In Baldur’s Gate 3, Withers, the enigmatic undead spellcaster known for resurrecting dead allies and creating hirelings, bears a striking resemblance to Jergal, the ancient deity once known as the Lord of the End of Everything. While Withers has relinquished much of his divine power to Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul, remnants of his former glory remain.
In the realm of Baldur’s Gate 3, Jergal assumes the mortal guise of Withers, aiding the player with remarkable feats of magic at a surprisingly low price. His resurrection spells rival those of the most formidable Clerics, yet he charges a mere trifle. This peculiar pricing strategy may be rooted in the intricate cosmic tapestry of the Forgotten Realms.
According to the tenets of D&D lore, a supreme being known as Ao presides over the gods, enforcing rules that prohibit them from directly meddling with the affairs of mortals. In the past, gods would manifest on the mortal plane through avatars, causing widespread disruption. To curb this practice, Ao imposed restrictions, compelling the gods to act through mortal intermediaries.
Withers’ unusual request for compensation aligns with this divine mandate. By charging money for his services, Withers circumvents Ao’s rules, allowing him to bypass the prohibition against direct intervention. This theory gains further credence from his initial inquiries into the player character’s motivations for ending and restoring lives. Through these queries, Withers establishes a divine pact with the character, aligning their desires with his own portfolio of life and death. This pact provides justification for his actions, ensuring that Ao does not perceive them as direct interference but rather as the fulfillment of a divine covenant between a deity and its follower.
While the developers’ primary intention in creating Withers may have been to provide players with an accessible means of resurrecting fallen companions, the theory surrounding his true identity adds a captivating layer of depth to the narrative. It intertwines with the intricate tapestry of divine law and the delicate balance between gods and mortals in the Forgotten Realms.
