Find the Missing Boots

Gekh Coal orders the party to recover the missing boots

Find the Missing Boots is a Quest in Act One of Baldur's Gate 3. It is initiated by speaking with  Gekh Coal at the Decrepit Village in the Underdark.

Objectives

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

Find the deep gnome runaway.

• "We offered to help a duergar to track down a runaway slave. The slave escaped with a pair of boots belonging to the duergar's sergeant."
• "A duergar ordered us to find a runaway slave if we wanted to live. The slave has a pair of boots that belong to the duergar's sergeant."
• "The duergar died before we could find the slave. If we find the boots, we should bring them to their original owner - the duergar's sergeant."

Get the boots

• "We finally found Thulla, the deep gnome slave. She must have the boots."
• "We killed Thulla to get the boots. (Boots can be looted.)"
• "We cured Thulla -- she was very thankful. (Boots are gifted for curing Thulla)"
• "We found the corpse of a deep gnome. This must be the runaway slave - she won't be needing those boots anymore."

Talk to Sergeant Thrinn.

• "Thulla gave us the boots. Their original owner is probably still interested in getting them back."
• "Gekh Coal reminded us to bring the boots to his sergeant, Thrinn."
• "Gekh Coal died. We should bring the boots to their original owner - the duergar sergeant."
• "We took the boots off the gnome's body. The duergar sergeant probably still wants them."
• "We should give the boots to the duergar sergeant."
• "We took the boots from the injured gnome - she was too weak to stop us."

Quest Complete

• "The duergar are hostile. Delivering the boots is probably not an option anymore."
• "We returned Sergeant Thrinn's boots."
• "We gave the boots to Sergeant Thrinn and were rewarded."
• "Things turned violent with Sergeant Thrinn."
• "Sergeant Thrinn died before we could return her boots."
• "We left the region without returning Sergeant Thrinn's boots."
• "The duergar left without her boots."

Walkthrough

Gekh is in the Decrepit Village north of the Underdark Beach Waypoint. Immediately upon entering Coal's proximity, he confronts the party, calling them "sun-scum" who are too loud. He says he plans to "hush" the party before they draw in something hungry with their noise and draws his axe. Coal can be made to stand down with a variety of dialogue options:

• I could've killed you before you even noticed me, but I didn't. Stand down. (if approached in stealth)
• [DARK URGE] [INTIMIDATION] I'm a rabid dirty dog, and I bite. (DC 10 )
• [INTIMIDATION] Take your hand off that axe before you lose it (DC 15)
• [RELIGION] Stand down - I'm a follower of the Absolute, just like you. (DC 15)
• [PERSUASION] I can be discreet. No need for bloodshed. (DC 15)
• [HALF-ORC] [INTIMIDATION] I'm hungry for a fight, but you're barely a morsel. Choose your next move carefully. (DC 10)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Back down or bleed. (DC 15 )
• [DUERGAR] I'm a duergar, idiot - we're practically kin.
• [DETECT THOUGHTS] [INSIGHT] Read the duergar's thoughts. (DC 10)
  • I follow the Absolute. Take your hand off that weapon.

However, Coal never stands down if the player character is a Deep Gnome, as he believes they are another runaway slave. Drow have an easier time convincing Coal to stand down (DC 10 vs 15), as he assumes they are a True Soul. Additionally, if the party recruited  Glut as part of ⁠Avenge Glut's Circle, then Coal attacks on sight. He is joined by a group of duergar, and a few undead minions.

If the party manages to stop Coal from attacking, he tells them not to get in the way of his hunt. If asked what he is doing down here, Coal responds that a runaway slave stole his  Sergeant Thrinn's  Boots of Speed. The runaway is hiding amongst the Myconid Circle and he is waiting for her to eventually make a break for it. The party can offer to help Coal track down the missing boots, or tell him it is not their problem, in which case he attacks.

At Thulla X: 83 Y: -97 is the deep gnome runaway taking refuge in the Myconid Colony. She can be found on the same mushroom platform as  Sovereign Spaw. When the party first encounter Thulla, she is afflicted with Duegar Poison with reduced health. Once the party speak with Thulla, she dies if not cured within three Long Rests and becomes a myconid husk. The boots cannot be pickpocketed off Thulla if she becomes a myconid husk, but they can be looted off her corpse if she is killed. If the party cures Thulla as part of ⁠Cure the Poisoned Gnome, she relinquishes the boots as a reward. Otherwise, choosing "[INVESTIGATION] She's helpless. Check if she has anything worth taking" (DC 10) and choosing "Take the boots" allows the interaction party member to take them without her consent.

If the party then return to the Decrepit Village and speak to Coal, he states he will stay and clean up while the party sees to returning the boots. Interacting with the boat on the dock lets the party enter Grymforge even if Coal is dead. During the trip over, a group of duergar on another boat led by  Corsair Greymon questions the party on what they are doing on Coal's boat:

• [DECEPTION] I saw a body left by the myconids - your 'Gekh' must be dead. (DC 10) (if Gekh Coal unmet)
• [DECEPTION] I'm afraid Gekh is dead - he fell fighting the myconids (DC 10) (if Gekh Coal was met)
• [BRANDED] [PERSUASION] Just let me cross - I have the brand, see? (DC 5)
• I work on Gekh's behalf. I'm after his sergeant's stolen boots.
• I seek the sergeant - I believe she's keen to get these boots back.
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] MOVE YOUR BOAT, OR SINK. MAKE THE CHOICE. (DC 10 )
• [INTIMIDATION] In the name of the Absolute - you will let me pass. (DC 10)
• [ATHLETICS] Push the duergar into the water. (DC 15)

Succeeding the check results in the Corsair standing down, telling the party to speak with Sergeant Thrinn. Once docked, another duergar,  Morghal tries to extort money from the party. Telling her "I’m not giving you a single coin" results in her backing off immediately.

Thrinn is in front of a cave-in in the Abandoned Refuge X: -626 Y: 331. If the party speak to her about the boots she rewards them with a choice between two items. She also informs them about a trapped True Soul,  Nere, starting ⁠Free True Soul Nere.

Related quests

• ⁠Avenge Glut's Circle
• ⁠Cure the Poisoned Gnome
• ⁠Defeat the Duergar Intruders

Quest rewards

• The party can choose either  Bracing Band or  Armour of Uninhibited Kushigo if the boots are returned to Thrinn.

Companion approval

• Offering to help Coal track down the missing boots.  -1

Notes

• Once the dialogue with Gekh Coal is exhausted, the duergar can be fought and killed while still being able to complete this quest, since the character for turning them in is in Grymforge.
• The boots can be retrieved from Thrinn, should the party turn on her during ⁠Free True Soul Nere.