Enver Gortash

Lord Enver Gortash, often just referred to as Gortash, is the Chosen of , and one of the leaders of the enigmatic Cult of the Absolute. He serves as one of the main antagonists in Baldur's Gate 3.
Despite his humble beginnings, Gortash quickly rose through the ranks of society in Baldur's Gate with great cunning. Now, an influential figure and poised to become the Archduke of the city, he seeks to consolidate his power and become the ruler of the city and beyond, through whatever means are necessary.
==Overview==
===Background===
Hinted at first through notes, he is properly introduced at the end of Act 2 as one of the conspirators of the cult along with and . Born from nothing and rising through the ranks of the city through sheer ambition, Gortash has positioned himself as a force to be reckoned with in Baldur's Gate. In the pockets of the nobility, with influence over the city's Flaming Fists and aided by his Steel Watch, Gortash's has the whole city in the palm of his hand.
===Gameplay===
* Gortash is a level 9 Human boss and one of the main antagonists in the game
* First mentioned in Act 1, he is introduced in Act 2, and properly encountered and fought in Act 3
* Fighting him, or allying with him, is required in order to obtain his Netherstone and proceed with the story
* In combat, he relies on his allies to protect him, while supporting them from afar through grenades and the hazards found in the combat arena
* He can forge an alliance with the party to face the Netherbrain together
* The party's encounters with him influences how friendly or hostile the city is
== Description ==
=== Appearance ===
Gortash has short, dark hair, mussed in a choppy, tousled style. His facial features are rounded, and beginning to show the signs of age, with many creases around his eyes, and some scars. Gortash's style of dress is extravagant and reflective of his wealth; his wide open collar displaying gilded dragons, intricately designed gold gauntlets, and noticeably, bright red and pointy steel-tipped boots.
=== Personality ===
Gortash is cunning and self-assured, and was noticed as intelligent from an early age. Highly ambitious and Machiavellian in nature, he uses whatever methods he deems necessary to achieve his goals, regardless of the impact his actions have on others. Described as needy and troublesome by his less-than-loving parents, he grew up to be politically shrewd and ruthless in his business relations, leading him to a meteoric rise through Baldurian society.
Despite his goals for domination, he is pragmatic and willing to engage in diplomacy when needed. Much like his patron god Bane, Gortash will work with others when it serves his interests, and is genuine, if not outright giving, with his alliances.
== History ==
===Early life===
Enver Gortash was born to and , the proprietors of Flymm's Cobblers in Baldur's Gate. The Flymms were mired in debt, and sold their son into slavery to pay them off. His parents describe him as a clever child, often found tinkering. They also described him as hateful and needy, too clever for his own good.
Mistaken by the Flymms as a warlock, Gortash was in reality sold to . Gortash became a pageboy in Raphael's and ' service. He was physically abused and left on poor terms.
===Rise to power===
Before acquiring the title of 'Lord', Enver Gortash started out operating as a black market weapons dealer, before expanding his operation into other businesses. At some point Enver Gortash hired a young as his bodyguard. He betrayed her later, striking a deal with Zariel to sell Karlach as a test subject for an implanted . It is unknown what Gortash received in return. Rumours say that he had open a transplanar portal to Hell during this period.
Enver Gortash was able to supplant the Knights of the Shield as the leading black market dealer in Baldur's Gate, but not without trouble. His initial attempts to sway their client base by offering a more generous cut saw little success. Through generous bribes, Gortash began uncovering the nature of this resistance. He was also able to supplant the Zhentarim position in the Chionthar Valley.
In time he became known as a "Military Advisor" to Baldur's Gate Elite. In his younger days, he had an affair with Lady Wisteria Jannath likely the mother of .
===Chosen of Bane===
At some point, Gortash became the Chosen of . Soon after, he began taking more ambitious endeavors, further expanding his power and influence within the political structures of Baldur's Gate.
Around this time, Gortash formed an alliance with two other powerful individuals: Ketheric Thorm, Chosen of , and , the then Chosen of . The third member of this alliance was eventually deposed by Orin the Red and Gortash allowed her to join the alliance in place of her predecessor.
Pursuing both power and the aims of their patron deities, Gortash and his allies formulated a plot to enslave an Elder Brain underneath Baldur's Gate by using an ancient Netherese artifact, the , an item so powerful, it had granted its namesake a brief moment of Godhood. Gortash reveals the details of this plot during Act Two, and further explains it in Act Three.
At some point, Enver Gortash returned to his parents for revenge. What resulted was Gortash eventually implanting Mind Flayer tadpoles into their minds, turning them into puppets that could do little more than praise their exalted son.
== Involvement ==
===Act One===
Though Gortash is not present in the first act of the game, his involvement in the plot is alluded to when the Absolute attempts to take over the party's mind and they see an obscured vision of Gortash, Ketheric Thorm and Orin the Red shortly before being repelled by the .
=== Act Two ===
Enver Gortash first appears alongside Ketheric Thorm and Orin the Red in the Mind Flayer Colony beneath Moonrise Towers. An argument breaks out between him and Ketheric and is stopped from becoming a fight due to Orin's intervention. As Orin plants an Illithid tadpole in , Gortash uses his , the Edict of Bane, to command the Netherbrain. The three order it to march the Absolute's armies on Baldur's Gate.
=== Act Three ===
Upon entering Wyrm's Rock Fortress, Gortash speaks through a Steel Watcher to the party inviting them to his coronation in the fortress' audience hall. After arriving, Gortash offers the party a pact; he will not attack so long as they do no harm to him or his Steel Watch. Further, he promises they will rule Faerûn together when the party returns with Orin's Netherstone. So long as the Steel Watch and Iron Throne remain, Gortash is sincere. Should the party perform a successful ability check, it is revealed that, should they form an alliance, Gortash fully intends on sharing his rule with the party. Whether this would only be a temporary truce is unknown.
Gortash can explain the Chosen of the Dead Three's plot to the party, detailing everyone's role. Each individual had their own part to play in their plan, which would occur sequentially. The Chosen of Bhaal, , would carry out a series of murders within Baldur's Gate, thinning out any forces not already under Gortash's control. The Chosen of Myrkul, , would raise an army consisting of cultists of the Absolute, monstrous humanoids such as goblins, ogres, bugbears, and undead, marching from Moonrise Towers. Finally, the Chosen of Bane, Enver Gortash himself, would use his Steel Watch, and command it in a rigged battle against the Absolute, winning in a way that indebts the city to him, without damaging it beyond repair in such a way that would prevent him from ruling in prosperity.
As parting words, Gortash warns the party not to return without .
If the Dark Urge is chosen as Origin, Gortash gives a much warmer welcome, greeting his "favourite assassin". He reveals the original Chosen of Bhaal was not Orin, but in fact the Dark Urge themself. Gortash continues, saying that he and the Urge initiated the plot to steal the and use it to manipulate the Netherbrain, a plot that was going well until the Urge vanished and Orin proclaimed she would henceforth be speaking for the temple of Bhaal.
After attending Gortash's coronation and visiting the Lower City, the party can find Gortash upstairs in his office on top of Wyrm's Rock Fortress.
After returning with Orin's stone, several possible outcomes can occur:
* If either destroying the Steel Watch Foundry or travelling to the Iron Throne, Gortash sees this as a betrayal, and laments there is no hope of them becoming partners now. He then starts combat.
* If upholding the deal, killing Orin, and bringing back her Netherstone, Gortash demands the party give both their Netherstones to him. If the party relents and hands them over, Gortash sees them as weak-willed, turning on them. Otherwise, after twice refusing, Gortash reveals he was testing them. The party's refusal proves they too are shrewd and headstrong, and a worthy ally. Gortash's intentions may be discovered through successfully reading his mind or passing an check.
* If killing Gortash during the Inauguration, the Iron Throne becomes unavailable, completing is not possible anymore, and the Steel Watch Foundry can no longer be entered. 
If Gortash remains allied with the party until the end, he meets them at the Morphic Pool, when it is time to confront the Netherbrain. As the party fails to dominate the brain, Gortash, already scared by the situation, pushes the party aside, trying alone to wield all three Netherstones. Too powerful to be controlled, the Netherbrain inevitably kills Gortash.
Alternatively, Gortash can be fought at any point after meeting him in order to . If killed before reaching Orin, the party gains .
==List of interactions==
* Gortash is introduced at the end of Act Two, but cannot be interacted with until Act Three.
* During Act Three, the party has several opportunities to directly interact with Enver Gortash. While Enver Gortash is a neutral or allied entity, the party has several opportunities to start conversations with him. If provoked in certain conversations or deliberately attacked by the party, Gortash will still become hostile. 
* Enver Gortash is encountered in-person by the party at Wyrm's Crossing, during his inauguration as Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate. Despite previous hostilities, Gortash will be very open to cooperation with the party, even to the point of (possibly) offering them a place in his tyrannical rule.
* Gortash can be killed at Wyrm's Crossing, allowing the party to collect .
** However, if allying with Gortash, killing him is not necessary to continue. He accompanies the party to the Netherbrain, attempting to command it once more. This, however, fails; the stones are unable to command the Netherbrain, and it uses its psionic might, killing Gortash instantly with a simple command: "Die."
== Speak with Dead ==
If is used on Gortash, he will not respond. Instead, himself will answer in his stead.
Lord Enver Gortash: You seek Gortash? His soul is already suffering at my hands. That is the fate of all those who fail me.
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** Lord Enver Gortash: A dead Archduke is of no use to me. A living explorer - [class/Wyll/githyanki/tadpole reference], for example - is a different matter.
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** Lord Enver Gortash: So naive for one with such cunning. Do you think it's Gortash speaking to you?
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*Lord Enver Gortash: I am Bane, The Black Lord. I am the Ultimate Tyrant. I am Fear, I am Hate.
*Lord Enver Gortash: And you - you are the dagger that bled Myrkul's favoured. You are the thorns that prick at my sides.
*Lord Enver Gortash: Yet you are proof that I will still rise, and Bhaal and Myrkul will yield.
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Lord Enver Gortash: One question asked. Four still remains.
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**Lord Enver Gortash: You live for power. You have proven it with every fallen foe, every chest opened, every skill claimed.
**Lord Enver Gortash: As long as mortals and immortals vie for sharper blades and louder voices, I am strengthened.
**Lord Enver Gortash: So it is for Bhaal and Myrkul - and so it is for you. You make me eternal.
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**Lord Enver Gortash: *Chuckle.*
**Narrator: The corpse says nothing more. You did not ask a question.
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**Lord Enver Gortash: Why do red dragons ally with the githyanki? Why did the Broken God befriend Tyr?
**Lord Enver Gortash: Ah, but you already know the answer. By making one ally, you deny them to another."
**Lord Enver Gortash: And by turning mortals illithid, you deny their souls to their keepers.
**Lord Enver Gortash: You do not stoke fear by reaping your own fields, but by burning your foe's.
*
**Lord Enver Gortash: You have already laid the foundation."
**Lord Enver Gortash: You gained my favour when you slayed Gortash. Your need for power exceeds even his.
**Lord Enver Gortash: Use the Netherstones to commandeer the brain and unleash your infected army, and I will count you among my chosen.
**Lord Enver Gortash: Or do not. Your lust for victory still brings you one step closer to me.
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**Lord Enver Gortash: Ah, Gortash's pet project. Iron Throne Headquarters once touched the sky, a monument to martial force.
**Lord Enver Gortash: It's been a century since it was submerged in Grey Harbour. You can reach it by a submersible beneath the harbour docks.
**Lord Enver Gortash: I look forward to your show of power.
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**Lord Enver Gortash: Of course you seek Orin, Bhaal's vengeful chosen. His temple is hidden even to my eyes. How fortuitous, then, that Orin seeks you.
**Lord Enver Gortash: Orin is too proud of her own handiwork to linger in your shadow. The vain don't like to be upstaged.
**Lord Enver Gortash: She'll make herself known to you - if she hasn't already, in her own special way.
* 
==Combat==
Gortash serves as one of the main antagonists of Act 3 of the game alongside Orin. His defeat, or cooperation if so chosen, is required before facing the final threat of the game: the Netherbrain.
===Loot===
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==Achievements==
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== Related Quests ==
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==Gallery==
Gortash_Model.png|Gortash's in-game model.
Edward-vanderghote-gortash.webp|Character portrait by Edward Vanderghote.
J-p-roy-larian-artblast-gortash-hex.jpg|Render by J-P Roy
==Notes==
*If was completed before the Iron Throne infiltration, Iron Throne-related quests will become unavailable. If Gortash was made hostile otherwise before the Iron Throne and the Steel Watch Foundry, the quests will remain intact.
==References==
== External links ==
Category:Characters
Category:Characters in the Mind Flayer Colony
Category:Characters in Wyrm's Rock Fortress
Category:Characters in Act Two
Category:Characters in Act Three
Category:Humans
Category:Humanoids
Category:Bosses
Category:Followers of the Absolute
Category:Available to Speak with Dead
Category:Authors