Most mysterious NPC in Baldur’s Gate 3 is actually a god. You might’ve missed the clue if you skipped a certain journal hidden in a mausoleum

I’m pretty sure a lot of us have finished Baldur’s Gate 3 at least once or twice, or even more than 10 times – that’s just how replayable this game is. Different choices can totally change the story, and there are so many allies to meet, hidden weapons to find, and endings to unlock, you just have to see for yourself. Did you know that at the end, you can even adopt a child with Wyll and create one happy hellish family? That’s part of what keeps us coming back for another 100-hour run. But perhaps the most mysterious character in BG3 is Withers. Some players have uncovered his true identity, but if you haven’t, prepare to be shocked.

Who really is Withers in Baldur's Gate 3?

Just to be clear, this is purely a theory, Larian hasn’t confirmed anything, but the clues are hard to ignore. Withers is just that cheerful bony fellow who lives in your camp, casually revives fallen companions, lets you respec your character, and even rents out some soulless hirelings at the right price. Totally normal ancient entity, nothing shady at all.

Source: Baldur's Gate 3; Developer: Larian Studios

The real hint about Withers’ identity lies in the Crumbling Journal that can be found in the Grand Mausoleum in the city’s graveyard in Act 3. It describes a mortal encounter with an entity called Jergal – yes, the same Jergal, the god of death who gave up his powers, passing them on to Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul, our lovely the Dead Three, who play a big role in the game’s story.

The direct connection to Withers is a question recorded in the Crumbling Journal: “What is the worth of a single mortal’s life?” That’s exactly the question Withers asks you the first time you meet him in the Dark Crypt in Act 1.

If you talk to withers throughout the game, he’s constantly mocking the Dead Three. Even more hints show up in the epilogue, where Withers openly sneers at a mural of the Dead Three, clearly unimpressed with what they’ve done with the powers he once gave them. Here’s the post credit scene recorded by Kazuliski on YouTube.

It all fits too nicely with Withers’ unique state of being, neither fully dead nor alive. Maybe he’s been pulling strings behind the scenes this whole time, and here we were, thinking he was just some simple NPC trying to keep his answers as short as possible.

Baldur's Gate 3

August 3, 2023

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