Moonrise Towers is the stronghold of the Cult of the Absolute and one of the main antagonists, Ketheric Thorm, in Baldur’s Gate 3. This desolate and oppressive place lies in the heart of the Shadow Cursed Lands and is your main objective to infiltrate during Act 2.
Two paths in Baldur’s Gate 3 lead to the Moonrise Towers. During Act 1, you get an opportunity to enter the Shadow Cursed Lands via the Mountain Pass or through the scary Underdark. Both paths are distinct and have their benefits and disadvantages. We will cover both paths in detail, leading you to the same goal.
Travel through the Mountain Pass
If you travel the Overland in Baldur’s Gate 3, go to the Mountain Pass. But before that, ensure you have the Spider’s Lute. The Spider’s Lute is an item you can obtain from Minthara by either befriending or killing her.
To reach the Mountain Pass, travel North of Goblin Camp until you come across Waukeen’s Rest. From there, take the Risen Road and cross the bridge to find a Githyanki Patrol. Follow the Githyanki tracks to find a cable car to reach Rosymorn Monastery. From the Monastery, go Northeast to enter Shadow Cursed Lands.
Here you will meet a Drider, Kar’niss, carrying a Moonlantern. This item can dispel the Shadow Curse and save your party from death. Talk to Kar’niss and play the Spider’s Lute to convince him that Minthara sent you.
Karniss will offer to take you to the Moonrise Towers. All you need to do is follow him and kill the Harpers who try to ambush him.
Travel through the Underdark and Grymforge
To reach the Moonrise Towers through the Underdark is a daunting task. The first thing that you need to do is to find an entrance to the Underdark itself. There are four entrances to the Underdark, but we will be focusing on two, which take you a lot closer to the Grymforge.
Go to the Shattered Sanctum inside Goblin Camp and solve the Defiled Temple Moon Puzzle after killing True Soul Gut. You can also travel through Auntie Ethel’s portal in her lair. You will land near Myconid Colony, which hosts several side quests. Reach the center of the Underdark region to find a ship that will take you to Grymforge.
Find the elevator in Grymforge that will lead you to the Shadow Cursed Lands. Going straight to the Moonrise Towers from Grymforge is suicide. Make sure to stop at the Last Light Inn first and make an alliance with Jaheira, the high harper. Use their force to launch an attack on Moonrise Towers and infiltrate it successfully.
You can also reach the Last Light Inn from the Mountain Pass by betraying Kar’niss and siding with Harpers. This is the best-case scenario.
Which path to choose for the Moonrise Towers?
While you can reach Moonrise Towers from both Mountain Pass and the Underdark easily, one path is superior to the other. Following the Mountain Pass path has the following pros and cons.
- This path is easier to follow due to the small number of enemies and finding Kar’niss with the Moonlantern.
- You will get a chance to progress Lae’zel’s companion quest, the Githyanki Warrior, inside Githynki Creche Y’llek.
- The first legendary weapon, The Blood of Lathander mace, is also available in Rosymorn Monastery.
- You will meet Elminster Aumar, who will temporarily cure Gale’s condition and progress his companion quest, The Wizard of Waterdeep.
- You will miss out on many quests and be underpowered once you reach the Moonrise Towers.
The advantages and disadvantages of going through the Underdark are.
- Myconid colony has side quests that will help you level up fast.
- Last Light Inn allows you to recruit Jaheira and understand the story of the land.
- Grymforge is home to Adamantine Forge, where you can craft Adamantine Gear, and you can kill True Soul Nere here to forge an alliance with the Gnomes.
- You can find and start Shadowheart’s companion quest, Daughter of Darkness.
- This area is dark and scary and can put off a lot of newcomers to the game.
Z’rell and the cultists protect the entrance of the Moonrise Towers. This is a brutal fight and unless you are fully prepared, you won’t be able to defeat them to enter the Tower. We recommend going through the Mountain Pass first and betraying Kar’niss to reach the Last Light Inn. Teleport back to Act 1 and go through the Underdark this time. This will help you level up fast to win the fight at the foot of Moonrise Towers.
Activities to do in the Moonrise Towers
While we are not doing a thorough walkthrough of the Moonrise Towers in Baldur’s Gate 3, below is a brief list of the activities you can do inside it.
- Visit the Moonrise Towers prison and fool the jailers to save Minthara and recruit her.
- Find the hidden treasure at the location (X: 120, Y: 740) by reading the map on a table and pressing a button next to it.
- Locate the source of the Suspicious Sounds coming from a cracked wall.
- Solve the Balthazar’s Bookcase puzzle by placing a heart inside the ancient altar.
- Decide the fate of the Goblins and their leader, Fezzerk. If you save Sazza in Act 1, she will be there. Letting them live will give you an achievement.
- Enter the Mind Flayer colony or Oubliette by going through the red pit.
- Kill Ketehric Thorm to obtain his Netherstone.
