Probably because it has no real weight or consequence, just an offhand thing at the end of Wyll’s companion questline. Withers explicitly says they have no souls left, no true remnant of the person they were, only memories and traces of emotion. To him that was an achievement. Ok edit: I saved before the fight just in case there is some way, but after I killed him it's revealed that Ansur tried to mercy kill The Emperor/Balduran, so he "defended himself" and killed Ansur. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. The Emperor is openly selfish, a manipulator, and evil (if you learn about his interactions with the Bronze Dragon Ansur) 2. Orpheus is able to extend his protection to your party, including someone who has turned into an illithid (required for plot reasons if you free Orpheus). Could not avert his fate. 19 de ago. #2. And not written if you decline. Most of the stuff you already know by that point, but the truth about The Emperor being Balduran isn't revealed for at least another twenty hours. If you succeed, you get to go to the last room where there is a dragon. She counted on Balduran's rebellious nature and desire to be free of elder brain domination as a means. These lines are of course about. Location: Ukraine. After the scene, the battle with Ansur will begin. Finding out he is a Mind Flayer is detrimental to his plans because it causes you to lose trust (and if you found out earlier, most likely. If you hold that the Emperor is not Balduran (i. at least initially. When you find him here, Ansur will reveal the Emperor is in fact, Balduran himself. But the Emperor is not Balduran. Mediocre Mar 25, 2021 @ 7:36am. . cfehunter Aug 19 @ 11:45am. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. #42. Fact #3: The Emperor strongly resembles the Illithid in the opening cinematic. Just as the party is coming to grips with working with a mind flayer, BG3 throws another twist with the Emperor at the team. Now that you’ve been able to find and pass the trials, we can teach you how to beat Ansur the Dragon in Baldur’s Gate 3. Re: Daisy, the Absolute, and the Emperor [SPOILERS] Milkfred # 918972 30/10/23 01:44 AM. It's just that everyone in Faerun considers a mind flayer to be an "it" , rather than an actual individual. Ideally you should also have at least one mage. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. Wyll saying "thank Balduran" is foreshadowing because the Emperor is the one protecting all the tadpoled companions. Act 3 - Spoilers. But. The Emperor talks about how he wanted freedom but settled to be a slave when Tav has made up their mind. The Emperor is just one of them, and there's a particularly surprising reveal that sets the stage. So to conclude, here's why I think BG3 is a complete reversal of the BG franchise: BG and BG2 have accidental depth due to D&D ruleset, while BG3 have depth built in as a design feature. He continues to be drawn to Baldur's Gate, carries Balduran's staff, and has his mother's cutlery. Bosses in BG3 are powerful enemies that have increased health and pose a bigger challenge for players. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. Follow the passage and enter the Wyrmway, then continue and lockpick the. The butter knife line is actually a very clever piece of foreshadowing for the revelation that The Emperor is actually Balduran, the founder of the titular city of Baldur's Gate who has been. The discussion is, basically, paraphrased: "I don't trust you. . Let's consider the Emperor before his transformation. . I'd like to see Omeluum and the Society of Brillance take a more proactive role in dealing with the Emperor/Balduran wicked ways, and have more tasks and dialog strings to tie things more securely. . . I mostly enjoyed the. I mostly enjoyed the. He was basically forced to enthrall or kill his friends in self-defense because even after being freed from the elder brain, they only ever saw him as a mind flayer and not the. The human is just a generic npc. Here's the most interesting thing, with the Emperor's case. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. It feels like Balduran wants freedom while the Illithid he has become chooses to be a slave rather than potentially dying by the hand of Orpheus. He was captain Barbossa with legendary great sword and helmet. 1. The Emperor plays a key role in the main story of Baldur's Gate 3, and as part of this role his identity and personal background are kept obfuscated for much of the game. What a reveal. About the emperor…. There are 4 things the Emperor treasures the most: Survival, Independence, Acceptance and Ambition. As for the Wizard, I’d want to say Balduran/Emperor since their flashback showed the casting of Feather Fall (Spell Wizards can use) and they are more directly involved with the Astral. The deceased dragon taunts the Emperor, suggesting he's. How To Romance The Emperor In Baldur’s Gate 3. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. It was damaged by time and the elements. Wearer is immune to Crits. No, it appears that in Baldur's Gate 3, there is no way to save Ansur the Dragon. StannisLivesOn. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. Balduran's Favour: You have a + 1 bonus to AC and Saving Throws. Enter Balduran, and an extra bit of lore than people/soldiers/etc from Baldur are always 'Baldurian', and never 'Balduran' because poking fun at the dude's name is not allowed. The Emperor isn't a full on evil character, but he isn't a nice dude either. Thoughts on Emperor. Is it the soul, or is it his memories, his way of thinking, his emotions, his personality? Emperor's means and feelings don't come from the elder brain, and his most important component belongs to Balduran, so I'd still be willing to. I got the quest for the dragon Ansur and just. Therefore it is assumable that the guardian's appearance is the emperor's former form before they became an Illithid. The choices you get here won’t impact anything, but you can find out who the Emperor really is, and its relationship to Ansur. In theory, this revelation would give players more justification to trust The Emperor. Ms. It is cataclysmic. Baldur’s Gate was founded by an explorer named Balduran who built a wall . Yeah, about the "break free" part, the Emperor didn't break free on its own. As commenter Wutras points out, the Song of Balduran, which plays in the Elfsong Tavern camp, pretty much spells the damn thing out word for word. My mind is blown after I fought Ansur. venacoeurva. suprpiwi. (I know some people don't have the same values, but what is missing is a non-negotiable staple of the genre in my eyes) Re: Daisy, the Absolute, and the Emperor [SPOILERS] Nerovar # 881410 15/08/23 10:40 PM. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. Go straight and then take the first left in the prison. 17. He constantly supported the city with his wealth and was overall known as a honorable leader. Plus the fact that fucking Balduran himself will immediately hop over to help the Netherbrain if you disagree with him says all. She's been playing like 13th dimension chess and planned for the Emperor to rebel and recruit tadpoled-empowered adventurers to help him get one of the Netherstones from the Dead Three Chosen. Even though if you save Orpheus as a mindflayer he's perfectly fine with you being one. Balduran's Giantslayer is a legendary greatsword that receives doubled damage bonus from Strength, grants its wielder the Giant Form class action and the Topple the Big Folk weapon action, as well as Advantage on Attack rolls against Large, Huge, and Gargantuan creatures. " even if you pick a Background like Outlander which contradicts it by Stating "You grew up in the wilds. Emperor: The Emperor is Balduran, as confirmed by the spirit of Ansur. v 11. Baldur's Gate 3 Soul Coins : Find them all Baldur's Gate. Search The Emperor Is Balduran The Creator Of Baldur S Gate Baldur S Gate 3 Secrets trade goods, offerings, and more in your local area. But ultimately Ansur is correct: Balduran is dead. Everyone he directly harms through his lies is actually evil (stelmane was a devil worshiper, he ate brains of criminals, the gith. Likewise, lust for power and revenge ended up driving Irenicus, and Balduran's love of the titular city has manifested in the Emperor staying rooted there, trying to dominate it. A hero’s heart entombed, waiting underground to fulfill an oath of eld: the great wyrm would aid Baldur’s Gate in its time of need. Ansur was friends with Balduran, the founder of Baldur’s Gate, and swore to. Maybe that side of his story and the transition between the werewolf island and the moonrise tower could be extended in more details in the future expansion, definitive edition or something like that. Like, boy it sure is convenient that this Mind Flayer was the single most revered adventurer in all the land so. A knave, a wizard, devil, gith. The Emperor is just one of them, and there's a particularly surprising reveal that sets the stage. I mostly enjoyed the. [deleted] • 1 mo. Turn left from the entrance and head to the end of the hall where you find two Dragon Head Torches. He was the grandson of Buarainech, and the cousin of Bres. 19. He has been protecting the party from The Absolute's influence, and does prove to be a strong ally (and even. Balduran paradox. And The Emperor does seem to have a lot of his memories but, I was under the impression that when you undergo ceremorphosis, your brain is eaten and replaced by the mindflayer tadpole. A very divisive character imo. Location: Ukraine. The Emperor is not a humanoid. So the Emperor was still alive on the top of the brain when I killed the netherbrain. I mostly enjoyed the. The Balduran's Giantslayer greatsword, which you can loot from Ansur, and Balduran's Helm, which rests on a podium at the back of the room. Context clues really suggest that Balduran took the initiative and killed Ansur in. Let's assume that Ansur has found a powerful magician who is capable of bringing back the human Balduran, and is ready to cast the necessary spell. About the emperor…. It is why he became an undead. Ansur tried to mercy kill him in his sleep. K. - He is an Illithid, which means that his. suprpiwi. If I remember correctly, in the first Game set in the 1360s DR, it was discovered that Balduran shipwrecked during an unfortunate expedition and that his crew got cursed/infected. 2023 with better and more accurate information. Any Baldur's Gate 3 player is going to be slightly suspicious of the Emperor, well before his tentacles appear. In BG3, each type of weapon has different ranges, damages, and other features (Finesse, Versatile, Dippable, etc. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. — Yasmin Mwanza. . Balduran's Vitality: The helmet heals you 2 hit points every turn. [deleted] •. Provided to YouTube by DistroKid Song of Balduran (From "Baldur's Gate III") · PelleK Song of Balduran (From "Baldur's Gate III") ℗ PelleK Released on: 2. The Emperor himself: he is Balduran, yet Balduran was adventuring in the year(s) 1000s-1100, he was also prominently featured as dead and gone in Tales of the Sword Coast where he was allegedly infected with lycanthropy, he was also human, so he is long dead. It is why he became an undead. Our guide discusses whether or not you should help the Emperor. dude has zero integrity, lmao. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. He kept the memories of Balduran, yet still becomes a whiny bitch who constantly moans about how illithids are superior, and is only in it to save his own skin despite claiming to care about Baldur's Gate. It seems Larian might have improved the flow of the game at cost to the ending. In the game, he is portrayed as your dream guardian, which helps you in difficult times. This will turn the torches blue and open up a secret. BG3 retconned Balduran to be an elf. Balduran's Favour: You have a + 1 bonus to AC and Saving Throws. But the Emperor, unlike all other Mind Flayers, has retained the identity of the host completely, and identifies himself as Balduran. 47 every. Join our active forum today!Balduran reinserts himself into Baldur's Gate politics, mind controlling Duke Belynne Stelmane and through her taking over the Balduran branch of the Knights of the Shield, a devil-worshipping group of merchants, nobles and information dealers. He still can't. Thirdly, he wants to be accepted by you, having been rejected by all his closest allies. . The Emperor is not Balduran. The massive Seatower of Balduran rested on a rocky island in the bay of Baldur's Gate. dude has zero integrity, lmao. The odds. So while something of the person pre-soul loss remains, it's a twisted, amoral version of them, with only their darker impulses left. Balduran is not the human character. 6 The Emperor Is Balduran Just as the party is coming to grips with working with a mind flayer, BG3 throws another twist with the Emperor at the team. First, go to Wyrm’s Rock Fortress and head down to the prison. Looking for an adventure? Than this is the right place! This time, we get told the whole story of Balduran, his hero days, his downfall and how that broke An. No, The Emperor flees well before you free him. As The Legend of Ansur says, The Dragon’s Sanctum is history begging to be unearthed. suprpiwi. . . Minthara is the best character and she NEEDS to be recruitable if you side with the grove! Re: Romance with the Emperor, the Mind Flayer. At some point, he married Cethlann. old hand. To obtain Balduran's Giantslayer, players will first need to find the Wyrmway in Wyrm's Rock Prison. Emperor is a mind flayer. Emperor joins BEFORE you free orpheus and ♥♥♥♥♥ off and says "well I'm joining the netherbrain then if you want to free orpheus" this is BEFORE you free him. That’s Balduran. So in act 3, it’s revealed that the Emperor/Guardian was Balduran before they turned. Now that you’ve been able to find and pass the trials, we can teach you how to beat Ansur the Dragon in Baldur’s Gate 3. None of this is to say the Emperor is objectively evil or the wrong choice or anything. The emperor knows you need a mind flayer to use the netherstones to subjugate the netherbrain. I think Balduran’s Gate rolls off. See a recent post on Tumblr from @mintcrows about illithid. Discover more posts about bg3 the emperor, bg3 emperor, mind flayer, the emperor bg3, the emperor, balduran, and illithid. A well-known adventurer, Mind Flayers transformed him into one of them when he ventured into the Moonrise Towers. Following his ill-fated voyage, it was left in the wreck of his ship, the Wandering Eye, on Werewolf Island. . Far from being created for the games that bear its name, the city of Baldur's Gate has been a part of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting since it was first published. This is the legendary hero Balduran, the founder of Baldur's Gate. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ?. . Discover a vast variety of The Emperor Is Balduran The Creator Of Baldur S Gate Baldur S Gate 3 Secrets advertisements on our premium marketplace. New cards are drawn, new hands are played. I'm not sure he joins the Netherbrain willingly. Now hope is gone, or so it seems. Balduran disappeared in the mid 1000s DR and became a mind flayer. I was really excited getting to this part and really let down by the boss. But from the quest and conversations we have about it, we learn that The Emperor only did it out of self-preservation, and that there was no other way because Ansur was always going to kill him first. He could feel the agony of Ansur wanting to reverse the ceremorphosis when he himself didn't. . Balduran/The Emperor interacts with the main character as a central plot device, and gives the player a very important item. I couldn't bear to force Orpheus to turn into one, and I can save Karlach's life by doing it. The Emperor has Balduran’s memories and knows what motivates an adventurer like the PC because Balduran. Turn left from the entrance and head to the end of the hall where you find two Dragon Head Torches. Shopping. Who founded Baldur's Gate. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. There's a mural in the Wyrmway you can interact with and it says "an elf and a dragon. Rude. From what I understand of mind flayers, they get memories from the brains they devour. Balduran's Vitality: The helmet heals you 2 hit points every turn. And, apparently, the dude who murdered his best friend, the Bronze Dragon Ansur. But ultimately Ansur is correct: Balduran is dead. Basically emperor pulled Vader out of Anakin and lived as Vader ever since. You can do what the Emperor failed to do, and what the original Balduran might have done. Balduran was proud of becoming a mind flayer. . One of the major themes of The Emperor is acceptance. As commenter Wutras points out, the Song of Balduran, which plays in the Elfsong Tavern camp, pretty much spells the damn thing out word for word. Ansur was the one who tried to kill him in his sleep. Enter Balduran, and an extra bit of lore than people/soldiers/etc from Baldur are always 'Baldurian', and never 'Balduran' because poking fun at the dude's name is not allowed. Who founded Baldur's Gate. After Ansur's death, Balduran came to be called the Emperor as he used his. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. It's a being made to emotionally manipulate you and feels nothing doing it. aug. The Emperor is openly selfish, a manipulator, and evil (if you learn about his interactions with the Bronze Dragon Ansur). Emperor will join Nether Brain and fight should you choose to free Prince Orpheus. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. I am one of the weird ones who decided to romance Balduran/The Emperor and I’m not sure. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. I'm not sure he joins the Netherbrain willingly. Aha!The fact that he is Balduran seems so. Stun Immunity. What happens if you let The Emperor Dream Visitor Die Baldur's Gate 3 video. This opens a secret passage. Location: Ukraine. Baldur's Gate 3 Soul Coins : Find them all Baldur's Gate. For being a mind flayer, a species that only thinks in strengths and weaknesses, in how people can be used for their own ends, beings who only think with logic and manipulation, what the ♥♥♥♥ was his plan? When siding against the netherbrain,. Chamber of Strategy: Turn 1. Afterward, the Emperor can be spoken to, where they will show flashbacks to. Newcomers place a bet. Honestly I wouldn't even be too angry if we got to the end and it turned out that that was the case. Minthara is the best character and she NEEDS to be recruitable if you side with the grove! Re: Romance with the Emperor, the Mind Flayer. This is the legendary hero Balduran, the founder of Baldur's Gate. The Song Of Ba. Warning: spoilers for the end of the game and the specific identity of the Emperor! So, depending on if you follow Wyll’s character quest through to the end, you might learn something about the identity of the Emperor. The Emperor is one of them as he retains the memories of Balduran and is heavily connected with him. The Emperor is exceptional in this regard, he has a unique personality shaped by his origins. Named after Balduran, the tower could be reached by a bridge from the western shore linking it to the mainland. So either the Emperor is a straight male or a gay girl (or bisexual or whatever the fuck, doesn't matter. Joined: Jan 2023. Ansur: Have you come to dance on my bones, Balduran? Was slaying me not satisfaction enough? However, the truly startling revelation comes in Act 3 when you are tasked by Duke Ravenguard to find and secure the help of the mighty Bronze Dragon named Ansur - companion of Balduran,. Any Baldur's Gate 3 player is going to be slightly suspicious of the Emperor, well before his tentacles appear. This is the legendary hero Balduran, the founder of Baldur's Gate. 19 sierpnia o 11:47 every. What im interested in is staying partial-illithid, without becoming full mindflayer. He is, after an encounter with a dragon. Joined: Oct 2020. How to Get the Helm of Balduran in Baldur’s Gate 3. . like the dark secret is that they enthrall the duke but the knights of the shield are cultist worshipping a devil called Gargauth and is not clear if they did bad things or good things while in control over the knights also he is Balduran and in a book of interrogation of Gortash to the emperor part 3 is reveal that the emperor. At the end The Emperor is just like “well people here won’t like me so I’m out somewhere” and walks away. Search The Emperor Is Balduran The Creator Of Baldur S Gate Baldur S Gate 3 Secrets trade goods, offerings, and more in your local area. That just makes the most sense to me considering the tadpole, um, logistics. "O, sing a song of Balduran / Who founded Baldur. It's time to try Tumblr. wtf. Balduran's Giantslayer in Baldur's Gate is a great legendary weapon for any 2H melee user, but it's much more than just a handy combat tool. The Emperor's Sword +2. Balduran as the emperor also doesn't make SENSE. The Emperor is actually Balduran - yeah, the Balduran who founded Baldur's Gate - and he was once infected by the mind flayer colony in Moonrise Towers and only broke free because Ansur, a dragon ally of Balduran, broke him free. BG and BG2 wants to present a story-centric gameplay, while BG3 wants to present a player-centric gameplay. So Balduran was just trying to elude us into a trap him himself had fallen in the. Agreed. Wearer is immune to Crits. the Emperor initially presents this power as a benevolent gift, while Raphael withholds it behind cooperating with him. Baldur's Gate was first featured in the 1e Cyclopedia of the Realms and first described in detail in the 2e Forgotten Realms Adventures. During Act 1 and Act 2, The Emperor only "meets" with the player as the Dream Visitor. The lyrics to Song of Balduran which plays in the room in the Elfsong are pretty interesting. He hasn't been a mindflayer for that long. The Emperor is not Balduran. Balduran's Giantslayer is one of the Greatsword Weapons in Baldur's Gate 3 . I mostly enjoyed the. . Relatively easy XP if you do the Isle late game (close or at XP cap) and have the proper weapons; Kondar from Aldeth and Albruin from Dorn's quest (both bastard swords), and The Burning Earth long sword. But the Emperor, unlike all other Mind Flayers, has retained the identity of the host completely, and identifies himself as Balduran. 19 AGO a las 11:47 a. 11. He knows if he leaves, you're forced to turn someone into a mind flayer on your team to beat the netherbrain (for equally contrived reasons but I *could* ignore it). But that doesn't explain why we don't get the choice to help undead Ansur beat The Emperor. He constantly supported the city with his wealth and was overall known as a honorable leader. . dude has zero integrity, lmao. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. The odds are cast anew. Wearer is immune to Crits. You can do what the Emperor failed to do, and what the original Balduran might have done. But instead of leaving, Ansur decided he was going to kill the Emperor in his sleep. For Catarina, this story comes to light with a shadow of deepest dread. I mostly enjoyed the. Baldur's Gate 3 (III) BG3 #BG3 #BaldursGate3 is a ro. Most mind flayers would eat brains and execute "lesser beings" on spot. I'm not sure if this is just me reaching but when The Emperor explains his past and in the Letter to Ansur found on the dragons body it really seems like the devs are implying that Balduran and Ansur were partners before he got yk mind flayered, this would explain why Ansur tried so hard to cure Balduran but idk if I'm just. First, go to Wyrm’s Rock Fortress and head down to the prison. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. It seems Larian might have improved the flow of the game at cost to the ending. Named after Balduran, the tower could be reached by a bridge from the western shore linking it to the mainland. The emperor is just a cold calculating person. In his struggle to protect himself from being murdered, Balduran killed Ansur in self-defence. A hero’s heart entombed, waiting underground to fulfill an oath of eld: the great wyrm would aid Baldur’s Gate in its time of need. This isn't me asking if some remnant of Balduran exists inside of the Emperor, but rather if Balduran is even his origin in the first place. Once a trusted confidant of Balduran, the proud dragon now lies in ruins, dead and broken for centuries. . I guess you didn't care that the emperor is actually Balduran. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ?. The most logical answer is a time dilation between the material and astral plains, or at least the astral prison. He is not Balduran even if he has the memories, he was born from devouring Balduran's brain. The whims of fortune's few. Balduran's Vitality: The helmet heals you 2 hit points every turn. The Emperor is being manipulative again when he claims that Orpheus will immediately attempt to kill all of us. The Guardian/Dream visitor literally admit he was Balduran after the encounter. (Maybe this is why he has not informed us of his involvement with Gortash. S. Plot twist! This wasn't the real Balduran afterall. When Withers says they're soulless it's not an entire truth but it's close to it. Stun Immunity. Freedom. In Baldur's Gate III, Balduran is revealed to be the illithid "The Emperor"; he had somehow escaped or avoided his implied stranding and death on the Isle of Balduran,. Saving the world is like, a side thing in his attempt to prevent the brain to enslave him again. . The Emperor is Later Revealed to Be Balduran. dude has zero integrity, lmao. "O, sing a song of Balduran / Who founded Baldur. old hand. The Emperor has Balduran’s memories and knows what motivates an adventurer like the PC because Balduran knows that. The Emperor is exceptional in this regard, he has a unique personality shaped by his origins. (potentially big spoilers) I really just feel like it’s a whole cop out. What's left and what is there is just scary as hell. We see this through his trials in Wyrm's Rock and also by the fact his best friend was a good-aligned metallic dragon. I guess technically the first brain the parasite that became The Emperor devoured was Balduran's, so it may not be Balduran but it has his memories. He obviously identifies with Balduran in some way. That said, Mind Flayers only live like ~150 years max and there is a book "Evading the Elder Brain" that says the Emperor was enslaved under the Elder Brain for 13 3/4 years before escaping to Baldurs Gate. He is no longer "Balduran" and is now only part of the Elder Brain.