Paladin Stronghold – Baldur’s Gate II

This guide will walk you through the Paladin Stronghold quests in Baldur’s Gate II.

Overview

After rescuing Garren Windspear’s child from Lord Firkraag in the Windspear Hills Dungeon, Windspear will direct you to go to the High Hall of the Radiant Heart in the Temple District (assuming that you’re playing a paladin). Inside, when you meet with Prelate Wessalen (in the back), he’ll invite you to join the order. If you accept, then the order’s building will become your stronghold, and William Reirrac (who will show up near the entrance) will become your liaison to the order.

You’ll receive four quests from the order, each one given by Reirrac. These quests are described below.

Quest 1: Knights in Trouble

For this quest, Reirrac will tell you that some knights are in peril in Umar Hills, and that you should set out to rescue them right away. You’ll have three days to reach Umar Hills. If you get there in time, then Sir Alynar will meet you upon your arrival, and he’ll take you right to the knights (next to the Umar Cave). If you’re too late, then nobody will meet you and the knights won’t be anywhere in sight, and when you return to Reirrac, you’ll lose some Reputation, and he’ll banish you from the order.

When you reach the knights, you’ll find them being attacked by three orcs, two orc archers, two ogre mages, and two ettins. Sir Alynar won’t stay around to help — he’ll suddenly find it necessary to report in to the order — but you’ll have two knights and a squire on your side. To keep your allies alive, you should distract the two ettins with your melee fighters and then target the ogre mages next. You’ll earn about 12,000 xp for winning the fight.

When you return to Reirrac, you’ll earn up to 10,000 xp depending on how many allies you saved. Then Reirrac will give you your next quest.

Quest 2: Baron Metrich’s Land Dispute

For this quest, Reirrac will ask you to settle a land dispute for Baron Metrich, and he’ll direct you to meet with the baron inside the Umar Inn in Umar Hills. When you arrive in Umar Hills, you’ll be met by Metrich’s manservant Crolus. Crolus will lead you to the inn, but he’ll ask you to avoid talking to the “squatters” — Brunson, Moreno, and Pardo — whom you’ll pass along the way.

If you talk to the squatters anyway, then you’ll learn that they’re actually farmers, and that Baron Metrich has tried driving them off their land — by overtaxing them and burning their crops — so he create hunting grounds where their farms used to be. Meanwhile, when you talk to Metrich inside the inn, he won’t deny their accusations. In fact, he’ll brag that he can do whatever he wants to the farmers because he’s rich and they’re not.

You’ll have three ways to complete the quest:

• You can side with Metrich and tell the farmers your decision. This will cause the farmers to give up and leave peaceably. When you return to Reirrac, he’ll be a little disappointed in you, but you’ll still earn 10,000 or 15,000 xp, depending on if you talked to the farers first.
• You can side with Metrich and kill the farmers. You’ll earn over 2000 xp for killing the farmers, but when you return to Reirrac, he’ll be unhappy with you, and you won’t earn any xp.
• You can side with the farmers. This will anger Metrich, and he and his entourage will attack you. You’ll earn over 17,000 xp for winning the battle, and when you return to Reirrac, you’ll earn an additional 25,500 xp.

Quest 3: Protecting Tyrianna

For this quest, Reirrac will inform you that the entire Morningale family was recently murdered for their opposition to slavery — except, that is, for Tyrianna Morningale, whom Reirrac will ask you to protect. Reirrac will then let you know that he’s set up a safe house for you to use in the Docks District, and that you’ll only need to protect Tyrianna until her godparent Hurgis Baltezan, the “Hand of Torm,” picks her up and takes charge of her safety.

You’ll find Tyrianna inside the unmarked house just to the east of the Temple of Oghma in the Docks District. You’ll relieve a paladin named Franco when you arrive, and he’ll be happy to depart. You’ll learn why when Tyrianna deigns to speak to you. She’ll treat you like a servant, and she’ll make it clear that she doesn’t think much of paladins.

During the night, four assassins will teleport into the house, and you’ll need to kill them. This shouldn’t be too complicated, and you’ll earn 14,000 xp for your efforts. Then in the morning, Hurgis will show up. He’ll demand that you hand over Tyrianna right away, and he’ll refuse to verify his identity.

Hurgis’ manner will make it seem like he’s an imposter, but really it’s just random. To figure out if it’s the real Hurgis or not, you’ll need to use your Detect Evil ability while standing next to him (you can also use the Detect Evil or Know Alignment spell, if necessary). If Hurgis glows red, then he’s really an assassin. Otherwise, he’s the real Hurgis. With this information, there are three ways the quest can end:

• You know that Hurgis is an imposter. When you kill him, you’ll earn 3500 xp. Then when you go upstairs to tell Tyrianna the news, she’ll insist that you return to the order, and you’ll earn an additional 5000 xp. Finally, when you speak with Reirrac again, he’ll add 25,000 xp to the reward.
• You know that Hurgis is really Hurgis. For this case, you’ll just need to go upstairs and tell Tyrianna that it’s time to leave, and then go back downstairs and tell Hurgis that Tyrianna is now in his custody. Then when you return to Reirrac, he’ll tell you that Hurgis was stopped by brigands while on his way to the safe house, which is why he was so short with you. Strangely, you won’t earn any xp for this option.
• You guess about Hurgis, and you guess correctly. The quest will proceed as if you knew what you were doing (that is, using one of the two options above).
• You guess about Hurgis, but you guess incorrectly. When you return to Reirrac, he’ll be livid with you, and he’ll kick you out of the order. So don’t guess.

As long as you don’t guess incorrectly, Reirrac will be happy with your progress as a paladin, and he’ll reward you with a Large Shield +2 and Pride of the Legion +2. He’ll also restore your paladin abilities, which will only affect you if you had lost them earlier.

Quest 4: Firkraag

If you didn’t kill the red dragon Firkraag while rescuing Garren Windspear’s child earlier, then Reirrac will give you a quest to kill him now. You’ll find Firkraag at the bottom of the Windspear Hills Dungeon. See that page for some strategies about how to deal with him. When you defeat Firkraag, you’ll earn 64,000 xp, and you’ll find Carsomyr +5, a Cloak of the Shield, and Red Dragon Scales (needed by Cromwell in the Docks District to craft Red Dragon Scale armor). Then when you return to Reirrac, you’ll earn an additional 35,000 xp.