In the shadowy corners of Baldur’s Gate 3, the Search the Cellar quest beckons adventurers into a seemingly innocuous apothecary’s basement, where a simple ledger hints at hidden treasures and dark secrets. As players descend into the depths of the Blighted Village, they will confront not only cunning puzzles and lurking undead but also a fateful decision surrounding the ominous tome known as The Necromancy of Thay. Will you unlock its forbidden knowledge or destroy it to thwart its malevolent power? The choice is yours, but beware—the cellar holds more than just potions; it may very well shape your destiny.
Quest objectives
In the Search the Cellar quest of Baldur’s Gate 3, players are tasked with uncovering the mysteries hidden within a seemingly innocuous cellar. The primary objectives include exploring the cellar to gather clues, confronting any lurking threats, and ultimately discovering the secrets that could impact the wider narrative of the game. Completing this quest not only advances the storyline but also provides valuable rewards and insights into the lore of Baldur’s Gate 3. Players should be prepared for potential combat encounters and puzzles that require strategic thinking to overcome challenges effectively.
- Find the Ancient Tome
- Unlock the Ancient Tome (optional);
- Destroy the Ancient Tome (optional);
Walkthrough
The Search the Cellar walkthrough guides players through a pivotal side quest in Baldur’s Gate 3, where adventurers uncover dark secrets hidden beneath the Blighted Village. To begin, players must locate the Apothecary’s Ledger in the apothecary’s house, which initiates the quest. Following this, they will navigate through the cellar, facing various challenges including hidden passages and undead foes. Key objectives include finding the necromancer’s book, The Necromancy of Thay, and making critical decisions about its fate. This walkthrough provides detailed steps and strategies to successfully complete the quest while maximizing rewards and story progression.
There is a hut in the abandoned village, right next to the fast travel point. Inside, you can find a hatch leading to the cellar. Enter it – you’ll see a cave full of chests. There is an undead in each of them. If you interact with them, you will be attacked.
On the opposite side of the room, you will find a mirror with which you can have a conversation. At some point, it will ask you about the lich. To make it let you pass, you must confirm that you are its servant, and then choose the following answers:
- ” A foul lich. May he die a thousand more deaths.”;
- “To clean a wound?”;
- “I’d look for whatever spell will rid me of this worm in my head.”;
If you give a wrong answer, you will be attacked.
There is a workshop behind the mirror. On the table located straight from the entrance, you will find a book describing experiments.
Look at the book behind the bars.Destroy the door, open it with a lockpick or use the key you can find in the room adjacent to the workshop (you can destroy the wall to get to the next room). Before you enter, disarm the long trap in front of the bars. The next trap release mechanism is right under the book, but you can safely take it in two ways:
- Disarm the trap under the book (perception skill check required),
- Replace the book with another item – you can throw one of the items from the inventory on the table.
It turns out that you need a key to open the book. You can deal with this in two ways.
Destroy the book.
The first option is to destroy the book. This variant is very easy. It requires you to cast a spell that deals light damage on the book (Shadowheart can do that).
Find the key.
If you decide to open the book, you must go to the Whispering Depths. In the Blighted Village, you will find several passages:
- a well located next to the fast travel point;
- a hole in the rock located in the basement of the building opposite the pharmacy.
In the caves you will encounter a group of phase spiders. These are some of the more difficult opponents in the game. They are able to teleport and can inflict great damage. In addition, they are led by a Phase Spider Matriarch, a powerful opponent. There you will find the Dark Amethyst, which is required to complete the task. You can try to sneak past her or fight her (tips on how to defeat her can be found on a separate guide page).
What secrets lie hidden in the cellar of the Blighted Village
In the depths of the Blighted Village’s apothecary, a hidden cellar conceals a trove of dark secrets and perilous challenges. Accessible through a cleverly concealed hatch, this underground lair is not merely a storage space for potions; it is a gateway to a world of necromancy and danger.
Upon entering, adventurers will encounter moldering coffins that house restless skeletons, ready to spring to life if disturbed. The real intrigue lies beyond a hidden door, unlocked by pulling a lever obscured behind stacked crates. This leads to an enchanted mirror that serves as a guardian to the necromancer’s lair, demanding clever responses to its riddles before granting passage.
Within this secret chamber lies The Necromancy of Thay, an ominous tome that offers powerful insights but at a significant cost. Players face a critical choice: harness its dark magic for personal gain or destroy it to prevent its evil from spreading. Each decision carries weighty consequences, making the cellar not just a place of loot, but a pivotal point in the unfolding narrative of Baldur’s Gate 3.
What is the significance of the Necromancy of Thay book
The Necromancy of Thay is a pivotal artifact in Baldur’s Gate 3, steeped in dark lore and significant choices that affect gameplay and character development. Found within the cellar of the Blighted Village, this book offers players a range of options, each with its own consequences.
Significance of the Necromancy of Thay
- Powerful Knowledge: The book contains forbidden knowledge about necromancy, allowing players to unlock new spells and abilities, such as Danse Macabre, which enables the summoning of undead allies. Successfully reading the book can enhance a character’s capabilities significantly, especially for those who rely on necromantic powers.
- Choice and Consequence: Players must decide whether to read the book, destroy it, or give it to other characters like Gale or Astarion. Each choice influences character relationships and can lead to different narrative outcomes. For instance, reading the book requires passing several Wisdom checks; failure can result in negative effects like disadvantage on future Wisdom checks. Destroying it yields experience points but also spawns powerful enemies.
- Character Development: The decision to engage with the Necromancy of Thay can reflect a player’s moral alignment and strategic approach to gameplay. Those who choose to read it may gain powerful abilities at the risk of attracting unwanted attention or moral dilemmas, while destroying it aligns with a more heroic path.
In summary, the Necromancy of Thay serves as a critical element that not only enriches the lore of Baldur’s Gate 3 but also challenges players to navigate the complexities of power, morality, and consequence in their journey through the game.
