Summary
- A Baldur's Gate 3 fan thanked Larian Studios for including a tribute to their father, who developed Alzheimer's before the game's release.
- Larian Studios went above and beyond by creating an NPC, Golbraith Stredivas, who resembles the fan's father and has an entire cellar to explore in the game.
- Players can interact with Golbraith in the game and even receive unique rewards, such as equipment, for demonstrating bravery in the face of an illithid threat.
A Baldur's Gate 3 fan has thanked Larian Studios for including a heartwarming tribute to their father. It came after he developed Alzheimer's shortly before Baldur's Gate 3 was released into early access.
The fan, known as Solfalia on the Larian forum, first wrote to the studio in October 2020 after playing through early access. Concerned their father would not be able to experience the complete title following the diagnosis, they thanked Larian for releasing Act 1. Solfalia's father introduced them to gaming young and the hobby stuck, with the pair finishing Larian's two prior games, Divinity Original Sin and its sequel, multiple times together.
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But there "wasn't a dry eye" among developers after reading that letter, according to Rachel Quirke, a writer for Larian who worked on Baldur's Gate 3. Costume designer Andrea Gatta initially tweeted about the touching story, capturing both the original forum post and a second in September 2023. The follow-up detailed how an anonymous employee at Larian, nicknamed "superwriter," had reached out to ask if they were open to their father being honored in-game. Solfalia "obviously" accepted, sharing some details about their father, including a "picture of his goofy smiling face," at his request.
Expecting "a mention in a random book," Solfalia was overjoyed to learn that not only was the tribute an NPC with dialogue, but he had an entire cellar to explore. Quite deep in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate, encircled by the Glitter Gala, Bloomridge Park, and the Blushing Mermaid, players will find Golbraith Stredivas, a retired mind flayer hunter. Solfalia noted that Golbraith even looked like their father. Although now in a care home and unable to play Baldur's Gate 3, the immortalized father listened to Solfalia's description of Golbraith with "child-like glee." The post concludes by thanking Larian for going above and beyond.
Golbraith has more than just a few lines too. Demonstrating bravery in the face of an illithid threat when speaking to him will reward players with a unique piece of equipment. Some missives thank Golbraith for saving lives, refer to him as a leading expert in counter-illithid strategies, and a collection of letters from his son that are described as "lovingly preserved." For Baldur's Gate 3 loot goblins willing to steal from even a retired hunter, or those merely curious in the surprisingly rich lore of an easily missed NPC, a cellar brimming with weapons and a stuffed mind flayer head can be sneaked into. However, beware of traps. Golbraith may be retired, but caution has not escaped him yet.
Baldur's Gate 3
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCE
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.
A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPIC
Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian's next-generation RPG engine.
- Franchise
- Baldur's Gate
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- Genre(s)
- RPG
