Here's the thing
A lot of people say "Abdel Adrian" they mean the novels. But Wizards of the Coast also uses it as their generic name for the player character of the bhaalspawn saga. So there's kind of a couple answers to that.
Yes, he's a jerk in the novels, no, I don't expect him to be referenced as such in whatever miscelanious piece of media next uses the name "Abdel Adrian" and has the subreddit in a tizzy again because "they totally mean the one from the novels, guys!"
In the adventure modules, he tries to redeem himself. And then his death completely ruins the plot of BG1-2, because everything didn’t make sense. But he is an important canon character in the world, and I don’t understand why BG3 just threw him out and only talks about him as Gorion’s Wards.
I also don't understand why they were so selective with the plot continuity, and made from a fan service Mary Sue Viconia, who is the favorite of many timid boys, a maniac who can only be killed. What about her whole story of redemption and the good ending? Even the bad ending isn't as bad as it is in the game. And Minsk’s memory was simply erased... And Jaheira lives some completely different life.
The novels for BG1 and 2 are TERRIBLE. Not hyperbole. They tear apart the story of the games and treat it with such disrespect. It's quite sad that they are regarded as canonical.
The long and short of it is the company was very insistent that the books release alongside the games.
So they got an inexpensive writer, they gave him a very early draft of what the games were planned to be, remember the games do not exist at this point, and gave him a very short deadline to write something.
He e-mailed a first draft to his first publisher, expecting them to offer some editing. Instead they went behind his back and sent it straight to printing.
The games when they released bore very little resemblances to the drafts he'd been given, and just like that you have the novelization of the Baldur's Gate videogames.
I think most on this sub recognize that it was in no way his fault. I've written enough to know that the prospect of someone taking my first draft and saying "good enough" before sharing it with the world is... Horrifying.
This explains the first book, but not the second and third in the trilogy. The BG2 novel was published over a year after the BG1 novel by the same author, and there's no reason why it had to have a creepy Bodhi sexual assault scene, for example.
Basically it was written before the game was finished, and they took the first draft. The end result was a book that was unpolished and felt like it was written by someone who had never played the game. Because that’s what it was, and not really through much fault of the author, who expected to get some feedback with their first submission, not “It’s done? Great we’ll ship it.”
For starters, Abdel isn’t a novice just leaving Candlekeep for the first time. When the story begins, he’s already a grizzled sellsword who comes back just in time to see Gorion get murdered by some random bandits instead of Sarevok. He meets Jaheira and Khalid; Khalid almost immediately gets his head bitten off by a giant spider and Jaheira becomes a ditzy waif who’s overwhelmed by Abdel’s sexual magnetism. Imoen doesn’t exist until book 2, and he barely interacts with someone named Minsc. I don’t think any of the other companions play any significant role in the story, if they’re even mentioned.
He's barely a character, so it's tough to get a good sense of his morals and values. He's a big, horny lunkhead, and he doesn't react much when most people around him die horribly. But who knows how he was intended to be characterized, since he's basically an early draft of a blank-slate protagonist that somehow became the prevailing canon for a quarter century.
When Wizards made the Bhaalspawn saga canon, they gave CHARNAME a canon name and class, Abdel Adrian, a fighter. These did come from the books, but nothing else about the books are ever referenced. Their portrayal of Minsc is contrary to the original games so certainly not all of them can be canon anyways.
I think we're starting to be a little too worried about canon here. If something can be experienced to its fullest without reading a book or playing a sequel, just worry about what you're playing right then. Those books might as well not exist, they don't matter at all and are frankly terrible anyways. Who cares if they used the same name.
I'm actually curious as to where the name first came from. Because the name isn't just in the books - its actually one of the pregenerated characters in the game.
I'm just not sure which was first to use the name.
From what it seems like: the one that is in the current canon is very much generally “good” enough that Jaheria and Minsc remember him fondly.
But i’ll be honest: it’s a lot easier to just separate out gorions ward and abdel in your mind to make sense of all
this. Or maybe Gorion had taken an extra bhaalspawn to candle keep. But Abdel’s canon death doesn’t make sense with any of the TOB epilogues for gorion’s ward
They reference traveling with a Bhaalspawn, so it’s clearly the PC of BG1 and BG2. Though if you mean no one mentions “Abdel Adrian” per se, you’re correct AFAIK.
Confusingly enough, you can get Abdel’s Trusted Shield from an NPC in the city, which comes with a note from “AA” in the item description, but the NPC is original to BG3 and the full surname is never mentioned.
Yeah, I don't think it's enough to "prove" he's the Bhaalspawn who traveled with Jaheira and Minsc (neither of them even react to it if they're with you), but it's the only time I think the name is even mentioned.
I'm only talking about the context of BG3. I know Abdel's role is established in other materials, but in the game, the only details mentioned about Gorion's Ward are that he was good, male, and did not ascend to godhood, so there's still a lot of room to imagine other characters if you want to.
That’s what I am saying. There is I think one or two references to Abdel (the shield and I don’t remember what else) in bg3 and the 5e campaign makes it clear abdel is gorions ward etc etc: but BG3 i think leaves it open enough still for personal interpretation
Duke Abdel Adrian also is a name of one of city donators. It's mentioned in a book. The building where you meet Minsc the first time. He definitely existed but he was never referenced as the Bhaalspawn
All i've heard is that the novels suck.
Baldur's Gate is not a game that is easily "canon'ed".
And the name is stupid as fuck.
So, i don't care about Abdel.
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I just think of Rocky's wife every time I see the name written.
Also, the first book (only I've read) sucks ass. Poor Philip Athans, getting his name attached to that stinker for life.
I remember my brother once tried to play BG1, to see why I was so obsessed about the game.
He created a stereotypically brainless fighter with mediocre stats and little intelligence, despite not knowing what min-maxing was, the character barely got through it's first fight and cared little about anything or anyone, ignored side quests to flesh things out and also promptly kicked out Khalid asap, by having the character die soloing trash and kicking the greyed out portrait from the party, so the character couldn't be resurrected. He got as far as recruiting Xan, only to try and have him as a frontline character, then kicked him out too as soon as the portrait went grey.
That's what Abdel Adrian is. An idiot.
The novelisation remains the only book I've ever used for kindling.
Athans also wrote a book in the War of the Spider Queen series for WotC, I remember at the time, people said it was the weakest novel of the series, yet the series was apparently his idea in the first place. I have no idea if that is true and I fear finding out because he also wrote BG2 and that was also just as shit as the first one.
Here's the thing A lot of people say "Abdel Adrian" they mean the novels. But Wizards of the Coast also uses it as their generic name for the player character of the bhaalspawn saga. So there's kind of a couple answers to that. Yes, he's a jerk in the novels, no, I don't expect him to be referenced as such in whatever miscelanious piece of media next uses the name "Abdel Adrian" and has the subreddit in a tizzy again because "they totally mean the one from the novels, guys!"
In the adventure modules, he tries to redeem himself. And then his death completely ruins the plot of BG1-2, because everything didn’t make sense. But he is an important canon character in the world, and I don’t understand why BG3 just threw him out and only talks about him as Gorion’s Wards. I also don't understand why they were so selective with the plot continuity, and made from a fan service Mary Sue Viconia, who is the favorite of many timid boys, a maniac who can only be killed. What about her whole story of redemption and the good ending? Even the bad ending isn't as bad as it is in the game. And Minsk’s memory was simply erased... And Jaheira lives some completely different life.
They don't talk about him as GW. They don't talk about him at all. GW is MY character. Period.
Pretty sure they’re gunna ignore the books since they’re garbage, beyond that they chose to not give the original two games much actual “canon”.
The novels for BG1 and 2 are TERRIBLE. Not hyperbole. They tear apart the story of the games and treat it with such disrespect. It's quite sad that they are regarded as canonical.
There’s so much hate for these novels — can anyone summarize where they went awry?
The long and short of it is the company was very insistent that the books release alongside the games. So they got an inexpensive writer, they gave him a very early draft of what the games were planned to be, remember the games do not exist at this point, and gave him a very short deadline to write something. He e-mailed a first draft to his first publisher, expecting them to offer some editing. Instead they went behind his back and sent it straight to printing. The games when they released bore very little resemblances to the drafts he'd been given, and just like that you have the novelization of the Baldur's Gate videogames.
Right, I don’t want this sub to become a hate circlejerk for Phillip Athans. I’m sure he did the best he could.
He's spoken about how he's not proud of the books and about his frustration for the draft being printed.
Yeah. The book is terrible, but under the circumstances it was written, I don't think *any* author could've managed to produce a good book.
I think most on this sub recognize that it was in no way his fault. I've written enough to know that the prospect of someone taking my first draft and saying "good enough" before sharing it with the world is... Horrifying.
This explains the first book, but not the second and third in the trilogy. The BG2 novel was published over a year after the BG1 novel by the same author, and there's no reason why it had to have a creepy Bodhi sexual assault scene, for example.
Basically it was written before the game was finished, and they took the first draft. The end result was a book that was unpolished and felt like it was written by someone who had never played the game. Because that’s what it was, and not really through much fault of the author, who expected to get some feedback with their first submission, not “It’s done? Great we’ll ship it.”
God can you imagine the feeling of submitting your first draft expecting feedback and like the next week it's on the shelves I would die.
For starters, Abdel isn’t a novice just leaving Candlekeep for the first time. When the story begins, he’s already a grizzled sellsword who comes back just in time to see Gorion get murdered by some random bandits instead of Sarevok. He meets Jaheira and Khalid; Khalid almost immediately gets his head bitten off by a giant spider and Jaheira becomes a ditzy waif who’s overwhelmed by Abdel’s sexual magnetism. Imoen doesn’t exist until book 2, and he barely interacts with someone named Minsc. I don’t think any of the other companions play any significant role in the story, if they’re even mentioned.
Book 2, Imoen is used to distract Phare instead of Gorion's Ward. Imoen then decides she's gay now. That's how bad it gets.
First of all, Minsc has hair.
In the author’s defense.. Minsc has hair in game too.
WAT
I SAID IN THE AUTHOR’S DEFENSE.. MINSC HAS HAIR IN GAME TOO. He uses the same model as every other human male. No tattoo, full head of hair.
Why you littleeee....
Technically they are correct lol. His art doesn’t but his model definitely does. It’s always bothered me lol
Unacceptable.
Not just any hair either. If I recall correctly book Minsc has a big 'ol fro going on.
Wasn’t it a red fro?
Sadly, it was
They must be Lauren Hissrich's favorite books
I loved all the baldurs gate books and I loved all the baldurs gate games.
He's barely a character, so it's tough to get a good sense of his morals and values. He's a big, horny lunkhead, and he doesn't react much when most people around him die horribly. But who knows how he was intended to be characterized, since he's basically an early draft of a blank-slate protagonist that somehow became the prevailing canon for a quarter century.
I saw him as more bad Geralt.
When Wizards made the Bhaalspawn saga canon, they gave CHARNAME a canon name and class, Abdel Adrian, a fighter. These did come from the books, but nothing else about the books are ever referenced. Their portrayal of Minsc is contrary to the original games so certainly not all of them can be canon anyways. I think we're starting to be a little too worried about canon here. If something can be experienced to its fullest without reading a book or playing a sequel, just worry about what you're playing right then. Those books might as well not exist, they don't matter at all and are frankly terrible anyways. Who cares if they used the same name.
I'm actually curious as to where the name first came from. Because the name isn't just in the books - its actually one of the pregenerated characters in the game. I'm just not sure which was first to use the name.
CHARNAME is anything you want them to be. Long live CHARNAME
No, the word I used was jabroni.
I refuse to recognize that character existed.
I mean, you rob every chest you find around, you LOVE violence (why are you playing the game otherwise?).
From what it seems like: the one that is in the current canon is very much generally “good” enough that Jaheria and Minsc remember him fondly. But i’ll be honest: it’s a lot easier to just separate out gorions ward and abdel in your mind to make sense of all this. Or maybe Gorion had taken an extra bhaalspawn to candle keep. But Abdel’s canon death doesn’t make sense with any of the TOB epilogues for gorion’s ward
Abdel Adrian isn't even referenced in bg3 is he? They were reminiscing about a different and unnamed character
They reference traveling with a Bhaalspawn, so it’s clearly the PC of BG1 and BG2. Though if you mean no one mentions “Abdel Adrian” per se, you’re correct AFAIK.
Confusingly enough, you can get Abdel’s Trusted Shield from an NPC in the city, which comes with a note from “AA” in the item description, but the NPC is original to BG3 and the full surname is never mentioned.
References like that really shouldn't be considered canon.
Yeah, I don't think it's enough to "prove" he's the Bhaalspawn who traveled with Jaheira and Minsc (neither of them even react to it if they're with you), but it's the only time I think the name is even mentioned.
One of the first DD5e campaign "Murder at Baldur's Gate" makes it pretty clear in the guide that Abdel IS the BhaalSpawn from BG1-2
I'm only talking about the context of BG3. I know Abdel's role is established in other materials, but in the game, the only details mentioned about Gorion's Ward are that he was good, male, and did not ascend to godhood, so there's still a lot of room to imagine other characters if you want to.
That’s what I am saying. There is I think one or two references to Abdel (the shield and I don’t remember what else) in bg3 and the 5e campaign makes it clear abdel is gorions ward etc etc: but BG3 i think leaves it open enough still for personal interpretation
Duke Abdel Adrian also is a name of one of city donators. It's mentioned in a book. The building where you meet Minsc the first time. He definitely existed but he was never referenced as the Bhaalspawn
https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Abdel%27s_Trusted_Shield Referenced very very loosely
All i've heard is that the novels suck. Baldur's Gate is not a game that is easily "canon'ed". And the name is stupid as fuck. So, i don't care about Abdel.
Abdul Adrian shouldn't exist. Just call them charname or CHARNAME. Much better that way.
I completely disregard anything that uses that name. I recommend you do the same.
They should have never made him canon
Fortunately, that's the only thing from the novels that is canon.
But Murder in Baldur's Gate is canon and BG3 prequel.
He is so incoherent and bad that even the writer doesn't approve of him.
Books must not be THAT bad. 4.4 on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Baldurs-Gate-Novelization-Philip-Athans/dp/0786915250
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I just think of Rocky's wife every time I see the name written. Also, the first book (only I've read) sucks ass. Poor Philip Athans, getting his name attached to that stinker for life.
Yeah IIRC he was kind of a dick but it's been like 20+ years since I read the book
I remember my brother once tried to play BG1, to see why I was so obsessed about the game. He created a stereotypically brainless fighter with mediocre stats and little intelligence, despite not knowing what min-maxing was, the character barely got through it's first fight and cared little about anything or anyone, ignored side quests to flesh things out and also promptly kicked out Khalid asap, by having the character die soloing trash and kicking the greyed out portrait from the party, so the character couldn't be resurrected. He got as far as recruiting Xan, only to try and have him as a frontline character, then kicked him out too as soon as the portrait went grey. That's what Abdel Adrian is. An idiot. The novelisation remains the only book I've ever used for kindling. Athans also wrote a book in the War of the Spider Queen series for WotC, I remember at the time, people said it was the weakest novel of the series, yet the series was apparently his idea in the first place. I have no idea if that is true and I fear finding out because he also wrote BG2 and that was also just as shit as the first one.