Shadowheart

The half-elf cleric of Shar, Baldur's Gate 3's most popular romance.

Shadowheart, whose birth name is Jenevelle Hallowleaf, is a character in Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3, voiced by Jennifer English. A half-elf, she can be recruited as a party member in the game's first act, is one of the origin characters with a predefined background the player may play as, and can be romanced.

Written by John Corcoran, she was first conceived as a very sassy character inspired by Jason Bourne, before internal feedback led the writers to tone that down.

Quick Facts

Series

Baldur's Gate

First game

Baldur's Gate 3 (2023)

Voice

Jennifer English

Class

Cleric

Race

Half-elf

Designer

Stephanie Chafe (face)
Tomos Hywel Evans (hair)
Andreea Schbli (hair)
Miguel Angel Pescador (hair)

Facts from the source article.

Background

The narrative team originally wanted a party of people who did not trust each other but would learn to, and Shadowheart was made guarded and prickly so the others would distrust her. Early access feedback led to alternate paths through which the player can help her evolve away from that start. For her possible romance with Lae'zel, Corcoran and Lae'zel's writer Kevin VanOrd realised they were telling a similar story from different directions.

Lead character artist Stephanie Chafe designed her face. English also did her motion capture, with Aliona Baranova as performance director, and was reluctant to record the line God's favourite princess until Baranova pressed her.

Shadowheart became the game's most popular romance option and won best LGBTQ+ Character at the Gayming Awards 2024, with commentators praising her arc and importance to the story, and scholars discussing her trauma and its link to the goddess Shar.

What players say: Player verdict on Baldur's Gate 3 — Rotten Tweets