Dear reader, I would to say a few words before you read this fanfic. First off obviously neither of these stories or characters belong to me as they are the intellectual property of Jim Butcher and Larian Studios respectively. Secondly, this is going to be a long fan fiction as I plan to go over the entire main story of the game plus the character missions and one or two side missions I think I can write to be cool or funny. However, if there is a part of the game I don't think is relevant to the story I will be skipping it. Thirdly I am going to be taking some massive liberties with both the magic system of the Dresden files and the lore of Baldurs Gate 3. Fourth, in terms of when in Harry's life this takes place, it's after '12 Months' but as of publication that book hasn't been published yet so I'm going off the assumption Harry marries Lara. Finally, this is my first fan fiction, mostly done as a fun project to fill some time during my gap year so please consider that during any criticisms of my work. Thank you for reading I hope you enjoy.

Dresden Files: An American Wizard in the Sword Coast

Chapter 1:

I was sitting in the deep woods just outside Northern Wisconsin when the eight-foot mountain of hair and muscle known respectfully by most, and fondly by me, River Shoulders began to speak reverently into the firelight of our camp.

"Look deep into the fire Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden feel its heat, its searing intensity, and cast a portion of your winter power into its hearth so they may mix and grant you communion."

The ritual the sasquatch and I were performing was meant to grant an opportunity for me to communicate and further understand the winter mantle Mab planted me with when I became the Winter Knight, in the hopes that I can control it better and possibly, one day rid myself of it. This was the apex of the rituals and processes we've been going through for the past two weeks, focusing on opposites of winter's energies to weaken the mantle to allow a portion of the power to be trapped in a magical flame. So basically, a lot of walking in peaceful woodlands, meditating on concepts of life and growth, watching kids' shows to learn the power of friendship, okay maybe not that last one, but you get the idea.

All in all, in terms of a honeymoon plan it was not half bad. Especially since my other half was on another continent right now. That's right folks, Harry Dresden perpetual bachelor and hot ticket of the season was finally tied down to Lara Raith the shadow queen of the White Court of vampires. Or more accurately, he was tied down by his queen's orders to marry said succubus after he found no clever or non-fatal way of getting out of the pairing. However, while there was no margin for me to dance in when it came to the wedding Molly Carpenter, the current Winter Lady, was able to help me negotiate a compromise in the terms of my honeymoon. This was accomplished mostly due to the fact that because of the protection granted by my late lover Karen Murphy, me and Lara were unable to do what newlyweds tended to do on their honeymoon without burning various bits of her off. So, Mab agreed to send a glamoured fae male in my place to do various fun things with Lara that I don't have any desire to do myself thank you very much, while I do anything else as long as I do it outside the view of any prying eyes that might catch onto the deception. Thus, I decided to take River Shoulders up on his offer to help me with my mantle problem, bringing us to current events.

I stared into the firelight and drew out a portion of the wintery power source that radiated throughout my being with a whispered "Arctus Repellus". At my word and will a small sphere of ice and light floated into the roaring flame, but rather than extinguishing the blaze, it melded with it and turned its warm yellow glow into a cold blue-white light of magic. This was it, the final moment, what this entire trip was leading up to… so of course that was the moment one of the young men from the reservation came running in panting, "Mr Dresden, Strength of a River in his Shoulders, you must come with me quickly there is a call for Mr. Dresden that he must attend to."

At this sudden interruption, my focus faulted, and the winter energy zipped out of the flames and back into me so violently that I almost fell onto my back. I glared at the intruder and spat, "What did this caller say to you that made you think you should interrupt this delicate and long-prepared ritual?!"

The man's dark chocolate skin paled slightly as he replied, "The man claimed it was about your daughter".

At the mere thought of Maggie needing me, I sprang up and ran through the woods at full sprint to reach the cabins that housed the reservation. Usually, the act of running in the woods at night is a foolish proposition but the combination of my winter mantle power and having consistently walked in the area for two weeks gave me edge enough to not break my ankles. Soon I was through the doors of the main cabin and grabbing the phone, "Who is this? What's happened to Maggie?!"

A horse and faintly Scottish voice answered gravely, "It's Ebenezer Hoss and I'm sorry, but Nicodemus took Maggie".

Of all the horrifying scenarios I imagined involving my enemies and my daughter, this one was the worst by far. Nicodemus Archleone, the leader of the Knights of the Blackened Denarius and conduit for the fallen angel Anduriel, had found out about my having a child only two years ago in the vaults of Hades when I pushed him to violent action in a way only a fellow father could have. Ever since that day, I had prepared for the moment he'd take advantage of that knowledge. It wasn't enough.

Equal parts terror and rage gripped my voice as I replied, "How, when and where?"

"Not over the phone Harry, not secure, transport to us should be there now".

At Ebenezer's reply, a way into the NeverNever opened up and Wizard Rashid stepped through it, "Follow me Dresden I will guide you to our meeting place".

I followed Rashid through the way and walked about a mile through what looked like a jungle until the tall dark wizard stopped in front of a tree that seemed about the size of a tall building stretching up and up into the atmosphere. The tree only narrowly escaped looking like the night sky by the patches of daylight that pierced through gaps in its branches. Rashid then went through a series of hand motions that I recognised as a disarming charm for protection wards, and a section of the massive tree opened like a mansion door.

We walked through the opening, and I was greeted with the image of the largest and most beautiful library I have ever seen. The tree was completely hollowed out and the miles of stretching bark had been converted to what must have been hundreds of floors containing hundreds of shelves of books, tomes and scrolls. Along with the literature, was an unfathomably large sense of power coming from every inch of this structure, likely wards and spells that both keep the tree standing and protected from intruders.

The Gatekeeper saw the wonderous look I had on my face and small smile cracked through his serious demeanour, "This is my personal library and stronghold in the spirit world, used to hold my catalogues pertaining to the movements of various powers through time and beyond the Outer Gates. Do not attempt to read any of its volumes without my permission if you do not wish to die a most painful death."

I stared at the towering library again, there had to be thousands if not tens of thousands of volumes in this place. If they all were catalogues, either Rashid was not the first Gatekeeper or he was much, much older than any normal wizard on the council. But that wasn't important to me right now.

"Where's Ebenezer?" I said with renewed panic in my voice after shaking off the wonder.

"This way young wizard", Rashid replied as he guided me towards a staircase that led to a far sparser room of the structure that contained only a large desk seemingly designed for writing due to the parchment and quills neatly positioned on and around it, and a wide intricately decorated summoning circle made of silver and covered in golden runes.

Ebenezer stood beside the circle along with Indjun Joe and Anastasia Luccio, a combination that would have made me nervous even before learning of Nicodemus's involvement. They all stared at me with expecting and guilty eyes as I entered the room, which increased my soul-rending panic tenfold.

"What the hell is going on Ebenezer? How did Nicodemus get to Maggie? I had wards made specifically for him on any home or vehicle she could be in!" More accurately, I had asked Molly to call in the last of her favours with the Svartalves so that they would create wards to my specifications that would not interfere with mortal technology and placed it around Micheal's home, my ridiculous Munster Mobile and the Carpenter family van so that Molly would be protected from threats when outside the power of my warded castle.

Ebenezer's look of guilt increased grimly as he answered, "Because while I'm sure you got some outside assistance in making those wards on that van of the Carpenters, I know how you think boy, so it was not too difficult to disarm them."

The tone I used was far quieter and calmer than I expected, only a portion of my boiling anger spilled through my clenched teeth as I asked, "And why in all the hells were you trying to disable the wards that were the only thing protecting your own great-granddaughter from any of the many enemies I have gunning for me?"

The mention of Ebenezer's familial connection to my daughter hit the old man like a speeding semi-truck, as Anastasia answered calmly but equally as guiltily, "Because wizard McCoy and I volunteered to be the ones that took Maggie from you by order of a majority vote amongst the Senior Council".

"I'm sorry you did FUCKING WHAT!" I screamed as I began to feel my blazing hot anger combine with the cold winter mantles desire to do violence. I stepped towards the two traitorous bastards, gathering my power in a wave around my hands, when a vine shot up out of the ground wrapping itself around my arms and clicking thron manacles around my wrists. I felt the metal bite into my flesh and the sudden loss of magical power brought me to my knees.

"Hoss Dresden you need to be calm, while I understand your outrage we need to work together if we're to stop whatever horrors the Denarians have planned." Injun Joe cut in as the power faded from his hands after the improvised vine spell.

I ignored the old medicine man and kept my attention on Ebenezer, "Who wouldn't have been able to get to Maggie if the White Council and their unofficial assassin hadn't tried and apparently failed to kidnap a thirteen-year-old girl. Finally decided to take Maggie away from me for her own protection 'sir' !"

It was Ebenezer's turn to explode with anger as he barked, "Stars and goddamn stones Harry if I actually wanted to properly go through with the bullshit the senior council cooked up do think I'd be damn fool enough to bring the only warden that was completely sympathetic to your cause!" Ebeneser then pointed directly at Anastasia who a few years before had been my girlfriend, and despite her feelings for me being mostly fabricated by a nasty Black Council spell, she had proven a steadfast friend.

Ebenezer crouched down to my eye level and his voice grew quieter but no less hard when he said, "And besides if I was really going to do that to you Hoss, I wouldn't bring anyone else in on the deed. I know what's coming for me if I try it."

Which was likely the truth, if Ebenezer really wanted to take Maggie from me, he knew I wouldn't stop until she was returned, or he was dead. Sure, I probably wouldn't succeeded if either of those things due to the old man's massive power over mine, but since when have impossible odds ever stopped me?

My anger didn't fade, but it did stabilise enough for me to think through what my old mentor was saying, "What happened" I growled.

"Me and Captain Luccio went to go get Maggie from the Carpenter's vehicle on their way back from school, hoping to put her someplace secure and outside White Council influence until the three of us figured out how to get around them. But as soon as I took down the wards Nicodemus showed up with three other Denarians, the posse attacked us while Nicodemus grabbed Maggie away from Charity and Mouse.".

I shuttered at the thought of Charity watching Nicodemus carry off a child she likely saw as a niece, "Are they alright?"

"Charity only has minor injuries from trying to stop Nicodemus, but Mouse was the one fighting the bastard. The pooch was giving a decent brawl until Nicodemus opened up some portal through to the spirit world, Mouse was able to bite the Denarian's hand off, but the momentum threw both him and Maggie into the portal. Nicodemus bugged out after that, and we were too busy fighting the other Nickelheads to give chase, and that portal he opened Hoss…" Ebenezer shuttered, "It was the darkest magic I've felt in my life, like was made before light was even a concept."

"That's because the portal was to another universe wizard McCoy." Rashid said as he came into the room holding a bag that looked like it had my staff poking out of it, "Now wizard Listens to Wind let Dresden go because I've determined where that portal led to, and he needs to get ready."

Upon Rashid's word, Injun Joe unlocked the thron manacles and cast away the vines. Rubbing away the discomfort of my bindings I looked to Rashid, "What do mean another universe, what purpose would Nicodemus have for throwing Maggie to the Outsiders?"

"There is more beyond the Outer Gates than the Outsiders Harry Dresden, there is also an infinite number of parallel worlds, and I believe Archleone has sent your daughter to one of the dark gods of Toril, somewhere in the continent of Faerûn."

My brain took a second to process what he had just said, parallel universes? Admittedly it was possible and the most likely reason almost no one would talk about it, is if you tried to access them, you would probably only attract the attention of the Outsiders.

"Which dark god did that bastard sacrifice my little girl too? Is she still alive? And what power did he gain from it?!"

"Unfortunately, Dresden I don't know the answer to any of those questions. Toril is not a land I frequent as the goddess of magic there does not respond well to outsiders, what power or purpose Archleone gained from it is the question the entire White Council is currently trying to determine, and as for your daughters status… we have to hope that she is still alive so your mission is not in vain."

I bit back the horrifying images those words conjured, my Maggie was alive she had to be, "What mission is that then? Let me guess, you're sending me to this 'Faerûn' to grab Maggie out of the hands of whatever damned god Nicodemus threw her to in order to cut his power source off, and that because you're all going to be busy figuring out how to stop him if I fail you can't send me any backup."

Ignoring my petulant tone Rashid answered, "Yes that is exactly it, but not the end. If you are successful we are going to find Archleone and destroy him once and for all. He has used the power of other worlds to his dark purpose and broken the fifth law of magic to boot, this cannot stand!"

The look on Wizard Rashid's face was one I recognised, it was the same I had when anyone used magic, a force a life and creation, to cause harm. It was a look of revolution and rage, likely the use of parallel worlds for dark gain was to Rashid akin to an act of blasphemy, as the misuse of magic was to me.

I gave the old wizard an agreeing nod as I took the bag from him, which contained my staff, blasting rod, rings, amulet, leather duster, shield bracelet and my Smith & Wesson 500. I put them all on and looked at the group of wizards. "In terms of a plan, it's probably the craziest I've ever heard of, of course, I'm in"

Ebenezer gave me a wicked smile as Rashid handed me a spherical object that pulsed with power and an amethyst glow, "Use this conduit when you've completed your task. It will open a portal back to your castle within a few hours from now, no matter how long you spend in the other world."

I took the object with great care and stuffed it into my right duster pocket. Rashid then placed his hand on my shoulder and stated, "If you wish to succeed in your mission, I suggest you follow events as they unfold, they likely have more to do with your goal than they first appear."

"That was more annoyingly cryptic than usual. Could you please paint me a better picture than that considering what might be at stake?"

Rashid sighed "You know I can't reveal any more of the future to you than that without incurring further problems, Harry Dresden."

Rashid then turned to his summoning circle and cast with a strangely modulated bellow, "APARTURUM MAXIMUS FAERUN".

Upon the Gatekeeper's word a way opened to the parallel world, which felt just as Ebenezer described, unendingly dark and somehow also hungry. I stepped towards the portal.

"Good luck Hoss, go get your girl back" Ebenezer said as he offered me his hand. I took it fiercely for a short moment, let go, and then stepped through the portal.