Baldur’s Gate 3: Reithwin’s Horrid History, Explained

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Within the shadow-cursed lands of , there lies a ruined town once known as Reithwin. Before the area was cursed and plagued by shadow magic, Reithwin was a community much like any other, with a tavern, a temple, and a toll-house on the banks of the Chionthar river. But beneath the surface, all was not well in Reithwin, well before the area was blighted by its curse, and that was due to the presence of the Thorm family.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3.

Much of the game's second act revolves around Myrkul's chosen, the general Ketheric Thorm, who seeks to take over the world in service of the god of necromancy, and plays a large role in the Absolute's plot. Ketheric and his family once held power over Reithwin from the nearby Moonrise Towers, and their story intertwines with Reithwin's quite a bit. Though the exact details of how Reithwin fell into ruin are not spelled out, clues within the area and the game's story can tell players exactly what put this place into its current state.

The Thorms have not always been antagonistic figures within Faerun. Over a century ago, Ketheric and his wife, Melodia, were devoted followers of Selune, goddess of the moon. They were more benevolent leaders of Reithwin, and their family held positions of power all around town. Ketheric's uncle, Malus, was a surgeon in the nearby House of Hope; his cousin, Gerringothe, was the tollmaster; and his son, Thisobald, was the brewer at the Waning Moon Tavern. His wife and his daughter, Isobel, were involved in leading the town's worship of Selune, though their exact roles aren't confirmed.

The exact relationships between Gerringothe and Thisobald and the rest of the family are nebulous at best. Gerringothe is a Thorm, though her connection to Ketheric is never stated, and it is assumed she is a cousin. Thisobald claims to be Ketheric's son, though Ketheric and Melodia are only referred to as having a daughter, meaning he could have been Ketheric's child with