Baldur’s Gate 2 : Enhanced Edition – Neera Romance

Neera Romance Guide

Neera can be found first in the bridge district rescuing a young girl and fleeing from some Red Wizards who are still trying to capture and kill all wild mages. As soon as you leave the bridge district, she will meet you in a space in between sections of the city and ask you to meet her at the Wild Forest. There you will have the chance to accept her into your party, and the quest begins! Help her across the Wild Forest to the Refuge, and begin working with the wild mages.

Getting Awkward Business Over With

(This event happens early on if you had completed the romance quest with Neera back in the original Baldur’s Gate game. Otherwise, it happens much later at event 6 in this sequence). After travelling with you for at least a day, Neera says, “Umm. Can we talk a second?” Respond, “Of course. Talking to you is one of the greatest pleasures in my life.” Her response isn’t that positive, with “I don’t even know if you’re joking. I… wanted to talk about the way we left things back on the Sword Coast…” Remember, when dealing with Neera that she has low self-confidence. No matter what, this is going to be an awkward conversation. Say, “Oh. Let’s not think too much about the past.” She likes that, and says “Right! But picking up where we left off would be hard… wherever that was…” So, here is where it goes downhill. Say, “Agreed. But you must have a reason to bring this up.” Neera says, “Actually, yes. I met someone. It’s over now between me and him. Not that that means anything… I just thought you should know.” Time to make the best of a bad deal, and let her have a bit of space. Say, “I’m glad you told me, Neera. Really.” She says, “Really? Good. Let’s get moving. Ah! And I thought my first wild surge was awkward. Ha ha!” The end for now.

Neera Has No Sense of Self-Reflection

In the Ruined Temple area, without any other apparent trigger, Neera started a conversation. “So, you arrived in Athkatla recently? This Jon Irenicus kidnapped you? That couldn’t have been fun.” You can reply, “I was imprisoned and tortured. No, it wasn’t fun.” This is a good answer, because Neera has a soft heart despite her abrasiveness, and she is dealing with some insane mages that also like to imprison, torture, and kill. She says, “Oh gods! I’m so, so sorry! You’ve had a taste of what I’m most afraid of – having a crazy wizard want to tear you apart because of what you are. Not even who you are. WHAT you are. Know what I mean?” You can reply, “Intimately. It’s a terrible thing, being treated as if what you think and feel are of no consequence.” She agrees (with no apparent self-reflection…), “Exactly! I want the world to know that I CAN’T be tossed aside. That I matter. Don’t you?” You actually can make more than one answer, as long as you don’t try to hurt her feelings. I chose to say, “I don’t think the whole world need to know. I’d be happy to make my mark on one small corner of Faerun.” She says, “You’ve already done that! You’re right, though. That’s all you really need. I guess that makes us peas in a pod. An enormous pod, obviously, with an outhouse and a wood-burning stove.” There are several good closers. I chose, “I like the way you think. Let’s go on, my fellow pod person.”

First Time in Athkatla

When entering Athkatla with Neera in the party for the first time, she says, “Look at all these buildings and people! Baldur’s Gate was huge, but this place makes it look like my hamlet back in the High Forest!” A good reply is to let her know a bit about yourself, “Imagine how this place looks to me. I grew up in a library!” Neera is interested and says, “I forgot you’re from Candlekeep. Athkatla must look just as big to you, if not bigger. There seems to be no end of things you can do. Not like the High Forest. I mean, there WAS lots to do, but most of it was pretty dull. There weren’t all these people milling around.” In this interchange, you and Neera are exchanging stories about your pasts. So encourage her. You can say, “You don’t talk much about the High Forest. It was lonely?” She says, “You could doze off there, wake up, and not know where you were or how long you’d been asleep. It was like the rest of the world had stopped. The trees and animals were still there, obviously. But they never paid much attention… until I started accidentally burning stuff down, of course. It was the purest kind of lonely.” You continue to prod her, saying, “And was feeling that way good or bad?” She replies, “Neither entirely. More good than bad, I think. I was banished because I didn’t fit in. Well, that and burning things. But I DID fit in, in a way. That pure kind of lonely, that solitude – I always think about that. Want it. Good or bad, it’s who I am.” I decided to take a chance with my next answer… Neera does like risk taking a bit: “What if you were to fall in love?” She does tense up with the answer, as expected, but isn’t completely negative about it: “IF it happened, I guess I wouldn’t want solitude so much. Who knows what the Neera of tomorrow will think?” To which I closed the discussion with, “We’ll find out.”

Thick as Thieves… (After the Planar Sphere)

Having just completed the “Planar Sphere” quest, upon stepping outside with Lavok and before he spoke… Neera ventures, “Life on the road is great, but it makes having friends harder. Before you came along, Telana and I were as thick as thieves. Really fat thieves!” There is the option to insult her intelligence, but it might be better to choose something else. Nonetheless, I chose to insult her intelligence and said: “I don’t think you know the meaning of the phrase ‘Thick as Thieves’.” Unsurprisingly, it promotes the harsh response, “Do you know the meaning of the phrase ‘Go fly a kite?’ As I was saying… If I had to decide, I think I’m probably better at being on the road than being a friend. I don’t necessarily WANT it to be that way, but there you have it.” Seemed like a good idea to retrench at this point, so I said, “I don’t think adventuring and friendship are mutually exclusive, Neera.” Neera is okay with that response, and says, “Aren’t they? Maybe you’re right. I mean, you’re a friend – or at least friendly… right?” Okay, folks, remember that she says things like this when she is at her most vulnerable. It was forgiveable to poke at her at the start of this exchange, but if you want this relationship to go anywhere, the time for banter is over. Nor do you want to sound so certain that you are insincere. Show her some vulnerability, too. Say, “Am I your friend. I’d like to think I am… something like that.” This is what will emotionally connect to her. She says, enthusiastically, “YES! SOMETHING like that! Glad to hear it! Anyway, the road calls. Off we go.” (Good job for doing this one right.)

Neera Likes Something Hard

Crossing the bridge up towards the Twofold Temple (Rasaad’s quest). This one starts out pretty humorously. Neera exclaims, “Darn it! My last wild surge did something… odd… to my dry rations.” You can say, “What did it do?” and get a normal response. She says, “Undried them! The hardtack’s a gooey mess, then apples look like they were just picked and the fish is – oh! There he goes. Good luck finding a pond, little guy. I don’t suppose you’d share some of your rations, would you?” Of COURSE you should get a meal for you date. Is there any other reasonable answer? “Of course, Neera. Here you are – beef strips and more hardtack.” She comes back with, “Hardtack. Hardtack! Always hardtack! Have you noticed no one ever offers to reward us with a nice dinner? Thanks! Not bad! You have really nice biscuits. Er… that sounded bad. Buns. No! Hard fruit! Aargh!” Take a chance with her, and say, “Ha ha! You’re very sly!” (I was strongly tempted to say, “I like this list! Keep going with it!” But she just says, “No, no. I’m stopping while I’m ahead.”) With the “sly” answer, she says, “It was an accident, I swear! Oh wow. I am suddenly very full. High time we got moving, don’t you think?”

Awkward Business, Encountered Later

(This event might have happened early on, if you completed the romance quest with Neera in the original Baldur’s Gate. See step 1, above…) Out of the blue, but when you have already cultivated a relationship with Neera, she says, “Hey! Uh… We’ve been getting to know each other pretty well, right? So… I thought I’d mention I was seeing someone. Recently. Before I came to Amn, back on the Sword Coast…” Well, at this point you are going to have to choose if you want a relationship with a complicated girl. If so, you should say, “Oh really? What happened?” She says, “It’s… It didn’t end well. Actually, I’m not sure it ended at all. I… I sort of left.” Several good options to choose from here. You can say, “Did he mistreat you in some way?” She laughs at that, saying, “Mistreat me? Ha! No. Unless you count saying sweet things and giving gifts as mistreatment. Here’s what happened: I woke up one morning and saw him lying there, and I knew it couldn’t’ go on. He didn’t look bad or anything – I just knew. So, I got up, got my things together, and walked out.” You can say, “Why didn’t you talk to him?” and it will provoke the response, “I was afraid I guess. Not of him. I just didn’t want to see him get hurt. I’ve hurt plenty of people, of course. Usually by magic and usually by accident. It’s happened again and again. But I couldn’t bear to see… his face. To know I was responsible for how he felt..” DON’T be cruel to her at this point, since she is confessing and needs forgiveness and emotional support. Say, “You clearly feel responsible, whether you see him or not.” She will say, “I just – thought you should know… I don’t want to say ‘This is this!’ or ‘That is that!’ Because you’d have no idea what I was talking about. I just wanted you to know what you’re getting into, in case –“ and here you choose a reply. Obviously, letting her know you don’t want the relationship to go anywhere means that this romance is at an end. Instead, either tell her you might or else that you do have feelings for her. I chose, “ In case I start to have feelings for you?” Either answer provokes the same response: “Hey! May you could try being a little more loud and straightforward! But yes, SOMETHING like that. I’m not saying you do. And I’m not saying I do – but… there it is.” If you chose to let her know that you already did have feelings for her, the conversation ends here. If you chose that you might develop feeling for her, you get one more chance to clarify. “I see. Well, I’m not saying one way or another but… thank you.” She closes the conversation with, “Boy, am I glad that’s over. Can we get moving? Fast? I can job ahead and do some scouting…”

Neera With a Few Beers in Her

This next episode begins when Neera enters a bar (e.g. the Sea’s Bounty Tavern) with you, after the previous episode. She says, “What a crowd! This place beats most of the inns back in Baldur’s Gate. And let’s not even TALK about the High Forest. There, and inn is considered busy if there’s more than one raccoon in the attic.” The best response is, “It’s a good place to rest between adventures – and for starting some.” This is because Neera regards *herself* as an adventure. She says, “Also drinking! Speaking of which, I sure am thirsty…” (Hint: buy your girl a drink when you are out on a date and she asks for a drink. But do it nicely.) You say, as in real life, “Would you like a drink?” She says, also as in real life, “Yes please! I’ll have a Shadowdark Ale. Get one for yourself while you’re at it.” You say, “Very well. Try not to burn the place down while I’m gone.” (Hint: Sometimes, it’s okay to flirt with your girlfriend this way.) Neera, being happy, says, “Ah, that hits the spot! I could get used to this. Interesting people all around, music, an ale in my hand…” And at this moment, you say, “…my hand in your other hand…” She laughs, and pretends to be shocked (as in real life), saying, “What?! Whoa! What would people think? Like I care what people think of me at this point.” And that’s the end… for now…

Neera is a Wild Mage

A few days later, Neera starts the following. In my case, she started it at a very inappropriate time, because I was in the middle of killing the wizards of the Order of the Eight Staves. But her timing has always been a little bit peculiar. “You know… I never thought I would travel with someone so at home in nature. When I left the High Forest, I thought I was leaving all that behind.” Perhaps it is significant that my character is a **ranger** in context of what she says. She goes on, “To be fair though – I have no idea how it is for you. Travelling around with me, I mean. Are you surprised to be travelling around with a headstrong wild mage?” You should respond, as always, without cruelty to her, if you want this conversation to continue: “Not at all. The minute I left Candlekeep, I thought, ‘I wonder when I’ll run into a pretty half-elven wild mage.’” This provokes a good response, “Pretty? You know what I like best about you? Your keen skills of observation.” (Note that making the most obvious compliment will be perceived as sarcasm.The result isn’t as great as you might hope, because she says, “Ugh. I’ll try to forget you said that.” But then goes on as before.) She continues, “Second question: ‘Headstrong.’ Is that accurate? Is that how you’d describe me? No right answer, I won’t judge you – I just want to know what you really think.” As has been a theme in other interactions in this romance, there is a lot here that mirrors real life. When your real life wife or girlfriend says that there is no wrong answer, there is a very very very wrong answer, and your life and relationship are on the line, so think carefully what you say. In this case, you should say, “Headstrong? It’s fair, I’d say. It’s one of the things I like about you.” (Note: The squishy and evasive answer that she is just her, also provokes a good response.) Neera replies very positively this time, saying, “You charmer you. I don’t mind being called uncontrollable and unpredictable. It’s just that – well, there’s more to me than that. At least I hope there is. After a while, ‘She’s a wild mage! She’s wild!’ starts sounding a little… dismissive, you know? Whatever. We should get back to what we were doing.”

How dog poop can lead to romance?

A few days later, with reputation above 15 and returning to Athkatla from an area outside it, Neera starts the next exchange: “Oh no! You just stepped in something. This city needs to regulate dogs, not magic. Multiple good replies exist. Choosing, “Ack! Help me to clean it up!” provokes Neera to say, “I don’t think so. You spill gallons of blood every day, and you are squeamish about a little pile of digested meat? Luckily, I have some spare rags. Lift up your left boot. There, it’ll just take a dab. Don’t look at me, I’m not touching it – this is your duty. DUTY, get it? There! You cleaned it all up. Isn’t that better?” The response should be, “I don’t know about ‘better.’ Mortifying, certainly.” She has a sense of humor, and says, “Mortifying for you is fun for me. Still you were a good sport. Perhaps you do deserve something for all your hard work.” A tough choice, because she’s pretty appealing, but does she really want to kiss you after you just cleaned up doggie doolie? Answer, “What did you have in mind?” though the other response may work, too. “Oh, I don’t know – you’re familiar with what’s in my pockets, so, why not a kiss?” (YES. YOU SHOULD KISS.) Say, “I can kiss you?” She gets all bashful, “A kiss?” she says, “I don’t see any harm in it.” So you say, “Then I will.” She says, “Mmm! That was *nice*! I’d like to find that dog and thank it for helping make that happen.” End for now.

Neera Thinks you Smell Like Oregano

After destroying the Cult of the Eyeless, upon reaching the surface, Neera says, “Phew! I’m glad that’s over. But it really wasn’t THAT hard. I feel like fighting is becoming second nature to me, like breathing or a persistant craving for cheese.” If you reply, “It IS second nature to me, you know,” then Neera says, “I guess it is, Son of BHAAL and all that.” But me? I’m not sure what to think. Who doesn’t like feeling powerful? But sometimes I worry – nah… never mind.” You can reply, “Go ahead. I’m listening.” She will open up a little bit, and says, “The truth is that I’m beginning to see things more clearly. When you’re a wild mage, you kind of open yourself up to chaos. You look into it. As I get more powerful, I see it better and better each time I look.” Out of the options you get, none are particularly good, but if you say, “That sounds troubling. Perhaps you should look away,” then she says, “That’s not a choice I can make. It’s part of being a wild mage, and I’m not giving that up, am I? But looking into the chaos CAN be troubling. It’s equal parts terror and ecstasy – and sometimes I can’t tell them apart.” At this point, she distracts herself… with you! “Okay, cheery thoughts! What’s a good cheery thought?… Um, you smell – wow! – You smell really good!” Heh. If you say, “Oh really? Like what?” then she says, “(*sniff*) Incense and… peppermint! Okay, not really. You actually smell more like oregano. Try to go with it, though. Lean into me and let me get a better whiff… (mmm) Okay, enough smooching! We’re lagging behind.”

Neera is Frustrating

Two days later, having just solved the Riddle of the Sewers, and returned to the Copper Coronet… “I’m really, really tired today,” says Neera. “I hope I’m not getting ill.” No doubt with thoughts of pregnancy in mind, but wondering how that is possible, you say back, “You should have said so earlier. Let’s take a break.” She says back, “No, no. I’m just tired. I don’t feel ill so much as… a little overwhelmed.” There is a response that doesn’t make much sense in light of the conversation that has already occurred, but you should say, “What things did you mean?” This prompts her to say almost what she means, “I’m worried. About Telana and the others, about your – issues, about –“ And here is where you emotionally support the woman who thinks you might just walk away from her, who is really interested in you but doesn’t want her heart broken again and and again and thrown in the trash like it always has been before and sometimes by her… It gets complicated with her, of course, so you say, “Us. You’re worried about us.” She agreed and gushes out the words, “I’m worried about you and me. We’re getting really close, and I’ve been having fun. WE’VE been having fun. You and me – we’ve had fun together. And soon, you know, we’ll probably want to have even MORE fun. When that happens – if it happens – I’m not sure how much fun things will be after.” This has been an important milestone for her to get over, and you need to be really really kind to her now, so say, “I think I follow you. What should we do?” She will say back, “I haven’t a clue. I… tend to learn things best by experiencing them.” You reply, “I’m ready whenever you are.” She says, “You are? I’m… glad. Excited. Not now, though. I wasn’t lying about being tired, but… Soon. One of these nights.” Don’t be frustrated. A woman worth waiting for is really worth waiting for. Be there for her, and when the time is right, she will be there for you. Neera isn’t just a blanket to keep you warm.

Neera Commits and Blushes

At nighttime, having just walked out of an inn, Neera says, “Something on your mind? You seem nervous, or anxious, or – maybe it’s just me.” You should reply, “I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier, Neera.” She says, “Oh? Me too. A lot. I find you kind of irresistible. KIND of. So I’m curious. How do you feel?” Two good answers, and one that will obviously end this romance if you pick it. I chose, “I find you kind of irresistible, too, and I feel like we should stop kind of resisting.” She says, “I want this to happen, too. So much.” And you should say, “Then I’ll come to you the next time we rest.” She says, “Good. I’ll wait up for you. I’m sure I’m blushing. I KNOW you are. Let’s get moving. If there’s one thing I know you’re good for, it’s awkward, distracting conversations.”

Neera is Confused, Scared, and Vulnerable

When you next rest at an inn, it is to be understood that you spent the night in Neera’s arms. She does not want to be just another notch on the bedpost for you, but she is dreadfully insecure that you are using her exactly that way. So, the next morning, she says to you, “So… I suppose we should talk about what happened last night. What we – uh, what you and I did.” The gentlest answer is, “Yes, I think we should. What did it mean to you?” She says back to you, “What did it ‘mean’? Well – I don’t know. Does it have to ‘mean’ something? Not that it didn’t mean anything. It’s just – I’m not sure. Had you done that before?” (You can say that you did, right after killing Sarevok, which provokes a somewhat positive response from her, “So you had your Sword Coast Dalliances as well!”) Alternatively, you can give the smartest answer a man should give in such real life circumstances, “No. I grew up in a library filled with monks. Remember?” Her reaction is a bit more negative, because she scoffs at that, saying, “And I grew up in a forest filled with treants. But we’ve both been away from home for a while. People find ways. I kind of already told you about Avrum. The man, back in Baldur’s Gate.” Say back to her, “No you didn’t tell me that, not directly.” She chuckles at that, saying, “Ha. I guess you’re right. I suppose I convinced myself I had, because I told you what happened next. It was the morning after we – uh, you know… that I decided to leave him.” You next reply should **not** be aggressive or arrogant. Instead, you should say, “I see. Do you feel different about me, after last night?” Her reaction is good to this, and she says to you, “I don’t feel like leaving, if that’s what you mean. Maybe I’m not the same person I was when I was with Avrum. Or maybe it’s something about you. In any case, last night made me feel – I don’t know, a little closer to you. It’s scary. Kind of like getting a wild surge.” Say to her, “What do you mean?” Her response is, “When I get a wild surge, I see into chaos. It’s full of terror and ecstasy. Sometimes I don’t know which is which. That uncertainty is what I feel now.” The answer I chose was, “Some people call it love.” She says, “Do they? Is love the same for all people? I don’t know. I’m not sure I know anything about what most people call love. But – whatever it is I’m feeling right now, it feels pretty good.”

Neera Gets Tender and Prickly

A couple of days later, Neera starts off, “Something’s been weighing on my mind since what happened at the Hidden Refuge.” You can reply, “Do you want to talk about it?” which provokes her a bit, and she says, “Well, yes, genius. I – this is just REALLY hard to talk about. It all happened so fast. I wasn’t even there. All that work, everything that I put into making the refuge happen – gone in a flash. You know, it was the first time I really felt –“ If you say “Useful?” she will take it very negatively, but it isn’t fatal to your cause. She will say, “Is that a joke? I know that you call me charming and everything, but if I weren’t useful, I doubt I’d be travelling with the Bhaalspawn. No – I had control. I was finally directing my powers toward a definite purpose, and they weren’t betraying me for a change. I wanted the Hidden Refuge to be a place for wild mages, but I also wanted it to be exactly what a wild mage isn’t – safe, stable. And then along came the Red Wizards.” You can say, “That wasn’t your fault,” for a positive response, more or less. She says, “No, it was the Wizard’s fault. Or Hayes, or a world hell-bent on transforming whatever I try into a pile of steaming dung. It’s fun when my magic does weird things. Heya, presto! You’re a girl! You’re a squirrel! You’ve got pink hair! But sometimes it seems like it’s someone else’s fun, not mine. I don’t want any of that to happen. I just want things to go – the way I want them to go.” She has a poor attitude for a wild mage, I think. If you say, “But do you always know what you want?” then she replies, “…No, I don’t. I hardly EVER know. How can anyone know what they want all the time? But I know what I want right now. I want you. I… guess that’s important.” (She is very nice when she gets tender so suddenly.)

Neera Prepares to Tell The Greatest Story Ever

The story continues after you exit from the drow city. Curiously, while in that city, Phaere will certainly try to sleep with you character. Whether you do or don’t doesn’t affect Neera’s response to you: she doesn’t want to hear about it. But when you exit the city, she resumes the romance storyline: “You look down.” If you respond, “The challenges I face keep getting more difficult, it seems. I’m worn out,” then Neera replies, “You look a little haggard. Cute! But haggard. I can tell you a little story if you want. Something to lift your spirits a bit.” You should say, “You’re welcome to try.” She says, “Great! I have to look over my notes. I’ll get back to you in a bit – tomorrow, maybe.” You should say, “Notes?” She replies, “Of course! Don’t worry. It’s not that long. Really.” And you close this round by saying, “Very well, I’ll do my best to get by until you’re ready.” The end for now…

Neera is a Very Poor Bard

The next time you are outside when the sun rises… “Are you ready for your uplifting story?” says Neera. If you want to go ahead, say, “Yes.” She begins her tale: “Once upon a time, there was a mysterious handsome orphan. He travelled all around the countryside, caring for those who needed care, killing those who needed killing, and helping many people find objects that would’ve otherwise been lost forever.” You should say, “Go on.” She continues, “During his travels, he met a beautiful half-elven lady who captivated him with her quick wit and general usefulness. He also met a cast of secondary characters I won’t bore you with.” With a sense of humor, you should say, “It’s good that the others are out of earshot. Keep going.” She continues, “He did a lot of killing. Kobolds, xvarts, ogres, wyverns. You name it, he’s killed it. Then he was kidnapped. He escaped by killing a lot more things, and made money to save his sister killing even MORE things. Oh! He also killed his half-brother and his friends – but he had to. They were trying to kill him. That happened before the kidnapping, by the way.” You should simply say, “Go on.” She says, “Through it all, he was always himself. Some worried he would become a slave to the divine essence of the dead god within him, the god of… well, killing things. But his uh, actions… and, uh decisions… proved that… Oh Hells! I didn’t think through the ending very well.” And you should say, “I thought the ending was… quite appropriate.” Because it is. She says, “You did? THAT can’t be good. We should be on our way. If the whole wild mage thing doesn’t work out, I’ll make sure not to pursue the calling of inspirational bard.”

The end

In Hell, Neera will be inspirational and loyal. You’ve been through thick and thin together. The girl loves you, and you love her, and what is more, you know and respect each other.

And that’s worth a lot.