Baldur's Gate 3 Act 1: The Complete Guide to Quests, Companions, and Loot

Baldur's Gate 3's first act is a sprawling, intricate web of quests, companions, and hidden timers that can lock you out of major storylines and powerful loot before you even realize it. This guide cuts through the noise, providing the essential roadmap you need to navigate every critical decision, recruit every companion, and secure the best gear without missing a beat.

Essential Main Story Quests (Required to Progress)

Find a Cure: The Tadpole Problem

Your entire existence in Act 1 revolves around stopping that illithid tadpole from turning you into a mind flayer, so every major road you take is basically a desperate attempt to solve this problem before your brain becomes squid food.

First, you will bump into Healer Nettie at the Emerald Grove, and she'll promise you a 'guaranteed' antidote brewed from shadow-crown petals. Here's the catch: if you drink it, you need to pass a Constitution save or you'll hit the floor unconscious, and if you refuse, she'll lock you in the adjacent chamber, which means you'll have to talk or fight your way out.

Then there is Auntie Ethel in the Sunlit Wetlands, who can smell the tadpole from a mile away and offers you a suspiciously sweet deal. She'll give you a permanent +1 to any stat and claim she's 'quieted' the parasite, but that is an illusion, so you are not actually cured. Alternatively, you can call her bluff and trigger a multi-phase boss fight that drops the Bitter Divorce wand and the Warped Headband of Intellect, which might be worth the trouble if you want those items.

Later, if you make it to the Underdark, Omeluum in the Myconid Colony can brew a proper potion from timmask spores and a sliver of the Absolute's neural tissue. This grants automatic tadpole suppression for roughly two in-game weeks and gives you the Psionic Ward buff, which means advantage against charm effects and +2 on Intelligence saves. It is not permanent, but it buys you time and some nice bonuses.

Rescue the Druid Halsin

Halsin is stuck in a suspended cage inside the Shattered Sanctum, and you have a few ways to get him out. The key is carried by Priestess Gut, but you can also shoot the chain (AC 15, 8 HP) or pick the lock (DC 14) if you would rather avoid her.

The goblin camp is run by three leaders: Priestess Gut, Minthara, and Dror Ragzlin. If you kill all three, you prevent the Grove raid entirely, which means Halsin can join you as a permanent party member immediately after. However, if you side with Minthara by branding yourself and betraying the Grove, you will trigger the raid, slaughter all the tieflings, and open the Absolute path. The good news is that you can still recruit Halsin later at Moonrise Towers, but you will miss out on having him for most of Act 1.

Save the Refugees (Emerald Grove Conflict)

The refugee crisis at Emerald Grove is on a hidden timer, which means you cannot procrastinate forever. The 'Raid the Grove' global flag flips the moment you either kill all three goblin bosses or take a long-rest after Kagha's ultimatum without making any goblin progress. Unfortunately, even if you never speak to Kagha again, taking three long-rests with zero boss kills triggers her forced eviction scene, so you are on the clock whether you like it or not.

If the Grove gets raided or even if you save it and trigger the celebration, most key tiefling merchants—Arron, Dammon, Mirkon, Mol, and Silfy—will disappear from Act 1 permanently. Luckily, Dammon reappears later at Last Light Inn if you saved him, so you can still access his inventory, but the rest are gone for good.

Explore the Ruins & Underdark Access

You have two main routes into the Underdark, and both require some legwork. The first is through the Dank Crypt: grab the Engraved Key from a skeleton mage, then use it on the Selûnite Prayer room floor plate to reveal an elevator button that drops you straight into the Underdark at the Selûnite Outpost.

The second path is the Whispering Depths route via the well near the Blighted Village. You will need a round, rune-carved gear to activate the defunct Selûnite Elevator, which you can loot from the spider matriarch or buy from Arron if you are feeling lazy.

Once you reach the Selûnite Outpost, you will face two Arcane Turrets that can shred your party. You can bypass them entirely by hugging the right balcony and casting Fog Cloud or dropping a smoke bottle, which grants you safe access to the fast-travel waypoint and some rare loot like the Robes of the Summer Solstice.

Find the Githyanki Creche (Mountain Pass Route)

If you would rather skip the Underdark, the Mountain Pass leads to Crèche Y'llek, but this path has its own dangers. The Zaith'isk machine in the infirmary can grant permanent Awakened Illithid Powers if you pass high DC Wisdom and Constitution checks, but failure applies the 'Brain-Jarred' debuff until your next long-rest, which is a massive penalty you will want to avoid.

Captain Kith'rak Voss carries the Silver Sword of Gith, a +1 greatsword that deals bonus psychic damage to non-Gith and is Lae'zel's iconic weapon. If you want it, you will have to kill him or steal it, but that will make the entire crèche hostile.

Speaking of hostility, long-resting inside the crèche after killing anyone causes the entire map to respawn as permanently hostile, which means you lose all traders for the rest of the game. So if you plan to murder your way through, make sure you have finished all your shopping first.

Reach Moonrise Towers (Final Transition)

Reaching Moonrise Towers is a one-way ticket out of Act 1, so you need to be prepared. If you take the Underdark route, stepping into the rowboat at Grymforge after the boss fight auto-transports you to the shadow-cursed shoreline (Reithwin Town) and locks you into Act II, which means no fast-travel back to any Act 1 locations.

If you go through the Mountain Pass, walking through the stone archway labeled 'Shadow-Cursed Lands' after the Githyanki encounter greys out all Act 1 nodes, marking the point of no return. Either way, you are cut off from Act 1 forever.

Before you commit, run through this checklist: recruit all companions, finish any personal quests you care about, strip Act I merchants of their best gear (especially revivify diamonds, +1 weapons, and spell scrolls), stockpile poison and alchemist's fire, and make sure you have cleared the 'Travel to Moonrise Towers' quest before the final zone transition. Once you cross that threshold, there is no going back.

Companion Quests

Act 1 hits you with a lot of companion quests at once, and missing a single flag can lock you out of entire storylines later. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your party intact and their personal quests moving forward.

Shadowheart: Daughter of Darkness

The very first companion you’ll meet is stuck in a Mind-Flayer Pod on the Nautiloid, and you can’t miss her because she’s literally begging for help through the glass. Grab the Eldritch Rune from a nearby table, slot it into the console, and she’ll tumble out—which immediately adds 'Daughter of Darkness' to your journal.

If you somehow walk past her, she’ll wash up later on the Ravaged Beach at coordinates X: 273 Y: 223 or at the Druid Grove, so you’re not completely locked out.

Now, about that Mysterious Artefact she’s clutching—it’s a many-sided iron box covered in pulsing runes that looks like it wants to bite you. Defend her right to keep it and you’ll earn approval while keeping her quest moving, but confiscate it and you’ll stall her entire storyline. Pretty harsh for one conversation choice.

Her unhealing wound flares up near Selûnite symbols, and passing a DC 15 Insight check in the Owlbear Cave reveals she worships Shar, which sets early approval flags. Then there’s the inevitable camp fight with Lae’zel after the Mountain Pass githyanki patrol; you’ll need a DC 10 Persuasion check to defuse it and keep both companions alive.

Astarion: The Pale Elf

Astarion’s vampire reveal isn’t automatic—you’ll need to inspect the drained boar northeast of the Roadside Cliffs waypoint after at least one long rest. Succeed on the Investigation check, then pass a Persuasion check with Astarion himself, which sets the flag for the mandatory bite scene during your next camp rest.

During that scene, you can let him feed, push him away, or straight-up attack him, but letting him feed grants Astarion the 'Happy' buff until your next long rest. The post-reveal dialogue drops hints about Cazador Szarr, his old master who 'collects people,' and you can really hear the fear in his voice about being found.

Passing the bite scene also unlocks invisible dialogue flags with Gur monster-hunters and vampire-adjacent NPCs in later acts, which pays off way more than you’d expect.

Gale: The Wizard of Waterdeep

Gale’s Netherese Orb is a ticking time bomb that demands Rare (blue) quality items each time his hidden ORB_HUNGER counter hits 3 - uncommon gear won’t cut it. Feeding him the first time grants +5 approval, but refusing triggers -5 approval and raises the explosion risk on your next long rest.

If you ignore him completely, a hidden roll failure causes a game-over explosion cut-scene, which is as brutal as it sounds. Fortunately, the mechanic only disables after the Act 2 scene 'The Wizard of Waterdeep' with Mystra.

Good early sacrifices include duplicate +1 weapons or unused spell-scrolls, since no Act 1 quest requires keeping any specific rare. The 'Orb Sated' buff lasts 48 in-game hours (about 4 long rests), so you’ll want to keep a spare rare in camp storage to prevent accidental detonation.

Lae'zel: The Githyanki Warrior

The moment Lae'zel joins, her quest 'Find the Githyanki Crèche' begins—but you’ll need to speak with Zorru in the Druid Grove to learn the patrol location. At the Mountain Pass patrol, let Lae'zel speak first and pass a DC 10 Persuasion check to de-escalate Kith'rak Voss and avoid a messy fight.

Loot Sarth Baretha's Elaborate Slate and decipher it (DC 10 Arcana, or automatic if you’re playing a gith) to reveal the crèche map marker. Inside the Infirmary, Lae'zel can use the Zaith'isk, but each failed saving throw permanently reduces a stat by -2, which is absolutely devastating.

If she passes all three saves and chooses 'Draw on the zaith'isk's power', she gains the Awakened buff. Those Weakened Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution debuffs are permanent unless the character consumes a tadpole, and Lae'zel's trust value with you gets updated for Act 2 based on these outcomes.

Wyll: The Blade of Frontiers

Wyll is bound to Mizora, an arch-devil serving Zariel, and his first Act 1 directive is to murder Karlach under threat of forfeiting both his soul and his father, Duke Ravengard. Confronting Karlach near the Risen Road gives you three outcomes: kill her (Wyll keeps his powers and gains Helldusk Gloves), spare her (Wyll stays but owes Mizora a favor), or delay the whole mess.

Sparing Karlach earns her unique Infernal Engine cooling item, which is clutch for her survival, but killing her removes her as a companion for the entire playthrough—so think very carefully before pulling that trigger.

Your Act 1 choice directly sets up Act 3’s 'Break Wyll's Pact or Save His Father' fork, and sparing Karlach keeps Mizora’s pressure high for the Iron Throne sequence. Wyll’s personal quest stays active regardless of Karlach’s fate, and key flags update for Act 2 camp banter.

Karlach: The Hellion

You’ll find Karlach on the Risen Road near the river knoll, and she joins after a short dialogue—just watch out because her bare-hand touch deals 2 fire damage. Her quest 'The Hellion's Heart' starts immediately, and while you can’t fully repair the engine in Act 1, you can manage cooling with water spells or by shoving her into the river after combat.

There are six guaranteed Soul Coins in Act 1, and consuming one grants Infernal Fury (bonus fire damage on attacks) until the next long rest. You’ll find them in:

• Risen Road toll-house basement (worg pen)
• Risen Road toll-house upstairs
• Blighted Village forge
• Goblin Camp (Dror Ragzlin's throne)
• Druid Grove prison
• Wilderness crater near a broken mind-flayer pod

Her Infernal Fury can stack while she’s in combat, so you’ll want to keep at least one Soul Coin in her inventory for boss fights to prevent those overheating cut-scenes.

Halsin: The Archdruid (Post-Rescue)

Rescuing Halsin from the Worg Pens in the Shattered Sanctum requires killing all three goblin leaders, then speaking to him and choosing 'Come with us' to make him a full companion. A long rest after recruitment triggers his first camp dialogue about the shadow taint, which seeds the 'Lift the Shadow Curse' quest for Act 2.

If Kagha completes the ritual and seals the Grove, Halsin stays with the party but all tiefling storylines get cut, removing their Act 2 and 3 cameos completely. Halsin's camp presence also allows the owlbear cub to appear in Act 2, and the cub gives Halsin extra dialogue for locating Thaniel in the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Be warned: entering the Mountain Pass or Underdark before killing all three goblin leaders permanently fails 'Rescue the Druid Halsin' and removes him from the playthrough entirely.

Key Locations and Exploration

Ravaged Beach & Overgrown Ruins

The prologue throws a weird choice at you that most people miss—if you pass a DC 10 Intelligence (Medicine) or DC 12 Strength check to free the Intellect Devourer in the Nautiloid, you're setting up a reunion later. Once you crash on the Ravaged Beach, track down the Tomb of the Pale Wolf and you'll recruit Us as a temporary follower, which is clutch because just north of the wreckage, three more Intellect Devourers ambush you. Shadowheart's trapped in a purple pod nearby, and here's where you either ace it or screw it up: the correct rune sequence is Sun–Moon–Death, and passing a DC 13 Arcana check means you skip the acid damage and snag +10 approval from her. Botch it and she's still recruitable, but she won't be happy.

Emerald Grove & Druid Circle

The moment you hit Emerald Grove, Kagha's holding a tiefling child at snake-point. You can talk her down with DC 10 Persuasion or DC 12 Intimidation, and you'll pocket the Serpent's Shadow ring—it gives +1 Stealth and lets you cast Animal Friendship, which is huge for ranger builds. While you're there, poke around east of the training area for Doni's secret hatch; a DC 10 Insight check gets you an Elixir of Psychic Resistance and a Mind-Flayer Parasite Specimen. The Missing Shipment quest waits just outside the grove where two ogres guard a dead cart, and you can either kill them for 75 XP each or pass a DC 14 Deception check to keep the Iron Flask and ledger—this unlocks later trading opportunities. Don't forget Rolan's siblings, either; they're stuck in the Twisted Tunnels, and rescuing them via DC 13 Sleight-of-Hand or DC 15 Persuasion nets you a Fireball scroll and permanent tiefling trader discounts.

Blighted Village & Goblin Camp

Blighted Village looks empty but it's packed with triggers. First, Barcus Wroot's stuck in that windmill—run behind the sails and yank the brake lever, and you'll get Speedy Lightfeet boots plus a Very Heavy Greataxe that's perfect for Strength characters. Inside the Defiled Temple, you'll hit the Necromancy of Thay, a cursed grimoire that demands a DC 15 Wisdom save for the first page and a DC 18 Intelligence check for the second. Pass both and you get a permanent +1 Intelligence and the Speak with Dead spell, which is basically free interrogation for the rest of the game. The same temple hides a puzzle that can skip a massive fight: rotate the moonstone disc so only the four corners are black, and you'll unlock a secret passage straight into the Shattered Sanctum—bypassing the main goblin gate entirely. If you stick around, three orc scouts start OrcFest; win that skirmish for 115 XP, a +1 Greatsword, and Smokepowder Bombs.

Underdark: Selûnite Outpost & Grymforge

The Underdark is a whole different beast. In the Ebonlake Grotto, Omeluum the Mind-Flayer wants you to fetch Tongue of Madness and Timmask Spores from the Arcane Tower for his Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite quest. Complete it and you'll score the Ring of Mind-Shielding, which is essential for later mind-flayer zones. Head to Grymforge and you'll find Philomeen carrying a Runepowder Vial—steal it or persuade her, and that vial is clutch because it either one-shots the Adamantine Forge guardian or can be handed to Omeluum for bonus XP. Speaking of the Adamantine Forge, you need Mithral Ore and a mould to craft legendary-grade gear, but first you have to beat Grym by hitting the anvil valve while it stands on the lava plate. If you're feeling spicy, visit the Festering Cove where Kuo-toa worship BOOOAL; you can expose the redcap imposter or sacrifice a companion for their goodwill and a unique trident.

Mountain Pass & Rosymorn Monastery

The Mountain Pass leads to Rosymorn Monastery and its Blood of Lathander heist. Align the ceremonial weapons in the stained-glass puzzle to access the reliquary and claim the legendary mace Sunbeam plus Lathander's Blessing. Just watch out for the monastery's self-destruct—you can destroy the Emergency Exit Crystal or use the reliquary's teleportation circle if you botch the puzzle. Underneath the monastery lies the Githyanki Creche Y'llek, where Kith'rak Voss will test Lae'zel's loyalty and the Zaith'isk machine can either cure your parasite or permanently debuff a party member based on your Wisdom/Arcana rolls. While you're there, merchant A'jak'nir Jeck in the creche barracks sells the Gith Silver Sword (blinds illithids), Githyanki War Helm, and Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo.

Essential Loot and Hidden Treasures

Act 1 is absolutely loaded with gear that can define your entire playthrough, and some of the best stuff is easy to miss if you don't know where to look. We're talking legendary weapons sitting behind simple puzzles, merchants selling stat-setting gloves, and companion items scattered across every major zone.

Unique Weapons & Armor

The Silver Sword of the Astral Plane might be the most busted early-game weapon you can grab. It's a legendary +3 greatsword with a Soulbreaker action that can stunlock enemies, plus major bonuses if you're running a githyanki or plan to recruit Lae'zel. You can actually pickpocket this from Kith'rak Voss at the Mountain Pass as soon as you meet him, which means you can have a +3 weapon before you even hit the Underdark.

Then there's the Blood of Lathander, another legendary +3 mace that basically turns you into a portable sun. It blinds fiends and undead, lets you cast Sunbeam once per long rest, and it'll even save you from death once per day. The catch? You'll need to solve the statue pedestal puzzle in the Githyanki Creche beneath Rosymorn Monastery, which means grabbing the Dawnmaster's Crest first.

If you're planning to hit the Adamantine Forge in Grymforge, the Adamantine Mace is worth the Mithral Ore and Mould. It's only rare, but it ignores bludgeoning resistance and auto-crits on objects, which makes it perfect for smashing through barriers or enemies with tough hides.

For casters who need some extra firepower, the Circlet of Blasting is a no-brainer. This rare helmet gives you a free Scorching Ray once per long rest, and you can buy it from Blurg in the Ebonlake Grotto for around 600 gold.

Item	Location	What It Does
Silver Sword of the Astral Plane	Pickpocket Kith'rak Voss at Mountain Pass	Legendary +3 greatsword, Soulbreaker stun, githyanki bonuses
Blood of Lathander	Githyanki Creche puzzle (Rosymorn Monastery)	Legendary +3 mace, sunlight aura, Sunbeam spell, death protection
Adamantine Mace	Adamantine Forge (Grymforge)	Rare +1, ignores bludgeoning resistance, crits on objects
Circlet of Blasting	Buy from Blurg in Underdark ~600g	Rare helmet, Scorching Ray once per long rest

Companion-Specific Items

Running Karlach? You'll want to stockpile Soul Coins. She can consume these for Infernal Fury, adding 1d4 fire damage to her attacks while raging or when she's below 25% HP. There are seven scattered across Act 1, and you can grab most of them without much trouble. Check the Dank Crypt (3), Emerald Grove Goblin Camp (1), Shattered Sanctum (2), Zhentarim Basement (1), Underground Passage (1), and Blighted Village Cellar (1).

For Gale, he'll start asking you to feed magic items to his Netherese Orb shortly after you recruit him at Roadside Cliffs. You don't need to give him your best gear—low-cost Act 1 items like the Sword of Justice, Wilted Summer Robes, or duplicate +1 weapons work perfectly. Just make sure you're sacrificing uncommon or better items to keep him stable.

Then there's Omeluum in the Myconid Colony. This mind flayer will ask for Tongue of Madness and Timmask Spores from the Arcane Tower to investigate your tadpole. It's a weird little fetch quest, but finishing it gets you the Ring of Mind-Shielding (advantage against charm, psychic resistance) and 65 XP, plus Omeluum will sell you some solid gear afterward.

Merchant-Exclusive Gear

The single best merchant item in Act 1 is probably the Gloves of Dexterity from Grat in the Githyanki Creche. These very rare gloves set your Dexterity to 18 and give +1 to attack rolls, which is massive for any ranged or finesse build. They'll run you about 500-600 gold, but they're worth every penny.

If you kept the Zhentarim friendly, Brem in their basement beneath Waukeen's Rest stocks a full suite of +1 gear: longswords, spears, heavy crossbows, shields, and scale mail. He also sells elemental arrows, thieves' tools, and smoke-powder bombs, making him a one-stop shop for upgrading your party.

In the Underdark, Blurg and Omeluum both sell some handy items. Blurg has the Circlet of Blasting and Boots of Stormy Clamour, while Omeluum—after you finish his quest—sells the Pearl of Power Amulet and Ring of Salving.

Merchant	Location	Key Items
Grat	Creche Y'llek (Githyanki stronghold)	Gloves of Dexterity (sets DEX to 18)
Brem	Zhentarim Basement (Waukeen's Rest)	+1 weapons/shields, elemental arrows, tools
Blurg	Ebonlake Grotto (Myconid Colony)	Circlet of Blasting, Boots of Stormy Clamour
Omeluum	Ebonlake Grotto (post-quest)	Pearl of Power, Ring of Salving

Optimal Quest Order and Progression Tips

Early Game (Levels 1-3) Priority

First things first - your character build needs to be airtight before you even leave character creation. That means 16 in your primary stat is non-negotiable, and you’ll want to pick racial weapon or armor proficiencies that actually complement your class. Don’t sleep on background skills either; they’ll save your hide more than you think.

Once you’re dropped into the Dank Crypt, recruit Shadowheart immediately. She’s standing right there, and you can miss her if you’re not paying attention. While you’re in that area, use Jump on the broken statue to reach a corpse you can speak with using Speak with Dead, which nets you a crypt key for extra loot.

Before you chase any main quests, swing by Druid Grove and buy a Speak with Animals scroll from Arron. It’s cheap, and speaking to the injured bird Wapira gives you a free healing potion—which means you’re already ahead on resources before your first real fight.

Now for the real grind: there’s a community-discovered route called the Golden Loop that’ll get you to level 3 before you even sniff the goblin camp. You’ll hit Druid Grove, then circle through Silvanus’ Grove, Waukeen’s Rest and the Zhentarim Hideout, the Owlbear Cave, and finally the Underdark elevator. This whole loop dishes out roughly 1,800 XP and sets you up with gear and levels that trivialize those early goblin encounters.

Combat-wise, two tricks will carry you through Act 1. High ground gives you a flat +2 to attack and imposes disadvantage on anyone shooting back up at you, so always look for a ledge. And don’t forget Barrelmancy: stacking smokepowder or firewine barrels and shooting them turns tough fights into a single explosive solution.

Mid-Game (Levels 4-5) Route Planning

Act 1 ends with a binary choice: Mountain Pass or Underdark. Both paths lead to Act 2, but that’s where the similarities stop.

If you’re looking to push forward quickly, Mountain Pass is your lane. It’s a brisk 30 to 60 minutes if you rush it, with a linear story and straightforward objectives. The downside is the enemies—Death Shepherds and Githyanki hit like trucks, so you’ll need burst damage to survive. The upsides are immediate: you can snag the Githyanki Longsword and the Absolute’s War Board early.

On the flip side, the Underdark is a massive 3-to-10-hour open zone that’s basically a whole second act crammed into Act 1. You’ll explore the Myconid Colony, Grymforge, and the Arcane Tower, and the loot is obscene. We're talking Boots of Speed, the Staff of Crones, a Guidance ring, and a permanent +1 Strength tome hidden in the Arcane Tower basement. That tome alone is worth the detour for most builds.

Here’s the kicker—you don’t actually have to choose. You can activate both waypoints and clear both zones before committing to Act 2, which means you get all the XP and loot with zero downside. So which should you pick? If you’re new, Mountain Pass keeps your quest log clean and your playtime reasonable. If you’re here to power-game or soak up every scrap of lore, Underdark is mandatory.

End of Act Preparation

Before you trigger that final long rest at the end of Act 1, there are some things you absolutely need to lock down.

First up, recruit every origin companion. That’s Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Wyll, and Karlach. If you leave Act 1 without speaking to them, the game treats them as dead and you’ll never get another chance.

Next, clean up your quest log. The Tiefling/goblin conflict and all three goblin leaders—Gut, Ragzlin, and Minthara—auto-fail the moment you transition, so finish those before you sleep.

Now for the good stuff: missable loot. You need that permanent +1 Strength tome in the Underdark’s Arcane Tower basement, the Spellsparkler gloves from the Zhentarim hideout, and Smuggler’s Ring from Arron in Druid Grove. Skip any of these and you’re permanently weaker.

There are a couple of weird prerequisites to check off, too. Use your tadpole powers at least once to trigger a dream cutscene, and make sure you read the Netherese tablets in the Selûnite temple—they tie directly into Act 2’s Shadow-Curse puzzles.

Finally, the housekeeping. Empty your camp storage completely before that last long rest, because the Act 1 campsite becomes permanently inaccessible afterward. Oh, and Withers’ respec prices bump up slightly in Act 2, so if you were planning to rebuild someone, do it now.

Act 1 is a dense proving ground where your choices echo throughout the entire campaign. By following this structured path, you can secure powerful allies, legendary items, and a strong foundation for the challenges ahead. Prepare thoroughly, then step confidently into the Shadow-Cursed Lands - there's no turning back.