Daughter of Darkness

Daughter of Darkness is the Companion quest for Shadowheart. It is automatically added to the journal if Shadowheart joins the party officially after the events of the Prologue.

Objectives

Objectives and journal entries may vary pending player decisions.

Continue travelling with Shadowheart.

• We recruited a half-elf named Shadowheart. She was also aboard the nautiloid - and infected with a parasite.
• A half-elf named Shadowheart has joined the party. She was also infected aboard the nautiloid and was playing with a strange object when we met her.
• We recruited a half-elf named Shadowheart. She was also infected aboard the nautiloid. For some reason, she doesn't seem to trust githyanki.
• As a strange voice assailed us, we were saved by a half-elf named Shadowheart - another survivor of the nautiloid. We accepted her into our party.
• We recruited Shadowheart, a half-elf and fellow nautiloid escapee. She perished in the crash, however, so we resurrected her.
• We saw Shadowheart tinkering with a strange artefact. When we asked her about it, she hid it and refused to answer our questions.
• Although Shadowheart tried to hide it, we discovered that she worships the goddess Shar. We need to ensure she doesn't keep anything else from us.
• Shadowheart told us that she had allowed her memory to be suppressed so she can serve Shar without compromising her.
• Shadowheart spoke of the Mother Superior - her mentor, and leader of a cloister of Shar worshippers. This mysterious figure raised and trained Shadowheart.
• We witnessed Shadowheart become stricken by an unusual surge of pain, emanating from a tiny, unhealed wound on her hand.
• We spoke to Shadowheart about the pain that her mysterious wound inflicted on her. She believes it may be part of her training - punishing her whenever she strays from Shar's teachings.
• We promised to help Shadowheart find a way to alleviate her pain if we could. She appreciated this considerably.
• Shadowheart has been gripped with intense pain from her wound on many occasions now. This could prove to become a liability if we cannot help her.
• We encouraged Shadowheart to find a way to prevent her wound from tormenting her. Though she feels the suffering is part of her faith, she conceded that she would rather live without it.
• We encouraged Shadowheart to find a way to prevent her wound from tormenting her. She was unconvinced however - believing that it would be a betrayal of her goddess to not endure the pain.
• We learned that it was the Mother Superior herself who inflicted Shadowheart with the mysterious wound that does not heal.
• We learned that Shadowheart needs to reach Baldur's Gate to fulfil a mission for her goddess - though the details of that mission are a mystery.
• We learned that Shadowheart is on a mission for Shar: she needs to bring that strange githyanki artefact to Baldur's Gate.
• Last night, we woke up to Lae'zel and Shadowheart about to kill each other. We weren't able to calm them down, and Lae'zel ended up dead.
• Last night, we woke up to Lae'zel and Shadowheart about to kill each other. Luckily, we were able to calm them both down.
• We witnessed Shadowheart react with alarm on encountering a wolf. She seems to have a deep-seated fear of them; we should see if she's willing to talk about it.
• Shadowheart opened up to us about her fear of wolves - she believes it stems from a childhood memory of being hunted by such a creature.
• Shadowheart decided to share an old memory with us - one of a few spared from her amnesia. We saw her as a lost child, being pursued by a wolf through a dark forest. Some Shar worshippers, led by the masked Mother Superior, came to her rescue and took her into their care. Though Shadowheart reflected on the memory with gratitude towards her saviours, we couldn't help but point out that it seemed manipulative to ensnare a child in such a way.
• We pointed out to Shadowheart that her memory of wandering a dark forest bore some resemblance to traditional Selûnite coming-of-age rites, where young children would have to navigate their way home with the aid of Selûne's moon glow. Shadowheart was troubled by the comparison.
• Shadowheart revealed to us that she has long-dreamed of becoming a Dark Justiciar. Her Mother Superior always thwarted her ambitions, however.
• We convinced Shadowheart to eat the Noblestalk, suspecting that its curative properties may help her amnesia. The effects of the mushroom briefly restored a fragmented memory from her youth that suggested she may have a friend out there somewhere. Perhaps a reunion beckons.
• We discovered that Shadowheart possesses a certain amount of resistance to the ill effects of the shadow curse. It seems that this must be due to Shar's patronage - but given the mercurial nature of the dark goddess, the extent of her protection remains to be seen.
• We gifted Shadowheart a Night Orchid - her favourite flower. She was greatly appreciative of the gesture.
• Shadowheart confessed to us that she is experiencing a crisis of faith. She feels like aspects of her own character are at odds with the tenets of her Shar worship, and she is having difficulty in reconciling the two.

Investigate the Gauntlet of Shar.

• We discovered the Gauntlet of Shar - a huge, ancient temple dedicated to the dark goddess. Shadowheart will surely want to investigate further.

Defeat Ketheric Thorm.

• Shadowheart has slain the Nightsong, and has risen as the last Dark Justiciar conferred by the Gauntlet of Shar. Her goddess commanded her to carry out a purge of disloyal elements amongst her worshippers, starting with the traitor, Ketheric Thorm.

Leave the Shadowfell.

• Shadowheart spared the Nightsong, in spite of Shar's demands that she be sacrificed. Shar will no doubt be furious, but the Nightsong seems to know something about Shadowheart's past. Whatever secrets she can reveal may be worth risking the wrath of a goddess.

Learn about Shadowheart's past from Dame Aylin.

• Shar has punished Shadowheart by stripping her of all favours and exiling her from her church. Now all Sharrans will view Shadowheart as a pariah and an enemy. All she can do now is seek out the counsel of Nightsong - or Dame Aylin, as she is known - and see what answers she can provide.

Journey to Baldur's Gate.

• Dame Aylin revealed the truth to Shadowheart. She was not saved by Sharrans as a child, but abducted and indoctrinated by them. Furthermore, her parents still live in Sharran captivity, and are bound to their daughter by a curse - the source of the pain that emanates from Shadowheart's wound. Shadowheart must make for Baldur's Gate in order to rescue her parents and free herself from Shar's influence.
• We have defeated Ketheric Thorm, just as Shadowheart was commanded to do by her goddess. Now she must continue to purge the Church of Shar of those deemed to be disloyal or failures. Shadowheart's old cloister in Baldur's Gate is to be her next target.

Find a Sharran Lookout.

• We have arrived in Wyrm's Crossing. Shadowheart believes that Sharran lookouts will be present in the vicinity, awaiting her return. She must find one such lookout in order to learn where the Sharran cloister is hidden. She expects to find such a lookout hiding amongst the desperate new arrivals flooding into Wyrm's Crossing.

Journey to the House of Grief.

• We have found a Sharran lookout called Ferg Drogher. He revealed that the cloister is hidden in a place called the House of Grief, in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate.

Find a way into the Cloister.

• We discovered that a place known as the House of Grief is a front for the Sharran presence in Baldur's Gate. Shadowheart was greeted by an attendant, Mirie, who told her she was expected. We must continue farther inside until we reach the innermost depths of the Sharran presence in the city. Only there can Shadowheart carry out her goddess's will.
• We arrived at the House of Grief, where the Sharran cloister is said to be hidden. Shadowheart was greeted by an attendant, Mirie, who told her she was expected. We must continue farther inside until we reach the innermost depths of the Sharran presence in the city. Only there can Shadowheart carry out her goddess's will.

Confront Viconia

• We met the Mother Superior of the Sharran cloister, who turned out to be Viconia DeVir. She challenged Shadowheart to descend farther into the cloister for a final confrontation.

Defeat Viconia and her followers.

• We attempted to sway as many Shar worshippers as possible to Shadowheart's cause, but now we must get rid of Viconia and her most die-hard zealots.
• We confronted Viconia and her entire cadre of Shar worshippers. Now we must defeat them before Shadowheart can find her parents.

Enter the Chamber of Loss.

• We must gain entry to the Chamber of Loss, where Shadowheart's parents are being held captive.
• Shadowheart's final test awaits in the Chamber of Loss. If she succeeds, she will become the new head of the Church of Shar.

Help Shadowheart with Shar's final test.

• We found two prisoners inside the Chamber of Loss. They must have something to do with Shar's final test for Shadowheart.

Help Shadowheart save her parents.

• Shadowheart's parents are close. We must do what we can to help her save them from Shar's clutches.

Quest Complete

• We betrayed Shadowheart to Viconia in exchange for an alliance with the Sharrans in the fight against the Absolute.
• The two prisoners were revealed to be Shadowheart's parents. Shar commanded her to sacrifice them as a final show of loyalty. Shadowheart obeyed, killing both her mother and father, then assuming the mantle of Shar's Chosen and leader of her church. Shar's faithful will be Shadowheart's to command in the fight against the Absolute.
• Shadowheart decided to end her parents' suffering by putting them to rest and entrusting their spirits to the care of Selûne. Now they are at peace, and she is free of Shar's influence. Free of her past, she can choose her own path at last.
• The two prisoners were revealed to be Shadowheart's mother and father. Shar commanded her to sacrifice them as a final show of loyalty, but Shadowheart chose to turn her back on her goddess and instead free her parents. Reunited with her family, but with her faith and purpose shattered, Shadowheart's future looks uncertain. She will have a lot to process, as her newfound family recuperates at our camp.
• Shadowheart managed to rescue her parents from Shar's clutches. Years of imprisonment and torture have left them weakened however. For now, they will recuperate at our camp, and Shadowheart can reconnect with the family that was stolen from her.
• Shadowheart's parents were killed. Deciding she could no longer trust us, Shadowheart left for good.

We decided to focus on other matters at the expense of helping Shadowheart save her parents. What will happen next for her is unclear.

• Shadowheart was thwarted in her chance to pass Shar's final test. Enraged, she turned on us.

We deprived Shadowheart of the opportunity to prove herself in the Gauntlet of Shar. Enraged, she parted ways from us for good.

• Shadowheart died. We won't be able to bring her back.
• Shadowheart left our party and won't return.
• Shadowheart turned against us.

Walkthrough

Note that Shadowheart’s story spans the entire game, and has spoilers for all Acts of the game.

Recruiting Shadowheart

Shadowheart is awoken on the Ravaged Beach.

Shadowheart is first encountered on the Nautiloid in the Prologue, where she can be seen banging on her Mind Flayer Pod. She begs to be released, although Lae'zel thinks they are wasting time. The party can either abandon Shadowheart to her fate, or aid her as part of Rescue the Illithid's Captive. If Shadowheart is rescued, she joins the party in moving to the helm. While in the party, Shadowheart shows a distrust of githyanki, but it isn't clear why she feels so strongly about them.

Once the Nautiloid arrives in the Material Plane and crashes on the Sword Coast, Shadowheart can be found unconscious on the Ravaged Beach X: 273 Y: 223 if she was rescued or banging on the door to the Dank Crypt X: 285 Y: 305. If the party either ignores her or refuses to let her join, she appears yet again in the Druid Grove. Lastly, if she has still not been recruited, she'll appear in either the Goblin Camp or the Mountain Pass with the Mysterious Artefact as the party is being overwhelmed by the voice of The Absolute.

At the very last chance of recruitment, Shadowheart says that the party needs the Artefact, and she needs them to avoid being hunted down for it. If the party still refuses to recruit her, she says she'll remain in the same place until they change their mind on recruiting her, although moving on to the Mountain Pass does cause her Artefact to transfer to the player character in a Long Rest scene at camp.

Follower of Shar

While very secretive at first, Shadowheart eventually reveals her biggest secret - she is a follower of Shar. One way to trigger this is by finding the Selûnite statue in the Owlbear Cave. Once the party reads the prayer sheet in front of the Selûnite Chest, Shadowheart interjects that they should just leave it, as it's trash at best and dangerous at worst. If an Insight check is passed (DC 15) asking Shadowheart why she cares so much, she confesses that she worships Shar.

Shadowheart's mission

Shadowheart is forced to reveal more about herself at the Goblin Camp or Mountain Pass after the mysterious artefact protects the party from the voice of The Absolute. If the party says she has some explaining to do, she only says that she has a mission to return the artefact to Baldur's Gate at all costs and that it's very important. If the matter is pushed, either saying there has to be more to it or asking why Baldur's Gate, she finally admits that she is a Shar Worshipper. She was sent to retrieve the artefact at all costs and her memories were suppressed so that she wouldn't betray Shar. She lives in the Sharran cloister in Baldur's Gate, where she must return. She's the only one left of her cohort who survived the journey.

A mysterious wound

Shadowheart suffers from a mysterious unhealing wound.

At various points during the adventure, when Shadowheart is in the party, she can feel intense pain from a Mysterious Sharran Wound. This can be encountered quite early, such as if the party chooses to save Arabella as part of Save Arabella or finding the broken Selûne statue in the Blighted Village near the windmill. Shadowheart is initially quite cagey about the wound, simply describing it as an old wound that never properly healed.

After Shadowheart reveals her Shar worship, she explains a little more about the wound. She explains that the wound is her burden to bear from Lady Shar and that she can somehow feel her influence. She still doesn't know why she has it, assuming that Shar must have her reasons. As a Shar worshipper, she's been taught to endure pain if it has a reason.

Conflict at camp

Once the party reaches the Mountain Pass and finds the githyanki patrol, Kith'rak Voss interrogates the party on the location of a stolen githyanki artefact. It is polyhedric in shape and inscribed with the sacred runes of the githyanki people. Shadowheart is clearly anxious if she's in the party, as she's aware she carries the artefact he speaks of. After the patrol is dealt with, an event occurs during a Long Rest at camp. Lae'zel is arguing with Shadowheart about the theft of an object owned by her people. Lae'zel demands the artefact, but Shadowheart tells her to back off and be grateful they have the artefact to protect them. Lae'zel suggests they duel at sunrise to settle things.

During the night, the player character wakes up to Shadowheart holding a knife to Lae'zel's neck. She says she'll tell the party Lae'zel was transforming, so she put her down. If nothing is done, Shadowheart slits Lae'zel's neck and smashes her parasite as it crawls out. The player character can defend Lae'zel, causing Shadowheart to become hostile and have to be killed. Lastly, with a Persuasion check (DC 10), Shadowheart can stand down. In this case, Lae'zel and Shadowheart resolve their issues and agree not to fight again.

Shadowheart's memories

As part of her sacred mission for Lady Shar, Shadowheart has lost most of her memories about herself. She believes she can only regain them by returning to her cloister with the artefact. That said, Shadowheart does remember some things about her life. If, after learning about her Shar worship, the player asks Shadowheart "Tell me something about yourself besides Shar, besides tadpoles," she says that she doesn't know how to swim and she likes night orchids. If asked for anything more she'd care to share, Shadowheart explains that she quite literally can't, as there is little she remembers about herself.

Shadowheart and wolves

Young Shadowheart in the woods

When faced with wolves, Shadowheart shows extreme fear and gains the Frightened status. This can happen as early as Act One, in the Inner Sanctum of the Druid Grove. There are several wolves near the entrance, which scare Shadowheart and prompt a dialogue with her. She explains that they are ravenous predators with fangs, so it's hardly irrational for her to fear them. If the player has at least 10 approval to her, she asks that they avoid having her face wolves if at all possible, as they've been decent to her so far. Otherwise, she just says the player shouldn't be surprised if she's reluctant to face them in the future. Another area this can be triggered is the captain's room in Creche Y'llek.

With a high enough approval, the player gains a dialogue with Shadowheart where she explains she wants to share something, as she's never felt more comfortable with anyone than she has with the player. She says that it's difficult to put into words and asks the player to connect their tadpoles so that she can show them what she wants to share. The memory shows a young Shadowheart as a group of Sharran worshippers corner a wolf in the woods. The leader of the Sharrans, the Mother Superior who raised Shadowheart, asked her name and took her away to be raised in the cloister. Shadowheart has no memory before the woods and can't remember what her name was before becoming Shadowheart. A passive Religion check reveals that a typical Selûnite ritual is to send children into the woods at night to find their way back home. If the check is passed, the player can mention it looked like she was wearing Moonstone, which is typical for Selûnites. However, Shadowheart rejects this and says she was just wearing some meaningless bauble.

Noblestalk

For detailed information on the Noblestalk's affects on Shadowheart, see A Familiar Face.

The party can gain a powerful curative mushroom known as the Noblestalk X: -4 Y: -62 in the Underdark in the same area as Find the Mushroom Picker. In order to safely acquire the Noblestalk, the Bibberbang in the area must not be detonated. There are many ways to achieve this, such as using Glut to move the Noblestalk, using the Sovereign's Key to prevent the Bibberbang from activating, jumping on high strength characters, or utilising spells such as Misty Step or Fly.

After obtaining the Noblestalk, speak to Shadowheart and she can be offered it as a chance to regain her memories. Shadowheart as hesitant to do this, as she fears it might be considered defying Shar to try and overcome the memory suppression. However, she can be Persuaded or Intimidated (DC 12) to consume it. If she does, she regains a childhood memory of a tiefling named 'Rennald' who comforted her when she was being teased by the other initiates. This initiates A Familiar Face, as Shadowheart hopes to reunite with the tiefling in Baldur's Gate.

Night orchids

Within the Shadow-Cursed Lands, a Night Orchid X: 57 Y: 179 can be found in the Ruined Battlefield, northeast of the Last Light Inn. By talking to Shadowheart, the player character can remind her that she told them about the flower, and that they have one for her. She teases the player character, initially saying she hopes they didn't pick them by hand as they're deadly poisonous. However, she was only joking - they're safe, and beautiful. She thanks for the gift, although she has nothing to give in return.

The Night Orchid can only be given to Shadowheart if she has previously been asked about her interests.

The Chosen of Shar

For detailed information on this sub-quest, see The Chosen of Shar.

During dialogue with Shadowheart, she reveals that she has always dreamed of becoming a Dark Justiciar, but that the Mother Superior thwarted any attempts at doing so. More information on the Dark Justiciars can be found within the Inner Sanctum of the Druid Grove by examining the murals with Shadowheart in the party. This starts The Chosen of Shar to learn more about the Dark Justiciars and their history. Additionally, if the druid Halsin is saved during Rescue the Druid Halsin, he can explain more about a war that was fought between the Selunites and the Dark Justiciars.

If the party chooses to Travel through the Underdark and enters Grymforge, several signs of Dark Justiciar remnants are noticed. In the area near the deep rothe in the quest Get Past the Rubble, there are several Dark Justiciar corpses that Shadowheart can comment on. Additionally, there is a statuette of Shar that can be found on the path past the rubble, through many sets of pressure plate traps and a locked grate. The grate can either be smashed with force damage or passed with spells such as Misty Step or Gaseous Form. Speaking to Shadowheart, she can be gifted the statuette.

The Gauntlet of Shar

As part of Infiltrate Moonrise Towers, the party is prompted to Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic by aiding Thorm's servant Balthazar, which leads them to the Grand Mausoleum. The Grand Mausoleum is north of the House of Healing. Enter the Mausoleum after being accosted by Raphael and there is a small puzzle to proceed forward. There are three paintings with buttons underneath them, press them in the following order to open the way: Moonrise Towers, Grief, General. Move north using the traversal gem to enter the Gauntlet of Shar.

The purple glyphs reveal a path to the umbral gem.

Once inside, Shar speaks to the party, inviting them to take on her trials and prove themselves worthy. The first task is to access an Umbral Gem at a statue. To do this, the party must snuff out eight Mystic Thuribles around the room. There are two levels to the north and south of each side of the room. The rooms are protected by pressure plates, which can be disarmed (DC 10) as well as vents that activate with the plates. Hit the levers to lower the Thuribles, then interact with them to snuff out their lights. Getting too close to the statue before the Thuribles are snuffed out causes it to magically repel the party. Any Moonlanterns must also be unequipped, as they emit light. Once the room is shrouded in darkness, purple glyphs are revealed around the statue. Follow the gaps in the glyphs to touch the Umbral Gem. This opens the way north.

Follow the path forward and the party eventually encounters a group of Reconstituted Duelists. They try to warn the party away, but are interrupted by tremors. A group of undead Justiciars attack the party and Umbral Tremors appear. The Umbral Tremors can summor more Justiciars until they disappear.

The tremors persist until the party moves west and encounters more Reconstituted Duelists. The tremors begin in earnest as more Umbral Tremors and Justiciars are summoned to attack the party. Several waves appear, until finally a Justiciar Crusader appears. Defeat it and its minions and the path opens, revealing Balthazar, a servant of Ketheric Thorm who has been tasked with retrieving the Nightsong. Balthazar tells the party to go and complete the trials for him, as the Justiciars have been making it impossible for them to move forward. The party can either agree to help him or attack him outright. If the party agrees to help him, they can convince him to offer help in the form of a summoning item that summons his brother, Flesh. Otherwise, Balthazar attacks with flesh and three Ghoul Medics.

The Trials of Shar

Soft-Step Trial

The key to the Soft-Step Trial.

After entering the room X: -767 Y: -755, the party notices a sacrificial bowl. The party must give a blood offering to continue onto the trial. If Shadowheart is in the party, she offers to do this. Once the offering is given, the party can proceed to the trial.

The Soft-Step Trial is a stealth trial. There are two shadows patrolling a small maze, which the party must sneak past to get to the umbral gem. If the party is detected by a shadow, they are transported back to the start of the maze. Invisibility can be used to prevent detection. Find the Soft-Step Key in the hidden room of the maze to proceed forward, lockpick the door open, or use Misty Step to bypass it entirely.

Self-Same Trial

As with the Soft-Step Trial, proceed to the offering bowl with an offering of blood to proceed.

In this trial X: -767 Y: -727, the party faces replicas of themselves. If the party attacks a replica of a different character, they gain a debuff that lowers their ability scores. An easy way to end this trial quickly is to remove all equipment until the replicas appear, then add the equipment again, so that the replicas are weaker. Using only one party member can also help, as it avoids the debuff. Once the replica has been defeated, an Umbral Gem is dropped.

Faith-Step Trial

The dimly lit path in the Faith-Step Trial.

The Faith-Step trial can be accessed by moving north of the other two trials and then following the stairs down X: -752 Y: -727.

To complete this trial, the party must walk along a chasm, with a barely visible pathway allowing them to move forward. After blood is offered to the trial, the room is plunged in darkness, making the path forward difficult to see (and impossible to see from the overhead camera view).

There are several ways to trivialise this trial:

• Use the spell Daylight to make the pathway extremely obvious and easy to traverse.
• Use Fly, Misty Step, or Dimension Door to bypass the pathway entirely by utilizing the patforms with the statues.

Yurgir's Umbral Gem

There is one more Umbral Gem, which is in the possession of Yurgir, the orthon that Raphael is hunting. The party can either kill him as part of Kill Raphael's Old Enemy, trick him into killing himself, or help him as part of Break Yurgir's Contract. Regardless of how the conflict is resolved, the party can take the gem, which is in front of his throne of skulls (X:-641, Y:-754).

The Silent Library

Before placing the Umbral Gems on the Pedestal of Reckoning, Shadowheart has one final request if she is in the party. She states that she needs to obtain the Spear of Night if she is to become a Dark Justiciar. The Spear is in the Silent Library.

The Silent Library is south of the Faith-Step Trial. Once inside, Silence is cast over the party. If the party is detected, a number of Justiciar Soulhunter and Justiciar Nightweaver attack. Defeating The Librarian at the centre of the room ends the Silence spell. With a successful Perception check, the party notices a button X: -784 Y: -747 that unlocks the locked gate to the west.

To access the hidden room, the party must offer the correct book to the pedestal. The correct book is Teachings of Loss: The Nightsinger X: -771 Y: -742 which is inside a trapped bookshelf (DC 15). Interact with the Riddle of the Night and combine it with the book to open the way. Inside is the Spear of Night, as well as Dark Justiciar Half-Plate and a Dark Justiciar Helmet. Giving the Spear to Shadowheart allows her to claim her place as a Dark Justiciar.

Return to the Pedestal of Reckoning and use the Umbral Gems to activate the moving disks. The path ends at a pool of water to The Shadowfell.

Shadowfell

WARNING: Entering Shadowfell locks the player out of many side quests, and pushes the player to the end of the act. Do NOT enter until all other business in the area has been resolved.

Although Shadowheart does not need to be taken through the Gauntlet of Shar, she must be taken with the party to the Shadowfell. If she is not taken, then she immediately appears after the party returns to the material plane to confront them, saying they prevented her from achieving her destiny. She permanently leaves the party, saying she hopes she never sees them again and forgets them in time.

If Balthazar was not killed, he arrives in the Shadowfell immediately after the player, thanking them for their service in completing the trials. He floats ahead and tells the party to come with him to witness greatness. Once the party leaps to the heart of the Shadowfell, they learn the Nightsong is not an object, but an aasimar woman named Dame Aylin. She has been held captive by Thorm using the power of Balthazar to share her immortal life with him.

After this, several events can play out:

• If Balzathar is alive, the party can let him take her to Moonrise Towers
• If Shadowheart is in the party, she can kill the Nightsong and become the Dark Justiciar she always dreamed she'd be.
• Dame Aylin can be set free, resulting in a battle with Balthazar and requiring Shadowheart to be convinced to spare her.

Shadowheart can be convinced to spare Aylin in several ways. If the party does nothing and lets Shadowheart decide fully on her own, she chooses to throw the spear into the depths of the Shadowfell. However, she can also be persuaded by a difficult Persuasion check (DC 30), or by giving her the choice on her own and then passing a second, less difficult check. Another humorous method is to simply ensure the Spear of Night is not with your party when the time comes.

Shadowheart must decide whether to slay or spare the Nightsong.

If the Nightsong is freed, she thanks the party. If Shadowheart spared her, then she throws the Spear of Night into the abyss of the Shadowfell. However, Dame Aylin grants her a new weapon as thanks - the Moonlight Glaive. Aylin promises to tell Shadowheart more about her history after taking down Thorm. Then, Aylin flies off to face him. After leaving the Shadowfell, Lady Shar subjects Shadowheart to unimaginable torment before sending her back to the mortal realm, and Shadowheart loses her favour.

If Shadowheart kills the Nightsong, she becomes the Dark Justiciar and gains the Shar's Spear of Evening. However, the party loses a valuable ally in the Nightsong. There is a major consequence for Last Light Inn due to Shadowheart's actions. Isobel is overwhelmed and unable to sustain her protection magic over the Inn, causing all within to fall to the shadow curse. Shadowheart refers to this as cleansing the resistance to Lady Shar's will. Additionally, Jaheira may either die to the shadow curse or disappear completely and does not aid the party in the Last Light Inn fight.

Regardless of what Shadowheart's fate is, the result is that Ketheric Thorm must be faced as part of Defeat Ketheric Thorm. This is either mandated by Shar, who sees him as a traitor, or requested by Aylin, who will give her more information on her past if she assists her.

The House of Grief

After defeating Thorm, Shadowheart must confront her cloister. Dark Justiciar Shadowheart is commanded to clear out the corruption of the cloister by Shar. Enemy of Shar Shadowheart is told by Aylin that her parents were kidnapped by the Sharran cultists and are still alive, held captive in the cloister. Either way, she must confront her former 'family.'

When Shadowheart arrives in Baldur's Gate, she says that her peers are no doubt watching her. She can find Ferg Drogher X: 45 Y: -98 in Rivington near the Requisitioned Barn. He calls out to the party as they get closer to him, if Shadowheart is in the party. He explains that the Sharrans are in the House of Grief in the Lower City, starting Investigate the House of Grief. If the party enters the House of Grief with Shadowheart in the party, she is immediately led further in by Mirie. From here, either she or the player can undergo the Mapping of the Heart by an Inquirer of Grief. After the Mapping, the Inquirer reveals themselves to be none other than the Mother Superior herself, Viconia DeVir. She bids the party to come down further, into the Cloister of Sombre Embrace.

Deep in the heart of the Cloister is Viconia, with a group of Sharran cultists. She explains that she knows the party has the artifact in their possession and that she needs it to destroy the Absolute. Viconia initially attempts to negotiate in a way which keeps blades sheathed:

• All right, you wish to negotiate? Make me an offer then.
• As far as the artefact is concerned, there's nothing to discuss.
• Attack
• Turn to leave.

Selecting the first option has Viconia demanding the artifact in exchange for the party's lives. The party can counter:

• Shar will allow you to make such an offer?
• [INTIMIDATION] Not happening Even if I wanted to give it to you, I can't. The artefact is bound to me. It will kill you.
• [PERSUASION] The artefact alone can't save you. Best if we unite against a common enemy - the Absolute.
• Attack.

If the Intimidation or Persuasion checks are passed, then Viconia will relent. However, she demands that Shadowheart be handed over. The party can either agree, starting Surrender Shadowheart to Viconia, or refuse, which starts a fight. Defeating Viconia or giving Shadowheart over to her resolves the quest. If Shadowheart is a Dark Justiciar, then she can convince some of the cultists to fight along with the party, taking over the cloister after Viconia's defeat.

Kill or Spare defeated Viconia

If Viconia is defeated in combat, she will normally be "knocked out", even if the party is not using non-lethal attacks. Talking to her after the combat triggers a conversation, which will include Shadowheart if present. Here the party has the choice to kill Viconia or spare her. Killing Viconia allows her equipment to be looted, but Jaheira will disapprove. The decision can also affect certain Paladin oaths, can otherwise be treated as an aesthetic/story choice.

Shar's final test

Shadowheart is tasked with killing her parents to become the Chosen of Shar.

The conclusion to Shadowheart's quest is a final test beyond the Threshold of Loss. The door can be opened either with the Silver Key (carried by Sharran Fidelian Lamona), by lock picking it (DC 30), or by placing items amounting to 1000 or more gold value in the scale on the statue of Shar. If Shadowheart is a Dark Justiciar, the door opens on its own.

Here, Shadowheart is faced with her two parents in the Chamber of Loss and Shar appears before the party. Shadowheart can choose to kill them, either gaining Shar's favour as a Dark Justiciar or removing her curse if Shadowheart spurned Shar. She can also save them, rejecting Shar outright, losing her memories and being stuck with her Sharran wound.

If Dark Justiciar Shadowheart is given the choice to make on her own, without any persuading from the party, she says all she has left to do is to follow orders and kills her parents. As a 'blessing,' Shar removes her memories again, leaving Shadowheart ready to lead the cloister.

If Shadowheart has followed the path of Selûne through her quest, her father tells her that she cannot both free her parents and free herself from Shar's curse. He asks her to free herself from the curse. If given the choice to make on her own, without any persuading from the party, Shadowheart chooses to put her parents to rest, transforming them into moon motes.

Sub-quests

• The Chosen of Shar
• A Familiar Face

Quest rewards

• Shadowheart and her Sharran Followers as allies for Gather Your Allies - if Shadowheart becomes a Dark Justiciar.
• Viconia and her Sharran Followers as allies for Gather Your Allies - if Shadowheart is given over to Viconia

Achievements

To Bloom in Darkest Night
Gift Shadowheart a night orchid - her favourite flower. Always knew she was a softie.

Notes

• The decisions made throughout this questline dramatically affect a player's romance with Shadowheart, as Lady Shar demands that Shadowheart give all of her heart to her, and no one else.