Khalid from Baldur's Gate (1998) was a real one
"Listen carefully. If we ever become separated, it is imperative that you make your way to the Friendly Arm Inn. There you will meet Khalid and Jaheira. They have long been my friends, and you can trust them."
Less than an hour into Baldur's Gate, your foster father Gorion is murdered at the hands of a mysterious armed figure. Alone and injured, you - Gorion's Ward - take off into the wilderness. While players can go anywhere at this point, a first time player will likely follow the road with Imoen until they meet Xzar and Montaron. They talk about going south, but there is a different objective that is probably on the minds of the player - getting to the Friendly Arm.
I'm currently working my way through Siege of Dragonspear for the first time, and felt motivated to make a small tribute to one of my favorite NPCs from the saga: the stuttering, Neutral Good Half-Elven Fighter Khalid.
He's a real one
Who is Khalid?
Khalid is, on the surface, a fairly mediocre combatant. His constitution and dexterity are both solid. His strength is merely acceptable , and he has a high intelligence for some reason. There's a decent amount of evidence that he was intended to be a fighter/mage, and quite a few tweak packs do exactly that.
Khalid has a stutter, and a reputation for fleeing from combat. While he does have a higher chance to have a morale failure and run, he's not uniquely high. However, his strength is high enough for armor and he's unique among the potential party recruits in that he is a pure fighter, allowing him to gain the highest proficiency with a weapon of choice. Longsword? Axes? Longbows? You can make him an expert in the weapon of your choosing.
But past his mechanics, my favorite thing about Khalid is that he is good. Simply good.
Khalid the Harper
Khalid and his wife Jaheira are members of Those Who Harp aka The Harpers - a semi-secret society of do-gooders that play a larger part in the Forgotten Realms lore. They're a loose organization of adventurers (mostly bards, rangers, and druids) who act to preserve the balance between nature and civilization, as well as fight against tyranny wherever it rears its ugly head. To quote the Harper Code:
"All beings should walk free of fear, with the right to live their lives as they wish."
Khalid is, in many ways, an ideal Harper. Anonymously working for the betterment of the realms, always humble, always compassionate, never seeking out glory for, to again quote the code, "Pride never rules the deeds of a true Harper". Admittedly, NPCs in Baldur's Gate 1 do have less overt characterization and dialogue. However, we can examine his demeanor through other NPCs within the party to gain insight:
The good aligned PCs like him. That's obvious enough, but we can look at how he interacts with the more abrasive characters:
- Shar-Teel (Chaotic Evil Fighter) is rude to Khalid, but Khalid is civil.
- Viconia (Neutral Evil Cleric) is a sweetheart deep down, but in BG1 she's just rude and harsh. She disrespects Khalid constantly, but he never seems too bothered by it. Many of the good aligned NPCs attack Viconia.
- Quayle (Chaotic Neutral Cleric/Mage) is an insufferable prick to everyone, but Khalid doesn't give back.
- Edwin (Lawful Evil Mage) is tolerated, despite his Thayan ties.
The only NPCs he comes to blows with are the aforementioned Xzar and Montaron. These two agents of Zhentarim are investigating the Iron Crisis. The Zhentarim in lore are one of the major groups opposed by the Harpers. They are mercenaries and wicked traders, using coin and threats to exert influence and secure profit. They trade in slaves and conduct protection rackets. If you have Khalid, Jaheira, Xzar, and Montaron in your party, they will probably come to blows in Nashkel. The Harpers are most likely to come out victorious, which is the preferred outcome - slaver scum have it coming.
Full disclosure: I have a soft spot for the Harpers in part because I played one for years back in the late 2000s/early 2010s.
Siege of Dragonspear and Boareskyr Bridge
(Below this point, there will be spoilers for Siege of Dragonspear)
In Siege of Dragonspear, Gorion's Ward is working with the Flaming Fist against the Crusade. Stretched thin and in dire straits, Gorion's Ward meets Jaheira on the road to north of the Flaming Fist camp where we learn that Bridgefort - which controls the Boareskyr bridge - is under heavy fire but has temporarily paused the advance of the Crusade. And the commander of this resistance is none other than Khalid. The Crusade doesn’t need to capture Bridgefort, but advancing would be leaving an enemy fort filled with supplies at their backs. Even a small garrison would play havoc with supply lines.
The story shows Khalid in command of the garrison - he’s not winning, but he’s stalling long enough for the Flaming Fist and Gorion’s Ward to break the siege. It's a quiet, understated heroism that perfectly exemplifies Khalid. He steps in, helps out in the background of the narrative, and readily returns to his life as a Harper when the task is done, expecting no thanks or reward.
And, depending on the player’s actions, he can charge out to assist the Flaming Fist as you storm the Crusader camp on two fronts. If he survives the battle, he will readily join your party.
Jaheira
(Below this point, there will be spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 2)
The other major part of Khalid’s character is that he absolutely adores his wife Jaheira. In Baldur’s Gate 1 and Siege of Dragonspear, they are paired characters, meaning that you have to bring both of them if you want to bring one. Khalid is a gentle, moderating influence on the tough-as-nails Jaheira. Even though Jaheira is the more assertive of them, it’s clear how much she values Khalid and his opinion.
The companions all have side quests in Siege of Dragonspear and Khalid’s sidequest involves helping him collect things to make an anniversary gift for Jaheira: an amulet. It’s one of the sweetest moments in the campaign.
In the opening dungeon of Baldur’s Gate 2, the party finds Khalid’s body, tortured to death by Irenicus. In a double punch, Jaheira’s distraught reaction is heartbreaking. Her romance deals with coming to terms with Khalid’s death and finding it okay to love again. It’s actually a nice story of healing, but it starts only a few real life hours after the discovery of Khalid’s murder. It might be months of in game time, but it can still feel jarring to get the romance cues from her so early on. I’ve never pursued it myself, but I don’t judge any one who has.
(Below this point, there will be spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3)
After Act Two in Baldur’s Gate 3, Jaheira can join the player avatar. Even so many years later, the veteran Harper still cherishes her late husband. To describe him, she says: “I have never known a warrior who would go so far out of his way to avoid a fight. Which meant the few he chose were usually the right ones,” said with such pride. She can be heard nearly in tears remembering Khalid’s marriage vows.
You can find the amulet that Khalid made her in Siege of Dragonspear at Jaheria’s house in Baldur’s Gate. Giving it to her unlocks the above dialogue.
End Spoilers - Finale
So, pour one out to Khalid. My man was a real one.