Daughter of Darkness: Difference between revisions

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| description = Daughter of Darkness is the Companion quest for Shadowheart. It is automatically added to the journal if Shadowheart joins the party officially after the events of the Prologue.

| image = Shadowheart Beach Quest.jpg

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[[File:Shadowheart Icon.png|right|100px]]'''Daughter of Darkness''' is the [[Companion]] [[Quest]] for {{CharLink|Shadowheart}}. It is automatically added to the journal if Shadowheart joins the party officially after the events of the [[Prologue]].

== Objectives ==

''Objectives and journal entries may vary pending story decisions.''

{{Quest objective|Continue travelling with Shadowheart.|

{{Quest objective|Investigate the Gauntlet of Shar.|

{{Quest objective|Defeat Ketheric Thorm.|

{{Quest objective|Leave the Shadowfell.|

{{Quest objective|Learn about Shadowheart's past from Dame Aylin.|

{{Quest objective|Journey to Baldur's Gate.|

{{Quest objective|Find a Sharran Lookout.|

{{Quest objective|Journey to the House of Grief.|

{{Quest objective|Find a way into the Cloister.|

{{Quest objective|Confront Viconia|

{{Quest objective|Defeat Viconia and her followers.|

{{Quest objective|Enter the Chamber of Loss.|

{{Quest objective|Help Shadowheart with Shar's final test.|

{{Quest objective|Help Shadowheart save her parents.|

{{Quest objective|Quest Complete|

[[File:Shadowheart Beach Quest.jpg|thumb|Shadowheart is awoken on the Ravaged Beach.|300px]]

{{CharLink|Shadowheart}} is first encountered on the [[Nautiloid]] in the Prologue, where she is trapped in a [[Mind Flayer Pod]]. The party can either abandon Shadowheart to her fate, or aid her as part of {{Quest|Rescue the Illithid's Captive}}. If Shadowheart is rescued from the pod, she is later found unconscious in [[Act One]] on the [[Ravaged Beach]] at {{coords|273|223}}. If she is left in her pod, she can be found banging on the door to the [[Dank Crypt]] at {{coords|285|305}}.

Recruiting Shadowheart in Act One initiates the Daughter of Darkness quest. If ignoring her or refusing to let her join, she reappears in the [[Druid Grove]]. If she is still not recruited, she will appear in either the [[Goblin Camp]] or the [[Mountain Pass]] with the {{SmRarityItem|Mysterious Artefact}} while the party is being overwhelmed by the voice of [[The Absolute]].

At the very last chance of recruitment, Shadowheart says that the party needs the Artefact, and she needs them to avoid being hunted down for it. If still refusing to recruit her, she says she will remain in the same place until they change their mind. However, entering the Mountain Pass causes the {{SmRarityItem|Mysterious Artefact}} to transfer to the player character during a [[Resting|Long Rest]].

While very secretive at first, Shadowheart eventually reveals her biggest secret - she is a follower of {{CharLink|Shar}}. One way to trigger this is by finding the Selûnite statue in the Owlbear Cave. Once reading the prayer sheet in front of the Selûnite Chest, Shadowheart interjects that they should just leave it, as it is trash at best and dangerous at worst. If an {{Ability Check|Insight|15}} is passed, while asking Shadowheart why she cares so much, she confesses that she worships Shar.  

==== Shadowheart's mission ====

Shadowheart is forced to reveal more about herself at the Goblin Camp or Mountain Pass after the mysterious artefact protects the party from the voice of the [[Absolute]]. If the player character demands she explain (and if having enough approval) she only offers that she has a mission to return the artefact to Baldur's Gate at all costs and that it is very important. Otherwise, Shadowheart says it is nothing; the player character must then pass an ability check to reveal the nature of the artefact:

* {{Dialogue option|Not good enough. Explain yourself, or I'll cut you loose.|roll=Intimidation|dc=10}}

* {{Dialogue option|SPEAK, OR I BREAK IT, '''THEN YOU.'''|tags=Berserker|roll=Intimidation|dc=10|advantage=y}}

* {{Dialogue option|I'll have answers, or I'll have blood.|tags=Barbarian|roll=Intimidation|dc=10|advantage=y}}

* {{Dialogue option|That was far from nothing. Tell me what you know, please.|roll=Persuasion|dc=10}}

If the matter is pressed, either by saying there has to be more to it or by asking why she has to travel to Baldur's Gate, she finally admits that she worships Shar. She reveals she was sent to retrieve the artefact at all costs and her memories were suppressed so that she would not betray the Lady of Sorrows. She further explains that she lives in the Sharran cloister in Baldur's Gate, where she must return and that she is the only one left of her cohort who survived the journey.

=== A mysterious wound ===

[[File:Shadowheart Mysterious Wound Quest.jpg|thumb|Shadowheart suffers from a mysterious unhealing wound.|300px]]

At various points during the adventure, when Shadowheart is in the party, she can feel intense pain from a Mysterious Sharran Wound. This can be encountered quite early, such as if choosing to save {{CharLink|Arabella}} as part of {{Quest|Save Arabella}} or finding the broken Selûne statue in the [[Blighted Village]] near the windmill. Shadowheart is initially quite cagey about the wound, simply describing it as an old wound that never properly healed.

After Shadowheart reveals her Shar worship, she reveals more about her wound, explaining that it is her burden to bear from Shar and she can somehow feel her influence. Yet even now, she still does not know why she has it, assuming that Shar must have her reasons. As a Shar worshipper, she has been taught to endure pain, if it has a reason.

=== Conflict at camp ===

[[File:Shadowheart_-_ready_to_kill_Laezel.png|right|alt=A picture of Shadowheart at camp at night. She is crouched over Lae'zel with a stern expression on her face and a knife at Lae'zel's throat, moments away from killing her. She angrily pauses as the player character asks her to reconsider.|thumb|Shadowheart, moments away from killing Lae'zel, angrily pauses as the player character asks her to reconsider.|300px]]Upon reaching the Mountain Pass and encountering the githyanki patrol, {{CharLink|Kith'rak Voss}} interrogates the party on the location of a stolen githyanki artefact. It is polyhedric in shape and inscribed with the sacred runes of the githyanki people. Shadowheart is clearly anxious if she is in the party, as she is aware that she carries the artefact he speaks of. After the patrol is dealt with, an event occurs during a Long Rest at camp. Lae'zel argues with Shadowheart about the theft of an object owned by her people and demands the artefact. Shadowheart grows increasingly defiant, tells her to back off and admonishes she should be grateful they have the artefact to protect them. Lae'zel suggests they duel at sunrise to settle things.

During the night, the player character wakes up to Shadowheart holding a knife to Lae'zel's neck. She says she will tell the party Lae'zel was transforming, so she put her down. If nothing is done, Shadowheart slits Lae'zel's neck and smashes her parasite as it crawls out. The player character can choose defend Lae'zel. If defended, Shadowheart becomes hostile and must be killed. Lastly, a successful {{Ability Check|Persuasion|10}}, convinces her to stand down. In this case, Lae'zel and Shadowheart agree to set aside their differences, and the event leaves them both respecting each others resolve more; they never fight over the artefact again.

 

 

With a high enough approval, a dialogue with Shadowheart is unlocked. She explains that she wants to share something, as she has never felt more comfortable with anyone than she has with the player character. She says that it is difficult to put into words and asks the player character to connect their tadpoles so she may show them what she wants to share. The memory shows a young Shadowheart as a group of Sharran worshippers corner a wolf in the woods. The leader of the Sharrans, the Mother Superior who raised Shadowheart, asked her name and took her away to be raised in the cloister. Shadowheart has no memory before the woods and cannot remember what her name was before becoming Shadowheart. A passive {{Skill|Religion}} check reveals that a typical Selûnite ritual is to send children into the woods at night to find their way back home. If the check is passed, the player character can mention it looked like she was wearing Moonstone, which is typical for Selûnites. However, Shadowheart rejects this and says she was just wearing some meaningless bauble.

The party can obtain a powerful curative mushroom known as the {{SmRarityItem|Noblestalk}} at {{coords|-4|-62}} in the [[Underdark]] in the same area as {{Quest|Find the Mushroom Picker}}. In order to safely acquire the Noblestalk, the Bibberbang in the area must not be detonated. There are many ways to achieve this, such as using {{CharLink|Glut}} to move the Noblestalk, using {{SmRarityItem|the Sovereign's Key}} to prevent the Bibberbang from activating, jumping on high strength characters, or utilising spells such as {{SAI|Enhance Leap|Enhanced Leap}}, {{SAI|Misty Step}} or {{SAI|Fly}}.

After obtaining the Noblestalk, the player character can offer it to Shadowheart as a chance to regain her memories. She is hesitant to do this, as she fears it might be considered defying Shar to try and overcome the memory suppression, but a successful ({{Ability Check|Persuasion|12}} or {{Ability Check|Intimidation|12}}) convinces her to consume it. If she does, she regains a childhood memory of a tiefling named {{CharLink|Nocturne|'Rennald'}} who comforted her when she was being teased by the other initiates. This initiates {{Quest|A Familiar Face}}, as Shadowheart hopes to reunite with the tiefling in Baldur's Gate.

==== Night orchids ====

Within the [[Shadow-Cursed Lands]], a {{SmRarityItem|Night Orchid}} can be found in the [[Ruined Battlefield]], northeast of the [[Last Light Inn]] at {{coords|57|179}}. By talking to Shadowheart, the player character can remind her that she told them about the flower, and they have one for her. She teases the player character, initially saying she hopes they did not pick them by hand, as they are deadly poisonous. She quickly adds she was only joking - they are safe, and beautiful. She thanks them for the gift, while adding with some disappointment that she has nothing to give in return.

The Night Orchid can only be given to Shadowheart if she has previously been asked about her interests.{{ref|If the player character misses the conversation where Shadowheart states that night orchids are her favorite flower then it is not possible to give it to her, but there is a workaround for this involving {{SAI|Disguise Self}}. A disguised player character can trigger old dialogue options, even if they are out of date or do not make sense contextually. Thus the player character can ask her the necessary line and ultimately give her the night orchid, earning the player character the associated [[Nightsong Point]].}}

During dialogue with Shadowheart, she reveals that she has always dreamed of becoming a Dark Justiciar, but the Mother Superior thwarted any attempts at doing so. More information on the Dark Justiciars can be found within the Inner Sanctum of the Druid Grove by examining the murals with Shadowheart in the party. This starts {{Quest|The Chosen of Shar}} to learn more about the Dark Justiciars and their history. Additionally, if {{CharLink|Halsin}} is saved during {{Quest|Rescue the Druid Halsin}}, he can explain more about a war that was fought between the Selûnites and the Dark Justiciars.

If choosing to {{Quest|Travel through the Underdark}} and entering [[Grymforge]], several signs of Dark Justiciar remnants can be found. In the area near the deep rothe in the quest {{Quest|Get Past the Rubble}}, there are several Dark Justiciar corpses that Shadowheart can comment on. Additionally there is a path past the rubble leading above the ground floor of Grymforge, through many sets of pressure plate traps which can be found through passing Perception Checks and then be disarmed. The path ends at a locked grate, behind which there is a trapped Gargoyle Statue, an {{SmRarityItem|Idol of Shar}} and lever. The grate can either be opened by lockpicking it, smashing it with force damage or by pulling the lever using {{SAI|Mage Hand}}. The grate can also be passed with spells such as {{SAI|Misty Step}} or {{SAI|Gaseous Form}}. Speaking to Shadowheart, she can be gifted the Statuette of Shar. This can unlock unique dialogue options (especially with Selûnite clerics), and an opportunity to earn [[Shadowheart/Approval|approval]] with the player character.

As part of {{Quest|Infiltrate Moonrise Towers}}, the party members are prompted to {{Quest|Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic}} by aiding Thorm's servant [[Balthazar]], which leads them to the [[Grand Mausoleum]]. The Grand Mausoleum is north of the [[House of Healing]]. The party must enter the Mausoleum after being accosted by {{CharLink|Raphael}} and there is a small puzzle to proceed forward. There are three paintings with buttons underneath them, which have to be pressed in the following order to open the way: Moonrise Towers, Grief, General. Move north using the traversal gem to enter the [[Gauntlet of Shar]].

[[File:Umbral Gem Statue Quest.jpg|thumb|The purple glyphs reveal a path to the umbral gem.|300px]]

Once inside, Shar speaks to the party, inviting them to take on her trials and prove themselves worthy. The first task is to access an {{SmRarityItem|Umbral Gem}} at a statue. To do this, the party must snuff out eight Mystic Thuribles around the room. There are two levels to the north and south of each side of the room. The rooms are protected by pressure plates, which can be disarmed ({{Ability Check|Sleight of Hand|10}}) as well as the vents which activate with the plates. Through using the levers, the Thuribles can be lowered; interacting with them results in snuffing out their lights. Approaching the statue before the Thuribles are snuffed out causes it to magically repel the party. Any Moonlanterns must also be unequipped, as they emit light. Once the room is shrouded in darkness, purple glyphs are revealed around the statue. A party member must follow the gaps in the glyphs to touch the Umbral Gem; doing so opens the way north.

On following the path forward some Reconstituted Duelists are encountered. They try to warn the party away, but are interrupted by tremors. Undead Justiciars attack the party and [[Umbral Tremor|Umbral Tremors]] appear. The Umbral Tremors summon more Justiciars until they are destroyed.

To the west more Reconstituted Duelists can be found. The tremors begin in earnest as more Umbral Tremors and Justiciars are summoned to attack the party. Several waves appear, until finally a [[Justiciar Crusader (Undead)|Justiciar Crusader]] appears. Upon defeating it and its minions the path opens, revealing {{CharLink|Balthazar}}, a servant of {{CharLink|Ketheric Thorm}}, who has been tasked with retrieving the {{CharLink|Aylin|Nightsong}}. Balthazar instructs the party to complete the Trials of Shar for him, as the Justiciars have been making it impossible for them to move forward. The party can either agree to help or attack him outright. If agreeing, the party can convince him to offer assistance in the form of an item that summons his brother, {{CharLink|Flesh}}. Otherwise, Balthazar attacks with Flesh and three [[Ghoul Medic|Ghoul Medics]].

[[File:Soft Step Key Quest.jpg|thumb|The key to the Soft-Step Trial.|300px]]

After entering the room at {{coords|-767|-755}}, the party notices a sacrificial bowl. The party must give a blood offering to continue onto the trial. If Shadowheart is in the party, she offers to do this. Once the offering is given, the party can proceed to the trial.

The Soft-Step Trial is a stealth trial. There are two shadows patrolling a small maze, which at least one party member must sneak past to get to the umbral gem. If the party member is detected by a shadow, they are transported back to the start of the maze. {{Cond|Invisible|Invisibility}} can be used to prevent detection. The party member must find the [[Soft-Step Key]] in the hidden room of the maze to proceed forward, lockpick the door open, or use {{SAI|Misty Step}} to bypass it entirely.

As with the Soft-Step Trial, the party must move to the offering bowl with an offering of blood to proceed.  

In this trial at {{coords|-767|-727}}, the party members face replicas of themselves. If a party member attacks a replica of a different party member, they gain a debuff that lowers their ability scores. An easy way to end this trial quickly is to remove all equipment until the replicas appear, then add the equipment again, so that the replicas are weaker. Using only one party member can also help, as this avoids the debuff. Once the replica has been defeated, an Umbral Gem is dropped.

[[File:Faith Step Path Quest.jpg|thumb|The dimly lit path in the Faith-Step Trial.|300px]]

The Faith-Step trial can be accessed by moving north of the other two trials and then following the stairs down at {{coords|-752|-727}}.

To complete this trial, at least one party member must walk along a chasm, on a barely visible pathway allowing them to move forward. After blood is offered to the trial, the room is plunged in darkness, making the path forward difficult to see (and impossible to see from the overhead camera view).

There are several ways to pass this trial:

# '''Following the Map:''' After looking at the map on the trial floor following it to the final platform without stepping off the path.

# '''Teleportation:''' Using teleportation spells such as {{SAI|Misty Step}} and {{SAI|Dimension Door}} to teleport between the platforms until the character reaches the final one. This will require the party to cast {{SAI|Daylight}} to remove the {{Area|Darkness}} from the platforms or else be wearing equipment that provides immunity to blindness (e.g. {{SmRarityItem|Eversight Ring}}).  

# '''Dropping items:''' It is possible to drop items, for example camp supplies, on the ground before the party member, to make the path more visible.

# '''Using the movement ruler''': In turn-based mode, the movement ruler of the character (i.e. the white line indicating movement) has a slight change in elevation where the path ends. This allows one to navigate more reliably in the maze.

There is one more Umbral Gem, which is in the possession of {{CharLink|Yurgir}}, the orthon that Raphael is hunting. The party can either kill him as part of {{Quest|Kill Raphael's Old Enemy}}, trick him into killing himself, or help him as part of {{Quest|Break Yurgir's Contract}}. Regardless of how the conflict is resolved, the party can take the gem, which is in front of his throne of skulls at {{Coords|-641|-754}}.  

Before placing the Umbral Gems on the Pedestal of Reckoning, [[Shadowheart]] has one final request if she is in the party. She states that she needs to obtain the {{SmRarityItem|Spear of Night}} if she is to become a Dark Justiciar. The Spear is in the Silent Library.

The Silent Library is south of the Faith-Step Trial. Once inside, {{SAI|Silence}} is cast over the party. If the party members are detected, a number of [[Justiciar Soulhunter]] and [[Justiciar Nightweaver]] attack. Defeating [[The Librarian]] at the centre of the room ends the Silence spell. With a successful {{Skill|Perception}} check, a button is revealed at {{coords|-784|-747}} which unlocks the locked gate to the west.

To access the hidden room, the party must offer the correct book to the pedestal. The correct book is {{SmRarityItem|Teachings of Loss: The Nightsinger}}, which is inside a trapped bookshelf ({{Ability Check|Sleight of Hand|15}}) at {{coords|-771|-742}}. Interacting with the Riddle of the Night and combining it with the book opens the way. Inside is the Spear of Night, as well as a {{SmRarityItem|Dark Justiciar Half-Plate (Rare)}} and a {{SmRarityItem|Dark Justiciar Helmet}}. Giving the Spear to Shadowheart allows her to claim her place as a Dark Justiciar.

The party must return to the Pedestal of Reckoning and use the Umbral Gems to activate the moving disks. The path ends at a pool of water, the entrance to the [[Shadowfell]].

'''WARNING: Entering Shadowfell locks the party out of many side quests, and pushes the party to the end of Act Two. Do NOT enter until all other business in the area has been resolved.'''

Although Shadowheart does not need to be taken through the Gauntlet of Shar, she must be taken with the party to the Shadowfell. If she is not taken, then she immediately appears after returning to the material plane to confront the party, saying they prevented her from achieving her destiny. She permanently leaves the party, saying she hopes she never sees them again and forgets them in time.

* If Balzathar is alive, the party can let him take Aylin to Moonrise Towers.

* If Shadowheart is in the party, she can kill the Nightsong and become the Dark Justiciar she always dreamed to be.

If the Nightsong is freed, she thanks the party. If Shadowheart spared her, then she throws the Spear of Night into the abyss of the Shadowfell. However, Dame Aylin grants her a new weapon as thanks - the {{SmRarityItem|Moonlight Glaive}}. Aylin promises to tell Shadowheart more about her history after taking down Ketheric Thorm. Aylin then flies off to face him in Moonrise Towers. As the party members leave the Shadowfell, Shar forcably detains Shadowheart and torments her for her blasphemy before sending her back to the mortal realm, her goddess' favor lost. After completing {{Quest|Defeat Ketheric Thorm}}, upon speaking to {{CharLink|Dame Aylin}} in camp, Shadowheart is rewarded with {{SmRarityItem|Selûne's Spear of Night}}.

If Shadowheart kills the Nightsong, she becomes a Dark Justiciar and gains the {{SmRarityItem|Shar's Spear of Evening}}. However, a valuable ally is lost in the Nightsong, and there are tragic consequences for the inhabitants of the [[Last Light Inn]] due to Shadowheart's choices: {{CharLink|Isobel}} is overwhelmed and unable to sustain her protection magic over the Inn, causing all within to fall to the shadow curse. Shadowheart refers to this as cleansing the resistance to Shar's will. Additionally, Jaheira may either die to the shadow curse or disappear completely and does not aid the party in the Last Light Inn fight.

Regardless of Shadowheart's fate, Ketheric Thorm inevitably must be faced as part of {{Quest|Defeat Ketheric Thorm}}. This is either mandated by Shar, who sees him as a traitor, or beseeched by Aylin, who promises to give Shadowheart more information on her past if she assists.

After defeating Ketheric Thorm, Shadowheart must deal with cloister in [[Baldur's Gate]]. Dark Justiciar Shadowheart is commanded to clear out the corruption of the cloister by Shar. Selûnite Shadowheart is told by Aylin that her parents were kidnapped by the Sharran cultists and are still alive, held captive in the cloister. Either way, she must confront her former 'family.'

When Shadowheart arrives in Baldur's Gate, she says that her peers are no doubt watching her. She can find {{CharLink|Ferg Drogher}} at {{coords|45|-98}} in [[Rivington]] near the [[Requisitioned Barn]]. He calls out to the party as they get closer to him, if Shadowheart is in the party. He explains that the Sharrans are in the [[House of Grief]] in the [[Lower City]], starting {{Quest|Investigate the House of Grief}}. If entering the House of Grief with Shadowheart in the party, she is immediately led further in by {{CharLink|Mirie}}. From here, either she or the player character can undergo the Mapping of the Heart by an Inquirer of Grief. After the Mapping, the Inquirer reveals themselves to be the Mother Superior herself, {{CharLink|Viconia DeVir}}. She bids the party to come down further, into the [[Cloister of Sombre Embrace]].  

Deep in the heart of the Cloister Viconia waits with a group of Sharran cultists. She explains that she knows the party members have the artifact in their possession and she needs it to destroy the Absolute. Viconia initially attempts to negotiate in a way which keeps blades sheathed:

* {{Dialogue option|All right, you wish to negotiate? Make me an offer then.}}

* {{Dialogue option|As far as the artefact is concerned, there's nothing to discuss.}}

* {{Dialogue option|''Attack''}}

* {{Dialogue option|''Turn to leave.''}}

* {{Dialogue option|Shar will allow you to make such an offer?}}

* {{Dialogue option|This must be truly important, if Shar would allow you to make such an offer. Why do you want it?}}

* {{Dialogue option|Not happening. Even if I wanted to give it to you, I can't. The artefact is bound to me. It will kill you.|roll=Intimidation|dc=20}}

* {{Dialogue option|The artefact alone can't save you. Best if we unite against a common enemy - the Absolute.|roll=Persuasion|dc=20}}

* {{Dialogue option|''Attack.''}}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This means that ''if'' Selûnite Shadowheart spared the Nightsong without being convinced to by DC checks, then she does ''not'' spare her parents without being convinced to by DC checks.

Finally, a Selûnite Shadowheart can be convinced to spare her parents with a {{Ability Check|Religion|20}} or {{Ability Check|Persuasion|20}} check.

* {{SubQuest|The Chosen of Shar}}

== Quest rewards ==

* Shadowheart and her Sharran Followers as allies for {{Quest|Gather Your Allies}} - if Shadowheart becomes a Dark Justiciar.

* Viconia and her Sharran Followers as allies for Gather Your Allies - if Shadowheart is given over to Viconia

== Achievements ==

{{NavQuests|state_main=expanded}}