What I'd like to see for a possible epilogue DLC lead into BG2

RedGuard

Just thought I'd post some random thoughts what I'd like to see in a possible epilogue DLC since some have expressed the desire to see some form of explanation to how you end up in Irenicus' dungeon with certain party members.

I wouldn't mind if a possible epilogue DLC also had cutaways like they did in BG2 where you see things from Irenicus' view. It could be used to fill in more of the story and clear up some things like...

- Irenicus looking at other possibilities like Sarevok ( though you could also tell this partly through interactions with enemies/npc's, letters and such as well as scenes with Irenicus which are seperate from the player). I wonder if Irenicus could actually briefly meet Sarevok? What about Gorion or Firkraag and other interesting people?

- Irenicus in the background of BG1, not as a mastermind, but showing him starting his plans and explaining things like the lone Doppelganger in his dungeon.

- Explain ow you become part of the 'canon party'. Perhaps they are following you (either forced into the party or made clear the 'canon party' were following you for various reasons)?

- What happens to the people you are travelling with (old NPC's can say new stuff in new areas apparently). Perhaps some simply leave, perhaps some are killed and some may not simply care when you're part is ambushed and you are kidnapped.

Kaliesto

I've made a similar request to yours, but with some differences. I agree that the end was left..kinda..abruptly ended. We have no idea what happened after Sarevok.

reedmilfam

My problem with this is that you're forced to a specific ending (not RPG then) and there are XP consequences to adding more in the middle. The existence and story of BG2 makes it difficult, at least, to do something like that.

Raistlin82

You have a good idea, there, at the end, to explain why you're stuck with the (dreaded) "canon" team at the beginning of BG2.
Many people have speculated on why on Toril would somebody who hates you in BG1 end up with you in the dungeon in BG2, while somebody who loves you does not.
It might be that there is a big "reunion" needed, in which your "final" BG1 team meets with several other adventurers (even those who hate you and those who you've never met) in one place, all brought in there by someone or something: a request for help, an offer of employement or something.
Irenicus might be the one sending out the message, as a bait to capture the Bhaalspawn, or maybe it's the work of a third party who actually needed adventurers, but their actions coincidentally and unfortunately managed to bring Irenicus' attention to you.
And then there's a big raid and Irenicus' servants (Bodhi's vampires, maybe?) capture CHARNAME, Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Dynaheir and Minsc, while everybody else manages to flee.
Cue added (optional) dialogue to other characters later (the friendly ones), when they tell you they've been looking for you, but had no idea where they had taken you.

Of course, this doesn't explain the ones that came back from the dead, but maybe we can assume they did it by separate, unrelated means before the big meeting? Or maybe the same people who did gather all the "heroes" managed to raise from the dead a couple of them, knowing of their usefulness?

Archaos

I agree with @Raistlin82, at the very least add Dorn, Neera and Rassad in the beginning, caged with the others. There are empty cells, so it's not impossible.

bigdogchris

I'm not sure if I would like DLC that did this. I'd rather it be left up to our imagination.

reedmilfam

If others were added there, it could have been that they were captured before Irenicus got CHARNAME as part of his attempt to get CHARNAME. Writing-wise, I'm not thinking they'll be that ambitious and my guess is that changing the group in Irenicus' dungeon is beyond the allowable leash of the contractual limitations faced by OVHL/BD.

Djonne

I think the only realistic organization that may have gathered the canon party to find you because of the threat that represents a godchild under evil hands, assuming they were not in your party during the time of BG1 which removes plot issues anyway, is to me the Harpers.
Jaheira is one of them, Elminster knows you and even helps you in BG1, and one of them may have convinced Minsc and Dynaheir to look for you with them, along with Imoen.
If they were dead, maybe Elminster resurect them (though it's hard why he resurected Dynaheir and Minsc).

Djonne

Plus maybe it could explain why even if you were an evil character not liked at all by the other members of the canon party they are in the dungeon with you.

elminster

Archaos said:

I agree with @Raistlin82, at the very least add Dorn, Neera and Rassad in the beginning, caged with the others. There are empty cells, so it's not impossible.

Those cells are reserved for multiplayer characters, so unless you want to throw them all elsewhere (that odd portal north of the cages which exists for some odd reason) I'm not sure it is possible without having people uncaged.

HaHaCharade

bigdogchris said:

I'm not sure if I would like DLC that did this. I'd rather it be left up to our imagination.

Yeah... I agree. I mean it would also lock in the "default" party that BG2 assumes you used even more by doing this.

sepotter

I like the idea here, It would probably have to be developed further, but heck, even if it was only 15 minutes of gameplay it would be cool,
maybe a fight until you end up captured, perhaps have an almost neverending battle, and if you survive for long enough then Irenicus just comes out and does a spell and its over....
well like I said, its an idea that needs development.

moody_mage

It's an interesting point, even if Sarevok had succeeded in his plot then Irenicus would simply have sucked his Bhaal-essence out instead of CHARNAMES. And the chances are Sarevok would have failed miserably in claiming it back again and laying the beatdown on Irenicus.

RedGuard

reedmilfam said:

My problem with this is that you're forced to a specific ending (not RPG then) and there are XP consequences to adding more in the middle. The existence and story of BG2 makes it difficult, at least, to do something like that.

I disagree. A forced ending or narrative doesn't nullify it as a RPG. There's still plenty of opportunities for choices and other RPG elements in the lead up to that ending.

bigdogchris said:

I'm not sure if I would like DLC that did this. I'd rather it be left up to our imagination.

I'm the opposite. It's an annoyance to me because in retrospect it looks like an oversight and there is a definite gap in the story. I can use my imagination fine enough, but I can't pretend that anything I come up with would be anything more than 'fan fiction'.

HaHaCharade said:

Yeah... I agree. I mean it would also lock in the "default" party that BG2 assumes you used even more by doing this.

I'm not quite sure I understand this one. It seems somewhat redundant. The default party has always been locked in and will always be as such whether we like it or not (it's been made clear nothing short of a mod will change that for us). Nothing can really make it more so, it just is and nothing is likely to change that (not counting the possibility of DLC companions appearing, but I think it's a safe bet they'll be elsewhere).

decado said:

It's an interesting point, even if Sarevok had succeeded in his plot then Irenicus would simply have sucked his Bhaal-essence out instead of CHARNAMES. And the chances are Sarevok would have failed miserably in claiming it back again and laying the beatdown on Irenicus.

Reading this just made me think of a nice idea for a DLC set in an alternative take on Baldur's Gate (which I admit would likely never happen). A 'what if' where you play as Sarevok where Irenicus chose to take his soul instead of charname's soul. Which could maybe be set in a world where Sarevok won in Baldur's Gate 1.