BG3 House of Grief guide
The followers of Shar are a powerful faction in Baldur's Gate 3, operating from their House of Grief headquarters in the heart of the city.
As you finally reach the walled city in Baldur's Gate 3, many of the game’s long-running quests reach their climax. One such quest is Shadowheart’s storyline, which takes you to the House of Grief, a Sharran temple using a funeral parlour as a front.
To advance Shadowheart’s quest, you find the House of Grief is in the far northwest of the Lower City, next to the Baldur’s Gate Sigil Circle fast travel point. It’s close to another of your main companion quest locations, Szarr’s Palace.
Make sure you have Shadowheart in your party, and have plenty of health and spell slots to spare. Then, when you’re ready, approach the House of Grief.
Baldur’s Gate 3 House of Grief guide
Outside the House of Grief, speak to Griefguard Afara, who trades some barbs with Shadowheart before ushering you inside.
Then, at the counter, talk to Mirie, who’s quick to reveal the true nature of the building. She tells you to submit to a ritual called the Mapping of the Heart, which you need to do to continue peacefully (for now).
Follow her to the back room, then sit on the granite bench.
As you sit, the Inquirer of Grief appears and speaks to you. Allow Shadowheart to take her rightful place and continue, then remain silent and let Shadowheart take the lead. The Mother Superior presses Shadowheart and asks after the Prism that she was sent to retrieve at the start of the game. Things start to get heated, but nevertheless she allows you access to the inner sanctum.
Go down through the exposed secret stairway and you find yourself in the Sharran temple: Cloister of Sombre Embrace.
Ignore the locked training doors for now and continue deeper into the Cloister. Pass the sentries and speak to Viconia DeVir in the large chamber.
Shadowheart stands up for herself and demands the return of her family. In response, Viconia demands the prism and if you ask why she even wants it, she tells you that the Absolute is a rival to Shar and they want it because they want to fight the Cult too.
Viconia gives you a choice: hand over Shadowheart and Shar’s warriors will ally with you against the Absolute. Obviously most people won’t want to do this, but if you do, Shadowheart permanently leaves the party and the quest ends.
If you refuse, a fight breaks out between you and an absolute shedload of Sharran warriors. It’s very tough, and you will have to fight tooth and nail to prevail.
You need to come with a good enough team comp to stand up to the overwhelming numbers, so therefore, I’d recommend your Tav, Shadowheart (who can cast AoE with Spirit Guardians), Lae’zel/Karlach (who have enough attack actions to rush down single enemies in just one turn), and Wyll or Gale whoever you like using more (to use the Counterspell reaction and deal AoE magic damage).
My Gale was tired after just doing the Lorrokan quest and I didn’t want to do a long rest, so I used my Tav, Shadowheart, Wyll and Lae’zel. I originally went in with Astarion, but he just can’t push out enough DPS in an enclosed situation like this.
Really, it’s the Mother Superior and the Dark Justiciars you have to really watch out for, because they can deal a lot of damage, however you also need to watch out for the mages that cast Darkness on your party, since it makes movement tough. You can keep them at bay with Counterspell.
The Mother Superior starts the fight with Sanctuary, which means you can’t attack her until she’s attacked first. However, because of your work with Shadowheart, she’s not scared of the wolves that Viconia turns some of the novices into and can fight unafraid.
Once all of the enemies have been taken care of, you need to head through the large door at the back of the chamber to search for Shadowheart’s parents. Using the silver key you find on one of the bodies, you can open the Threshold of Loss to advance.
But before you do, search the area and in the Dormitory on the right you can speak to Nocturne. Shadowheart and Nocturne are old friends and she pledges not to fight you. Switch character to Shadowheart and you can learn some backstory. Including that in the armory you can find Shadowheart’s old hideout. You can find night orchids in there, her favourite flower, but not much else.
Back to the Threshold of Loss, head inside and you find Shadowheart’s parents, strung up in some sort of arcane device.
Approach Arnell and Emmeline Hallowleaf and a conversation begins. You’re presented with a choice: you can either free Shadowheart from the Curse of Shar, or her parents - not both.
Arnell beseeches you to persuade Shadowheart to let them go, and it becomes clear: Shadowheart has to kill her parents to free herself from Shar. Shadowheart obviously isn’t best pleased. If you’ve convinced her to follow Selune to this point, you can leave the choice to her and she’ll set their spirits free. Otherwise, you will have to convince her with a speech check. Given this and the input from Arnell, this is the “good” path, which resolves Shadowheart’s quest with the “happy” ending.
With that, the Daughter of Darkness is free! Speak to her and she’ll struggle to comprehend what’s happened, but after a long rest she’ll be ready to talk some more, philosophising about her choices throughout the game.