In the depths of the shadow-cursed lands around Moonrise Towers, you will encounter a number of quests, NPCs, and haunted locations. While you might want to try to high-tail it out of this spooky place, there is a lot that should be done before you leave; there are several side quests I am glad I did (or regret not doing) in Act 2 of my first playthrough of BG3.
BG3 Act 2 Checklist
Act 2 requires you either head through the Mountain Pass on the way to the city of Baldur's Gate, or take the roads through the cursed lands. Regardless of which path you choose, you will still have to complete the Moonrise Towers. This appears to be the only required quest chain in Act 2; it has seven possible total story quests in it.
- Capture/Save Isobel the Selunite Cleric
- Infiltrate Moonrise Towers
- Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic
- Follow the Convoy
- Resolve the Abduction
- Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse
- Defeat Ketheric Thorm
Side Quests to Complete Before leaving Act 2 of BG3
There is a massive amount of lore, side quests, NPCs, and other things to find in Act 2, both in the Mountain Pass and in the shadow-cursed lands.
Complete Halsin's Side Quests to Save Thaniel
Romancing the bear druid Halsin is a necessity for me with each playthrough, but in order to do that, the shadow curse must be lifted and the Sword Coast cleansed of Shar's touch. Without it, he will never join your party or open his heart.
This quest chain is massive and requires a lot of work, but it is worth it to see Halsin's face light up as the trees come back to life and Thaniel is put back together at the end of Act 2.
- First, save Halsin in the Goblin Camp in Act 1.
- Let him join your camp.
- At the Last Light Inn, talk to the sleeping man, Art, that can't be woken in the room on the first floor to the right of the entrance. Tell Halsin about him next time you are in camp.
- Meet Halsin at the Inn.
- Go to Malus Thorm in the House of Healing at X:-199, Y:47.
- Kill or trick him into dying, then loot him. Take his lute to the Inn. Play it for Art.
- Art will wake, then Halsin will ask for you to guard a portal while he finds Thaniel.
- Next, head to the House in Deep Shadows to the northeast of the Shadowed Battlefield waypoint at X:77, Y:37.
- Convince the boy Oliver to return to Thaniel.
- Kill Ketheric Thorm.
Recruit Jaheira the Harper
An important druid that was in both Baldur's Gate 1 and Baldur's Gate 2, Jaheira returns as a companion that can join up with you in Act 2. Make sure to keep her safe by adding her as the fifth person to your party when given the option just outside Moonrise.
Get rid of the Entire Thorm Family
While Ketheric Thorm is the main baddie of this Act, there are several other Thorms around, each tied up in the curse and leading horrible existences. You can kill these wayward individuals, but there is a way to peacefully get each of the three to surrender to their fate.
- Malus Thorm: Located in the House of Healing at X:-199, y:47, Malus is found cutting a live person to bits in the operating theater. With a successful religion and persuasion check, you can force him to submit to his own medicine.
- Gerringothe Thorm: She can be found in the Tollhouse near the entrance to the haunted city (X:-108 ,Y:-93). In order to defeat her, give her a little bit of gold, then pass one of the three types of checks to intimidate, persuade, or trick her.
- Thisobald Thorm: This bartender haunts the confines of The Waning Moon tavern around X:-192, Y:-81. The battle with him is incredibly difficult, so it's best to attempt to appease him without violence. Walk up to the bar and drink with him, passing all his checks as he asks for stories.
Rescue all the Prisoners in Moonrise Towers
There are a lot of Tieflings and others not only locked up in the tower, but also in the mind flayer colony underneath. This includes both Mizora and Zevlor.
Find Arabella and her Parents
If you saved Arabella from Kagha in Act 1, she will be back in Act 2. Look for her near the cemetery outside of the House of Healing, where she will be in search of her parents. You'll find them inside the hospital, but they will both be dead. Tell her about her parent's fate, and she will return with you to your camp. She will also be an asset in Act 3 if you take the time to save her now.
Related: Best Mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)
Save or Destroy the Nightsong
The Nightsong is in the Mausoleum in the upper left part of the shadow-cursed lands. Find her inside the Temple of Shar by completing the trials. Make sure to have Shadowheart in the party for the whole thing, as she will supply lore and directions as you complete each part of the trial. At the end, you can either choose to save or destroy the Nightsong; both will have big consequences going forward.
Steal a Githyanki Egg
There is a Githyanki Creche in the mountain pass; reach it to find the Githyanki have taken up residence in the Rosymorn Monastery (X:18 Y:24). Outside of the immediate area, there is a Lady Esther (X:-43, Y:-128) who wants a Githyanki child to raise. She will beg for you to steal an egg from the creche when you visit. Ignore her request, give her the Githyanki egg, or give her an owlbear egg instead by passing a check.
He Who Was
There is a very creepy-looking man named He Who Was in the northwestern part of the shadow-cursed lands (X:129, Y:108). He has found a corpse and needs you to grab some evidence against her misdeeds at the Waning Moon. Complete the quest to his satisfaction and to receive Raven Gloves, which allow you to summon a raven named Quothe.
All Personal Quests for BG3 Companions
While wandering around in Moonrise and the mountain pass, you will have the opportunity to complete a variety of companion quests.
- Killing Raphael's old enemy for Astarion. Takes place after you get the cutscene in camp of Astarion trying to touch-read his scars. Bring him to the front of the Mausoleum, and Rafael will be there. He will ask you to kill an infernal in exchange.
- Visiting the Creche for Lae'zel. Lae'zel is pretty insistent on visiting the Creche in the mountain pass; you will hear about it forever if you don't do it.
- Save the Duke for Wyll. Wyll's father has been trapped and brought to Moonrise Towers; look for him there with the Tieflings.
- Get the second part of Karlach's heart installed by Dammon at Last Light Inn. By the end of Act 2, you can have four pieces of the infernal metal needed to fix up Karlach's heart. Make sure to use two pieces on that, and then give the other two pieces to Dammon in exchange for some sweet weapons.
- Go through the Trials of Shar with Shadowheart. The Trial is found in the depths of the Mausoleum; head there to start this quest chain.
- Balthazar's Experiment for Gale. Bringing Gale along into the Trial of Shar Temple and introducing him to Balthazar — the undead builder with the Illithid tadpole behind his eye — will start a quest focused on one of his experiments.
For more Baldur's Gate 3, check out Baldur’s Gate 3 Finesse Weapons Guide on Pro Game Guides.