This guide will walk you through Saradush in the Throne of Bhaal expansion for Baldur’s Gate II. This area’s code in the game files is AR5000.
Saradush Map
Overview
The first time you use the exit portal in the Pocket Plane, you’ll end up in Saradush right outside the castle (#1). The castle guards will mistake you for invaders, and they’ll attack you. You’ll earn 84,500 xp for defeating them.
After the battle, you’ll meet the mage Melissan. She’ll give you some background information about the city — namely, that it is being besieged by Yaga-Shura; that its protector, Gromnir Il-Khan, has gone mad and has barricaded himself in the castle; that Yaga-Shura and Gromnir are both Bhaalspawn; and that the only way to save the city is to remove Gromnir from power and rally the militia. So Melissan will recommend that you find a way into the castle so you can deal with Gromnir, and then she’ll teleport away.
As you explore the city, you’ll meet a “harlot” outside Countess Santele’s House (#5). She’ll tell you that there used to be two underground ways into the castle, one through the Saradush Sewers and another through Saradush Prison, but that Gromnir had them sealed up. This will give you two ways to proceed:
- Saradush Sewers. The sewers will start out locked. To enter them, you’ll need to retrieve the key from Gromnir’s barracks (#9).
- Saradush Prison. The prison will start out locked. There are two ways to enter it:
- If you talk to Peltje inside the Tankard Tree tavern (#11), then he’ll reveal that the local courtesans are really vampires, and that they take their victims to the prison. So if you visit the tavern at night and hire one of the courtesans there (for 20 gp), then they’ll take your main character — and that character alone — to the prison. Your main character will immediately get attacked by four vampires (worth 8500 xp each), but the prison entrance (Exit C) will unlock, and so if you have the rest of your party waiting nearby, then they can join in quickly.
- If you talk to Pyrgam Aleson inside the Tankard Tree tavern (#11), then he’ll try to charge you 1000 gp for information about the prison, but if you have 14 Charisma and tell him that it’s for the good of the city, then he’ll waive the fee. Either way, he’ll tell you that Sister Farrielle recently locked the entrance to the prison, and he’ll brag about how the two of them used to be intimate.
When you talk to Sister Farielle at the Temple of Waukeen (#12), if you’re playing a “good” character, then she’ll just hand over the key to the prison. If you’re playing an “evil” character, then you can blackmail her about her relationship with Aleson to get the key. Or you can pickpocket it from her. Acquiring the key from Sister Farielle will earn each character in your party 1000 xp.
The Saradush Sewers will lead you to Saradush Prison, which will give you access to Saradush Castle. Inside the castle, you’ll encounter Gromnir Il-Khan. You’ll need to defeat him — plus some of his closest allies — to complete this part of the chapter. See the Saradush Castle page for more information about the battle.
Walkthrough
1 – Starting Point
2 – Tazit and Fezhak
At this spot, you’ll meet a little boy named Tazit. He’ll tell you that his father Fezhak was hit by a fireball and hasn’t moved since. If you raise Fezhak from the dead — which you’ll be able to do (through dialogue) if you talk to Tazit with a divine caster, or if you have a Rod of Resurrection in your possession — then each character in your party will earn 1000 xp, and you’ll also receive a point of Reputation. If you insult the boy or tell him to get lost, then you’ll lose a point of Reputation.
3 – Errard
The mage Errard is involved in Mateo’s quest (#4).
4 – Militia Headquarters
When you enter this building, you’ll witness a scene where a soldier named Mateo will get accused of treason based on the testimony of Countess Santele, who apparently heard evidence against him from her missing son Ardic. Kiser Jhaeri will be thrilled about the accusation, and although Captain Samand will seem reluctant, he’ll have Mateo arrested. Then everyone except for Samand will leave.
When you talk to Samand, he’ll tell you that somebody opened up a gate for the invaders to use, and that only Ardic, Jhaeri, or Mateo could have done it. Samand will then reveal that he immediately suspected Jhaeri, since Jhaeri is “a greedy, self-serving weasel,” but that with Countess Santele’s testimony against Mateo, he had no choice but to wrap up the investigation. When you offer to help out, Samand will happily allow it, and he’ll open up the door leading to the basement prison where Mateo is being kept.
Inside the prison, you’ll need to tell the Saradush Jailer that Samand sent you. This will cause him to unlock the door leading to Mateo’s cell. Then when you talk to Mateo, he’ll proclaim his innocence, but he’ll be confused about why Countess Santele would fabricate evidence against him.
Note: In the cell next to Mateo’s, you’ll find five Potions of Superior Healing.
When you talk to Countess Santele inside her house (#5), she’ll reveal that Kiser Jhaeri kidnapped her son Ardic, but promised to return him if she accused Mateo — only now Jhaeri is keeping Ardic prisoner to ensure her silence. So Santele will ask you to confront Jhaeri and get her son back.
When you talk to Jhaeri inside his house (#13), he’ll admit to kidnapping Ardic and framing Mateo — sort of. If you’re playing a “good” character, then he’ll claim that he’s been lulling the real culprit, the mage Errard, into a false sense of security, and that to save the city, you should kill Errard right away. If you’re playing an “evil” character, then Jhaeri will admit to being the traitor, and he’ll ask you to kill Errard or Santele to complete his scheme. This will give you a few ways to go:
- You can kill Errard (#3). Errard is a powerful mage, and when you attack him, all of the militia guards and peasants on the ramparts (including any new guards who show up to replace the dead ones) will turn hostile. You’ll earn 6000 xp when Errard dies, and you’ll find a Cleric’s Staff +3 and a Robe of the Good Archmagi on his corpse, but you’ll lose a bunch of Reputation for killing Errard and any peasants who blunder into the battle.
When you return to Jhaeri, he’ll thank you for completing his plan, and he’ll give you 2000 gp plus his Secret Jail Door Key. Each character in your party will also earn 5000 xp. Then Jhaeri will leave, and all of his minions will disappear with him. You’ll find Ardic in Jhaeri’s basement behind the secret jail door. When you free him, he’ll rush off to tell Captain Samand about your actions, and each character in your party will earn an additional 5000 xp. Countess Santele won’t give you a reward.
- You can kill Countess Santele (#5), even if Jhaeri didn’t ask you to. This will cost you a lot of Reputation. When you return to Jhaeri after committing the deed, he’ll thank you for completing his plan, and he’ll give you 10,000 gp plus his Secret Jail Door Key. Each character in your party will also earn 5000 xp. Then Jhaeri will leave, and all of his minions will disappear with him. You’ll find Ardic in Jhaeri’s basement behind the secret jail door. If you tell him that his mother is dead, then he’ll rush off to see her, and each character in your party will earn an additional 5000 xp. But if you tell Ardic that you killed his mother, then he’ll attack you, and you’ll only earn 550 xp for defeating him.
- You can kill Jhaeri, either before or after talking to Errard. If you travel out to Errard and tell him what’s going on, then he’ll just cast a divination spell to reveal that Ardic is somewhere in Jhaeri’s house. This step is optional.
Note: If you’re planning to kill Jhaeri, then you should pickpocket him and the fighters in his basement when you first enter his house. This will net you a bunch of Potions of Extra Healing and Potions of Invisibility, and make the upcoming battle against Jhaeri easier.
When you confront Jhaeri, he’ll either flee into his basement (if you talked to Errard), or he’ll attack you right away (otherwise). Two fighters will help Jhaeri out, but the battle shouldn’t be difficult, especially if you went potion pickpocketing earlier. You’ll earn 19,500 xp for defeating the trio, and when you loot their corpses you’ll find some +1, +2 and +3 items, plus a Shakti Figurine and a Secret Jail Door Key.
Inside Jhaeri’s basement, you should be able to detect the secret jail door inside the bedroom. The Secret Jail Door Key will unlock it for you. If for some reason you don’t have the key, then you can also disarm three traps in the basement (two in the main room and one in the bedroom) to unlock the door. Behind the door, you’ll immediately encounter a fighter, a mage, and a thief. You’ll earn 28,000 xp for defeating them.
Past the secret jail door, you’ll finally find Ardic. When you talk to him, he’ll race away, but each character in your party will earn 7000 xp for completing the rescue. Then when you return to Countess Santele (#5), she’ll reward you with 2000 gp, and each character in your party will earn an additional 5000 xp. At this point, all of the NPCs involved in the quest (except for Errard) will disappear, but presumably they’ll all live happily ever after.
5 – Countess Santele’s House
Countess Santele is involved in Mateo’s quest (#4).
6 – Elves and Soldiers
At this spot, you’ll witness a group of soldiers threatening some elves. When you talk to the soldiers, you’ll have three choices:
- If you tell the soldiers that you just want to “watch the fun,” then you’ll lose a point of Reputation, and some of your more righteous companions (like Anomen and Mazzy) will turn against you. Meanwhile, the elves will flee, and the soldiers will chase after them and disappear as well.
- If you attack the soldiers, then you’ll earn 2600 xp for killing them, and the elves will flee.
- If you tell the soldiers that you’re a Bhaalspawn, then they’ll flee. Afterwards, when you talk to the elves, they’ll reveal that they’re refugees and that they have nowhere to stay. You can solve their problem by talking to Sister Farielle in the Temple of Waukeen (#12). When she learns about the elves, she’ll agree to take them in. Then when you return to the elves, you’ll receive a point of Reputation, and each character in your party will earn 3000 xp.
7 – Arcana Archives
Inside this shop, you’ll meet Lazarus Librarus. He’ll tell you that his spellbook was stolen, and that without it, he can’t produce any spell scrolls. If you agree to investigate the matter for him, then he’ll tell you that he suspects Hectan of being the culprit, but that the only clue in the affair is a set of muddy footprints — that are much too small for Hectan’s feet.
When you talk to Hectan in the Tankard Tree (#11), he’ll deny the crime. If your Reputation is below 10, then you can intimidate the truth out of him (see below). Otherwise, you’ll need to talk to the boy Squip, who can be found loitering near the Arcana Archives. When you bring up the muddy footprints, Squip will admit to being involved, but he’ll try to charge you 1000 gp for the full details. You’re not required to pay him that much. He’ll accept 5 gp, and you can also threaten him to get the information for free. In the end, Squip will tell you that he stole the spellbook for Hectan, and that Hectan has the book now.
When you return to Hectan, he’ll finally admit that he masterminded the theft. He’ll also reveal that he wanted the book because he thought it would show him a way to teleport out of the city — only he belatedly discovered that the protections on the book mean he can’t actually use it. So he’ll try to make you a deal. He’ll tell you that if you bring him a teleport scroll from Lazarus, then he’ll give you the book. If you don’t feel like doing odd jobs for Hectan, then you can just kill him for the spellbook. Nobody in the tavern will mind. There isn’t any way to pickpocket the spellbook from him.
When you tell Lazarus about Hectan’s demand, he’ll give you Lazarus’s Teleport Scroll, but he’ll warn you that the invading mages have blockaded the city, and that using the scroll would result in a “grisly and very messy” death. When you return to Hectan, he’ll give you the spellbook for the scroll, as promised. If you fail to warn Hectan about what might happen, then he’ll use the scroll and die, and you’ll lose a point of Reputation. If you warn Hectan, then he’ll see the wisdom of your words, and he’ll simply leave the tavern.
When you return to Lazarus with the spellbook, each character in your party will earn 5000 xp, and Lazarus will become a shopkeeper. He’ll sell you lots of potions and spell scrolls, plus some miscellaneous items like a Bag of Holding, a Potion Case, a Scroll Case, a Boots of Speed: The Paws of the Cheetah, a Golden Ioun Stone, and a Ring of Fire Resistance: Batalista’s Passport.
8 – Alexander Ralisar
Ralisar is a Bhaalspawn, but despite being a named NPC and lurking around like he’s important for something, he isn’t.
9 – Gromnir’s Barracks
When you enter this barracks, an orog will give you five seconds to leave — which is enough time to cast some buffs before the fight starts, if you feel so inclined. If you attack the human and orc soldiers, then you’ll earn between 5000 and 18,000 xp when they die (depending on if they call in reinforcements), and you’ll find a key in one of their chests. The key will unlock the grates leading to the Saradush Sewers (Exit B).
10 – Dwarves and Humans
At this spot, you’ll encounter some dwarves bickering with some humans. If you side with the humans against the dwarves, or with the dwarves against the humans, then you’ll start a fight that will earn you 4200 xp. But if you convince the two groups to disperse (by revealing that you’re a Bhaalspawn), then each character in your party will earn 1000 xp.
11 – Tankard Tree
You’ll meet a few people of interest inside this tavern:
- Bartender. He’ll rent you a room, and he’ll also have basic equipment for sale (up to +3), plus Boots of Speed: The Paws of the Cheetah and Yamato +4.
- Hectan. He’s involved in Lazarus Librarus’ quest (#7).
- Il-Khan Soldiers. They’ll be badgering a waitress. You’ll have two ways to stop them: you can bribe them 500 or 1000 gp, or you can demand that they apologize, which will cause them to attack you. For the latter option, you’ll earn 2800 xp for defeating the soldiers, and you’ll find some +1, +2 and +3 items on their corpses. You won’t earn a reward from the waitress, but she’ll thank you for your help.
- Peltje. He’ll warn you that the local courtesans are really vampires, and that they’ve made Saradush Prison their lair.
- Pyrgam Aleson. He’s the owner of the tavern. He’ll tell you that the undead have invaded Saradush Prison, and that Sister Farielle in the Temple of Waukeen might be able to help you get inside.
- Viekang. You might remember him from the pub in Trademeet, when he teleported away upon seeing you. When you talk to him here, he’ll tell you that he used to teleport when he became frightened, but that Melissan has cured him. However, he’ll wish that he could teleport now, just to get away from the city. If you have 18 Intelligence, then you’ll speculate that a Horror spell might work on him. Regardless, if you have a mage cast Horror on Viekang, then he’ll teleport away and each character in your party will earn 2000 xp.
12 – Temple of Waukeen
Outside this temple, you’ll meet the Bhaalspawn Otis Nimblefinger. Despite the colorful name, he’s not involved in anything.
Inside the temple, you’ll meet Sister Farielle. She’ll provide you with regular temple services, and she’ll also sell you potions and scrolls, plus Elven Holy Water and a Ring of Animal Friendship: Druid’s Ring. Farielle is also involved in the main quest (see the Overview text above) and the quest from the refugee elves (#6).
13 – Kiser Jhaeri’s House
Kiser Jhaeri and his house are involved in Mateo’s quest (#4). Also in the house, in the basement, you’ll find Starfall Ore in a locked cabinet. This is one of the components Cespenar in the Pocket Plane will need for Storm Star +5.
Exits
- A) Entrances to Saradush Castle. These entrances will start out locked. You’ll only be able to open them when you exit the castle.
- B) Grates to the Saradush Sewers. These grates will start out locked. You’ll need the key from the barracks (#9) to open them.
- C) Entrance to Saradush Prison. This entrance will start out locked. To enter the prison, you’ll either need to hire a courtesan at the Tankard Tree (#11) at night, or you’ll need to acquire the key from Sister Farielle in the Temple of Waukeen (#12).
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