The infamous Pantaloons Enigma

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The infamous Pantaloons Enigma that has haunted the thoughts of gamers everywhere was not recognized as such when it began, way back in Baldur's Gate 1, when the protagonist reached the first destination after leaving Candlekeep: The Friendly Arm Inn. Being as this was so near the very beginning of the game, when the unnamed nobleman on the third floor mistook the protagonist for a launderer and gave him or her a pair of Golden Pantaloons with a rather humourous description, the first reaction was probably to get rid of them by throwing them away or giving them back to the nobleman. The protagonist had yet to learn of the mystery and value of seemingly worthless objects.

When the protagonist reached the realms of Amn in Baldur's Gate 2, yet another pair of pantaloons were obtainable. By visiting the Athkatla cemetery and rescuing a man nearly buried alive, a clue could be obtained: a piece of red cloth torn from the shirt of his kidnapper who was said to be in the Bridge District. By visiting this district, a man named Am-Si could be found wearing the same bright-red clothing, standing by the shore as if staring out to the far horizon. When confronted, he then would panic and give his compatriots' location away and they would reward him with death for his foolishness. Upstairs in their hideout: the kidnappers' current prey, a noblewoman named Lady Elgea, awaiting her release or ransom.

Depending on the protagonist, there could be two outcomes to this. The noblewoman could be freed and depart with no obligation, or the protagonist could decide to collect the ransom due by gleaning the location from a note left on a bookshelf in the area. By traveling to the Copper Coronet in the Slums District at night, a nobleman named Welther would appear. He would then proceed to pay the protagonist the ransom: a pair of Silver Pantaloons. Nothing the protagonist could do or say could change the amount or type of the ransom payment. The protagonist's reputation would then fall by two points for being recognizably involved in a kidnapping. Returning to the house in the Bridge District would only cause the protagonist to be attacked by several Amnish Legionaries and two Cowled Enforcers. Surprisingly, the protagonist could do away with all of them if sufficiently skilled and suffer no further reputation loss. Still, this was not very enigmatic, and again the Silver Pantaloons would probably end up being sold or disposed of, having no use whatsoever.

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The presence and scope of the Enigma was not made clear until the protagonist visited Spellhold, the common name for the Residence For The Magically Deviant, an asylum located on an island north of the town of Brynnlaw. Introduced to the inmates there by a thinly disguised Jon Irenicus, one inmate by the name of Wanev proved to be the previous co-ordinator of the asylum. Still convinced that he was, if the protagonist spoke to him twice, the second time Wanev would give over a "memo" containing seeming nonsense, but actually a cipher, as shall be explained.

And yet, there ...

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