Ravaged Beach

Walkthrough

The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.

1. 1

   Waking on the Riverbank

   When you awaken at the shore of the River Chionthar (X: 262, Y: 208), head immediately north along the sand to find Shadowheart unconscious at X: 273, Y: 223 if you freed her from her pod during the prologue. Choose either to reach for her Mysterious Artefact or wake her directly, then invite her to join your party to trigger the quest Daughter of Darkness. Before advancing north into the wreckage, scour the dead fishermen along the waterline for supplies.

   Tip: Shadowheart gives you an immediate party member and healing support before your first fight, so speak to her before heading toward the ship.

   Watch out: If you left Shadowheart in her pod during the prologue, she will not appear here and instead relocates further up to the Overgrown Ruins ancient door.

2. 2

   South Beach Cliffs & The Ancient Door

   Continue northeast along the shore to X: 284, Y: 298 where you will encounter dead fishermen and the locked Ancient Door that leads into the Dank Crypt. If Lae'zel fell during the nautiloid battle in the prologue, her body washes ashore here on the sands, allowing you to use a Scroll of Revivify on her corpse to recruit her. Scale the rocky face at X: 260, Y: 285 or drop down from the upper crags at X: 255, Y: 300 to loot the high cartilaginous chest sitting upon the stone arch directly above the doorway.

   Cartilaginous Chest: from the locked Ancient Door at X: 284, Y: 298, climb the rock face at X: 260, Y: 285 to the top of the natural stone arch at X: 272, Y: 277How: jump down from the cliffs at X: 255, Y: 300 directly onto the archMissable because: permanently inaccessible after passing the point of no return into the Shadowfell in Act 2 Don't miss New

   Tip: You can safely leave the DC 20 locked door for later when your party has dedicated lockpicking proficiency, as other entrances exist further inland.

   Watch out: Do not waste your limited starting Thieves' Tools attempting the DC 20 Sleight of Hand check on the Ancient Door at level 1 unless you are heavily specked for Dexterity.

3. 3

   Breaching the Nautiloid Interior

   Head west toward the gaping hull breach of the ruined nautiloid at X: 230, Y: 274 to encounter three hostile Intellect Devourers roaming the wreckage. Engage them from high ground or range using fire or ranged cantrips before they close the distance, or avoid the encounter entirely by scaling the rocky crag path around X: 260, Y: 285. Once the aberrations are eliminated, loot their remains along with the dead thralls scattered across the fiery deck before stepping through the ship's interior corridor.

   Tip: Keep Shadowheart back to cast Sacred Flame or Guiding Bolt while using ranged weapon attacks from outside their movement range.

   Watch out: Intellect Devourers have high movement speed and devastating psychic attacks that can instantly down a fragile level 1 character if you get surrounded in melee.

4. 4

   The Dying Mind Flayer

   Step through the smoldering interior passage to X: 180, Y: 320, where a crushed illithid lies trapped beneath fallen nautiloid debris. Approach to trigger a psychic dialogue requiring a DC 5 Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw to resist its telepathic thrall, allowing you to crush its head. Alternatively, bypass the dialogue entirely and dispatch it with a ranged weapon from safe distance.

   Tip: Dark Urge characters earn the Inspiration point "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream" by talking to the creature and successfully resisting its mind control before killing it.

   Watch out: Choosing "Submit to the feeling - lean in, as for a kiss" or failing to resist its psychic hold results in the illithid devouring your brain, instantly killing your character.

5. 5

   Western Shore & Dock Looting

   Exit the ship wreckage onto the western beach, making your way down toward the water near the broken wooden dock. Search the wooden crate sitting near the shoreline dock to acquire a set of Thieves' Tools (x1), then use them on the nearby locked chest if you want early armor and gold. Collect the alchemical ingredients growing along the bank before heading up the slope toward the western cliffs.

   Thieves' Tools: Inside a wooden crate near the dock on the western side of the beach Don't miss

   Tip: Keep these lockpicks in your inventory rather than selling them, as they will open both nearby beach containers and the Harpers' cache.

   Watch out: Do not overlook the shoreline crates before climbing upward, as early-game Thieves' Tools are scarce until you reach merchant hubs.

6. 6

   Western Cliffs & The Harper Cache

   Follow the southwestern shoreline cliff path to the ledge at X: 143, Y: 281 and jump down to find a large rock resting over a hollow cache. Pass a passive DC 10 Nature check to spot the dragging grooves, then use a character with sufficient Strength to click and drag the Scuffed Rock aside. Open the Ornate Chest beneath to claim Harper's Map, Harper's Notebook, a Ruby, and a Potion of Speed.

   Harper's Map: Inside an Ornate Chest concealed underneath the Scuffed Rock Don't missHarper's Notebook: Inside an Ornate Chest concealed underneath the Scuffed Rock Don't missA Harper cache concealed beneath the Scuffed Rock along the western cliffs; jump down the ledges near the water, pass a passive Nature check to spot drag marks, and use a character with sufficient Strength to shove the boulder aside.

   Tip: If your current character lacks the raw Strength to push the stone, ungroup and let a stronger companion move it.

   Watch out: Make sure to right-click and read Harper's Map immediately to update your journal and register the hidden stash marker.

7. 7

   Astarion's Ambush

   Walk up the grassy path from the western beach toward X: 170, Y: 288, where a high elf named Astarion calls out asking for help cornering a beast. Advance to inspect the bushes to trigger a cutscene where he sneaks behind you and pins a dagger against your throat. Break his grip with a DC 10 Acrobatics or DC 10 Athletics check, then allow the tadpoles to link your minds to calm him down and recruit him to your party.

   Tip: If you want to bypass the grapple check entirely, speaking with him while accompanied by another companion causes your ally to distract him.

   Watch out: Attacking Astarion immediately in dialogue turns him permanently hostile, locking you out of recruiting him for the rest of the campaign.

What you decide here and what it leads to.