Summary
Although the new epilogue forBaldur’s Gate 3focuses primarily on the playable companions and what they have been up to in the six months since the game ended, one brand-new character does appear as a guest at Withers' party. This is Milil, a bard who will play various songs throughout the party and can be talked to should players want to change the music. But Milil is, in fact, not a new character created for the epilogue ofBaldur’s Gate 3-he is a god with a history in the Forgotten Realms.
Milil Is A God Of Song, Poetry, And Inspiration
Milil is generally described as a lesser deity representing the fields of music, poetry, eloquence, and inspiration. He is sometimes also assigned the broader domain of creativity, which he may share with Gond, the blacksmith god from whom theGondian gnome clantakes its name. Along with Gond and Deneir, the god of art, literature, and cartography, Milil served under the greater god Oghma, who represented the more general fields of knowledge and invention. While Oghma is the official god of bards, many bards are known to also worship Milil because of his specific rule over song.
The god of song does not have many major appearances in Forgotten Realms media, with his largest role beforeBaldur’s Gate 3being the novel trilogyThe Lost Godsby Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb. In these novels, Milil is portrayed as having a scoundrel-like personality and is an ally of Tymora, the goddess of luck. When mortals attempt a scrying spell to observe Tymora’s actions, she punishes them by forcing them to watch a lengthy concert performed by Milil. He is also revealed to have a good relationship withMystra inBaldur’s Gate 3, and Sune as well, but a strained relationship with Gond; Cyric detests him because he wrote a mocking song about him.
Prior to the Patch 5 epilogue, Milil did receive a brief reference in the in-game book “A is for Azuth, and Other Gods IX.” The book says “Milil is the Lord of Song / Pray to him for inspiration. / Hear His call and sing along / Let His art be your salvation.”
Milil Provides The Music At Withers' Party
During theepilogue ofBaldur’s Gate 3,Milil can be found playing music, as suits his role as one of the gods of performance. When the player talks to him, Milil can express frustration that they have not heard of him, and reveal that he owes Withers a favor - possibly for pulling him out of the Fugue Plane, where he was banished by Cyric after mocking him. He will also cast Vicious Mockery on the player should they attack him.
Depending on what the player requests, Milil can play six different songs during the party:
His Appearance Was Inspired By Larian Composer Borislav Slavov
Although few official depictions of Milil exist prior toBaldur’s Gate 3,his appearance in the epilogue - with long, dark hair and a captivating smile - does seem to be a direct reference to Borislav Slavov, the composer and music director who created the iconic soundtrack forBaldur’s Gate 3.When asked on X, formerly Twitter, if Milil’s appearance was a deliberate nod, Slavov responded with “Well…” neither confirming nor denying that the character is based on him. However, it seems likely - and is a worthy tribute, as Slavov’s work earnedBaldur’s Gate 3a nomination for"Best Score and Music" at The Game Awards.
