Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (2024)

Act 1

Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (1)

A Nautiloid In Hell

The Emerald Grove

Overgrown Ruins Chapel

Sunlit Wetlands / Putrid Bog

The Whispering Depths

Risen Road

Goblin Camp

Shattered Sanctum

The Underdark

Grymforge

Act 2

Mountain Pass

Rosymorn Monastery

Crèche Y’llek

Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (17)

Shadow-Cursed Lands

Last Light Inn

Reithwin Town

Moonrise Towers

Mind Flayer Colony

Act 3 (WIP)

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Rivington

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Wyrm’s Rock

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Lower City

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Sewer & Undercity

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Ramazith’s Tower

Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (28)

The Blushing Mermaid

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Counting House

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House of Hope

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Cloister of Sombre Embrace

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Szarr’s House / Cazador’s Dungeon

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Iron Throne

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Steel Watch Foundry

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High Hall

The apothecary in the Blighted Village has a secret cellar under his shop. Why is it hidden, and what can you find there? In this guide, we’ll reveal all of the answers.

Map

Points of Interest
1 – Apothecary’s Ledger
2 – Healer’s Log
3 – Bookcase
4 – Dark Journal
5 – Ornate Mirror
6 – Moonhaven Logbook
7 – Research Notes
8 – Gilded Chest
9 – Locked Chamber
10 – Rusted Key
11 – Secret Door
12 – Apothecary’s Pack
13 – Dark Amethyst

Exits
A – Hatch / Ladder
B – Well

Background

Inside the apothecary’s shop in the Blighted Village, you’ll find lots of potions and ingredients to loot — and you might also notice the Apothecary’s Ledger (#1). When you read it, you’ll see that some “specially requested plants” were recently delivered, and that they were stored in the cellar to keep them out of sight. Learning this will trigger the quest.

Walkthrough

The hatch leading down to the cellar is located behind the counter in the shop (Exit A). When you descend, you’ll find even more potions and ingredients to loot, but you won’t see anything resembling the mysterious ledger entry. To delve deeper into the cellar, you’ll have to notice the lever to the left of the large bookcase (#3). The lever is in the shadows behind some crates, so it’s tough to see, but if anyone in your party passes a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (37)Perception check, then they’ll detect it, and it will glow, making it obvious. When you pull the lever, the bookcase will slide over and reveal a secret passage.

Through the passage you’ll come to an underground grotto. At this location, you’ll find — you guessed it — even more ingredients, plus Alchemist’s Fire. You might also notice several mouldering caskets. These caskets are tricky. In one of them (#4), you’ll find a Dark Journal, which will reveal that the apothecary’s name is Ilyn Toth, and that he was attempting to raise the dead with the help of a book. In the others, you won’t find much of anything. But if you destroy the caskets, or if they happen to fall apart when you loot them, then agile and robust guardians — aka skeletons — will leap out and attack you. These attacks might surprise you, and if the guardians get a free turn, then they’ll run around breaking open other caskets, waking their allies. So if you decide to loot the caskets, be ready for a big fight.

In the back of the grotto, you’ll find an ornate mirror (#5). If you’re playing a Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (39)Sorcerer, Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (40)Warlock or Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (41)Wizard, and if you pass a DC-10 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (42)Arcana check, then you’ll recognize the mirror as a “thinking lock.” When you click on it, it’ll ask for your name. No matter what you say — even if you know the name Ilyn Toth from the Dark Journal (#4) — the mirror won’t recognize you, and it’ll want to know if you’re a friend or foe. If you claim to be an ally, then it’ll give you a quiz to make sure. The correct answers are:

  • “A foul lich” (if you pass the DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (43)History check) or “Szass Tam is a foul, wretched creature” (otherwise).
  • “To clean a wound?” If you read the Healer’s Log (#2), or if you’re playing a Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (44)Ranger, then you’ll know the right answer.
  • If your main character is talking, then the right answer is: “I’d look for whatever spell will rid me of this worm in my head.” Other characters will get different answers. In general, you should pick the answer that mentions power or survival, and not love or revenge. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (45)Sorcerers can offer to free the mirror from its service, and that will work as well.

If quizzes aren’t your thing, then you’ll get two other options. If you pass a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (46)Intimidation check, then the mirror will decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and it will get out of your way. If you’re playing as Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (47)Barbarian and pass a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (48)Strength check, then you’ll pick up a rock and break the mirror, ending its questions before they start.

If you’re successful with the quiz or the skill check, then the mirror will disappear, which will allow you to enter the apothecary’s secret laboratory. Otherwise, the mirror will send out a Flame Sphere to blow up the containers in the grotto, including the mouldering caskets. This will free all of the guardians, who will then attack you. But afterwards, you’ll be able to talk to the mirror again and try for a better result with your answers.

Inside the laboratory, you’ll find spell scrolls, poisons, and even more ingredients. You’ll also find Bracers of Defense (#8) plus a pair of notes from the apothecary (#6, #7) detailing his attempts to raise the dead while dealing with a book. But the real prize is the book itself, called The Necromancy of Thay, which you’ll find in a locked chamber on the eastern side (#9). A nearby Rusted Key (#10) will open the chamber, so you won’t need to pick the lock or do anything special to get inside.

But you should be careful anyway. If you beat DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (50)Perception checks, then you’ll detect two marble plates — one on the floor in front of the chamber, and another under the book. If you beat DC-20 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (51)Perception checks, then you’ll detect two gargoyles in the chamber. This might evoke memories of Indiana Jones trying to grab a golden idol, but the traps here won’t cause a huge boulder to come rolling down on you. In fact, they won’t do much of anything. The floor plate merely lights the braziers on either side of it. The book plate causes the two gargoyles to start shooting fireballs — but as soon as you trigger the trap, the game will enter turn-based mode, and you’ll probably be able to exit the chamber before the gargoyles get their turn. So feel free to just walk into the chamber, grab the book, and then leave.

At this point, you’ll have to decide what to do with the book. You’ll have two choices — to destroy it or read it — and the main quest will divide into two sub-quests to reflect these options. The sub-quests are described below.

Destroy the Ancient Tome

If you examine the tome, then you’ll see that it’s vulnerable to Radiant damage and immune to everything else. So to destroy it, you’ll just need to drop it on the ground and cast a Radiant spell at it. The tome only has 2 hit points, so one cast should do the trick. Destroying the tome will earn you 115 xp.

But watch out! When you destroy the tome, three Level 5 Shadows will emerge from it and attack you. Shadows do decent damage, they drain Strength, and they cast Shadow Blend to disappear from sight. So be prepared for a difficult fight. Killing the Shadows will earn you an additional 225 xp.

Unlock the Ancient Tome

To unlock the tome, you’ll have to find the right key for it. If you read the Moonhaven Logbook (#6), then you’ll learn that the tome requires a “key gem,” and that the apothecary’s apprentice stole it — and then disappeared down the town’s well (Exit B) into the Whispering Depths.

Inside the Whispering Depths, you’ll encounter Ettercaps, Phase Spiders, and even a Phase Spider Matriarch. Please refer to our Phase Spider Matriarch Boss Battle guide for information about how to defeat her. You’ll also find two items of interest: the Apprentice’s Pack (#12), which contains the Apprentice’s Journal, where you’ll see another reference to the “key gem,” plus a Dark Amethyst (#13), the key gem itself.

With Dark Amethyst in hand, you’ll be able to unlock the tome by selecting the “read” option for it. This will allow you to open it and read it, drop it and destroy it, put it away and decide what to do with it later, or give it to Astarion, provided he’s in your party.

“Please don’t open the creepy book.” — Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (53)Karlach

If you give the tome to Astarion (now or later), he won’t read it like other characters; he’ll put it away for later. To get him to read the tome and gain its benefits, you’ll need to select it in his inventory and have him read it — twice if necessary. Astarion having the book will generate some extra dialogue with him later in the game. Also, if you give him the book when you unlock it, then you’ll gain +5 approval with him.

At one point you could also give the book to Gale for his quest The Wizard of Waterdeep (as an extra way to destroy it), but this no longer seems to be the case.

When you open the tome, it will bind itself to the character who is interacting with it. No other character will be able to use it. The bound character will then get to turn three pages, with their tolerance of the content determined by an ability or skill check. These checks are listed below:

  • Page 1. All characters will receive a DC-10 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (55)Wisdom check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (56)Bards will also receive a DC-5 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (57)Performance check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (58)Sorcerers and Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (59)Warlocks will also receive a DC-5 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (60)Charisma check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (61)Wizards will also receive a DC-5 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (62)Intelligence check.
  • Page 2. All characters will receive a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (63)Wisdom check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (64)Bards will also receive a DC-10 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (65)Performance check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (66)Sorcerers will also receive a DC-10 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (67)Charisma check.
  • Page 3. All characters will receive a DC-20 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (68)Wisdom check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (69)Astarion will also receive a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (70)Wisdom check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (71)Bards will also receive a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (72)Performance check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (73)Clerics of Lloth, Talos and Tiamat will also receive a DC-10 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (74)Wisdom check. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (75)Sorcerers will also receive a DC-15 Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (76)Charisma check.

Note: If a Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (77)Bard or Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (78)Sorcerer fails their special check for one page, then they won’t receive any special checks for future pages.

If the character who opens the tome attempts to turn at least one page, then they’ll gain the passive feature Forbidden Knowledge (+1 bonus to Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (79)Wisdom Saving Throws and Ability Checks) and the spell Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (80)Speak with Dead (as a Ritual). If they fail one check while turning pages, then they’ll become inflicted with the curse Whispers of Madness. If they fail two or more checks, then they’ll become inflicted with the curse Baleful Knowledge. Both curses give Disadvantage on Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (81)Wisdom checks until removed with the Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (82)Remove Curse spell.

There isn’t any downside to reading the tome. Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (83)Gale and Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (84)Karlach will disapprove of it being opened — unless they’re the ones opening it — but you can just open it when they’re not around to avoid this. Sages in your party (like Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (85)Gale) will gain the “Secrets of the Necromancer” inspiration if you open the book, and the “All Knowledge Is Worth Having” inspiration if you attempt to turn all three pages. You’ll also get a chance to trade in the Forbidden Knowledge feature (for +2 ability score points) when you visit the Mirror of Loss in Act 3.

Regardless of how many skill checks you pass when turning the pages of the tome, you won’t receive all of its knowledge. To get that, you’ll have to wait until you reach the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate in Act 3.

This guide is a work in progress. We’ll continue to update it as we delve deeper into the game.

Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming (2024)

FAQs

Search the Cellar - Baldur's Gate 3 - EIP Gaming? ›

Where is the Blighted Village cellar? The trapdoor to the cellar can be found behind the counter in the abandoned apothecary in the Blighted Village. Head inside the building right next to the teleportation point, and you should find it quickly!

How to find the cellar in BG3? ›

Where is the Blighted Village cellar? The trapdoor to the cellar can be found behind the counter in the abandoned apothecary in the Blighted Village. Head inside the building right next to the teleportation point, and you should find it quickly!

How to open door in cellar BG3? ›

Enter the cellar door in the house south of the Blighted Village waypoint. Move the wooden crates to the left of the bookcase to reveal a lever. Pull the lever and pass through the bookcase opening.

Should I destroy the ancient tome or unlock it? ›

When coming across the Ancient Tome, it's definitely best to avoid destroying it, no matter how dangerous the object might seem. Giving it to Astarion or Gale is the safest route for minor benefits, while reading it poses a certain risk but provides more benefits in the long run.

What does the button in Galbraiths cellar do? ›

Descending through the hatch, the player will come across many pressure plate Traps which will set off the rooms vents. If the vents are set off, there is a button on the wall (X: -2342 Y: 834) to disable the traps.

How do I enter Angleiron's cellar? ›

2 Angleiron's Cellar

For those who did rescue the gnomes, their cellar hideout can be accessed via a cave at X:30 Y:30 in Rivington. It leads under the Rivington General, and there is a trapdoor in the hideout that can be opened for easy access between the store and the cellar.

How do I get to the cellar in Alrekstad? ›

Near the house there is a full fishing net slung from a hook, shoot the weak point and the whole thing will fall, opening the path to the cellar. With the way down cleared, players should jump into the hole and follow the tunnel. They'll soon run into a locked door, which can be opened using the key from the pigsty.

How to open cellar door BG3 Lower City? ›

What you need to do to open the secret door is move the crates to the left of the bookcase, by pressing down on the mouse while your character stands near them and dragging them to the side. Behind them is a lever, marked on the image above - pull that to move the bookcase and open the secret door!

Where is the key to the basement in BG3? ›

You can use the Toll Collector Key to open the vault. Look for the basement by going through the trapdoor with the decorative tree in the same room as Anders. When you're ready, go down into the basement, and you'll get to a small room. Use the Toll Collector Key and open the east door.

What happens if I become an unholy assassin in BG3? ›

Summary. Becoming an Unholy Assassin in Baldur's Gate 3 means killing Valeria and losing two strong allies, but gaining access to a powerful merchant. Killing Sarevok is difficult, but spares Valeria, Jaheira, and Minsc, providing their help in the final battle.

Should you open the tome in BG3? ›

Should you read or destroy the Necromancy of Thay? At this point you'll have two choices - opening and reading the contents of the Necromancy of Thay, or finding a way to destroy it. We recommend you choose to read it, though save in advance in case things go wrong.

Should you destroy the book BG3? ›

Destroy the book (not recommended; if you intend on destroying it, at least give it to Gale). You must attack it with Radiant damage to destroy it. Give the book to Gale for him to consume, losing the item. Keep the book and search for the Amethyst Key to continue the quest.

How to fully unlock the ancient tome in BG3? ›

Reading the book

With both the Dark Amethyst and the Necromancy of Thay in the party's inventory, interacting with the Necromancy of Thay starts a dialogue with the interacting party member inspecting the tome. Selecting Place the amethyst in the slot on the book's cover will unlock it.

How do you get into the cellar in BG3? ›

Head into the house right next to the waypoint. Read the Apothecary's Ledger on the bar to learn about the cellar of the house. The cellar can be accessed through a hatch on the floor underneath the window behind the bar.

What does the button do in the cellar in BG3? ›

There are two buttons on the northeast and southeast side of the room, hidden behind heraldic crests, that can be revealed with a successful DC 10 Perception check. Using these buttons grants access to the Under Temple Cave Area.

How do you get to the cellar in Jakobs Estate? ›

Search Cellar

Head through the level, descending through the theater until you reach the cellar. Immediately after dropping down, you'll see the first clue on a ledge overlooking the walkway.

How do you get into the cellar in graveyard keeper? ›

The cellar is primarily accessed through your house. It is used for storage, brewing and winemaking. From here you can access tunnels the morgue, the church, the dungeon, the village and the alchemy lab after you removed the blockages.

Where to find Shadowheart if you save her? ›

Where to find Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3. Shadowheart can be found lying unconscious just ahead on the beach near the Abandoned Ruins. Wake her up and she will thank you for saving her and she can join your party.

Where do you find Halsin? ›

You'll enter a larger chamber, with some notable True Souls like the Priestess Gut and plenty more Goblins. This is the location where you can rescue Volo, if you choose to. Enter through the wooden door in the back of the room to get to the Worg Pens. This is where you will find Halsin.

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