Barold is a supernatural telepathic being who has been masquerading as a successor of Prussian barons during his centuries-long life. He is the target of Daniel, though he is not altogether a completely evil character. Although his
methods are ethically abhorrent, he identifies himself a victim of circumstance and simply desires to return home. He has been capturing both humans and animals for many years in order to extract their Vitae through torture, so that he may prolong his life enough to complete a massive machine that will take him home through the power of the Orbs. He apparently had been banished from his world of origin, forcing him to take on human form, a mere mortal with a prolonged lifespan. It is not known why he was exiled in the first place.
In many respects Barold is a genius, a true Renaissance man, experienced in science and magic. He is quite knowledgeable and well versed in worldly matters. The baron is very familiar in anatomy studies, alchemy and botany. As evidenced by his various Memory Capsules, he left behind in his home-world a very important person to whom he refers to as "my love." Rejoining with this person seems to be his main purpose. He confesses the hope of reuniting with "his love" is his sole driving force to continue recklessly forward and commit terrible acts.

The world he came from seems much more technologically advanced than ours, as compared to the year the game takes place in. When Daniel touched the orb in the temple in Algeria he had visions of this place describing it as having "spiraling towers, endless deserts and impossible geometry". The baron often complains about the inefficient technology that he was forced to use to control the bridge in the Cistern.