Neverwinter Nights Game Guides

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Introduction

Neverwinter Nights is a massive game, with hundreds of characters to speak with, places to visit, and things to do. This guide will lead you to every important (and not so important) locale, tell you whom to talk to for information, and point out the location of every quest-related object in the game. You'll get statistics for bosses and major enemies, as well as general exploration and combat tips. From your Academy graduation to the final showdown, if you have questions about the Neverwinter Nights single-player game, you'll find the answers here.

Inside you'll find:
Detailed guides for every chapter
Complete walk-throughs for every secondary quest
General combat, exploration, and leveling strategies
Maps for every town, crypt, cave, and dungeon in the game

General Strategies
The Neverwinter Nights manual is full of good information. It is highly recommended that you read it. The spells, feats, and skills, as well as character races and classes, are described in detail, and it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with that information.
Planning for a Strong Character
One of the major reasons you should familiarize yourself with the information in the manual is that a good character is planned from the beginning. The 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules remove most restrictions on the classes you can choose, which gives you a great deal of freedom to make a bad character.

A good character is built from the creation screen up.
For instance, a half-orc or dwarf sorcerer is going to be crippled from the beginning because both races have an inherent charisma penalty, and a sorcerer's primary statistic is charisma. When creating a character, be sure to choose a race that will bolster the strengths of your chosen class. An elf monk, for example, will have a great dexterity bonus, but at the cost of some hit points.

Multiclassing is also a tricky issue. It may be tempting to take a rogue level to get some extra points in the open lock skill or to take a fighter level to get all of the weapon and armor proficiencies for free. But this may severely hinder your experience gain if you haven't planned ahead. Be sure you plan your character's progress from the beginning if you want to maximize his or her potential.

If you feel you've made a poor choice and you're already well into the game, don't worry. There are plenty of magic items to be found that will offset your weaknesses and enhance your strengths.

Balance vs. Focus
As you acquire magic items, you'll have to make some decisions: Should you try to bolster all of your statistics to decent levels, or should you focus on bolstering one or two statistics to superhuman levels? The answer, usually, is the latter.

A fighter with a high strength is exponentially better than a fighter with a good strength and a good charisma. A spellcaster with a high primary statistic will learn more spells, memorize more spells, and will get to cast higher-level spells. Multiclass characters may want to try to keep their stats a bit more balanced, but other characters will want to try to drive those primary stats through the roof.

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A Little Tab'll Clue Ya
Lastly, if you're having trouble seeing things--whether it be loot on the ground or enemies on the horizon--hit the Tab key. It will highlight anything you can use, talk to, pick up, or attack.
Feats and Skills
While the game has a wide variety of feats and skills to choose from, there are a few that are simply mandatory for certain classes.

Every character should put some points into disable trap. While you may not need it for chests, you will definitely want it for door and floor traps. If you have a decent intelligence, you'll generally have some extra skill points with each level. Throw them here and you won't be sorry.

Though most classes can open chests easily enough, you'll most likely want to put some points in disable trap.
Fighters have one skill that is absolutely mandatory: cleave. It lets you take a free attack on a nearby opponent if you deal a killing blow. Cleave will make groups of low-level monsters fall to the ground like dominoes.

Other good fighter feats include knockdown, improved, and critical. Power attack is good for fighting low-level creatures (as is the improved version. Characters with higher dexterity than strength (such as monks) should also take weapon finesse.

Rogues and rangers (and any character that prefers ranged weapons) should take point blank shot and rapid shot. For rogues, these feats combined with the class's sneak attack bonuses make for a very powerful ranged weapon fighter.

The spellcasters' metamagic feats aren't so cut and dried. The loss of a higher-level spell slot to make a low-level spell more powerful or faster may not be worth it to you. Spell focus, however, is a great choice, and you can choose it several times to apply to different schools.

Rogue Skills
It may seem daunting at the beginning: Your spellcaster doesn't have any thieving skills, and so you can't open the high-class chests to get the good loot. But you don't want to take Tomi as a henchman, because you need a decent tank.

Four locked chests, meet chain lightning.
There are plenty of ways to open a chest, and at higher levels a spellcaster is just as good as a rogue at opening and disarming chests. How? Direct damage spells. Not only will direct damage spells destroy chests easily, but they will also instantly disable any locks. Alternately, melee classes can bash them open, and no chest is a match for high strength and a good weapon.

XP and GP
Neverwinter Nights tells a great story over the course of its four chapters, but that's just a nice setting for the role-playing genre's bread and butter: experience points and treasure. The walk-through that follows hits all the major plot points and quest goals, but it assumes you will wander around and explore the environs. There is so much treasure to find and so many monsters to kill, be sure you check every corner of every house and cave for interesting items and encounters.
The Henchmen
Though Neverwinter Nights is a single-character game, you'll want to take a henchman along with you. There are good times for every one of the available hirelings, although a few of them are much better choices most of the time.

Fighters should take Tomi or Linu for the majority of their travels. Linu can heal you, which is obviously helpful, and Tomi can open the chests you won't be able to bash open at low level. Even better, the rogue sneak attack bonus will do great wonders while you're in the fray taking all the damage.

The rogues (and fighters and spellcasters) gallery.
Spellcasters should choose Daelan or Grimgnaw. They are both very powerful and will act as a sufficient damage sponge while you deal the pain from a safe distance. Moreover, many enhancement spells will make them even stronger. Cast Cat's Grace and Bull Strength on Grimgnaw and you can go loot chests while he clears out whole rooms. Mid- to high-level spellcasters won't need Tomi's rogue skills too often, because it's just so easy to open a chest with a fireball.

Rogues will also want Daelan or Grimgnaw, for the same reason a fighter would want Tomi. Let them get beat on while you sit back and do sneak attack damage with your bow.

Making a Party
Spellcasters have a significant advantage in one respect: They can actually create a party. With their ability to summon familiars coupled with the summoning spells, spellcasters can get a strong four-character party together with two summoned creatures and a henchman.

Casters like to party all the time.
Serve It up Hotkey
One of your strongest weapons in the game isn't your +3 double-bladed axe, and it isn't your maximized fireball. It's your hotkey bank. Put your most important skills in the main hotkey group, then put secondary skills on the Shift and Ctrl hotkeys. Cycle your hotkeys out frequently as you learn new spells and abilities. There's no point having Flame Arrow when you could have Weird, or having 10 Cure Light Wounds potions on your primary hotkey bank when you're 15th level and fighting a lich. Update your hotkeys frequently, and let unused skills and items retire to the radial menu with dignity.

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Prelude
The prelude will train you to play Neverwinter Nights. The first few rooms will serve as your tutorial. You'll learn how to use your inventory, move the camera, cast spells, and fight with ranged and melee weapons. The second part will be more active training, because the Academy gets invaded and you must rush to save the creatures that will be used to cure the Wailing Death.
Training Halls
A- Entrance and Shop Training
B- Map and Journal Training
C- Combat Training
D- Rogue Training
E- Druid and Cleric Training
F- Mage Training
G- To Graduation Chamber
H- To the Academy

After speaking with Pavel and his brother, Bim, head into the Training Halls. Visit the appropriate trainers for your character class. You can skip the basic interface tutorials, but you must complete your class training in order to proceed to the Graduation Chamber.

Kill the party crashers.
Graduation Chamber
When you enter the Graduation Chamber, speak to Aribeth, who will congratulate you on your commencement. While she is speaking, some mercenaries will teleport in and commence with the beatings. Help Aribeth and the students fight the interlopers, then talk to Aribeth. She will give you a key to the locked door in the Training Halls. Return there. After removing the goblins from the hallway, and from the other rooms if you wish, go through the east door into the Academy.

The Academy
A- To Training Halls
B- Pavel
C- Level Training
D- Mysterious Mage
E- To Stables

Go through the storage room and meet up with Pavel. He'll ask to join up with you, and you should let him. It'll teach you to travel with a henchman and will make the hallways ahead much easier to survive. The next friendly face you see will be Geldar, and he'll teach you how to level up. You'll gain a level when you talk to him.

Make your way through the halls, exploring the rooms for loot, if you want, and killing the skeletons and goblins in the hall. The mysterious mage, a 3rd-level wizard, will appear just before you reach the stables. With Pavel at your side, you should be able to kill him.

You'll be too late to save the creatures.
The Stables
Your final stop is the stables. You're too late to save the Waterdhavian creatures. Talk to Fenthick and Desther after all the goblins are dead. Exit the stables to begin Chapter One.

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Chapter One

Neverwinter City Core
In the first part of chapter one, you will explore the city center, meet your henchmen, gather supplies, and pick up secondary quests before venturing off into the four districts of Neverwinter.

A- Hall of Justice
B- Trade of Blades
C- Moonstone Mask
D- Many-Starred Cloak Guild Tower
E- The Great Tree
F- Shining Knight Arms and Armor
G- General Merchant
H- To Beggar's Nest
I- To Blacklake
J- To the Docks
K- To the Peninsula

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The Hall of Justice
A- To Sanitorium
B- Aribeth
C- Return Portal, Divining Pool, and Sergol
D- To Apse
E- Tomi Undergallows
F- To City Core

You'll begin Chapter One in the Hall of Justice, Neverwinter's Temple of Tyr and hospice for victims of the Wailing Death. Speak with Fenthick and Desther, then continue into the main chamber. Here, you'll immediately see Aribeth, who will give you your primary quest for this chapter, The Wailing and the Waterdhavians.

Aribeth will also serve as your free healer this chapter, so you'll be returning to this temple often. Nearby is Sergol, who can give you a brief tutorial about using the return portal and the stone of recall. In combination, these items will let you return at almost any time to unload goods or to heal and then return to your original location for a small fee.

Once you've spoken with Aribeth, head into the apse and talk to Oleff. If he doesn't automatically ask for your help, use your persuade skill to receive the Search for Never's Tomb quest. There is one tomb in each of the four outlying sectors of the city, and three of them contain artifacts you can return to Oleff for a reward. You'll need to visit the excavation site in the peninsula to access the three other tombs.

Before leaving the Hall of Justice, talk to Tomi Undergallows near the front door. He's one of the available henchmen for this level and your go-to guy if you lack thieving skills. There are other henchmen available in the city proper.

Speak with Aribeth to start the main quest for Chapter One.
City Core
As you leave the Hall of Justice, Bethany will approach you. She'll tell you about the prison break in the peninsula. You'll be going there soon enough, but first you need to find a henchman, buy some supplies, and pick up some more secondary quests. Your first stop is the Trade of Blades.

Trade of Blades
A- To City Core
B- Boddyknock Glinckle
C- Linu La'Neral
D- Grimgnaw
E- Sharwyn
F- Daelan Redtiger
G- Graxx

There are five henchmen available in the Trade of Blades. Linu La'Neral is a healer, Sharwyn is a bard, Daelan Redtiger is a barbarian, Grimgnaw is a monk, and Boddyknock Glinckle is a sorcerer. Choose a henchman that complements your own abilities--if you're a spellcaster or a rogue, for instance, you'll want Daelan or Grimgnaw to keep enemies preoccupied in melee combat. Each henchman also has a personal quest, which will stretch over the first three chapters of the game. Talk to them as you gain levels, and they'll tell you more of their story. See the next page for details.

Before leaving the Trade of Blades, talk to Graxx to get the gauntlet key. If you aren't a melee class, you'll need to persuade him. Once you're done here, it's on to the Moonstone Mask.

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Henchmen Quests
Each henchman has a personal quest. These quests carry over from chapter to chapter, but you must solve each part in order to access the following chapter's quest. The quest is told as a story, and once you've gained two levels you can hear the whole thing (they will stop at parts, but just ask them to continue and they will).
Tomi Undergallows
Tomi needs some official documents. You'll find them in Thomas Wheelwright's Wagon Repair, located in the southeast corner of Beggar's Nest. Give them to Tomi to receive the Ring of the Rogue +1, which adds +1 bonuses to your dexterity, as well as your open-locks and disable-traps skills.

Boddyknock Glinckle
Find the leaven bread recipe in Siril's Bakery, located in the western part of Beggar's Nest. Boddyknock will give you the Lantanese Ring +1 as a reward. This ring gives you a +1 charisma bonus and includes a +1 regeneration bonus--a great item for sorcerers.

Linu La'Neral
Give her the Silver Chalice of Moonbow recovered from Meldanen's Estate in Blacklake, and she'll reward you with a Pendant of the Elf +1, which gives you darkvision and adds +1 to your dexterity.

Grimgnaw
The iron ring that Grimgnaw seeks may be the hardest to find, only because it's not in an area you're likely to explore on your own. It's in an abandoned house in the northwest corner of no-man's-land, the small, abandoned area between the City Core and Blacklake. Give him the ring, and he'll give you the Amulet of the Long Death +1, which boosts your constitution.

Sharwyn
The celestial elixir that Sharwyn seeks is located in the Tanglebrook Estate in the peninsula. The Belt of the Performer +1 adds a +1 bonus to your charisma, as well as to your perform and persuade skills.

Daelan Redtiger
You'll find the brooch Daelan seeks in a chest on a boat in the docks. Daelan's reward, the Amulet of the Red Tiger Tribe +1, adds +1 to your strength and makes you immune to fear.

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The Moonstone Mask
A- To City Core
B- Ophala
C- Gilles
D- Stairs to second floor

Ophala, who can be found standing in the center of the ground floor, runs this brothel. If you're a rogue, speak with her to get the Art Theft quest. Other classes can get this quest with a successful persuade skill check. Ophala needs three objects from you: the portrait of Sir Reginald Rumbottom III from the Rumbottom Estate in Blacklake, the gilded urn from the Hodge Estate in Blacklake, and the gaudy statuette from the Androd Estate in the docks.

If you want to visit upstairs, you'll need a clean bill of health. Talk to Ophala to get a letter, which you will need to take to Oleff at the Hall of Justice. When you return with Oleff's writ, you'll need to get a pass coin (for 200 gold) from Torgo, the Moonstone Mask's resident merchant.

Upstairs, you won't find much to do. On the third floor, you can help Tamora rid herself of an undesirable customer. Talk to her about her problem, and she'll give you a brooch to show to Hoff, an unsavory character who hangs out in the docks.

The only other person of interest in the Moonstone Mask is Gilles. If you have a letter from Oleff regarding the Never Tomb quest, Gilles will offer you more gold for the artifacts you uncover. He does pay more, and evil characters will want to consider his offer. Good characters will want to demand Jacob's quill from him and return it to Oleff for a small reward. Taking the quill will cause Gilles to depart.

Many-Starred Cloak Guild Tower
If you're a spellcaster, you can get the Cloaktower Membership quest from Eltoora (other classes will not be able to persuade her). This quest requires you to visit four locked wizard labs and retrieve four items--rare earth clay, a flask of water, a puff of fog, and kindling wood. There is one lab in each of the four districts, and Eltoora will also tell you to note the order of the items.

This is good advice, because once you have all four items you'll need to step into the back room to face her minogon guardian. You won't have to defeat it through brute force. Just pick up the four wands and cast them on the minogon in the order the items were listed. Get the Stoneskin from the pile of stones, Slow from the divining pool, Color Spray from the alchemist's apparatus, and Burning Hands from the pile of wood. When you cast the final spell, the minogon will be defeated, and you'll receive the Many-Starred Cloak, which has an AC +2 bonus and makes you immune to sneak attacks.

The Great Tree
Talk to Nyatar near the Great Tree. In addition to being a merchant, Nyatar will give you the Animal Rescue quest to free the animals in the Blacklake Zoo. If you aren't a druid or a ranger, you can persuade him. He'll give you a copy of the zoo key if you accept the quest.

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General Merchant
In addition to some low-level starting supplies, this street merchant has maps for every district. Buying and examining them will fill in your minimaps and make exploring the districts a bit easier. Don't buy the docks map; you'll get a map for that area easily enough.
Shining Knight Arms and Armor
Talk to Durga in the front room and look at his inventory if you need armor or weapons. Be sure to ask him about special items. If you can persuade him, he'll give you a key to the back room. There you'll find Marrok, who will forge custom items if you bring him the necessary ingredients. Ask him about the different types of items he can make, and he'll give you Recipes of the Forge, a book that lists the items and the ingredients he needs.

Recipes of the Forge
Here's what Marrok can make and the necessary items.

Armor and Axes:

Marrok can forge this shimmering chromatic breastplate.
Chromatic Breastplate: Diamond and a suit of magical armor with AC 6.
Scales of Truth: Special holy water and a suit of magical armor with total AC:5.
Leather Whitebone Armor: Gargoyle skull and a suit of magic armor with AC 3.
Sentinel: Adamantite and a magic battle axe.
Double Axe of the Tall Kin: Adamantite and a magic double axe.
Stonefire Great Axe: Adamantite and a magic great axe.
Ice Reaver Hand Axe: Dragon blood and a magic hand axe.

Blunt Weapons:
Gladiator Club: Ironwood and a magic club.
Ironwood Mace: Ironwood and a magic dire mace.
Reaver Heavy Flail: Dragon blood and a magic heavy flail.
Storm Light Hammer: Diamond and a magic light hammer.
Foundation Light Flail: Ironwood and a magic light flail.
Mace of Disruption: Special holy water and a magic mace.
Drone Morning Star: Fairy dust and a magic morning star.
Rune Hammer: Adamantite and a magic war hammer.

The fire-damage-dealing Desert Wind scimitar.
Swords:
Harbinger Kin Greatsword: Adamantite and a magic greatsword.
Sword Saint Katana: Adamantite and a magic katana.
Astral Blade Longsword: Diamond and a magic longsword.
Namarra Rapier: Dragon blood and a magic rapier.
Desert Wind Scimitar: Adamantite and a magic scimitar.
Feyduster Short Sword: Fairy dust and a magic short sword.
Uthgardt Ceremonial Two-Bladed Sword: Ironwood and a magic two-bladed sword.

Other Weapons:
Ravager Halberd: Dragon blood and a magic halberd.
Sea Reaver Scythe: Adamantite and a magic scythe.
Fey Spear: Fairy dust and a magic spear.
Golden Sickle: Special holy water and a magic sickle.

Once you have the secondary quests in your journal and supplies in your pack, it's time to start exploring the dangerous outlying districts.

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The Peninsula
Here you will need to explore the prison, which has been overrun by escaped convicts. There are two ways into the prison, and each is dangerous. In the peninsula, you will also be able to complete a section of the Cloaktower Membership quest and get started on the Search for Never's Tomb quest.
A- To City Core
B- Militia HQ and merchants
C- Tanglebrook Estate
D- Sewer entrance
E- Prison entrance
F- Master Johns
G- Ms. Dulcimae
H- Never's Tomb Excavation Site
I- Arcane Laboratory
J- Prison Barracks
K- Mizzenmast Mercantile

Peninsula Main Gate
Talk to Gate Captain Kipp to learn about the prison break quest. He'll tell you to see Sedos Sebile at the Military Headquarters, located in the southeast of the peninsula.
Once you get past the safety of the guards, you'll be set upon by gangs of escaped prisoners. You'll also find a few unlit plague-victim pyres throughout the neighborhood. Equip your torch and set them on fire for a bit of experience.

Master Johns and Ms. Dulcimae
These two citizens are trapped in the streets and need your help getting to the gate. Escort them for some meager experience points. Be sure to talk to Master Johns before doing so--he has some interesting information about the Tanglebrook Estate, which is one of the possible entrances to the prison proper.

Arcane Laboratory
Near Ms. Dulcimae, in the northeast corner, is a locked building marked with a sundial. If you've accepted the Cloaktower Membership quest, you'll have the key for the door. Inside, you'll find the rare earth clay in a pile of stones.

Never's Tomb Excavation Site
Talk to Briley to learn about the excavation site. If you have the letter from Oleff, you can take the ceremonial arrow, ceremonial shield, and ceremonial sword from the nearby chest. These items will serve as keys to the other three tombs. You'll also find the Halueth dig logbook, which describes where to find the other tombs and describes the riddles that unlock them.

Militia HQ
Once you've visited all the other locations of interest, talk to Sedos Sebile in the militia headquarters. She'll ask you to find a way into the prison. She'll give you one lead: A gang of prisoners has been leading raids from the sewers and may hold a key to the prison's front door.

Near the headquarters is the Mizzenmast Mercantile, where you can stock up on supplies if you need anything. There is also a Priest of Helm nearby. Seems like these guys are everywhere and really aren't much help.

The Prison
Before you head into the prison itself, you'll want to quickly explore the prison barracks, located to the west of the large prison building. There isn't much here, but you can pick up some experience points and some loot.

There are two ways into the prison. You'll need a key to get in the front doors, but there is also an alternate, and more interesting, means of entrance into the Tanglebrook Estate. The latter path will give you some cryptic background about the problems in the prison, as well as an item needed for a henchman quest.

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Entering the Prison
Of the two ways of entering the prison, the quickest (though not necessarily the easiest) can be found by entering the sewers.
The Sewers

Ambushed near the sewer entrance.
The sewer entrance is just to the south of the prison. Inside, you'll face a gang leader (2nd-level fighter/5th-level rogue), who will be pretty tough if this is the first area you've visited. Even if you plan on entering through the Tanglebrook Estate, you may want to visit the sewers to get the experience points. Kill the gang leader and search his body for the prison key. Now you can just stroll into the prison through the front doors.

The Tanglebrook Estate
A- To Peninsula
B- Bedroom
C- Library
D- To Tanglebrook Tunnels

If you talked to Master Johns, you'll know that the key to this estate is under the welcome mat. And if you didn't talk to Master Johns, you know it now. Pick up the mat and get the key.

In the foyer, you can find some loot in the nearby containers. You'll want to open the door to the bedroom--inside you'll find Lady Tanglebrook's journal, which describes a noise she heard coming from the tunnels beneath her house. These tunnels connect directly to the prison, which is convenient, to say the least. It'll be a while until you discover the source of the noise, but here's a clue: It wasn't rats.

In the hallway at the east end of the house, you'll encounter two stinkbugs. These will emit Stinking Cloud, which can temporarily stun you and your henchman. Try to deal with them from a distance, if possible.

The Tanglebrook Tunnels will lead you to the prison.
Disarm the trap on the library door. Inside you'll find a chest containing the celestial elixir needed for Sharwyn's henchman quest.

Next, it's time to explore the tunnel. You'll find an enormous chessboard, and you'll want to enter detect mode to cross it because it's covered with traps. Examine the body of Lady Tanglebrook and pick up the +1 two-bladed sword at her side. Check the chests for loot, then continue to the door to the prison.

Prison: Main Floor
A- Main Entrance
B- Entrance from Tanglebrook Tunnels
C- Prison Office
D- South Wing Lever
E- North Wing Lever
F- Former Guard
G- Gang Leader
H- Stairs to Containment Level

Whichever way you enter the prison, you'll want to enter the prison office first and read the prison logbook, which contains some information about the rebellion and Captain Alaefin's role. You'll also want to flip the switches for the north and south wings, which will open the cells and allow you to loot the contents.

In the north wing, you'll find a former guard. He'll give you some more information and then flee for the main doors.

The large wing to the west is crawling with convicts, so try to take them out slowly from the adjacent hallways. There's a gang leader (2nd-level rogue/5th-level fighter) blocking the stairs down to the next level, and you don't want to face him and a dozen prisoners at the same time. Once the coast is clear, go downstairs.

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Prison: Containment Level
A- Stairs to Main Floor
B- Lockdowns
C- Storage Rooms
D- Escaped Sorcerer/Stairs Lever
E- Stairs to Pits

This is a pretty straightforward level, but there are plenty of enemies. If you need a place to rest in safety, get into one of the lockdowns and shut the door with the lever.

After descending from the main floor, you'll be met by Emernik. He'll lead you into a lockdown. Use the lever to close the door, and he'll tell you more about the prison. Explore everything and clear out the hallways.

In the main central chamber, you'll face a number of enemies, including an escaped sorcerer (5th level). He will throw fireballs like crazy, so try to target him first. Better yet, lure his fellow inmates into the halls and pick them off in smaller groups. Once he's dead, use the lever in the room to open the east door. This leads down to the pits.

Prison: Pits
A- Stairs to Containment Level
B- Storage rooms
C- Locked hallway
D- Kurdan
E- Stairs to Lair of the Devourer

This is the most dangerous level of the prison, and it's full of convicts and traps. Proceed carefully. There are two paths to the locked hallway. On the west path, you'll face an escaped sorcerer (5th level) and find two fairly well-stocked storage rooms. On the north path, you'll fight another gang leader (2nd-level fighter/5th-level rogue). You can choose either, but you might want to explore both routes and rack up the experience points.

Whichever way you choose, you'll need to pull the nearby levers once you get to the doors leading to the locked hallway. Disable or avoid the trap in the hallway, then disable the trap on the western door. Beyond this door awaits Kurdan, formerly king of the pits and currently Captain Alaefin's right-hand half-orc. Kurdan is a tough 8th-level barbarian. Don't be afraid to use the stone of recall if you're getting clobbered.

Kurdan guards the stairs to the final battle.
Once Kurdan takes enough damage, he'll surrender and tell you what he knows. Once he's said his spiel, you can kill him or let him go. Search the nearby chests, and read the head gaoler's journal found in the book pile. Rest up if you need to, then head down into the Lair of the Devourer.

Prison: Lair of the Devourer
As soon as you descend the stairs, it's on! When you kill the head gaoler (6th-level fighter), something strange will happen: A creature will jump out and quickly take over one of the nearby guards. Your best bet is to talk with the guards and persuade them to leave before this happens (this will also give you some experience points and shift your alignment toward good). Once there are no more fresh bodies, you'll face the intellect devourer directly. It has very good damage reduction and a fair amount of hit points, so be prepared for a long fight unless you can deal great amounts of damage at once.

Head gaoler Alaefin.
Once the devourer is dead, pick up its brain (which may be hard to see--use Tab to find it more easily), then return to Sedos Sebile for your reward. You may be ambushed by assassins outside of the prison. If so, search their bodies for a note and take it to Fenthick at the Hall of Justice Sanitorium. Finally, take the devourer's brain to Aribeth.

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The Docks
Thieves and pirates have overrun the docks. A band of pirates called the Bloodsailors is running things, and you'll soon find out that all the looting and mayhem is directly tied to your primary quest. There are plenty of other quests here--a few side quests, an item for Ophala's Art Theft quest, one of the sites for the Search for Never's Tomb quest, and an arcane laboratory for the Cloaktower Membership quest. There are also some shops with good equipment--if you can find the local currency, that is.
A- To City Core
B- Bloodsailor Ship
C- Callik's House
D- Seedy Tavern
E- Silver Sails Trading Company
F- Hemmel Masterson
G- Bloodsailor's Aqueducts Entrance
H- The Androd Estate
I- Arcane Laboratory
J- The Golden Apple
K- Twenty in a Quiver
L- Seedy Tavern Side Door
M- Hoff

Docks Main Gate
When you enter the docks, a shady character will start following you around. Talk to him to find out why he's hounding you. He's a thief, looking for a mark, but he's easily scared off. You can pry some information from him about the Bloodsailors and an auction being held in the Seedy Tavern--an auction for a plague cure. Threaten him and he'll drop his auction notice, with a map for the docks conveniently printed on the back.
Hemmel Masterson
Talk to Hemmel Masterson, who traded an amulet to Callik in exchange for safe passage out of Neverwinter. Callik absconded with Masterson's amulet, a family heirloom that possibly has "other uses," and he would like it back.

Twenty in a Quiver
Jerrol has some good general merchandise for sale (plenty of +1 weapons and armor) and can tell you where to buy even better items if you have some smugglers' coins. These coins are found throughout the area, and Jerrol will sell you some if you need more.

Smugglers' Coins
Some surefire locations for smugglers' coins are the second floor of Callik's house, the storeroom behind Callik's house, and Gilda at the Golden Apple. As mentioned above, you can also buy them from Jerrol at Twenty in a Quiver, and you'll find them on the hostile muggers you encounter in the streets.

The Golden Apple
Gilda, the proprietor of this tavern, has a smuggler's coin in her possession. You can obtain it if you make a successful persuade check, or if that doesn't work, you can threaten her for it.

Hoff
If you agreed to help Tamora at the Moonstone Mask, you can find Hoff standing near the northernmost dock. Show him the brooch, and either threaten him to stay away from her, or just attack him to issue a permanent restraining order. Return to Tamora for your meager reward.

The Androd Estate
A- To the Docks
B- Androd's Room

The Androd Estate holds the gaudy statuette needed for Ophala's Art Theft quest. Make a beeline for Androd's room, and he'll tell you everything. In the cabinet behind him, you'll find the statuette and a key that opens every chest in his house.

Arcane Laboratory
On the west side of the docks, you'll find another arcane laboratory. Use Eltoora's key to enter, then take the flask of water from the diving pool.

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Bloodsailor Ship
This ship is guarded by a small group of pirates. Kill them, and then loot their bodies. Their uniforms will help you gain entrance into the Seedy Tavern. Be sure to look in the chest on the deck of the ship itself--it contains the brooch for Daelan Redtiger's henchman quest.
Callik's House
Before entering the Tavern, explore the house located in the northwest of the district. Here you'll find a key that opens the Seedy Tavern's side door. You'll also find two smugglers' coins and the orders from Callik, the latter of which may come in handy later. The second floor is guarded by a Bloodsailor lieutenant (2nd-level wizard/5th-level monk).

Callik's Storeroom
A- To Docks
B- Trapped Hallway
C- Bloated Dire Spider

This area isn't necessary, but there's good experience and loot to be had. Follow the trapped hallway around to the big storeroom in the back. Kill the bloated dire spider (which won't be easy--it's 10th level) and loot the chests. Among some other decent items, you'll find two smugglers' coins.

The Seedy Tavern
A- To Docks
B- Jalek, Christov, and the Auctioneer
C- Chef
D- To Second Floor
E- To Hideout

There are two means of entry into the tavern: You can bribe the doorman or walk in for free by wearing a Bloodsailor uniform.

Once you're inside, talk to Jalek, who will challenge you to a drinking contest. Even if you lose, Christov will speak to you, give you some info about the pirates' power struggle, and give you a key to the downstairs hideout.

Drinking with Jalek.
Talk to the auctioneer while you're here--he's got some good stuff for sale if you have smugglers' coins. Even if you don't want any of his items, you may as well spend the coins--they aren't good anywhere else, and you can sell his goods for gold elsewhere.

If you go upstairs, you'll find a strange dwarf in a sauna who will give you some cryptic clues about the hideout below (including the password for the door). If you just want to start exploring the hideout, talk to the chef. He'll let you through if you have the password or if you can successfully persuade him. Use Christov's key and enter the hideout.

Bloodsailor Hideout
A- To Seedy Tavern
B- Bloodsailor Lieutenant
C- To Lower Level

The first level of the Bloodsailor's hideout is fairly straightforward. While there are plenty of enemies to kill and chests to loot, the real action is down below. Just follow the hallways around, kill the Bloodsailor lieutenant guarding the stairs (3rd-level rogue/3rd-level barbarian), and continue down.

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Bloodsailor Hideout, continued
A- To Upper Level
B- Dara'nei
C- To Docks

Dara'nei can give you the key to Vengaul's hideout.
On the second level, you will find Vengaul's significant other, Dara'nei. Kill her guards, then speak with her and promise you'll let Vengaul live, and she'll give you her locket. If she refuses to help you, don't worry: There is another way to find him. The door to the southwest will lead back to the docks, through the side entrance to the tavern.

The Silver Sails Trading Company
A- To Docks
B- To Second Floor
C- Locked Door
D- To Aqueducts

Dara'nei said that Vengaul would be found in the Silver Sails Trading Company or in the aqueducts. He isn't in either, but you'll have to go through both to find him. The Silver Sails is full of vermin (if you're in need of some dragon's blood, head upstairs and loot the chest). Fight your way back to the locked door--Dara'nei's locket is the key. Behind the door you'll face a 10th-level bloated dire spider (also nearby is a 5th-level sword spider--don't try to take them both at once). Once the room is clear, head down into the aqueducts.

Aqueducts
If you didn't get the locket from Dara'nei, you'll need to use the orders from Callik to enter the aqueducts via the Bloodsailor's entrance. It's just south of the Androd Estate. Whichever path you take, find Charon and speak with him. He will send you to the sewers.

Tomb
If you enter the aqueducts from the Silver Sails, you will find a locked door next to a chest. Open the chest to find a riddle: "Tooth of the forge." Place the ceremonial sword (from the peninsula excavation site) in the chest to open another tomb. Inside, you'll find a sarcophagus containing the Ancient Symbol of Tyr. Return the symbol to Oleff or Gilles for your reward.

The Sewers
The ferryman's boat will deposit you in the sewers, where Callik's men are about to engage Vengaul's men in battle. Callik is a 4th-level fighter/5th-level rogue, and his guards are 1st-level fighters/2nd-level rogues. When he's dead, talk to Vengaul. He'll tell you the cockatrice feather is in the nearby crate. If you decide to attack Vengaul, he'll leave and you'll have to fight his guards (both 6th-level fighters).

If you return to the street, you may be ambushed by assassins. If so, search their corpses for a note, which you should show to Fenthick. When you're finished in the docks, deliver the cockatrice feather to Aribeth at the Hall of Justice.

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Blacklake
The streets of Blacklake are safe, but you'll need to navigate the abandoned no-man's-land between it and the City Core. You'll find tensions run high as a powerful wizard named Meldanen hoards his grain supplies, causing a fear of starvation among the residents who have barricaded themselves from the city proper to avoid the plague. Blacklake contains locations for a number of ongoing quests: The Search for Never's Tomb, Cloaktower Membership, and two-thirds of Ophala's Art Theft quest. The zoo, the target of Nyatar's Animal Rescue quest, is located here as well.
A- To No-Man's-Land
B- Formosa
C- The Board Laid Bare Tavern
D- Milly's House
E- Meldanen's Estate
F- Meldanen's Warehouse
G- Blacklake Zoo
H- The Rumbottom Estate
I- The Hodge Estate
J- Arcane Laboratory
K- Tomb
L- Noblemen Estates

Blacklake Main Gate
When you head through the main gate, you won't be entering Blacklake proper. Instead, you'll be heading into no-man's-land--an abandoned street that was formerly the servants' neighborhood and now serves as a sort of treacherous airlock between the Neverwinter City Core and the upper-class Blacklake neighborhood.
No-Man's-Land
A- To City Core
B- Cendran
C- Loxar's Tower
D- Abandoned House
E- To Blacklake

Just north of the main gate, near the smoking pile of wreckage, you'll meet Cendran. He'll tell you a bit about no-man's-land and ask you to kill Loxar, a thuggish half-orc who has been terrorizing the area. You'll find Loxar in the remains of a tower located up the road. Loxar is a 10th-level fighter and has a rabid dog with him as well. Return Loxar's head to Cendran for a small number of experience points, then head toward the main gate.

You may be ambushed by assassins near the gate. If so, search their bodies for a note, and take it to Fenthick at the Hall of Justice Sanitorium. Before entering Blacklake, visit the abandoned house in the northwest corner--inside a desk you'll find the iron ring needed for Grimgnaw's quest.

The Board Laid Bare Tavern
There are two people to speak with here. First, talk to Thurin. He's the militia captain, and he'll ask you to search for Samuel, an inspector who has mysteriously disappeared. If you bought the gauntlet key from Graxx in the Trade of Blades, talk to the bartender to gain admittance to the gauntlet.

The Gauntlet
Talk to Kellisai when you're ready to begin battle, but you may want to do some recon on your opponents by talking to the spectators. You will face four opponents. The first is Hrusk, a 5th-level barbarian who uses a flaming hand axe. Next up is Fashi, a 6th-level monk. Your third opponent is Agar, a 6th-level half-orc fighter.

Your final opponent is Claudius, and the crowd (and other competitors) will warn you that he's invincible and probably not for copacetic reasons. Before the fight, talk to Kellisai and ask her to "keep the battle fair," and then use whatever means you can to make sure that she casts Dispel Magic on both of you (you can bribe or persuade her, and human characters can play the race card). If you beat Claudius, you'll receive the Gauntlet Championship Award and ownership of the tavern (which will earn you very little money during the short time you are in Neverwinter).

The Rumbottom Estate
A- To Blacklake
B- Long Hallway
C- Thoms Rumbottom

Before investigating Meldanen, finish up the ongoing quests in Blacklake. The first stop is Thoms Rumbottom's Estate. It won't be hard to talk your way past the guard. Once inside, make your way to the long hallway, patrolled by a noble guard (3rd-level fighter). You'll find Rumbottom in the central bedroom of the estate, accessible from the west wing. The coveted (by Ophala, at least) portrait of Sir Reginald Rumbottom III is in a nearby chest. The chests in his house are fairly high-class, so you may want to bring Tomi along, or be prepared to do some significant bashing or casting.

The Hodge Estate
A- To Blacklake
B- Kitchen
C- Study

Here you'll find another item for Ophala, a gilded urn. Talk your way past the guard and enter. The Hodge Estate is full of traps, so move around in detect mode. Hodge himself is long gone, as the cook in the kitchen will tell you, but luckily he didn't take all of his loot with him. You'll find the gilded urn (and a note for Ophala) in a chest in the study, located in the northwestern corner of the house.

The Blacklake Zoo
A- To Blacklake
B- Montgomery Weatherson's Room
C- To the Grove
D- The Pens

Nyatar wants the animals freed and gave you a key to help with the task. Pay the entrance fee and enter. Once you leave the public area you'll face a fair number of guards. You'll find Montgomery "Sureshot" Weatherson in the northwestern room. He's a 7th-level ranger with bow skills (including the point-blank shot feat) that earned him his nickname. Kill Montgomery, loot his room, and then head into the grove through the door at the west end of the north hallway.

The malevolent zookeeper gets his just deserts.
Use the Transport via Plants scroll from Nyatar on the tree. Go back into the zoo and into the central rooms. Here, you'll find the master of the pens, a 4th-level ranger. Kill him and pull the lever to open the cages. Make sure the path is free of guards, then tell all of the animals to head out into the grove. Go into the grove and talk to the animals; they'll step through the portal to freedom. Return to Nyatar at the Great Tree to receive your reward.

Arcane Laboratory
A lab for the Cloaktower Membership quest can be found near the western wall of the city. Enter with Eltoora's key, and take the puff of fog from the alchemist's apparatus.

Tomb
Outside the house in the southeast is a young girl named Punkin, who will tell you that something strange is going on in the house. Enter and speak with Telma, who will reluctantly tell you about her recent troubles. Examine the bookshelf and say "Halueth," which will open the passageway to the tomb. In the passageway, open the chest and read the riddle: "A splinter delivered in flight." Put the ceremonial arrow from the peninsula excavation site in the chest, and enter the tomb.

Inside, you'll face four invisible Swords of Never (8th-level fighters). Loot the sarcophagus for Halueth's rusted armor, which you can return to Oleff or Gilles for your reward.

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Formosa
Near the main gate, you'll see a small gathering of citizens listening to Formosa, a comely half-elf. Interrupt the girl and she'll tell you about Meldanen, a local resident who is hoarding grain, among his more frightening crimes. The part about collecting "magical abominations" may be a lead as well. Accept Formosa's quest to kill him and get his warehouse key--there are numerous resolutions to this story, but you won't need to decide on a course of action until you actually meet Meldanen.

Formosa leads the uprising against Meldanen.
Meldanen's Estate (Gate)
Now we start investigating Meldanen. There are two routes into his estate. The quickest is the front door, which you can access by killing his guards or by bribing Orrean (half-elves can get a discount on the bribe). There are cheaper and/or less violent means as well, and speaking with Orrean outside the estate will give you a vague clue that relates to Meldanen's love life.

Milly's House
Find Milly, the laundry woman who wanders around the northwestern area of the district. She'll tell you about her past relationship with Meldanen and that he set up a portal in her house presumably to make booty calls all the easier. She'll give you her key, and you'll find the portal behind the jeweled door in her house.

Meldanen's Estate
A- Portal from Milly's
B- Front door
C- Cells
D- To Meldanen's Sanctum
E- Alchemist's Laboratory

No matter how you get into the estate, you'll need to deal with Grommin, the 5th-level barbarian half-orc that guards the front door. You can convince him that you are a guest or provoke him to attack you. Past Grommin you'll find the prison cells, where Meldanen keeps his kidnapped victims. Samuel is here, and you can free him to complete the Samuel's Rescue quest from Thurin at the Board Laid Bare.

Before descending to the lower level, explore the lab (guarded by a 4th-level wizard) at the west end of the south hallway. It's stocked with some decent potions. Meldanen's apprentice, an 8th-level sorcerer, guards the stairs down.

Meldanen's Sanctum
A- To Meldanen's Estate
B- Imprisoned Dryad
C- Meldanen's Chamber

There are two paths through the sanctum, and both are well guarded and have decent loot. You'll also encounter another of Meldanen's apprentices (another 8th-level sorcerer). Speak to the dryad in the cell, and Meldanen will appear. Fight him until he surrenders, and you'll be given several choices. You can kill him, let him go (but take his tooth for Formosa), or agree to kill Formosa for a bigger reward. Be sure to get the warehouse key as part of the deal. Whichever route you take, free the dryad and she'll give you a lock of her hair.

Return to Formosa and give her the tooth and the key (or, if you're evil, kill her). She'll reward you and then be gone in 60 seconds to raid the tomblike warehouse, which you can explore once she's inside. Finally, deliver the dryad's lock of hair to Aribeth.

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Beggar's Nest
You've doubtlessly heard the complaints of the displaced citizens scattered around the city core: Beggar's Nest is teeming with undead. You might want to take Linu along to do some turning. There are a few secondary quests here, and you'll be able to complete sections of the Cloaktower Membership and Search for Never's Tomb quests. And if you're wondering what that big, unreachable building is in the northeast corner, it's your alma mater, the Neverwinter Academy.
A- To City Core
B- The Shining Serpent
C- Jemanie and Torin's House
D- Snake Cult Estate
E- Krestal's House
F- Warehouse
G- Aldo and Mattily
H- Thomas Wheelwright Wagon Repair
I- Temple of Helm
J- Marcus' Body
K- Siril's Bakery
L- Arcane Laboratory
M- To Great Graveyard

Beggar's Nest Main Gate
Talk to Gate Captain Ergus. A militia member named Walters has gone missing, and he wants you to find him. Accept the quest, and then fight your way through the undead hordes to The Shining Serpent.
The Shining Serpent
Find Harben Ashensmith and he'll provide you with some background information about the undead infestation. He'll give you some leads, including some strange rumors about the Sword Coast Boys, a local gang (or considering their name, boy band), and about a mysterious cult working in the area. Speak to Drake and he'll tell you about some local citizens who may need your help--Jemanie and Krestal.

Temple of Helm
Before you start digging into the undead problem, finish a few of the local secondary quests. First, stop by the Temple of Helm and speak with Bertrand. He'll tell you about his missing brother, Marcus. Sadly, you won't be able to bring him good news. You'll find Marcus' body to the north, just in front of the gates to the Great Graveyard. Return Marcus' journal and penhold staff to Bertrand when you give him the tragic news, otherwise there's a good chance he won't believe, or reward, you.

Thomas Wheelwright Wagon Repair
Before you enter the wagon repair shop, speak with Aldo and Mattily near the broken wagon in the center of Beggar's Nest. You'll want to clear a path through the undead between them and Thomas Wheelwright's shop. Enter the shop and speak with Hector. He'll follow you back to Aldo, and they'll escape to safety. And if you're curious as to why there aren't any wagon parts in a wagon repair shop, it's because the joint is a front for Tomi's friend Belman. Check the bookshelf in the back and you'll find the forged official document needed for Tomi's henchman quest.

Siril's Bakery
Zombies have invaded this bakery, possibly because they misheard someone talking about the delicious brain muffins. Kill them and search Siril's body for the leaven bread recipe. Give this to Boddyknock once he's told you his story to complete his henchman quest.

Arcane Laboratory
In the northwest corner you'll find a locked building marked with a sundial. If you've accepted the Cloaktower Membership quest, you'll have the key for the door. Inside, you'll find the kindling wood in the woodpile.

The Great Graveyard
One thing is certain: The undead are originating from the graveyard to the north. Unfortunately, the gates are locked. But there is a way in. In fact, there are two ways in. One will take you through the warehouse, following the Sword Coast Boys quest. The other will take you through the Snake Cult Estate, searching for Jemanie's lost brother. Both will lead you directly to the undead base of operations.

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Entering the Great Graveyard
Getting to the graveyard isn't easy. There are two routes, with the Snake Cult Estate being the easier and quicker of the two. You may want to explore both routes, though, because you'll get some good loot and experience points. And if you want to finish the Missing Guard quest to find Walters, you'll need to explore the warehouse. The Missing Brother quest, given to you by Jemanie, can be completed through either route.
Jemanie's House
Your first stop should be Jemanie's house, located in the central western part of Beggar's Nest. Jemanie is concerned about his brother, Torin, who has fallen in with a strange cult headquartered in a house to the north. One interesting bit of information: The undead completely avoid the house in question. Jemanie will give you the estate wardstone to get through the force field blocking the door.

The Snake Cult Estate
A- To Beggar's Nest
B- Summoning Chamber
C- Snake Cult Leader
D- Stairs to Crypt

You'll face a few cultists as you enter this house and a few more in the summoning chamber. Don't worry if they finish the ritual--their summoned creature is just a 1st-level imp. In the next room is the Snake Cult leader, a level-6 cleric. After the leader is dead, go down the stairs into the crypt.

Krestal's House
Go upstairs to talk to Krestal. He will tell you about his former gang, the chart-topping Sword Coast Boys, and how the leader, Drawl, made a strange deal that turned many of the gang into the undead. He'll also mention Walters, the missing guard and apparently a former Sword Coast Boy, and tell you that Drawl and his undead are in the warehouse.

The Warehouse
The first level of the warehouse shouldn't be much of a problem--just three rooms of old-fashioned zombie killing. It's the lower level that's a bit of a challenge.

A- Stairs to Upper Level
B- Drawl
C- Walters
D- Stairs to Crypt

If you don't have Linu with you or have some turning ability of your own, you'll wish you did. There are so many zombies in this warehouse you'll think they're being exported. Make your way through the long hallway until you reach Drawl's room. You'll overhear a brief conversation between Drawl and Walters, and Drawl will mention someone named Gulnan. Enter the room and be ready for a fairly challenging fight with the 8th-level Drawl.

After you kill Drawl, talk to Walters. He'll head back to the main gate, and you can venture down into the crypt.

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The Crypt
A- Stairs to Warehouse
B- Stairs to Snake Cult Estate
C- Dire Spider Lair
D- To Great Graveyard

Both passageways to the central chamber have a fair number of monsters--beetles and cultists occupy the west side, zombies and shadows the east side. The central chamber is home to a powerful dire spider, and its venom can be a problem. You may want to pay Aribeth a quick visit if you get infected. Once the spider is gone, head out of the crypt and into the graveyard.

The Great Graveyard
A- To Crypt
B- Tomb
C- Warrens of the Damned
D- To Beggar's Nest

What's so great about a bunch of zombies? Regardless of whether or not you are disappointed by the reported greatness here, there are a few areas of interest in the graveyard.

Tomb
Those doing the Search for Never's Tomb quest will want to open the chest near the tomb to the west. There you'll find a riddle: "A wall at arm's length." Put the ceremonial shield from the peninsula tomb in the chest, and the door will open. Inside the tomb, open the sarcophagus to find the Ancient Chronicles of Halueth Never. Return the book to Oleff (or Gilles) for your reward.

Warrens of the Damned
A- To Great Graveyard
B- Torin's Body
C- Store room
D- Jared
E- Gulnan's Chamber

Follow the passage to the east, and unlock the door in the far chamber. There you'll find the corpse of Torin, Jemanie's lost brother, who has passed to the other side. Search the body for an ancient key and Torin's ring.

You can find this same key in the room in the northwest corner. Here, you'll also find Gulnan's journal in a cabinet. If you haven't guessed by now, Gulnan is the Yuan-Ti necromancer needed for the main quest. Before you face her, you may want to check the small prison at the west of the warren, where you talk with the Snake Cult leader, Jared. He won't tell you much, and you can let him go or just let him sit there.

Shattering the undead generator.
Now, it's into the main chamber. Gulnan is a level-12 cleric who will cast some pretty serious direct-damage spells. You can halt the tides of undead guarding her by destroying the pedestal in the western section of the chamber (as alluded to in her journal). When Gulnan is dead, take the Yuan-Ti heart (as well as some good items) from her corpse.

Return to Jemanie to deliver Torin's ring and its accompanying bad news (you'll get to keep the ring, which is worth a bit of gold). Then visit Harben to get your reward for stopping the undead. You may be ambushed by assassins near the Shining Serpent. If so, search their bodies for a note, and take it to Fenthick at the Hall of Justice Sanitorium. Finally, teleport to the Hall of Justice and deliver the heart to Aribeth.

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The Plague Cure
After you've returned all four of the necessary ingredients--the devourer brain, the cockatrice feather, the lock of dryad hair, and the Yuan-Ti's heart--to Aribeth, the priests of Tyr will be ready to create the plague cure. You'll have an opportunity to finish up any last-minute duties, so buy anything you need and finish up any unfinished quests. When you're ready, proceed to the Ritual Chamber. Be sure to take a henchman with you, because you won't have another chance to hire one until Chapter Two (there are plenty of undead in your immediate future, so Linu is a good choice for nonclerics).

Creating the plague cure.
Talk to Aribeth, Fenthick, Desther, and Nasher, and then the ceremony begins--and then ends unexpectedly. Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? Desther seemed so nice! Take out his minions, then follow him into the portal.

The Road to Helm's Hold
A- From Neverwinter
B- To Helm's Hold Courtyard
C- To Helm's Hold Prison

Bregan, a local farmer, will tell you that Desther has just headed north to Helm's Hold. There are two ways into the hold: through the front gates and through a cave to the west. As you approach the gate to the north, you will encounter a strange visage. She will impart some cryptic information about Desther and his plans. If you choose the cave route, you will face a small group of undead (and enter Helm's Hold through the prison).

Helm's Hold, Ground Floor
A- To Road
B- Courtyard Door
C- To Prison
D- Guardian Room
E- To Upper Floors
F- Summoning Chamber
G- Library
H- Library

In the courtyard, you will face two groups of undead. Search the body just to the east of the main gate--you'll find an etched gem. Take the gem to the guardian chamber and place it in the altar. Several suits of guardian armor will appear and begin fighting the undead throughout the hold. You don't need to go down to the dungeon, but there are experience points and loot, as well as some information, to be had.

You can choose to banish Chaohinon or set him free.
Chaohinon of the Void and the Guardian of Helm
In the summoning chamber, you'll find a trapped demon. Do as he says and grab the Black Grimoire from the southern library. Talk to him once you have the book, and you can either free him or banish him. If you banish him, take the Book of Helm from the library to the west (guarded by a False Helmite Elite, 4th-level cleric/4th-level monk). This book will enable you to summon the Guardian of Helm. Both Chaohinon and the guardian will give you a reward for helping them. Chaohinon will give you insight, power, a weapon, or an item. The guardian spirit will give you the same options.