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== Walkthrough == | == Walkthrough == | ||
=== Confronting the Elder Brain === | |||
Confront the Elder Brain is acquired at the end of [[Act Two]], after the Chosen Three are revealed to be controlling the Elder Brain as part of their plot to take over Baldur's Gate. However, the quest cannot be meaningfully progressed until [[Get Gortash's Netherstone]] and [[Get Orin's Netherstone]] have successfully been completed. Orin must be defeated and Gortash must either be defeated or his bargain accepted as part of [[Consider Gortash's Bargain]]. Defeating both Orin and Gortash causes a vision of the Elder Brain in the [[Morphic Pool]] beneath the city. If Gortash is allied with, then he reveals the Elder Brain's location and tells the party to use the boat under the city to meet him there. | |||
The Morphic Pool Dock is north of the Temple of Bhaal waypoint. Approaching the dock before obtaining all three Netherstones results in a swarm of cranium rats attacking. | |||
'''Note that going on the boat to the Morphic Pool is the start of the endgame.''' After this, it is ''not'' possible to long rest or visit camp. Plan accordingly and choose the desired companions for the final battles. | |||
=== The Morphic Pool === | |||
Arriving at the Morphic Pool, the party must make several Constitution checks to not be mindbroken by the Elder Brain. It speaks to the party, demanding obedience. As the party moves further north, a Perception check reveals an ambush oncoming. The party is attacked by several [[Intellect Devourer|Intellect Devourers]] and [[Intellect Glutton|Intellect Glutton]]. The Emperor remarks that something is corrupting the creatures. | |||
Once the Morphic Pool's waters are reached, the party takes control of the Netherstones to confront the Elder Brain, which has become a Netherbrain, in a number of difficult checks: | |||
* [STRENGTH] Muster the full might of your physical form - throw it into breaking through the brain's defences. (DC 20) | |||
* [INTELLIGENCE] Your mind is yours to command - block out all possibility of failure and compel the brain to submit. (DC 20) | |||
* [CONSTITUTION] You have survived this far - trust yourself. Dominate the brain. (DC 20) | |||
The brain continues to taunt the party. She says the Chosen Three controlled her only for as long as she allowed them to. | |||
* [DEXTERITY] The Crown is an unmissable target - set it in your sights, and trust that you will strike true. (DC 25) | |||
* [WISDOM] A first attempt is just that - iteration is key. Aim for the Crown and try again. (DC 25) | |||
* [CHARISMA] Nothing is immune to influence - determine to master the brain. (DC 25) | |||
* Bow before the glory of the Netherbrain. Submit to domination. | |||
The Netherbrain tells the party she was the one who informed the Chosen of the [[Astral Prism]] and planted fear of what Orpheus could do to their plan. She was the one who let the Emperor slip its leash so that it could retrieve the prism and loosen the Netherstones from the Chosen Ones' grasps. | |||
* [STRENGTH] You are strong. You are mighty. You will dominate the brain. (DC 30) | |||
* [CONSTITUTION] Your resilience will not be shaken - cast the spell again. (DC 30) | |||
* [INTELLIGENCE] It may not be easy, but it was always supposed to be possible - do it again. (DC 30) | |||
* Bow before the glory of the Netherbrain. Submit to domination. | |||
One final, near impossible check remains. The result of the check is inconsequential, as the Netherbrain is too powerful. | |||
* [STRENGTH] DOMINATE THE BRAIN (DC 99) | |||
* [DEXTERITY] DOMINATE THE BRAIN (DC 99) | |||
* [INTELLIGENCE] DOMINATE THE BRAIN (DC 99) | |||
* [WISDOM] DOMINATE THE BRAIN (DC 99) | |||
* [CHARISMA] DOMINATE THE BRAIN (DC 99) | |||
* Give up. Allow the brain to dominate you. | |||
Regardless of what the party does, the brain is simply too powerful, and the Emperor steps in to save them by bringing everyone inside the Astral Prism. | |||
the Emperor states that only an illithid can hope to take down the Netherbrain in its current form and that the illithid must consume the power of Prince Orpheus in order to succeed. As an illithid, the Emperor says he can do this, and asks the Netherstones be relinquished to him. | |||
If the party selects: | |||
* I don't believe a word you just said. | |||
Followed by: | |||
* I will never trust you. | |||
Then the Emperor will become enraged and states that he has no other choice but to reassimilate into the Netherbrain. He leaves the party in the Astral Realm. If the party has the Orphic Hammer, they can equip it and attack the crystals binding Orpheus. | |||
There is also the possibility of the party not retrieving the Orphic Hammer and spurning the Emperor. In this case, Raphael appears within the Astral Prism. He has front row seats to the final hour, and now he's come with the sole salvation of Faerun. There are no more deals: only master and vassal. Sign a contract for the Orphic Hammer in exchange for the Crown of Karsus, or the world ends. Failing to uphold the bargain means the party's souls are forfeit. Refusing to sign turns the party into mind flayers who assimilate into the Netherbrain, causing a game over. The party is forced to [[Fulfill the Deal]]. | |||
Once Orpheus is freed, he confronts the party on their choices, saying the party should have let his honor guard kill them so they could have avoided this whole situation. He also confronts the party if they stole the Githyanki egg in Steal a Githyanki Egg. However, he agrees to stand down and works with the party. He states that the Emperor was correct and an illithid is necessary to take down the Netherbrain. Either a party member can make the sacrifice, or Orpheus will if everyone refuses. | |||
Otherwise, the party can choose to work with the Emperor. The Emperor can be given the Netherstones and he assimilates Orpheus by devouring his brain. Another possibility is for Karlach to volunteer to become an illithid, as she is dying from her infernal engine anyways. The origin character can also volunteer to become illithid. Whoever becomes illithid can wield the stones. | |||
Regardless of who is allied with, Orpheus/the Emperor joins the party as a temporary companion and opens up a portal to the [[High Hall]]. The final battle to defeat the brain has begun. | |||
=== The High Hall === | |||
The party returns to Baldur's Gate to find it in shambles. The entire city is a battle between the Nautiloids and an army of Red Dragons. Moving forward, the party finds a building where all of their allies are gathered, along with a Flaming Fist named [[Beorn Wunterbrood]]. The individuals that appear are based on who was successfully recruited as part of [[Gather Your Allies]]. These allies grant a new action - Call Forth Allies - that can summon various allies to the field or utilize powerful AoE attacks. | |||
Before entering the courtyard, the party can potentially encounter a few mindflayers if they move eastward. There is also a restoration pod right near the gate to the courtyard. Entering the courtyard leads to an all-out assault of Absolutist cultists, goblins, an Ogre, a Spectator, and several Mind Flayers. | |||
Once the courtyard battle is completed, the party enters the High Hall proper. A Nautiloid attacks, and there is a turn limit to get deeper into the Hall. The party faces several Banite cultists and needs to push a statue (with a Strength check) to climb up to the upper floor. Moving past the cultists is the brain stem of the Netherbrain. Approaching the stem causes an automatic cutscene and ends the turn limit. From there, the party can use a restoration pod and then climb the stem, to get to the top of the Netherbrain. If Gale is in the party, it's noted that Gale could use the bomb to end the battle right away. Gale notices the hesitation before climbing the stem and asks what the plan is, and he can either be told the proposal or simply told it was nothing. | |||
=== Atop the Netherbrain === | |||
If Orpheus was sided with rather than the Emperor, the Emperor appears on top of the Netherbrain to stop the party. The Emperor conjures up several Dream Visitors to fight alongside him, stating he knows the party's every weakness. He is joined by several Mind Flayer Arcanists and an enthralled Red Dragon. If the Emperor is sided with, the Netherbrain itself sends several powerful thralls to join the Red Dragon and Arcanists. | |||
The Netherbrain has two paths to the east and west which allow the party to traverse the brain without stepping on the brain matter. If the party traverses the brain matter, tentacles pop up to attack the party. There are a limited number of turns until a Nautiloid ship arrives. The illithid party member that holds the Netherstones needs to reach the Crown of Karsus and perform Karsus' Compulsion for several turns. | |||
Successfully casting Karsus' Compulsion opens up a portal to the Netherbrain, where a physical manifestation of the brain can be attacked. Killing the brain before the turn limit allows the brain to be defeated, once and for all. | |||
After the Netherbrain has been defeated, the choice must be made to either [[Control the Elder Brain]] or [[Destroy the Elder Brain]]. Regardless of the choice, this is the end of the game. | |||
== Allies in the Final Fight == | == Allies in the Final Fight == | ||
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== Notes == | |||
* As of Patch 1, there is a bug where Karlach's ending causes an epilogue scene with a love interest not to occur. If Karlach goes to Avernus instead of dying, it's possible that this scene overwrites the romantic scene. | |||
* Despite being a possible ally in [[Gather Your Allies]], the Gondians do not appear to have a summon/ability {{verify}}. | |||
[[Category:Quests]] | [[Category:Quests]] | ||
[[Category:Main Quest]] | [[Category:Main Quest]] | ||