So, what happens if CHARNAME is killed? (spoilers)

Like this one.

Ok. I voted Mellisan.
I don't see Immy as a fall back plan.

Mellisan is the only one with the Machiavellian plan in motion. Unlike all those daft competing Siblings.

 

The game would have ended ... and I would have felt incredibly ripped off in buying the series.

 

Not to mention gullible since, given that there wouldn't be a game after the first one, there wouldn't have actually been a series.

Anyway, I would have said Boo. Because, y'know, every hamster has his day.

 

Irenicus? He could steal Imoen's essence, and I can see him throwing a wrench into Melissan's machinations.
Or how about plain simple Sarevok?

 

At that time period in Faerun, the gods of the Realms were ruled by Ao, the "God of Gods". He would of chosen Bhaal's replacement to be the Lord of Murder and Assassinations to keep the balance among the deities. He would of chosen someone fitting for that post, not a warrior like Sarevok. Or a mage like Melissan or Irenicus. Montaron would be my choice...

 

^
Heh. Monty would be cool. Xzar also.

"Monteron ye are so aggravating"

 

By that reasoning, the most likely candidates are: Bodhi (maybe), Ilasera and ....

Imoen

"Tis' something most unnatural here, and I want no part of it."
...nevertheless Ao selects Imoen as the last surviving Bhaalspawn Rogue to be the new God of Murder to preserve the balance...
"Good on me if I save the day."
"My blade will cut you down to size."

Ao regrets his decision...

 

Wouldn't Imoen have the same alignment problems as Midnight/Mystra? I imagine she'd be forced to help evil people the same way Midnight the new Mystra was.
It might cause her some emotional problems and break her to be forced to do evil like that.

Although a good god of murder would be an intriguing idea. It would be more like a god of vigilantes as only bad people who deserve it get murdered. Either that, or at least the assassins guilds semi-reform themselves so that they only target bad people. Still for money, but they're willing to take contracts from one black lotus pusher to off another, but they won't take a contract to off the uncorruptible law enforcement officer who is causing them so much trouble, nor would they go after innocents.

I do like the idea. Has anyone done a fanfic where Imoen does become the new God of Murder?

 

It's an interesting idea. Though I also think it's very likely Imoen will just end making her own version of Kelemvor's Wall of the Faithless-thing (we all know how spectacularly that backfired, though people should have expected as much from a Lawful Neutral death god).

It's always bothered me that D&D gods have specific alignments in the first place.

 

I can just see it now ... every prayer ... every spell from her clerics ... MUST begin with ... Hey'ya.

 

^ Funny in so many ways.

 

The player also dies!



Eventually.

 

Interesting topic. I'd go for Balthazar. Here's why:

Sarevok's plan would not have worked in the way he envisioned. Creating a mass slaughter alone is not enough, the death of all other Bhaalspawn was also necessary. Before that could happen, Sarevok would have been defeated by the armies of Amn and assuredly killed.

Imoen, if she escaped the assassination attempt that killed CHARNAME, would likely have lain low and not risen to fame. Most likely she would have eventually been tracked down by the Five and killed.

Irenicus and Bodhi would have struggled to obtain Bhaalspawn suitable for their experiments. Sarevok, Gromnir and The Five would be too powerful and well protected to capture. The others would have lain low so their identities would not be known.

Gromnir was coping badly under siege and losing his sanity before he was killed. He probably would not have lasted too much longer.

Bhaal's plan depended on Mellisan who had betrayed him so he could not succeed no matter what.

The other 4 members of the Five would ultimately destroy each other with in fighting. Abazagil probably would have been the ultimate victor, but I imagine Mellisan and Balthazar would have eventually broken him down.

That leaves Melissan and Balthazar. But Melissan counted on the last Bhaalspawn coming to her so she could defeat him and steal his essence. But Balthazar had no such intention. He would have killed himself and thereby denied Melissan her prize. The throne of murder would lie unclaimed and all Melissan's plans would have come to naught.

 

What if Gorion had blasted Sarevok and the attacking party at the Lions Way to bits?

 

The assassination attempt on the Dukes would not have happened, but I believe that the rest of the Iron Throne would have found somebody else to try to run the operation. It would have gone according to the original plan, and probably been thwarted the same way.

CHARNAME would have met up with Jaheria and Kahalid, probably rebuffing Monteran and Xar's offer or escorting them to the FAI first. I imagine that if those two found out that Jaheria and Kahalid they might have made a temporary alliance and journeyed to Nashkel along with Gorion and his ward.
The game would progress, and they'd probably have reported much the same as in the game up to the assassination attempt, that I doubt would happen.

Whether or not Irenicus would capture CHARNAME without the fame of saving the Dukes and the epic battle with Saravok (who died in the duel with Gorion) I'm unsure. If so, things might just have gone the same as in BG2, although it's questionable who would survive the stay at "Chateau Irenicus". Gorion might be killed there, and CHARNAME would seek out Irenicus to avenge him.

 

Makes sense.

I think that sooner or later the Throne of Bhaal would have drawn them there no matter what.

Looking back at the whole BG Saga, it becomes obvious how small Sarevok was compared to the other siblings.
But he looked so impressive and insurmountable at the confrontation at in the Temple.

 

It does help to illustrate the difference between a low-level character, such as CHARNAME when his foster father is killed, a mid-level character like both him and Saravok at the end of BG1, and the epic-level character that CHARNAME becomes by the end of Throne of Bhaal.

 

Based on the TOB canon, I'd say Melissan. Her plan was in motion with or without the player character, and it would not have been hampered by Sarevok's war or anything else. As we see in the game, Balthazar doesn't succeed in killing her, either.