Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
Expansion bridging Baldur's Gate and its sequel.
May be found at the following website: www.beamdog.com/products/baldurs-gate-siege-of-dragonspear · via Wikipedia: Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear · Fair use
Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear is an expansion for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, created and released by Beamdog. It marked the first entirely new story content for the Baldur's Gate series in over a decade, with its narrative set between the original Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. The gameplay stays close to the Enhanced Edition, though it adds a new class, several companions, and fresh areas. Critical reception was mixed; reviewers welcomed the series' return after a long gap, but some players criticized the writing quality and the inclusion of a transgender non-playable character.
The expansion uses the 2nd Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules, licensed from Wizards of the Coast. The story begins weeks after Sarevok's death, as the player's party hunts his remaining followers in Baldur's Gate's sewers. News arrives of a crusade led by Caelar Argent, the Shining Lady, moving south along the Sword Coast. Duke Eltan sends the player with Flaming Fist soldiers to stop her at Dragonspear Castle, joined by forces from other threatened cities. Along the way, a hooded man appears, teaching the player about their heritage.
Caelar's forces destroy the main river crossing, forcing the coalition to use a bridge where Bhaal, the player's father, was killed by Cyric. After pushing back Argent's army, the player has a vision of Bhaal's death and burns his symbol into the bridge, lowering morale. The party infiltrates Dragonspear Castle to gather intel, discovering Caelar's lieutenant communicating with an unknown source before being forced to flee. The coalition then assaults the castle, destroying most of Caelar's forces. Trapped, Caelar orders her lieutenant Hephernaan to cast a paralysis spell, but it traps her too. Hephernaan reveals his plan: using Bhaalspawn blood to open a portal to the Nine Hells for his master, Belhifet, a demon banished a century ago. Caelar, her survivors, and the player enter the portal to stop him. After defeating Belhifet and Hephernaan, Caelar admits she sought to free her uncle from the Hells. She stays behind to seal the portal, trapping herself forever.
Back on the Material Plane, the coalition celebrates. That night, the player dreams of an avatar of Bhaal attacking them, which turns out to be Skie Silvershield, a companion from the first game.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
- Developer
- Beamdog
- Publisher
- Beamdog / Skybound Games (consoles)
- Engine
- Infinity Engine
- Released
- Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android / March 31, 2016 / Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One / October 15, 2019
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Series
- Baldur's Gate
- Director
- Trent Oster
- Writer
- Amber Scott / Andrew Foley / Liam Esler
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, iOS, OS X, Android, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The expansion takes place shortly after the conclusion of Baldur's Gate, centering on a crusade led by the warrior Caelar Argent, known as the Shining Lady. The player character's party, hunting remnants of Sarevok's forces, is sent with Flaming Fist soldiers to halt Argent's advance at Dragonspear Castle. After a series of battles and a vision of Bhaal's death, the party infiltrates the castle and discovers that Argent's lieutenant, Hephernaan, plans to use Bhaalspawn blood to open a portal to the Nine Hells. The player and Argent pursue Hephernaan into the portal, where they confront the demon Belhifet. Argent reveals her true intention was to free her uncle from the Nine Hells, and she remains behind to seal the portal, trapping herself there forever. The player returns to the Material Plane, but later suffers a nightmare revealing that an avatar of Bhaal was actually Skie Silvershield, leading to the player's arrest and eventual escape from Baldur's Gate, setting up the beginning of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. The hooded man who visited the player throughout the journey is revealed to be Jon Irenicus, the antagonist of the second game.
Reader's Guide
Siege of Dragonspear holds significance as the first original content for the Baldur's Gate series in over a decade, marking Beamdog's transition from custodian to creator. Its gameplay follows the rules of 2nd Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, adding a new shaman class, four companions, and over seventy new areas. The expansion's reception was mixed: some critics praised the return to the Forgotten Realms and the updated visuals, while others criticized the writing, citing plot holes, illogical character changes, and a bizarre ending. The game also became a flashpoint for controversy, with some consumers objecting to a reference to the Gamergate controversy in a line of dialogue and the inclusion of a transgender non-playable character, Mizhena. Writer Amber Scott faced online harassment over these elements, stating she wanted to address what she considered sexist depictions in the original game. The backlash included review bombing on digital storefronts. Despite the controversy, the expansion was later released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One by Skybound Games in 2019.
Did You Know?
- The expansion introduces a new monster summoning class called The Shaman.
- The game's plot bridges the events of Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.
- The hooded man who visits the player is revealed to be Jon Irenicus, the antagonist of Baldur's Gate II.
- The expansion faced backlash over a reference to the Gamergate controversy and the inclusion of a transgender non-playable character.
More in Characters & Companions
Elsewhere in Baldur's Gate 3
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