Summary

• Minsc was turned to stone and preserved alongside Boo by an unknown culprit, adding mystery to his return.
• Astarion's unique appearance as a vampire spawn compared to his siblings remains unexplained, hinting at design over lore.
• Various unanswered questions in Baldur's Gate 3, such as the Iron Flask's purpose and Withers' identity, leave players intrigued.

2023's Game of the Year. It is known for its immense detail and incredible amount of content all tied together with a strong story and interesting characters, but that does not mean the game is faultless. Larian Studio's latest CRPG has perhaps gone to a scale that no other CRPG has gone to before, and with that comes growing pains where not everything can have a satisfying answer.

Although most of the main stories in BG3 are well told with gratifying conclusions, it is almost impossible to make a game of this scale without some plot holes sneaking through the cracks. It also means that not all questions can have answers, especially in a title that can potentially take well over 80 hours to complete. Still, some of these mysteries have piqued the interest of players, and although some questions are left intentionally unanswered, it doesn't make them any less inviting for theorists.

[Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3.]

10 Who Turned Minsc to Stone?

He Is Called The Stone Lord For A Reason

Minsc and his Miniature Giant Space Hamster, Boo, are returning characters from Baldur's Gate 2, which is odd, considering that BG3's predecessor takes place over 100 years earlier. Unlike Jaheira, the lovable ranger is not an elf, known for living for centuries, so how is it that Minsc is still alive? Well, the answer is an strange one, for the Stone Lord, rather ironically, was turned to stone alongside Boo, preserving him.

There is no answer as to who petrified Minsc. If asked, he states that he has no idea who did it, saying that one moment he was minding his own business and the next he was a century in the future. The ranger is a fearsome foe, and whoever turned him to stone must have been a brave one indeed, yet the player is given no more information about this. It doesn't even lead to a Medusa fight, nor does Minsc state how he returned to flesh.

Boo can be summoned as a familiar, no matter Minsc's class. The hamster is also superior to any other familiars in of stats, thanks to 20 HP and AC.

9 Why Does Astarion Look Different To Other Vampire Spawn?

It Can't Just Be Good Genetics

With fangs, silver hair, and blood-red eyes, Astarion isn't exactly subtle with his vampirism, even if the tadpole allows him to bask in the sun. Still, he is a vampire, specifically the spawn of Cazador, and one of many. He states that he is the eldest of the spawn and that his hair has turned silver over time, despite him not being able to see his own reflection, but that doesn't explain why he looks different from his siblings.

Yes, everyone's favorite Vampire Spawn has crimson eyes, but they are very different from his siblings. They all have glowing, red eyes, which change the color of their sclera, not just the irises like with Astarion. They also don't all have silver hair, and while that could be due to how long Astarion has been a vampire, this makes little sense, too, since Cazador's hair is black. Ultimately, this could be a 'rule of cool' situation, where Astarion's design took precedence over his lore, but it is odd.

8 How Does No One Know About Cazador's Basement?

Seriously, It's Huge

Cazador's basement is much more than just a basement. It is a complex, seemingly endless dungeon with unique architecture rarely seen anywhere else in the game. It is so large, in fact, that it leaks into the sewers of Baldur's Gate, and its design really makes it stand out. Although local authorities, like the Flaming Fist, don't go down to the sewers, there is no reason why underground organizations aren't at least a little curious.

The Guild is all about information, acting as the city's local crime organization, and their base is technically in the sewers, yet Cazador's basement isn't mentioned by them. No one knows about it at all, not even the Gur, who are hunting the vampire to save their kin, yet at the end of Astarion's quest, they turn up in the basement, appearing from nowhere. Thankfully, these questions are not as glaring, thanks to Neil Newborn's incredible performance during this quest as the Vampire Spawn.

7 How Does The Nightsong Get The Spear Of Night?

Shadowheart's Not Complaining, Though

Dame Aylin, also known as the Nightsong, is the daughter of Selûne and a powerful potential ally. She spearheads the assault on Moonrise Towers, rushing out of the Shadowfell after being freed from her chains in one of Baldur's Gate 3's best cutscenes. When confronted by Shadowheart in camp after hinting that she knows about the cleric's past, she will give her the Spear of Night, the same weapon intended to kill the demi-god.

According to Aylin, she grabbed this spear before leaving the Shadowfell, but we don't see her do this in her cinematic. She never had the spear on her, nor would she have gone back into the Shadowfell to retrieve it and risk being imprisoned yet again. Selûne could have delivered it to the Nightsong, but the goddess is the patron of Shadowheart at this point, and there is no reason why she couldn't have directly given it to the ex-Shar worshiper.

6 Who Is Hope & Why Is Raphael So Obsessed With Her?

Maybe He Just Likes Dwarven Women?

Raphael is just as mystrious as he is dangerous. He seeks to make deals with several characters, including Mol, Astarion and Tav, yet he seems to have a specific fascination with a certain dwarf, named Hope. In fact, it is implied that he named the House Of Hope, his realm in the hells, after the dwarf, whom he keeps imprisoned. This is especially odd considering that Hope's sister, Korilla, is under the devil's service, yet he names nothing after her.

It is implied that he likes the irony of Hope's name, as there is no hope in his realm for any who tres. That doesn't stop him from getting his hammer stolen by Tav and the crew, should they be bold enough, yet it also doesn't explain why he continues to torture the poor dwarf to the point of madness. Raphael could truly be that petty, yet he is a schemer and doesn't hold many grudges against the player until they break into his home.

5 What's Up With The Iron Flask?

And Why Is There A Spectator In There?

The Iron Flask is a mystery that begins in Act 1 and doesn't seem to have much pay off. It is guarded by Zhentarins, who state that they are dead if the shipment containing the flask is opened and are willing to kill Tav's party just for obtaining it. It is clearly important since a noble of the Upper City of Baldur's Gate wants it, using a wizard as the middle-man, yet we never meet this noble in the game, nor does there seem to be much to do with the flask itself.

The Iron Flask can contain creatures inside it and currently houses a Spectator, but there is no indication as to why this specific monster is in it. There is a keyword to trap more creatures inside, yet the player never learns of this to use the flask for themselves. Instead, the item becomes useless once the Spectator is released, and the numerous questions surrounding it remain unanswered.

If the Zhentarin shipment is never opened, it can be delivered for the reward. If it is opened, all NPCs involved will know, and the quest cannot be completed.

4 What Is Withers True Identity?

He's More Than Just A Normal Bone Man

Withers is coy when it comes to his true nature. He will give a flat 'no' when asked to elaborate about himself and clearly knows far more than any other NPC. He can revive people in exchange for coin, and this isn't just a gameplay mechanic. At the end of the Dark Urge storyline, provided that they reject Bhaal, they will die, only to be revived by Withers, who seems to know of Bhaal in an almost personal way.

It is commonly believed by the Baldur's Gate 3 community that Withers is the deity Jergal, Lord of Bones, acting against the malicious intentions of the Dead Three. He never states this in game, but there are hints, such as his dominion over death and his association with the Church of Jergal. It is even belived that the Dank Crypt he is found in is an old church in the Lord of Bones' name, but Larian has never outright stated whether this is the case.

3 Why Does Arabella Get Powers?

The Idol Of Sylvanaus Doesn't Do That For Anyone Else

Arabella's story is tragic, as she loses her home and her parents. Somehow, though, she gains supernatural powers after stealing the Idol of Sylvanus, which manifests in Act 2. She has the ability to summon roots to stall foes while also demonstrating that she has understanding of magic beyond even Gale. In Act 3, she can be found in the sewers and will talk mysteriously about magic in a way that the party won't understand.

What is odd is that the Idol does not grant this level of power to anyone else. If stolen by Tav, it will provide proficiency in Nature and Animal Handling and that only applies so long as a party member is holding the Idol. She doesn't seem to have any talent for magic beforehand. At the very least, she doesn't show it and appears as a normal, tiefling girl, who happens to like a bit of theft.

2 What Powers Did Mol Get From Raphael?

It Doesn't Say In Her Contract

Mol is considered a leader by many tiefling children and makes a deal with Raphael in Act 2. This grants the young tiefling the ability to bust herself out of Moonrise Towers, leaving a giant hole in her cell. She then manages to sneak into Baldur's Gate alone, which is no mean feat. This begs the question, what powers did Raphael grant Mol? The assumption is that she is now a warlock, with the devil acting as her patron.

Mol never demonstrates her powers for Tav, nor does she elaborate on what she can do. If she is a warlock with a devil patron, her powers could be similar to Wyll's, yet Wyll was never capable of burrowing through the ground out of Moonrise, no matter what he multiclassed into. Even Mol's contract doesn't state what powers she has, nor does it state the of her deal with Raphael, leaving the player in the dark.

Mol's contract can be found in Raphael's House of Hope, but it cannot be read. It is hidden in a vault and can be given back to Mol.

1 How Did Gortash Become Bane's Chosen?

He Made A Deal With Zariel, Not Bane

For the other champions of the Dead Three, it is obvious why they are their chosen. Orin is a Bhaalspawn, and as murdereous as they come. Ketheric owes Myrkull eternally after the god resurrected his daughter, Isobel, but what did Gortash do to become Bane's chosen? He doesn't seem to talk about his god nearly as much as the other two, although that could be due to his front as the new Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate.

Bane doesn't seem to care much for Gortash, either. While Bhaal gifted Orin her slayer form and Kethric becomes Myrkull's avatar in his boss fight, Gortash relies on his own gadgets in his fight. At most, he enlarges in his encounter, which doesn't seem specific to the God of Tyranny. It makes even less sense when he is stated to have dealings with Zariel, giving the devil Karlach as part of a deal. Gortash seems to get very little help for a Chosen of a god.