PSA: Save the Moonrise Towers Prisoners before completing Shar’s Gauntlet in Baldur’s Gate 3

I thought I was doing the right thing. In Baldur’s Gate 3’s second act, there is an area known as Shar’s Gauntlet underneath the Thorm Mausoleum. I had a feeling that, if I were to go to Moonrise Towers before completing everything else in the area, that I might get locked out of some important stuff. 

So, I waited until I completed Shar’s Gauntlet and rescued the Nightsong, Dame Aylin, to even attempt to save the prisoners being held at Moonrise Towers. That made sense to me, as every narrative inclination was telling me I had to save/kill the Nightsong before facing Ketheric Thorm, as she was what kept him immortal. But, after seeing Aylin soaring through the skies and returning to Last Light Inn, my journal had three new words for me: “Wulbren is dead.”

It was then that I realized a startling truth — it would seem the game wanted us to rescue the prisoners at Moonrise Towers before we completed Shar’s Gauntlet. Then, we were supposed to leave Moonrise Towers, complete Shar’s Gauntlet, then go fight Ketheric. 

I was wholly unaware that completing Shar’s Gauntlet would lock me out of so much content, so I thought this announcement would be helpful to more folks than just me. If you’re currently playing through the second act, and you’re playing a morally good character, don’t make the same mistake I made and save as many people as you can. It’ll probably make all the difference in the world.