Act 2: Shadow-Cursed Lands

1. Arrival & Surviving the Curse

Whether you arrive via the Underdark Grymforge elevator or the Mountain Pass, you must immediately equip a torch or cast a Light spell on your weapons. The basic shadow curse will drain your health otherwise.

Follow the Harper patrol (if from Underdark) or the Goblin patrol (if from Mountain Pass) to reach your first safe haven.

2. Last Light Inn

The only sanctuary in the lands. Here you meet Jaheira and the surviving Tieflings (if you saved them in Act 1). Speak to Dammon to repair Karlach's engine with Infernal Iron, allowing her to touch people again.

3. Getting the Moonlantern

Isobel's blessing only protects against the weak curse. To enter the deep shadows (Reithwin Town and Moonrise), you need a Moonlantern.

• 1

  Ambush Kar'niss

  Join the Harpers to ambush the Drider, Kar'niss. Defeat him to take his Moonlantern. (Alternatively, you can persuade him to hand it over and walk into the shadows to die).

• 2

  Freeing the Pixie

  Inspect the lantern. You'll find a Pixie named Dolly Dolly Dolly trapped inside. Free her, and she will grant you a permanent buff: the Pixie's Blessing. This makes you permanently immune to the Shadow Curse without needing to carry a lantern in your hand!

4. Reithwin Town & The Thorm Bosses

The ruined town is ruled by Ketheric Thorm's corrupted relatives. You can fight them all, or uniquely, talk them into killing themselves without swinging a single sword.

5. Reithwin Sidequests

Before heading to Moonrise, make sure to clear out these important secondary locations:

• Oliver's Hide and Seek: Find the shadow-cursed boy Oliver in the Ruined Battlefield. Play hide and seek with him. If you beat him twice without killing his "family", you win the Ring of Shadows. (Crucial for Halsin's quest).
• He Who Was: A Shadar-kai looking for a ledger. Find Madeline's ledger in the Waning Moon, bring it to him, and pass checks to decide the soul's punishment. Rewards the Raven Gloves.
• Arabella's Parents: If you saved Arabella in Act 1, she is looking for her parents. You will find them dead in the House of Healing. Tell Arabella the truth to progress her powerful magical growth arc.
• The Mason's Guild: Explore the basement under the Mason's Guild to uncover the resistance against Ketheric Thorm. High perception will reveal a hidden button leading to Shadows of the past and great lore.

6. Moonrise Towers Infiltration

Do not attack Moonrise Towers head-on yet! Walk in through the front door; the guards believe you are a True Soul. This is a peaceful hub area for now.

• 1

  Meeting Ketheric

  Watch Ketheric Thorm execute goblins and demonstrate his absolute immortality. You are then instructed to assist Balthazar at the Grand Mausoleum (this leads to the Gauntlet of Shar).

• 2

  Prison Rescue (Wulbren & Tieflings)

  Head down to the Moonrise Dungeons. Find Wulbren Bongle and the Tieflings in their cells. Throw Wulbren a bludgeoning weapon so he can break the back walls, or go behind the cells yourself and break them. Escort them to a boat hidden in the caves to send them safely to the Last Light Inn.

• 3

  Araj Oblodra & The Risky Ring

  Visit the Drow alchemist Araj in the main hall. If you let her bite Astarion (he will hate it), she gives you a permanent +2 STR potion. Also, buy the Risky Ring from her (gives advantage on all attacks, disadvantage on saving throws). It is arguably the best ring for martial classes in the game.

7. Chapter Completion

✅ Before heading to the Gauntlet of Shar...