The virtual world of the action role-playing video game Baldur’s Gate 3 is known for its immersive environments. Nonetheless, a peculiar observation is that Baldur’s Gate, the medieval city the game is named after, would probably smell pretty atrocious even by ancient standards.
This statement may seem odd, but when one starts to think about the intricate details included in the game's storyline, it isn't too far-fetched. The game's lore leads us to believe that the city is quite malodorous — primarily because of the Steel Watch.
Let’s discuss the Steel Watch, a crucial element to this odor theory. The Steel Watch produces massive constructs that serve as the city's police force, patrolling the city rounds relentlessly.
However, it’s the manner in which the constructs are created that raises concerns about the city's smell. These intimidating figures are the brainchildren of a character named Enver Gortash. But how are they brought to life?
Zombie Factories: The Unearthly Birth of ConstructsIn Act 3 of the game, the gamers can explore the Steel Watch Foundry, where they uncover an eerie secret - the constructs are not just mechanical figures. They contain zombies. Yes, you heard that right - the mighty constructs are essentially walking corpses.
Each construct houses a rotting zombie with its brain removed and replaced with a mind flayer tadpole. The zombies are then controlled by Banite cultists, comprising a complicated and terrifying process that has repercussions far beyond imaginable.
The Unpleasant Stench of Rotting CorpsesIt’s no secret that rotting corpses smell horrible. Given the constructs filled with decaying zombies are in abundance in Baldur’s Gate, patrolling its streets, it logically follows that the city would stink terribly.
But the Steel Watch isn't the only contributor to the terrible odor. The residents of this city, the gamers, the characters, all encounter other factors adding to the unhygienic state.
Think about a horrific, decrepit house reeking of death, filled with lifeless bodies. Now, this alone would make for enough horror. But in Baldur’s Gate, the guards won’t even bother to knock on the door.
Upping the ante are the multitude of ‘murder basements’ scattered across the city, contributing considerably to the general stench. The presence of these features amplifies the despicable smell that one can only imagine would persist.
Baldur’s Gate’s Undertaker ProblemBy the time players progress to Act 3, they would have realized that Baldur’s Gate has a significant murder and cadaver issue. This predicament augments the already problematic stench caused by the Steel Watch constructs and the murder houses.
It isn't just the innocents who fall prey to this city's peril, as anyone who crosses the path of an evil Dark Urge-controlled player would also meet a ghastly end.
Decay: An Integral Part of the Game's FabricBaldur’s Gate 3 draws inspiration from medieval history and fits the fantasy genre. Medieval cities were famous (or infamous) for their lack of hygiene, but it seems Baldur’s Gate takes this characteristic to another level.
Factoring in the putrid smell of decaying zombies controlled by metal monsters, and the abundance of corpse-filled basements, the city's odor would likely be more unbearable than any real medieval town.
This concept of smell isn’t usual in most fantasy games. However, in this instance, it adds to Baldur’s Gate 3’s allure, creating a stimulus for our senses and an imaginative challenge to elicit an olfactory response.
In the end, we are thankful that the sense of smell has yet to be incorporated into gaming technology. For this is one smell that we're not too keen to experience.