Act 2: Infiltrate Moonrise Towers Walkthrough | Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)｜Game8 (2024)

This is a complete walkthrough of Baldur's Gate 3's (BG3) Act 2 Main Quest: Infiltrate Moonrise Towers! Read on to see detailed walkthroughs for the main quest, important notes for the quest itself, and relevant side quest guides along the way!

Infiltrate Moonrise Towers Walkthrough

Head to the Last Light Inn

Last Light Inn Location
Last Light Inn (Shadow-Cursed Lands) X: 18, Y: 127
Shadow-Cursed Lands Traversal Options
Torches	Light
Dancing Lights	Produce Flame
Moonlatern Obtain one from Kar'niss, or take one from Balthazar's Room in Moonrise Towers.
Avoid the Shadow Curse Affliction
It is important to have a light source (such as a Torch) when navigating the Shadow-Cursed Lands to prevent the Shadow Curse affliction. Anyone who strays too far from a light source will catch it. Shadow Curse deals necrotic damage to the afflicted every turn, and is doubled the more time is spent with it.

In the Shadow-Cursed Lands, there are precisely two entry points you can start in depending on what route you took in Act 1.

If you chose to save the Emerald Grove, you will most likely be taking the path through the Underdark to get to the Shadow-Cursed Lands. In the case you chose to destroy the Emerald Grove, you will most likely be entering through the Mountain Pass.

Make sure to have a light source ready at hand to prevent being afflicted by the Shadow Curse.

How to Get to Last Light Inn

Entering from the Underdark

If you entered via the Underdark, you will begin at the northeastern portion of the map. This is the closest to the Last Light Inn, and you will have to seek protection from the curse through Isobel.

When looking to get a Moonlantern, you can get one from defeating Kar'niss at the south of the Last Light Inn.

It is strongly recommended to have a moonlantern since other light sources will not protect your from the darker Shadow-Cursed areas past the Tollhouse and around the Moonrise Towers. Once you have obtained one, make your way to the Last Light Inn.

How to Beat Kar'niss

Entering from the Mountain Pass

If you entered via the Mountain Pass, you will begin to the southeast of the Last Light Inn. This path is recommended when you sided with Minthara since her Spider's Lute will summon Kar'niss to aid you in going to the Moonrise Towers.

As soon as you get to the Moonrise Towers (or you choose to diverge from the path halfway before the Tollhouse), head to the main hall to get a cutscene with Minthara and Ketheric Thorm.

Right after, get your own Moonlatern by looking for one in Balthazar's room (you can try lockpicking the room or speak to Disciple Z'rell for her to give you a key). Head to the Last Light Inn after you have obtained one to safely traverse the darker Shadow-Cursed areas around the Moonrise Towers.

Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse

Meet Jaheira and Isobel

Once you are at Last Light Inn, you will have to talk to Jaheira to let you through into the inn. Flaming Fist Marcus, an agent of the Moonrise Towers, will assist you in getting through the entrance when talking to Jaheira.

Once you make it in, head to the second floor hear of Marcus's plan to kidnap Isobel. You can choose to either assist him in the kidnapping, or to defeat him then and there to protect Isobel who can give you protection from the Shadow Curse.

It is possible to fail in saving Isobel when fighting Marcus. You will have to deal with the Last Light Inn's lost protection to the Shadow Curse, and will have to find another way to get into Moonrise Towers with protection (such as taking Kar'niss Moonlantern.)

Isobel Quest Guide

Rescue the Tieflings Side Quest

Alfira the Tiefling will be present at the Last Light Inn for the Rescue the Tieflings side quest.

You can start this quest by speaking with Alfira the tiefling bard in the Last Light Inn in the Shadow Cursed Lands.

She'll tell you that the tiefling refugees were captured by Absolute Cultists on their way to Baldur's Gate.

Rescue the Tieflings

Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic

Lifting the Shadow Curse Side Quest

If Halsin is saved and alive in Act 1, he should be able to join you as a companion at camp in Act 2. This will present you the option to do the Lifting the Shadow Curse side quest.

To start this quest, you must speak with Halsin at camp, then proceed to the Last Light Inn to find Art Cullagh.

How to Lift the Shadow Curse

Three Thorm Bosses Side Quests

Before heading to the Gauntlet of Shar, you might want to explore the areas around Moonrise Tower and visit the possible side bosses.

They may be defeated through several options ranging from Dialogue Checks to pure combat. Pick your choice, and the end result is more experience, lore, and other possible side quests!

Complete the Gauntlet of Shar

Thorm Mausoleum Entrance
Thorm Mausoleum (Shadow-Cursed Lands) X: 190, Y: 110

After finishing up on your business in the Last Light Inn, head to the Thorm Mausoleum to the north of Moonrise Towers to progress in finding the Nightsong inside the Gauntlet of Shar.

Getting inside the mausoleum involves completing a series of puzzles, passing Shar's Trials, dealing with Balthazar and Yurgir, and finding the Silent Library. Complete all of these obstacles and you will gain access to Shadowfell where the Nightsong is imprisoned.

The Nightsong is the 'relic' sought by Ketheric Thorm. Freeing her or killing her will lead to the assault on the Moonrise Towers and consequently the battle with Ketheric Thorm.

How to Beat the Gauntlet of Shar

Get the Spear of the Night

Silent Library Location
Gauntlet of Shar (Below Soft-Step Trial Room) X: -745, Y: -752

Before you head into Shadowfell, you will want to obtain the Spear of the Night fiy you are going to have Shadowheart join you in meeting the Nightsong.

Meeting the Nightsong with Shadowheart is important to obtaining one of the two versions of the spear, depending on whether she kills her or not.

Silent Library Puzzle and Location

Deal with Balthazar

Depending on the choices you made with Balthazar during the Gauntlet of Shar, you can choose to either fight him at the gauntlet or fight him in Shadowfell.

Fighting Balthazar in the gauntlet is easier since there are less enemies you have to deal with compared to his fight in Shadowfell.

How to Beat Balthazar

Entering Shadowfell

Pedestal of Reckoning Location
Gauntlet of Shar X: 718, Y: -779

Once you have obtained all of the Umbral Gems from the trials and Yurgir in the Gauntlet of Shar, return to the gauntlet's center room and place one Umbral Gem on the Pedestal of Reckoning. This will activate a platform that will take you to the entrance of Shadowfell.

Entering Shadowfell is a point of no return, meaning that you will be unable to return to previous areas prior to the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Make sure that you wrap up all of your quests such as those in the Grymforge and Creche Y'llek before entering.

You will want to consider having Shadowheart as your current active party, as her interaction with the Nightsong leads to obtaining either the Shar's Spear of Evening or Selune's Spear of the Night.

Decide Nightsong's Fate

Once you have made it to Nightsong in Shadowfell, you will have to decide whether to spare her or not.

Sparing the Nightsong will have her aid you in defeating Ketheric Thorm much later. Killing the Nightsong will make Ketheric Thorm vulnerable, but his fight becomes much harder.

After making your decision with the Nightsong, make your way to the Moonrise Towers to begin the assault.

Find the Nightsong

Defeat Ketheric Thorm

Assault the Moonrise Towers

Once you are at the Moonrise Towers, you will battle all of the enemies there. If the Harpers and Jaheira survived the battle, they can assist you in assaulting the towers.

Clear the first floor of the Moonrise Towers, then proceed to the second floor.

Fight and Follow Ketheric Thorm

Ketheric Thorm can be found at the top of the tower. To get there, head to the second floor after clearing the ground floor. Clear the enemies in the hallway and the look for the large Ornate Door leading to the roof.

Having done enough damage to him, he will retreat into a hole in the tower made by the giant tentacle (and take the Nightsong if she is present). If Jaheira is present, she will stay behind by the hole to attend to the Harpers. You will have to enter the Mind Flayer Colony with your party.

Take everything you need in the area. Once you are ready, interact with the hole to get inside the Mind Flayer Colony.

How to Beat Ketheric Thorm

Search the Colony for Ketheric Thorm

Ketheric Thorm Boss Room
Mind Flayer Colony X: 750, Y: -23

Inside the Colony, head deep into the area, battling any hostile enemies, until you make it to a large room with a descending platform. Feel free to explore the other areas like the Morgue and the Necrotic Library which has a puzzle that rewards the Blade of Oppressed Souls before venturing any further.

Once you have wrapped up everything you need to do in the colony, take the descending platform with the Neural Apparatus to Ketheric's Thorms boss area then venture through the door. A cutscene will trigger.

After the cutscene has finished, head forward to talk to Ketheric Thorm and finally initiate a battle with him.

Kill Ketheric Thorm

If you sided with freeing the Nightsong, she can be found imprisoned at the corner of the arena. Free her by getting to her during battle, or you can use a stealth approach such as wild-shaping into a cat to free her before the fight even starts.

Ketheric Thorm has two phases in this battle: his normal form and him as the Apostle of Myrkul. He also accompanied by a Mind Flayer and groups of Intellect Devourers and Necromites. Do whatever it takes to defeat him!

Wrap Up Moonrise Towers

After Ketheric Thorm has been defeated, pick up his equipment. Exit through the portal that appears in the area, and you will be back at the main hall of the Moonrise Towers.

Jaheira can appear in this hall and at this point you should be able to recruit her. If you have Minthara with you, she will be found sitting at Ketheric's Throne. Talk to Minthara and she will reveal a bit of history with Orin. You can choose to let her go here, or she can still continue with you as an active party member.

If the Nightsong Dame Aylin and Isobel are alive, you can ask them to join you in camp (this will continue the Nightsong questline).

Head to Baldur's Gate

Road to Baldur's Gate
Shadow-Cursed Lands X: 287, Y: -16

Wrap up everything in the Moonrise Towers and then head down the road to Baldur's Gate which is to the west of the House of Healing.

Keep in mind that this is another point of no return. Once you have made it to Wyrm's Crossing Act 3, you cannot return to the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Act 2 Side Quests and Content

Shadow-Cursed Lands Side Quests

Last Light Inn Quests

Gauntlet of Shar Quests

Act 2 Bosses

Act 2 Recruitable Companions

Recruit Minthara

Minthara can be recruited after saving her from the Moonrise Towers.

Minthara Companion Guide

Recruit Jaheira

Jaheira can be recruited after defeating Ketheric Thorm asking her to join in the Moonrise Towers.

Jaheira Companion Guide

Recruit Halsin

Halsin can be recruited after completing the Lift the Shadow Curse side quest.

Halsin Companion Guide

Related Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) Guides

Main Campaign Walkthrough

Act 1 Campaign Walkthrough

Act 2 Campaign Walkthrough

Act 3 Campaign Walkthrough