Following the release of the official Baldur's Gate 3 modding tools by Larian back in September 2024, the modding community has begun creating full-fledged custom campaigns for the award-winning cRPG. One of the first to get a playable version is 'The Grand Theater - Sell your Lute to the Devil' by Moezilla. Here's the overview provided by the modder:
This is a custom modded campaign set nestled on the outskirts of Baldur's Gate, hidden from the prying eyes of the city, stands an imposing, yet strangely inviting structure: The Grand Theater. The flickering lights of lanterns and the alluring sound of music draw in travelers from far and wide, promising an experience of unparalleled entertainment. However, what lies beneath the polished veneer of extravagant performances and mesmerizing illusions is a darker, more sinister story.
The theater is owned and operated by a powerful faction known as the Red Wizards of Thay—arcane masters and manipulative schemers whose true intentions are often cloaked in secrecy. As they push their hidden agendas, they have crafted a show unlike any other: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for performers to showcase their talents... but at a cost.
In the halls of the Grand Theater, you’ll find that the show must go on—but the question remains: who will be the star of the final act, and what will they lose to secure their place under the spotlight?
This is a world where the Red Wizards hold the strings, and you’ll have to decide whether the cost of fame is worth the price of your soul. Will you play your part, or will the Devil demand his due?
The modder warns users that they should have finished the base Baldur's Gate 3 campaign first. This is because Larian has reportedly made it so that if you never encountered some NPCs in the default game, they won't appear in modded campaigns, either.
Additionally, version 1.0 is very limited in its feature set. Players will find around two thousand new lines of dialogue (text-only, no voice acting or lip sync), with six quests that can be started but only one that can be currently completed. There's also no combat yet, though the modder plans to add it to version 1.1.
Some of the most exciting Baldur's Gate 3 custom campaigns to look forward to include Path to Menzoberranzan by Lotrich (who just released a video showing off the mod's progress) and Forsaken, which is set in the world of Warcraft, more specifically in the Undead starting zone of Tirisfal Glades. Forsaken is also currently very early, with only the starting area available.
