Baldur’s Gate 3 documents in Moonrise Towers reveal secrets about the Absolute and its allies

The army of the Absolute in Baldur’s Gate 3 it is made up of a disparate collection of groups that, under normal circumstances, would never get along. From hordes of goblins to dwarven mercenaries and nobles of drow society, many of these factions would normally be at oddsand Baldur’s Gate 3The world of Forgotten Realms is certainly no stranger to constant conflict. Despite this potential for conflict, however, all of these entities are one under the Absolute.

[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]It’s no surprise that a group centered around mind-controlling tadpoles and a trapped Elder Brain would be good at forcing people to band together. THE Illithids being used to create this army are a hive mindAfter all, many agents of the Absolute are called True Souls, listening to psionic instructions through brain parasites. But some of the larger groups in this antagonistic force were recruited with somewhat more subtle political manipulation, and the game makes it clear how exactly each faction was swayed to the Dead Three’s side.

Manipulating Goblins through their religious practices

From Maglubiyet to mind flayers

Very few goblins in the Absolute’s army are actually infected with a mind flayer parasite. The forces of the Absolute were able to take advantage of the faith that goblin groups place in their priests and priestesses, who traditionally lead them in the worship of Maglubiyet. Maglubiyet is considered an evil god, whose followers conquer and kill in their name and, morally, this already aligns well with what the Absolute wants from goblins.

A text found in Moonrise Towers called “The Maglubiyet Gambit” describes how agents of the Absolute invited seven high-ranking goblin religious leaders to a dinner. There, they became paralyzed with poisoned drink and infected, causing them to become devoted followers of the Elder Brain. When they returned home, their beliefs became those of their tribes and the goblins’ loyalty was won.

Of course, not every goblin has entered the Absolute’s army so easily, as characters like Brakkal are still loyal to Maglubiyet. For the most part, though, this strategy paid off. Goblins form scouts and shock troops with the army, appearing primarily at the beginning as low-level enemies that players must fight against. And despite the numbers that the goblin hordes bring, it is clear that other troops were more often used as leaders.

The Duergar’s work for gold in Baldur’s Gate 3

The simplest motivator for any group

When it came to the Duergar employed by the Absolute in the Underdark, a much simpler strategy was adopted. Thanks to Baldur’s Gate’s powerful backers, the Absolute had gold to spend and hired dwarven mercenaries from a clan called Flameshade. These mercenaries can be found in the Grymforge area, trying to reach the adamantine forge and provide the forces of the Absolute with more powerful weapons.

These duergar appear to be largely neutral or even hostile toward the Absolutists, but value their currency enough to work with them. There is some duergar more loyal to the Absolute faith, such as Sergeant Thrinn and Privateer Greymon, but others like Elder Brithvar are willing to betray the Absolute if it pays better than being loyal. Baldur’s Gate 3 does not clarify why several Duergar are more loyal than others, as none of them appear to be infected, but it is possible that they anticipated rewards beyond gold if they remained in the Absolute.

However, The duergar appear somewhat similar to the Zhentarim in terms of their shifting loyalty to the Absolute. The player can see evidence in many interactions with Roah Moonglow that the Zhent leader has no love or loyalty for the Elder Brain, but works with his followers for gold. The Zhent may also gain power in Baldur’s Gate from their partnership with the Absolute, as this could help them dominate the city’s criminal underworld.

Minthara’s story sheds light on how the drow were recruited

Pride before the fall

Many leaders of the Absolute’s army, such as Nere and Minthara, appear to be drow nobles. It makes sense that these soldiers are suited for leadership, given their hierarchical society in Menzoberranzan and its status as high-ranking nobility. What’s not immediately clear is why these drow would work with the Absolute; Many swear an oath to Lolth, the Spider goddess, and would not betray their goddess lightly.

In Minthara’s case, she can tell the player exactly how she joined the Absolute’s army. She was lured to Moonrise Towers when they sent missionaries to Menzoberranzan, an act the drow considered disrespectful and boldly arrogant. When the drow planned to attack Moonrise, they were invited to dinner and honored by Ketheric Thorm. It was during this dinner that most of Minthara’s soldiers were poisoned or killed by Orin the Redand she herself was captured and infected.

Mmost of the drow in the Absolute’s army are probably “True Souls”, as they would be unlikely to follow an Elder Brain or be placed in positions of power if they did not. All said, it would seem that the Absolute in Baldur’s Gate 3 targets groups normally considered scary or evil by the Baldurians and unites them through a mix of mind control and manipulation. This gives them a powerful army and contributes to Gortash’s fear tactics, which allow him to seize power in the city in Baldur’s Gate 3.

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