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South Span Checkpoint
| Rivington | ||||
| Wyrm's Crossing | ||||
| ↑ | ||||
| Western Beach | ← | South Span Checkpoint | ||
| ↓ | ||||
| Sword Coast Couriers | ||||
“You are marked for special treatment. Not simply an enemy of the people, but an enemy of the Absolute. Come quietly, or die.„
Overview[edit | edit source]
The South Span Checkpoint is accessed by following the main road which divides Rivington in two uneven parts. The checkpoint serves as the main access point to the Wyrm's Crossing, through which the party can reach the Wyrm's Rock Fortress and the Lower City spreading behind it.
Outside the gate[edit | edit source]
The checkpoint features a large wooden ramparts and a smaller post of the Flaming Fist in front of it, if coming from Rivington. Two families of refugees argue with the Flaming Fist guarding the smaller post to no avail: outsiders are barred from entering Baldur's Gate. If spoken to, the guards express almost the same measure of contempt towards the refugees as some of citizen around.[1]
The guards on the Rivington side are commanded by 
Gauntlet Edwynna. She demands the party prove their right to enter the city (by passing her 200 
Gold) and, after collecting the bribe, orders the party to approach the nearby 
Steel Watcher to be scanned.
The particular outcome of the scanning depends on the party's decisions in Act One and Act Two of the game.
- If
Wulbren Bongle and the other deep gnomes survived the events of previous Acts, then 
Nimble and possibly 
Laridda make an appearance, using a 
Flashblinder bomb to disable the automaton, which allows the party to enter. Afterwards, the gnomes flee to Angleiron's Cellar, and the Steel Watcher's optical circuits are overloaded, preventing any future scans at this checkpoint.
- If the gnomes did not survive, the party can accept an imprisonment in Wyrm's Rock Prison,[2] or attack.
- If
Karlach is present and is the character interacting with the Steel Watcher, the automaton recognizes the infernal device in her chest as that of a malfunctioning prototype Steel Watcher, directing her to report to the Steel Watch Foundry, which allows the party to safely bypass the checkpoint without further scanning.
Regardless of the scanning outcome, characters with the 
Sage background are granted the inspiration 
New Normal.
Evading arrest or refusing to be scanned by the Steel Watcher is considered an oathbreaking action for the 
Paladins of the Crown.[verify]
Also, the checkpoint can be bypassed by having a character 
invisible as they walk through. Passing the checkpoint by use of invisibility is considered a trespassing crime, and causes the guards to investigate. If caught, the party is imprisoned or forced to fight. However, it is also possible to force the Steel Watcher to stand down with a successful illithid-based 
DC 20 Wisdom check.
Finally, the checkpoint gate can be bypassed altogether by series of jumps or using most any means of spatial movement (e.g. 
Arrow of Transposition, 
Misty Step, 
Grant Flight) from the rocky cliff approximately at X: 34 Y: 47. On the way, a Heavy Chest at X: 32 Y: 50 can be looted.
Once Wyrm's Crossing is reached (even via escaping the prison), the guards allow the party to pass freely back and forth, even if the initial dialogue with the checkpoint patrol was never initiated.
Inner part of the checkpoint[edit | edit source]
The inner part of the ramparts can be explored only after gaining access into the Wyrm's Crossing. Several more Flaming Fist under command of 
Manip Falcäo can be found behind the gate. If the deep gnomes acted, Falcäo moves down to eastern scaffolds to chase them. He calls the party out, promising a reward for solving his 
"pest problem". Otherwise, he stands near the eastern rampart tower or inside it.
Taking up and fulfilling this quest may grant the following inspirations:
- Buyable Loyalty (
Criminal background) - Removing Chaotic Actors (
Soldier background)
However, doing this is considered an oathbreaking action for the 
Ancients' Paladins, 
Paladins of Devotion, and 
Vengeance Paladins.
Both wooden towers of the ramparts have an entrance from the Wyrm's Crossing, to both sides just behind the gate. Inside, the party can obtain several potions of health of various quality inside Wooden Chests and on them, as well as 
Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, a score of random Arrows, and some Camp Supplies. All of these are red-outlined, but easy to take, as the only guards who consistently stay inside are 
Fist Azari and 
Fist Meadows in the ground-level room of the western tower.
Also, in the western tower there are two Stacks of Scrolls with random scrolls, and a Rustic Chest which requires a DC 30 Sleight of Hands check to lockpick, but contains only minor amounts of gold and random dyes.
Related locations[edit | edit source]
Related literature[edit | edit source]
Related quests[edit | edit source]
Characters[edit | edit source]
Civilians[edit | edit source]
Deep gnomes[edit | edit source]
Flaming Fist patrol[edit | edit source]
Notable loot[edit | edit source]
Warhammer +2 - dropped by Edwynna
Footnotes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "...we've got enough mouths to feed. We don't need your kind.<...>Refugees. Outsiders." - Fist Kepso; "Damned outsiders, swarming the place." - Fist Silena.
- ↑ Choosing this option may result in a bug with possessing the
Necromancy of Thay, which has been reported several times. As the book is bound to the character who read it and cannot be removed from the inventory, it may disappear when the character in question is arrested, and all their belongings are placed in prison evidence/equipment chests. This effectively deprives the character from completing the Unlock the Ancient Tome quest.