Baldur's Gate 3: Investigate the Murders Quest Guide (2024)

When players reach Act 3 of Baldur's Gate 3, the two remaining champions of the Dead Three will approach the party and offer to work with them in exchange for getting rid of the other one. Players are free to side with Orin, Gortash, or neither, but players will need to find a way into at least one of their strongholds.

To reach Orin and the Temple of Bhaal deep in the Undercity, players must investigate a string of murders taking place in Baldur's Gate and its outskirts. It can start as early as Rivington and the Open Hand Temple, in the region where Act 3 of Baldur's Gate 3 begins.

Updated on May 1, 2024, by Nahda Nabiilah: To uncover the culprit behind the gruesome murders, players will have to thoroughly explore the houses, cellars, and rooftops of Baldur's Gate, while ensuring not to overlook any location in Baldur’s Gate 3. This exploration opportunity will make it easier for Tav to progress in other quests, such as the Find Dribbles, The Clown, Open Hand Temple Murders, and many more. Each task leads players to hidden treasures and secrets that will slowly unravel the truth behind everything that occurred in the city of Baldur’s Gate.

How To Start "Investigate The Murders" In Baldur's Gate 3

When players first enter the Open Hand Temple, they'll find the priests mourning the death of their leader. A hollyphant called Valeria is investigating the case, and she's decided a refugee is the culprit. She then heads to the Sharess' Caress on the South Span Bridge.

Players can discover more about the murder by checking the lower level of the temple, but the evidence the party needs is across the street from the Sharess' Caress. Head into Fraygo's Flophouse, take the stairs to the second floor, then take the ladder to the third floor. The ladder is on the wall facing the street. A large wardrobe on the top floor has a lock on it, so pick it open or destroy it to discover a secret passage to a hidden room. Another victim of the murderer is hidden under the bed, and on the table is a quest item: the Bloodstained Parchment.

With the Bloodstained Parchment in hand, speak to Valeria and present it to her. She'll admit that the case isn't over and suggest the party visit her assistant, Devella Fountainhead. Valeria will then give the party a Lower City Pass that will get them through Wyrm's Rock Fortress.

Where To Find Devella In Baldur's Gate 3

Devella is currently investigating another crime scene: the death of Duke Stelmane in the Elfsong Tavern. From where players enter the Lower City by Basilisk Gate, the Elfsong is a short distance to the west. The Flaming Fist has cordoned off the upper floor of the tavern thanks to the murder, but they'll let the party through if players say Valeria sent them.

Devella believes the cult of Bhaal is back in Baldur's Gate, and so she'll be happy to see the Bloodstained Parchment if players show it to her. However, she'll tell the party she has to prioritize the nobles in the Upper City, and it's up to the party to find and warn the targets in the Lower City. Ultimately, talking to Devella in the Elfsong Tavern will have no real impact on either branch of this quest.

How To Find The Serial Killer In Baldur's Gate 3

When players check the map in Baldur's Gate (before or after speaking to Devella), they'll see several objective markers that point to targets on the Bloodstained Parchment. There are three types of targets: those who are already dead, those who are out living their lives, and those whom the murderer is currently targeting.

The targets who are already dead are Alexander Rainforest and Franc Peartree. Both targets were killed in their own homes, and the scenes of their deaths have nothing to contribute to this quest. However, players can poke around their homes to find parts of Dribbles the Clown and the reasons why the Cult of Bhaal chose them as targets. Franc was smuggling weapons for Gortash, and Alexander was investigating the building the cult is using as a front.

However, both Alexander and Franc also provide alternate ways to start "Investigate the Murders." The same Bloodstained Parchment appears in both their homes, and any copy of it will begin the quest. Players can also get a description of the killer from a rat in Alexander's house if a party member can speak to animals. Alexander's house is a locked two-story home north of the Counting House, and Franc's house is just south of Feolgyr's Fireworks.

Players can visit and warn Nesha Leesha, Chef Roveer, and Figaro Pennygood. Of the three, only Nesha takes the warning seriously, and none of these visits make any difference to the quest. Instead, these characters are more useful for the other branch of this quest. If players want to stop the serial killer, the person they must speak to is Cora Highberry.

How To Stop The Serial Killer In Baldur's Gate 3

Cora is currently enjoying a wine-tasting party on the patio by her home, accompanied by her husband and Dolor Meztli, her guest of honor and the supplier of all the wine. Players can warn Cora immediately, try some of the wine, or stand back and watch.

If the party does nothing, the paralysis poison in the wine will kick in on Cora and her husband, and Dolor will stab her dead and escape. If the speaker warns Cora, Dolor will get angry at the party for "spoiling the purity of the kill" and attack. Specifically, several doppelgängers who look like Dolor will attack while the real one escapes. Still, Cora should survive the fight. If the speaker drinks the wine, Dolor will kill Cora, the speaker will become paralyzed, and the doppelgängers will attack the party.

Dolor is working his way straight down the list, so the next person players should visit is Figaro. A cutscene will play when the party enters the back rooms of Figaro's clothing store, and this cutscene is exactly the same regardless of whether players warned Figaro ahead of time or spoke to Devella.

Players can take advantage of Dolor's monologuing to Sneak into a better position, but this also gives Dolor the time he needs to finish off Figaro. Players who want to save Figaro's life should announce themselves immediately. Either way, Dolor, and around half a dozen more doppelgängers will attack the party. Some of them will focus on a paralyzed Devella, so players should send a party member over to draw their attacks if they want Devella to live.

After the fight, Devella will thank the party and introduce herself if she hadn't met them earlier. She'll then suggest searching Dolor's body for any instructions he received from the Cult of Bhaal, along with the bag of hands he's carrying. Dolor also has several useful magical items, including a dagger named after himself. If Figaro is alive, he'll offer the party a discount on his clothing.

How To Kill For The Cult Of Bhaal In Baldur's Gate 3

The other branch of the quest has the party ignore the serial killer and instead gather a few victims' hands themselves. This is how Nesha Leesha and Chef Roveer become important, and players can also target Figaro Pennygood by getting to him while Dolor is still with Cora.

All three potential victims are in fairly public locations, so players will need to create their own opportunities to kill them and get away with it. A good spell combination is Silence and Darkness: casting both spells on the same area will prevent anyone from seeing or hearing the murder, and the party can be long gone by the time the spells end, and people see the body. Players can also choose one party member to be the assassin, cast Greater Invisibility on them, and have them go in alone to kill the target.

Another option is to tell the victim that the party is here to kill them. This causes them to attack the party, along with nearby NPCs who want to support them. Curiously, this tactic won't get the party in trouble with the Flaming Fist, since the party technically doesn't start the fight.

However, it happens, as soon as the target dies and the party gets their severed hand from their body, someone named Olfaith Olumssdottir will approach the party and congratulate them. Olfaith will ask the party to kill one more target from the list, and after that, they'll approach the party again and tell them to go to Candulhallow's Tombstones. This business is just east of the cemetery on the northern edge of town.

Where To Find The Secret Entrance In Candulhallow's Tombstones

Whether players get the instructions from Olfaith or Dolor's corpse, the two paths of this quest converge in Candulhallow's Tombstones. Players should enter the building, head to the office on the far side, and either take or move the painting on the wall to reveal a button. Press this button to move a shelf on the opposite wall and reveal a door.

Players can roll a History or Investigation check to learn more about the symbol on the door, but the only way to make it open is to know the password, "Sicarius." The only way to get this password is to kill two people for Olfaith or to read the Dirge of the Unholy Assassin on Dolor's body.

The Murder Tribunal In Baldur's Gate 3

The first thing players will see past the door is a sign that says, "Flaming Fists This Way!" If the party follows the sign's advice, several grease-filled barrels will drop on them, and then a fire trap will set it all on fire.

Instead, head to the Tribunal Antechamber and speak to That Which Guards. Players can start a fight with the guards (and then with the tribunal), or they can present a hand to the guard. Presenting the hand will get the party in without a fight or any skill checks.

Next up is the Murder Tribunal, headed by none other than Sarevok, the villain of Baldur's Gate 1. Sarevok came back to life during the "Throne of Bhaal" expansion of Baldur's Gate 2, and players can ask him what he's been up to since the previous game. Players can also attack the Tribunal now, or they can continue with the ritual by presenting a hand.

If players took a hand from Dolor, they must pass a Deception check to convince Sarevok. The speaker has three options to choose from, but the DC is always 20. Impressing the Murder Tribunal is much easier if the party killed their targets.

If players pass this test, Sarevok will head over to a secret door on the south wall. Valeria is in this room, and Sarevok tells the party to kill her as the final test to become an Unholy Assassin. If players accept, combat will begin between the party and Valeria, and Valeria will go down quickly. Speak to Sarevok again to undergo a baptism of blood and gain the Amulet of Bhaal, which opens the door to the Temple of Bhaal in the Undercity.

Players can also refuse to kill Valeria, or they can attack Sarevok during the earlier trial. The party can still get the Amulet of Bhaal from Sarevok's body, and they can rescue Valeria by locating the secret door and using Sarevok's key to open it. Sarevok and the Murder Tribunal are a much tougher fight, especially since he gets four attacks per round as a level 16 Fighter. Of course, this also means players can take his armor, helmet, and sword as loot, plus Valeria counts as an ally for the "Gather Your Allies" quest.

If Sarevok dies, Orin will eventually realize what happened, and when she does, she'll kill the party member she's keeping hostage. The game isn't clear on how it keeps track of time for this quest, but players can perform a week of Long Rests without a problem so long as they head straight for the Temple of Bhaal. Players who choose to become Unholy Assassins don't have to worry about this timer, and they can earn Orin's favor by also defeating Gortash before entering the temple. Either way, the "Investigate the Murders" quest ends here.

Baldur's Gate 3

Franchise

Baldur's Gate

Platform(s)

PC , Stadia , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

Genre(s)

RPG