Summary
InBaldur’s Gate 3,Viconia DeVir is a powerful drow priestess of Shar, Goddess of Darkness, and serves as the antagonist of Shadowheart’s personal quest. However, long beforeBaldur’s Gate 3,Viconia was an adventurer who journeyed alongside the previous games' protagonist and experienced a crisis of faith similar to her protege Shadowheart.
Viconia Was A Companion In All Previous Games
Viconia was one of the few companions—alongside Imoen, Edwin, Jaheira, and Minsc (and Boo)—who was recruitable in bothBaldur’s Gate 1andBaldur’s Gate 2.She was a drow who had abandoned life in the underground city of Menzoberranzan in favor of living on the surface. Instead of servingLolth, the Spider Queenand patron goddess of the drow, she had sworn herself to Shar, the Lady of Loss and goddess of darkness.
A pity your manhood is so lacking. I am a cruel mistress, but my slaves always found their subjugation to be most satisfying. - Viconia
As one of the games' Evil-aligned companions, Viconia disapproved of heroic actions and had conflicts with the Good-aligned elf Kivan and the paladins Ajantis and Keldorn. In the Enhanced Edition ofthe gamesshe also conflicted with the monk Rasaad, who served moon goddessSelune, Shar’s enemy and opposite. Viconia had a generally distant and harsh personality and was particularly harsh towards men, who were seen as lesser in drow culture. She would flirt with both men and women to get what she wanted and showed respect only towards strong female combatants.
Viconia DeVir Stats
A Romance With Viconia Affected Her Story Dramatically
InBaldur’s Gate 2as well as the expansionsSiege of DragonspearandThrone of Bhaal,Viconia was a romance option for male humans, half-elves, half-orcs, and halflings. Players who romanced Viconia could, through certain actions and dialogue choices, ultimately shift her alignment from Neutral Evil to True Neutral. The alignment change would not occur until late inThrone of Bhaal,following an attempt by Viconia to break up with the player because she worries that Lolth will harm them.
Viconia’s story featured multiple endings depending on whether she was romanced. A non-romanced Viconia would remain faithful to Shar, including briefly founding a Sharran enclave in Waterdeep before ultimately slaughtering her followers at Shar’s command.
She would become known for a mix of heroic and villainous actions, including helpingDrizzt Do’Urden save the elf city of Suldanessalar from the Zhentarim. A romanced Viconia, on the other hand, would see her turning from both Lolth and Shar and marrying the player. However, Viconia would be assassinated by servants of Lolth shortly after bearing the player a half-drow son.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Took Viconia In A Dark Direction
Baldur’s Gate 3made Viconia’s non-romanced ending canon, with dialogue referencing her adventure with Drizzt and her former Sharran church in Waterdeep. In the approximately one hundred years between games, Viconia has risen to become the Mother Superior of Shar’s church in Baldur’s Gate, located in the House of Grief. She trainedBaldur’s Gate 3’s Shadowheartand was the one who took her from her Selunite parents.
While Viconia did see promise in Shadowheart, she also saw her as an experiment in whether a child of Selunites could be turned to Sharran worship. Ultimately, the two come to blows, with Shadowheart taking down Viconia whether she turns to Selune or becomes aSharran Dark Justiciar. Unless the player chooses to surrender Shadowheart to the Mother Superior, this memorableBaldur’s Gatecompanion will meet her final, tragic fate inBaldur’s Gate 3.
