Moonrise Towers

Moonrise Towers shrouded in magical shadow.

Shadow-Cursed Lands
Reithwin Town
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		Moonrise Towers

Moonrise Tower is a location in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, the main area of Act Two. In the distant past, it used to be a temple to Selune, 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

Waypoints

This location contains the following  Waypoint:

• Moonrise Towers X: -158  Y: -99

Connected locations

• Moonrise Towers Prison
• Moonrise Towers Rooftop

Main floor

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. Relate your feats to Lann Tarv earns the Inspirational Event Uncommon Recognition (Folk Hero 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 meeting Z'rell 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

Continuing south past the foyer is the throne room, where Ketheric 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

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

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

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

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 you to reach into the wall, where a tentacle will grab the arm of the interacting party member. Failing a series of checks (Strength, Dexterity and Sleight of Hand) 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 a Selûnite bedroom on the first floor.

First floor

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 your interaction with Z'rell. Additionally, succeeding a DC 14 Insight check will allow you 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

This room has several notable items, including a working Moonlantern.

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". 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

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 player 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. Off to the west is the remnants of a Myrkulite ritual. There are also letters from Gortash and to Balthazar.

Isobel's room

Beyond Ketheric's room is a disused bedroom that used to be Isobel's. 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

See main article: Moonrise Towers Prison

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

See main article: Moonrise Towers Rooftop

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

Docks

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: Zealot Renan, Zealot Arden, Adept Bel and Acolyte Marls.

Spoiler warning! This section reveals details about the story of Baldur's Gate 3.

Asking Acolyte Marls about the cargo can yield an Illithid Persuasion interaction. If you follow the wisdom option, he gets agitated by the suppressed memory of the crate contents. A second DC 14 Wisdom check can return him to his ignorant bliss. Otherwise he goes for a swim. This will prompt more conversation from Arden who may run inside afterwards (temporarily) depending on how your interaction goes.

Notable characters

• Ketheric Thorm
• Minthara
• Fezzerk
• Mig
• Linsella
• Barnabus
• Z'rell
• Radija
• Glourik
• Steelclaw

Traders

• Araj Oblodra
• Roah Moonglow
• Lann Tarv

Related Quests

• Infiltrate Moonrise Towers
• Balthazar's Experiment
• Decide Minthara's Fate
• Find the Nightsong
• Find Mol
• Find Zevlor
• Rescue the Grand Duke
• Rescue the Tieflings
• Rescue Wulbren
• Discover the history of Prince Orpheus
• Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic
• Defeat Ketheric Thorm

Interactions

• Mig in the dormitory will ask the player to investigate a strange meat-sound coming from the walls. This can be resolved by finding a cracked wall in the rafters.
• Steelclaw can be found on the southern exterior of the main floor playing with a dead mind flayer parasite. She has a special interaction for Dark Urge players.
• After meeting Z'rell for the first time, she will give the player a key and access to Balthazar's room to obtain a Moonlantern, provided they do not say they have already met him.

History

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 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.

Notable loot

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

• Derivation Cloak and a Moonlantern can be looted from Balthazar's Room on the first floor.
• Coldbrim Hat can be found in a locked chest in a hidden room behind a bookcase in Balthazar's Chambers. To access it you need to pull the protruding book on the upper right. This will allow you to interact with the stone altar to the right. Place a heart in there (can be found on a nearby table) to get access to the secret room.
• Cloak of Elemental Absorption can be found in Ketheric Thorm's room
• Spineshudder Amulet can be looted from a Mimic in Melodia Throm's room
• Potion of Everlasting Vigour
• Shadow Lantern - possible reward for completing Balthazar's Experiment

Lann Tarv sells:

• Halberd of Vigilance
• Gloves of The Duellist
• Sentinel Shield
• Enraging Heart Garb
• Fistbreaker Helm
• Bigboy's Chew Toy
• Slicing Shortsword
• Dagger +2

If you convince Disciple Z'rell to help you, Lann Tarv also sells:

• Gauntlets of Surging Accuracy
• Dwarven Splintmail
• Render of Mind and Body

Roah Moonglow sells:

• Sharpened Snare Cuirass
• Gloves of Crushing
• Armour of Devotion
• Drakethroat Glaive
• Ne'er Misser
• Poisoner's Ring
• Ring of Spiteful Thunder
• Marksmanship Hat

Araj Oblodra sells:

• Circlet of Hunting
• Purple Worm Toxin
• Boots of Arcane Bolstering
• Risky Ring
• Ring of Free Action
• Robe of Exquisite Focus
• The Graceful Cloth
• Thunderskin Cloak
• Hat of Storm Scion's Power

External links

• Moonrise Towers on the Forgotten Realms Wiki