Summary
The Crown of Karsus is a key piece in Gale’s character development inBaldur’s Gate 3. As the player gets to know the wizard (whether they’vedecided to romance him or not), they’ll slowly learn of his previous affair with Mystra and his desire to become comparably powerful. Gale’s desire for knowledge borders on being power-hungry, and should he learn the details of the Crown of Karsus,he’ll weigh the possibility of using it to ascend to godhood himself.
That said, once he’s learned of its existence and how to reforge it, Mystra will ask for a meeting with him – something he’s not been granted in some time as she’s lost interest in him. In this meeting, Mystra requests Gale give her the crown,offering to trade the object in return for freeing him of theNetherese Orb lodged in his chest, aka the Karsus Weave. Gale has conflicted feelings about both options presented to him and will ultimately ask the player for guidance. But should he reforge the crown or gift it to his former lover?
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Reforging The Crown Of Karsus Will Make Gale A God
One Of The Most Evil Endings For Gale In BG3
Reforging the Crown of Karsus is one viable possibility for the player to encourage Gale to pursue, though it has a couple of endings. Following the destruction of the elder brain, Gale will search for the pieces of the crown in the river and declare his intent to reforge it. Upon completion,the wizard will then use it to become the God of Ambition, fulfilling the desires the piece of Karsus Weave instilled in him. He proclaims that he plans to support the desires and studies of all those who follow him, good or evil.
Depending on whether the player encouraged Gale’s vindictive and bitter feelings against his former mentor and lover,the wizard-turned-god may attempt to battle the Mother of Magic. Even with the Crown of Karsus on his side, this is ultimately an ending that ensures his destruction,as the goddess will not tolerate the challenge of her position of power over the world’s magic. But should he decide not to seek vengeance on the goddess, Gale’s message will quickly spread throughout the land, and he will already have some shrines and a temple in progress by the time the epilogue reunion rolls around.
Though this path may seem to satisfy many of Gale’s surface desires,even his beloved feline companion, Tara, will note that his decision to ascend to godhood is evidence that he is unable to learn from his previous mistakes, expressing her disappointment in the wizard. Those who have romanced an ascended Gale will be granted the option to ascend with him, so the pair can rule over their mortal followers together. Though it seems like an ideal ending, this ultimately does damage to any character development Gale may have learned on his journeys throughout Faerûn.
Giving The Crown To Mystra Gives The Player A Significantly Positive Ending
Gale Grows The Most By Turning Over The Crown Of Karsus
Though Gale’s magic is certainly powerful enough to grant him the ability to ascend to godhood, once he’s learned of the methods necessary to reforge the crown, Elminster will make another appearance and tell Gale his former lover has requested an audience with him.Only those playing as a Gale Origin character will be privy to the details of this conversation, as the wizard goes alone otherwise.
During his meeting with his former goddess,Mystra informs Gale that the Crown of Karsus’s power is significant – and incredibly dangerous.As the Netherese Orb planted in Gale’s chest is a piece of the Karsus Weave, fueled by the former demigod’s relentless ambition, Mystra has independently been attempting to find a way to contain its dangerous power. Reforging the crown, she claims, will ultimately have serious consequences, and the goddess offers a solution to Gale’s chronic problem in return for the crown.
Should Gale choose to hand it over,Mystra offers to make him her Chosen once again, in addition to removing the piece of the Weave from his chest. It’s only once Gale denounces Mystra and moves to become his own person that he unlocks an entirely new path for himself. During the epilogue reunion, the wizard will reintroduce himself as Professor Gale of the Blackstaff Academy, where he teaches illusion magic. Players who romanced him will also find that he’sdropped the title “Gale of Waterdeep” in favor of a much simpler “Gale Dekarios.”
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These Two Endings Are Only Possible If Gale Reads The Annals Of Karsus
By the time the crew reaches Baldur’s Gate, Gale will learn that there is a book available called the Annals of Karsus. Located in Sorcerous Sundries, the tome will have to be stolen by the crew before Gale can read it. Players will also have the option toface off against Lorroakan with Dame Aylinin this bookstore, as the powerful wizard has offered top dollar to anyone who can bring him the Nightsong.
That said, these are entirely optional quests, and players can choose to bypass them entirely as they tie up the many loose ends in the city. Though Gale will still attempt to reforge the crown without the knowledge in the book,it’s a venture that will ultimately destroy him. During the epilogue, Withers then shares a projection of the now-dead Gale with the party, giving them his final goodbyes and vocalizing his regret over his greed.
Players Also Have The Option To Destroy Gale Entirely
He May Never Place His Hands On The Crown Of Karsus
Players who’d rather not be faced with the difficult decision of Gale’s fate also have an alternative: destroying the wizard entirely. Elminster, another of Mystra’s disciples, informs Gale early into the player’s journey thathe should use the Netherese Orb in his chest to destroy the elder brain, killing himself in the process. Players have the option to encourage Gale to follow Mystra’s initial instructions, ultimately ending his life and avoiding a confrontation with the entity entirely.
Though this option completely removes Gale from the epilogue, it is an option Gale’s haters can execute, essentiallyavoiding ever making the decision between letting the wizard reforge the crown or giving it to Mystra. Players can also choose to do this at the end of Act 2 during their first encounter with the elder brian – though this ends the game incredibly early with a conclusion that many players have found unsatisfactory.
There’s no wrong ending to Gale’s story, but there are certain onesBaldur’s Gate 3players will find more satisfactory than others. Certain endings, like deciding to blow Gale up before even entering Act 3, are decidedly some of theworst endings inBG3– butthe Wizard of Waterdeep has plenty of opportunities to be more than a former Chosen of Mystra with a ticking time bomb in his chest. What the outcome is, though, depends on the player’s endgame goals.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
