Objective: Find a safe passage to Moonrise Towers.
Key Unlocks: Adamantine Forge gear, Phalar Aluve, Mourning Frost.
Hazards: Bulette, Spectators, Arcane Turrets.
1. Selûnite Outpost & Exploring the Dark
If you enter through the Defiled Temple puzzle, you arrive at the Selûnite Outpost. The front gate is guarded by lethal laser statues. Destroy the glowing moonstone atop the main statue to disable the defenses.
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The Spectator Encounter
Outside a cracked window in the outpost, you will find several petrified Drow. A Beholder variant, a Spectator, will ambush you. It will unpetrify the Drow to fight for it. Kill the Spectator quickly or break its mind control over the Drow by damaging them once, and they will fight alongside you.
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Phalar Aluve (The Singing Sword)
Near the outpost, you will find a legendary Drow Longsword stuck in a stone, bathed in sunlight. Pass a Religion or Strength check to pull out Phalar Aluve, an incredible support weapon that buffs allies or debuffs enemies.
2. The Arcane Tower
In the southwest, you'll discover a tower guarded by Arcane Turrets. Hide behind pillars, use Turn-Based mode, and bypass them to reach the garden.
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Powering the Tower
Collect a blue glowing Sussur Bloom from the garden outside. Enter the bottom floor of the tower and insert the bloom into the generator to restore power, permanently disabling the turrets and activating the elevator.
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Bernard the Automaton
On the top floor, you meet Bernard. If you read the poetry books scattered on the lower floors, you can quote a specific play to make him friendly. Command him to place his weapon on the table, or receive the Guiding Light ring. Equipping this ring reveals a secret button in the elevator leading to the basement (contains the Staff of Arcane Blessing).
3. The Myconid Colony
A peaceful haven. Here you meet Sovereign Spaw, the Hobgoblin trader Blurg, and the friendly Mind Flayer Omeluum.
Sovereign Glut wants to overthrow Sovereign Spaw and rule the colony.
- After killing the Duergar at the Decrepit Village (Beach), Glut asks for your help to assassinate Spaw.
- Siding with Spaw: You receive the title of Peacebringer and Spaw opens the secret vault containing the Shadow of Menzoberranzan (Invisibility cowl) and a Pale Metallurgic Crystal.
- Siding with Glut: Glut becomes the new sovereign. Less rewarding overall, but an interesting evil route choice.
4. Secret: The Festering Cove
Jump across a chasm near the Arcane Tower to find a hidden climbable crag leading down to a forgotten tribe of Kuo-toa.
They are worshipping "BOOOAL, the God of Murder" (who is actually just a Redcap exploiting them). You can expose the fraud, kill BOOOAL, and become the Kuo-toa's new deity, or sacrifice a companion to BOOOAL for a permanent buff (not recommended as you permanently lose that companion!).
5. Grymforge & True Soul Nere
Take the Duergar boat from the Decrepit Village to Grymforge. The Duergar have trapped True Soul Nere in a cave-in filled with poison gas.
Once you approach the cave-in and trigger the quest, taking two Long Rests or traveling entirely out of the Underdark will cause Nere and the Deep Gnomes to suffocate. Their bodies will be found outside the rubble upon return.
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Procuring Explosives
Find Philomeen hiding in the back tunnels behind a locked door and multiple Oozes. Talk her down from blowing herself up, and take a vial of Runepowder. Alternatively, two standard Smokepowder bombs are enough.
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The Betrayal
Before blowing up the rubble, speak to Elder Brithvar and convince him to mutiny against Nere over unpaid wages. When Nere is freed, side with Brithvar. The Duergar will help you kill Nere, making the fight much easier.
6. The Adamantine Forge
Navigate past the animated armors, trapped gargoyles, and lava pits to the very bottom of Grymforge.
You will need Moulds (scattered around the forge bridges) and Mithral Ore (two veins located in the lava areas guarded by Mephits) to craft the gear.
Grym is immune to all damage unless he steps in lava and gets the Superheated debuff. He will always target the last person who attacked him.
- Place a character with ranged attacks on the crucible in the center.
- Have another character turn the lava valve. When Grym spawns, have the center character shoot him.
- Grym will walk onto the center anvil. Disengage and run away.
- Have a third character pull the Forge Lever. The massive forge hammer will smash down on Grym, dealing half of his HP in one hit! Repeat to win.
💬 Community Strategies & Discussion
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