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The Hollow
| Emerald Grove | ||||
| Makeshift Prison | ||||
| ↑ | ||||
| Secluded Chamber | ← | The Hollow | → | Sacred Pool |
| ↓ | ||||
| Ravaged Beach | ||||
“Well, this seems like a lovely little spot. The sense of impending doom aside.„
Overview[edit | edit source]
The Hollow is a connective hub area adjacent to the Emerald Grove. It provides easy access to the other parts of the grove and harbours several local traders. Close before the game events commence it became a temporary haven to a group of refugees from Elturel led by Zevlor, including several important characters.
The Hollow is a vast cavern with paths forming an uneven ring, elongated from south to north. In the south, the Hollow is connected with an open ground right behind the ramparts and overgrown portcullis, which is considered a part of the Emerald Grove. The northern end of the cavern ends with an appendix where the makeshift prison can be found. To the east, a stone-paved stairs descend to the Sacred Pool - the central part of the grove.
Wyll can be recruited as a companion here, along with Shadowheart - provided she has not yet joined the party.
Entrance[edit | edit source]
Apart from the main entrance at X: 204 Y: 501, the Hollow may be also accessed from the Sacred Pool through its archway, and also from the Underground Passage, from where one of the stone doors lead to the fringe path behind the makeshift prison.
Paths which lead from the Hollow into other locations, such as to the Forest and to the Risen Road (both starting from Zevlor's headquarters), can be difficult to access and use backwards, as they require use of spatial movement like 
or 
to traverse.
Points of interest[edit | edit source]
The trading post[edit | edit source]
The trading post is the first point of interaction which the party see after entering the Hollow from its main entrance. A round stone ground with an obelisk is in the middle at X: 204 Y: 519; it is tended by halfling druid Arron. Apart from trading, Arron can also shed some light on the opinion of most druids upon the refugees' presence and the ritual his fellows have initiated.
Past the trading post two paths start, running through the Hollow along its eastern and western sides, meeting near the makeshift prison in the farmost northern point.
Farther on the eastern path at X: 207 Y: 531, a trio of tieflings - Rolan and his siblings Cal and Lia are arguing. They are not part of the refugees associated with Zevlor, and are debating whether to stay and help their kin, or to continue their way to Baldur's Gate. Rolan believes they have no responsibility toward the refugees and should leave for their own safety, while Lia fervently admonishes they should help because it is the right thing to do. Cal does not sway to either side, but quietly attempts to have them discuss the matter with cooler heads.
The party can take either Rolan or Lia's side and convince the trio to stay or to leave. All possible dialogue options can be found on any of their pages. The player character's decision determines whether these characters can be met in other acts of the game. If convinced to stay, Rolan and his siblings move from the initial point deeper into the Hollow and stand near Okta's kitchen (see below).
Entrance to the Sacred Pool[edit | edit source]
Following the eastern path further is a stall with three oxen tied to it, and Toron foddering them from a nearby haystack. A 
DC 9 Perception check allows to find a hidden gilded chest in the hay. It can also be found by talking to the Bored Ox via 
. Looting this chest is not considered a crime.
A DC 10 Insight check gives the player character a hint that something is different about the Strange Ox here. It can also be spoken to in order to discern the reason for the player character unease. Dialogue options and possible results are listed on this creature's page.
If Shadowheart has not yet been recruited to the party, she stands near the oxen stall and can join immediately.
A bit farther the oxen stall at X: 230 Y: 550 the tiefling boy Doni stands. He does not react substantively to any attempts to talk to him, and his task on loitering exactly at this place becomes clear if the party receive an invitation to meet Mol in the Tiefling Hideout. Across Doni's watch post is a cart with a pair of 
Metallic Gloves in it. The locked travel-worn chest next to the cart also contains useful loot. Both can be looted without it being considered a crime.
The way continues to descend towards the Sacred Pool, passing a small stand maintained by Mattis and his sister Silfy. If speaking with Mattis, he tries to show a trick with a "magic ring" to the interacting party member. Making a similar trick and snatching the ring through it earns the following inspirations:
(
background)- (
background)
If the interacting party member then decides to examine Mattis' wares, Silfy tries to rob them. On a successful DC 15 Perception check, they can catch Silfy in the act and retrieve the stolen goods. On failure, Silfy retreats to the Tiefling Hideout via the ladder behind Mattis's shop,[1] and the 
quest is initiated.
A series of stone-paved stairs come down to the entrance to the Sacred Pool. Upon first time approaching, approximately at X: 260 Y: 540, a cutscene triggers showing a group of tieflings led by Locke and Komira arguing with three druids who block their entering the sacred grounds of the grove. After initial dialogue, the tieflings stand back, and the party can speak to them to find out that the druids intend to "judge" one of tiefling children, Arabella, for her attempt to steal the 
Idol of Silvanus; the quest is then added to the journal.
The training ground[edit | edit source]
The training ground is at X: 207 Y: 544. Several tiefling children: Gan, Ide and Umi, along with Guex are learning basic fencing moves against training dummies. If spoken with, their teacher Asharak asks the party member for a few worlds to cheer the children up.
If Wyll survives the initial fight at the grove gate, he can be found here, explaining basic tactics and style to the children. Speaking with Wyll here allows recruiting him to the party immediately, adding quest to the journal.
If talking to Guex, the player character can help him train more effectively, passing 
or 
check. Martial classed characters can also use their class-based options without rolling any checks. Giving a piece of advice to Guex earns companions' approval and also inspiration for the characters with the 
background.
To the west of the training ground a wooden platform extends into a scaffold running around the rock. At its start X: 200 Y: 540, a series of rocky ledges allow to descend deeper in the Hollow, to Auntie Ethel's shop.
The storage and the makeshift prison[edit | edit source]
Further down along the eastern path and past the turn to the Sacred Pool, at X: 200 Y: 574 is a small hamlet. Its door is locked and red-outlined; lockpicking it is considered a crime. However, the party still can get inside using the rocky shelves behind the makeshift prison.Malnourished Torchstalks waylay the path and explode if any party member comes close. At X: 220 Y: 590 a pouch contains gold and a random Valuables.
A rat running back and forth from the hamlet entrance to the nearby smithy can be spoken to via . It complains about chipping a tooth on an 'evil thing' inside the storage.
Inside the storage hamlet the party meet Pandirna, a tiefling girl with 
legs. The player character may threaten her not to raise alarm, or, if they are a 
, 
, 
or 
, heal her by casting 
. Dark Urge characters have a unique interaction to kill Pandirna instead by breaking her legs; this is considered an oathbreaking action for .
The storage here can be looted for some potions and alchemical ingredients locked up in the Alchemist's Cabinet near Pandirna if successfully lockpicked. The chest she is leaning onto contains a 
Bloodstone - the "evil thing" the rat was speaking of.
The farmost northern point of the Hollow is an appendix where at X: 190 Y: 585 a makeshift prison can be found. There, in an iron cage, a goblin scout Sazza is kept. Upon first time approaching the prison, the party see Arka preparing to shoot Sazza down. Arka wants revenge for her brother Kanon's death in the recent assault, while her friend Memnos tries to talk her down. The player character must decide Sazza's fate.
If the goblin survives, a party member can talk to her again. This progresses the quest and initiates the quest. Sazza's cage can be opened with the 
Iron Cell Key[2] or by passing a DC 10 Sleight of Hand check. The easiest way to help Sazza escape is to jump down the rocky ledge behind her cage and lead Sazza through the stone door (requires a DC 5 Perception check roll to find) into the Underground Passage at X: -438 Y: -140. Saving Sazza from the grove is an initial condition to several steps required to get the achievement "She cannot be caged!". It also grants the inspiration to the characters with the 
background.
Letting Arka kill Sazza is considered an oathbreaking action for 
, while helping her to escape breaks the oath for both and 
.
Dammon's smithy and Auntie Ethel's shop[edit | edit source]
At X: 180 Y: 557 is a small smithy where Dammon can be found. He acts as a trader and perhaps is the only one of the refugees who displays feelings of ambiguity for the 
The Descent, as he learned much while being enslaved in the Hells. Speaking with him progresses the quest (or quest if Karlach is played as an origin).
Near Dammon's smithy, at X: 186 Y: 570 stands Zorru, a tiefling scout who managed to run away in one piece after meeting a githyanki patrol near the Mountain Pass. Talking to him with Lae'zel in the party progresses the quest. After being interrogated, Zorru walks to the storage entrance.
Across the smithy, Auntie Ethel tends to her small shop of "lotions and potions". She can also be traded with, and if the player character allows her to "fuss around them", they can get a free 
Potion of Greater Healing. If the player character confesses to having a parasite in their head, Ethel invites them to her home to take a closer look.
If stolen from, or if any conflict or fighting occurs in the Hollow or nearby parts of the Sacred Pool, Ethel leaves the Hollow and can be found later in the Sunlit Wetlands.
Near Ethel's shop, a tiefling chef Okta cooks food for the camp. She can spare a bowl of gruel to any character who agrees to try it. Okta can also act as a trader, selling some Camp Supplies, but only through using the "Trade" option in the lower-left corner within the initial dialogue cutscene.
Adventurers' corner[edit | edit source]
The north-western corner of the Hollow at X: 171 Y: 540 is occupied by a group of adventurers lead by Aradin. Unless the argument between Aradin and Zevlor at the ramparts immediately after repelling the goblins ends with Aradin being knocked out, those who survive the battle remain here: Aradin and Barth sit at the table, and Remira tends to her wound nearby. If Liam has been saved from the Goblin Camp, he can also be found here sleeping soundly.
Speaking to Aradin sheds some light on the reason of his crew coming to the grove. He can be convinced (without ability checks) to pass to the party the 
Stamped Handbill. Obtaining it initiates the quest, which is deeply intertwined with the game plot and can be finished only in Act Three.
If Aradin survives the battle and is knocked out at the ramparts, he and his crew leave the Hollow immediately after, leaving all their belongings behind in the adventurers' chest.
Upon first approach to the adventurers a tiefling boy Meli robs Barth for a 
Brass Locket and tries to run away. Barth soon catches up with him up on the scaffolds, and the player character can follow both to choose and take either side. Depending on their choice, this encounter grants any one of mutually exclusive inspirations for background: or .
On a scaffold above the adventurers' corner a pair of young lovers, Danis and Bex can be met for the first time in the walkthrough.
Secluded Chamber[edit | edit source]
Zevlor resides in a small cavern called the Secluded Chamber behind a stone door at X: 166 Y: 539. The cavern has two levels, of which the upper one features a watch post. From the watch post, it is possible to jump down back into the Hollow at X: 171 Y: 518 with minimal health damage.
The watch post opens to the east onto a stone ledge over the river stream, from where the party can reach Forest through a series of jumps. The northern side of the ledge has a cragged rock that leads up to another rocky shelf with a heavy chest on it at X: 136 Y: 519, containing gold and a random grenade.
Past the chest, the party can also reach the Risen Road by jumping (
is recommended to avoid falling damage).
If the Hollow is assaulted during the quest, the Secluded Chamber is the place where the most helpless of the tiefling refugees gather, seeking protection.
Characters[edit | edit source]
Adventurers[edit | edit source]
Tieflings[edit | edit source]
Tiefling children[edit | edit source]
Traders[edit | edit source]
Other[edit | edit source]
Creatures[edit | edit source]
Loot[edit | edit source]
Arron sells:
Dammon sells:
Auntie Ethel sells:
Items which can be found or looted
Connected Locations[edit | edit source]
Related literature[edit | edit source]
This list includes only items which cannot be found or purchased in other Acts of the game.
Disintegrating Journal
Druids' Ledger
Front and Centre: A Thespian's Memoir
Volo's Complete Guide to the Behaviour of Nymphs
Stamped Handbill - conditional (obtained from Aradin)
Related quests[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ This entrance to the hideout can be used only by Small and Tiny characters and creatures, as well as
or 
as such. To access the hideout for Medium sized characters the party must earn Mol's approval by helping members of her crew. The "regular" entrance is guarded by Doni.
- ↑ Held by Tilses in the Secluded Chamber
