. Maybe add a document somewhere mentioning sightings of her, as well as possible reports of other characters out there in the world somewhere. It's quick, simple, makes everyone happy.

AERIE: About me? Well, I grew up in the mountains, in an Avariel city called Faenya-Dail. I was an inquisitive and adventurous child, to my parent’s chagrin; always being caught in places I’d been warned not to go, always trying to push a little further beyond the boundaries they’d set, when not getting into scraps with children twice my size – that kind of thing.

TAV: Sounds like you haven’t changed much.

AERIE: Oh – I’ve changed. And then I've changed some things back again. *sighs* I used to watch caravans winding their way through the valleys below, wondering who they were and where they went. One day I got too close. I saw a battle and tried to help a boy who was running away, only to be caught in his stead.

TAV: You never said what happened to your wings.

AERIE: I got sick. A long time ago. And I lost them.

TAV: Not such a long story.

AERIE: Well, that’s the very abbreviated version; there was a lot leading up to it. Years of abuse, neglect… y-you’ll, forgive me, if I’m not keen to recount all the details. Suffices to say that I was a slave, and any defiance met with swift and harsh punishment.

TAV: Where were you a slave?

AERIE: I was sold to a circus, in Amn. Stuffed into a tiny cage and put on display for all the world to gawk at. When I started to get sick, I tried to hide it at first – I was actually afraid of making things worse for myself. But worse they got anyway, and when my owners did notice I suppose they figured I wasn’t worth spending any more gold on for a healer. I was left to rot, until a Gnome – Uncle Quayle – took pity on and saved me. But my wings - they were disease-ridden, atrophied – it was too late to save them.

TAV: I’m sorry.

AERIE: There's no need to be. This was all a long time ago.

TAV: You’re remarkably good-natured, considering all that’s happened to you.

AERIE: I just don’t want anyone else to go through anything like that. Have I ever been angry about it? Lashed out at people who didn’t really deserve it? Of course I have. I try my best, but I’ve never claimed to be an angel… there are other Avariel that do do that.

TAV: Really?

AERIE: Uh-huh. They’ll find some isolated village and land in the middle of it claiming to be messengers sent by Ao or something, then start demanding that people offer up their valuables in exchange for blessings. All rather childish, really.

TAV: You must have had or come across some power that could restore your wings.

AERIE: Several, but… sometimes you live with something for so long it just becomes a part of who you are, and hard to imagine ever changing back. I am a grounded Avariel, a wingless wonder, a cripple in the eyes of my people yet I have flown farther than any of them. Anyway, that’s all I have to say about my first life. My new life really began with an illusionist named Kalah, but that’s a story for another time.

BANDIT LEADER: Hold there, friends. You’re looking a little worse for wear. Perhaps me and my compatriots can help lighten your burden a little.

(He whistles and more bandits come out of skulking to surround you.)

SHADOWHEART: Looters. They got here fast.

(Either attack right away, in which case Aerie will appear to help during the fight, then after skip to her asking if you’re okay, or attempt to talk your way past them.)

TAV: We don’t have anything.

BANDIT LEADER: Wrong, friend. Even if you were stood out here butt-naked, you’d still have something.

TAV: I’m serious; we just walked away from that crash. We've nothing valuable on us.

BANDIT LEADER: Ah, the crash; such a tragedy that. Such a shame that there were no survivors.

(The bandit unfurls and begins to wind up a long metallic whip for a lash, only for his body to be jerked slightly to the side. He snaps his head, squinting in confusion at a fair, blonde, and small elf holding the other end of the whip firmly in her hand.)

BANDIT LEADER: What’s this? Some little elfling girl wanting to be a hero? You’ve made a big mistake, little girl.

AERIE: Don’t call me little.

(A surge of energy rushes along the whip, knocking the Bandit Leader on his arse).

BANDIT: Another bloody wizard!

(Aerie begins to pace slowly to the side as the stunned and angry Bandit Leader scrambles to his feet, hand hovering close to her belt kind of like a Wild West gunslinger).

AERIE: So, you know she’s a spellcaster, and now you’re wondering how many more tricks does she have; maybe just one, or maybe she’s got an entire regiment’s arsenal tucked up her sleeves. I suppose the question to be asking yourself is, how much are you willing to risk to find out?

BANDIT LEADER: Just who the hell are you?!

AERIE: Well, who are any of us, really? Are we born who we are, or are we the sum of our experiences? Both? Perhaps some traits are set at birth, but their expression is—

BANDIT: I ain’t sure, but I reckon she’s taking the piss! We should stab her!

BANDIT LEADER: Shut it, you dullard! I’m thinking!

AERIE: See; if only you’d channelled that aggression into something like music or art. Such a shame.

(At this point either attack the bandits or persuade them to run away).

TAV: See that look? That's the look of someone who knows she can paste you.

BANDIT LEADER: Bah! It was only scraps here anyway. Come on lads!

(Either way, once they’re gone:)

AERIE: Are you okay? Did you survive that crash?

TAV: Who are you – your name, if you don’t mind.

AERIE: Aerie. Are there any others? Anyone who needs help?

TAV: We haven’t seen any other survivors.

AERIE: Well, you must have gone through quite an ordeal. If you need rest I saw what looked like a settlement a short ways north. I’m going to double-check the beach, just in case.

TAV: Careful, there might still be—

AERIE: Mindflayers? Don’t worry; I’ve a lot more experience at this sort of thing than it looks. Good luck to you!

(Runs off and vanishes).

(Obviously in the real thing there would be more dialogue options, like trying to intimidate the bandits yourself, and if successful Aerie would show up afterwards to ask if you’re okay. Or maybe you could try and side with them and attack her, although then you’d just have to fight her and then the bandits, and obviously attacking Aerie at any point could have consequences with other companions.)