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The Underdark

KenyonKenyon Member Posts: 142
edited July 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
I'm one of the lucky few who never played BG2. The Black Pits sounds like fun, but I'm interested in playing through that adventure with CHARNAME - I've invested in that character. I know that your character visits the Underdark in SoA. Is it ever mentioned in SoA/ToB that he/she visit the area for the first time, or is it feasible from a storyline point of view that he visited the Black Pits beforehand? Or do I have to pretend it never happened?

I hope this convoluted question makes sense. Basically, I'd like to roleplay my way through the game and not consider the Black Pits apocryphal.

Comments

  • KenyonKenyon Member Posts: 142
    Just to clarify, it's a simple question: canonically speaking, is it possible CHARNAME has ever visited the Underdark prior to SoA?
  • AranneasAranneas Member Posts: 282
    Kenyon said:

    Just to clarify, it's a simple question: canonically speaking, is it possible CHARNAME has ever visited the Underdark prior to SoA?

    what does the question mean? the underdark is a big place. it runs under the sword coast as surely as it does under amn.

  • TalvraeTalvrae Member Posts: 315
    In fact the undersark so big it run everwhere under Faerun
  • KenyonKenyon Member Posts: 142
    @Aranneas What I mean is, is there a conversation anywhere in SoA that implies CHARNAME has never been there before? Or is it possible he/she has?
  • AtlanticAtlantic Member Posts: 44
    None that I can recall- I might be wrong but I believe all the dialogue is about how much of a dark, scary place the Underdark is rather then being a new experience. The developers probably didn't feel the need to mention it from this angle as the character spent nearly their whole life in Candlekeep before BG1
  • Twilight_FoxTwilight_Fox Member Posts: 448
    No, raised in Candlekeep, Kidnapped in Baldur's Gate and then direction SoA. But who know, maybe the CHARNAME had an In and Out from a 'secret' entry of the underdark somewhere in the sword's coast.
  • CheesebellyCheesebelly Member Posts: 1,727
    edited July 2012
    Durlag's tower could be an entrance to the underdark as far as I know. The story in Tales of the Sword Coast mentions more times the Illithids, without naming them.
  • DecayOfSoulsDecayOfSouls Member Posts: 21
    I don't think it's ever explicitly stated in the game one way or the other whether the PC ever went to the Underdark before BG2.
  • GammaLeakGammaLeak Member Posts: 5
    Twilight_Fox said:

    No, raised in Candlekeep, Kidnapped in Baldur's Gate and then direction SoA. But who know, maybe the CHARNAME had an In and Out from a 'secret' entry of the underdark somewhere in the sword's coast.

    As Twilight Fox said, the context of BG1's story makes it highly unlikely that CHARNAME has ever been to the Underdark... but not impossible. Imoen was always pretty mischievous, ya know! Maybe she found a way down into the Underdark and used to snoop around down there with CHARNAME! ^_^
  • NWN_babaYagaNWN_babaYaga Member Posts: 732
    Every cave could possible lead into the underdark. A little earthquake not noticable by the average surfacer can move rock enough to create rock crevices big enough to crawl trough.
  • AranneasAranneas Member Posts: 282
    what it comes down to: there's nothing that canonically says it's impossible. but there's nothing that has explore the possibility from a canon stand point, either.
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    With Viconia in the party, anything is possible, she's a lady with a lot of connections ( if you know what I mean) .
  • FrozenDervishFrozenDervish Member Posts: 295
    While not impossible it would be very improbable due to the fear and natural avoidance surface dwellers place on the Underdark. There is very few occurences of anyone willingly going down and even fewer underdark denizons that have been freed even wanting to return to their former homes.
  • AranneasAranneas Member Posts: 282
    FrozenDervish said:

    While not impossible it would be very improbable due to the fear and natural avoidance surface dwellers place on the Underdark. There is very few occurences of anyone willingly going down and even fewer underdark denizons that have been freed even wanting to return to their former homes.

    there's all kinds of reasons it could happen to a band of adventurers, though
    monsters of all kinds and relics of past civilizations dwell in various portions of the caverns. if one of the aforementioned earthquakes... say... caused some aberrations to leave their home and wreak havoc on the surface, the party might be tasked with tracking them to their nest, for instance. or they might hear of a forgotten Imaskari treasure trove or something similarly mysterious and be tempted into searching it out
  • Jean_LucJean_Luc Member Posts: 228
    edited July 2012
    The Charname never goes to Underdark in BG1. The Black Pits is a completely separate adventure with no relation to the main story. You can import your main story chars into TBP if you like but there's no canonical connection.
  • Leaf_EaterLeaf_Eater Member Posts: 71
    I like this post other than the "I'm one of the lucky few who never played BG2" THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE!
  • KenyonKenyon Member Posts: 142
    @Leaf_Eater Haha, what I meant was: I'm lucky enough to haven't played it yet so that with the EE it's an all-new experience for me!
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited July 2012
    Actually, I did once come across a canon reference to an entrance to the Underdark in one of the basements of the inns in Beregost. It was magically warded. I'd have to sift through some old files to find the source, but I do distinctly recall this.
    Post edited by Lemernis on
  • Kitteh_On_A_CloudKitteh_On_A_Cloud Member Posts: 1,629
    FrozenDervish said:

    While not impossible it would be very improbable due to the fear and natural avoidance surface dwellers place on the Underdark. There is very few occurences of anyone willingly going down and even fewer underdark denizons that have been freed even wanting to return to their former homes.

    I agree with FrozenDervish. The protagonist of Baldur's Gate 1 has no clear reason or motivation to ever want to go explore the Underdark, so why should they? It's a place which is generally avoided by those living on the surface, I think. Also, I imagine BG 1's protagonist must have been busy with other things...And I doubt Gorion would ever allow his ward to go recklessly wander around in such a dark and dangerous place. So, from the point of view of the canon story, no.
  • AranneasAranneas Member Posts: 282
    Kitteh_On_A_Cloud said:

    FrozenDervish said:

    While not impossible it would be very improbable due to the fear and natural avoidance surface dwellers place on the Underdark. There is very few occurences of anyone willingly going down and even fewer underdark denizons that have been freed even wanting to return to their former homes.

    I agree with FrozenDervish. The protagonist of Baldur's Gate 1 has no clear reason or motivation to ever want to go explore the Underdark, so why should they? It's a place which is generally avoided by those living on the surface, I think. Also, I imagine BG 1's protagonist must have been busy with other things...And I doubt Gorion would ever allow his ward to go recklessly wander around in such a dark and dangerous place. So, from the point of view of the canon story, no.
    you apparently have time to fuck off to Gullykin for no better reason than listening to old traveler's tales, explore a tower that has been deserted for more than a century on nothing more than a mercenary whim, and visit the actual sword coast with literally no good motivation at all - where basically every area is deadly and the rewards are very disproportionately small. I think if they were to write a quest for it an underdark visit would fit in just fine.
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