From the beginning of Baldur’s Gate 3, the party is aided by a mysterious figure known as the Dream Guardian. As the story unfolds, more is revealed about this strange person protecting the group from the Absolute. However, the twist to this character is better and deeper than anyone could have imagined, leading to some interesting story choices later in the game.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a wonderfully complex game packed with nuanced traveling companions and genuinely three-dimensional villains. Throughout the story, there are difficult choices to be made, all of which can lead to many different endings for Baldur’s Gate 3. Some of these choices involve the Dream Guardian, with their real identity playing a key role in whether or not the party trusts and saves them.
What Is The Emperor’s Real Identity In Baldur’s Gate 3?
The Emperor is the true identity of the Dream Guardian, who can be customized during character creation. After the start of Act 3, the Emperor will appear in their true form for all further interactions with the party, gradually opening up more with there even being an option for a small romance with them. But just who is the Emperor really, and why should they be sided with during a crucial point in Baldur’s Gate 3 is still left a mystery until later on.
Three Choices To Side With Baldur’s Gate 3’s Emperor
There are three points where a choice needs to be made regarding the Dream Guardian who has been protecting the party. The first comes when visiting the githyanki creche at the end of Act One when Vlaakith asks the party to go into the Astral Prism to kill whoever is inside. At this point, the Dream Guardian will still be appearing in the form chosen during character creation, but there is the option to try to kill them. This is not advised as they will simply heal themselves and will become much colder, returning the relationship to one of mutual survival rather than one built on trust.
The next time comes at the very beginning of Act Three, during the first long rest after leaving the Shadowlands. During a githyanki attack, the Dream Guardian will call the party into the Prism to help defend it, and it is during this battle their true identity is revealed. The party will learn that the individual who has been protecting them is actually an illithid who will ask for the group’s help fending off a githyanki attack force. Here, there is the option to kill them instead of helping with the battle, but doing so will result in a game over.
The final time the choice arises is after a conversation with Raphael, who will present the option of freeing and joining forces with Prince Orpheus in place of the Dream Guardian, now known to the group as the Emperor. This choice comes down to personal preference and relationship with Lae’zel, as Orpheus is key to freeing the githyanki from Vlaakith’s control. Siding with Orpheus will cause the Emperor to leave and join the Netherbrain, but otherwise, the story continues mostly the same.
Why Side With The Emperor In Baldur’s Gate 3?
Lae’zel and the githyanki aside, the Emperor plays a larger role in the story than the imprisoned prince. Having guided the party from the beginning each time they are interacted with, there is the opportunity to learn more about them. The answers given are cryptic at first, as the Emperor is hiding their true form, but after the Act Three reveal, they will open up more about their past, leading to some fantastic revelations about Sword Coast lore.
Going back to the very beginning, many may wish to save the Emperor out of loyalty. After all, they have been the ones who have been shielding the party from the influence of the Absolute. As the Dream Guardian, the Emperor explains that they used to be an adventurer as well until they were captured and infected with a mind flayer tadpole. Although, to begin with, they claim that they seek to be free of it, this is not entirely accurate once their full story is uncovered. They actually seek to be free of the Absolute, which is later revealed to be an Elder Brain.
The Emperor, as the Dream Guardian, first appears when the order for the party to transform is given. This is the first time they will directly interact with any of the characters, although they reveal they were the ones who saved the main character from the fall from the nautiloid. This immediately establishes them as an ally as flashbacks illustrate clearly all the times they have aided the character.
Clues To The Emperor’s Motivations Are In Acts 1 and 2
All through Acts 1 and 2, they will encourage the character to embrace the power the tadpole offers, claiming they will need the power for the battle to come. They also explain how the control of the cult of the Absolute works, providing valuable information and context early in the game. Even moments of tenderness occur before and after they reveal their true form, helping endear them to the party.
At the beginning of Act 2, there is a scene where the guarded exterior of the Emperor slips, and although they do not divulge their true identity at this point, they do allow the character to see elements of vulnerability. By passing a Perception and then an Insight check, the character will learn the toll that keeping them safe is taking on the Emperor. This is also where the first stages of the romance with the Emperor can begin by hugging them to give comfort.
This is the first point that they will directly mention something from their past. Specifically, a person called Belynne, who turns out to be Duke Belynne Stelmane of Baldur’s Gate. This further serves to reiterate that the Emperor was from Baldur’s Gate, although their full connection to the city is not revealed until Act Three.
The Emperor’s True Identity Revealed In Act 3
It is in Act 3 that all becomes clear. After the attack by the githyanki and the discovery of their true form, the Emperor becomes much more candid. Throughout Acts 1 and 2, the Emperor will stick to the vague story of a former adventurer from Baldur’s Gate who somehow became tangled up in this mess. However, after they divulge their real identity, the Emperor gradually opens up and tells stories of his life in Baldur’s Gate.
There is the option to find the Emperor’s old hideout, where more clues to their past life can be discovered. However, the real twist comes when venturing into the BG3 Act 3 hidden area known as the Wrymway. This dungeon under the city is full of lore about the founder of Baldur’s Gate, a hero known as Balduran.
Traversing this trap and puzzled-filled area will eventually lead the party to Ansur, a powerful dragon boss. It is here that the Emperor’s final secret is revealed as Ansur shows the party that the Emperor used to be Balduran. Afterward, the Emperor can be spoken to, where they will show flashbacks to their previous life as the founder of Baldur’s Gate, with some fantastic dialogue if Wyll is in the party.
The Emperor Can Be Romanced
The relationship with the Emperor can be deepened by romancing them, and while the Emperor’s romance is strange, it is one that appears to be able to be pursued alongside other romances in Baldur’s Gate 3 as all the intimacy takes place within the Astral Prism. Even though three companions will apparently witness the act after sleeping with the Emperor, nothing is mentioned when back in the waking world, with not even a romanced companion speaking about the infidelity.
Overall, the Emperor is a fascinating character who not only adds to the plot but also the lore of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons. Saving them comes down to a matter of personal preference rather than any clear benefit in terms of gameplay. However, sticking with the Emperor throughout Baldur’s Gate 3 makes more sense for the story unless playing as a githyanki or focusing heavily on aiding the githyanki on that playthrough.
