List of Baldur's Gate characters

Baldur's Gate NPCs are non-player characters (NPCs) who will help the player form a group to take on the Baldur's Gate series of computer games. The NPCs recruited become playable characters directly controlled by the player. There is a maximum number of six group members allowed at a time, making it imperative that the player find a balance between strong melee warriors, characters who wield divine magic, characters who wield arcane magic, and those that provide different types of auxiliary support, such as thieves. The characters interact with the player and each other during the game, and are a vital part of the atmosphere of the Baldur's Gate series.

Baldur's Gate NPCs
For each of the following characters, the voice actor, race, character classes, and alignment are listed, along with some biographical details. The NPCs are categorized by general alignment.

Ajantis Ilvastarr

 * Jason Marsden
 * Human, Paladin, Lawful Good.
 * A righteous and somewhat naive young paladin found in the farmlands just north of the Friendly Arm Inn, Ajantis is a newly trained paladin operating under the Order of Radiant Heart. He has been sent by his superior Keldorn Firecam (a playable NPC in the sequel) to investigate and wipe out the bandits currently plaguing the Sword Coast. As the only NPC Paladin in the game, Ajantis is a good fighter with decent healing abilities. Oddly enough, Keldorn Firecam does not fit the appropriate superior for Ajantis, as Ajantis is a follower of Helm whereas Keldorn a follower of Torm. Keldorn is also found in the city of Athkatla, whereas Ajantis comes from Waterdeep.

Alora

 * Amber Hood
 * Halfling, Thief, Chaotic Good.
 * An insanely cheerful and sweet halfling girl, whose curiosity prompts her to frequently poke her nose into forbidden and dangerous territory (namely other people's property). She can be caught breaking into the Hall of Wonders in Baldur's Gate at night, and offers to join the party if they help her case the joint.

Coran

 * Brian George
 * Elf, Fighter/Thief, Chaotic Good.
 * A wandering adventurer and womanising archer of dubious virtue, Coran can be found hunting wyverns in the Cloakwood forest. He will flirt shamelessly with any female party member, especially the sultry thief Safana. He has also unknowingly fathered a half-elf child with a young mage in Baldur's Gate after a brief fling, enraging the mage's husband. Coran's Dexterity is inexplicably one point higher than it is initially possible to achieve using the (A)D&D ruleset, which grants him a minor increase in his Thief abilities.



Dynaheir

 * Jennifer Hale
 * Human, Invoker, Lawful Good.
 * Dynaheir is a proclaimed "wychlaran" witch. Dynaheir hails from the eastern land of Rashemen in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and is travelling alongside her champion Minsc, who has sworn to protect her. She and Minsc have been sent to examine if the prophecy of the Bhaalspawn is true. In her search, she was taken captive by a group of evil hyena-like creatures known as gnolls, and held prisoner at their island stronghold. Upon reaching the town of Nashkel, the main character will encounter Minsc who pleads for help in freeing Dynaheir, but the party can also meet the wizard Edwin who asks for their help in killing Dynaheir. If the player chooses to rescue Dynaheir, Minsc and she will become inseparable, and if either of the two are later dropped from the party, then the other will leave as well. She shows herself to be a capable wizard, but has a very steel-set attitude, not thinking much of what anyone else has to offer. Canonically, the events of Baldur's Gate I are completed with Dynaheir in the party, however, she is killed at the outset of Baldur's Gate II.

Imoen

 * Melissa Disney
 * Human, Thief, Neutral Good.
 * A childhood friend of the player character, who has acted like a little sister to the protagonist for all of their childhood. She is the first character that offers to join the protagonist, near the very beginning of the game. Orphaned as a child and raised by Winthrop the innkeeper of Candlekeep, her origins are just as obscure as the player character's. Although she has almost no dialogue in Baldur's Gate (she is the only NPC that does not interact with other NPCs), her character plays a central role in the sequel Shadows of Amn. Canonically, the events of Baldur's Gate I are completed with Imoen in the party.

Khalid

 * Jim Meskimen
 * Half-Elf, Fighter, Neutral Good.
 * Jaheira's bumbling husband, and almost her polar opposite. Khalid is a nervous, easily panicked warrior with a pronounced stutter. Like Jaheira, he is a member of the Harpers. Jaheira and Khalid were Gorion's good friends, and Gorion leaves instructions for the protagonist to meet with them at the Friendly Arms Inn after he is killed in an ambush at the beginning of the game. Canonically, the events of Baldur's Gate I are completed with Khalid in the party, however, he is killed at the outset of Baldur's Gate II.

Kivan

 * Rob Paulsen
 * Elf, Ranger, Chaotic Good.
 * A powerful elf archer found just outside High Hedge, Kivan's wife was killed by the ogre bandit leader Tazok, and as a result he is on a quest of vengeance to kill ogres and bandits and to ultimately hunt down Tazok as revenge for his wife's death. Kivan is undiplomatic, cold, and extremely gruff, with a voice almost identical to that of Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry.

Minsc

 * Jim Cummings
 * Human, Ranger, Chaotic Good.
 * A bold and good-hearted, although possibly somewhat deranged, barbarian berserker from the eastern land of Rashemen. As the strongest NPC in the entire game, Minsc is a powerful fighter, but his temper is short in the face of evil, and most notably his mental faculties are somewhat questionable due to his having sustained one too many blows to the head in the course of his adventures. Specifically, he claims to be receiving orders and advice from his miniature "giant space hamster" Boo (featured on the character picture), making him a regular source of comic relief in the series. Minsc speaks with a thick Russian accent. Canonically, the events of Baldur's Gate I are completed with Minsc in the party.

Yeslick Orothiar

 * Bill Farmer
 * Dwarf, Fighter/Cleric, Lawful Good.
 * A laid-back, good-natured dwarven cleric of Moradin and Clangeddin Silverbeard. He was once a blacksmith of the Iron Throne, but was betrayed when he casually mentioned the location of his clan's long abandoned ore mine to them. Now he is one of the Iron Throne's prisoners/slave laborers held in the Cloakwood mines.

Branwen

 * Bernadette Sullivan
 * Human, Cleric, True Neutral.
 * A loyal and dependable warrior maiden of the god Tempus. Branwen was turned to stone by the bandit mage Tranzig, and ended up as a circus attraction at the Nashkel Carnival. If the party uses a scroll of stone to flesh to cure her of her condition (which can coincidentally be bought or pickpocketed nearby), she will offer to join them in their quest. Later in the adventure the party will come face to face with Tranzig, and after defeating him, Branwen will remain in the party for the duration of the game.

Garrick

 * Dee Bradley Baker
 * Human, Bard, Chaotic Neutral.
 * A free-spirited bard with a most lively outlook on life and love. He can be found in Beregost working for Silke, an employer of dubious nature. Garrick could be likened to Yoshimo in Shadows of Amn, but with a more care-free nature. He will also show up as a minor NPC in Shadows of Amn, in the Temple District.

Faldorn

 * Heidi Shannon
 * Human, Druid, True Neutral.
 * Faldorn is a member of the Shadow Druids, a militant sect of druids that believes in the violent struggle of Nature against Man. She disagrees vehemently with Jaheira and her mainstream Druidic views of man co-existing peacefully alongside nature. However, despite her militant beliefs (and extremely aggressive character portrait), Faldorn's speech and behavior in Baldur's Gate is surprisingly mellow and laid-back. She can be found in the Cloakwood forest fighting against the Iron Throne. Faldorn makes a reappearance as a powerful NPC in Shadows of Amn.

Jaheira

 * Jennifer Darling
 * Half-Elf, Fighter/Druid, True Neutral.
 * A Druid warrior and member of the Harpers, Jaheira is strong and intelligent, but also very proud, causing her to be highly domineering and overly self-confident. As a Druid, she must observe a keen balance in her way of life, and demands nothing less from her companions. She can be found alongside her husband Khalid in the Friendly Arm Inn. Jaheira speaks with a thick Russian accent. Canonically, the events of Baldur's Gate I are completed with Jaheira in the party.

Quayle

 * Jeff Bennett
 * Gnome, Cleric/Illusionist, Chaotic Neutral.
 * A whiny, foul-tempered, arrogant gnome with a nasal voice who believes that he is a genius and that everyone around him are idiots who should acknowledge his super-intelligence. Quayle can be found lurking near the bridge to Baldur's Gate, and will attempt to force his way into the party regardless of what you say to him. Although Quayle is the only NPC capable of casting both arcane and divine spells in Baldur's Gate I, he has below-average stats and an obnoxious personality.

Safana

 * Diane Pershing
 * Human, Thief, Chaotic Neutral.
 * Safana is a sultry female thief with a dark history and a sensuous demeanor, who has always gotten through life by using her feminine wiles to manipulate men into doing her bidding. She is first encountered in the Seawatcher ruins area looking for buried pirate treasure.

Skie Silvershield

 * Grey DeLisle
 * Human, Thief, True Neutral.
 * The innocent and extremely naive daughter of Duke Entar Silvershield, Skie enjoys sneaking out of the safety of her father's well-guarded estate, and holds rather unrealistic dreams of a life of adventure. She awaits being "rescued" by Eldoth, her lover. Once on the road, however, all she does is complain. She can be found in Silvershield estate in Baldur's Gate.



Xan

 * Jeff Bennett
 * Elf, Enchanter, Lawful Neutral.
 * Xan is an enchanter of the Greycloak clan of elves from Evereska, who has been sent to investigate the political turmoil of the Sword Coast when he is captured by the Iron Throne. He is held prisoner in the Nashkel mines, which is one of the early key locations of the game. When the player's character encounters him, he is unarmed and severely injured, and if he is allowed to journey along with the player character, he will reveal himself as a pessimistic travel mate, with negative comments on failure and mild surprise at success. He is a very depressed elven enchanter, who wields the powerful mêlée weapon Moonblade, a family heirloom that he alone can wield. In order to put the blade to use, he needs to be close to his enemies, but as his constitution is extremely low, rendering him very weak to physical harm, he must use a good deal of his magical spells to protect himself from damage before battle. Several of the most memorable quotes of the Baldur's Gate games derive from Xan's pessimistic outlook, such as: "Life is so hollow," "Our quest is vain," "We're all doomed," and "Let us save our effort and just lie down and die!".

Edwin Odesseiron

 * Jim Meskimen
 * Human, Conjurer, Lawful Evil.
 * Edwin is a typically arrogant member of the evil Red Wizards of Thay, and has been dispatched to the Sword Coast region to find and assassinate the Rasheman witch Dynaheir. Found in Nashkel, Edwin enjoys insulting the player character with his haughty and sarcastic remarks, and frequently mutters under his breath about how he intends to manipulate and overthrow his fellow party members. Since he is on a quest to kill Dynaheir, Minsc's companion, forcing these NPCs to coexist can result in violence.

The only way to have both Edwin and Dynaheir in the party is to rescue Dynaheir first. If brought to the stronghold, Edwin will demand she be killed, but if rescued before meeting Edwin, he will comment to himself that she has found allies already and request that he be allowed to "keep an eye" on her. Edwin makes a reappearance as a playable character in Shadows of Amn.

Eldoth Kron

 * Neil Ross
 * Human, Bard, Neutral Evil.
 * Found in the Cloakwood forest, Eldoth is a sleazy, thrill-seeking dilettante who makes a living seducing rich women and living off their money. His latest scheme is to elope with his current lover, Skie Silvershield, then blackmail her father by claiming to have "kidnapped" her and threatening to harm her if he is not paid on a regular basis. A male chauvinist, Eldoth treats Skie quite badly, which earns him the hatred of both Garrick and Shar-Teel.

Kagain

 * John Mariano
 * Dwarf, Fighter, Lawful Evil.
 * Kagain is a greedy dwarven mercenary who runs a caravan escort service out of his shop in Beregost. He persuades the player to help him search for a particularly important lost caravan carrying the son of Duke Silvershield, but quickly grows tired of the search and decides to give up. Wary of Silvershield's wrath when he learns that Kagain has lost his son, Kagain decides to abandon his business and accompany the player's party on their adventure. He has an astonishingly high constitution score making him a formidable fighter.



Montaron

 * Earl Boen
 * Halfling, Fighter/Thief, Neutral Evil.
 * One of the first NPCs the player can encounter. Affectionally known as "Monty", Montaron is Xzar's partner in crime. Less outlandish than the game's other evil NPCs, his style tends more towards the subtly threatening rather than the flamboyantly egomaniacal. While he seems to despise the mad wizard Xzar, his fear of his superiors' wrath prevents him from killing him. Montaron and Xzar are members of the evil group known as the Zhentarim, who have dispatched them to investigate the iron shortage threatening the city of Baldur's Gate (the Zhentarim are upset because the culprits behind the shortage are framing them for it). At one point in the game members of the Zhentarim will attack you unless Xzar and Montaron are in your party. A Zhentarim agent will also appear and offer the party some advice on defeating Sarevok if Monty and Xzar accompany the party during the game's final chapter. Having Jaheria and her husband in the party with Montaron and Xzar will lead to violence, forcing the player to assist one side, or simply watch. Monty makes an interesting cameo appearance in Shadows of Amn.

Shar-Teel Dosan

 * Jennifer Darling
 * Human, Fighter, Chaotic Evil.
 * Shar-Teel is an amazonian warrior woman who enjoys humiliating male adventurers by challenging them to duels and soundly thrashing them. If she is defeated in a duel by a male member of the player's party, she is impressed and grudgingly pledges to join the group. Extremely aggressive and bloodthirsty, Shar-Teel has a strong hatred of members of the opposite sex, and the Flaming Fist mercenary company in particular (although oddly, she's considerably less violent than many other evil travelling adventurers, seeing as how she doesn't attack the party on sight and even compliments the group if it is an all-female party). At the very end of the game, it is revealed that Shar-Teel is the daughter of Angelo Dosan, a lieutenant in the Flaming Fist who is also secretly in the employ of Sarevok.

Tiax

 * John Mariano
 * Gnome, Cleric/Thief, Chaotic Evil.
 * Found inside Baldur's Gate, Tiax is a short-tempered, megalomaniacal gnome with unrealistic goals of world domination. He is a cleric of Cyric, the current God of Murder, and like his patron deity is quite mad. He also breaks a fourth wall by saying "The day comes when Tiax will point and click." Tiax also has the ability to sumon a Ghast once per day.

Viconia DeVir

 * Grey DeLisle
 * Drow Elf, Cleric, Neutral Evil.
 * Viconia is a member of the evil drow, or dark elves. Exiled from the Underdark, she is attempting to make a life for herself on the surface. She is first encountered fleeing from a Flaming Fist mercenary, who accuses her of murder and wishes to execute her on the spot. She will join the player's party if they rescue her. Having renounced Lolth, Viconia worships Shar, Mistress of Night. Although she despises compassion and weakness, she is still significantly more polite than the game's other evil NPCs. She has a very high magic resistance, due to her drow heritage. Viconia makes a reappearance as a playable (and romanceable) character in Shadows of Amn.



Xzar

 * Frank Welker
 * Human, Necromancer, Chaotic Evil.
 * Xzar is dubbed "the Mad Wizard" by his companion Montaron, and Xzar seemingly suffers from split personality. One of his personalities is very similar to the fictional character Lenny from Of Mice and Men. His grasp on reality also seems to be somewhat tenuous, causing him to occasionally make unusual outbursts such as "I have seen dragons with feet like rabbits!". Xzar is potentially one of the first allies that the player finds. Offering a healing potion to the main character, he wants the player to journey with him and his companion Montaron to the Nashkel mines in order to investigate strange rumours there. Unbeknownst to the main character, Xzar has been sent by the clandestine organization the Zhentarim, to learn the origins of the sudden iron shortage sweeping the Sword Coast region. Rumors of the Zhentarim's involvement within the iron scheme has put the evil organization under increased scrutiny, so Xzar and Montaron are hired to pose as noble mercenaries and find out who the real culprits of the iron shortage are. Through the days of travelling, it turns out that he and Montaron hate each other and are only together because they work for the Zhentarim. The only people they hate more than each other are Khalid and Jaheira, two NPCs from the rival Harpers faction. If Xzar stays in the player's party through to the end of the game, he will at one point intervene when an encounter with several Zhentarim agents looks to escalate into violence. Regardless of his incoherent, disturbing personality, Xzar is in fact held in high esteem by his Zhentarim superiors. Xzar, when attacking, is prone to shout out "I am become death! Destroyer of Worlds!" In a reference to the creation of the atomic bomb (Oppenheimer's quote is from ancient Hindu scripture). Xzar makes a reapperance as an NPC in Shadows of Amn.

Arkanis Gath

 * Dwarf, Fighter, Neutral Good.
 * NPC used for tutorial in Candlekeep. Made a guest appearance in Baldur's Gate II as a high-level human Shadow Thief agent.

Biff the Understudy

 * Human, Fighter, No Alignment
 * Many conversations in Baldur's Gate require the participation of a certain NPC, and if such an NPC is accidentally killed, the game summons up Biff the Understudy to say the required lines. Biff can actually join the party in some instances, though his statistics are poor.  He also has a brief cameo in Baldur's Gate II.

Canderous

 * Human, Cleric, Lawful Good.
 * NPC used for tutorial in Candlekeep

Deder

 * Halfling, Fighter/Thief, True Neutral.
 * NPC used for tutorial in Candlekeep

Mordaine

 * Human, Invoker, Lawful Good.
 * NPC used for tutorial in Candlekeep

Osprey

 * Half-Elf, Cleric/Mage, Lawful Good.
 * NPC used for tutorial in Candlekeep

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn NPCs
For each of the following characters, the voice actor, race, character classes, and alignment are listed, along with some biographical details. The NPCs are categorized by general alignment. Each of the playable NPCs has an associated sub-quest.

Aerie

 * Kath Soucie
 * Avariel Elf, Cleric/Mage (of Baervan Wildwanderer), Lawful Good.
 * Aerie is an Avariel, a creature that appears as an elf but has wings. Aerie was captured by slavers and sold to the circus, she was kept in a cage which caused her wings to atrophy and they had to be removed. In an optional area of the game, the player may find her in Waukeen's Promenade, where she is working in the circus under a different ringmaster, Quayle, a gnome who appeared as a playable character in Baldur's Gate and, after the events of the first game, saved her from the previous ringmaster. Once the evil illusionist who has turned their circus into a deathtrap is defeated, Aerie may join the party. If she and Minsc are in the party together, Minsc may eventually adopt her as his new witch. If she becomes Minsc's witch and dies in the party, Minsc will enter a berzerk state. She is naive, physically weak, and a bit childish at times, but she is highly intelligent and has (despite her naivete) a high wisdom as well. She dually venerates her divine patron, the gnome god Baervan Wildwanderer, and her traditional avariel goddess, Aerdrie Faenya. It is possible for a male protagonist to romance her; if the romance continues into the Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal expansion, she has the protagonist's child. Although kind and often caring of her friends, Aerie still holds in thoughts of her wings, and often becomes depressed when speaking of her past..

Although Aerie does not focus on any stat, and has a rather low Constitution, the ability to cast both divine and arcane spells makes her extremely powerful, if used correctly.

Imoen

 * Melissa Disney
 * Human, Thief/Mage, Neutral Good.
 * Troubled by torture and games played upon her mind by Irenicus the main antagonist, Imoen loses some of her zeal from the first game, especially as it dawns on her that she is a Bhaalspawn too. Still, Imoen remains somewhat cheerful and kind towards her companions. She remains a faithful companion to the player character however, and is one of the fundamental characters in the overall plot outline. Much of the game is centralized on rescuing her. She can be found alongside the player at the start of the game.

Keldorn Firecam

 * Roger L. Jackson
 * Human, Inquisitor, Lawful Good.
 * He is the only Paladin in the game that can join the player's party. Like many other NPCs, he also has a sub-quest involving his family where the player character can voluntarily allow him to leave the party. He can be found in the Temple district sewers. Although Keldorn is often not considered on par with Minsc or Korgan in conventional melee, Keldorn's access to various minor magic and Carsomyr, a sword only usable by paladins which becomes a +10 Holy Avenger with added spell-like powers in his hands, one of the most powerful weapons in the game, makes up for it.

Mazzy Fentan

 * Jennifer Hale
 * Halfling, Fighter, Lawful Good.
 * A brave fighter who wanted to be a Paladin (and her skills are more similar to those of a paladin), Mazzy Fentan and her Fentan Knights sally forth all over Amn from their town of Trademeet doing good deeds. She is found captive at the temple ruins in the Umar Hills. While many players complain that Mazzy has an annoying personality, she is easily one of the most formidable fighters in the game..

Minsc

 * Jim Cummings
 * Ranger, Chaotic Good
 * Found in Irenicus' dungeons along with Imoen and Jaheira, Minsc seeks vengeance for what Irenicus has done to Dynaheir, the witch that Minsc swore to protect in the last game. Despite Minsc's decidedly more hostile reasons for joining the player character, he still remains a source of amusement as in the previous game. If Aerie is present in the party, he will adopt her as his new witch. If Aerie is not present, and Nalia is, he will adopt her instead. Despite having been captured by Irenicus and stripped of all his gear, Minsc retains his hamster companion, Boo. Though like all of the other returning characters his portrait is changed, he is the only one whose appearance remains about the same.

Nalia De'Arnise

 * Grey DeLisle
 * Human, Mage/Thief, Chaotic Good.
 * The daughter of a lord, Nalia has little in common with other nobles and regularly sneaks out of her castle at night to help the poor and needy. Though compassionate, she can be noticeably haughty however; she is willing to help those lower in class, but not willing to entirely forget their class distinctions. Found in the Slums District, Nalia teams up with the player character to help save her family home from attack. In the Throne of Bhaal, Nalia undergoes a change of heart that makes her more genuinely compassionate towards the lower classes and more pragmatic in terms with her goals.

Valygar Corthala

 * Jeff Osterhage
 * Human, Stalker, Neutral Good.
 * Valygar's family has long lived in the shadow of magic. His own mother went mad with the power of it and was destroyed; consequently, Valygar keeps a barely hidden disdain for all things magical. He wears his beliefs on his sleeve, and tends to make for interesting party interactions. If the player character is a mage or other frequent practitioner of magic, Valygar will be badly predisposed to him, especially if the magic in question is often used to perform ill deeds. He can be found in the Umar Hills, as a wanted criminal by the Cowled Wizards.

Anomen Delryn

 * Rob Paulsen
 * Human, Fighter/Cleric, Lawful Neutral.
 * Anomen is an acolyte of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart. He is insufferably vain and will often brag about his magnificent victories in battle. Notable as one of the most widely disliked player characters in the game on account of his accent, and often overlooked as a result, Anomen can become very powerful indeed.  He also has a deep backstory, and turns out to be a fairly sophisticated character, as the possible consequences of his knighthood subplot demonstrate; depending on the player's actions, he may succeed or fail at his knighthood quest, which can change his alignment to either Lawful Good or Chaotic Neutral. If the player character is female, she may establish a romance with Anomen. He can be found in the Slums District inside the Copper Coronet.

Cernd

 * Jason Marsden
 * Human, Shapeshifter, True neutral.
 * Cernd is detained in a prison located in the town of Trademeet. He needs the player character's assistance in investigating attacks upon the town. Cernd has an even, calm disposition and a confusing habit of overusing nature-related metaphors. One of Cernd's most useful skills is that of lycanthropy, allowing him to take the form of a werewolf. Cernd now lives with nature like all druids, though he was once a city dweller. This leads to some loose ends with his former life, as he sets foot in Athkatla.

Haer'Dalis

 * Michael Bell
 * Tiefling, Blade, Chaotic neutral.
 * Haer'Dalis is a rarity in this plane--he had the blood of a fiend within his ancestry, giving him unusual characteristics, among these being his blue hair and an aura that makes Primes, or dwellers of the Prime Material Plane, nervous. This bard makes up for this with his wit and charm, having crossed the planes with a fellow group of troubadours who have set up a temporary home in a new playhouse beneath the Five Flagons Inn in the Bridge District of Athkatla. Haer'Dalis often has many conversations with Jan Jansen, who calls him "Haerry". If the player has him and Aerie in the group, they will start a romantic relationship, possibly conflicting with any affections the protagonist or Aerie already have towards each other. He can be found as part of a quest below the sewers of the Temple District.

Jaheira
If the player character is male, he may have a romance with Jaheira. She can be found at the start of the game alongside the player.
 * Heidi Shannon
 * Half-Elf, True Neutral, Fighter/Druid
 * In 'Shadows of Amn', her character seems to mellow a little from the 1st installment due to the death of her husband Khalid, and probably also due to the strife that she encounters with her fellow party members. However, she retains her arrogant streak and it shows in her banter with other party members whom she perceives as naive and unschooled in the ways of the world (no more is this shown than with Aerie, whom she constantly derides). She is not as old as she acts, though - she is stated to have been born during the Tethyrian Civil War, which started only 22 years before the game's setting. Even if it's read as not her birth but formative years being dominated by the civil war, her age is unlikely to exceed 30.

Jan Jansen
Like most gnomes, he is very eccentric, and loves to ramble on with stories that never get to the point. He wants to steal Boo from Minsc, and it is likely if he ever succeeded, he wouldn't live long afterwards. Jan can be found in the 'Government District' peddling his wares, which in actuality are dangerous weapons in their own right. An expert in crossbows, Jan is capable of fashioning his own unique ammunition. His own weapon, a special crossbow entitled the "Master Flasher Bruiser" is, according to the item description, so complicated that only he can use it. Jan is also quite a proficient thief.
 * Jack Roth
 * Gnome, Thief/Illusionist, Chaotic Neutral.

Yoshimo

 * Maurice LaMarche
 * Human, Bounty Hunter, True Neutral.
 * Yoshimo has a complicated story that gradually unravels before the player. The player first meets him in Irenicus' dungeon shortly after passing through the first portal. Yoshimo is a charming, but sly and shifty character that Minsc immediately has doubts about (and whom Edwin and Haer'Dalis will never fully trust later in the game); but regardless of Yoshimo's past or his motives, his aid is invaluable for escaping the underground levels of Chapter 1, and he is also the best thief in the game. If Yoshimo is a member of the party at Spellhold it is revealed that he has been forced by a geas to work for Irenicus to betray the party by leading them into a trap. Before his death he asks the protagonist to take his heart to a priest of Ilmater so that he might be redeemed for his dishonor.

Edwin Odesseiron

 * Jim Meskimen
 * Human, Conjurer, Lawful Evil.
 * After his last encounter with the player, Edwin has found a new employer amongst Shadow Thieves, though he still seeks more power for himself. If the player character is accompanied by Minsc, a heated conversation will break out between Edwin and Minsc due to their "disagreement" from the previous game. Naturally, putting both of them in the same party is likely to result in violence between them before too long. He can be found in the Docks District.

Korgan Bloodaxe

 * Bill Martin
 * Dwarf, Berserker, Chaotic Evil.
 * Korgan is perhaps the most formidable fighter in the game that can join the party. He is also, however, a homicidal psychopath of the lowest order which causes conflicts with good-aligned party members, except for Mazzy, for whom he has feelings.  If you want to complete the game as "the good guy" Korgan would be a poor choice of companion.  Found as a mercenary in the Slums District, Korgan has a sub-quest involving obtaining the 'Book of Kaza' from the Graveyard District.

Viconia De Vir

 * Grey DeLisle
 * Drow Elf, Cleric (of Shar), Neutral Evil.
 * An old acquaintance of the player character, Viconia is on the run from persecution because of her race. She is caught by fanatics of Athkatla in the government district after blowing her cover as a Drow, a sworn enemy of the humans in Amn. Whether or not she survives depends on whether the player is willing to free her from a burning stake, angering the townsfolk in the process, and bringing disrepute to the party. If the player character is male and of any race other than an elf, he may have a romance with Viconia. Romancing her is considered the hardest of all three possible candidates (the other two being Jaheira and Aerie) due to her sensitivity to PC response. In Throne of Bhaal this can change her alignment to True Neutral, thus changing her epilogue significantly.

Viconia has the same surname of a Menzoberranzan house destroyed by House Do'Urden in RA Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy, but the story that Viconia tells of her family's fate conflicts with the details of the novel (Viconia says Matron DeVir was killed by her own son, Valas, but Zaknafein Do'Urden slew Matron DeVir in the novel Homeland.) Because Viconia's BG1 bio describes her as coming from Menzoberranzan, it is possible that Viconia left before the events of the Dark Elf Trilogy novels and that House DeVir recovered from the crisis of Viconia's defection (if only temporarily).

This explanation implies that Viconia has been outcast for many decades on end since she would have had to have been exiled well before the birth of Drizzt Do'Urden (given the repercussions that entailed for House DeVir) who is already the well-known hero when the events of Baldur's Gate take place. This suggests that Viconia’s character suffers from continuity problems, and that without sufficient explanation, choosing her as a DeVir (at least a Menzoberranyr DeVir) was an error on the developers part.

NPCs from Baldur's Gate I
Several characters from the first game make a comeback, some of which as NPCs that can (re)join the player's party. These are Imoen, Minsc, Jaheira, Edwin and Viconia. Other NPCs appear only in sub-secondary roles, mostly to supply the player with quests. Because Baldur's Gate II doesn't check the status of these characters at the end of the first game, they appear even if they perished in the course of the previous adventure (often prompting the player character to ask: "Aren't you dead?" &mdash; which can be disconcerting, if they didn't die &mdash; or if they survived it presents the player with the opportunity to ask the ubiquitous "Can you remember me?" etc. when the NPCs probably do not even have an inkling as to the player character's dark history.)


 * Edwin, Imoen, Jaheira, Minsc and Viconia: (See above).
 * Ajantis: Served as a paladin the Order of the Radiant Heart in the Windspear Hills. The player kills him due to an unavoidable accident in which Ajantis, along with a group of other paladins, has an illusion cast over him, making them look like monsters. The same goes for the player's party as well, as Ajantis' group attacks the players on sight. He can be recognized only by Keldorn, if he is in the party.
 * Branwen: She also guides the player through the game's tutorials in the palace of BG1, alongside Xan, and gives some combat pointers.
 * Coran: Found in the North Forest with his companion Safana. Depending on the player's actions he may or may not die.
 * Dynaheir: According to Minsc, Dynaheir was killed by Irenicus shortly before the game begins.
 * Faldorn: She has taken over the druids' grove and the player character is forced to slay her if the player character talks to her. If the player character is a druid of level 14 or above then talking to her will result in the player character becoming a "Great Druid". She regenerates very fast and has the ability to shapeshift into a panther.
 * Garrick: He can be found in the Temple district of Athkatla attempting to woo his new beloved, the Lady Irlana near the High Hall of the Radiant Heart. His efforts were assisted by a gnome named Cyrando who has a good head for love poetry but shies himself from the Lady as he thought himself inferior even though he loves her (a rather obvious parody of Cyrano de Bergerac). Over a period of time, the player can notice the events of this romance as a third party and can be amusing to watch. Eventually Lady Irlana and Cyrando married and Garrick ran off with the bridesmaid.
 * Khalid: First discovered as a fellow prisoner, dead in Irenicus' dungeon. Like most other BG I NPCs, his fate has been sealed and does not play an active part of the game although Jaheira clearly misses him throughout the game and is deeply affected by his absence. He appears as a ghost in Throne of Bhaal if the main character has a romance with Jaheira.
 * Montaron: He was caught spying on the Harpers and was murdered. The player character is requested by Xzar to find Montaron who he believed had been turned into a bird. When the player presented the bird to Xzar, Xzar cast a spell to revert it to human form. It turned out to be a Harper assassin who then killed Xzar as well for being a Zhentarim spy. Should the player return to Harpers' Hold at a later time, they can find Montaron's dead body stuffed in a chest.
 * Quayle: He is still the same sarcastic gnome in the BG I game although he has doted upon an elf named Aerie who calls him 'Uncle Quayle' and has changed his proud and moody nature considerably. He claims that her innocent nature has made him more tolerant towards others and has embraced a good-natured outlook of life. He has a quest in the circus tent at Waukeen's Promenade at an early part of the game.
 * Safana: She can be found at the North Forest Area near the log cabin with her companion Coran. She betrays the player to a werewolf, who in turn kills her.
 * Tiax: He is a 'deviant' imprisoned at Spellhold and is still mentally unstable. The player can also temporarily 'team' up with him in the first encounter with Irenicus after the Spellhold dungeon trials. Regardless of the player's actions he will die in the following battle against Irenicus.
 * Xan: He will guide the player through a series of tutorials before the game proper, but will not make another appearance in the game.
 * Xzar: The player would be able to meet him at the Docks district in Athkatla after returning the dying body of a Harper. Xzar is reintroduced as a freelance mage, boldly attempting to breed a magically enhanced species of goblins in Athkatla, where such a practice is fiercely prohibited. Having adopted two dim-witted apprentices, Xzar leaves the goblin breeding racket and begins secretly searching for his companion Montaron, who was presumably captured by the Harpers for an unknown heinous crime. He will attempt to employ the main character to do the dirty work of infiltrating the Harpers to search for Montaron, and will not take part in the action himself. This investigation leads to his own death, as he is set up by the Harpers who uses the main character to get close to Xzar and assassinate him.

Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal NPCs

 * Sarevok Anchev:
 * Kevin Michael Richardson
 * Human, Fighter, Chaotic Evil/Chaotic Good.
 * At the beginning of The Throne of Bhaal Expansion, the player character is transported to a "Pocket Plane", a small area with no exits, part of the Realm that once belonged to Bhaal. Soon after the player character arrives, the main character's brother, Sarevok, appears as a ghost. He tells the player character that he knows how to exit the Pocket Plane, but he will only help if the player character gives him a tiny piece of their soul, thereby bringing him back to life. If Imoen is travelling in the party it is possible to convince her to give Sarevok a piece of her soul rather than the player's. This leads to interesting conversations between Sarevok and Imoen later but does not affect gameplay in any other way. As there is no other way to exit the Pocket Plane, you have no choice but to accept his offer. Once accepted, he is brought back alive and shows the player character the way out, but not before he offers his services to the player character. The  player may choose to have him swear an oath that has geas-like power in the pocket-plane, forever binding Sarevok to their cause, or instead choose to allow him to travel with the player character without an oath. Although his previous death has stripped him of all of his Bhaalspawn powers, he still remains a formidable melee fighter (having the highest ability scores of all the NPC's that can join your party), and patiently awaits the player in the Pocket Plane. Sarevok also has special abilities in combat. Every so often Sarevok will strike with a special Deathbringer assault that causes massive damage. This is explained by Sarevok as being due to having trained in the ways of the Deathbringer warriors in his former life. The player can change Sarevok's alignment to Chaotic Good by setting a good example, and forgiving Sarevok for his past transgressions. Although having Sarevok take the oath does not affect the ability to change his alignment, the conversations will be different.