Lift the Shadow Curse

Lift the Shadow Curse is a quest in Act Two of Baldur's Gate 3. It can be started by speaking with Halsin after entering the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Objectives

Objectives and journal entries may vary pending player decisions and outcomes.

Look for clues as to Thaniel's whereabouts.

• According to Halsin, if we want to lift the shadow curse, we must find Thaniel - the spirit of the land.

Tell Halsin about Art Cullagh.

• We found a mysterious man lying unconscious in Last Light Inn. He said the name 'Thaniel' while sleeping. We should tell Halsin about this.

Wake Art Cullagh.

• Halsin met the mysterious unconscious man, and is certain he knows where Thaniel is. Halsin suggested something from the man's past might help to wake him.

Talk to Halsin about Art Cullagh.

• We managed to wake the mysterious man - a Flaming Fist called Art Cullagh. He immediately asked to speak to Halsin, saying the druid was the only one who could help.

Meet Halsin by the lakeshore.

• Halsin has a plan to save Thaniel, and lift the shadow curse. He asked us to meet him by the lakeshore by Last Light.

Defend the portal.

• Halsin delved into the Shadowfell to rescue Thaniel. We must defend the portal Halsin created, or he will be trapped in the Shadowfell forever.

Meet Halsin at camp.

• Halsin rescued Thaniel from the Shadowfell, but the spirit of the land is ill. If we want to help, we should speak to Halsin at camp.

Seek Thaniel's Shadow.

• Halsin has told us to seek a place where flowers still grow in the shadow-cursed lands. Among the blooms we might locate Thaniel's missing half, the key to curing his illness.

Speak to Halsin at camp.

• It took some convincing, but Oliver agreed to reunite with Thaniel. We should check in with Halsin next time we're at camp, and see if Thaniel is doing any better.

Kill Ketheric Thorm.

• Reuniting Oliver and Thaniel is not enough. Ketheric Thorm is the anchor of the curse. For the land to heal, he must be defeated.

Quest Complete

• If the party fails to protect the portal: Halsin is lost to the Shadowfell. Without him, we can't lift the shadow curse.
• We left for Baldur's Gate without finding a way to lift the shadow curse. Halsin decided to stay behind to try and lift the curse without us.
• We successfully lifted the shadow curse. In time, these lands will flourish once again.
• Halsin died. Without him, we cannot lift the shadow curse.

Walkthrough

This quest can only be undertaken if Defeat the Goblins was completed and Halsin agreed to accompany the party to Moonrise Towers. It can be initiated by speaking to Halsin at camp and asking him how to lift the shadow curse. Halsin explains that the land is not just the soil and roots. It's a living being that manifests in the form of a fey boy named Thaniel. Halsin believes Thaniel was banished to the Shadowfell and that rescuing him can break the curse. He urges the party to look out for any clues once the Shadow-Cursed Lands are reached.

The Spirit of the Land

Information about Thaniel can be found at the Last Light Inn by entering a room on the northern end of the ground floor. Inside, an unconscious man named Art Cullagh is singing a song about Thaniel. Interacting with Cullagh starts Wake up Art Cullagh. The party must obtain the Battered Lute from Malus Thorm in the House of Hope and bring it back to Last Light to wake up Cullagh. After this is complete, Cullagh asks for Halsin, as Thaniel had told him to seek him out. Halsin asks Cullagh what he remembers of Thaniel and where he met him, but Cullagh struggles to explain the shifting landscape of the Shadowfell. He does, however, remember that he always smelled lavender when Thaniel was around.

Halsin returns from the portal with Thaniel.

Halsin tells the party to follow him to the lakeside, which is north of the Last Light Inn, just outside of the barrier. Speak to him and he explains that his teachings from the Oak Father have prepared him to rescue Thaniel, but he needs help. As soon as he enters the portal to the Shadowfell, the shadow cursed beings will fight to destroy it. He needs the party to protect the portal until he can rescue Thaniel. This starts a battle with waves of enemies. The party must keep the portal intact for four turns before Halsin returns. All manner of shadow creatures appear, including Wraiths, Shadows, Shadow Mastiffs, Shadow-Cursed Harpers, Shadow-Cursed Flaming Fists, Shadow-Cursed Zealots, Shadow-Cursed Githyanki Warriors, and Shadow Creepers. If the party fails to stave off the shadows, then Halsin is lost to the Shadowfell and the quest ends.

If Halsin succeeds, he exits the portal with Thaniel, who is unconscious. Halsin explains that something is wrong and that it seems a part of Thaniel is missing. He asks the party to meet him at camp to discuss the next steps. At camp, he explains that a part of Thaniel was left in the Shadow-Cursed Lands and that it must have succumbed to the curse over time. He suggests that the fragment should hold some of Thaniel's powers, such as wildlife blooming in otherwise dead areas. He noticed some areas in the Ruined Battlefield near Last Light that made him suspicious. He also offers to join the party properly, becoming a full companion.

Oliver

Oliver is a corrupted part of Thaniel, left to decay in the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

The fragment in question is Oliver. He's in a decrepit house (X:76, Y:31) east of Last Light. When the party tells him he needs to return to Thaniel, he refuses and runs away in a shadow portal. Use the portal to follow him to Reithwin Town. Oliver shields himself with a Nightdome that reflects damage and summons two Wraiths - "Mummy" and "Daddy" - to protect him. After the Wraiths are defeated, he summons Shadow Friends until his barrier is depleted.

After the battle, Oliver complains about being disturbed and says he doesn't want to go back to Thaniel. The player can either gently coax him, not-so-gently coax him, or let Halsin handle it. In all instances, Oliver agrees to go back, but choosing to be aggressive to Oliver loses approval with Halsin.

Healing the Land

After Oliver returns to Thaniel, Thaniel finally awakens. He is at camp, near Halsin's tent. He explains that the land cannot truly heal until Ketheric Thorm has been defeated. The quest is not fully completed until Defeat Ketheric Thorm is resolved and the party leaves the Shadow-Cursed Lands for Baldur's Gate. After this, a cutscene plays, showing the land healing from the curse.

If this quest is not resolved before the party leaves the Shadow-Cursed Lands, then Halsin does not fully join the party and instead chooses to remain in the area so he can attempt to lift the shadow curse himself.

Quest Rewards

• Halsin as a full companion