House of Hope

Outer view of the House of Hope

The House of Hope is a Location within Avernus in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3.

“

Flock to me, all who are burdened, and I will give you hope, for my house is yours, and the door is always open.

„

— One of plaques on the bust pedestals in the Archive

Overview

The House of Hope is a giant building floating high above the ground somewhere in Avernus, the First layer of The Nine Hells. It is made of elaborately hammered metal and placed onto a huge piece of rock kept up in the atmosphere with the help of complicated mechanisms.

Inside the house is lavishly decorated and furbished, with marble mosaic floor and interiors sustained in bloody red and gold, which contrasts with otherwordly greenish flashes of some of its 'inhabitants'. Multiple golden devilish busts have plaques on their pedestals with Raphael's pompous dictums.

The House of Hope is the home to the devil  Raphael and his small retinue, and also a prison to the many Eternal Debtors who made the mistake of contracting him. Being a progeny of the archdevil Mephistopheles, the lord of Cania, Raphael seemingly preferred to dwell into another realm to obtain some measure of freedom to forge and conduct his plans for greatness.

Access

The party can be briefly taken to the House of Hope by Raphael himself, when he appears to make acquaintance with them in Act One. The deliberate journey to this location, though, is available not until the party reach Act Three and learn how it can be done.

Dealing with the diabolist

The bloody heptagram inside Helsik's Room in Devil's Fee

To get access to Raphael's demesne, the party must first find hints onto who in Baldur's Gate is able to help them. This is eventually revealed as  Helsik, the proprietor of a curio shop named the Devil's Fee in the northern-central part of the Lower City, at X: -37 Y: -10. Information of her services can be obtained in several ways:

• Finding and reading the  Devil's Fee Observer's Report in the Guildhall or the  File Under Diabolist in Bruc and Pishe's Emporium basement
• Stealing or looting the  Note from Helsik from  Enver Gortash or finding the  Note from Director Gortash in Helsik's bedroom
• Finding and reading the  Report on Activities of Enver Gortash in the Infiltration Room of Cloister of Sombre Embrace
• Finding and reading the  Scrapbook of Letters in a chest on the first floor of Flymm's Cobblers
• Helping the orthon  Yurgir to break his contract with Raphael in Act Two; in this case he appears in the camp and directly tells the party of Helsik's services
• Successfully identifying at least two of the hellish curios displayed in the trade hall of Devil's Fee
• Looting either a  Coin of Mammon or a piece of  Infernal Marble on the first floor of Helsik's shop

The party can either negotiate with Helsik to provide them with a portal to the House of Hope, or break in to the first floor of the Devil's Fee, where the ritual room with the teleporting heptagram is, and open the portal themselves. Either way, the party need a set of specific components to open the way to Avernus, and an instruction on how to place them correctly.

Helsik provides the components to open a portal if the party meet one of the following conditions:

• Paying  20,000 gp
• Succeeding a  DC 25 Intimidation Check and paying  10,000 gp
  • Warlocks can succeed a  DC 25 Persuasion Check with advantage to lower the price to  10,000 gp
• Passing a  DC 20 Persuasion Check to gain access in exchange for retrieving the  Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength from the House of Hope

Otherwise, the necessary ingredients can be found in various containers upstairs or pickpocketed from Helsik, together with the  instruction on opening the portal. Refer to the the shop description to learn the components' whereabouts.

Opening the portal

The placement of the ritual items in the circle.

Once the party have gathered all necessary components, they can open the portal to Avernus. There are specific requirements for placing the items in the points of the heptagram:

• The skull - on the star point near the altar
• The Coin of Mammon - on the next point to the right (if the character is facing the altar)
• The diamond - skipping a point and placing it on the next point after that
• The incense - on the point following the diamond
• A piece of Infernal Marble - in the centre of the star

Placing the ingredients on the correct locations makes them stick to the point and go aflame. The order of placement does not matter as long as the items are placed correctly. Placing an item on the wrong point does not destroy it or the potential to proceed; a party member can pick it up and try again.

After the last ingredient is placed, the bloody lines start to burn brightly, and the central circle becomes interactive. Using it transports the party to the House of Hope. Throughout the opening process, the  Emperor chimes in several times, trying to convince the party to reconsider their course of actions.

Entering the House of Hope causes Raphael to disappear from Sharess' Caress; he then becomes inaccessible until the party tries to leave the Hells. Upon arrival to the House of Hope, one or both of the following inspirations is granted:

• ⁠An Exotic Charter ( Sage background)
• ⁠Horizon Walker ( Outlander background)

Fast travel and returning to the Campsite are not possible inside the House of Hope.

Building layout

Foyer

The foyer, with the portal present.

The portal exits into the House's foyer, which has a large door labelled "Iron Doors to Hope" and four Pillars of Souls. The pillars remain inactive and cannot be destroyed until the party attempt to leave.

Upon arrival, any party member can comment on not hearing the Emperor here, mostly with relief. Another comment, this time on the Avernus' landscape, is uttered when any of them come closer to the large stainglass window across the door.

Approaching the door summons a projection of  Hope, which behaves strangely and sometimes flickers, as if losing concentration from pain. The party can offer her help or call her mad. In the former case, she gives the party four sets of  Debtor's Attire, which disguise them from the  Eternal Debtors while in the house. Otherwise, the party must obtain the masking attires themselves (there are plenty in the wardrobes around the main corridor). Wearing the attire is recommended as it makes the playthrough much easier. If any party member meets a House of Hope inhabitant without this attire, the whole house becomes hostile to the party.

Past the Iron Doors to Hope is the Feast Hall, where the party might have already been – briefly, in Act One.

Feast Hall

View of the Feast Hall and all its mess
(by Edward Vanderghote)

Unlike the first meeting with Raphael, the lavish displays of food and ordered furniture are gone; the party can now see the reality of Raphael's illusory temptations as they truly are: rotting food, disorder and  trapped souls appearing from time to time, some with warnings, some with complaints. These souls are harmless and non-hostile; they disappear once delivering their message.

Cleaning the hall is the lone  Infernal Mason. If the party speak to him, he introduces himself as the architect who built Moonrise Towers for  Ketheric Thorm. He can fill in the gaps in the story of Ketheric's turning to serving ⁠Shar, as well as confess it was he who bargained with Raphael to eliminate Ketheric's Dark Justiciars in the Gauntlet of Shar. The party can tell him about the consequences of his deal, aggrieving the Mason or setting his burden at ease.

Two iron doors lead from the Feast Hall into the Main Corridor. The eastern door is unlocked, while the western one requires  DC 25 Sleight of Hand Check to lockpick or pulling the lever from the other side. Despite this plain hint onto the correct direction to explore the House, there are no fatal consequences for doing otherwise.

The descriptions of rooms given below are in the order of their appearance if the party go out of the eastern doors of the Feast Hall, except for the House of Hope's Prison.

Main Corridor

The semicircular Main Corridor can be accessed from the east and west exits from the Feast Hall. It connects all rooms of the House and is populated by several Eternal Debtors. While moving about the corridor, more Errant Souls spawn from time to time. Several Mahogany Wardrobes in the corridor contain sets of Debtor's Attire, needed if the party failed to convince Hope to help them in the Foyer.

At X: -6450 Y: 2910 is the Prison Hatchway, which leads to Hope's prison. An opulent chest nearby requires  DC 10 Sleight of Hand Check to lockpick and contains a random scroll, valuables and potions.

Also along the corridor are more containers with treasure:

• At X: -6495 Y: 2952 a gilded chest - requires  DC 15 Sleight of Hand Check to lockpick, contains two  Potions of Angelic Slumber, gold, and a book on the history of creating the Orphic Hammer
• At X: -6518 Y: 2913 a rosewood desk - requires  DC 10 Sleight of Hand Check to lockpick, or a  key carried by  Theologist Eternal Debtor; it contains a  Potion of Angelic Reprieve and a random very rare spell scroll
• At X: -6512 Y: 2905 an unlocked chest with gold and a random arrow

Near the latter chest a  DC 10 Perception Check highlights a wine glass with poisoned wine on a low table.

Chamber of Egress

The Chamber of Egress with all the portals.

The Chamber of Egress at X: -6442 Y: 2920 is a large room with seven portals leading to various locations, including Cania's capital Mephistar and the drow city of Menzoberranzan in the Underdark. The portals are closed, but can be interacted with to hear a brief narration line about each destination. The player character and origin companions each have different comments on them.

The floor of the Chamber of Egress is actually a large bas-relief depicting a map of the Sword Coast and adjacent areas of the interior Faerûn.

Scrubbing the floor of the room is its boorish keeper  Nubaldin. If the party ask him about his tasks, he relates that he was a prison overseer, but was lowered in rank after letting a "blot of a boy named Gortash" escape. Asking Nubaldin further, the party can convince him through  DC 15 Persuasion or Intimidation Check to give additional information regarding Gortash and also reveal Hope's physical location. Alternatively, for the latter, the interacting party member can  read Nubaldin's thoughts.

However, if the party has already defeated Gortash and tells Nubaldin about it, he gloats over the archduke's demise and offers the same information without any checks. In this case, he also provides the party with a side route to Raphael's Boudoir through the breach in the balcony. There is no way to deceive Nubaldin about the victory over Gortash.

When the party enter the Chamber of Egress, Hope's projection appears again to guide them.

Eastern balcony

At X: -6447 Y: 2936 is the entrance to the eastern balcony where the party can go outside the House through a breach in the railing.

On the rocky cliff just below from the balcony is a Passageway to Hope's Prison. To the west is a series of small platforms along the House of Hope's outer wall. Jumping on them, the party can reach the balcony of the Boudoir. The final gap is high enough to be available to characters with a Strength of 10 or higher. The platforms are rather narrow, so it is recommended to split the party and jump along the route one by one to avoid party members falling to their deaths.

Almost across it, at X: -6464 Y: 2938 is a stairway to the inner balcony, looking over the Feast Hall. On the table is a  note which also hints on a way to the boudoir from the outer balcony, if the party did not learn this from Nubaldin.

Boudoir

The Boudoir interior, with the pool and its Restoration Faucets

The Boudoir is the northernmost room in the House with the entrance at X: -6481 Y: 2956. Initially it is closed with the Mystic Force Curtain – an energy barrier, interacting with which prompts a message "Show your invitation". This  Boudoir Invitation can be obtained further in the archive. Otherwise, the Boudoir can be infiltrated via the aforementioned platforms from the Eastern Balcony. In the latter case, the curtain can be removed later by pulling a lever inside, near the doorway.

If the party approach the boudoir door, Hope's projection appears again, but, as with the Chamber of Egress, she does not relate any useful information except that inside Raphael keeps his "favourite things".

The boudoir features an octagonal bathing pool in the centre, filled through two Restoration Faucets. Upon approach each is typically highlighted ( DC 0 Perception Check). If used, any of these faucet restores the party's resources as if they took a long rest. The faucets do not restore the party's ability to take additional short rests, but do restore a bard's related  Song of Rest ability. The faucets have infinite uses, including on honour mode, though they do not work during a fight with or after having defeated Raphael. A copy of  The Quarta Sune lies on the pool's edge.

The pool is surronded by two small galleries, where are several wardrobes with random rich Camp Clothing and two locked opulent chests, each requiring  DC 15 Sleight of Hand Check to lockpick. They contain gold, random valuables, potions (including a  Potion of Angelic Slumber) and random very rare spell scroll.

Both galleries eventually lead to the luxurious bed, where the succubus  Haarlep lounges about. When the party approach from any direction (including the balcony), a conversation automatically starts. A party member can "play a game" with Haarlep to obtain the  Key From Raphael's Safe, or pickpocket it from them.

Haarlep's key opens a safe hidden under a large portrait of Raphael west of the bed (revealed with a button below). Without interacting with Haarlep, a successful  DC 18 Perception Check is needed to notice the portrait is trapped and  DC 20 Sleight of Hand Check to disarm it. Trying to use the button without disarming results in the portrait casting 2d6⁠⁠Fire attack on the party and immediately makes Haarlep hostile.

Lockpicking the safe under the picture requires  DC 25 Sleight of Hand Check. Inside are five  Soul Coins and a  note which contains the password which removes the otherwise impenetrable shield around the Archive treasure.

Alternatively, the party can deny the conditions offered by the succubus, which inevitably spills into a fight with them and six  Vengeful Imps. After Haarlep is defeated, his corpse can be looted for the  Helldusk Gloves, which are impossible to obtain otherwise, and a unique set of  underwear.

Raphael's vault

The entrance to Raphael's Vault is directly south of the entrance to the Boudoir, at X: -6481 Y: 2942. To enter, the party must first succeed in a  DC 10 Perception Check to spot the Infernal Gem on the door, then interact with the gem by passing a  DC 10 Wisdom Check, followed by a  DC 20 Arcana Check to open the vault. A failed check pushes the party back from the door similar to the effect of the  Thunderwave spell, but without ⁠⁠Thunder damage.

Inside is pile of crates with the  Helldusk Helmet and  666 gp; on small pedestals to each side are the  Staff of Spellpower and  Mol's contract if she survived the events of Act One. The contract cannot be read.

Western balcony

The western balcony is located at X: -6499 Y: 2938, where the  Eternal Rat is located. This is the only one of Raphael's debtors who does not turn hostile if the House of Hope inhabitants become alarmed.

Almost across it at X: -6500 Y: 2939 is another inner balcony where a part of Korrilla's  records on Raphael interrogating, mocking and victimising Hope can be found. The first part is in the Archive, and the third one on the boudoir balcony.

Archive

View of the Archive, looking straight at the Orphic Hammer

The Archive is the westernmost room of the House of Hope with its entrance at X: -6520 Y: 2920. When the party approach, Hope's projection appears once more. This time, the party can offer her help once more, passing a  DC 15 Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom Check check. Passing further (and harder) checks, the party can learn how to deal with the Archive's keeper – the  Archivist to obtain the desired item.

Inside the Archive are several books with information related to the House, to the  Crown of Karsus, and to the party's progress throughout the game. Inside the Archive is the  Archivist and four  Librarian Eternal Debtors. They can raise the alarm like any other House inhabitants, but instead of fighting simply teleport away.

Of note are three pedestals with rare equipment. The northern pedestal holds the  Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength, while the southern has the  Amulet of Greater Health. The central pedestal contains either the Orphic Hammer or the Soul-Sworn Contract, placed under a shield; a  DC 15 Arcana Check allows the observer to understand that only a codeword can remove it (namely, the password from the Boudoir). The side pedestals each have a pressure plate ( DC 15 Perception Check to detect and  DC 20 Sleight of Hand Check to disarm) which alerts the House of Hope if the item is removed, making every entity in the House hostile.

Around the Archive are several locked display cases, each red-outlined and requiring  DC 10 Sleight of Hand Check to lockpick. They contain precious gems, valuables, and a  Potion of Superior Healing. In the southmost corner in the desk is a  Remedial Potion.

The Archivist possesses the  Boudoir Invitation, which removes the energy barrier from the Boudoir entrance. It can be obtained from him through several ability checks with DC from 20 to 25, or simply pickpocketed. He starts following the party after first speaking to him, which allows party members to lead him out of the field of view of the skeletal debtors.

Across the Archive entrance is a lever which opens a shortcut back to the feast hall.

Hope's Prison

A view of Hope in her prison, chained up to two red rocks.

At the eastern end of the Main Corridor (X: -6450 Y: 2910) is the Prison Hatchway, which leads down beneath the main level of the House and into Hope's prison. After descending the party find themselves in an antechamber, where a button opens the door to the prison proper. In the antechamber, Hope's projection appears for the last time to encourage the party.

The prison can also be reached through the Passageway, which is found outside just below of the Eastern Balcony. In this case, escaping the prison through the door requires lowering the ladder by use of a lever in the antechamber.

The prison consists of several platforms made of wrought-iron lattice.  Hope's physical body is on the central platform, bound by chains to the two red-crystalline rocks on both edge platforms. The rocks are similar to those holding Prince Orpheus within the Astral Prism and can only be broken with the Orphic Hammer.

The prison is patrolled by two  Spectators and five  Vengeful Imps, which are hostile on sight. Fighting them requires careful planning of party's movement, because the combination of the enemies' abilities ( Paralyzing Ray and  Repelling Blast) can easily push the party members down from the platforms. One possible sound strategy is to keep at least part of the party in the prison antechamber, letting the opponents move closer.

Also, although Hope is a level 10 Cleric with remarkable healing abilities, freeing her before defeating her jailors might be an imprudent decision, as she clings to the party member who broke her chains as a follower and is considered an opponent by her jailers. If she dies in the prison the ⁠Save Hope ends prematurely. While she remains chained, neither the spectators nor the imps pay her any attention at all.

One of Spectators drops the  Burnished Ring after being defeated.

There are also three Petrified Debtors who cannot be interacted with. If they are administered with any means of removing  petrification (like Basilisk Oil or relevant spells), they turn into dust and disappear. More so, this futile help attempt is considered an oathbreaking action for Vengeance Paladins.^[verify] Also, several skeletons around the prison can be interacted with to hear a comment from the Narrator, but cannot be looted.

Companion interactions

Of all companions,  Karlach is the one who has the richest experience with Avernus and all things connected. Thus, having her in the party when exploring the House of Hope has unique distinctions from doing so with any other party composition.

• Upon entering the House of Hope, Karlach prompts a dialogue, telling the player character that her mechanical heart stopped working in a hyperregime, but she wants to leave the area before she gets used to it.
• After talking to Nubaldin about Gortash, Karlach remarks that the way Gortash betrayed her may be the result of what his parents did to him. Still, this fact does not excuse him the slightest in her eyes.
• If Karlach interacts with the Archivist, she can introduce herself as an envoy of her former mistress  Zariel. This produces the same effect as if the party deceived him about being Zariel's High Inquisitor.
• After escaping the House of Hope Karlach prompts another dialogue, relating that her heart is in disarray again. Still, she keeps up to her opinion on remaining in Faerûn instead of returning to Hells.

As for other interactions with the inhabitants of House of Hope, there are also minor distinctions when dealing with Haarlep. If the player character is currently romancing any of their present companions and decide to agree to the conditions of the succubi's 'game', their partner chimes in and warns them of possible consequences. Also,  Astarion is the only one of playable characters who has unique dialogue options to reject Haarlep in the process.

Escaping the House of Hope

One of the alarmed Eternal Debtors

“

There is but one law, and it is immutable - I am that law.

„

— One of plaques on the bust pedestals in the House

The House of Hope is exited through the same portal the party used to enter. This portal remains open for the rest of the game and allows free passage between the House and Baldur's Gate – except when the alarm is raised.

Raising the Alarm

The alarm is raised when any of the following conditions are met:

• Being spotted by someone while any party member is not wearing a  Debtor's Attire
• Attacking any of the debtors, the  Archivist or  Nubaldin
• Stealing the  Orphic Hammer or destroying the  Soul-Sworn Contract
• Being caught stealing either the  Amulet of Greater Health or the  Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength and triggering the pressure plate
• Freeing  Hope

Fighting Haarlep does not raise the alarm, even if it is brought out of the boudoir and into the main corridor.

When the alarm is raised, all Eternal Debtors gain the  Alarmed Debtor condition, except the Librarian Debtors, who simply disappear. They stop their current activities and wait for the party, emanating reddish glowing, but not  ambushing them. Six of them gather in the Feast Hall, while others remain at the places where alarm caught them. The only one unaffected by the alarm is the  Eternal Rat, who stays neutral to the party.

Two hostile  Hell Spheres also separately appear at random points in the main corridor and start chasing the party.

The way out

Once the alarm is triggered, attempting to use the portal causes  Raphael to inevitably appear and confront the party, accompanied by six  Vengeful Cambions, Hope's sister  Korrilla Flameheart and the orthon  Yurgir (if the party killed him in the Gauntlet of Shar). However, Yurgir can be convinced to swap sides via a  DC 30 Persuasion Check.

Other details of the fight, as well as Raphael's abilities, weaknesses and possible strategies to fight him can be found on his page in combat subsection.

Raising the alarm and attempting to exit while Raphael is still in the possession of the player character's Soul-Sworn Contract (if so signed) results in an instant, automatic Game Over.

During the confrontation with Raphael the portal is closed and opens again afterwards. The portal brings the party back to the ritual room of the Devil's Fee. Upon arriving, a dialogue with the  Emperor starts immediately. The illithid instantly gains all information of the party's progress and berates them, apparently concerned more with possible ruination of his own plans than anything else. He also accuses the player character of actions which can cause him to lose a certain measure of trust towards the party. The layout of the dialogue depends on the party's previous choices concerning Raphael's deal.

After successfully escaping the House of Hope, one or both of the following inspirations is granted:

• ⁠Hot Exit ( Soldier background)
• ⁠Interplanar Cat Burglar ( Criminal background)

Related locations

• ⁠Astral Prism
• ⁠Devil's Fee
• ⁠Sharess' Caress

Related quests

• ⁠Acquire the Gauntlets for Helsik
• ⁠Deal with the Devil
• ⁠Free Orpheus
• ⁠Help Kith'rak Voss
• ⁠Save Hope
• ⁠The Githyanki Warrior
• ⁠The Githyanki Warrior (Origin)

Characters

•  Archivist
•  Haarlep
•  Hope
•  Infernal Mason
•  Korrilla
•  Nubaldin
•  Raphael
•  Yurgir

Eternal Debtors

•  Devoured Eternal Debtor
•  Eternal Rat
•  Immortal Eternal Debtor
•  Librarian Eternal Debtor
•  Loyal Eternal Debtor
•  Mocking Eternal Debtor
•  Perfect Eternal Debtor
•  Shameful Eternal Debtor
•  Smouldering Eternal Debtor
•  Theologist Eternal Debtor
•  Unclean Eternal Debtor
•  Visionary Eternal Debtor
•  Voyeur Eternal Debtor
•  Waltzing Eternal Debtor

Creatures

•  Errant Soul
•  Hell Sphere
•  Spectator
•  Vengeful Boar - 4x
•  Vengeful Cambion - 6x
•  Vengeful Imp - 5x + 10x more potentially
•  Vengeful Merregon - 4x

Loot

• Amulet of Greater Health
• Amulet of Elemental Torment
• Burnished Ring
• Contract: Mol
• Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength
• Gloves of Soul Catching
• Helldusk Armour
• Helldusk Gloves
• Helldusk Helmet
• Orphic Hammer
• Potion of Angelic Slumber - 3x
• Staff of Spellpower

Related literature

• A Fall of Netheril
• A List of Essential Personnel
• About Creation of Orphic Hammer
• Boudoir Invitation
• Debt Consolidation
• Downfall of the Iron Throne
• Guest Book
• List of Debtors
• Orders for Archivist
• Raphael's Diary - Chapter 1
• Raphael's Diary - Chapter 2
• Raphael's Diary - Chapter 3
• Raphael's Notes
• Report for Raphael
• Security Breach
• Soul-Sworn Contract
• Sword Coast Songbook
• Taming Hope: Part One
• Taming Hope: Part Two
• Taming Hope: Part Three
• The Nautiloid Adventurers
• The Power of the Crown
• The Quarta Sune

Gallery

• 
  Top view of the House interiors
  (by Edward Vanderghote)
• 
  Map of Faerûn on the floor in the Chamber of Egress
  (by Edward Vanderghote)
• 
  Main corridor in the House of Hope
  (by Edward Vanderghote)
• 
  The hatch to Hope's Prison
  (by Edward Vanderghote)

External links

• ⁠Raphael on the Forgotten Realms Wiki