The Wyrmway

The bridge to the Wyrmway

Wyrm's Rock Fortress
The Dragon's Sanctum
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		The Wyrmway

The Wyrmway is a Location within Wyrm's Rock Fortress in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. There are four trials that the party must complete to open the Dragon's Sanctum where Ansur, a Bronze Dragon, resides.

Entering Wyrmway

The entrance is hidden in a passage in the Wyrm's Rock Prison's western block, where two dragon head torches can be found. The party can gain access to the secret passage by first hitting both dragon head torches with any source ofLightning damage such as  Shocking Grasp or  Lightning Arrows and then use them. Alternatively, the Mousehole to Wyrm Rock's Cells, located on the western shore of Wyrm's Rock Fortress, can be used. The secret passage can also be opened by sending a  Mage Hand through the mousehole and placing it behind the wall between the two dragon torches on the Wyrmway side. Then simply using the dragon torches with a character on the Wyrm Rock Prison side will open the wall passage. It works if the dragon head torches shine blue. Moving away the mage hand will close the passage.

Chambers of Wyrmway

Part of the trial is proving that the party members are worthy to speak with Ansur, to prove this, the party must pass four trials of Courage, Insight, Strategy and Justice. Failing one of the trials would cause the party to face hostilities.

Note: The party will always be awarded XP and allowed to proceed to The Dragon's Sanctum at the end of the trials whether they successfully complete all the trials or fail and fight the hostiles.

Failing a Trial

If the party fail any trial, they will be attacked by five groups of undead, one wave in each chamber and another in the central area. Once all the undead have been dispatched, the party are allowed to proceed in spite of its failure, and without needing to complete any remaining trials. Failing a challenge is the only way to obtain Journal of Past Adventurers N°5 and find out what happened to the party's predecessors. The hostiles to be fought consist of:

• 4 Fallen Champion
• 7 Fallen Wizard
• 15 Fallen Ranger
• 16 Fallen Fighter

Chamber of Justice

Statue of Balduran

This trial takes place in the far left area, with no door.

In this trial the party need to remove a dishonorable judge and give the right punishment to the crime, the crime is shown in paintings starting from "The Apple" and ending with "The Judgement", the paintings depict a man who steals an apple to feed urchin children and went on beyond to steal an artifact, chased around Baldur's Gate and being judged with a punishment.

The Judge is in the middle of the shrouded area, and is dishonorable and must be removed with magic as it is invulnerable to all damage sources and cannot be pushed (physically or magically).

Known ways to remove the judge:

•  Absorb Intellect

•  Banishment
•  Control Undead
•  Exhort the Risen
•  Greater Restoration
•  Polymorph
•  Remove Curse
•  Turn Undead
• Methods that Control Undead
  •  Displace (teleport the judge anywhere outside the circle)
  •  Spirit Guardians and  Moonbeam (push the judge out with the damage field avoidance behavior)

When he is removed, the shadows are lifted, and the 3 shadowed paintings can be picked up or inspected. The 3 paintings are named "The Cell", "Freedom", and "The Hanging"; the paintings represent the final judgement for the crime. One of them must be placed on the Empty Niche found at the center of the room.

To solve the trial, the sentence needs to be proportional to the crime. When interacting with the statue, if Wyll is in the party, he gives some words of wisdom which can provide a hint regarding the correct answer to the trial; "The right path (to justice) often lies between the extremes.". Placing "The Cell" painting on the Empty Niche solves the trial.

Inserting "Freedom" or "The Hanging" into the niche fails the trial and summons a horde of skeletons.

Chamber of Insight

This trial requires the party to walk over a nearly invisible path between the two left-hand statues of Balduran.

In this trial the party need to figure out the counselor who does not advise for the city's prosperity and strike them down. The 3 possible choices are Stedd, Amaps, and Suelto.

To know who's the correct solution it is necessary to read the books that are flying around. Picking them up (there is a dialogue cursor) requires a Sleight of Hand check. The books are destroyed if attacking them directly. It is also possible to throw the books to stop them from flying and be able to read them, or apply Frightened. Using  Command: Grovel can make the book instantly drop on the ground to be picked up or read. Activating Turn-Based Mode when near a book makes picking it up or throwing it easier. If a party member shouts for the book to stop moving, a different party member must be used to trigger the Sleight of Hand check.

After reading the books, the party realize that Suelto adopted a cruel ideology that does not fit the council and must be eliminated. If Wyll is in the party, then it's possible to speak with him after reading the final book, and he will directly tell that Suelto is the one to attack.

Attacking Suelto at the end of the chamber lets the party correctly pass this test. Target must be attacked only ONCE, and without any on-death effects (such as the illithid power  Cull the Weak), or it will count as failing the trial, even if attacking the correct target. If dual-wielding automatic off-hand attacks must be deactivated. Suelto can also be attacked with a ranged weapon from the entrance platform without dealing with the books or the winding pathway.

Failing the trial summons a number of undead and a Death Shepherd to buff them.

Chamber of Strategy

This trial takes place in the lower right-hand room.

In this trial the party need to finish a game of Lanceboard (aka Chess in Faerûn) by letting the Dark King fall in two moves only. If Gale is in the party, he will comment that he played Lanceboard and would like to offer his help. If his help is accepted, he will tell what needs to be done to finish the trial. Speaking with the Statue of Balduran activates this dialogue.

Solutions

IMPORTANT: Solutions for this trial are randomized, these solutions must be taken with caution.

1. (Suggested by Gale) - First threatening the Black King by moving the Rook one square to the right. Then the following two options occur: Option #1 - Black Bishop eliminates the White Rook, leaving the White Queen to move 3 squares to the right causing a checkmate. Option #2 - Black King moves top right square, then moving the White Knight one square up and two squares left causes a checkmate.
2. (Suggested by Gale) - Moving the White Queen diagonally to the upper right corner of the board to place the Black King in check and limiting its movement option to the black square on its forward left diagonal. After the Black King makes this move, moving the White Queen four squares to the left, directly in front of the White Rook and diagonal to the Black King, causes a checkmate.
3. (Alternative "Brawn" Solution) - The Black King is vulnerable to lightning damage. Killing it this way will also pass the challenge.

There are three attempts to finish this trial correctly. The number of attempts that remain is indicated by the number of red heart icons left at the top of the board, with each failed attempt resulting in one heart shattering. Additionally, whenever interacting with one of the Lanceboard pieces, there is a pointed notification to show where the pieces can move, according to the standard rules of chess. If Gale is in the party and his help was accepted, the appropriate pieces and squares will be marked with a white light upon interacting with a piece.

Chamber of Courage

This trial takes place in the right most room. Entering the room, and speaking with the Balduran statue makes the talking party member the torch carrier for the trial. In this trial, that party member will be holding a torch in their hand and withstand the elements to pass the test.

This is a fighting trial that lasts for 4 turns. The party member holding the torch must survive, and the rest of the party must be prepared to defend the torch carrier. Note that the torch is bound to the torch carrier, preventing other weapons from being equipped and preventing the torch from being passed to others. As such, it is recommended to be held by spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers, etc.), or any class not dependent on their mainhand melee weapon. The torch is one-handed, so offhand weapons and shields are unaffected.

Elementals will spawn on the following turns:

• Turn 1: 2x Air Elemental and 2x Water Elemental
• Turn 2: 1x Air Myrmidon and 1x Water Myrmidon
• Turn 3: 1x Air Myrmidon and 1x Water Myrmidon
• Turn 4: None

The torch carrier is marked with a Sacred Flame condition, which prevents them from turning invisible and makes them more likely to be targeted by the elementals in this trial. Applying  Sanctuary on the torch carrier can trivialize the entire encounter, as this prevents enemies from targeting the torch carrier. The enemies can be killed directly, or shoved over the edge of the arena they spawn near to kill them instantly (the air elementals are immune to  Shove but can be knocked back by other means such as  Mobile Flourish (Ranged)).

The Attuned Crystals can be shattered during the battle to give any nearby character resistance to elemental damage.

The four lightning orbs around the circumference of the encounter area light up as the turns of the combat proceed. These lightning orbs do not attack and have no impact on combat, they are merely indicators of how many turns have elapsed.

Related locations

• The Dragon's Sanctum
• Wyrm's Rock Prison

Related quests

•  The Blade of Frontiers

Related literature

• Journal of Past Adventurers N°1
• Journal of Past Adventurers N°2
• Journal of Past Adventurers N°3
• Journal of Past Adventurers N°4
• Journal of Past Adventurers N°5

Notable loot

Notable items obtained in this location, whether looted, purchased, or obtained as a quest reward:

• Balduran's Giantslayer - Dropped by Ansur
• Dear Ansur - Dropped by Ansur
• Helm of Balduran - On a pedestal behind Ansur

Notable NPCs

• Ansur

Creatures

• Air Elemental (x2)
• Air Myrmidon (x2)
• Water Elemental (x2)
• Water Myrmidon (x4)
• Fallen Champion (x4)
• Fallen Wizard (x7)
• Fallen Ranger (x15)
• Fallen Fighter (x16)