Larian made this Baldur’s Gate 3 NPC an emotional fan tribute
If you reached Baldur's Gate 3 Act 3 and met Golbraith, the Mind Flayer hunter with a deep love for his son, you might’ve thought he was just another example of Larian’s in-depth world building – and you’d be wrong. It turns out, Golbraith is a tribute to one fan’s father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s.
Golbraith’s story started in 2020, when a fan who goes by Solfalia on the Larian forums posted a short “thank you” to the studio. They said their dad got them into gaming at a young age, and the two particularly enjoyed playing Larian’s Divinity: Original Sin games and BioWare’s Baldur’s Gate 2 together. They were looking forward to Baldur’s Gate 3, when Solfalia’s father received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis during COVID-19 lockdowns.
“His state is such I'm not sure that he'll be able to play the full game with me when it gets out,” Solfalia said in the original post. “It's been a worry of mine, as he has really been looking forward to it. And then you go and release this Early Access. Not a complete game with bugs galore, or a skeleton of a game, but a complete act 1 with a limited number, but well thought out, set of classes and a good long storyline.”
Golbraith spent his youth hunting Mind Flayers and now worries over his son, who travels the world doing the same.
Larian Studios
“This Early Access means that this Xmas I'll be able to go on an adventure with him one last time, and I know he'll enjoy it. The fact that the big baddies are Mind Flayers is just the icing on the cake. So, amidst the difficulties and pains this Early Access may have caused you, know that you have my deepest and sincere thanks. This is more than an Early Access for me, it's another adventure I can go on with my old man and make some good memories.”
Fast forward several months, and Solfalia said in a new post that they received a request from one of Larian’s writers, who asked if they could include something in the final game to honor Solfalia’s father.
“I obviously accepted, and we discussed some details on my father through e-mails,” Solfalia said. “I told my Dad the following Christmas, as I wanted to make sure he knew before the disease progressed too far, and he was so happy he asked me to send a thank you to the team, complete with a picture of his goofy smiling face.”
They expected a plaque or some minor mention in a book. What they got was Golbraith, several references to their dad in books around Golbraith’s house and conversations with Golbraith, and even an in-game model that resembled the picture Solfalia sent Larian.
“As soon as I finished looking through the whole house, I told my Dad,” Solfalia said. “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.”
“Thank you Larian. Truly. It was so much more than I was expecting, and was extremely touching. Both my Dad and me loved it.”
