Selune is a name you might hear often during the events of Baldur’s Gate 3. Her influence can be seen in many locations in the game, despite not being physically present. This is because Selune is a hugely important figure in the lore of the Forgotten Realms.
Who is Selune?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is set in the Forgotten Realms world from Dungeons & Dragons. Selune is part of the pantheon of gods within that world’s lore and is one of the most important, in fact. She is the goddess of the moon who was present at the creation of the universe. Selune was born from the primordial essence of the cosmos, along with her sister Shar. Together, the two created the world of Abeir-Toril, which led to the creation of life and the birth of the goddess Chauntea. Initially, Selune’s light was the main source of warmth for Chauntea, but it was not enough. To grant Chauntea’s request, Selune reached into a plane of fire and brought out an ever-living flame. This flame was used to create the Sun, which granted Chauntea the warmth she required. Selune’s sister Shar disagreed with this choice, prompting an endless war between the sisters. Selune defeated her sister in the conflict by throwing a chunk of her own magical essence at her. This essence combined with part of Shar and formed the original goddess of magic, Mystryl, who aided Selune in defeating Shar. While she was victorious, she was wounded in the battle, causing her power to wax and wane throughout the ages. At one point her power had faded so much she became a servant to Sune, the goddess of beauty and passion. However, at the time of Baldur’s Gate 3, her power appears to be on the rise, with her worshippers increasing in number.
Where is Selune in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Selune can mostly be seen in the temples dedicated to her. Most notably, the quest to rescue Halsin from a Goblin Camp takes the player to a former temple of Selune. This temple has been ransacked and occupied by the goblins, who have turned it from a place of worship into a prison and command post. This temple also connects to the Underdark, where the party can find themselves emerging in an old outpost belonging to worshippers of Selune. There’s even a puzzle involving a statue of the goddess and the artifact it holds. Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now for PC. A PS5 version will be released on September 6, 2023.
Published: Aug 14, 2023 10:45 am