Baldur's Gate Main Path Walkthrough
Welcome, traveler, to the rustic and exciting Sword Coast!
Published by Interplay
Posted on 04/04/1999
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Prologue—Candlekeep
Chapter Two—The Nashkell Mines
Chapter Four—The Cloakwood
Chapter Six—Return to Candlekeep
Shot One Winthrop has everything a beginning adventurer might want
Hail again, traveler! So, you have returned—with new scars and a puzzled expression, I see. Perhaps the road became a touch too troubled, or your mission too mysterious? You were wise to once again seek the counsel of the bards.

As it happens, I have some small skill in foresight. This has aided me greatly in the past (most commonly in the gaming tents—may Tymora forgive my lack of faith), and I hope that it may now be of assistance to you. I shall attempt to divine the necessary path for your success, though the length and breadth of the whole Sword Coast may stand between you and your goal.

Listen with caution, though, for the gift of foretelling often reveals much which is unwelcome. Once the book of time is opened, its pages may not be lightly closed. And those who look too far through the resultant text might find their travels suddenly joyless—knowing the future removes all surprises, both happy and sinister. So read with care, and stop at the point where your immediate path is clear.

Shot Two Phlydia’s book is hidden in the hay
The journey of Gorion's child shall begin at a citadel of learning. Start your quest in the outer courtyard of Candlekeep.…

Prologue—Candlekeep
Although the sheltering walls of the library fortress have bounded your world for years, it is finally time to move on. Gorion has asked you to meet him on the inner keep stairs, but the truly wise adventurer never passes up an opportunity for exploration and acquisition first. As Tandrick, one of my more eloquent brethren, once said, "loose fingers might be scorned by the virtuous, but the poor traveler can little afford to decline the preparation they bring for the road ahead. Though many have died by the blade of a sword, most of those can be more accurately said to have died of its lack".

(I, the far lesser bard, would merely have said, "look everywhere and pick up anything which is not nailed down". This is likely why Tanny is charming the patrons of Waterdeep's finest taverns, while I tutor wannabe adventurers in a gnoll-infested backwater. No offense.)

Shot Three The first assassin is the easiest — just hit him until he falls down
To begin, enter the Candlekeep Inn and chat with Winthrop the tavernkeep. Purchase the best weapon and armor your meager budget will allow. Skip the shield for now, but don't forget a helmet if your class will permit. And purchasing a batch of crossbow bolts will save you a return visit later. Outfit yourself, then look in the Inn's northwest corner for the unfortunately-named Firebead Elvenhair. Chat with him, then leave the Inn and proceed around the outer keep in a clockwise manner. Whenever you see a green-robed monk, spare a few minutes for conversation. Since the lessons you'll learn here in Candlekeep are vital to your survival in the outside world, make certain you don't rush your stay!

Talk to Phlydia in the northwest corner of the town. Wander east until you see Dreppin the stablehand, and chat with him. Once he reveals the location of Phlydia's book, retrieve it from the hay and return it to her. Tuck your reward away for later sale. Again, move east around the keep. An assassin waits for you in the priests' quarters, and another lurks in the southern bunkhouse, but they are easily dispatched with your new armament. Talk to everyone—you never know who might provide helpful advice or a moderately lucrative mission.

Shot Four Make sure to fully explore Candlekeep before leaving with Gorion!
On the northwest side of town, spar with Jondalar for a bit of experience. If you attack him immediately and repeatedly, his hidden friend will not have time to shoot at you. Further south, Reevor will send you into a storehouse to kill rats. Take time out to search the place for goodies—if you had to survive just on Reevor's gratitude and generosity, you'd be starving in no time. Continuing south, you'll meet Hull, a guardsman at the gate. Chat with him, then head southwest to the guardhouse. Not only can you get Hull's sword and potion from his footlocker, but you'll also be able to trade those crossbow bolts to the guards for a bit of gold. Return the sword, then ferry the potion to Dreppin.

At some point during this procedure, you will probably run into the guard captain. In the southeast corner of the town is the building he wants you to visit. Stop in for a little practical battle training. Once you're comfortable fighting with a group of allies, walk north again and enter the inner keep. Be nice to Imoen—she may seem a little annoying at first, but her unique skills will one day be an invaluable asset. Go north around the inner keep until you meet Tethtoril. Get the Identify scroll from him, and return it to Firebead in the Inn. Finally, after making certain you've looted every possible nook and cranny of the outer keep, seek out Gorion and start your epic quest….

Shot Five The Friendly Arm Inn offers lodging, shopping, ale… and two loyal companions
Chapter One—The Friendly Arm Inn
Of course, epic quests are the meal ticket of the bard. The longer sagas are particularly beloved of traveling storytellers, as they take hours to tell and necessitate many refills of the complimentary mug. But even the most convincing and effusive of bards will admit (in private only) that real-life quests contain more grime than glory, more shivering than song, and far more horror than heroism. In short, the "brotherhood of the road" is greatly overrated—particularly when a stray arrow or a venomous bite can turn brotherhood to solitude in the blink of an eye.

This will be your lot. Mere hours from the walls of Candlekeep, Gorion shall fall to an armored mage, defending you with his final strength and urging you to flee the area. In one short night, you will lose home and guardian—all that you have previously held dear. If not for the half-expected appearance of Imoen, you would be alone on the road. Fortunately, you are not entirely without direction. Two of Gorion's friends await you at the Friendly Arm Inn, a short ways north on the great Coastal Highway.

Shot Six Kivan, the ranger from High Hedge, is an indispensable, bow-wielding asset for any low-level party
With Imoen by your side, return to the place of battle and search Gorion's corpse. Take everything you find, as well as any goodies that may have been left by defeated monsters. Then proceed southeast until you reach the main road. Follow it east until you leave this cursed region. Along the way, you may encounter a pair of rogue adventurers, seeking to join your small party for reasons of their own. These would be unsavory companions at best, so leave them and move on. In the next region, after chatting with Elminster, take the Coastal Highway north. Once you reach the Friendly Arm region, take the northeast fork of the road and proceed into the keep.

The entrance to the Friendly Arm Inn itself is on the east side of the building, up a flight of stairs. Unfortunately, a relatively powerful assassin is waiting on those stairs, ready to chuck some very annoying spells as soon as he's identified you. Fortunately, the guardsmen of the Friendly Arm keep dislike anyone who fails to help keep the peace, and will help you defeat him.

Walk slowly along the southern wall of the Inn building. As soon as you see the stairs, stop. The guardsmen chat among themselves, so you should be able to locate them by sound. As soon as at least two of them are present near the stairs, run over that way and get as far up the staircase as you can before the assassin approaches you. The instant you're finished chatting, book past him and enter the Inn. He won't follow.

Shot Seven After a simple spell of Stone to Flesh, Branwen the cleric will join your group
In the northwest corner of the Inn's main floor are Khalid and Jhaheira, Gorion's old friends. Talk to them and allow them to join your party. Rest at the Inn, purchase enough equipment to make certain that everyone's up for a good fight, and exit back to the stairs. Wonder of wonders, the assassin is still there, as are the guards who should now be moving towards him. Attack with everything you have, including Imoen's wand if she doesn't have a decent bow. With at least six attackers, he should fall fairly quickly. Loot his body, then continue east to visit the temple. Stock up on healing magic and get ready to hit the road again.

Nashkell is quite a ways south, and you will need to pass through Beregost on your journey. If you would care to stack the odds a bit more in your favor, there is a helpful ranger on the north end of High Hedge, the region just west of Beregost. There are also plenty of skeletons and other nasties in the area, though, so make sure you're well rested and prepared before you venture off to find Kivan the ranger.

Once you leave Beregost, a fair amount of southbound walking will take you to the outskirts of Nashkell, and the beginning of your next great adventure….

Next

by Cindy Vanous

©1999 Strategy Plus, Inc.

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