A writer on the original Baldur's Gate has shared their surprise at stumbling upon a character they helped create as they explored Baldur's Gate 3.
This article contains spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3's final act.
David Gaider might be best known as the creator of Dragon Age, but he's also something of a Baldur's Gate expert, having written for the original games in the series while at BioWare. During that time, he created the character of Viconia DeVir, a Drow Cleric who can serve as a companion through both Baldur's Gate 1 and 2.
Viconia is a Cleric of the goddess Shar, whom Baldur's Gate 3 players will likely know as the same goddess worshipped by companion Shadowheart. When Shadowheart's companion quest takes her to a Sharran temple, The House of Grief, she's met by an array of fellow worshippers - although they'll likely react to you differently depending on the decisions you make in the Gauntlet of Shar.
The gasp I let out when I finally went to the House of Grief in BG3. You'd think that I, of ALL people, would have been prepared for who I found there, might even have SUSPECTED, but noooo 😱August 25, 2023
You might have thought that the creator of another high-profile Sharran character would have seen where all this was going, but that doesn't appear to have happened to Gaider. In a tweet last night, he recounts "the gasp I let out when I finally went to The House of Grief in Baldur's Gate 3. You'd think that I, of ALL people, would have been prepared for who I found there, might have even SUSPECTED, but noooo."
It's pretty clear that Gaider is talking about Viconia, who leads the House of Grief. In my playthrough, where I chose to stray from Shar's teachings, she's not particularly pleased to see Shadowheart, but if your story has gone a different way, you're likely to see a different side to her.
Viconia is far from the only original character to reappear in Baldur's Gate 3; Bard Volo, Druid Jaheira, and hamster-enthusiast Minsc are some of many familiar faces and places that you're likely to stumble across - although unless you're one of a very specific group, you're unlikely to find any faces that you actually helped create.
Baldur's Gate 3 patch 1 is here, with notes so long that it sort-of broke Steam.
