Devella Fountainhead

Devella Fountainhead is a constable of the Flaming Fist.

	“	YOU. Name, rank, and reason for interrupting an active crime scene. For your sake, the last one better be bloody good.	„
		— Devella Fountainhead when approached in the Elfsong Tavern

Overview

Devella currently acts as assistant to Valeria as they  investigate a string of murders that have occurred in Baldur's Gate. Devella and Valeria have been investigating a series of murders in the city. While Valeria has a very laid back attitude to the conduction of her investigations, Devella is meticulous and dogged, concluding that the murders are part of a Bhaalist plot.

 Speak with Dead can be used on Devella's corpse. She can reveal her killer (if it was Dolor), and how to access the Murder Tribunal.

Involvement

Main article: Investigate the Murders

Elfsong Tavern

After finding the Bloodstained Parchment as part of the quest  Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders, Valeria will direct the party to speak with Devella in the Elfsong Tavern. Devella will be on the upper floor of the Elfsong, behind a set of doors that are signposted as a murder scene, open only to the Flaming Fists. Devella will be here regardless of whether Valeria was spoken to, however she will leave if the party progresses too far with Investigate the Murders, after which she will next be found at Figaro's Facemaker's Boutique.

If the party found the Bloodstained Parchment, showing it to Devella will confirm her suspicions about the Bhaalist involvement in the murders. Devella will tell the party about Sarevok Anchev and the Cult of Bhaal, and her conclusion that they are still active despite outward appearances. She will eventually ask the party to help with her investigations, saying that she cannot risk her job by raising a fuss about Bhaalists and Bhaalspawn. If the party declines, she will ask them to at least investigate the Lower City murder targets who have been listed. Devella will then leave for the Upper City to secure the targeted patriars who she is oathbound to protect.

Otherwise, the party can also use the crime scene to describe how Stelmane was killed by persuading Devella that they can help, or by lying and saying that they were "trained under Camber Fosrick, the world's greatest investigative mind" ( Investigation, Persuasion, or Deception check). A successful check will result in Devella sharing her findings: The duke was paralysed by poison and her hand was removed pre-mortem. With a subsequent Persuasion or Perception check, Devella will divulge her theory - that the severed hands and "dioramas of death and murder" point to that the murders were perpetrated by Bhaalists. However, her conclusions also point to someone else being in charge of the slew of murder "dioramas". The party can then offer to help looking into the Bhaalist resurgence.

The Dark Urge can reveal to Devella their true nature. Devella will be fascinated by this, especially considering her deduction that the murders are being committed by Bhaalists, given their ritualistic brutality.

Facemaker's Boutique

While the party checks in on the targets, they will discover the murderer, Dolor. If Dolor escapes the first encounter, he will next be found at Facemaker's Boutique, attempting to kill Figaro Pennygood. Devella stands paralysed in the back room. If combat breaks out, Dolor will target Devella first.

Basilisk Gate Barracks

If she survived, Devella can later be found at Basilisk Gate Barracks, where the party can update her on their progress. It is possible to tell Devella the outcome of the  Murder Tribunal, and what happened after visiting the Bhaalist temple. If informing Devella that they player character became an Unholy Assassin, she will become hostile.

Related literature

Written by Devella

• Bhaal Cult Resurgence
• CONFIDENTIAL: REPORT RECORD
• Map of Murder
• Notes on Stelmane's Murder