I understood "early days of Baldur's Gate" to mean that BG3 would take place during the early days of the city, rather than the story. In TotSC, there was a substantial back-story about Balduran himself, how he founded the city-port, and ended up shipwrecked on an island (with werewolves). Didn't the recent article also mention the possibility of meeting a hamster-toting ancestor of Minsc, meaning that the story will take place at least one generation, perhaps more, before the events of BG1.
Maybe the story will follow the founding of the City of Baldur's Gate, perhaps including a young Gorion, and early Candlekeep and possibly focusing on the discovery of the Prophesies of the Wise Alaundo (sp?). Just a guess, of course. We may finally find out the mystical qualities of Balduran's Butter Knife, and find the companion items: Balduran's Teaspoon and Balduran's Salad Fork. When combined, they form the incredible Balduran's Big Metal Dinner Utensil.
