Grymforge: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 13:29, 10 November 2024

Underdark
Decrepit Village
↑
	Grymforge	→	Shadow-Cursed Lands
↓
Abandoned Refuge

Grymforge is a Location within the Underdark in Act One of Baldur's Gate 3. It encompasses the legendary Adamantine Forge and the lesser Ancient Forge, also known as the Abandoned Refuge. It can be accessed by traversing the Ebonlake using the Zurkhwood Skiffs at the Underdark Beach.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Built by worshippers of the Shar in time immemorial, this long-abandoned fortress has been recently given a second life, with the forces of the Absolute skittering through crumbling ruins and devilish lava pools, bolstering their armaments and seeking a safe incursion point to march their army into the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Duergar mercenaries billeted at the lower levels of the forge are commanding a group of enslaved Ironhand gnomes to free the commander of the local special forces, True Soul Nere, from a sudden cave-in. The only member of the group capable of clearing the cave-in has gone missing, and the duergar are willing to reward anybody who finds the runaway, dead or alive.

Access[edit | edit source]

The entry to Grymforge is through the Decrepit Village, Underdark X: -7 Y: -210 by taking the skiff from the beach docks.

As a medium-sized location, reaching here at Level 4 gains the party 75 XP, or 150 XP at Level 5.

Duergar encampment[edit | edit source]

Accessible immediately upon arrival to the Grymforge, this is the main base of operations for the local Duergar mercenaries. It encompasses the lower areas of the Grymforge and spans from the entry docks below to the True Soul Nere's cave-in above. In order to progress to the upper-most levels of the area and eventually reach the Ancient Forge, the party must traverse through the Abandoned Temple to the north-east, or blast through a smaller cave-in to the north-west.

Abandoned Temple[edit | edit source]

This area primarily occupies the north-eastern region of the location map. It is accessed either through a set of locked and hidden doors east of the entry docks, or through the upper floors of Grymforge when progressing from the north-western cave-in. Dangerous creatures have found home in these desolate halls, such as Ochre Jelly or Hellsboars.

Ancient Forge[edit | edit source]

Map of the Ancient Forge and the Adamantine Forge to the south-east.

To the far south of Grymforge, through a series of contraptions and ruins, there is an entry to the Abandoned Refuge, also known as the Ancient Forge, and there is the 'Underdark - Ancient Forge' waypoint. It can be accessed by navigating through the forge grating at the upper levels, reached either by progressing through the trapped bridge that the north-western cave-in led to, or by taking the Abandoned Temple route. Abilities such as Misty Step, Enhance Leap, or Fly can be of help to find other paths through the terrain.

Adamantine Forge[edit | edit source]

If continuing on the Ancient Forge route, there will be the magnum opus of a long-forgotten Sharran blacksmith - the legendary Adamantine Forge, capable of smithing the mythical Mithral Ore into armaments of exceptional quality. It is clearly visible from the Abandoned Refuge vista and can be accessed by traversing south-east, down from the 'Underdark - Ancient Forge' waypoint, past the lava pools and across the collapsing bridge.

History[edit | edit source]

The original Grymforge fortress was built in an unknown age by a group of Sharran followers. Those Sharrans used the fortress for approximately eight hundred years, after which it was abandoned. Grymforge was not re-inhabited until Ketheric Thorm's Dark Justiciar army were brought in to rebuild it. ^[1]

After this, the Grymforge served as a base of operations for Ketheric and his Justiciars. Among these Sharrans was Silouv Yali, a gnome well known for his wizarding talents. Yali guided the Sharrans in building the Adamantine Forge, which was able to heat mithral to great enough temperatures to forge adamantine. As well, he conjured Grym, a construct who protects the forge. ^[2]

While Ketheric's forces worked to destroy Reithwin and its surrounding Selûnite population, a Selûnite resistance lead by Mordfred worked to oppose him. The Justiciars proved too strong however, forcing Mordfred to make a bargain with Raphael in desperation; destroy the Justiciars in return for his soul.^[3]

Raphael sent the orthon Yurgir and his merregons to the Grymforge. Yurgir smashed through the cities walls, leaving behind hellish glass. ^[4] Together, he and his merregons wiped out the Justiciar presence. While Yurgir and most of his legion left to remove the Justiciars from the Gaunlet of Shar, some merregons remained in Grymforge.

List of interactions[edit | edit source]

Passing all three checks when speaking to the Stonemason to receive infernal plate
Convincing the spiders to unite under Lolth
Finding Philomeen and negotiating for a Runepowder Vial
Saving True Soul Nere
Saving the gnome slaves