Find the Missing Shipment

Rugan and his crew have suffered heavy losses while transporting cargo.

Find the Missing Shipment is a Quest in Chapter One of Baldur's Gate 3. It can be started by approaching the trapped Rugan and Olly at the Risen Road, finding the Zhentarim Basement and speaking with Zarys there, or reading a note found on the corpse of one of her missing agents.

Objectives

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

Find the missing wagon.

• Zarys, leader of the local Zhentarim, said her agents went missing while transporting a shipment. She'll pay a hefty sum if we return it unopened.

Search for survivors of the caravan.

• We found the remains of a caravan. A note on a corpse mentioned a valuable chest and someone called 'NF'. Perhaps someone survived this attack.
• We discovered the wrecked wagon and a note on one of the dead. This must be one of Zarys' missing agents, but where are the others? And the shipment?
• We discovered a wrecked wagon. A corpse told us that someone called Rugan escaped with a chest and headed north. We should search for him.

Help the trapped survivors.

• We found Zarys' missing agents trapped in a cave surrounded by gnolls. If we want to save them, we'll have to take out the gnolls first.
• We discovered two people trapped in a cave, surrounded by a horde of ravenous gnolls. They'll likely die without help.

Check on the survivors.

• Using our parasite, we forced the gnoll leader to attack the men in the cave. It's sure to be a bloodbath.

Speak with Rugan/Olly.

• The gnolls have been defeated. We should let Rugan/Olly know.

Defeat the survivors.

• Things turned sour with the survivors in the cave. We'll make quick work of them.

Take the shipment.

• Zarys' agents lie dead. We need to bring their shipment back to Zarys.
• The two men died. Their cargo is still in the cave, however. It looks valuable.
• One of Zarys' agents is dead. Olly wants nothing to do with the chest they carried. Zarys will want it back.
• The shipment is ours. We should grab it while we can - and decide what to do with it.

Meet with Rugan's associates.

• Rugan thanked us and invited us to meet his associates. To enter their hideout, we need to use the password 'little serpent, long shadow'.
• We learned that, to enter the Zhentarim hideout, we need to use the password 'little serpent, long shadow'.
• We spoke to Rugan's body and learned of a Zhentarim hideout nearby, beneath a tavern. We should go there.

Return to Zarys.

• Zarys' agents died. However, we have the shipment. She'll be pleased.
• Rugan thanked us for saving him and the other agent. We should return to Zarys for payment.
• One of Zarys' agents lies dead, but we have the shipment. Zarys will be pleased.

Speak with the Zhentarim leader.

• We were able to successfully enter the hideout. Time to find who's in charge.

Decide what to do with the chest.

• The two men died, but left behind a valuable chest. We could try to find its owner, or just open it and take what's inside.
• We took a locked and sealed chest from Rugan, one of the men we saved from gnolls. The chest is now ours, but we could try to find its owner.
• The men hiding from the gnolls were carrying a locked, sealed chest. We could try to find its owner, or just open it and take what's inside.

Quest Complete

• Pleased, Zarys rewarded us for defending her agents and bringing back the shipment.
• We made enemies of the Zhentarim before we could complete our mission.
• We left before fully investigating the shipment and its owners.
• Pleased, Zarys rewarded us for bringing back the shipment.
• Zarys attacked us when she learned we had lost the chest. We should have been more careful.
• We broke the seal on the chest. No point in returning it to the owner now - guess it's ours!
• We kept the chest and left the area with it.
• We tried meeting with Rugan's associates but were refused entry.
• We tried to return the chest, but things went wrong. Guess it's ours now.
• Pleased, Zarys rewarded us for defending her agents. We kept quiet about the shipment.
• We joined the Zhentarim. Zarys needs us to bring the shipment to Baldur's Gate.

Walkthrough

Finding the Missing Shipment is started either by encountering Rugan and Olly on The Risen Road or by entering the Zhentarim Hideout in Waukeen's Rest and speaking with Zarys. Either approach leads to the same result - encountering the Gnolls attacking the guards and deciding what to do with the locked chest.

Rugan and Olly

The two Zhentarim guards are trapped in a cave near the Risen Road, surrounded by Gnolls. Rugan and Olly's reaction varies depending on how the party encounters them. If the party enters the cave from the back entrance (X:50, Y:576), then Rugan remarks that they are just as trapped as him and Olly and they all need to band together to fight. If the party enters from the front (X:38, Y:618), Rugan tells Olly to stand down and leave the heroics to those who don't value their own skin. If the party enters the cave from the back entrance and chooses to sneak past Rugan and Olly and steal their belongings, then by returning to the main entrance they will find that the gnolls have broken down Zhentarim agents' resistance, entered the cave and killed both men.

If the duo are saved (regardless of how the party enters), they are both grateful for the assistance.

Aside from saving the pair, the party can also let them die. This can occur by Long Resting instead of confronting the gnolls or by commanding the gnoll Warlord Flind to kill the humans inside the cave. The option to commune with Flind's tadpole occurs within the first few rounds of combat. Flind can also be commanded to feast on herself or her pack, or to retreat.

• Search her mind for the source of the Voice.
• [ILLITHID] [WISDOM] Use the power within you to make her obey the Voice; to brave the flames and feast on the meat in the cave. (DC 2)
• [BARD] [PERFORMANCE] Conjure the mewlings of easy prey into her mind, centring it within the nearby cave. (DC 12)
• Withdraw from her mind, and prepare to strike.
• Divert her attention to the cave - perhaps there's more meat inside?

Choose the first option to get an additional command:

• [ILLITHID] [WISDOM] You are of the same pack - command her to devour the other gnolls. (DC 2)

Locating the shipment

Once the Gnolls are dealt with, the party witnesses what the sacrifice was for - a shipment of items to be brought to Baldur's Gate for a rich and powerful individual.

• You're Zhentarim. Your people deal in more than just 'baubles.'
• [PALADIN] You're Zhent - I'd wager more than just your crew have died over these 'baubles'.
• Many people lost their lives for those baubles.
• [INTIMIDATION] Whatever your cargo is, I'll consider it as payment. (DC 15)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] The cargo. Give it to me. Or else. (DC 15)
• [BARD] [DECEPTION] Darkhold was getting concerned. I've been sent to retrieve the shipment. (DC 15 )

If the party pressures Rugan for the chest, he still hesitates to relinquish it. He says his bosses will do worse to him than any of the Gnolls could have. He requires another speech check to give up the goods:

• [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] ROAR. (DC 15 )
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Enough talking. I'll have that cargo, or I'll have your head. (DC 15 )
• [INTIMIDATION] No, this is where I stop asking and start cutting. (DC 15)
• [PERSUASION] This is your employer's mess - but we can profit. Let's sell the cargo ourselves. (DC 15)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] You're missing a golden opportunity. Report the cargo lost - and we can sell it ourselves. (DC 15 )
• [PALADIN] [INTIMIDATION] You serve your oath to the Zhent impressively, but I'm afraid I'll be taking that cargo. Now. (DC 15)
• [BARD] [PERSUASION] You'll find I'm very persuasive. We can make much more coin than you would with your employers. (DC 12)

After this successful check, Rugan relinquishes the chest to the party. If Rugan is not persuaded, the party can also steal the chest or lockpick it open (DC 20). If the Iron Flask inside is taken, the chest is considered stolen. If the chest was unlocked, even without taking anything out of it, Zarys will consider it a violation of the agreement and order her henchmen to attack.

If Rugan dies, Olly simply hands over the shipment, saying it's bad luck. He runs off afterwards.

The Zhentarim hideout

To learn more about the Zhentarim, their hideout must first be located. It's in a barn west of Waukeen's Rest, at the shabby door. The party will automatically be aware of the Zhentarim Hideout depending on if Rugan and Olly were encountered first - either by speaking with Rugan or by asking his corpse questions with  Speak with Dead. If the party spares Rugan's life, he shares the location of the hideout along with the password need to enter. With a successful perception check, the party notices a man, Salazon, crouching behind some shelves. Reciting the password requires a DC 10 dexterity check to say "Wait, listen!" before reciting "Little serpent, long shadow." Succeeding the check has him stand down immediately and provide the key to a wardrobe that leads into the hideout. If the party does not have the password, there are a myriad of other options to get past Salazon:

• Read his mind.
• [BERSERKER] [INTIMIDATION] Do NOT make me angry! (DC 15 )
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Careful. You won't kill me, but you will make me mad. (DC 15)
• [PERSUASION] Just calm down - I'm not here to fight. (DC 15)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] This is all pretty crude, as traps go - you'll probably kill us both. (DC 15 )
• [SORCERER] [PERSUASION] I am magic. Cast that spell - you'll only hurt yourself. (DC 15 )
• [DRACONIC SORCERER] [PERSUASION] Fire is in my blood. Do it. Let's see who survives. (DC 15)
• [WILD MAGIC] [PERSUASION] Every spell I cast could be my last. You think I fear death? (DC 15)
• [WIZARD] [PERSUASION] That spell, in close quarters? You're going to hurt yourself. (DC 15 )

Succeeding to make the man stand down allows the Zhentarim to be dealt with peacefully.

Returning the shipment

If Rugan and Olly are spared, and the chest is not stolen from them, they will return the chest to the basement (note: if they are not in the basement when the party goes back, taking a long rest will unblock the progression). Zarys thanks the party for their aid and considers them a friend of the Zhentarim. Their merchant Brem opens up special stock and Zarys rewards the party with gold and a crossbow, Harold. If Rugan and Olly did not survive, then this outcome can still be obtained by returning the chest to the Zhentarim without opening it.

If Rugan is intimidated into giving up the chest or persuaded to split the profits with the party, then Olly is killed and Rugan is captured by the Zhentarim. The party has a chance to join the Zhentarim by killing Rugan as a gesture, and they are then tasked with delivering the shipment to Baldur's Gate. Brem opens his special stock, but Harold is not received. The party can also kill the other Zhentarim to rescue Rugan, losing out on the special stock and the crossbow.

If the chest was lock-picked and the Iron Flask is returned to Zarys, the Zhentarim will become hostile. If not informing her that the party stole the shipment, Brem still opens his special stock but Zarys will not give Harold as a reward.

The Guildhall

In Act Three, the unopened chest can be delivered to Zhentarim agents in the Guildhall. Turn the shipment over to Slick Inatra to receive a few words of thanks.

Quest rewards

• Harold
• Iron Flask if the chest is opened.
• "Special Stock" from Brem if the chest is returned unopened.

Notable loot

• Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen, on Flind's body
• Reason's Grasp, in a locked chest in the cave, behind Rugan and Olly, after climbing a ladder
• Shattered Flail, on Flind's body
• Speedy Reply, on a dead caravan agent killed by the gnolls

Notes

• If a Long Rest is taken after discovering the area near Rugan's cave, the Zhentarim guards die to the gnolls.