Perdue's Short Sword (quest)

Not to be confused with Perdue's Short Sword.

Perdue's Short Sword
Perdue, without his sword
Quest
Type	Side quest
Requirements
Chapter	One
Locations and People
Area	Red Sheaf, Beregost High Hedge
People Involved	Perdue Gnoll
Rewards
Other Rewards	50
Experience
Group	500 (party)
Other information
Appears in	BG; BG:EE

Perdue's Short Sword is a side quest in Baldur's Gate, available from Chapter One on.

“	Feeling somewhat sheepish after treating him so poorly, I have agreed to retrieve the sword of poor Perdue the halfling from a band of gnolls apparently lurking in the plains west of Beregost, close to the High Hedge.	”
— Journal: Perdue's Short Sword

Synopsis

Acquisition	Given by Perdue in the Red Sheaf(AR3357) in Beregost Dialog: 1 – 2 – 1 – 1
Goal	Returning Perdue's Short Sword
Tasks	Traveling to the High Hedge,(AR3200) finding the band of gnolls,(3708.2756) fighting and looting them; returning to Perdue
Rewards	Experience, gold
Checks	Optional: reaction

Walkthrough

Note: If the party is already in possession of Perdue's Short Sword when meeting him for the first time, this whole section can be skipped, as speaking a second time with him will yield the reward whether the quest is obtained or not.

Perdue

Perdue is a halfling with an inferiority complex, mostly related to his height. This has to be considered when speaking to him in the tavern of Beregost's Red Sheaf, as any allusion to halflings, short people in general or anything he could understand as mocking him, will let him end the conversation, thus making the quest unobtainable. Even a wrong answer without a single ulterior motive may bother him already.

When first addressed, Perdue asks if one possibly has seen a guy with a dog's head around here. Only the first of answers – actually a counterquestion – will let him continue the conversation.

Perdue: "Hullo. You wouldn't 'ave happened to see a big loutish guy with a dog's 'ead on him around here, have you?"

1. "A dog's head?"

A character, whom Perdue reacts hostile towards (reaction seven or lower), has an additional option here to end the talk.

2. "Yeah, he's behind you right now. Har, har, har."

Perdue: "Yeah, yeah, pick on the little 'alfling. You're funnier than a bag-o-whistles, but looks aren't everything, you dumb creep."

Again, in the next step only one answer, the second, will lead to the quest.

Perdue: "You 'eard me. A dog's 'ead. And breath that could peel paint, too."

2. "Oh, a gnoll!"

And again it's possible to end the conversation prematurely with the respective reaction.

Reaction seven or lower

4. "Dumb halfling doesn't even know his monsters. Har, har, har."

Perdue: "Yeah, yeah, pick on the little 'alfling. You're funnier than a bag-o-whistles, but looks aren't everything, you dumb creep."

Note: Actually, this anticipates Perdue's own reply, if answering his question after the big guy with a dog's head wrong.

Reaction eight or higher

4. "Uh, heh, that's a good one, kiddo. Bye now."

Perdue: "Yeah, yeah."

The next two one-and-only answers to obtain the quest.

Perdue: "Yeah, a gnoll. There's one 'oled up in the hills due west of 'ere, close to the High Hedge. Damn thievin' ball-o-fur stole my short sword two days back."

1. "Never liked them myself. How much would that blade be worth to a runty guy like you?"

Perdue: "Yeah, yeah. Lay off the short-guy jokes, they're older than your grandmother's uncle. The damn blade ain't worth nothing. It's a pride thing. I'll give ya 50 gold pieces if ya wipe 'is arse with it."

1. "You've got yourself a deal."

Deal

After having been able to deal with Perdue's oddities and getting the quest, dealing with some gnolls in the area a couple hours west of here shouldn't be too much a problem. It also marks the opportunity to learn about these enemies, which are encountered more often further down south, as well as to visit Thalantyr the Conjurer and his store of magical wares.

The particular gnoll, who stole Perdue's Short Sword, and the slasher and the veteran accompanying him, probably aren't the only gnolls at High Hedge, but the only ones at the southeastern walls of Thalantyr's estate. Arriving at the Hedge, moving southwest until the estate is reached and then along its walls south, will avoid most other encounters – if the job shall be done quickly. It's unnecessary to mention that negotiating with the gnolls doesn't work – they have to be killed to get the sword.

Return

Returning his sword to Perdue in the Red Sheaf will earn another grumpy comment, together with the promised reward and experience.

“	No reward was worth that! Perdue has his sword, and I have what he calls his thanks and a reward, although neither was very generous.	”
— Journal: Perdue's Short Sword (Finished)

Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. Eventually, Perdue equips his sword.

Rewards

With so many checks on reaction before obtaining the quest at all, its reward is plain and simple.

500 XP (party) 50

Cut content

In Perdue's dialog, there are additional but unused entries, for the initial quest log entry and for finishing it. The rewards are slightly different. Together with the fact that in the actually implemented version the monetary reward also is set as a variable, instead of the fixed 50  that are used, this could hint to another check on reaction, for a different outcome regarding the rewards.

Perdue: "Bah, the sword ain't worth the tin she's made from. I'll give ya 75 gold pieces just to seal that yappin' mouth of 'is for good."

"If your word's as good as your tongue, you have yourself a deal."

“	Against my better judgment, I have agreed to find and return a sword stolen from Perdue the halfling. If his directions are correct, I should find it amidst a band of gnolls apparently lurking in the plains west of Beregost, very close to the High Hedge.	”
— Journal: Perdue's Short Sword

"Having to share airspace with a gnoll is worth more than 75 gold pieces and a halfling's sword. Fight your own battles, short stuff."

Two entries for returning the sword list the rewards, both having the same short line spoken by Perdue.

Perdue: "Hmph. Tougher than 'e looked though, weren't 'e."

It has to be noted that both entries yield only 250 XP, together with the 50  or 75 .

The cut final log explicitely mentions the amount of 50 , whereas the actually used one leaves this open. It is removed from the Enhanced Edition's dialog file.

“

I have received 50 gold pieces and Perdue's grudging thanks for the return of his short sword but little else. In retrospect, I shouldn't be surprised as he has been a pest and a nuisance from the start. Ah well, I knew his price was low when I went into it.

”

Notes

• If not picked up within a certain amount of time after the fight against the gnolls, usually eight hours, Perdue's Short Sword will dissolve and cannot be obtained normally anymore, neither can a reward for the quest.

Trivia

• "Perdue" is French and translates to "lost." It's the female form of the past participle. The French term for "sword" is "épée", which is female.

“	Yeah, yeah.	”
— Perdue