Investigate Cazador's Palace

The Black Mass approaches.

Investigate Cazador's Palace is a quest in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It can be started by speaking with Ulma in Rivington or the vampire spawn at Fraygo's Flophouse.

“

You want me to march into the lion's den and rescue your children, but I promise you, they're already dead.

„

— Astarion speaking to Ulma about their lost children.

Objectives

Find the Szarr Palace.

• "We met a tribe of Gur people. Their leader, Ulma, told us that a vampire called Cazador has been killing their people and kidnapping their children. She asked us to save the children and slay the vampire. We should find where Cazador resides."
• "We met what look like two vampire spawn in Fraygo's Flophouse. They invited us to a party in Cazador Szarr's palace. It sounds like something sinister is going on. We should investigate."
• "A group of vampire spawn attacked us during the night. They tried to kidnap Astarion and take him back to Cazador, but failed. Astarion will need to face Cazador if he's ever to be safe from his past."
• "A group of vampire spawn attacked us during the night. They kidnapped Astarion and took him back to Cazador. We need to get to the Szarr Palace and find him."
• "We were stopped at the entrance to the Szarr Palace by his guards. There must be a way in - whether around them or through them."

Investigate the Szarr Palace.

• "We entered Cazador's palace. We should look around for clues."

Get past the ballroom door's magical seal.

• "A large door without a lock blocks our way further into the palace. Perhaps we should look around for something that could help us open it."
• "One of Cazador Szarr's servants told us that Godey, who keeps the mansion's kennels, can unseal the ballroom door."
• "A skeleton named Godey told us that the door to the ballroom have been magically sealed, locking off much of the palace."
• "The skeleton Godey gave us a signet ring that should help us unseal the ballroom door."
• "We took a signet ring that should help unseal the ballroom door from Godey's body. The ring is inscribed with the same language as the door itself."
• "We found a dictionary of the Kozakuran language - the same language that's on the sealed ballroom door."
• "We tried to open the sealed door with a Szarr signet ring, but it didn't work. Perhaps the book we found earlier could hold some clues."

Uncover the secrets of the Szarr Palace.

• "We unlocked the door to what looks like a ballroom, but it's full of blood and dead bodies - and werewolves. We need to deal with them if we want to delve further into the palace."

Investigate Cazador's Dungeon.

• "We found some imprisoned vampire spawn. One of them told us that Cazador controls the prison doors with a staff. If we want to release them, we'll have to deal with Cazador ourselves."
• "We found the children that Ulma asked us to find. They've been turned into vampire spawn. They will remain imprisoned here forever unless we confront Cazador ourselves - he must be here somewhere."
• "We stood on a platform that took us deep below the palace into Cazador's Dungeon. How big is this place?"

Decide Cazador's fate.

• "We found Cazador Szarr. He plans to perform a rite that will grant him immense power. He must be stopped."
• "We spared Cazador Szarr - for now. He remains in his sarcophagus should we change our minds."

Report back to Ulma.

• "We defeated Cazador and released his prisoners. We should tell Ulma the good news."
• "We defeated Cazador and killed his prisoners. We should tell Ulma what happened."
• "We defeated Cazador and left the prisoners to their fate. We should tell Ulma what happened."

Kill Astarion.

• "We agreed to help the Gur monster hunter Ulma kill Astarion."

Quest Complete

• "We slew both Cazador and Ulma."
• "We met with Ulma, and told her of Cazador's death and the fate of the Gur younglings. She promised the Gur will come to our aid when we need it most."
• "We spared Cazador's life. Time will tell if it was the right thing to do."
• "We defeated Cazador and left the prisoners to their fate."
• "We defeated Cazador and released his prisoners."
• "We defeated Cazador and killed his prisoners."
• "We helped the Gur slay Astarion - his journey is over."

Walkthrough

Finding the Palace

Finding the spawns

Two of Cazador's spawns, Petras and Dalyria, can be found chatting about the Black Mass in Fraygo's Flophouse on the upper floor at X: -21 Y: 76. Astarion immediately threatens them for information, but can be persuaded to hold back. Unfortunately, they know little, except that preparations for the Black Mass are well underway. It also becomes clear that the spawns believe they too will become ascended if the ritual is successful.

The Gur Camp

Ulma seeks revenge for the lost Gur children.

There is a Gur Camp in Rivington at X: 102 Y: -12 led by Ulma. Ulma tells the party that Cazador has done immense damage to her tribe and even stolen their children. She wants them back, or at least to have revenge taken if the children are already dead. If Astarion is in the party, he can be told that vengeance is the least he can do for the Gur, which he agrees to. Ulma states that the Gur have tried and failed to infiltrate the Szarr Palace but a spawn such as he could do it.

Potential Abduction

Several of Astarion's fellow vampire spawns attempt to kidnap him after the party has entered the Lower City and long rested. Failing to stop them before Astarion is reduced to 1 HP results in him being kidnapped and sent to Cazador's palace. Once there, he is tortured by Godey, who uses magic to compel Astarion to obey Cazador. Although this starts a saving throw, even if failed, the tadpole within Astarion emits a psionic wave which disrupts the spell. Godey becomes hostile after failing to collar Astarion and must be defeated. The party can then regroup with Astarion in the kennels.

Cazador's Palace

Although located in the Upper City, Szarr Palace only can be accessed from the Lower City by climbing stairs in the Central Watch Tower at the Lower City Central Wall Waypoint at X: -53 Y: -64 or by  jumping (or similar) from the roof of the Devil's Fee to the palace's ramparts.

The party must walk north on the wall and can then enter the Szare Palace South Tower door. If Astarion is in the party, he mentions the party can sneak inside through it.

Three  charmed guards are at the top of the ladder in the South Tower. They can be persuaded to let the party continue with  Intimidation or  Deception checks, with Astarion or Rogues getting Advantage on the  Deception check. Alternatively, casting  Calm Emotions on the guards cancels the charm effect and causes them to leave the area. If combat is initiated before or after Calm Emotions is cast, the guards become or remain hostile.. Characters who climb the ladder to where the guards stand are drawn into dialog unless invisible.

If Astarion is in the party, choosing him to start the dialogue with the charmed guards results in them reacting peacefully to the party. They are astonished at seeing Astarion outside the palace on the cusp of the ceremony's beginning, and hurry him to participate.

If spoken with, several giant rats in this room warn the party many others have entered, but were later found dead from the "large hairy fangy ones".

The stairs lead to the door to the empty Upper Tower and the Szarr Palace ramparts. Upon approaching, the door unlocks on its own, which Astarion (if present) calls suspicious. The party can enter the palace proper through the Szarr Palace door.

Fast travelling and resting in the palace is not possible.

The party must unlock the door to the ballroom to proceed further. The party can examine the door to reveal there is strange text as well as a hollow in the door:

• [HISTORY] Try to decipher the text on the door. (DC 25)
• [INVESTIGATION] Examine the hollow in the door. (DC 15)

Passing these skill checks reveals that to enter the ballroom, it is necessary to obtain the Szarr Family Ring and a passphrase in the Kozakuran Dictionary.

The Signet Ring

Vilhelm can be persuaded or deceived into revealing that Godey has the signet ring which unlocks the door. Godey is in the kennels in the lower floor, waiting in ambush X: -1289 Y: 982, but a perception check reveals him and he can be called out. If Astarion is in the party, Godey asks what he has brought him:

• [DECEPTION] Cazador hired me to capture Astarion. I'm here to deliver. (DC 15)
• [INTIMIDATION] Lay a hand on me and lose it, bones. (DC 15)

Astarion insists that they need to get into the ballroom. Godey states he was told not to open the ballroom no matter what.

• [PERSUASION] Your master needs Astarion for the ritual. He'll be furious if you stop us joining him. (DC 20) (if Astarion knows the ritual's purpose)
• [DECEPTION] Cazador gave me orders too - Astarion needs to be returned no matter what. (DC 20)
• [INTIMIDATION] How about I start breaking bones and keep going until I find that key? (DC 20)
• Attack.

Succeeding the checks makes Godey relinquish the ring. Otherwise, he becomes hostile and the key must be looted from his body.

The Passphrase

Location of the Kozakuran dictionary.

A note upstairs on the Chamberlain's desk at X: -1243 Y: 976 suggests that one of the spawns has misplaced the dictionary used to decipher the passphrases. The party can also examine the door and make a DC 25 History check check to recall that the text is written in ancient Kozakuran:

• [HISTORY] Try to decipher the text on the door. (DC 25)

The Kozakuran Dictionary, which is brimming with deadly necrotic magic, can be found on the lower floor in the guest room at X: -1299 Y: 967. Here, the the cursed corpse of Victoria afflicts  Vitality Drain (4d6+4Necrotic per turn) upon anyone entering, Casting  Remove Curse on Victoria's body ends her  Sapping Curse and makes the room safe. It is also possible to use an Elixir of Necrotic Resistance to mitigate the damage. Alternatively, the party can use  Jump or  Fly to bypass the hazard entirely.

The dictionary is in a mahogany wardrobe to the east of the bed. Reading the book gives the phrase to enter the ballroom.

In the ballroom

Once in the ballroom, a number of werewolves notice the party. They state no one is meant to enter while the ritual is occurring, and become hostile. After defeating them, the party must move to the door to the southwest to find an elevator down to Cazador's dungeon.

Cazador's Dungeon

Map of Cazador's Dungeon.

After descending the elevator, a hallway to the west connects to Cazador's chambers. It contains the skull of Cazador's former master, Vellioth, and by interacting with the skull and passing three DC 15 Wisdom checks, the party can gain more information about him. They also receive the Black Mass Scroll, whether the checks are passed or not.

To the north, there are several people in cages, all turned into vampire spawns, who call out to the party. If Astarion is in the party, one man recognizes him: Sebastian, the first victim Astarion brought back to Cazador. Sebastian can be persuaded or deceived into revealing that only with Cazador's staff can the cages be unlocked. The cell across the way can also be interacted with - it contains several Gur children, who were captured and turned into vampire spawns. If they are told that Ulma sent the party, they also share that the staff is the key to opening the cells.

A Special Weapon

The hallway to fly down to get the Pelorsun Blade.

Within Cazador's dungeon, a lower level can be reached using  Feather Fall,  Misty Step, or  Fly to jump down the hallway to the northwest of the elevator. Alternatively, a button below the western room can be activated with a range weapon, causing a massive chandelier to begin travelling up and down: this can be used an an ersatz elevator to travel to and from the lower level.

On the lower level, the Pelorsun Blade can be found in a room to the east, in a buried and trapped rosewood casket at X: -1926 Y: 853. This weapon deals radiant damage, which is highly effective against Cazador. Additionally, there is a locked (DC 30) crypt gate here connecting to the Lower City Sewers - Gloomy Ascent. However, the dungeon cannot be reached from the sewers until the gate has been unlocked from this side.

Confronting Cazador

Astarion is trapped by the ritual's runes.

Cazador is in the ritual chamber north of the prisoners' cells.

If Astarion is in the active party, he concludes the dialogue by attacking Cazador in a rage, only to be trapped in a ritual circle ( Sacrificial Lamb). Cazador then attacks, along with several bats, werewolves, and fallen Gur hunters. Astarion can be rescued from imprisonment via the  Help action, allowing him to rejoin the fight -- in which case Cazador and Astarion engage in additional repartee during the battle. If Astarion is not released in three turns, the ritual succeeds, and Cazador becomes a Vampire Ascendant.

If Astarion is not in the party, then Cazador can be persuaded to allow the party to leave so they can bring Astarion back, or they can start the fight with him without Astarion. If Astarion was never recruited, or if he was killed (such as staking him in camp), then he takes part in the ritual as a zombie.

If Astarion is in the party, but kept well back out of sight (e.g. up at the top of the stairs), then the fight begins without Astarion. However, if Astarion attempts to join the fight later and Cazador is still alive, the battle is interrupted by the cut scene in which Cazador traps Astarion in the ritual.

This fight can be very challenging. Cazador is a high-level spellcaster and gains power from the ritual victims, inflicting high necrotic damage to nearby party members. However, his profound weakness is  Sunlight Hypersensitivity, which can be easily caused by casting  Daylight prior to the battle and then reapplying it in new locations as he tries to escape from the sun's rays. Protecting the party's Daylight caster with  Sanctuary can help keep the situation from getting out of control. On lower difficulty levels he can also be pushed off the platform to his death; unlike most enemies, he then returns to his coffin, where he can be looted or otherwise interacted with.

Outcomes

Once Cazador is defeated, he returns to his coffin in an attempt to enter a healing sleep. Interacting with the coffin has Astarion pry Cazador out of it. Astarion then attempts to use the ritual for himself, and requests assistance from the party. They can agree, attempt to persuade Astarion to stop the ritual, or refuse to help. If Astarion was not recruited or died, the only option is whether to kill or release the prisoners.

Ending 1: Astarion completes the Rite of Profane Ascension

If agreeing to assist Astarion, he completes the Rite of Profane Ascension by carving the runes into Cazador's back and sacrificing the six spawns and seven thousand souls. Astarion becomes a Vampire Ascendant and gains new powers, though this also arguably ascends the darker parts of his personality. When Ulma and the Gur arrive, they find him responsible for the deaths of their children and only one can come out alive - Astarion or the Gur - although this encounter can theoretically be avoided by sneaking out through the lower level of the dungeon.

Ending 2: Astarion is persuaded not to complete the Rite of Profane Ascension

If Astarion is persuaded not to use the ritual, he kills Cazador without performing the Rite of Profane Ascension, and remains a vampire spawn for the rest of his days.

Astarion has the choice to kill the seven thousand victims, release them, or leave them in the cells. If the prisoners are freed, the other spawns lead them to live in the Underdark. Astarion sees killing the victims as mercy, as they never learned how to control their hunger. Freeing the vampire spawns grants the  Chained, Unfortunate Souls to party members with the Folk Hero background. If he decides to leave them, Astarion breaks Cazador's staff and says that he is done with this place and done with all of them, although breaking the staff renders it unavailable as a quest reward. Regardless of the choice, the Gur do not attack Astarion and see him as having redeemed himself. If any other vampire spawns are killed during the Cazador fight, the ritual cannot be completed and Astarion kills Cazador without attempting to perform it, and moves onto the choice regarding the imprisoned spawns. The dialogue with the Gur and the other companions proceeds as if Astarion chose to give up on the ritual himself.

Ending 3: Astarion is refused or cannot be persuaded to stop the rite

If the party fail to persuade Astarion or refuse to help him with the ritual, he leaves the party permanently after deciding to keep the spawns locked up, stating that he is done with Cazador, this place, and the party.

Ending 4: Rite of Profane Ascension is started but interrupted

If Astarion is allowed to start the ritual, the party can interrupt him by killing Cazador while the ritual is in progress, doing so stops Astarion's ascension and causes him to become hostile, attacking the party.

Quest Rewards

If Cazador is defeated:

• Rhapsody as loot from Cazador
• Woe as loot or automatic reward

If Cazador is defeated and Astarion does not complete the Rite of Profane Ascension:

• Aid of Ulma and the Gur for  Gather Your Allies

If Cazador is defeated and Astarion completes the Rite of Profane Ascension:

• Aid of Astarion's servants of the night for  Gather Your Allies.
• Astarion gains the passive feature Vampire Ascendant which grants the actions  Ascendant Bite and  Misty Escape, and an additional 1d10Necrotic damage to weapon and unarmed attacks.

• Underneath the stairs leading down to Cazador's coffin, is a small nook with a pair of scrolls racks, a pressure plate trap and a scroll Vampires before Vellioth which shows the line of Master Vampires in Baldur's Gate going back 880 years.

Notes

• As of Patch 1, there is a glitch where the vampire spawn do not take Astarion if he is not in the party. The spawns keep attacking him even though he is downed, making the only way to end the fight defeating the vampires.