Moonrise Towers: Difference between revisions

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Shadow-Cursed Lands
Reithwin Town
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		Moonrise Towers

Moonrise Towers is a Location within the Shadow-Cursed Lands in Act Two of Baldur's Gate 3. In the distant past, it used to be a temple to

Selûne, but is now used as the base of operations for the Cult of the Absolute. It is one of the few locations in the Shadow-Cursed Lands that are not affected by the Shadow Curse, the other being Last Light Inn.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Main floor[edit | edit source]

The main floor of the towers is directly accessible through the main door at the end of the bridge from Reithwin Town. In the foyer are several Absolutist pilgrims Long, Nalira, Taima, and Farimorn with Acolyte Belub. Also two traders are found on the western side of the room: Roah Moonglow and Lann Tarv.

Lann Tarv is a bugbear merchant that offers three Soul Coins to Karlach, if she is in the party, on the condition that she hears the stories of the souls bound in the coins first. Proving the party's worth to Lann Tarv through dialogue earns the Inspirational Events Uncommon Recognition (Folk Hero background) as well as Notched Armour (Soldier background). He sells a number of valuable items, including Halberd of Vigilance, Gloves of The Duellist, Fistbreaker Helm, and Sentinel Shield, with additional stock potentially unlockable after convincing Z'rell to help on the First Floor.

The party can tell Belub to get rid of the 4 pilgrims, who will then order them to scout the perimeter of the war camp. The pilgrims will not survive the shadows and can later be found again as shadow-cursed zombies outside the House of Healing Morgue (X: 235 Y: 12).

A side room on the south-eastern side is a sanguine laboratory where Araj Oblodra is performing experiments on blood.

On the south-western side, a side room has a staircase leading down to the prison.

Throne room[edit | edit source]

Continuing south past the foyer is the throne room, where Ketheric Thorm will be judging three goblins and possibly Minthara. The doors on the side exit out to the sanguine laboratory to the east and stairs to the prison to the west.

Behind the throne are a stairs leading up to the first floor.

Kitchen[edit | edit source]

In the eastern corner of the main floor is a kitchen where Linsella, a true soul, is training three Gnolls, including Barnabus. There are also a number of Camp Supplies. The gnolls can be influenced or freed, resulting in Linsella's death and the Inspirational Events No Strings to Hold Them Back (Folk Hero), Who Let the Gnolls Out (Dark Urge), Pied Piper (Charlatan), or Gone Feral (Urchin). A Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen can be found on Linsella's body.

Just off from the kitchen is a small dining room with some strange mucus covering a doorway.

Dormitory[edit | edit source]

In the far western corner of the main floor is a dormitory. An ogre named Mig can be found here, who drops Argument Solver and claims to hear "meat-things" moving in the walls. This room also acts as an exit to the southern exterior of the tower.

Southern exterior[edit | edit source]

Just past the dormitory's exterior door is a cracked wall X: -183 Y: -206 containing a wooden chest.

On the eastern side, just outside the sanguine laboratory and kitchen is the cat Steelclaw, gleefully playing with a dead mind flayer parasite.

Rafters[edit | edit source]

In the foyer, just east of the stairs leading from the main door, is a ladder which can be used to access the rafters.

Just to the east of the ladder is a cracked wall, which is the source of the "suspicious sounds" noted by Mig. Interacting with the wall allows the party to reach into the wall, where a tentacle will grab the arm of the interacting party member unless they pass one of the following checks:

[STRENGTH] Tear your arm out of the tentacle's grip. (DC 14)
[DEXTERITY] Wriggle your hand free. (DC 16)
[ROGUE] [DEXTERITY] You've been in tougher traps - wriggle your hand free. (DC 16 )
[RANGER] [DEXTERITY] Calm yourself and gently wriggle your hand free. (DC 16 )
[MONK] [DEXTERITY] Twist your wrist to break the grip. (DC 16 )
[SLEIGHT OF HAND] Go limp and ride it out. (DC 14)

Failing this check or doing nothing allows the tentacle to grip the arm and communicate directly with that party member. The party member will be able to talk directly to the 'Absolute' and question it. Eventually, the tentacle will attempt to grip harder and the party member will have to make another DC 21 ability check to avoid being pulled into the depths:

[STRENGTH] Heave against the tentacle with all your might. (DC 21)
[BARBARIAN] [STRENGTH] Channel all your rage - and pull. (DC 21 )
[DEXTERITY] Search for some leverage to slide your arm out. (DC 21)
[WISDOM] Focus your thoughts to an edge - and cut free. (DC 21)
[PALADIN] [CHARISMA] Channel your oath. Rebuke the voice. Free yourself. (DC 21)

Failing this check or doing nothing will lead to the tentacle dragging the party to the Oubliette beneath the Moonrise Towers Prison and incurring a Dislocated Shoulder injury in the process.

On the western side, above the room leading to the prison, are some roots which can be climbed to access Isobel's room on the first floor.

First floor[edit | edit source]

On the first floor, a large door guarded by Radija and her necromites leads up to the roof. Upon reaching Moonrise the first time, Z'rell will also be here talking to Radija. The Inspirational Events Clear Conscience' and Know Thy Clientele (both Charlatan) can be obtained during the interaction with Z'rell. Additionally, succeeding a DC 14 Insight check will allow the party to convince Z'rell ( DC 18 Persuasion check) to grant access to her secret stash of goods with the quartermaster, Lann Tarv.

From the top of the stairs, the eastern door leads to a study, then onto Balthazar's room.

To the north is a room in the centre of the first floor being patrolled by a zealot and a scrying eye. This room leads to the rooms of Balthazar, Ketheric, and Isobel.

Balthazar's room[edit | edit source]

This room has several notable items, including a working Moonlantern. Next to the Moonlantern is a locked Heavy Chest that contains the Derivation Cloak.

Near a torture rack is a book case with several "Protruding Books", spotted with a DC 10 Perception check. All of the labeled shelves are trapped except for the top right, labeled "Musty Tomes". "Galvanic Interrogations" will trigger the two gargoyle heads above the bookcase, which turn the two corpses on the floor into zombies, one of them being Balthazar's apprentice, "Conventional Medicine" will activate two grating traps with spikes in front of the bookcase, and "Poisons and Venoms" will fill the room with a poison cloud, close and lock the doors until it dissipates. Interacting with the "Musty Tomes" row will allow access to an "Ancient Altar" next to the shelves. Inserting a Heart into the altar will open a door into a secret room beyond the bookcase and grant the Inspirational Events Secrets of the Necromancer and A Little Too Familiar with the Grotesque (both Sage background). This room can also be unlocked with various other body part items found throughout the game, including the heads of Nere and Karlach and the hand of Gale.

Inside the hidden room is an opulent chest with the Coldbrim Hat. As well, there is a small work table covered in dead pixies and broken moonlanterns from Balthazar's experiments. If Gale is in the party, he can use the ritual circle to create a Shadow Lantern, or otherwise destroy it and gain Mystra's Benevolence, which lasts until the next long rest.

Ketheric's room[edit | edit source]

This room can be accessed a number of ways: through a metal door on the balcony accessible through Balthazar's room, through the first floor's patrolled centre room, or through Isobel's room which is accessed by climbing vines from the main floor's rafters.

The Undead dog Squire is guarding this room. The party can pass one of several different ability checks to have Squire stand down.

Beneath some loose planks next to the bed (visible with a Perception check) is the book Elder Brain Domination and the Cloak of Elemental Absorption. Off to the west is the remnants of a Myrkulite ritual. There are also letters from Enver Gortash and to Balthazar.

Isobel's room[edit | edit source]

Beyond Ketheric's room is a disused bedroom that used to be Isobel's.^[1] Inside are several Selûnite items, such as a robe and books, as well a bust of Melodia Thorm, Ketheric's deceased wife.

The chest at the foot of the bed is a Mimic (which can be spotted with a DC 20 Perception check) which drops the Spineshudder Amulet.

Moonrise Towers Prison[edit | edit source]

Following the stairs down from a room on the south-western side of the main floor is a prison. The Warden and some imprisoned tiefling refugees and deep gnomes can be found here.

Moonrise Towers Rooftop[edit | edit source]

Past a door on the first floor, guarded by Radija, is the rooftop. After meeting him, Ketheric will move here.

Docks[edit | edit source]

The docks are accessed through heavy oak doors in the prison, or by travelling down under the bridge to Moonrise and east, and jumping over a destroyed bridge at X: -100 Y: -149.

At the docks, ships are being sent out mysterious cargo, which can be investigated. There are a few Absolutists on the docks:

A fifth, Zealot Krizt, may be present guarding access to the docks via the destroyed bridge.

A total of 3 Mind Flayer Parasite Specimens can be collected in this area: 2 from the Zhentarim Shipping Crate and 1 from the lifeless body of Zealot Krizt if killed on the docks. If not killed here, she will open the path for the party to the entrance of the building and enter there. Later, her body may be found lifeless in the Oubliette where the Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen is still obtainable.

History[edit | edit source]

Originally built by the Thorm family architect, Moonrise Towers was a symbol of devotion to the moonmaiden Selûne. The tower was commanded by Ketheric Thorm, who lived there with his wife Melodia and his daughter Isobel.

After both Melodia and Isobel's deaths, Ketheric turned to Shar, the Lady of Loss. In her name, he raised an army of Dark Justiciars and set them against the surrounding lands and as far as the Grymforge. Ketheric's forces were eventually defeated by the allied Harpers and Emerald Grove druids, as well from a pact made by the architect which enlisted help from the orthon Yurgir.

Before Ketheric could be brought to justice, he released the Shadow Curse. This curse caused immense damage and death across the land, persisting for the following century.

During the fifteenth century, Myrkul appeared to Ketheric, promising him his greatest desire of Isobel returned to life. For this, Ketheric sacrificed his body and soul, and became Myrkul's chosen. Moonrise Towers was reclaimed in Myrkul's name, and became the seat of power of the Cult of the Absolute, lead by him and two fellow chosen of the Dead Three.

Waypoints[edit | edit source]

This location contains the following Waypoint:

Moonrise Towers X: -158 Y: -99

Connected locations[edit | edit source]

Notable characters[edit | edit source]

Traders[edit | edit source]

Related Quests[edit | edit source]

Notable loot[edit | edit source]

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

Absolute's Protector - can be looted from Z'rell
Cloak of Elemental Absorption - can be found in Ketheric Thorm's room.
Coldbrim Hat - can be found in a locked chest in a hidden room behind a bookcase in Balthazar's Chambers.
Derivation Cloak - can be looted from Balthazar's Room on the first floor.
Moonlantern - can be looted from Balthazar's Room on the first floor.
Myrkulite Scourge - can be looted from Radija
Potion of Everlasting Vigour
Shadow Lantern - is a possible reward for completing Balthazar's Experiment
Spineshudder Amulet - can be looted from a Mimic in Melodia Thorm's room.