Khalid

Context

Khalid (pronounced Kal-Ed, unintuitively) is a companion in the classic Baldur’s Gate video game.

It was based on Dungeons & Dragon, and released in 1998.

There are several other articles that may be useful for context :

As explained in the Forgotten Realms primer, these profiles are based on a modded playthrough. Notably, these add a fair bit of intra-party banter. In the baseline game, the companions receive less characterisation.

This profile, he’s got S P O I L E R S. Howbeit, due to time constraints, our BG companion profile only cover them up to level 5 for now.

Background

Powers & Abilities

Khalid is a serious but unenthusiastic fighter. He works with a typical elf-inspired loadout – broadsword, longbow, splint mail.

Though he’s not big (slightly under the average for his species) he’s quick and fights smart.

Khalid is easy to underestimate, and he’s strong for a 145 lbs. dude.

On the other hand, Khalid has but a mediocre level of resolve and charisma. And poor assertiveness and decisiveness.

In this playthrough

In this playthrough, Khalid shifts to a heavier loadout with plate mail and tower shield. Then to ankheg plate and a magical large shield.

He focuses his training on a shield-and-broadsword form, including fighting in tandem with Jet Foundling to hold the line.

If Jet can hold back the enemy by herself, Khalid fights as an archer. But he’ll be the first to drop the bow and run into melee if more bodies are needed to form a rank at Jet’s side.

See the game stats for a breakdown of his equipment during this playthrough (up to level 5).

On the level

How the seasoned Khalid and Jaheira can be level 1 when you meet them is a mystery for the ages.

Since the early party being level 1 is such an important part of the Baldur’s Gate experience, we’ll go along with it and suspend disbelief. Maybe the couple was badly wounded during an adventure, their lives only narrowly saved by their colleagues.

In this No-Prize HypothesisA made-up explanation to plug a plot hole., Khalid and Jaheira have only been let go by the healers recently and still have sutured wounds to keep clean, curative potions to drink, sequelae from a concussion, etc.. It might also help explain why Khalid is so disoriented and Jaheira so cranky when met.

Or perhaps it was a draining curse, such as a wight  ’s touch. If so, the couple had been travelling to Candlekeep where Gorion was researching means of helping them recover more quickly from levels loss.

For what it’s worth, mods mention Khalid having been captured and tortured not too long before CHARNAME left Candlekeep, and still being diminished.

A map of Calimshan.

Land of pashas

Khalid comes from Calimshan. This is a land far away to the South. Calimshan is primarily populated by Humans. It is essentially heroic fantasy Arabia — with djinns and stuff — with major fantasy Turkish influences.

However it is not a desert. The climate of most of the land is hot, but humid.

The population is also varied, though most people will have at least dusky skin. The dominant Human ethnicity has dark brown skin. These people are descended from the first Humans who came there, as slaves to mighty Genies  . Now, they are the dominant caste.

National history

The roots of Calimshan go back nearly 8,000 years before the Realms’ common era.

The Genie Calim came from places unknown with Human and Halfling slaves. With those and Genie allies of his, Calim conquered the cavemen of the region. He created a great empire rivalling the nearby pre-Human powers.

When Genie fought against Genie, the destruction was unimaginable. Thus, Calim’s empire was nearly razed during a strange war against the Efreet Memnon and his allies, who had been pursuing Calim across realities. That was the Era of Skyfire  . It lasted until the great Elven empires nearby put an end to it with even mightier magic.

The Human former slaves gradually rose to independence and formed Coramshan, the first Human nation on the Sword Coast. Over the ages, this evolved into Calimshan.

Thus, Calimshan is an ancient country. Most of its customs have ossified into counter-productiveness. It is a highly stratified society with hypocritical and corrupt elites and institutions, which means life there can be… interesting.

Everything in Calimshan is complicated, since there’s so much history and tradition.

History

Khalid comes from a Calishite merchant family. However, all his half-brothers had seniority over him.

As a result, he joined the local militia for a career. One doubts he ever rose in the ranks, though.

Half-Elves are rare in Calimshan. They run into nasty prejudice caused by thousands of years of poor relations with the Elven powers of old. It is in fact common for Half-Elves there to disguise themselves to pass as Humans.

The two most likely scenarios are :

Nothing is stated in-game. But based on allusions in dialogue, and a general knowledge of Calishite society :

Rebirth of the harp

How he met Jaheira and left Calimshan is unrevealed, but the two may be tied.

The pair eventually became a couple then married. With Khalid’s sword ever at Jaheira’s side as Harpers  agents.

One bit of modded-in banter mentions that Khalid and Jaheira met during a ball. In Jaheira’s telling it was she who accosted Khalid, taking pity of his shyness as he had been left alone. In Khalid’s version, it was Jaheira who was alone due to her lack of tact.

Khalid was once captured and tortured by what likely were Zhentarim  forces, though he cannot be sure. Jaheira rescued him, with Gorion’s help.

In 1368 (Dales’ Reckoning), Khalid was on the Sword Coast. He and Jaheira had been summoned to meet with their colleague Gorion, waiting for him at the Friendly Arms fortified inn.

The fortified Friendly Arms inn, where Khalid and Jaheira meet CHARNAME and Imoen.

Description

Khalid is an Half-Elf, so he’s a few inches shorter than an equivalent Human would be.

One assumes that he has a Middle-Eastern skin tone. However it might be a bit lighter since he has red hair (presumably from the Elven half of his ancestry).

He has a stammer, though it’s a relatively light one.

Personality

Khalid is a shy, pessimistic, unassertive man. He’s usually unsure and hesitant.

Though he’s a professional fighter, he’s clearly nervous and flustered when entering combat. He may reflexively fall back if overwhelmed or badly wounded.

On the other hand, his being so cautious sometimes averts disaster.

Marital arts

Khalid much prefers letting Jaheira take all the decisions. His life is thus much simpler (and interesting) since he met her. Khalid is highly devoted to his wife.

Still, he will attempt to moderate her rash bluntness in social situations.

He also occasionally enjoys making ridiculously twee and/or overwrought compliments about Jaheira, to make her laugh.

Unlike his wife, Khalid is Neutral Good. He likes and even admires prominent Good-aligned adventurers, and looked up to Gorion for upholding the cause.

Khalid also appreciates that Ms. Foundling is bringing honour to Gorion’s memory by fighting for good. Upholding goodness is his main drive.

A touch of green

He doesn’t share Jaheira’s radical druidic agenda. Though of course he’ll go along with her in any case.

Khalid feels nervous underground, in darkness and in enclosed spaces, but not pathologically so. He much prefers sunlight and pristine wilderness.

Khalid feels intimidated in cities. This may be in part because his native Calimshan is heavily urbanised, and being away from prying eyes that could unearth his Half-Elf heritage felt like freedom.

Quotes

(To Jaheira) “N-n-now d-dear, I think we should be nicer toward those p-poor girls.” (Jaheira glares at him, but does crank it down a notch)

“C-cities are always so i-intimidating. S-so full of p-people.”

“But at other times, I want to find a place to s-stop, to plant a garden… to make a f-family, centered in their being as c-creatures of dual heritage, and taught by their m-mother to be proud of everything they are.”

“M-m-my heart isn’t really into this…”

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Baldur’s Gate computer RPG.

Helper(s): Darci.

Writeup completed on the 15^th of August, 2019.