Baldur’s Gate 3 players shocked by offensive name for deity

Scott Baird
Baldur's Gate 3 players shocked by offensive name for deity

Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t afraid to use every aspect of D&D lore, including some dodgy nicknames that priests use for their gods, which are shouted during a certain fight.

While chosen worshipers of the Dead Three are among the villains in Baldur’s Gate 3, not all evil gods are so direct in their involvement with the world. In fact, many evil gods have temples and shrines in major cities because you don’t want to annoy them, especially if their portfolio involves your life in some way.

Umberlee, the evil goddess of the sea, is one such deity that is openly worshiped. She represents the capricious nature of the oceans, so you REALLY don’t want to get on her bad side if you’re planning on making a journey across water.

You can encounter priests of Umberlee in Baldur’s Gate 3, and they aren’t afraid to use the more colorful nicknames for the goddess. A user on the BG3 Reddit was surprised to learn that Umberlee is commonly referred to as “The Bitch Queen” by residents of the Forgotten Realms.

“Umberlee is a god the average person doesn’t worship so much as beg not to kill them (her alignment is chaotic evil),” one user explained, “Which is fitting enough for a sea god. She knows she’s a bitch and revels in it.”

“There’s a funny banter between Astarion and Halsin at the temple about it,” another user wrote, “Halsin worries that something said is going to offend her and Astarion replies something like, “She purposely goes by The Bitch Queen. I don’t think she’ll care.”

“Yes she’s the fickle goddess of the sea. You leave offerings for Umberlee not in the hope of gaining her favor but rather in the hope she ignores you,” one user wrote, while a House of the Dragon watcher said, “Ah, she’s embracing her inner Criston Cole.”

Umberlee’s nickname is actually revealed at the start of the game, though it’s easy to miss. If you search the area near where you land after the Nautiloid crash, you can find a book of sea shanties about her, kept by local fishermen in the region.

There are a ton of nods to D&D lore in Baldur’s Gate 3, and as the infamous bear scene proved, the developers aren’t afraid to touch the spicier bits. When it comes to Umberlee, her nickname is as well-known as her actual name, though you probably don’t want to say it out loud if you’re planning on going on a cruise.