Baldur’s Gate is set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, a place inhabited by hundreds of characters of different races. Your story begins in Candlekeep, an ancient fortress in the Sword Coast, with the mage Gorion, your caretaker since you were a child. When Gorion senses a looming danger and hurries to take you to safety, you are both ambushed by a group of cold-blooded bandits, led by a shadowy armored figure. Gorion defeats most of them before being slain by the armored figure, but does enough damage to allow you to escape.

Seeking revenge, you must now track down the armored figure while uncovering the reason behind the vicious attack. As you adventure, you will gather allies, gain XP, learn new skills, and obtain powerful weapons and armor to improve your combat abilities. The lands are filled with danger as it is roamed by bandits, beasts and dark creatures of the night. Face different characters on your journey, from dragons, vampires, to barbarians, and use weapons, magic and potions against your foes as you uncover a dark plot by an evil entity that threatens the very world.