Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)’s Golbraith Stredivas isn’t just one of the best mindflayer hunters in the Forgotten Realms, he also serves as a heartfelt tribute to a fan.
As noted by Eurogamer, forum user Solfalia posted an emotional thank you message to Larian Studios for including such a touching token of remembrance to their father in Baldur’s Gate 3. The story goes that Solfalia originally thanked the developers back in 2020 when the game’s first act was released as a part of its early access launch. The fan’s father was a big fan of Baldur’s Gate 2 and they recall playing BG3 together over Christmas before his Alzheimers progressed to a point where he could no longer enjoy the game.
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“Much later I got an e-mail from one of your writers. I won’t use her name here to keep her privacy, so let’s call her…. superwriter,” Solfalia wrote. “It turns out my message had resonated with quite a few of you, as many of us have experienced the struggle of a family member with Alzheimers or Dementia, and superwriter was e-mailing me to ask if I would be open to having something included in the game to honour my father. I’ll note I completely missed the original e-mail, but superwriter chased me up again many months later – hence why I chose to use this name for her.”
While Solfalia expected Larian Studios to simply add a note or Easter egg honoring their father, the reality was so much grander. The developer included an NPC, equipped with his own explorable cellar, known as Golbraith Stredivas. One of the world’s most renowned mindflayer hunters, when players encounter him in the Lower City they’ll discover that he’s since retired and spends his time writing books to help future adventures deal with the sinister creatures.
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“Not only did Golbraith look like my father, but he had multiple lines of dialogue. Some really touching ones too (for me, at least),” Solfalia continued. “The different papers in the house were amazing, the stack of letters between Golbraith and his son put a lump in my throat. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t misty eyed. The secret mindflayer-hunter cellar was awesome. As soon as I finished looking through the whole house, I told my Dad. He’s in a care home now, so can’t play the game, but he listened to my description with a child-like glee I haven’t seen in a while. He loved every moment of it. He loved the idea that his character has a monocle, and was proud his character has a secret cellar with weapons. He still talks about it from time to time during our weekly chats.”
The letter went viral on social media, with several Larian Studios developers noting how happy they were to bring a fan so much joy. Just another reason why Baldur’s Gate 3 was 2023’s Game of the Year.
