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Baldur’s Gate 3has some characters that are extremely important in Baldur’s Gate lore. Whether you’re meeting the fabled heroesJaheiraandMinscfrom the events of Baldur’s Gate 2, or you are meetingsomeone who played a pivotal role in shaping Baldur’s Gate, you can see some amazing NPCs.
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One NPC that stands above the rest is Withers. This skeleton-like undead NPC isone of the most important NPCs to keep around your camp. He is able torespecandrevive characters, and he canhire hirelings. However, not much else is known about this interesting NPC until later on. Here’s who he truly is.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Who Is Withers?
As mentioned above, Withers is an undead NPC who can bend the lines between life and death, something that is no easy task.When you first meet the mysterious figure, you will find him in theDank Crypt, an area that, if you pass a Religion Check, will be revealed as a shrine to Jergal, the God of Death (at least until the Dead Three appeared). Your character (or companions) will remark “Jergal? This must be ancient, no one worships the Final Scribe anymore.”
Upon entering this area, you will find a large, adorned sarcophagus that holds the body of Withers.The fact that this NPC was found in a shrine to Jergal inside a very impressive sarcophagus that was surrounded by undead enemies just proves that whoever Withers is, he is someone of great importance.Once he is spoken to, he will ask “What is the worth of a single mortal life?” No matter what you say, he will continue to ask questions, making him seem odd.
The more you learn about the world of the game, the sooner you will realize who Withers truly is: Jergal, the God of Death.
How Do We Know His Identity?
Withers' identity has been debated since he was first introduced to players. Some players say it is obvious that he is Jergal while others think he may have just been someone important to Jergal. However, there are clues that point to him truly being Jergal (or at least an avatar of Jergal). After all, who better to stop the Dead Three’s reign of terror than the God of Death himself?
Clues Inside The Game
Some of the biggest clues that point to who Withers is are the services he provides to the player. He can revive characters and respec them, something that certainly toes the lines between life and death. However, the biggest clue in this regard is that he can give you Hirelings.At first, these seem like any other companion. However, if you speak to them, you will quickly learn that they are bodies that Withers has reanimated.
Something else that is unique about Withers is that he will savethe Dark Urge characterif they refuse to accept their fate. If you tell Bhaal to get lost and that you won’t be his puppet any longer, you willremove the Dark Urge, and Bhaal will kill you.Thankfully, Withers comes and saves the day, reversing the death that, Bhaal, one of the Dead Three, brought upon your character.
Other clues that point to who he is come from some books in the game. For starters, you can find the bookBook of Dead Godsnear his final resting place, which is a book all about dead Gods and mentions the Dead Three by name.Another obvious clue comes from the bookCrumbling Journalwhich can be found in the Ancient Mausoleum in Act 3. This book tells about someone’s encounter with Jergal himself. The God of Death asks the person “What is the worth of a single mortal life?” That phrase sounds familiar because it is the first thing Withers will ask you.
Additionally, if you play as a Paladin or Cleric,you may note that there is a divine aura that surrounds Withers. If you question him, he will refuse to say why you feel that way. He won’t even acknowledge whether he was a god’s Chosen at one point or not.
Finally, in the epilogue of the game, Withers can be seen talking to a tapestry portraying the Dead Three.He comically refers to them as fools and shows that he does not hold them in high regard. Considering Jergal’s past with the Dead Three, this comes as no surprise.
Clues From The Game’s Code
Surprisingly, the game’s code also gives away Withers' identity.There were datamined notes that blatantly said that Withers is Jergal, and he was sent by Helm (a lawful neutral god meant to be a deity that protects the world) to pay for his role in the uprising of the Dead Three. As it turns out, the Dead Three wanted Jergal’s power, and he gave it to them after growing tired of it. Therefore, he had to atone for that choice by helping stop them.
Additionally, the internal files of the game refer to Withers as “JergalAvatar” rather than his name.This is probably the most damning piece of evidence when it comes to why Withers is canonically Jergal. After all, the game files wouldn’t say that if he weren’t Jergal.
The final nail in the coffin is that in the original concept art that Larian Studios released, the design of Jergal and the design of Withers are the exact same design. This shows that, originally, when looking at how to design the Temple of Jergal, Jergal and Withers were going to look exactly alike.
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