Escape the Deal

Escape the Deal is a sub-quest of the Quest Deal with the Devil in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It is automatically added to the journal if Raphael's Soul-Sworn Contract is accepted.

Objectives

Find a way into Raphael's House of Hope.

We signed Raphael's deal but are having second thoughts about giving the ultra-powerful Crown of Karsus to a devil. Raphael is smart, but perhaps he can be outsmarted: if we could get into the House of Hope and destroy our contract, that would void the deal.
We talked with Korrilla and learned of a way into the House of Hope: it seems there's a diabolist somewhere in Baldur's Gate who knows how to get in.

Find Helsik the diabolist.

The orthon Yurgir, whom we aided in the Shar Temple, visited our camp with some advice about our infernal contract. He told us that in the Lower City there is a diabolist named Helsik who can get us into the House of Hope.
We learned that in the Lower City there is a diabolist named Helsik who helped Gortash open a portal into the Hells. Perhaps she can help us get into Raphael's House of Hope.
We found a shop called Devil's Fee run by a diabolist named Helsik. Perhaps she can help us get into Raphael's House of Hope.

Enter the House of Hope.

We talked to Helsik and persuaded her to help us get into the House of Hope. She gave us a grimoire that describes a ritual that will open a portal to the Hells.
We acquired a grimoire that describes a ritual that will open a portal to the Hells. If we follow its instructions, that may enable us to get into Raphael's House of Hope.
We completed a ritual that opened a portal to the Hells. We should use it to enter the House of Hope.

Find the infernal contract.

We have entered the House of Hope. Now to find our contract.

Search the Archive.

We met Hope, the mad spirit of the House, who told us we'll find our contract in the Archive.
We found Raphael's notes in the safe in his Boudoir, and learned how to access the treasures in the Archive. That's where we'll find our contract.

Find a way to deactivate the magic field.

We found our contract, but it's locked behind an impenetrable magic field. We must find a way to deactivate it.

Investigate the Boudoir.

The Archivist wouldn't tell us how to deactivate the magic field, but we might find an answer in Raphael's Boudoir.
We learned of Raphael's boudoir. We should find a way to gain access to it - it may hold answers.

Destroy the infernal contract.

We obtained the password to deactivate the contract's magic field. We should return to the Archive.
We found the contract. It's protected by an impenetrable magic field, but we learned the password to deactivate it.
We used the password to deactivate the magic field, and can now destroy our contract. But we were told that Raphael will know what we've done, so we must be ready.

Quest Complete

We can no longer get to the House of Hope. Now we are bound to fulfil the terms of our deal with Raphael.
We destroyed our infernal contract with Raphael. Now we have no obligation to give him the Crown of Karsus.

Walkthrough

Finding a Way In

A note about Helsik is in Nine-Fingers Keene's room.

There is a note in the Lower City Sewers within the Guildhall. Across the way from Nine-Fingers Keene at her desk is the File:Devil's Fee Observer Report Unfaded Icon.pngDevil's Fee Observer Report, which states that Helsik is a diabolist who aided Enver Gortash and the Chosen Three in obtaining the Crown of Karsus.

If the party completed Break Yurgir's Contract without killing him in Chapter Two, then he appears at camp to offer advice. He tips the party off to Helsik in the Lower City.

The party can also randomly stumble upon Helsik by exploring the Lower City and entering The Devil's Fee. Helsik will initially sell a number of magical items without revealing her true work. The party can learn about this fact by walking around. Several items in the shop trigger Arcana checks which, if succeeded, reveal they are genuine artifacts from hell. These items are the Monster's Skull (X:-43, Y:3), another Monster's Skull (X:-47, Y:2), and infernal gems (X:-25, Y:5). After these artifacts are discovered, the party can pass a Persuasion check (DC 18) to ask Helsik if she is a diabolist.

Alternatively, the party can learn of Helsik's capabilities by exploring the top floor and finding the Coin of Mammon and other objects in the top floor area that reveal she is capable of opening a door into hell.

The Devil's Fee

Once the party is aware of Helsik, they can find her at the Devil's Fee. Inquiring about Helsik being a diabolist has her revealing that her true business is not in information or hellish curious. She is Mammon's Picklock, Latchkeeper of the Nine Hells. She breaks people into the Hells, for a cost. The cost is 20,000 gold. With a successful Persuasion check (DC 20), she waives the fee in lieu of the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength, starting Acquire the Gauntlets for Helsik. Otherwise, she can be persuaded to cut down the fee to 10,000.

The placement of the ritual items in the circle.

Striking a deal with Helsik, she gives the party all the tools needed to open a portal to Hell. This includes a Grimoire Bound in Imp Skin and a Ritual Pouch with all the necessary items. Go upstairs in the Devil's Fee to find a circle in blood. Read the Grimoire Bound in Imp Skin to learn the ritual, then place the ritual items in the correct areas. Starting from the point closest to Helsik's diary and going clockwise:

Skull (X:-35, Y: 6)
Coin of Mammon (X:-34, Y:8)
Empty spot
Diamond (X:-30, Y:7)
Incense (X:-29, Y:4)
Empty spot
Empty spot

Then, drop the Infernal Marble in the center of the circle and a portal to hell opens.

Meeting Hope

A map to the House of Hope.

Once inside the House of Hope, a strange dwarf will appear to greet the party. She believes the party is in great danger, and she herself is dealing with her jailers, but she can be convinced to stick around. Asking her who she is reveals she is Hope, and she is trapped in the prison. Only the Orphic Hammer can release her from her bonds. She explains that the party has to get past the Debtors and sneak to the Archive to get their contract. To aid the party, she gives them a Debtor's Disguise so that they can move about the House undetected.

As the party was given the Orphic Hammer by Raphael in exchange for the contract, they can go to the prison and free Hope immediately. However, this makes the entire House of Hope hostile immediately.

Mol's Contract

The Infernal Gem locks away Mol's contract.

If alive, Mol has a contract in the House of Hope, locked in a room with an Inert Infernal Gem X: 6481 Y: 2944. Interacting with the gem requires a Wisdom (DC 10) and an Arcana (DC 20) check to open.

This room also contains 666 gold, a Staff of Spellpower, and a Helldusk Helmet.

The Archivist

Before entering the Archives, Hope appears once again to warn the party about the Archivist. She says the party must exploit his weakness to get by. Before she can fully explain, the party must pass either a Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom check to keep speaking to her. After passing the check, if asked how to deal with the Archivist, she says he fears authority figures. With a Persuasion check (DC 20), she says he particularly fears Verillius Receptor, a High Inquisitor of Zariel who has official permission to audit Raphael's collection. Verillius' true form is so ghastly and mind-scarring that she takes on guises when she comes to visit. The party can exploit this by pretending to be that guise. If Hope fails to get out the name, then a successful use of Detect Thoughts (DC 10) can be used on the Archivist to reveal the name as well.

The Archivist welcomes "Verillius" to the Archive.

Once inside, the party needs to pass a Deception check (DC 15) to get the Archivist to fully believe in the ruse. Unfortunately, the Archivist cannot give access to the contract, as it is surrounded by an impervious sphere. The sphere requires a magic code that only Raphael has. Instead, he refers the party to wait in the Boudoir until Raphael has returned. The Archivist can also relinquish the pass to the Boudoir by being intimidated (DC 25), or simply by pickpocketing him.

If the Archivist is not successfully deceived or intimidated, information on how to enter the Boudoir can be found in the Outer Portals room (X:-6441, Y:2920). Nubaldin is cleaning up the room. Speaking to him, he explains that he once ran the prisons, but was moved to the Outer Portals room after failing to prevent Gortash from escaping. If the party killed Gortash, they can tell him that they killed him, which will delight Nubaldin. As a reward, Nubaldin explains a secret trick to get into the Boudoir - go next door to the balcony (X:-6446, Y:2936) and jump off the stones to enter the balcony of the Boudoir.

Jumping on the rocks here leads to the Boudoir's balcony.

The Boudoir

Upon entering the Boudoir, the party is accosted by an incubus named Haarlep, who has been polymorphed into a perfect copy of Raphael. Haarlep asks why the party is there, but is already aware that they seek their contract. Haarlep will help the party out if they agree to "play a game" with him. Agreeing to play the "game" will have the party taking off their clothes and Haarlep seducing them to give over their mind and body. The party can insist the just the body be taken, which Haarlep will agree and tells them that they will always know when an orgasm is experienced in their form. Otherwise, giving over both mind and body results in a game over.

Refusing to play makes Haarlep hostile. Additionally, succeeding in a Constitution check (DC 25) during the "game" also makes him hostile. Defeating Haarlep makes him drop the location of Raphael's safe, as well as Helldusk Gloves. The safe contains the magic phrase needed to steal the contract.

The location of Raphael's safe.

Raphael's magic phrase can be pilfered without the need to deal with Haarlep. Simply utilize Greater Invisibility, Supreme Sneak, or other skills to move towards the giant painting west of the bed. A successful perception check reveals that the painting is rigged with a trap. Disarm it (DC 20), then press the button below the painting. Lockpick the safe (DC 25) and take its content, then sneak off before Haarlep notices anything.

Escaping Hell

No matter what the party does, the Archivist is instantly aware if the Soul-Sworn Contract is stolen. He states that the dinner bell has rung for Raphael and the party is the main course. Hope appears one last time to state that everything will be on fire once they leave the Archives. She pleads with the party one last time to come to the prison and smash her chains.

Smash the crystals with the Orphic Hammer to free Hope.

After leaving the Archive, the residents of the House of Hope turn hostile, including the Debtors and several Hell Spheres. On the way to the prison, the party can stop in the Boudoir and use the rejuvenation faucet (X:-6482, Y:2977) to heal. Hope's prison cell is on the eastern side of the House, in a hatch just south of the Outer Portals. Once inside, the party will face two Spectators and a large number of Vengeful Imps. Equip the Orphic Hammer and smash the two crystals to free Hope, who joins the party as a temporary companion.

Once Hope is freed, return to the entrance where the portal is located. Unfortunately, Raphael, Yurgir, and Korrilla are there waiting. Raphael, enraged, will state that the deal is over and that none of the party is getting out alive. Yurgir can be convinced to switch sides with a persuasion check (DC 30 if he was killed in Chapter Two), or he automatically switches sides if he helped the party find the House of Hope in the first place.

Quest Rewards

Gloves of Soul Catching if Raphael is defeated while keeping Hope alive.
Helldusk Armour looted from Raphael's corpse.
Yurgir as an ally for Gather Your Allies if he is convinced to fight against Raphael.
Mol as an ally for Gather Your Allies if her contract is stolen and returned to her (and not told that Raphael is dead if you killed him).

Notes

Korrilla can be saved in the final battle if she is knocked out with non-lethal damage, and Hope acknowledges that her sister is still alive.
It is technically possible to tell Hope to go away after she first appears, then ignore her and go forward into the House of Hope. However, once the party is spotted by the Debtors, they immediately sound the alarm and the entire area becomes hostile.

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