Rescue Volo

Volo has been captured in the Goblin Camp

Rescue Volo is a Quest in the Goblin Camp during Act One of Baldur's Gate 3. It is initiated as soon as the party enter the area and engage with Volothamp Geddarm, who has been captured and is forced to perform onstage.

Objectives

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

Rescue Volo.

• We found Volo performing for the goblins under significant duress. He was led into the camp's interior by a guard - he clearly needs help.
• Volo is locked in a cage. There must be a way to get him out.

Return to Camp.

• We freed Volo. He'll meet us back at camp.

Quest Complete

• Volo has decided to remain in our camp. Having such a learned scholar nearby might be useful.
• Volo died.
• We left for Baldur's Gate without rescuing Volo.

Walkthrough

Volo at the Emerald Grove

Volo can be encountered in the Sacred Pool of the Emerald Grove X: 260 Y: 511 after the initial raid, trying to learn about what happened at the raid from Bosk. If the party speak with him, he asks questions and clearly embellishes the party's responses, including the addition of a Silver Dragon in the battle. Volo explains that the goblins are rumoured to have abandoned their god Maglubiyet in favour of "The Absolute". He plans to slip into their camp to learn more. With that, he departs for the Goblin Camp.

Volo at the Goblin Camp

Regardless of whether the party spoke to Volo, he appears in the main courtyard of the Goblin Camp, where he regales the goblins with a ballad about their king, Dror Ragzlin. If Volo is spoken to, he tells the party to step back, as he is being held captive by the goblins. His captor, Gribbo, notices and asks if he knows the party. Volo panics and stumbles on his ballad, causing Gribbo to kick him off stage and escorting him back to his cage.

Volo's cage is guarded by Gribbo.

Volo's cage is in the Shattered Sanctum X: 333 Y: -8 in a small room north-east of Priestess Gut. Gribbo guards the cage to her 'pigeon' and does not allow the party to speak to Volo. If speaking to Gribbo, she reveals more about her intentions:

• So I see. Do you have plans for this 'pigeon'?
• Does your bird have a name?

If asking about her plans for him, she says she will keep him safe from the others and enjoy his songs.

• Your pet is actually a rather famous writer.
• I was admiring him. I'd like one of my own.
• I hate to see such a lovely creature in a cage.

If choosing the second option to attempt to bargain with Gribbo:

• I've taken a shine to this one. How much do you want for him?
• [ILLITHID] [WISDOM] Set him free. (DC 5)
• [DECEPTION] He looks weak. Sick, even. He won't last long in there (DC 10)
• [INTIMIDATION] I'm done talking. Open the cage or you'll be sorry. (DC 10)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Watch your tongue, or I'll take it. (DC 10 )
• [BERSERKER] [INTIMIDATION] THE HELLS DID YOU SAY TO ME?! (DC 10 )
• [WISDOM] Read her thoughts.
  • Withholding prisoners? Your boss won't be happy to hear that. (if Detect Thoughts used)

If trying to bribe her, she will not accept less than 250 gold. Otherwise, the party can persuade or command her to relinquish the key. Gribbo can also be pickpocketed or killed to free Volo.

Once Volo is freed, he thanks the party and requests to remain at their camp for some time. He drinks a Potion of Invisibility and flees.

Volo at camp

Volo performs surgery to remove the tadpole.

Volo arrives at camp immediately after his rescue. He compliments the camp and explains his research on mind flayers, cultists, and the company of the party. Volo can be told that the party encountered mind flayers, to which Volo is incredulous that such creatures visited the Sword Coast. The player character can explain that a mind flayer implanted a tadpole into their skull, which casts him further into disbelief. Volo believes the player character only after performing an examination. If the player character asks Volo for help, he agrees to do his best, but that he needs time to research.

After the next long rest, Volo has a solution. He claims the tadpole is behind the orbital socket and that an extraction should be simple. He produces a needle from his satchel and prepares for the surgery. There are six opportunities to stop the surgery. Choosing 'Hold your breath' is the point of no return. After this, Volo uses an ice pick to extract the tadpole, but removes the entire eye instead. Feeling guilty, he replaces the eye with  Volo's Ersatz Eye and quickly leaves.

Eventually, Volo leaves with a note, stating he has urgent business in Baldur's Gate.

Meeting Volo in Baldur's Gate

Volo is tied to a cart of Smokepowder Barrels

Once the party arrive in Baldur's Gate, Volo can be found in the Lower City in front of the Steel Watch Foundry. He has been kidnapped by a group of Absolutist cultists who claim that Volo poisoned the minds of innocent citizens with conspiracies. The party can stand by and watch him burn, or intervene and question the man's mob justice.

Defending Volo causes the cultists to become hostile. Volo must be rescued within a limited number of turns, as the cultists set fire to a trail of firewine leading to explosive barrels. A party member can rush toward Volo to help him, which will untie him and allow him to run to safety.

If speaking to Volo after the battle, he thanks the party profusely for saving him. He returns to camp for the rest of the game.

Quest rewards

If the party help Volo escape the Goblin Camp.

• Blazer of Benevolence

If Volo's surgery is undertaken.

•  Volo's Ersatz Eye

If Volo is saved a second time in Baldur's Gate.

• Volo becomes an ally in  Gather Your Allies, granting  Volo's Guide to Monsters during the final quest.

Notes

• Accepting Volo's surgery results in the following companion reaction:
  • Disapproval: Astarion, Karlach, Lae'zel, Shadowheart
• If Gribbo is killed before the party arrive at the Goblin Camp, Volo is not her 'pigeon' and this quest will not be triggered, but he still appears at camp after a long rest.
  • Tav: How did you find the camp?
  • Volo: Finding is my job, my friend. If there's anything in the world worth knowing, I assure you: I do.