Baldur’s Gate 3: The Goddess Sharess Explained

Summary

Baldur's Gate 3 does not include all of the gods and goddesses from Dungeons and Dragons' Forgotten Realms.
Sharess, a goddess mentioned in the game, has a history of dealings with Shar and was once known as Bast.
Sharess is affiliated with cats and has a few allies and relationships with other deities.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has many gods and goddesses mentioned in the game, as well as a few for the cleric and paladin classes to worship and follow. However, there are quite a few deities from Dungeons and Dragons’ Forgotten Realms that didn’t make it into Baldur’s Gate 3 or were only referenced by certain NPCs or in passing. There is one such goddess that has had quite a few dealings with a major goddess in the game that is only referenced once or twice.

The goddess in question is called Sharess, and she has had many dealings with Shar in the past. Players will have heard her name from the inn known as Sharess’ Caress in BG3, where they meet Raphael, Voss, as well as many other characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. There is a reason that Sharess’ Caress is named after her, and it has to do with what she is the goddess of. Not only that, but she is also the patroness of a certain adorable animal species.

The Gods of Baldur's Gate 3 Explained

The gods of Baldur's Gate 3 are the source of a cleric's power, are numerous, and play a large role in the lives of the ordinary people of Faerun.

Posts

By Shayna Josi

The History of Sharess

The Second Mulhorandi Empire

Long ago, Sharess was known as Bast and was the patroness of cats within the Mulhorandi Pantheon. During the reign of the second Mulhorandi Empire, she became the goddess of felines, nomads, and sensual pleasure while traveling across Faerun and creating a myriad of cults. Not only did she become more powerful within her godhood, but she also absorbed the identity of an Elven goddess known as Zandilar the Dancer, and thus became known as the Dancing Lady.

How She Gained The Name Sharess

Possibly sometime after the end of the second Mulhorandi Empire, Sharess, or Bast as she was known at that time, began to explore the darker sides of pleasure, which attracted the Lady of Loss, Shar. Bast fell under the influence of Shar and soon became known as Sharess. Luckily for Sharess, she was freed from Shar’s influence by the goddess of beauty and love, Sune, during the Time of Troubles. Sune cleansed Sharess of the darkness with water from Arvandor’s Evergold, which restored her beauty and gave her the strength to rebel against Shar.

An Ally of Many Deities Including Selune

Sharess is allies and friends with several Good-aligned deities and, like her, they all oppose Shar, as well as Loviatar, the goddess of agony.

Selune: The goddess of the moon.
Sune: The goddess of beauty and love.
Milil: Baldur's Gate 3's Milil is the lesser god of song, poetry, eloquence, creativity, and inspiration.
Hanali Celanil: The Elven goddess of beauty and love.
Lliira: The lesser goddess of joy.

Not only did Sharess have many allies within the Faerunian Pantheon, as well as the Elven Pantheon, but she also had a few relationships with other deities, both platonic and romantic. Sharess had a close platonic relationship with Nobanion, the god of royalty, lions, and other felines and Good-aligned beasts. Since both Sharess and Nobanion shared a love for felines, they had a close bond, even though she did try to annoy him. Much like Baldur's Gate 3 features romance for players and NPCs alike, Sharess had a romantic relationship with the wise and peace-loving deity, Anhur, who was also known as the General of the Gods.

Sharess, The Mother of Cats

Sharess and Her Affiliation With Cats

In Faerun, Sharess is often depicted as a beautiful woman with the head of a cat, especially in Mulhorand. Most of the time, she is seen with various feline beasts at her side. Not only is she seen with various felines, but there is an entire order of werecats devoted to both her and Selune called the Eyes of the Evening. This order has a tradition of hunting down Sharran cultists during every full moon.

Barsik Is a Devout Follower of Sharess

In Baldur’s Gate 3, Sharess is barely mentioned, and many players will know her name from the inn known as Sharess’ Caress in Wyrms Crossing, where they can also meet the feline known as Kira. However, players can meet a devout follower of Sharess known as Barsik. Barsik is a black and white cat sitting outside Sorcerous Sundries waiting to find a new disciple for his goddess. Barsik is involved in a secret quest in Baldur's Gate 3, where he is one of three cats that can be adopted by a lonely widow. Even though Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t mention Sharess as much as other deities, at least there is a small nod to her in the form of an adorable feline.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image

Display card tags widget

RPG

Display card system widget

Systems

Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget

OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

Display card main info widget

Released: August 3, 2023
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s): Larian Studios
Publisher(s): Larian Studios
Engine: Divinity 4.0
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play: Full cross-platform play.