Avenge the Hag Survivors

Key takeaways

These are the most important facts to know before entering the quest’s final investigation and confrontation.

• This is the hag storyline’s finale The quest continues directly from Help the Hag Survivors and brings the party back into conflict with Auntie Ethel in Act 3.
• Find the Hag's Bane recipe first The recipe is located in a wall safe at Old Garlow's Place. Crafting the item before confronting Auntie Ethel gives the party a key tool for the hostage encounter.
• Search beneath the Blushing Mermaid The investigation does not end in the tavern itself. The party must enter its basement and follow the route toward the hag’s hidden lair.
• Illusions are part of the route Masked servants and illusory walls obstruct the way forward. Explore carefully rather than assuming every apparent dead end is solid.
• The child’s safety changes the resolution Auntie Ethel’s fight is not simply a standard boss battle. How and when the party uses Hag's Bane affects whether the rescue can be completed safely.

Avenge the Hag Survivors

Avenge the Hag Survivors is an Act 3 quest in Baldur's Gate 3 and the finale of Auntie Ethel’s storyline.

The quest begins automatically after the party completes Help the Hag Survivors. Its central objective is to locate Vanra, a child who has been kidnapped, and confront the hag responsible: Auntie Ethel. The investigation moves from the concerns of Vanra’s mother, Lora, to the Blushing Mermaid tavern and the concealed areas beneath it.

Preparation is especially important because the quest offers a specific way to protect Vanra during the confrontation. The recipe for Hag's Bane is found in a wall safe at Old Garlow's Place, and crafting the item gives the party a way to affect Auntie Ethel without treating the child’s safety as an afterthought. The party must then explore the hag’s hidden lair, dealing with masked servants and illusory walls before reaching the main encounter.

The final section combines investigation, hazardous exploration, and a hag battle with a serious hostage-related consequence. Using Hag's Bane on Auntie Ethel during the encounter is a key part of the safest resolution. Completing the quest can reunite the party with Mayrina and provides rewards including the Fey Semblance Amulet, while the exact aftermath depends on how the confrontation is handled.

Where this sits

Requirements

Complete the preceding hag-survivor mission, then prepare for an investigation and a difficult hag encounter.

• RequiredComplete Help the Hag SurvivorsThe quest begins automatically after the preceding mission is completed.
• RequiredReach the Blushing MermaidThe investigation requires visiting the tavern and searching its basement.
• RecommendedInvestigate Old Garlow's PlaceThe wall safe there contains the recipe needed to craft Hag's Bane.
• RecommendedCraft Hag's BaneUse the recipe before the final confrontation so the party can apply the item during the encounter with Auntie Ethel.
• RecommendedPrepare for concealed routes and servantsThe route to the lair includes masked servants and illusory walls, so exploration and combat readiness are useful.

Objectives

1. Locate VanraFollow the investigation surrounding Lora and the Blushing Mermaid to determine where the kidnapped child has been taken.
2. Find a way into the hag’s lairSearch the Blushing Mermaid basement and pass the masked servants and illusory walls blocking the route.
3. Craft Hag's BaneRecover the recipe from the wall safe at Old Garlow's Place and create the item before the final encounter.
4. Defeat Auntie EthelConfront the hag in her hidden lair and use the available preparation to keep the rescue from turning into a fatal hostage situation.
5. Resolve the survivors’ aftermathFinish the confrontation and follow up with the affected characters, including Mayrina where the resolution permits.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Begin Avenge the Hag Survivors

   Finish Help the Hag Survivors

   Complete the preceding mission before looking for a separate starting interaction. Avenge the Hag Survivors begins automatically once Help the Hag Survivors is complete, so the new objective should appear as part of that transition.

   TipDo not assume the quest has failed because there is no new quest giver immediately in front of you; its starting condition is completion of the preceding mission.

   Checkpoint
2. 02

   Investigate the kidnapping

   Speak with Lora and investigate the Blushing Mermaid

   Continue the investigation through Lora, Vanra’s mother, and the Blushing Mermaid tavern. The tavern is the important lead because the quest’s route to Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair begins below it.

   Location: Blushing Mermaid

   Watch outThe investigation is tied to a child’s disappearance, so avoid treating the tavern visit as optional if you want the quest’s main route and confrontation to unfold.

3. 03

   Reach the hag’s hidden lair

   Search the Blushing Mermaid basement

   Enter the basement beneath the Blushing Mermaid and look for the concealed passage toward the hag’s lair. The basement is not merely a loot detour: it is the access point for the next section of the quest.

   Location: Blushing Mermaid basement

   TipSearch the edges of the basement and test suspicious surfaces rather than following only the most obvious corridor.

4. 04

   Pass the lair’s defenders

   Deal with the masked servants

   The route is guarded by the hag’s masked servants. Move through this section carefully, because the servants are part of the lair’s defenses and can delay or endanger the party before the main confrontation.

   Location: Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair

   Watch outDo not rush past hostile servants with the party split up; concealed combat in the lair can leave isolated characters exposed.

5. 05

   Navigate the concealed passages

   Find the illusory route forward

   Illusory walls obscure the route through the lair. When a passage appears blocked, inspect it as part of the puzzle of reaching Auntie Ethel rather than assuming that the visible wall is impassable.

   Location: Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair

   TipKeep the party together while checking false barriers, and make sure every character has crossed before advancing into the next encounter area.

6. 06

   Find the Hag's Bane recipe

   Retrieve the Hag's Bane recipe

   Before committing to the final confrontation, visit Old Garlow's Place and search the wall safe. The recipe found there is the essential preparation for crafting Hag's Bane.

   Location: Old Garlow's Place

   TipTreat the wall safe as a priority rather than a background container; the recipe is the reason to search it.

   Missable
7. 07

   Prepare Hag's Bane

   Craft Hag's Bane

   Use the recipe from the wall safe to craft Hag's Bane before facing Auntie Ethel. The item is specifically useful during the encounter because it provides the party with a way to address the hag’s control over Vanra.

   Watch outEntering the final encounter without Hag's Bane can remove the clearest intended preparation for protecting Vanra.

   CheckpointMissable
8. 08

   Defeat Auntie Ethel and rescue Vanra

   Confront Auntie Ethel

   Return to the lair and begin the confrontation with Auntie Ethel. The fight is complicated by the presence of Vanra, so prioritize the rescue objective instead of treating every turn as a normal damage race.

   Location: Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair

   Watch outKilling or finishing the hag without first dealing with the hostage situation can produce a worse outcome for Vanra.

9. 09

   Separate Vanra from Auntie Ethel

   Use Hag's Bane on Auntie Ethel

   Apply Hag's Bane to Auntie Ethel during the encounter as the key rescue strategy. This action is intended to force the hag to relinquish the child, allowing the party to continue the fight without leaving Vanra trapped in the confrontation.

   Location: Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair

   TipUse the item deliberately during the fight rather than saving it as an ordinary consumable; its value here is tied to the hostage resolution.

   Watch outThe timing of the hag’s defeat matters. Resolve Vanra’s danger before ending the encounter if you want the safer outcome.

10. 10

    Finish the survivors’ storyline

    Complete the aftermath

    Once Auntie Ethel is defeated and Vanra’s situation is resolved, speak with the survivors and follow the available conclusion. Mayrina can be part of the reunion and the completed quest can award the Fey Semblance Amulet.

    Location: The quest’s post-confrontation area

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

This quest is built around investigation followed by a prepared confrontation. The Blushing Mermaid supplies the trail into the basement, while Old Garlow's Place supplies the recipe that changes how the final encounter can be approached. Players who skip the preparation may still reach the hag, but they lose the most direct tool identified for protecting Vanra.

The hidden lair uses two kinds of obstruction: enemies in the form of masked servants and environmental deception in the form of illusory walls. These obstacles reward deliberate exploration. The party should check suspicious dead ends and avoid committing to the final fight until the route and preparation are complete.

Hag's Bane is not presented as a general-purpose combat reward in this quest. Its important function is narrative and tactical: using it on Auntie Ethel addresses the relationship between the hag and Vanra during the encounter. The fight therefore has a rescue sequence as well as a victory condition.

The quest also connects several character outcomes. Lora’s search for her child leads the investigation, Auntie Ethel is the antagonist carried over from the earlier storyline, and Mayrina can appear in the resolution. These interactions make the final state depend on more than whether the party simply wins the battle.

What works and what does not

Encounter phasesSpoilers

1. 1

   Lair approach

   Starts: Entering the route beneath the Blushing Mermaid

   The party passes through the basement route toward Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair while dealing with masked servants and concealed passages.

   • Masked-servant oppositionTell Hostile masked servants obstruct the approach.Answer Keep the party together and clear the route before moving deeper.
   • Illusory wallsTell A visible wall appears to block the route.Answer Inspect suspicious barriers and search for the concealed way through.
   • Complete the investigation before committing to the final battle.
   • Use the approach to confirm that the party has the resources needed for the hag encounter.
2. 2

   Hostage confrontation

   Starts: Reaching Auntie Ethel in the hidden lair

   The party confronts Auntie Ethel while Vanra’s safety remains part of the encounter’s objective.

   • Auntie Ethel’s hag encounterTell The confrontation begins in the hidden lair.Answer Use Hag's Bane on Auntie Ethel as the key strategy before finishing the fight.
   • Do not treat defeating the hag as the only condition that matters.
   • Resolve Vanra’s danger before ending the encounter for the safer storyline outcome.
3. 3

   Resolution

   Starts: Auntie Ethel is defeated and Vanra’s situation is settled

   The survivors’ storyline can conclude, including a reunion involving Mayrina and rewards such as the Fey Semblance Amulet.

   • Follow up with the affected characters after combat instead of leaving immediately.
   • Check the post-encounter area for the quest’s conclusion and reward.

Auntie Ethel encounterSpoilers

• Location
  Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair beneath the Blushing Mermaid
• Health
  Not specified in the supplied source material

Craft Hag's Bane from the recipe found in the wall safe at Old Garlow's Place, then use it on Auntie Ethel during the encounter. Prioritize the hostage resolution before finishing the hag, because the child’s outcome is tied to how the fight is handled.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Craft and use Hag's Bane on Auntie Ethel before ending the encounter

  This is the key strategy for separating Vanra from the hag and supports the safer rescue resolution.

  Spoiler
• Finish Auntie Ethel without first resolving Vanra’s situation

  The hostage outcome can worsen, including the possibility that Vanra is not safely rescued. The party should address the child’s danger before treating the battle as complete.

  Spoiler
• Follow up with the survivors after the confrontation

  The quest can conclude with Vanra’s rescue, a reunion involving Mayrina, and rewards including the Fey Semblance Amulet.

  Spoiler

Completion checklist

• Complete Help the Hag SurvivorsThis automatically begins the current quest.
• Speak with Lora and follow the investigationLora is connected to the search for Vanra.
• Visit the Blushing MermaidThe tavern is the principal investigation location.
• Enter the Blushing Mermaid basementThe basement leads toward the hidden lair.
• Pass the masked servantsThey guard the route through the lair.
• Locate the illusory walls and concealed routeThe apparent barriers are part of the lair’s navigation challenge.
• Search the wall safe at Old Garlow's PlaceThe Hag's Bane recipe is inside.
• Craft Hag's BanePrepare it before the final encounter.
• Use Hag's Bane on Auntie EthelDo this before finishing the hag if Vanra’s safe rescue is the goal.
• Defeat Auntie EthelComplete the final confrontation.
• Check the aftermath with the survivorsMayrina and the reward outcome are part of the conclusion.

Failure conditionsSpoilers

• Vanra is not safely separated from Auntie EthelThe final battle includes a hostage objective. Ending the encounter without using the intended Hag's Bane strategy can lead to a worse result for the kidnapped child.
• The Hag's Bane preparation is skippedThe recipe is missable in practical terms if the party leaves Old Garlow's Place without searching its wall safe, removing the clearest preparation for the hostage encounter.
• The party is defeated in the hidden lairAs with other combat encounters, a total party defeat ends the attempt and requires a reload or restart from an earlier save.

Rewards and drops

• Fey Semblance Amulet
  A named reward associated with completing the quest.
• Vanra’s rescue
  Successfully resolving the hostage encounter allows the party to complete the child-rescue objective.
• Mayrina reunion
  The completed storyline can allow the party to reunite with Mayrina.
• Auntie Ethel storyline conclusion
  Defeating the hag brings the connected Act 3 survivor storyline to its finale.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• Avenge the Hag Survivors is an Act 3 quest and serves as the finale to Auntie Ethel’s storyline.
• The quest starts automatically after Help the Hag Survivors rather than requiring a separate manual activation.
• The Hag's Bane recipe is hidden in a wall safe at Old Garlow's Place.
• The Blushing Mermaid’s basement is the route into the hag’s hidden lair.
• The quest combines a kidnapping investigation with a boss encounter whose outcome depends on preparation and hostage handling.

Sources

• Avenge the Hag Survivors — bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki
• Avenge the Hag Survivors guide — Destructoid
• Avenge the Hag Survivors guide — GameRant
• Quest walkthrough video — YouTube
• Quest guide video — YouTube

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