Jennifer English, the actress of Shadowheart, and her partner Aliona Baranova have been regularly streaming their own campaign in Baldur’s Gate 3 on Twitch since 2023. Their new stream is dedicated to a viewer who passed away in 2024 due to illness. But that’s not all.
How did the fan become part of Baldur’s Gate 3? A fan named Aly was a loyal player and a viewer from day one of Jennifer and Aliona’s campaign. In the latest stream, the Shadowheart actress reports that Aly was a great person with equally great humor and that Baldur’s Gate 3 meant a lot to her.
Their exchange was brief but unforgettable. Through a friend of the fan, they eventually learned about her illness and the prognosis. They then decided to dedicate something special to Aly. Aliona shares that they reached out to Senior Writer John Corcoran, who is mainly responsible for the characters Shadowheart and Halsin.
Corcoran then included a little something in the latest patch with the permission of Larian’s CEO Swen Vincke to immortalize the deceased fan in the game.
In the Baldur’s Gate 3 trailer for the PS5, Jennifer English is heard as Shadowheart:
A close bond with the community
What does the tribute include? The memory of Aly is located in the third act of the game, on the upper floor of the funeral home near the cemetery in Baldur’s Gate.
In the stream, Jennifer and Aliona go to the mentioned place and find the letter, which is a kind of testament from Aly.
The letter was written by Corcoran in the style of the game but written from Aly’s perspective. It states that the mourning person’s gold should benefit the stray dogs, as Aly had also taken in street dogs during her lifetime. Additionally, the letter specifically addresses family members and friends, one of whom was present in the chat.
What is the reaction? Jennifer and Aliona, along with the Twitch chat, became quite emotional during the reading as none of them had seen the letter before. After a short break, a toast to Aly (with a glass of water) and a hug, the actress turns back to the chat:
Isn’t this game amazing, isn’t the power of this community amazing, aren’t the writers amazing – what a wonderful thing they have made and added. I love you all and thank you John (Corcoran) and thank you Aliona, you really made this possible. To Aly.
Jennifer English, actress of Shadowheart (via YouTube)
What role does Baldur’s Gate 3 play in their lives? Jennifer is not the only person who played an important role during the development of the RPG. Aliona also contributed to Baldur’s Gate 3 as a Performance Director for Motion Capture. She reports on X that the two met on set and eventually got together after a year and a half of working together.
Now, the two play together on Twitch, regularly invite other actors like those from Lae’zel, Dame Aylin, and Isobel, and share not only gameplay but also some aspects of their everyday lives. Other actors from the game are also experiencing their own adventures in the game and sharing them on Twitch: You can watch your favorite rogue play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Twitch: “Dating myself is weird”
