Stop the Presses

Vox populi, vox dei.

Stop the Presses is a quest in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It can be started by speaking with  Estra Stir in the Lower City or  Lens in Rivington or  Ettvard Needle in the Baldur's Mouth.

If this quest is not picked up before  Gortash's death, it is then no longer available because the newspaper then solely reports on the Archduke's death. Ettvard Needle even calls the party "old news" and shoos them away.

“

Ink and paper are not as insidious as the voice of the Absolute, but they send out their commands all the same.

„

— Minthara, speaking to the player character after their conversation with Baldur's Mouth journalist Estra Stir.

Objectives

Talk to the editor of the Baldur's Mouth Gazette.

• "We met a journalist, Estra Stir, who told us we're set to star in the next edition of the Baldur's Mouth Gazette. We should find out why."

Stop the Baldur's Mouth Gazette printing slander.

• "Ettvard Needle has written an article for the next Baldur's Mouth edition that will ruin our reputation. We must stop it from printing."
• "We found a test printing of tomorrow's article about us - it'll be disastrous for our reputation. We need to stop it printing."
• "We found the Baldur's Mouth printing press and it looks like we can change which headline article is printed in tomorrow's edition. To save our reputation, we should do just that."
• "We befriended Jelliwig, a fey creature within the Baldur's Mouth printing press, who'll swap tomorrow's headline article for us. We just need to find a replacement article."
• "A discarded article in the Baldur's Mouth building reflects positively on us. If we find the printing press, perhaps we can get it published in place of the planned hit-piece."

Print a puff piece in the next broadsheet.

• "We found a positive headline about us to load into the printer - we just need to figure out how."
• "We found a positive headline about us for Jelliwig to load into tomorrow's edition before it prints."

Check the next edition of the Baldur's Mouth Gazette.

• "We swapped out the negative headline with a different one we found in the Baldur's Mouth building. Tomorrow's paper should no longer damage our reputation."

Quest Complete

• "We didn't stop the negative headline printing - and our reputation around the city is in tatters."
• "We destroyed the Baldur's Mouth printing press - preventing the negative headline about us from being printed."
• "Ettvard threatened to ruin our reputation, so we ruined him. Today's paper should instead cover his demise."
• "The Baldur's Mouth headlines should be singing our praises - we should see if the city's populace noticed."
• "The Baldur's Mouth headlines won't be mentioning us at all now - leaving our reputation intact."

Walkthrough

Estra Stir and the Baldur's Mouth Gazette

The front entrance to Baldur's Mouth Gazette

Speaking with  Estra Stir, just south of the Basilisk Gate in the Lower City at X: 122 Y: -66, reveals that the party is the subject of the Baldur's Mouth Gazette's next issue - the juiciest one to date. Estra refuses to elaborate on what the piece intends to be about, nor hear any arguments about the party's consent to be written about. However, her statements start the quest, to investigate Baldur's Mouth by speaking to the editor. The Baldur's Mouth building is south of the Elfsong Tavern at X: 67 Y: -52. Inside is the editor-in-chief,  Ettvard Needle.

If Ettvard is spoken with, he reveals that the article being published on the party is negative, and they should have thought about the consequences before disgracing themselves in public.

The reason for Ettvard's hatred can vary - if the quest ⁠Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders has been started, then he states it is due to getting involved in a murder investigation immediately after entering the city. If the ambush at the Circus of the Last Days has been encountered, there is a chance that he instead places the blame for the murder of the circus performers on the party. If the ⁠Disable the Steel Watch quest is completed, he states that the party members were responsible for destroying the Steel Watch Foundry. Otherwise, he may blame them for a tenfold increase in Absolutist activity, or for the trafficking of Tiefling Refugees into Baldur's Gate.

After Ettvard has been spoken with, the party members are kicked out of the Gazette and the door is locked, making entry significantly harder. However, it is possible to freely roam about the public parts of the Gazette before speaking with him.

Stopping the Hit Piece

Baldur's Mouth's roof has a hole in it that can reach the elevator.

In order to stop the hit piece, the party must reach the printing press in the Baldur's Mouth basement. This can be reached by an elevator by the entrance or by metal doors downstairs near Ettvard. There are many ways to sneak into the area. One is to use  Misty Step or  Fly and jump to the roof of the Baldur's Mouth. Then, above the area where the elevator is, there are barricades which can be destroyed with blunt attacks or spells. After doing this, it is possible to jump down, and use the elevator's lever to sneak into the basement. Alternatively, a party member with  Greater Invisibility can sneak in while the rest wait outside.

The Gazette Basement.

Once inside, two Steel Watchers patrol the corridors. By using  Invisibility,  Greater Invisibility, or  Hiding – combined with Turn-Based Mode and  Dash – one or more party members can slip past them without triggering combat. An iron gate separating the two main halls can be lockpicked; alternatively, party members can navigate through the northern side rooms by destroying the wooden barricades connecting them. The printing press lies directly past the gate.

Upon arriving in the printing room, the party discovers that the printing press is a machine run magically by a fairy named  Jelliwig.

If the fairy  Dolly Dolly Dolly was freed from the  Moonlantern in Act Two, then Jelliwig recognizes the party, and offers to help immediately. Otherwise, it must be persuaded through dialogue choices and skill checks.

• What 'art' would that be?
• Are you a talking printer?
• Take one step further.

Choosing the first two options results in the printer speaking up, introducing itself as Jelliwig, the 'artist' in charge of putting ink on the broadsheets.

• What reputation?
• [PERSUASION] I'd love to see an example of your work (DC 7)
• [PERFORMANCE] I'm actually a great admirer of your work - may I see? (DC 7)

If Jelliwig is asked to change the article or stop the presses, it is reluctant to do so, for fear of angering Ettvard.

• Then get out my way. I need to clear my reputation.
• [DECEPTION] Help me change the article or I'll banish you from the printer. (DC 15)
• [PERSUASION] Wouldn't changing the article be delightfully naughty? (DC 15)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Do it, you stupid creature. Unless you want to be ripped apart, piece by piece? (DC 10)
• [SORCERER] [INTIMIDATION] Do it, or I'll melt you into a steaming pile of iron and regret. (DC 10)
• Too bad Ettvard will never get to enjoy it - I killed him. (if Ettvard is dead) (auto-success)

If the check is passed and Jelliwig agrees to help, it then states that it needs a new printing block to replace the old one. Appropriate blocks are located throughout the basement, as well as in baskets on the Baldur's Mouth's main floor.

Choosing 'Take one step further' and 'Take another step further' results in different checks:

• [ATHLETICS] Force the printing press open and clear the loaded headline. (DC 20) (if not a Barbarian)
• [BARBARIAN] [STRENGTH] Wrench the printing press open and rip out the loaded headline. (DC 18)
• [SLEIGHT OF HAND] Reach inside and carefully remove the loaded headline. (DC 20) (if not a Rogue)
• [ROGUE] [SLEIGHT OF HAND] Dislodge the current headline with a precise flick of the wrist. (DC 18)

If these checks are failed, then the press starts printing automatically, and is unable to be tampered with further.

If  Enver Gortash is dead, it is possible to alter the headlines even if the party has not started the quest, or it is no longer available. Doing so affects the world the same way as if the quest was active.

Jelliwig is willing to be mischievous if properly motivated.

Positive Articles:

• Adventurers, Our Best Hope For the City - in a wicker basket at X: -1029 Y: 1013
• Celebrate the Brave Heroes Who Slew General Ketheric - upstairs, in a wicker basket behind Ettvard at X: 53 Y: -50
• Make Big Money by Trading with Adventurers - in a wicker basket at X: -1029 Y: 1058

Neutral Articles:

• Cutest Cat You've Ever Seen - on a counter at X: -1022 Y: 1066
• Graverobbers' Spree - upstairs, in a wicker basket at X: 58 Y: -42
• Hear the Finest Shanties at the Blushing Mermaid - upstairs, in a wicker basket at X: 43 Y: -60

Negative Articles:

• A Public Danger! - on a shelf at X: -1032 Y: 1035
• Curse-Breakers or Curse-Makers? - on a desk at X: -1032 Y: 1018
• Wolves in Sheeps' Clothing - on a counter at X: -1014 Y: 1016

Killing Ettvard

It is possible to end the hit piece by killing Ettvard. This results in the paper covering his demise, rather than the hit piece.

Result

This quest is time sensitive after speaking to Ettvard Needle - if the quest has not been started or only Estra Stir is spoken with, then no papers are printed about the party. After speaking to Ettvard, the paper is printed after the next Long Rest. If the headline is not altered by the party, a negative one is printed.

• Positive headline: People around town compliment the party or recognize them positively, and their reputation is improved, resulting in a gain of 10 attitude.
• Neutral headline: Nothing changes.
• Negative headline: People around town comment negatively towards the party, and their reputation is tarnished, resulting in a loss of 15 attitude.

The following merchants are affected by the attitude change:

•  Alan Alyth
•  Figaro Pennygood
•  Fytz the Firecracker
•  Gloomy Fentonson
•  Nansi Gretta
•  Oliver Tefoco
•  Omotola
•  Thomas C. Quirkilious
•  Tolna Tome-Monger
•  Vicar Humbletoes

Inspiration

Discovering Jelliwig in the basement of Baldur's Mouth grants the following inspiration:

• ⁠Rennaissant Ingenuity ( Sage background)

Completing this quest and rigging the news in the party's favour grants the following inspiration:

• ⁠A Pressing Heist ( Criminal background)
• ⁠Defamed No More ( Noble background)
• ⁠Making It Sing to Your Tune ( Entertainer background)
• ⁠The News of My Deeds Was Greatly Exaggerated ( Charlatan background)

Notes

• Talking to  Lens only initiates this quest if she is the real Lens and not a disguised  Orin.
• The latter half of this quest is trivialized if ⁠Disable the Steel Watch has been completed, as the only guards in the Gazette's basement are Steel Watchers, which are then disabled.
• The 10 attitude buff for traders appears to apply only to characters who are active members of the party when the quest is completed.