The Beloved Ranger

The Beloved Ranger was a large statue located in Baldur's Gate that portrayed a larger-than-life depiction of the Rashemi ranger Minsc and his companion Boo. It was the the only structure allowed to permanently grace the ever-bustling marketplace of the Upper City, and was a particular favorite meeting spot that was rather cherished by the Baldurian populace.

Description

The sculpture depicted the peculiar hero of the city with his distinct smile as he held his "giant pygmy space hamster" with care.

Activities

Each morning before dawn, the Bailiff of the Wide and their subordinates gathered around the statue to discuss changes in market-stall locations and prepare for the activities of the day.

History

The Beloved Ranger was erected sometime around the Year of the Dauntless Dwarves, 1412 DR and commissioned by Orburt Lewel, a rather eccentric merchant. This honorific deed was taken as a sort of thanks, as apparently Minsc had saved Lewel's life from some long-forgotten peril. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, the statue was actually the real Minsc and Boo under the effects of petrification.
One night, in the 1480s DR, the wild mage Delina was being chased through the Upper City by a pair of gargoyles. She stopped running in the Wide and stood her ground at the foot of the Beloved Ranger. When she cast a spell, the errant effects of the wild magic struck the statue and dispelled the petrification, bringing Minsc and Boo back to life.
The merchants of the Wide complained vehemently about the loss of some of the marketplace's charm, so by the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR a new statue was commissioned and placed on the same pedestal where the originals once stood.

Type

Monument / Statue, Large