A few years ago, a player thanked Larian Studios on the forums for releasing Baldur's Gate 3 into early access as it allowed them to play through its first act with their dad who suffers from Alzheimer's, reliving the glory days of adventuring in the second game.

The poster, Solfalia, eventually got an e-mail from one of the writers (who they call 'superwriter') saying that their story resonated with the studio, asking if Solfalia would be okay if the team added a tribute to their father in-game.

"I obviously accepted," Solfalia said. "We discussed some details on my father through e-mails. I told my dad the following Christmas, as I wanted to make sure he knew before the disease progressed too far, and he was so happy he asked me to send a thank you to the team, complete with a picture of his goofy smiling face."

You've probably run into this tribute without even realising it. In the Lower City in Act 3, you can find an eccentric character called Golbraith Stredivas, a renowned mindflayer hunter with a trap-laden cellar full of goodies.

"I was expecting a mention in a random book, or a plaque, but I was secretly hoping for an NPC with a one-liner," Solfalia said. "Not just an NPC, but also a cellar? I was incredibly excited to find out."

His house is located in the center of a triangle formed by The Glitter Gala, Bloomridge Park, and Blushing Mermaid. Once you enter his home, simply head upstairs and you'll be able to strike up a conversation. Alternatively, you can break into his basement, disarm all the traps, and steal his loot.

"I even looked in Golbraith's inventory," Solfalia said. "We'll ignore the moral issues that come with pickpocketing my dad in a game, luckily I distatic.aayyy.com/topic/dn/'t do it. I simply asked my co-op partner to do it for me. No moral quandry there."

Not only did Golbraith look like my father, but he had multiple lines of dialogue. Some really touching ones too (for me, at least). The different papers in the house were amazing, the stack of letters between Golbraith and his son put a lump in my throat. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't misty-eyed. The secret mindflayer hunter cellar was awesome.

Solfalia described this tribute to their dad, who now lives in a care home, unable to play the game, and he lit up with "child-like glee", adoring the fact that Golbraith wears a monocle and has a hidden undercroft littered with treasure. "He still talks about it from time to time during our weekly chats."

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