A Familiar Face

A Familiar Face is a sub-quest of Shadowheart's Companion Quest,  Daughter of Darkness. It is acquired if Shadowheart consumes the Noblestalk in the Underdark.

Nocturne is a lifelong friend of Shadowheart's.

Objectives

Objectives and journal entries may vary pending story decisions.

Find Shadowheart's old friend.

• We have entered the Lower City - Shadowheart's old stomping grounds. Perhaps the friend she remembered due to the Noblestalk can still be found with the rest of the Sharrans.

Quest Complete

• We found Shadowheart's old friend, who now goes by the name Nocturne. She serves as quartermaster for the Sharran cloister, and despite being glad to see Shadowheart again, she could not bring herself to turn from Shar.
• We found Shadowheart's old friend, who now goes by the name Nocturne. She serves as quartermaster for the Sharran cloister, and could prove to be a valuable ally to Shadowheart.
• Shadowheart's old friend perished before a reunion could take place.
• Shadowheart has surrendered the reclaimed memory of her old friend to the Mirror of Loss.
• We moved on to other matters, and did not find Shadowheart's old friend.
• Shadowheart perished before she could be reunited with her old friend.
• Shadowheart abandoned us before we could help her find her old friend.

Walkthrough

Consuming the Noblestalk

The locations of the Noblestalk and the backpack within the Bibberbang.

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.

• If the party has Sovereign Glut as a temporary companion, he does not trigger the mushroom traps. He can be controlled directly, then use the move action with the backpack and Noblestalk to transport it back to the party.
• A high strength character (e.g. Karlach or Lae'zel) can easily jump between the safe areas in the mushroom patch.
• There are rock platforms on the left wall, these let the party make their way to the torch. After removing the torch only a way to avoid the poison status is necessary.
• In turn-based mode, the traps will only trigger on the Environment turn; a character with a high movement speed (such as a Thief using multiple  Dash actions in a turn) can move between the safe areas on their own turn.
•  Misty Step or  Fly can also help the party travel safely. The backpack within the Bibberbang has two Scrolls of Misty Step. Baelen will respond with irritation if he sees a party member opening it, but he will not turn hostile.
•  Mage Hand can throw the Noblestalk without triggering the Bibberbang.
• If killing Sovereign Spaw as part of  Avenge Glut's Circle, it drops The Sovereign's Key. This item prevents mushroom traps from activating, trivializing the quest.
• Imp or Quasit Familiars (including Shovel) are immune to poison and can drag the noblestalk back to the party once the torch is dealt with (e.g by throwing a water bottle).

The delicate mushroom will be destroyed by any damage, including the impact of being thrown by a Mage Hand. If any of the flammable Bibberbang spores are set alight, the chain reaction will also destroy it. However, if the source of ignition (a lit torch near the backpack) is first removed from the area, the Bibberbangs can be intentionally set off from a distance, with no harm to the Noblestalk, leaving the party free to walk in once the cloud settles. Otherwise, employ the previously mentioned techniques to acquire the Noblestalk.

After obtaining the Noblestalk, it is neccessary to speak to Shadowheart. She then can be offered the Noblestalk as a chance to regain her memories. Shadowheart is 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 young tiefling with short horns and purple hair 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.

Finding Nocturne

The tiefling in question now goes by a new name - Nocturne. Nocturne can be found within the quarters of the Cloister of Sombre Embrace X: -399 Y: -1608, north of the audience room where Viconia DeVir is fought during  Investigate the House of Grief. Upon entering with Shadowheart, she immediately recognizes her and exclaims how she wasn't sure she'd ever see her alive again. Shadowheart's mission to pursue the Mysterious Artefact was considered a suicide mission. Whether or not Shadowheart has become an enemy of Shar, she is eager to reminisce with her about their childhood. She shares some funny stories with Shadowheart, such as how she got a scar on her elbow.

Nocturne acts as a quartermaster for the Sharran cloister. If Shadowheart takes over the cloister, she remains in her position, serving her new mistress. If Shadowheart defies Shar and kills all the cultists, Nocturne says she's willing to trade while she remains, but that she intends to leave soon for a new cloister. After the next Long Rest she will be gone for good.