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Abandoned Cistern

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Abandoned Cistern in the Lower City Sewers
Undercity
Abandoned Cistern → Lower City Sewers
The Abandoned Cistern is a Location within the Undercity in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3.
“
Finish the others, but spare Minsc - your Prism can still save him!
„
— Jaheira, when confronting the Stone Lord

Overview[edit | edit source]

The Abandoned Cistern lies underneath Baldur's Gate and is part of its Undercity. It is directly connected to the Lower City Sewers and shares a similar aesthetic. Its main purpose is a showdown with the Stone Lord Stone Lord while he's making a deal with the Zhentarim Zhentarim.

Access[edit | edit source]

The cistern can be accessed in two ways:

  • From the Lower City Sewers:
    • From the northern side of the Treasure Room on a "ramp" towards a broken stone wall, at roughly X: -167 Y: 864
    • Further to the west of the Treasure Room going through a broken gate inside the streaming sewage
    • From the western side of Undercity Ruins Entryway through a door, with caustic brine on the ground on the other side, near X: -155 Y: 877
  • From the basement of a gardener's storage at Lady Jannath's Estate, the door is labeled "Keep Out", near X: -250 Y: -90

Locations[edit | edit source]

The area is divided in roughly two parts, one on the east is accessible via the sewers, the one on the west via the basement. Between the two is a tunnel with locked gates on either side blocking access from one room to the other. On the eastern side the gate is called Sluice Gate and can be unlocked using valves. On the western side the gate is called Vault Door and even though there are two valves next to it, it cannot be opened in any way except together with the sluice gate from the other side.

Sluice Gate[edit | edit source]

The valves that open the sluice gate

Entering the area from the sewer entrance, a group of Bhaalist Cultists consisting of Barnz Barnz, Cilarea Cilarea and Kevo Phogge Kevo Phogge stands guard. They stand on a wooden platform close to several valves and indicators.

A locked Sluice Gate must be opened to access the second half of the area. It cannot be lockpicked. The Sluice Valve will be highlighted if succeeding a DC 7 Perception Check DC 7 Perception Check. A pinned  Note to Sanitation Workers will always be highlighted, giving instructions on how to use the valves to open the sluice gate.

Going from the left to the right while standing in front of the valves and indicators[1]:

  • Sluice Valve - interacting causes a DC 25 Athletics Check DC 25 Athletics Check which if successful opens the gate immediately
  • A blue water level indicator - indicates the water level, a small green stroke indicates the optimal level
  • Water Level Valve - increases the water level when spun
  • Temperature Valve - increases the temperature when spun
  • A red temperature indicator - indicates the temperature level, a small green stroke indicates the optimal level
  • Emergency Release Valve - releases both the water and the heat, lowering their levels

To open the gate, either succeed the Athletics check on the Sluice Valve, or turn the Water Level Valve and Temperature Valve until they are both at the perfect level. Use the Emergency Release Valve if either level gets too high. Both the water level and temperature valves display their state when hovered over indicating Increasing temperature for instance.

To open the door in one go, the water level valve must be hit first, then after five seconds the temperature valve must be hit, too. That should open the door.

Once the door is opened, the party can continue towards the western room, where the Stone Lord has his hideout.

Stone Lord Hideout[edit | edit source]

Overview of the Stone Lord's hideout.

The hideout is an open space with a pool and some pipes in the center. On the southern part is a bla containing a locked Rustic Chest (DC 7 Sleight of Hand Check DC 7 Sleight of Hand Check). Inside it is Gold Pile Single Item Image.png gold and a  Silver Ingot.

Inside an alcove in the wall in the southwest at X: -279 Y: 858 there is a book named  Murder, Be My Muse from Invoker Grimlark Invoker Grimlark, who can be found in the Bhaal Temple.

On the northwestern side of the room is a pile of treasure.

On a nearby desk there lie  The Stone Lord's Sketches.

A Ladder X: -283 Y: 878 can be found on the western side of the room in a stone alcove. It leads to the Lower City, to an area called "Gardener's Basement." This has another exit that leads to a door labeled "Keep Out" in the Lower City. See access for more details.

Depending on if the party has visited the vaults of the Counting House already, Minsc Minsc can be found here as part of the quest The High Harper⁠The High Harper, along with various hostile dopplegangers and Bhaalists.

Hidden Rooms[edit | edit source]

Once broken through two walls, Boo can be found

The northern wall of the hideout has loose stones, but it isn’t breakable through conventional methods.

If saved, Minsc will subsequently break through a wall to a hidden area to the north, seeking Boo Boo, his animal companion. The first room in this area has a set of artifacts, presumably mementos of the heroes that accompanied Gorion's Ward⁠Gorion's Ward during the events of Baldur's Gate I and II. These include a halfling-sized warhammer, representing Mazzy Fentan; a turnip for Jan Jansen; a mailed fist for Keldorn Firecam; a pair of carved wooden wings for Aerie and a cracked wooden mask, representing Dynaheir. Unlike the first four, the latter can't be taken. Companions will comment on these artifacts.

Involvement[edit | edit source]

The Abandoned Cistern serves as a place where the quest The High Harper⁠The High Harper is resolved and significant events happen for both Aid the Underduke⁠Aid the Underduke as well as Return Rakath's Gold⁠Return Rakath's Gold. The state of the hideout depends on whether the party has visited the Counting House already and is aware Minsc Minsc is being controlled by his tadpole.

  • If the Counting House hasn't been visited yet, all enemies will be in the hideout with the exception of Minsc, 'Jaheira' 'Jaheira' and the leader of the Zhentarim (either Roah Moonglow Roah Moonglow or Friol Friol[2]).
  • If the Counting House has been visited, entering the hideout will trigger a cutscene where Minsc and 'Jaheira' are making a deal with the leader of the Zhentarim. The tadpole controlling Minsc will notice the party, depending on how the hideout is entered the party can stay unnoticed.

After approaching Minsc, he does not see reason, as his tadpole is controlling him. He immediately attacks the party, along with a number of doppelgangers and cultists. Meanwhile, Roah (or Friol) immediately flees to take on the Guildhall. The party must defeat the cultists and knock out Minsc using non-lethal attacks if wanting to recruit him. Once all enemies have been defeated, he rises up and panics at the loss of a doppelganger, who had transformed into Jaheira to control him.

The Emperor The Emperor initially refuses to bring Minsc under his protection, stating that he is too unpredictable to help. However, he can be convinced to bring him under his protection. Jaheira must have been recruited before to protect Minsc. If Jaheira went alone or if she dies, then Minsc cannot be recruited.

If Minsc is successfully freed from the Absolute's control, he runs off to find his friend Boo Boo by smashing into several walls. If Minsc dies, Boo spawns next to him mourning the loss of his companion.

Agreeing with the Emperor when it insists on killing Minsc, or attacking and killing him directly is an Oath-breaking action for the Paladin characters with Oath of the Ancients Oath of the Ancients, Oath of the Crown Oath of the Crown and Oath of Devotion Oath of Devotion subclasses[3].

Related locations[edit | edit source]

Related quests[edit | edit source]

Characters[edit | edit source]

Bhaal Cultists[edit | edit source]

In the room before the sluice[edit | edit source]

Related literature[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Notes and references[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ As shown on the picture of the puzzle.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Roah is in the sewers if she survives Act Two. If she does not, Friol takes her place.
  3. ↑ Vengeance Paladins Vengeance Paladins do not break their Oath doing this.
  4. ↑ Possibly summoned by Kevo Phogge Kevo Phogge.
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