This Balduran Mess

[Aeschylus]

First of all, if you have not played SOA or do not have the bonus merchants, this post has some details about Balduran's items. If you don't want to know, stop reading now.
MINOR, MINOR SPOILERS
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You were warned. Ok, so last time I posted having trouble dual-classing my try at creating Balduran. I got that figured out, but now would like some help in figuring out the characterization of Balduran. I basically want to make him that he may reunite all his equipment. This will, of course, make him powerful, but certainly not as powerful as he could be.

I don't have the BG1 or BG2 manuals with me (They are, quite frankly, useless; the tables in the back are the only useful part) but I don't recall the BG1 manual saying too much about him other than he had disappeared after founding the city. Someone here posted that he was a Dwarf. I guess I had always envisioned him as a charismatic merchant-warrior; a genial and brilliant leader of men with a pechant for new frontiers and robust trade. A great man, certainly. But a Dwarf?!? Even his weapons don't seem like Dwarf weapons: a long sword?

In addition there is the matter of his class. I would be inclined to just make him a fighter, but especially with the bonus his sword conveys (10% bonus to lore), he seems like he should have high lore, as he is always exploring and uncovering new things. He must have some skill in lore and indentifying items. I can't dual class him to a bard, but how about a Thief? I don't see him as hiding in the shadows, lockpicking or detecting traps, but perhaps picking pockets or setting traps (Someone has to seduce and pickpocket the princess of the sacred Moonstone before fleeing to his ship, and who else but the expeditionary leader could get close enough to)? Perhaps even a Mage; he might know some low level magic to help himself along. This is why I was originally thinking dual to bard; that would cover most of this.

And lastly, his skills. I was thinking Sword and Shield, Long sword, and longbow as a distant backup weapon. (Great warriors do not use short bows. They use massive, powerful bows).

Thus my $ 0.02. If anyone has any suggestions for:

1. Class
2. Skills
3. Stats
4. Anything else

Please post 'em here. Thanks.

[Rapida]

Hmm I dont know where but somewhere in Baldur's Gate one I remember reading in some random book about him being a pirate/merchant, and that he founded baldurs gate because of its good port. Dont take this for facts though. Also i thought he was a human too..

[Gangrell]

The most I know about Balduran is that he was a dwarf that was a single classed fighter, though as for his stats and such I'm not too sure on. Some vets in this forum will be able to inform you though.

Also, Welcome to the Ironworks [img]graemlins/1djsmile.gif[/img]

[Butterfingers]

Ok. First off, being a Dwarf, there is no way he could be a Mage or a Bard. Dwarves don't throw spells all that often. Also, it dual classing is not available to dwarves in SoA.

Balduran was a Dwarven Fighter who worked as a part time merchant and a part time pirate. He played both sides of the law to make himself incredibly wealthy. There was not much remarkable about him, other then he had a remarkable mind for business.

Not all Dwarves use hammers and axes, infact, many Hill Dwarves use spears and swords, being much more practical weapons on the surface. Ever stop to think that Balduran was not a Mountain Dwarf? After all, how many Dwarves sail the seas... He was a very different sort of Dwarf indeed.

[Vedran]

This is from my former post (don't worry, I didn't write it by hand):
I couldn't find anything on the internet, so I looked into BG1's dialog.tlk. I put string reference by these quotes to be able to find them quick. Take a cup of coffee and enjoy!

First story:
ref 18824
Ah yes, the city as we know it today falls in the shape of a plump and crescent moon. Its many wharves and docks jut out along its western point where the River Chionthar flows into the starry Sea of Swords. A bridge from this western shore links the mainland with a rocky islet on which perches the old, massive Seatower of Balduran. (...)

ref 18827
Balduran was a well-known and good-natured pirate who sailed the Sea of Swords in times gone by. He built the Seatower that bears his name to guide him to his home port and provide warning of invasion to his kin and clan that made their home along the northern riverbank. In time, a vibrant group of traders and fellow sea captains gathered there and built the city's inner wall to protect their wares and belongings from the everpresent danger or rival pirates or orcish raids... (...)

ref 18830
Balduran was away from port during the time in which the decision to build the wall was made and, when he returned, he learned that many of his kin and clan now lay outside the new wall and vulnerable to any attack made upon the settlement! As the orcs advanced upon the city in the early summer, it erupted into a state of civil chaos. It was at this point that Balduran's sails were spotted upon the horizon, returning home to port... (...)

ref 18833
In a rage, Balduran slew the entire Council of captains and merchants for such arrogance and selfishness. He spared only the four who had spoken out against the Council's decision. Together, they ordered the immediate construction of the city's outer wall, and bridge gate from which Baldur's Gate gets its name. Facing a united city and a stout defense, the orcs were defeated and, for their valor, Balduran appointed the four captains as Dukes of the city... Well, that's Baldur's Gate in a nutshell.

Second story:
ref 18836
Well, there's really not that much more to tell... Balduran eventually died -apparently lost at sea- and the four Dukes passed on their titles in a hereditary fashion for many years. Now, of course, Dukes are elected to office, although they keep the title until their death. They have grown softer and more tolerant over the years, however, and I think many people would like to see someone with a more extravagant, forceful approach ascend to the position. But that is the future, not the past, and who knows what it shall hold.

ref 21426
(...) As ye may know, Baldur's Gate was named for the legendary seafaring explorer Balduran, who long ago sailed past Evermeet in search of the rich, fabled isles of Anchorome. Balduran returned with tales of strange, vast lands across the seas. He also brought back much wealth and scattered it about his sparsely settled home harbor. So Baldur's Gate was born.

ref 21428
He then set sail again for the wonderous lands he had found. Balduran never returned. Some say he sails still, finding new lands in the endless reaches of the far sea, or even that he sailed off the world and fares now among the stars. Others whisper that he met with misfortune and perished in the deeps, while still others believe that he lived to a ripe old age in his new-found home.

[Aeschylus]

Thanks Vedren. I don't know how much work that was, but it is appreciated.

Unfortunately, I still do not have his race definatively established. Two people have said he's a Dwarf, but where is this dictated? Does anyone know?

Second, hills or no, Dwarves should not be using swords of spears. The reason being that such weapons are ineffective if you are 4 feet tall. Swords require dexterity, and in the interests of parrying, blocking, and use in conjunction with other types of attacks the user must be a bit taller than their weapon. Likewise, you cannot throw a spear or use it as a staff if it is twice as tall as you. And unless you are fighting in formation with a group you must be able to do both of those things. A spear is not the weapon of a lone adventurer unless he knows how to wield it like a staff. Now Pikes, yes, I could see that, if the Dwarf was in a big group. Hmm... A phalanx of Dwarves... watch your kneecaps. But spears and swords? No. Realistically, you must be acceptably tall to wield a long sword, and you need a phalanx to wield a spear in any way accessable to a Dwarf.

And lastly, although I acknowledge that Tolkien is seperate from D&D lore, in The Lord of the Rings it's my recollection that Dwarves do not like water, as a race. Balduran could be the exception that proves the rule, but it still seems a little off.

Pirate, though, hmm... Maybe a ::shudder:: Swashbuckler/Fighter.

[Gangrell]

Originally posted by Aeschylus: The reason being that such weapons are ineffective if you are 4 feet tall.

Makes sense, but in this case size doesn't really matter much I guess. Look at halflings, they can use two-handed swords.

[Vedran]

A weapon that a human would wield as a one-handed long sword, a halfling would wield as a two-handed sword. And humans 2h-sword would for halfling be ... I don't know, a flamberge?

[Tancred]

Originally posted by Aeschylus: Thanks Vedren. I don't know how much work that was, but it is appreciated. Unfortunately, I still do not have his race definatively established. Two people have said he's a Dwarf, but where is this dictated? Does anyone know?

References above to Balduran's 'kin and clan' seem to point to his Dwarf nature.

[Rapida]

well we know he is a pirate and is most likely a dwarf due to the kin and clan comments o well. Ill be the first to admit i was wrong hehe