Legacy of Betrayal: Wyll’s Tale (Baldur’s Gate 3 Lore)

Wyll confronts moral quandaries and shapes his destiny through player-driven choices.

Summary (TL;DR)

Wyll, son of Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard, makes a dark pact with Mizora to thwart cultists summoning Tiamat in Baldur’s Gate. Unable to reveal the truth, he’s banished. Becoming a hero called the “Blade of Frontiers,” he faces moral dilemmas, including deciding the fate of Karlach, an ex-servant of Zariel. Player choices shape his destiny, offering various outcomes, including battling mind flayers, negotiating pacts, romance, and regaining humanity by seizing control of mind flayer tadpoles.

In the bustling city of Baldur’s Gate, Wyll, the only son of Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard, dedicates himself to the art of swordplay under the watchful gaze of his father. The weight of his family’s legacy looms large, as Ulder envisions a future where Wyll not only inherits his martial prowess but also assumes the esteemed mantle of the Duke.

A Sinister Conspiracy Unveiled

The rise of Ulder to the title of Grand Duke occurs when Wyll is but seventeen years old. Yet, their harmonious bond fractures as Ulder is summoned to the distant city of Elturel to quell an escalating conflict. In his father’s absence, Wyll receives an mysterious whisper, compelling him to embark on a solitary journey to Dusthawk Hill. There, he stumbles upon a nefarious scheme concocted by Dragon Cultists, who harbor ambitions of summoning the malevolent dragon goddess Tiamat within the city.

Desperate and devoid of alternatives, Wyll’s path crosses with a sinister entity named Mizora, who offers an ominous bargain: power, ceasing the ritual, and the obliteration of the cultists in exchange for his very soul. Faced with an impossible choice, Wyll embraces the sinister pact, binding himself as a warlock in Mizora’s service. Together, they stop the cultists, preventing Tiamat’s dreadful emergence. This heroic act, however, exacts a steep price, as Wyll loses an eye during the harrowing battle—a loss Mizora compensates with a mystical sending stone.

The Unspoken Pact and Its Consequences

Upon Ulder’s return to Baldur’s Gate, Wyll shares the harrowing tale of his ordeal, but Ulder’s attempts to verify the existence of the cultists yield no corroborating evidence. Bound by the infernal pact’s chains, Wyll remains unable to disclose the truth to his father, resulting in a heart-wrenching moment where Ulder, crushed and betrayed, banishes his own son from the city.

In the sprawling depths of Cloakwood, Wyll’s newfound purpose crystallizes as he intervenes in a goblin raid on a village, rescuing a vulnerable youth and vanquishing the malevolent assailants. Vowing to safeguard the Sword Coast from evil, he embraces the mantle of the “Blade of Frontiers.” His warlock abilities, now harnessed for the greater good, propel him into a growing legend as a heroic defender.

In the year 1492 DR, Mizora issues a chilling directive: Wyll must eliminate the tiefling Karlach, a former servant of the fallen angel Zariel in the hellish realm of Avernus. However, Wyll’s mission is abruptly interrupted when he falls prey to mind flayers, who implant a parasitic tadpole in his brain—a ticking time bomb destined to transform him into one of their kind. It’s during this dire period that he encounters Shadowheart, who offers him a lifeline through her mysterious artifact, shielding him from the impending fate of becoming a mind flayer.

As Wyll embarks on a perilous quest to rid himself of the insidious tadpole infestation, he confronts Karlach. She reveals a startling truth—she was coerced by the fallen angel Zariel into committing her past sins, and now seeks escape from Avernus to regain her freedom. This revelation forces Wyll to confront the web of deceit spun by Mizora. Faced with a moral dilemma, he must decide between ending Karlach’s life, or shattering his damning pact with Mizora.

Wyll’s destiny teeters on a precipice, shaped by the choices he makes within the unfolding narrative:

  • Burdened by guilt, Wyll chooses to spare Karlach, sparking thoughts of breaking free from Mizora’s malevolent grip.
  • In sparing Karlach, Wyll incurs Mizora’s wrath, leading to a transformation that leaves him resembling a devil, complete with horns.
  • Wyll fulfills his pact with Mizora by ending Karlach’s life.
  • Upon learning of his father’s captivity, Wyll has the option to strike yet another ominous pact with Mizora, potentially condemning himself to eternal servitude in exchange for Ulder’s liberation.
  • Wyll may decide to sign the contract but subsequently break it, challenging Mizora’s attempt to harm Ulder and striving to save his father.
  • The path of slaying Mizora carries dire consequences, sealing Wyll’s own fate.
  • Negotiating his way out of the pact with Mizora holds the promise of Wyll regaining his humanity within six months.
  • Wyll opts not to pursue romance, focused on resolving his problems.
  • For those who partake in a romantic journey with Wyll, a proposal awaits on the horizon.
  • If Wyll’s partner succumbs to the mind flayer transformation, he offers a unique solution to sustain their relationship, concealed within the shadows.
  • Wyll offers to travel to Avernus with Karlach.
  • Origin Wyll, through a bold move, gains control over the tadpoles and mind flayers by seizing the three stones controlling Orpheus.
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