House of Grief
This Sharran cloister in the Lower City serves as the primary sanctuary for the disciples of Shar and the culmination of Shadowheart's companion journey. Players enter under the pretext of memory cleansing before descending into the Cloister of Sombre Embrace to confront Mother Superior Viconia DeVir. Inside, you must choose to support Shadowheart or hand her over to the cultists, ultimately reaching the Chamber of Loss to decide the fate of her captive parents.
- Region
- Lower City
- Levels
- 11–12
- Getting there
- West across the bridge from Lady Jannath's Estate, or north-west past the Baldur's Gate waypoint along the edge of the Lower City (X: -264, Y: -11)
- Connects to
- Lower City, Cloister of Sombre Embrace
- Related quests
- Daughter of Darkness · Investigate the House of Grief · A Familiar Face
- Services and people
- Nocturne (trader) · Viconia DeVir · Mirie · Inquirer Vim · Arves · Arnell Hallowleaf · Emmeline Hallowleaf · Mirror of Loss
- Enemy types
- Sharran fidelians · Sharran justiciars · Sharran sentinels · Sharran crusaders · Sharran novitiates · beasts (wolves)
The short version
What matters
- •Bring Shadowheart along to easily unlock the Mapping Room doors and prevent approval loss on the stone bench.
Common mistakes
- •Attacking Mirie and her guards in the front lobby reveals the secret door automatically, but it permanently turns every occupant inside the Cloister hostile.
- •Placing another companion or your avatar on the Mapping Room bench before Shadowheart costs you 5 Shadowheart approval.
What you can skip
- •You can bypass paying Mirie 1000 gold by simply bringing Shadowheart to the front desk.
Walkthrough
The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.
-
1
Cross into the Steeps
As you make your way across the bridge positioned between Elerrathin's Home and Lady Jannath's Estate into the Steeps, listen for Lug singing a lullaby. Before heading inside the main building, speak with the amnesiac Arves wandering outside. Then, explore the rear garden to harvest unique flora variants: Bixa Root, Poppy Flower, and Valerian Flower.
Tip: Grab the garden flowers before stepping inside to complete your foraging in the area.
-
2
Gain Entrance at the Front Desk
Walk into the entrance lobby to meet Mirie, an Attendant of Grief and merchant stationed alongside griefguards Morann, Afara, and Wilbur. You can either pay Mirie 1000 gold or introduce Shadowheart to have her escort you through the double doors, or alternatively pickpocket or loot the Grief Key from Mirie or Morann to pick the DC 15 lock yourself. You can also pickpocket Mirie for the Lockbox Key to unlock the Collections Lockbox located on the cupboard directly behind her.
Tip: Bringing Shadowheart saves you 1000 gold and bypasses the need for lockpicking.
Watch out: Slaying Mirie and the guards reveals the hidden route immediately, but it turns the entire Cloister hostile against you.
-
3
Undergo the Mapping of the Heart
Follow Mirie into the Mapping Room and locate the central stone bench. Have Shadowheart sit upon the seat to summon an interactive projection of Viconia DeVir, who speaks with her and unseals the secret route. If you attempt the ritual without Shadowheart sitting first, Viconia's projection will demand her presence, or you must reveal the hidden wall button yourself with a DC 20 Investigation check against the wall opposite the bench.
Tip: Let Shadowheart sit on the bench first to bypass the DC 20 Investigation check effortlessly.
Watch out: Having any character other than Shadowheart sit first causes her to lose 5 approval.
Choices here
What you decide here and what it leads to.
Engaging Mirie or bypassing the entrance
When trying to access the Mapping Room through the front lobby
- Pay 1000 gold or bring Shadowheart→ Mirie unlocks the doors and leads the party inside peacefully
- Pick the door lock or steal the Grief Key→ Grants unauthorized entry past the locked doors
- Kill Mirie and her guards→ Automatically reveals the hidden passage button without a check, but makes everyone inside the Cloister permanently hostile
Most players pick: Pay 1000 gold or bring Shadowheart
Killing Mirie turns the entire Cloister hostile
Who sits on the stone bench
Inside the Mapping Room during the Mapping of the Heart ritual
- Let Shadowheart sit first→ An interactive projection of Viconia DeVir appears, speaks with Shadowheart, and opens the hidden passage
- Have another companion or the player sit first→ Viconia's projection demands Shadowheart be brought forward and departs without opening the way
Most players pick: Let Shadowheart sit first
Letting another character sit first causes Shadowheart to lose 5 approval
Checklists
Items
0/2
Secrets
0/1
Key fights
Enemies: Viconia DeVir accompanied by a massive congregation of Sharran cultists (including Sharran Fidelians, Sentinels, Crusaders, and Justiciar Nightseers)
Threats: Viconia uses Wild Shape (Dire Wolf forms), high-level Cleric spells, Rebuke of the Mighty, Sanctuary/Sanctuary of Loss, and innate Radiant Retort (which reflects all incoming Radiant damage back twofold as Force damage); cultists repeatedly spam magical Darkness, Bone Chill (preventing healing), and cast high Necrotic damage spells while fighting inside darkness via Born into Darkness
Weaknesses and resistances: Cultists and Viconia have Fey Ancestry and Magic Resistance (advantage against magical saves) and heavily punish Radiant damage due to Radiant Retort; susceptible to control-oriented surface effects (Ice/Sleet/Grease), Blindness immunity items/abilities (Devil's Sight, Eversight Ring), Counterspell, and non-radiant area-of-effect damage
Tactics: Retreating immediately up the entry stairs to bottle up the massive horde in the narrow entrance doorway/chokepoint while raining down lingering hazard spells (Hunger of Hadar, Wall of Fire, Cloudkill, Insect Plague) and using Daylight to break the darkness clouds
Rewards: Viconia's Walking Fortress (Legendary Shield), Handmaiden's Mace, Viconia's Priestess Robe, Key to the Chamber of Loss / Silver Key, and progression to resolve Shadowheart's parents' fate
Enemies
Leader of the cloister who commands numerous Sharran cultists and gains guaranteed critical strikes against Shadowheart via Wayward Heart.
Shops and people
- Nocturne: Potions, scrolls, and assorted adventuring supplies in the dormitory area before taking a long rest
Tips
- Use lingering area-of-effect hazards like ice surfaces or insect swarms near the entrance stairs to bottle up and manage the vast swarm of Sharran cultists.
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