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Discover the Artefact's Secrets is a quest in Act One of Baldur's Gate 3.
 | Spoiler warning: The following content contains unhidden spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
Objectives
Objectives and journal entries may vary pending player decisions and outcomes.
- Shadowheart carries a strange artefact. It seemed to protect us from a horrible voice. She stubbornly avoids the subject. We should find out more about it.
- We picked up a strange artefact on the nautiloid that we can't seem to part with. We should find out more about it.
- We found a strange artefact in our camp. We should find out more about it.
- Minthara, the drow commander, spoke of the artefact we carry. She is looking for it on behalf of the Absolute and believes it to be in the Emerald Grove. We should find out more about it.
- Dror Ragzlin, the goblin king, spoke of the artefact we carry. He is trying to gain information about its whereabouts from a dead mind flayer. It must be powerful. We should find out more about it.
- We saw Shadowheart tinkering with a strange artefact in the night. We should find out more about it.
- The githyanki are looking for the artefact we carry. They mentioned a Githyanki Crèche nearby. Perhaps we can learn more about what the artefact is there.
- We deciphered a githyanki map pointing towards a Githyanki Crèche hidden in the mountains. We should find it.
- We have reached where the Githyanki Crèche should be. We should try to find a way in.
- The guards at the entrance to the Githyanki Crèche mentioned a captain. We should talk to these guards to find out more about what they're doing.
- A guard inside the Githyanki Crèche told us to report to the captain.
- The captain is looking for the artefact we carry. We should speak to her and see what we can find out.
- The inquisitor is displeased with the lack of progress on the hunt for the artefact. We should speak to him to find out more - the githyanki seem desperate to find it.
- The inquisitor demanded that we hand over the artefact, but we refused. Our only option now is to defeat him and his guards.
- The inquisitor called the artefact the 'Astral Prism'. We communicated with the lich queen Vlaakith, who told us there is someone inside the artefact - and that we should kill them. We can combine the artefact with the planecaster to enter it.
- We entered the Astral Prism. Now to find out who's in here.
- There is indeed a being inside the artefact. We spoke to them and decided not to kill them. We can leave the Astral Prism.
- There is indeed a being inside the artefact. We spoke to them and attempted to kill them. We can leave the Astral Prism.
- We left the Astral Prism without killing the being within. They told us we were on the right track and to head to Moonrise Towers.
- We left the Astral Prism after attempting to kill the being within that's protecting us. They're not happy about our attempt and will speak to us when they are ready.
- An ambush at our camp in the dead of night forced the artefact to reveal its secrets - it wants our help.
Walkthrough
Discovering the Artefact
The artefact can be discovered as early as the Prologue, with Shadowheart taking it from her Mind Flayer Pod if she is freed during Rescue the Illithid's Captive. However, Shadowheart is unwilling to elaborate further on the object.
The Goblin Camp
Once the party arrives inside the Goblin Camp, they are wracked with a powerful vision of three individuals - a male elf in armor, a handsome younger man, and a pale young woman. The voice claims that they are her Chosen and to obey them. Before the voice can overwhelm the party, the artefact springs to life and shields them from the voice's influence. Shadowheart can be asked questions about the artefact, but she only knows she was sent on a mission to retrieve it and return to Baldur's Gate. If Shadowheart has not been recruited, she begs to join the party, as she knows she's being hunted for the artefact. The party can either recruit her or kill her.
In the Goblin Camp, within the Shattered Sanctum, the party can learn that The Absolute cultists are seeking the artefact by speaking with Dror Ragzlin (X:296, Y:40) or Minthara (X:333, Y:42). Ragzlin is using Speak with Dead on an illithid corpse to try to find its location, while Minthara intends to raid the nearby Druid Grove as she believes adventurers there have taken the artefact.
The Githyanki Patrol
The githyanki patrol (X:-101, Y:555) is west across the Risen Road. They are arguing with a group of Flaming Fists. Suddenly, a red dragon comes down from the sky and sets the fists aflame. If Lae'zel is in the party, she notes that the crèche must be near and goes to meet with the patrol. Go with her to start a conversation with the dragon's rider, Kith'rak Voss.
Lae'zel Speaks with Voss
If Lae'zel is in the party, the conversation can become much simpler.
- "Nod to Lae'zel. Go ahead."
- I will be speaking on her behalf, gith.
- [Githyanki] I will be speaking on her behalf, gith.
- [Githyanki] I will be speaking on my kin's behalf, Kith'rak.
Choose the first option to allow Lae'zel to speak, and Voss reveals the search for a githyanki artefact. He asks if Lae'zel has seen anything like that.
- Mouth a silent command to Lae'zel: 'truth'.
- [PERSUASION] Mouth a silent command to Lae'zel: 'play along'. (DC 10)
- Produce the odd artefact. You're looking for this, I take it?
- I have my own mandate. Time to die, gith.
- [Githyanki] Your death is at hand, traitor!
If a non-Githyanki character is speaking and selects anything but the second option, the githyanki become hostile. Otherwise, Voss will command Lae'zel to go to the crèche and aid the search for the artefact. If Shadowheart is in the party, she becomes incredibly nervous, as she knows she possesses the artefact they're seeking.
If Shadowheart was killed and the only party members present are Githyanki, the narrator's lines are still roughly the same, but instead of Shadowheart being nervous, some of those nerves are passed on to the player-character.
Githyanki Character Speaks with Voss
Note: This may have different outcomes for a Githyanki Origin character, vs. a Character disguised as a Githyanki.
If Lae'zel is in the party, her usual preamble will still happen. Players will need to select options that equate to "I will speak for her" for this sequence to trigger.
Voss will tell the player that they are unknown to him and ask for an explanation. Available responses are all as follows, with a [Githyanki] prefix displayed next to each one.
- Show deference. Bow and explain that you are lost.
- I am no crèche hatchling. Do not speak to me as one.
- Tell him about your parasite and ask for help.
- Indeed. I came from the crèche.
Voss will be the friendliest to the player if they choose the 2nd option.
If the only characters present are Githyanki, and the player carries the artefact, the narrator will say a few lines to indicate that the Artefact is what Voss is seeking.
The following options are available with no [Githyanki] prefix attached.
- I need to know more. What is its appearance? Its purpose?
- I don't know of such a weapon.
- Produce the artefact. Ask him if this is what he seeks.
Selecting option 2, then 3, will cause Voss and his Githyanki to depart.
Origin Character Speaks with Voss
If Lae'zel is not in the party, and there are no Githyanki characters present, Voss asks why he shouldn't run them through.
- [SLEIGHT OF HAND] Silently hold his stare and discreetly prepare to attack. (DC 15)
- [INSIGHT] You would've done so already if you didn't want something from me first. (DC 10)
- [INTIMIDATION] I just want passage - if I have to go through you, so be it. (DC 15)
- [PERSUASION] I don't know you. I pose no threat. (DC 15)
Succeed in any of the checks and Voss remains neutral.
- I'll help if I can.
- You'll need to start from the beginning - what is this weapon you're after?
- Produce the artefact. Ask if this is what he seeks.
- I might know something. But it'll cost you.
- Say nothing.
Whatever the party says, unless the party produces the artefact, Voss tells them to be silent, while doing rapid hand gestures:
- Do nothing.
- [ARCANA] Silently interpret the meaning of the gestures. (DC 10)
Succeeding this check and choosing to resist the probing with another Wisdom check (DC 10) causes Voss to get frustrated at the uselessness of their thoughts. Otherwise, he learns they have a mind flayer tadpole and the githyanki become hostile.
- [PERSUASION] I could help if you let me live - search for this weapon perhaps. (DC 15)
- [PERSUASION] You ought to just leave. You've no right to decide my fate. (DC 15)
- [INTIMIDATION] Why are you hesitating, then? Try it, I dare you. (DC 15)
- [ROGUE] A corpse is useless. But a living informant might unearth something.
- [DETECT THOUGHTS] Read his thoughts.
- Don't be too hasty. I could prove very useful.
A successful pass of any of these checks and Voss lets the party live. He tells them to go to the crèche - ahead, at the Mountain Pass. Otherwise, if Voss become suspicious that the party is infected with tadpoles or carries the artefact, then he flies off on his dragon and orders the githyanki soldiers to kill them all. Sarth Baretha, Raider Clost, Raider Zastri, and Gish For'eth attack the party.
Accessing the Monastery
The Rosymorn Monastery is accessed from the Mountain Pass. Find the Cable Car Wheel (X:-47, Y:-74) and succeed in a Strength check (DC 15) to summon the cable car. Climb on the cable car and use the wheel to move towards the Monastery. Follow the path east until a cutscene triggers where a group of githyanki warriors shoot down some cultists. Unfortunately, the Rosymorn Monastery Doors are locked and magically enchanted, but there are broken windows that can be climbed through (X:64, Y:31) just west of the doors. Once inside, there are a number of drunk Kobolds who can be snuck past or killed. Move north to the giant crack in the wall. From here, jump up the rocks to get higher up on the Monastery.
The Githyanki Crèche
From upper floor, move north up the hall, then jump across the gap to the west. Move north, then west to find a set of crumbling stairs. Jump past the gaps to follow the stairs down. Once the stairs have been descended, move north and a barricade is on the western wall. Destroy it and walk through. Move north through the oak door, then keep moving west past the statue of Lathander. (Note: There is a lever on the wall (X;78, Y:49) that opens the monastery doors, which can make reentering the monastery easier)
After moving west, follow the stairs to north to reach the Monastery Basement (X:74, Y:80) where Crèche Y'llek resides. The githyanki are suspicious to outsiders - Lae'zel can smooth the way without any checks if she's in the party, or the party can gain access by persuading, intimidating, or deceiving the guards.
Captain's Quarters
Enter the Captain's Chambers, where the Kith'rak of the crèche is arguing with an Inquisitor. The way forward is blocked by a shield generated by the Githyanki Barrier Disruptor (X:1390, Y:-757). A Gith Shard is needed to open the way, which is on the person of Kith'rak Therezzyn. Steal it, or fight the Kith'rak to gain the shard. Inquisitor Ch'r'ai W'wargaz recognizes the party and tells them to enter, opening the way. Alternatively, if the Kith'rak is shown the artefact, she locks the party in and demands they go to the Inquisitor immediately.
Facing the Inquisitor
Once the party enters the Inquisitor's Chambers, Ch'r'ai bids the party to talk to him. If they don't, he slowly becomes impatient until he becomes hostile. If he's spoken to, he reveals he is very familiar with their movements. If the party raided the Druid Grove in Raid the Grove, he says "I heard enough druids died by your hand to make the deity Silvanus himself weep." If the party defeated the goblins in Defeat the Goblins, he says "I heard there is so much goblin blood on your hands that it soaks their children's nightmares." The githyanki became interested in the party when they became involved with the Absolute's movements.
The Inquisitor demands the artefact. The player can ask questions or attempt to hand over the artefact, which leads to Vlaakith appearing through the Planecaster. Otherwise, if the player refuses, Ch'r'ai becomes hostile, along with the other githyanki in the room. He's joined in combat by Ardent Jhe'rezath, Raider Kyrr'a'ath, Warrior Brelal'reth, and Ardent Qu'th. After this, Vlaakith appears to confront the party and demands the death of the individual within the artefact, claiming they are corrupting the object, which is actually an Astral Prism.
Facing the Prism Inhabitant
Once inside the prism, the Dream Visitor speaks to the party and says they will only speak to the leader of the party. Enter, and the Dream Visitor explains that they power they use to protect the party was stolen from the githyanki. Additionally, the Visitor knows a secret that would threaten Vlaakith's empire, but depending on the player's selected choices, the exact nature of this secret is not always revealed during conversation.
Choosing a Path
"I already told you that I protect you, that I saved you. If this was not enough to convince you, what more is there to say?
Regardless of the players' chosen responses, the conversation with the Dream Visitor will always eventually arrive at this point. The Dream Visitor will offer a blade to the player, and may also kneel down if this sequence occurs "later" in the conversation.
The player has to choose between two options: 'spare' the Dream Visitor, or attempt to 'kill' them. If a third dialogue choice is present, selecting that option will still eventually bring the conversation back to this choice.
This choice greatly affects the tone of all future interactions the player has with the Dream Visitor.
If the player chooses to 'spare' the Dream Visitor, then they will continue to treat the player with similar trust and friendliness in future interactions. If the player attempts to 'kill' the Dream Visitor, then they do not actually die, and this creates a lasting rift in the Dream Visitor's trust of the player. They will begin treating the player with much more derision and overall hostility in future conversations.
Additional effects of this choice has on the player's relationship with this character cannot be included here without spoiling critical story beats.
Discussing with Lae'zel
After the visit, the player returns and explains what happens. Lae'zel demands to know what happened, and she can be told that the Visitor couldn't be killed if an attempt was made, or that Vlaakith has been hiding things from her people. The party must depart the Astral Plane and return to the mortal plane. If the Inquisitor was not already dealt with, then he attacks the party, as he had never intended for them to leave alive. After this, the entire crèche becomes hostile and the party can fight their way through, attempt to sneak out, or use the Secret Stairway from the Find the Blood of Lathander quest. The crèche itself becomes a hostile area, so fast travel is not possible.
A Camp Visitor
Once the party has safely escaped the crèche, Kith'rak Voss comes to visit at camp. He says he comes to aid the party. He's aware that Lae'zel and the party have the Astral Prism. Voss believes that within the Prism is the seed of Vlaakith's demise. The party can either spare Voss, who tells the party to meet him at Sharess' Caress in the city, or kill him. The choice heavily impact's Lae'zel's quest, The Githyanki Warrior, as she can either solidify her belief in Vlaakith or begin to question it.
The Truth Revealed
At the very beginning of Act Three, the party receives an additional quest - Help Your Protector. After this, the final secrets of the Astral Prism and the identity of the Dream Visitor are revealed.