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My first thought was some powerful elder brain, so basically illithids hive mind. Or, I don't know, an elder brain which has achieved divinity? Not very subtle but obvious answer, at least for me.

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The elder brain idea is one of the more popular ones in the thread. Maybe the whole Absolute thing is a bit like what the Kuo Toa are doing: Making their gods real by belief. But this time Bhaal, Myrkul and Bane are doing what the Redcap in the underdark is doing on a small scale.
A mindflayer god could also be involved in the plot. Lots of hints but nothing definitive so far

Last edited by ArmouredHedgehog; 02/12/20 10:01 PM.

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If we can suppose that Ceremorphosis not only destroys the host's soul, but in doing so provides that soul's "essence" to the newborn Mind Flayer... and maybe ultimately to that illithid's Elder Brain, then I have a twist on these Absolute theories.

My guess is that The Absolute is: An Elder Brain that has absorbed or been altered by Amelyssan. This makes a lot of things fit. Perhaps she survived the destruction of the Throne of Blood and got picked up floating in the Astral Plane by that nautiloid or the Githyanki?

New Elder Brain Melissan is preparing to, or maybe already has, eaten the brains and souls of Bane and Myrkul (who were quasi-divine mortals on Toril, I believe.) It could be something she learns can be done to the Chosen or weakened mortal forms of any deities.

Anyway, in keeping with the saga, it would be traditional if Bhaal mojo is the missing ingredient in her stew when we begin the story.

Amelyssan could be the prophesied Illithid "Adversary." They ate her, but she retained her personality or will to some degree. She discovered that Ceremorphosizng the Chosen or the Quasi-Divine is a way to get what she wanted previously: To keep the Bhaal essence for herself and become a Goddess.

This time around, she's taking power from all of the Dead Three. In a way, the Absolute is becoming all of them as they are "absorbed." It can be simultaneously true that the Absolute is Bane, Myrkul, Bhaal, anyone else she's eaten, "she," "it," "he," "they," etc.

Quite possibly other deities' Chosen, or weakened Quasi-Divines are potential targets, which could tie in some Origin Characters. (Selune? Mystra? Bane's subjects like Maglubliyet might also be on the menu for the new Super-Illithid-Amelyssan too..)
,
I am not sure if the resistance to Ceremorphosis is a part of her plan, if it is a natural resistance that Chosen types have, if it is a protective measure by another power, or if it is part of a Githyanki plot to sterilize all Mind Flayers. (???) At any rate, She really wants you to break through that resistance and let her tadpole take over.

Some clues that I think support this:
- There are authoritative sources giving gender as "She" and also "It/Sexless." Both of these can be true, in a way, if Amelyssan's mind/will has taken over an Elder Brain. Also fits the narrator is the villain tradition.
- The Absolute Talisman image seems clearly a merging of the Bane and Myrkul symbols.
- The keen interest from Diabolical higher-ups/Raphael. I suspect it messes up contracts for souls if these souls get "eaten" by mind flayers.
-- Perhaps Amelyssan or an NPC would actually be evading a contract with a Devil this way. This could involve Gale and/or Thay. I believe Ssass Tam had a 1000-year term with an Archdevil on his soul.

--

I am not an FR Loremaster, and this theory needs details, but I think it's close.

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There is only one thing Absolute in the world, and that is Death; And Death -- is Bhaal.


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According to the torturer in the goblin camp the Absolute is searching for a weapon


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Probably the dead three, since the Absolutes symbol is a combination of each ones symbol. The Skelton guy you meet who speaks like a King James bible, is also probably Jergul in my opinion.

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In the end I have to go with this hypothesis (and how a strong defender of the originality of BG3), but after I watched the end of DOS 2, I have, with utmost difficulty, say this:

(end of divinity 2)
Tarquin and Malady.

In all the endings the necromancer stats that he's interested into a new plan of existence, yeo plane of existence, full with mind eaters entities, and Malady is a demon who can travel between planes of existence. Furthermore in some endings the Lizard race comes out strong and they can use dragons, something that reminds me that the Gynthaki ar antropomorphic reptilians that ride dragons, so they can be a future evolution of the lizard people of Rivellion



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I had a theory that the Absolute is Melissan from BG2 TOB. She had absorbed a great portion of Bhaal. The Absolute is a female, or so they called her a she. Perhaps she has absorbed the portfolios of the Dead Three, becoming the new Jergal.

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Originally Posted by GM4Him
I had a theory that the Absolute is Melissan from BG2 TOB. She had absorbed a great portion of Bhaal. The Absolute is a female, or so they called her a she. Perhaps she has absorbed the portfolios of the Dead Three, becoming the new Jergal.

While many refer to the Absolute as "She", there a few goblins in the game who use "He".

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Originally Posted by azarhal
Originally Posted by GM4Him
I had a theory that the Absolute is Melissan from BG2 TOB. She had absorbed a great portion of Bhaal. The Absolute is a female, or so they called her a she. Perhaps she has absorbed the portfolios of the Dead Three, becoming the new Jergal.

While many refer to the Absolute as "She", there a few goblins in the game who use "He".

Hmmm... I don't recall anyone calling the Absolute a "He", but either way... If Mellisan has absorbed the essences of 3 male dead gods, she might refer to herself mostly as a "She" but sometimes also as a "He".

Anyway. Just a theory. It would certainly tie BG1 and 2 to 3 very closely.

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Originally Posted by 0Muttley0
According to the torturer in the goblin camp the Absolute is searching for a weapon

I think the weapon is YOU, the MC, and your party of "special" people. Some have argued that none of the companions are normal, regular people. I think there's a reason for it. I think the entire party was "Chosen" by the Absolute for a reason. They are like a collective. Magic Pockets, shared thoughts, even if a party member isn't present, they know what you've said and pass judgment on your decisions. At one point, Shadowheart tells you that a voice in her head called her a "Beautiful Weapon." The goblins who enter the secret tunnels with Findal the Gnome Druid were sent to search for "a weapon". Ed's siblings tell you that they were sent, along with many others, to search for survivors from the crash. They are looking to gather all the True Souls.

Then, if you choose to use Illithid powers, the Dream Lover shows up and calls you Chosen. So, I think it's pretty clear that YOU and your companions are the weapon. You are one collective unit that the Absolute is hoping She can use in some special way.

I don't know. I could be totally wrong, but it sounds a lot like Mellisan in BG2 TOB. Who did she manipulate and use to fulfill her purpose? YOU, the player, the most powerful of all Bhaalspawn who was, from birth, infected with some sort of strange, other-worldly powers. Who is the Absolute using? YOU, the player, someone infected with some sort of strange, other-worldly powers.

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Originally Posted by GM4Him
Then, if you choose to use Illithid powers, the Dream Lover shows up and calls you Chosen. So, I think it's pretty clear that YOU and your companions are the weapon. You are one collective unit that the Absolute is hoping She can use in some special way.

About 10 pages into this thread, and starting a PT where i plan to take as many notes as possible on some of these theories. Intuitively though, I agree with this assessment. I get the sense that the party characters are being groomed in some capacity...
Though I think it's less benign than simply desiring to mold you into a weapon. Somebody or something is interested in your vessel, i don't think they plan on letting you keep it.

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The new Patch 5 content features what appears to be the first encounter with the Absolute.



Also foreshadowing three important figures who work for her.

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The three representativs match with the three gods forming the absolute. While it seems quite clear by now that Bhaal, Bane and Myrkul are the Absolute there are some major questions remaining:
How do the Illithids fit into their plan. How do they form the telepathic unity known as the absolute. Are the three going to fuse into one new god. What does the githyanki artefact have to do with it.
HarbsNarbs did a summary video for the aforementioned thesis on youtube.


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Since patch 5, everyone seems very intent on pointing out the absolute is a she. Neither Bhaal, Bane, or Myrkul are female... the only one of them that can possibly be a She as far as I know is Bhaal


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The Absolute is mentioned both as male and female. I think it manifests itself as it chooses, to better manipulate the given figure (whether they answer better to a male or female authority figure). I agree with Harbs Narbs analyses that the Absolute is the Dead Three teaming up with a group of illithid. In the current timeline, the Dead Three are not full fledged deities so it makes sense for them to want to consolidate power.

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Originally Posted by spacehamster95
The Absolute is mentioned both as male and female. I think it manifests itself as it chooses, to better manipulate the given figure (whether they answer better to a male or female authority figure). I agree with Harbs Narbs analyses that the Absolute is the Dead Three teaming up with a group of illithid. In the current timeline, the Dead Three are not full fledged deities so it makes sense for them to want to consolidate power.
That's just not true, and I thought it was but I think patch 5 removed all ambiguity in regards to the absolute's gender.
Some minor spoilers:
If you talk about the absolute to the goblin prisoner you have the option to call the absolute he, and the goblin will correct you


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"74.85% of you stood with the Tieflings, and 25.15% of you sided with Minthara. Good outweighs evil, it seems."
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Again, that's her faulty knowledge. She believes it to be female because that's how she was taught. The acolytes near the Owlbear cave still call the Absolute him if I recall correctly.

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Originally Posted by spacehamster95
Again, that's her faulty knowledge. She believes it to be female because that's how she was taught. The acolytes near the Owlbear cave still call the Absolute him if I recall correctly.
The acolyte girl says that the true souls will be ruling in her name. I don't recall any npcs calling the absolute a him. The only different answer was from the dead mindflayer (perfect unity or sth like that).

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I might be wrong, but I think the dying acolyte, the dwarf evokes the Absolute as a Him, but I am now not sure. Maybe, I am stuck in Patch 4 mentally. Still, I don't think the pronoun is important in this case. Faerun gods are usually willing to do drag to increase their power or gain new followers.

Last edited by spacehamster95; 05/08/21 03:28 PM.
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