Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate as Told by Flavor Text
"Knowledge is the greatest tool of the mortal mind, outweighing anything made by mortal hands. Before anything else can exist, the idea must exist."
Smoke clogged the streets and rubble littered the ground, but sunlight shining on the long-lost towers of Elturel was still a beautiful sight.
"After voyaging all the way through the Astral Sea with my life hanging by a silver thread, fighting the mind flayer was the easy part."
"The Lord of Darkness elevates only those who serve."
Follow the light at your own risk.
"Wait, it was just guarding a bunch of eggs! Where is the treasure?" ~ Xalcorin the bard
"It's a win-win arrangement. I just happen to win the most." ~ Duke Thalamra Vanthampur
You have traveled to many places, over mountains and across seas, but a new journey always calls.
You carry the security of Baldur's Gate on your shoulders, and you welcome the weight of responsibility.
"Got the remaining citizens to safety! These miscreants have an appointment with my spear."
The githzerai dwell in the heart of Limbo, shaping the chaos of that plane with their powerful psionic abilities.
"Why do you cower in the darkness, little gnolls? If you would challenge me, step into the light."
In the light of its gleaming blade, the faithful shine and the wicked cower.
"Get behind my shield!"
Your family needed a farmer, so you tilled. Your town needed a fighter, so you trained. When your people needed a leader, you knew what you had to do.
Fortunately for lost travelers, chwingas' curiosity often gets the better of their shyness.
The Harpers value peaceful coexistence, historical preservation, and harmony with nature, and each day they spread their ideals a little farther.
A searing light that spares only the chosen.
It was a big day for the gravediggers at Cliffside Cemetery.
Only the good-hearted may set foot in a unicorn's domain.
"Ooh, nice shot! I almost felt that one."
You've always been happiest fighting for a cause you believe in alongside loyal comrades.
"You trespass on sacred ground, monster. Leave while you still can."
Their only mistake was giving the bard time to speak.
"Shhh! I think I hear goblins. And I definitely smell them."
"My whims dictate the fate of nations. Your pitiful mortal magic is no more significant than a gnat buzzing in my ear."
"It's as much of a trick of the mind as it is a trick of the eye."
Tales of heroes past galvanize the heroes of the future.
You love the smell of dusty tomes, the flicker of candles during late-night reading, and the old texts that bring to life the scholars who have come before.
"Isn't she the cutest thing you've almost seen?" ~ Doen, purveyor of exotic pets
The wyrmling studied the ancient carvings and dreamed of a day when her own exploits would be immortalized in stone.
Erdur never thought of it as stealing. Treasure simply didn't deserve to be stuck underground where no one could admire it.
In her dream, Lola gazed into a mirror. Her familiar features warped, her jaw stretching wider and wider until it cracked and her reflection pulled her into its gaping maw.
You're driven not by a lust for gold or baubles, but by the thrill of danger and the excitement of the unknown.
"Why simply sit back and applaud the good ideas of others when I can improve upon them?" ~ Elminster
"Hello, my fluttering friends! Isn't it a beautiful day?"
Fey energy clings to you, a shimmering reminder of your otherworldly travels.
Warnis had always felt a glimmer of potential within herself, flickering just out of reach. That night, as the cultists attacked, it became a torrent of power that was hers to command.
Harbormasters tend to forget that security shouldn't stop at the surface.
"Your mind belongs to the Emperor now."
"You will serve me better in this form." ~ Jon Irenicus
Though her words may be unoriginal, her creations are anything but.
A family that welcomes birds of all feathers.
Percival's clothes itched and his dinner was unpleasantly wriggly, but the kobold looked like he was having the time of his life.
"Don't worry, I can reach it."
Pseudodragons are favored companions of wizards, prized for their cunning and curiosity.
"Sure, you can get one elsewhere . . . if you want a knockoff that'll break the first time you use it."
It offers the power to shape worlds and the elegance to do so with style.
True love means always knowing what's on the other's mind.
You see your next disguise in every stranger's smile.
You were born at sea, and your legs are steadiest when the waves are rowdiest.
"May Lady Luck smile upon you some other day, pal."
"If you want a warm welcome, you'll have to seek it elsewhere."
"I see the far side of tomorrow and the lost memories of queens. What do you wish to learn?"
You give your clients what they want at a fair price. What happens after that is none of your concern.
Your skill, dexterity, and moral flexibility make you a valuable asset to your guild.
"Of course it can be yours. Anything is possible for the right price. Speaking of which . . ."
"What's softer than silk, stronger than steel, and quieter than thought?" ~ Warlock riddle
Burning slowly into annihilation, the elder evil Hadar grants fearsome powers to warlocks willing to help satiate its dark hunger.
"Stop bleeding. It's distracting." ~ Astarion, the Decadent
There is no line Jon Irenicus would not cross to regain his lost immortality.
For the patriar class, wealth is in the blood.
The bell's unearthly chime slips into the ears of the dead, waking them rudely from their eternal slumber.
Bhaal's mortal children carried within them a darkness that, left unchecked, would devour them all.
"We simply cannot tolerate a petty thief among the servants. I'm afraid I'll have to let you go." ~ Rog, steward of House Rillyn
To these fiends, there's no symphony more beautiful than the melodies of rattling chains and ripping flesh.
As the acrid fumes drifted through the Lower City, even the vermin ceased to stir.
You've never cared much for laws or authority, especially when they get in your way.
You embrace power at any cost, and if it consumes you, so be it.
"That's a pretty ring! Trade you my knife for it."
The Night Serpent tasted the warlock's ambition and savored the dark hunger in her soul.
"Of course it's part of my plan. Who do you think started the bar fight?"
"Corpses of those slain by russet mold grow new moldies. Not the legacy most of us aspire to." ~ Elminster
"Pave your path to the throne with yet another body if you must, Sarevok. It will make your stolen godhood no less false." ~ Gorion, wise mentor
"Your death will make a fine tribute for the Lord of Bones."
It listens to all of their plans and plots creative ways to turn them to ruin.
"I'm certain there's a shortcut here . . ."
Most see the Mad Mage as a deranged menace, but you recognize the genius behind his paranoia.
"Shar's will shall be done. As sure as night will fall."
"Buy something or move along."
"I will never complain about mosquitos again." ~ Imoen
The air itself shuddered at the wizard's words, and from the dark beyond, her call was answered.
What its gaze doesn't wither, its breath surely will.
"Keep your fancy magic. All I need is a hook and a sturdy length of rope."
"Don't try to bribe them. They'll take your gold *and* your liver." ~ Volo's field notes
"The Zhentarim are ruthless, unscrupulous, and dishonest. But I must admit, they are effective." ~ Commander Liara Portyr
"At least it's a beautiful way to die." ~ Erinis, gloom stalker
"The Lord of Murder has freed me from the shackles of mortal laws and gifted me with fire to carry out his will."
"In the name of Tempus, Lord of Battles, you will die honorably in righteous fire."
The essence of red dragon burns within, always ready to rise with wrath.
When Sarevok's deception was unmasked, the cheering crowd erupted into an outraged mob.
You know that mighty dracoliches will one day rule over this world. For you, that day can't come soon enough.
"Every cave-in is Moradin telling you to leave the earth where it is." ~ Halgar, dwarven recluse
They fought with the desperate courage of those who have nothing left to lose.
"Watch out for its teeth, tail, claws, wings, back, and front." ~ Olga, cavalier
The orchard soon reeked of sulfur, smoke, and scorched bugbear, with just a hint of peach.
Your discerning eye for value makes you nearly impossible to swindle.
"Sure, you can help me calibrate the aiming mechanism. Stand over there."
"What do you mean 'Does it work?' What an insulting question."
"Hasn't she heard of knocking?!" ~ Snerd, Flaming Fist guard
Her hunger for power consumes what the fire cannot.
A flame as bright and merciless as the sun.
Kobold tactics rarely account for little things like diplomacy, mercy, or surrender.
"It's okay. My mother owns the museum."
The last thing anyone would describe you as is shy. You love the spotlight, and it loves you back.
The best defense is not even knowing what the word "defense" means.
At the first sign of danger, she breaks out the power chords.
"I alone am worthy to decide where lighting strikes." ~ Hekaton, storm giant king
Your harsh upbringing on the streets of the city left you crafty, resilient, and wise beyond your years.
Pozo's heart was full of courage, right up until it was full of elven steel.
The only thing you love more than a good drink is a good fight. Luckily, one usually follows the other.
Wealthy patriars make up the vast majority of both his victims and his customers.
"We'll put it all back! The gems, the gold, the chalice that would've looked great on my mantle; we'll put everythi—"
For most, deadly. For a dragon, decadent.
You were on a wayward path until Bahamut showed you that power and kindness can unite beneath the same banner.
The raging green dragon left destructio ~ and at least one admirer—in its wake.
"I will remember my friends. But you? You won't be remembered at all."
"Boo, let's see how this miscreant handles a furry missile of justice!"
"I'll see your three dragons and raise you two fists!"
Life runs wild amid the tanged branches.
"C'mon, Boodigan, let's go see what kind of treasure this place has!"
You've always preferred the company of animals to people.
When he's threatened, the forest buzzes wand the air hums with dragonfly wings.
Rip through enough dirt and you'll eventually find something edible.
"We must never allow the deeds of our great ancestors to be forgotten."
A serpent's cruelty, a dragon's appetite.
Bone, root, and seed—the past, the present, and future in one handful of earth.
Emerald dragons hate prying eyes, and they have a host of ways to deter them.
"Filthy, sticky, vile, noxious—and I haven't even started describing the webs." ~ Erinis, gloom stalker
"Careful near those pretty glowing plants. What do you think they feed on?" ~ Talin, Underdark guide
You're a born explorer, happiest forging your way through the untamed wilds.
"The Harpers' movement grows, but it needs sunlight to blossom. We can be that light."
"Territorial. Scary. No further notes." ~ Volo's field notes
You never thought "rations" was an appropriate term for the feasts you prepare for your party.
The detail really makes the monsters jump off the page.
Myconid colonies grow and expand at an aggressive rate, but they are friendly and peaceful unless provoked.
Druidcraft is a simple invocation to spirits of nature, promising a glimpse of nature's secrets.
When your pack is nowhere to be found, you form a new one.
"Breath of basilisk, sting of scorpion, or medusa's tears? All may be distilled, for a price."
Your parents taught you that strength can be nurtured and honed, no matter one's size.
". . . and I will need an equally righteous but slightly smaller saddle for my space hamster companion." ~ Minsc, beloved ranger
"Life always starts small. Only time will tell what heights it may reach."
"Arise, friend, and seize the horizon in the name of the Oak Father."
"That half is yours. These halves are mine."
"By the time you've seen it all, all have already changed." ~ Wandering treant, name unknown
Water, barley, yeast, darkness—the tavern cellar had everything a growing mold could need.
Better the cold night than her warm hospitality.
She roams the border between wilderness and civilization, protecting those who need it most.
"It's a ghoul-eat-you world out there. Follow my orders if you want to survive."
Ambition has a price in Baldur's Gate, and it is paid to the Council.
"You are safest in Candlekeep, Abdel, but I cannot keep you from the world forever."
"Would you like a song of wing-wind and fire, or one of gentle heartbeats atop a golden hoard?"
She channels myth and memory into waves of deadly arcane force.
"Welcome to the Wandering Emporium. Feel free to browse the bazaar. We have everything a lost soul could want, need, or afford."
They walk the Path of Kensei with perfect balance.
Somehow he never seems to run out of meat.
A quill from the First Reader at Candlekeep, the spectacles of the Most Holy Servant of Gond, a woven bookmark from the Caleph Arcane of Calimport: readers always leave something of themselves behind.
"To feel no constraint but the four points of a compass, to tread a path that only you can find . . . these are the flavors of power I've learned to savor." ~ Keon, horizon walker
Leave no treasure behind.
Some patriars pay massive sums for exotic pets that can give their posh, predictable lives an edge of danger.
Not born of nature, but deeply connected to it nonetheless.
Every facet a portent of Kelemvor's inevitable judgment.
First discovered in ancient Netheril, chardalyn stones absorb and hold magical energy, enabling constructs to be infused with fearsome power and unnatural malice.
"How about the power of silent flight? Does that suit your needs, cutthroat?" ~ Rivalen Blackhand, proprietor of Sorcerous Sundries
"It might just be my greatest invention yet: A lovable pet that *decreases* the need for chores!" ~ Jan Jansen
"Now, remember: Under no circumstances should you utter the word 'geyser' in the same room as—oh, blast it!" ~ Bindlehaim, Upper City merchant
Sometimes the closet *is* the monster.
The Flaming Fist soldiers prepared to face a bulette, or worse, but the cause of the rumblings turned out to be much more benign and bizarre.
Every facet aglow like iron in Moradin's mighty forge.
"Finally! It was worth the price to never have to fiddle with lockpicks ever again." ~ Davvry Mineshadow, thief
Every facet a benediction of Lathander's light.
"One-two! One-two! One-two! One-two!"
The strongest golems are forged from meteoric iron that has been tempered in the heat of an elemental plane.
"I don't study it because I want answers; I study it because there is beauty in pursuing the unknown." ~ Masvaad, Candlekeep librarian
Quenton barely had a second to admire his exquisite handsomeness before reality collapsed around him.
Every facet a promise of Chauntea's bounty.
Travel the world without ever leaving the comfort of home.
"While it is certainly a unique touch, Jan, does the mustache really need to be there?" ~ High Artificer Andar Beech
Only a fool ignores a letter bearing the official mark of a patriar family.
Charting the Spine of the World is best left to the disposable.
To the cultists, the sacred idol was priceless. To the adventurers, it was worth about two sturdy mules and a barrel of ale.
To understand Baldur's Gate, one must first understand how wealth and commerce shape every facet of life.
"No, not an accessory to murder—I'm looking for an accessory *for* murder." ~ Nadja, Flaming Fist investigator
Every facet a window into Oghma's divine insight.
It whispers words spoken centuries ago, coaxing wisdom from the ghosts of civilizations past.
One who wears magical *boots of striding and springing* can jump astounding distances.
A few drops could dissolve the webs of Lolth herself.
Druids hold certain plants to be sacred and use their leaves and wood as a spellcasting focus.
"Of course I know what 'eponymous' means! It's a little horse." ~ Krizz, gate guard
The eastern passage into the city is filled with reminders that the patriars are literally looking down on you.
An imposing visage that looms over all who would rise above their station.
Servants tend to the garden meticulously, ensuring that Upper City residents aren't bothered by the messier parts of nature.
A beacon of order and safety, for those who can afford it.
A partition between the hopeless living and the restless dead.
Durlag's Tower is filled with enough treasure to last a lifetime, and enough traps to drastically shorten that lifetime.
There is an immense diversity of life in the Underdark, almost all of which can kill you.
In opulent chambers behind closed doors, dynasties are made and broken but with a few murmured words.
A barrier that shields privileged eyes from the city's woes.
No one really knows how deep the waters go beneath the Undercity, nor what amorphous horrors lurk within.
Gale stared into the pool and saw a stranger. The similarities were uncanny, but it was not him.
An efficient route from a smuggler's ship to a patriar's manor.
A shoreless sea extends to every horizon, sharing its beauty only with those who can fly high enough to see it.
The village's name was long forgotten, its crumbling ruins a monument to the fragility of civilization.
"Cities are a blight on the beauty of nature."
Tales of your great deeds follow you no matter how far you travel from your hometown.
Trained by a dwarven master, you see the potential in every scrap of metal.
You can't remember a time when you didn't feel the pull of forgotten stories and buried secrets.
Every veteran adventurer will tell you to stick with your party, because the ones who split up aren't around to give advice.
"Virtue is an inner light that can prevail in every soul."
Where fickle form meets lasting loyalty.
"As my kha, he is the source of my inspiration. As my brother, he is the embodiment of my aspirations." ~ Ajani Goldmane
Crime sometimes makes unlikely allies into lifelong friends.
Unaware of Lorwyn's diversity, it sees only itself, reflected a thousand times over.
"My family protects all families."
Made from the clay of burial mounds, the face paint of the priests is a sign of their respect for those whose rest they interrupt.
"We are a product of our ancestors, the apotheosis of countless noble generations. Speak their names with reverence, and they will guide your path."
"It's delightful, the things their owners reveal when they think no one is listening."
"There is always more to give."
"I can no longer sit in my workshop and ignore the events outside. My hammers strike for the people of Ghirapur."
The militia formed up in the central plaza awaiting the onslaught, but the giants never quite made it.
It is ancient, immense, and irresistible.
"Four parts molten bronze, yes . . . one part frozen mercury, yes, yes . . . but then what?"
Another imminent battle subsided in busy snuffling and carefree rooting.
Idle chatter beckons many an attentive ear.
"Strike me once, shame on you. Strike me twice . . . Well, let's just see if you can." ~ Kara Vrist, Neurok agent
"Try to pretend like you understand what's important."
"My earliest work escapes me." ~ Stitcher Geralf
The body grows stronger under stress. The mind does not.
"You studied hard. How delicious!"
The pull of the tide star holds eternal sway.
"Shed your thoughts and let my will flow through you."
"The cost of your opposition will be extracted from your wits." ~ Nekusar, the Mindrazer
"I do things in my own time." ~ Etha, initiate of Rhet crop
The masks float downstream toward the Mirrorlake, where faces arise to wear them.
Tracking it isn't the hard part.
"Me? I'm just an innocent bystander!"
"Death is merely another foe the Mardu will overcome."
His verdict is always guilty. His sentence is always death.
"We share a common enemy. Does that not make us friends?"
A mercurial face sows distrust. Distrust reaps a lonely life.
Even when the flesh grows cold, knowledge waits in the bones for a master to release it.
Panic spread like wildfire as the demons of Immersturm poured into Bretagard, slaughtering as they came.
"We give the audience what they want." ~ Juri, proprietor of the Juri Revue
His fists fume with the decay of death, each strike a plague on the hearts of his enemies.
"On vile wings and bloody wind, the swarm will rise." ~ Skyclave inscription
"We all want to know what's going on in someone else's head. I simply open it up and look."
When killing five just isn't enough.
Beyond pain, beyond obsession and wild despair, there lies a place of twisted power only the most tormented souls can reach.
"From your veins to mine."
"There will be no secrets between us... like it or not."
Under Drana's leadership, vampires are finding new strength in unity.
"I believe many worlds will bow to Phyrexia. Mirrodin is merely the first." ~ Sheoldred, Whispering One
Opening Orazca unleashed more horrors than just the Immortal Sun.
When tempers run high, it's easy to lose your head.
"Eldrazi? Ha! Try walking through Zulaport at night with your pockets full. Now *that's* dangerous."
"Diplomacy has solved nothing. Only bloodspill can end this now. Call forth the warbringer." ~ Basandra, Battle Seraph
"Holy places are no longer sanctuary from death, and death is no longer sanctuary from anything." ~ Thalia, Knight-Cathar
Not every tale ends in glory.
"You hit like a kobold!"
"We train for the improbable, like lightning striking the same place twice, or striking everywhere at once." ~ Nundari, Sea Gate militia captain
Jingling coins beckon many an eager hand.
"Burn them from the sky." ~ Varragoth
Dinner and politics don't mix.
"Spread out, you idiots! Spread out!" ~ Marsden, party leader, last words
Its wings shimmer with dreams absorbed from its enemies.
"Courage is the only shield I need."
The storm rages and the earth breaks.
Its crystalline core refracts light into chaos.
"Infiltrate and infuriate!" ~ Goblin Espionage League motto
"Gather your strength. Prepare yourself." ~ Jeska, to Radha
Warning to those who scale the cliffs without paying tribute: It's a long way down.
"Places, everyone!" ~ Judith
The course of the falling star always ends in ruin.
Sometimes primitive cultures attributed natural phenomena to monsters. Sometimes they were right.
When the Mirran resistance arrived, the furnace dwellers looked to Urabrask for guidance. His decree stunned the others: "Let them be."
Its wings beat to the howls of war and fan the fires of rage.
"Listen to the roar! Feel the thunder! The Immersturm shouts its approval with every bolt of lightning!"
Her webs, spun from her own hair, reach from Nyx to the mortal world and even into the Underworld.
"Monsters dwell in every heart. We only think civilization tames them." ―Euphemia, Nexus watcher
All seeds share a common bond, calling to each other across infinity.
"Smash this city to pieces." ~ Domri Rade
An explorer's reward is a view of tomorrow's possibilities.
"Those who do not submit will be consumed."
"The land grows only where the kami will it." ~ Dosan the Falling Leaf
His mind chose solitude, but his heart disagreed.
"The curse is broken."
There were no tombstones in orochi territory. Slain warriors were buried with a tree sapling, so they would become a part of the forest after death.
Cantankerous and territorial, sandwurms claim even the skies above their dunes.
Those who love the woods only wish to spread its majesty.
Liliana whispered to whatever consciousness Oketra and Bontu had left. "You are the gods. He is the usurper. You know what to do."
The guards kindled the hearth and locked the door to Ellwen's chamber. By morning, the fire was out and Ellwen was gone.
If you want to wreak havoc above, sometimes it's best to look below.
"Does it matter what it is? Take it and be grateful!"
"All I require is faith, loyalty, obedience, trust, and complete and utter devotion."
"Vengeance is the echo of the victim's own crime." ~ Grensch, merrow cutthroat
Words describing it fail. Pages relating it shrivel. Tales recounting it end.
Size of a pixie, rage of a hellkite.
The weapon wields the hand that holds it.
A key that slips through every lock.
An emblem of a secret guild, the Dimir insignia is seen only by its own members—and the doomed.
"What do you have that I cannot obtain?" ~ Mairsil, the Pretender
"You've begun to understand the hedrons' true purpose," said Ugin. "The Eldrazi can be imprisoned."n"And how did that work out last time?" asked Jace.
The Izzet signet is redesigned often, each time becoming closer to a vanity portrait of Niv-Mizzet.
After lightning struck the cliffs, the ore became iron, the iron became steel, and the steel became greaves. The lightning never left.
"Let go of your memories and be reborn." ~ Argent Etchings, plate 106, passage 27
The sigil holds different meanings depending on its form and presentation. While some wear it as a sign of status, others wear it as a sign of debt.
"To be in the presence of a revoker is to be truly alone." ~ Kara Vrist, Neurok agent
"If that brain can't figure out the secret of the serum, then add more brains." ~ Rhmir, Hand of the Augur
The mind is a beautiful bounty encased in an annoying bone container.
Lost to time is the artificer's art of trapping light from a distant star in a ring of purest gold.
"Let's show Vorinclex that progress doesn't always need teeth or claws." ~ Malcator, Executor of Synthesis
"Good ideas don't take time. They take a lot of bad ideas first." ~ Ral Zarek
"You'll never get to the top if you don't know who's already there." ~ Kaya
Infinite possibilities contained in a finite space.
Without Embereth's courage, the realm would falter and fall.
Without Locthwain's persistence, the realm would stagnate and die.
Without Vantress's knowledge, the realm would lose itself in darkness.
On the volcanic continent of Akoum, bizarre vegetation clusters around gas vents, and jagged mountain peaks rise high into the air.
Underdark flooding has swallowed ancient drow burial chambers, which are now haunted . . . and infested with oozes.
A lonely sentinel facing gales, hurricanes, and tides of homicidal spirits.
"This is it! All the cryptoliths point here!" ~ Jace Beleren
"It was a strange morning. When we awoke, we found our trees transformed. We didn't know whether to water them or polish them." ~ Pulan, Bant orchardist
"Tread carefully! The last time I walked this path, half the snowdrifts were, in fact, sleeping trolls. I've never run so fast in my life!" ~ Iskene, Kannah storyteller
When a werewolf changes for the first time, that first howl is said to echo through the wilds till moonset.
"They're still here?! The cockroach may have finally met its match." ~ Teferi
Plant life in the valley changes for the worse as runoff from dwarven forges contaminates the water.
Some worlds possess a hidden core where life's essence constantly surges.
"Some see a coastal disaster. I see a fully-stocked seagraf." ~ Jadar, ghoulcaller of Nephalia
Mage-students who see spellcraft as the highest form of expression choose Prismari, the college of elemental arts.
Once guarded by the Knights of the Reliquary, the tower stands now protected only by its own remoteness, its dusty treasures open to plunder by anyone.
"The Westfolk wept, and their tears wore winding rivers into the cheek of the world." ~ Glem the Lonebard, "Origins of Kholon"
Rumors quickly spread among thieves about a labyrinth without walls and a prize beyond all measures of worth.
"Young Vitima bellowed to the Cosmos, daring the gods to punish her hubris! Well, she got their attention, as you can see." ~ Iskene, Kannah storyteller
On the continent of Tazeem, rushing waters plunge through narrow canyons into mist-cloaked lakes.
"When gods become apathetic, the people will worship anyone who answers their pleas." ~ Kiora
"For centuries my creation kept this world in balance. Now only her shadow remains." ~ Sorin Markov
A figure is moved on a map, and the tide of war changes.
"Cities are a blight on the beauty of nature."
You've heard rumors of bandits along the Coast Way, but your journey so far has even surprisingly uneventful.
Lady Bormul claims an owlbear has been trampling her fields, but there's something unnatural about the tracks it left behind.
After spending all day trying to track down a rare tome, you're about to give up when you hear your name whispered from a dark alley.
You arrive at Baldur's Gate with instructions to head straight to the heart of the rumor mill: the bakery.
As you sail past the imposing Seatower of Balduran, you realize that breaking your friend out of that prison will be much harder than you thought.
As you gaze down upon Wyrm's Crossing, you hear distant cries of alarm, and you notice that all traffic on the bridge has come to a halt.
You're about to disembark to find the harbormaster when you spot a merfolk darting underneath your ship.
The ship's captain promised she'd get you safely to the Netherese ruin, but *she* is the one who just washed overboard.
Now that you've clearly hit the "marsh" part of Lizard Marsh, you begin to worry about the "lizard" part.
The sudden sinkhole was surprising enough, but nothing could have prepared you for the ancient city that was hidden underneath.
The old wizard's experiments destroyed the castle centuries ago. So why does some of the rubble look recent?
At the mouth of the sewer pipe, you realize it's massive enough that even a giant could walk through without stooping. That gives you an idea . . .
As you explore the slums of the Outer City, you keep hearing rumors of a den of werewolves in the caves below Dusthawk Hill.
Lord Jannath sent you to secure the mine from gnoll raiders, but so far you haven't seen any gnolls . . . or, for that matter, any miners.
Rumor holds that powerful artifacts and untold wealth are hidden away in Ramazith's Tower, and today you plan to find out for yourself.
As you pause mid-climb to catch your breath, you'd swear you can hear a heartbeat pulsing deep within the mountain.
You know that hiexel bark produces a lot of smoke when burned, but why would Rilsa Rael need so much of it?
The lights in the cavern glow and fade, glow and fade in a rhythm that must have a deeper meaning, if only you can figure it out.
You continue to mutter and complain as you trip over yet another gnarled root. From behind the nearest tree trunk, something mutters back.
You're on your way home when you spot the gates of a strange city . . . one that isn't on the map and wasn't here when you traveled this path four days ago.