Daughter of Darkness (Origin)

Daughter of Darkness is a personal quest for  Shadowheart's origin, immediately starting in the Prologue. It is titled the same as her Companion quest and has two sub-quests: ⁠The Chosen of Shar and ⁠A Familiar Face.

“

My name is Shadowheart, loyal servant of Shar, goddess of darkness and loss. There is little more I can tell you than that.
My Lady Shar tasked me with a mission of such secrecy that I surrendered great swathes of my memory in order to safeguard the knowledge of it. All I know is that I must bring the artefact I hold to Baldur's Gate, and that nothing can stand in my way.
My goddess is watching.

„

— Shadowheart, introducing herself in the Character Creation Menu

Objectives

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

Bring the artefact to your Mother Superior in Baldur's Gate.

• "I am the sole survivor of a secret mission for the glory of my goddess, the Lady Shar. I must safeguard an artefact of great importance that I helped steal from the githyanki, and deliver it to the Mother Superior. I must not falter, in my mission or my faith."
• "Unbearable pain blossomed from the unhealed wound on my hand. A means of reprimanding me when I stray from Lady Shar's teachings, I fear. But am I not faithful?"
• "The unhealed wound on my hand continues to grip me with intense pain whenever I seem to displease Lady Shar. I must do better. I must follow her teachings always."
• "My companions finally learned about my Sharran faith. They were shocked - but in truth, I am amazed they never worked it out for themselves."
• "I told my companions the truth about my faith. It's a relief to no longer be burdened by the secret, but Lady Shar seemed to be displeased. I hope my continued loyalty will excuse me in her eyes."
• "I discovered that the Cult of the Absolute seeks the artefact. I must not allow them to acquire it."
• "It seems that the artefact protects me from the Absolute. Could that be why the Mother Superior was so set on obtaining it?"
• "I recalled my earliest intact memory, when the Mother Superior saved me from a pursuing wolf, back when I was a child. I owe everything to Lady Shar and her servants. I must continue to prove myself."
• "Over the course of my journey, I came by evidence that suggested there was once a Dark Justiciar presence in these parts. These legendary warriors were Lady Shar's most-favoured servants, and I long-dreamed of joining their ranks. But I already have a mission - I must stay focused on protecting the artefact."
• "I found more evidence of Dark Justiciars. It would seem their presence in these parts used to be more substantial than I first realised. Perhaps it is no coincidence that I have come by such clues. Perhaps they are a sign from Lady Shar. I should remain watchful, going forward."
• "Lae'zel confronted me about the artefact, claiming it to be an heirloom of her people. Things turned ugly, and she forced my hand."
• "Lae'zel confronted me about the artefact, claiming it to be an heirloom of her people. Things threatened to turn ugly, but we managed to broker an unlikely peace."
• "I discovered that the githyanki continue to hunt for the artefact. I must be cautious and see the mission through."
• "I ventured inside the artefact, discovering it to be an astral prison of sorts. Did the Mother Superior know this when she sent me on the mission?"

Traverse the shadow-cursed lands.

• "I have encountered a shadow curse woven from Lady Shar's power. While I should rejoice to witness her might gripping the land, it may prove to be an obstacle in swiftly returning to Baldur's Gate. Perhaps this is a sign of the Dark Lady's greater will. Perhaps she has use of me in this place."

Investigate the ancient temple of Lady Shar.

• "I discovered an ancient temple dedicated to Lady Shar. I am her loyal servant - it cannot be a coincidence that I found myself here. Perhaps it is a sign that she wants me to explore this place. A short delay before I return to Baldur's Gate can be no harm, surely..."

Punish Ketheric Thorm for betraying Lady Shar.

• "I have proven my loyalty to Lady Shar by slaying Nightsong, the daughter of Selûne. Lady Shar has bid me to purge her followers of those who have failed her - including Ketheric Thorm, but also the Mother Superior. It seems the mission to acquire the artefact was born not of Lady Shar's will, but the Mother Superior's lust for power."

Brace yourself for Lady Shar's judgement.

• "I defied Lady Shar's will and freed Nightsong after she alluded to something from my past. Will Lady Shar forgive me? Does my original mission even matter any longer? I fear I may have ruined everything just for a Selûnite's teasing words..."
• "I defied Lady Shar's will and allowed Balthazar to take Nightsong away. Will Lady Shar forgive me? Does my original mission even matter any longer? I fear I may have ruined everything by letting that foul necromancer interfere..."

Learn more of your past from Dame Aylin.

• "Lady Shar punished me for my failure - exiling me from her church, and marking me as an enemy to all of her followers. Even if I still delivered the artefact, there would be no forgiveness. I am an outsider. I have lost everything - apart from whatever secrets Nightsong claims she can reveal to me."

Journey to Baldur's Gate.

• "Nightsong - or Dame Aylin as she is known - revealed to me that I was not rescued by Shar worshippers, but kidnapped by them. Even worse, they have kept my parents as captives for all these years while I was indoctrinated into their ranks."
• "By Lady Shar's command, I have seen the traitor Ketheric Thorm breathe his last. The cleansing of the Nightsinger's church must continue in Baldur's Gate, where the false Mother Superior has misused her position."

Find a Sharran lookout.

• "I have reached Wyrm's Crossing. There will be a Sharran lookout somewhere nearby, awaiting my arrival. I need to confront them so I can discover how to find the Cloister and rescue my parents."
• "I have reached Wyrm's Crossing. There will be a Sharran lookout somewhere nearby, awaiting my arrival. I need to seek them out so I can discover how to find the Cloister."

Find a way into the Cloister.

• "Ferg Drogher revealed to me that the Cloister is hidden within a place in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate, called the House of Grief."

Find a way into the Cloister.

• "I discovered the Sharran Cloister by happenstance after speaking to an attendant at a place called the House of Grief. Now I need to access what is hidden within."
• "I have reached the House of Grief. Now I must gain access to the Cloister hidden within."

Confront Viconia.

• "I was finally reunited with the Mother Superior, Viconia DeVir. She has challenged me to follow her downwards for a final confrontation. I must put a stop to her - it is Lady Shar's will."

Purge the heretics.

• "I attempted to turn the gathered Shar worshippers to my side against Viconia. Now I must deal with her and her remaining zealots, putting her reign to an end."

Defeat Viconia and her followers.

• "Viconia and a large gathering of Shar worshippers awaited me. I must defeat them all if I am to save my parents."

Enter the Chamber of Loss.

• "I have defeated Viconia. Now I must enter the Chamber of Loss and rescue my parents."
• "I have defeated Viconia. Now I must enter the Chamber of Loss, where I shall finally become Lady Shar's Chosen, and lead her church."

Face Lady Shar's final test.

• "I have entered the Chamber of Loss, ready to serve Lady Shar. Her final test awaits, then I shall become her Chosen, and lead her Church."

Save your parents.

• "I managed to enter the Chamber of Loss. I have to save my parents."

Quest complete

• "I have completed Lady Shar's final test - sacrificing two strangers in her name, then assuming the mantle as the new leader of her church. Curious, to be rewarded so greatly in return for two insignificant lives."
• "I could not bring myself to fulfil Lady Shar's will. At the last moment, I turned my back on her, and saved my parents."
• "I managed to save my parents. We have all suffered greatly, but at least we are together again."
• "I was unable to complete Lady Shar's final test by making a sacrifice to her. The future is uncertain now that I cannot become her Chosen or lead her church."
• "I was unable to save my parents. I failed."
• "I concentrated on saving the city, at the expense of saving my parents."
• "I concentrated on saving the city, at the expense of fulfilling Lady Shar's mission."
• "At their request, I released my parents from their suffering. Now we are free from Shar's curse. My parents are with Selûne, while I have the rest of my life before me."

Playing as Shadowheart Origin

Playing as an Origin naturally locks the player out of multiple interaction cutscenes that may occur when playing as any other character (including Custom Tav and The  Dark Urge). Many cutscenes concerning various interactions with other companions, NPCs and the environment, are left intact in their core. Most, though, are augmented with Shadowheart's own feelings and memories, voiced by the Narrator within the dialogue.^[verify]

As a playable character, Shadowheart also has several unique cutscenes which are connected to her voluntary memory loss and the flashbacks of her true story.^[verify]