Orpheus

Orpheus, is a Githyanki that appears in Baldur's Gate 3, playing a major role in Act Three and 's personal quest, . As the son of Gith herself, he acts as the supposed true ruler of the Gith Empire. However, he has been captured and is imprisoned in the Astral Plane. Being a githyanki, he seeks to destroy the mind flayers and remove from power.
== Overview ==
=== Background ===
According to the inscribed discs, banned and deemed heretical by followers of Vlaakith, Orpheus is the first (and only) son of Mother Gith, the leader of the rebellion that freed the race that would bear her name from the Illithid Empire. Gith's impressive psionic powers allowed her to disrupt elder brain control, powers that her son inherited. At some point during the rebellion, Gith's advisor Vlaakith made a deal with the dragon goddess , in which the gith acquired their red dragons. It was only after the split between the githyanki and githzerai that the cost of Vlaakith's deal was revealed, as Gith was summoned to the Nine Hells to become Tiamat's advisor. Tiamat's red dragon consort came to the githyanki, and decreed that Vlaakith was to be their new ruler.
Outraged at this turn of events, Orpheus led a rebellion against Vlaakith I's rule, assembling an Honor Guard and declaring himself the rightful ruler of the githyanki. This "War of the Comet" was said to have ended with Orpheus' death at the hands of and with Ephelomon devouring his corpse. In truth, Orpheus and his Honor Guard were sealed away in a corner of the Astral Plane, accessed using the Astral Prism. Orpheus himself was restrained by Infernal chains, so that Vlaakith could exploit his elder brain disruption powers. The fact that Orpheus still lived was known only to Voss, the current and past Vlaakiths, and the few secret devotees of the Prince of the Comet spread throughout githyanki society.
The artifact containing Orpheus soon came to the attention of , who wanted to use it to overthrow the Chosen of the Dead Three in control of it. It sent a team of illithids to find and take the artifact from the githyanki. However, the leader of the group (a mind flayer known as ) seized the opportunity and went rogue, taking the artifact and hoping to use it to overthrow the elder brain.
== Involvement ==
=== Act One & Act Two ===
Orpheus and his role in the greater story of Baldur's Gate 3 is hinted throughout the game, but is not truly revealed until the beginning of Act Three. References to him are found throughout the game, notably in the "Orpheus, Prince of the Comet" series of discs, which recount his attempted rebellion against the first Vlaakith and form the backbone of the quest .
=== Act Three ===
==== Battle in the Astral Prism ====
While resting at Wyrm's Lookout, the party are ambushed by githyanki warriors and combat ensues. The Dream Guardian opens a portal into the Astral Prism for the party to enter, lest they fall under the Absolute's influence. There, the Dream Guardian reveals their true form as a mind flayer free from hivemind control, and asks the party for their aid against the githyanki which starts . Though there is the option to attack their protector, this will lead to a Game Over, as the player character and all party members either fall under the control of the Absolute, or are killed by the githyanki. After the battle, the Dream Guardian reveals that the source of the party's protection has been an imprisoned Orpheus, and that the githyanki who attacked are his Honor Guard, who were imprisoned alongside him by the first Vlaakith. Completing this encounter completes both and , as well as starts .
==== Acquiring the Orphic Hammer ====
While visiting to the party's camp in Act Two, Kith'rak Voss directs the party to meet him at Sharess' Caress in Wyrm's Crossing. Baldur's Gate. Upstairs, in the Devil's Den, he can be found attempting to make a deal with the devil , who eventually dismisses him. Talking to the devil reveals he has the , a magically imbued hammer with the ability to free Orpheus from his infernal chains. This starts . He promises to give the artifact to the party in exchange for the , signing a with the player character if they accept. The player character has serveral options to act:
# The player character refuses the deal but decides to acquire the Orphic Hammer anyways. The party must infiltrate the House of Hope to steal the Orphic Hammer. This leads to a fight against Raphael.
# The player character accepts the deal, which starts and also , and does not betray Raphael. At the final battle, after freeing Orpheus, Raphael appears and gives them the Orphic Hammer. As his deal involves handing over the Crown of Karsus, this prevents from either giving the crown to or using it to become a god, and causes Raphael to appear at the celebration in the Epilogue.
# The player character accepts the deal (signing a with the devil) but ultimately decide to break it. Then it is necessary to infiltrate the House of Hope and acquire the contract. The Orphic Hammer can also be stolen. This leads to a fight against Raphael.
Showing the Orphic Hammer to Voss will complete , which grants you the 
==== Deciding the Prince's Fate ====
At the Morphic Pool, the player character attempts to wield the Netherstones and control the Netherbrain, but is overwhelmed. The Emperor brings the party into the Astral Prism, and tells them that only an illithid can successfully wield the Netherstones. Here Orpheus' fate must be decided, with most decisions depending on whether or not the party acquired the Orphic Hammer.
===== The Prince Assimilated =====
Orpheus can be "assimilated" by either the Emperor, a mind flayer player character, or a mind flayer . If Lae'zel has rejected Vlaakith and embraced Orpheus, the player character must pass a or she turns hostile. Speaking with her again before entering High Hall gains her scorn, and a or Intimidation check must be succeeded for her to not change her mind and attack the party. Upon leaving the Astral Prism and reaching High Hall, an enraged Voss turns hostile unless convinced not to, which requires a , with an additional prerequisite if the player character was the one to "assimilate" Orpheus. If Voss turns hostile, he can no longer be recruited as part of .
===== The Prince Freed =====
The party can refuse to allow the Emperor to "assimilate" Orpheus. Alternatively, a mind flayer player character can refuse to "assimilate" Orpheus, though a check is required to prevent their hunger from getting the best of them. Either choice causes the Emperor to defect to the Netherbrain, and the party then can free Orpheus. If the player character made the deal with Raphael and did not betray him, then he shows up and gives the Orphic Hammer to the party.
If not having optained the Orphic Hammer at this point, then Raphael appears and makes his offer again. Refusing the offer causes a Game Over, so the player character is forced to .
Regardless, Orpheus is freed and offers an alliance to the party, though he scolds them for not freeing him sooner, for stealing the , causing Crèche Y’llek’s destruction, and / or fornicating with The Emperor. Like the Emperor, he tells the party that the only way to wield the Netherstones is to become an illithid. There are several options at this point:
# The player character or another party member becomes a mind flayer. Orpheus lowers his psionic defenses to allow the order to transform to go through.
# If the player character and any other party members refuse to become a mind flayer, Orpheus offers to make the sacrifice instead. Lae'zel is dismayed but does not turn hostile.
# The player character and the party decide to fight Orpheus. Winning or losing this battle immediately results in a Game Over, as the party either dies or loses Orpheus' protection and becomes dominated by the Absolute.
Regardless of who transforms, Orpheus joins the party as an Attached Follower for the final battle. Depending on who is transformed, Voss expresses either confusion or dismay, but does also not turn hostile.
=== Endings ===
Orpheus' role in the ending depends on whether or not he is transformed into a mind flayer.
If Orpheus turned into a mind flayer, he appears on the docks and asks Lae'zel to lead the githyanki fight for freedom without him, as he is now an abomination and seeks death. asks another party member (usually the player character or Lae'zel) to kill him. If his request is not fullfilled, he kills himself unless the player character convinces him refrain with a . If passing the check, he leaves the docks for places unknown.
If the player character or another party member turned into a Mind Flayer, he appears on the docks, thanking the party's ceremorph for their sacrifice. Beeing now ready to begin a new rebellion against Vlaakith's tyranny, he calls two red dragons, and invites Lae'zel to join him in his new war against the Lich Queen. Lae'zel can either join Orpheus, be convinced to stay in Faerûn, which requires a , and is automatically be rejected if the player character became a mind flayer, or take the player character along with her, if the player character is romancing Lae'zel. Regardless of what choice Lae'zel makes, Orpheus flies on his red dragon into the sky and away from Baldur's Gate.
=== Epilogue ===
If Orpheus did not transform into a mind flayer, then the player character finds a letter from him in the , titled . In it, he praises the player character as Mla'ghir (Gith for "liberator"), and tells them of the success of his ongoing rebellion against Vlaakith.
If Orpheus transformed into a mind flayer but is convinced not to kill himself, then a unique dialogue option asking about him is present when talking to Lae'zel. Her response indicates that Orpheus has disappeared and gone into hiding, but that she holds out hope that he might re-emerge one day.
== Combat ==
===Loot===
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* -2x
== Related quests ==
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== Related literature ==
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==Gallery==
Orpheus Model.png|Orpheus' model
Player Mind Flayer Model.png|Orpheus' illithid model
Orpheus Concept Art.png|Concept art
Orpheus_Concept_Art_Varenev_A.webp|Concept art
Orpheus Chained.png|Orpheus chained in the Astral Prism
Chained.webp|Orpheus chained in the Astral Prism
Orpheus_Reason.webp|"It seems we must be allies"
Orpheus.png|Orpheus talking
Oprheus_Tattoo.png|Orpheus' Tattoo in tir'su
Orpheus Tattoo.webp|Tattoo in-game, datamined by Chubblot
==Notes==
* His tattoos have writing in tir'su - the gith writing system, see Gallery above.
** Mostly nonsense and a mirrored word for Vlaakith - misspelled as "Alaakith". It was probably written as a defiance to her ways.
** Githyanki and Githzerai use the same writing system but githyanki write clockwise while githzerai - counter-clockwise, though unlike Orpheus, the githzerai do not mirror the symbols.
* Orpheus is also the name of a demigod in Greek mythology who traveled with Jason and the Argonauts in pursuit of the Golden Fleece, but is primarily famous for his journey to the Underworld to save his love Eurydice.
== External links ==
Category:Githyanki
Category:Humanoids
Category:Characters
Category:Characters in the Astral Plane
Category:Characters in the Upper City
Category:Characters in Act Three
Category:Attached Followers
Category:Authors