Act 1: Emerald Grove & Wilderness

1. The Ravaged Beach & Overgrown Ruins

After the Nautiloid crashes, you wake up on the Ravaged Beach. Your first task is to gather your companions and secure a camp manager.

• 1

  Recruiting Companions

  Wake up Shadowheart on the beach. Head northwest to find Astarion hiding from a boar. Find the unstable purple portal in the cliffs and pull Gale out. Further north, free Lae'zel from a tiefling trap (persuade or fight them).

• 2

  The Dank Crypt & Withers

  East of the beach are the Overgrown Ruins. Defeat the bandit looters outside, then shoot the hanging rock to create a hole in the ground, or pick the lock on the ancient door. Inside the Dank Crypt, disarm the traps and defeat the undead scribes. In the hidden back room, open the sarcophagus to awaken Withers. He will permanently join your camp to provide resurrection and class respec services.

2. The Emerald Grove

Head north to reach the gates of the Emerald Grove, currently under attack by a goblin raiding party. Help the defenders, then head inside.

• 1

  The Refugee Crisis

  Speak to Zevlor and Aradin. The Druids, led by Kagha, want to expel the Tiefling refugees. You can talk to Kagha to save a tiefling child, Arabella, from her snake. Wyll can be recruited here in the training area.

• 2

  The Harpies & Mirkon

  Go down to the eastern beach of the grove. You'll hear singing. Save the boy Mirkon from the Harpies (use Silence or cast Calm Emotions to resist their song). This grants access to the Tiefling Hideout and Mol's quests.

3. Blighted Village

West of the Grove lies the Blighted Village, overrun by goblins. You can talk your way in using your Illithid powers or Drow lineage.

• 1

  Rescue Barcus Wroot

  Goblins are tormenting a Deep Gnome tied to a windmill. Deal with the goblin leader Fezzerk. Crucial: Go inside the windmill and press the 'Brake' lever, NOT the 'Release Brake' lever, to safely stop the blades and free Barcus.

• 2

  The Whispering Depths

  Climb down the well in the center of the village. You'll find a massive spider lair. Defeat the Phase Spider Matriarch (shoot the web bridges she stands on for massive fall damage) to loot the Poisoner's Robe and the Dark Amethyst.

• 3

  Necromancy of Thay

  In the cellar of the apothecary shop, solve the ornate mirror puzzle. Disarm the pressure plates to retrieve the cursed book, the Necromancy of Thay. You can slot the Dark Amethyst into it to read its forbidden contents (requires multiple difficult Wisdom saves).

4. Sunlit Wetlands & Auntie Ethel

South of the Blighted Village, the beautiful landscape is an illusion hiding a putrid bog. Here you can find the Riverside Teahouse.

5. The Goblin Camp & Shattered Sanctum

West of the Blighted Village is the Goblin Camp. Here you decide the fate of Act 1: save the Grove by killing the Goblin Leaders, or raid the Grove with Minthara.

• 1

  Rescue Volo & The Owlbear Cub

  In the outer courtyard, play the chicken-chasing game to win the Owlbear Cub (if you encountered it earlier in its cave). Inside the Shattered Sanctum, rescue Volo the Bard from his cage so he joins your camp.

• 2

  Loviatar's Love

  Speak to Abdirazk, the priest of Loviatar. Let him beat you without crying out in pain (requires passing Intimidation/Performance checks). You gain a permanent buff: +2 to Attack Rolls and Wisdom Saves when below 30% HP.

• 3

  Assassinate the Leaders

  Take out Priestess Gut quietly in her chambers (close the door). Knock out Minthara with non-lethal damage if you want to recruit her later in Act 2, or push her down the chasm. Finally, drop the spider pit or use Smokepowder barrels on Dror Ragzlin to finish the job.

• 4

  Rescue Halsin

  Halsin is kept in the Worg Pens. Free him in his bear form. Once the leaders are dead, he will return to the Grove to restore order and eventually join your camp.

6. Chapter Completion

✅ Before leaving the area...