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QuestsupportingSide missionModerate

Find the Nightsong's Treasure

A multi-act side quest in Baldur's Gate 3 that begins with rumors of a valuable treasure and leads through the Gauntlet of Shar to the imprisoned Nightsong, Dame Aylin.

RoleSide quest connecting the Emerald Grove, the Gauntlet of Shar, Shadowheart's personal story, and the later confrontation with Lorroakan.
StatusAvailable across Acts 1, 2, and 3
Importancesupporting
RewardLater rewards and outcomes depend on the decision made regarding Dame Aylin and the confrontation with Lorroakan.
TimeMulti-act quest; completion time varies substantially with exploration and companion choices.
  • Quest typeSide quest
  • Story spanActs 1–3
  • Starting contactAradin
  • Main dungeonGauntlet of Shar
  • Decision areaShadowfell
  • Central figureDame Aylin
  • Later claimantLorroakan

The game does not officially title this quest Find the Nightsong's Treasure; that wording describes the quest's apparent premise.

Key takeawaysSpoilers

The important information is not the supposed treasure's value, but the chain of consequences attached to finding the Nightsong.

  • The title is not the official quest name The supplied title uses Find the Nightsong's Treasure, but the game does not officially contain a quest with that exact title. The relevant quest is generally known as Find the Nightsong.
  • The Nightsong is a person The rumors eventually resolve into the discovery that the Nightsong is Dame Aylin, not a material treasure. This is the quest's central narrative reveal.
  • The Shadowfell is the major decision point The Gauntlet of Shar leads to the Shadowfell, where the party must decide whether Dame Aylin lives or dies. This choice carries major story consequences.
  • Shadowheart can make the quest personal Shadowheart's connection to the Nightsong means the party's decision is also closely tied to her character arc.
  • Lorroakan matters later If Dame Aylin is spared, the quest continues into later acts and eventually leads to a confrontation with the wizard Lorroakan.

OverviewSpoilers

What appears to be a treasure hunt becomes one of Baldur's Gate 3's most consequential companion-linked side quests.

Find the Nightsong's Treasure is the supplied page title for a quest that is officially associated with Find the Nightsong. The adventure begins with reports of a failed expedition and rumors surrounding a valuable discovery. Speaking with Aradin in the Emerald Grove can put the search on the player's path, although the quest can also be advanced by finding evidence connected to the expedition. The premise deliberately encourages the party to think of the Nightsong as an object or hoard rather than a person.

The search crosses all three acts and changes in character as the party learns more. In Act 2, the trail leads into the Gauntlet of Shar and ultimately to the Shadowfell, where the Nightsong is confronted. The apparent treasure is revealed to be Dame Aylin, a powerful figure whose imprisonment is tied to the region's larger conflict. This revelation turns the quest from an expedition into a major decision about captivity, faith, and the fate of an important ally.

Shadowheart's connection to the Nightsong makes the decision especially significant for parties travelling with her. The player must decide whether to save or kill Dame Aylin, and that choice affects later events. If she is spared, Dame Aylin remains relevant in later acts and the story eventually brings the party into conflict with the wizard Lorroakan, who offers a substantial reward for the Nightsong. Because the quest spans several acts, players should treat the Shadowfell decision as a major point of no easy return rather than a routine objective.

Where this sits

Act 1Rumors and the failed expedition
Act 2The Gauntlet of Shar and Shadowfell
Act 3The consequences of finding the Nightsong
  1. 1Begin the searchstartSpeak with Aradin in the Emerald Grove or investigate evidence of the failed expedition.
  2. 2Reach the Gauntlet of ShardungeonContinue the investigation into Act 2 and enter the Shar-related dungeon.
  3. ●Enter the Shadowfellturning-pointFollow the Gauntlet's route to the place where the Nightsong is held.
  4. 4Resolve Dame Aylin's fatechoiceChoose whether to save or kill the Nightsong.
  5. 5Confront LorroakanaftermathIf Dame Aylin survives, later events lead to the wizard's confrontation.

The quest begins as an investigation, becomes a Shadowfell choice, and can continue as a later-act conflict.

Requirements

The search does not require a single mandatory starting conversation, but it does require following the investigation far enough to reach the Gauntlet of Shar and the Shadowfell.

  • RequiredA starting leadSpeak with Aradin in the Emerald Grove or find evidence of the failed expedition to establish the search.
  • RequiredAct 2 accessThe quest's decisive section occurs in Act 2, so the party must progress to the region containing the Gauntlet of Shar.
  • RequiredGauntlet of Shar progressExplore and advance through the Gauntlet until the route to the Shadowfell becomes available.
  • RecommendedDecision preparationMake a manual save before entering the Shadowfell if you want to review the major choice involving Dame Aylin.
  • RecommendedShadowheart considerationIf Shadowheart is travelling with the party, account for her personal connection to the Nightsong before making the decision.

Objectives

  1. Investigate the search for the NightsongUse Aradin or evidence from the failed expedition to establish the quest's direction.
  2. Reach the Gauntlet of SharContinue the investigation into Act 2 and locate the Shar dungeon connected to the Nightsong.
  3. Find the Nightsong in the ShadowfellComplete enough of the Gauntlet to reach the imprisoned figure at the end of the trail.
  4. Decide Dame Aylin's fateChoose whether to save or kill the Nightsong, with consequences for the wider story and Shadowheart's arc.
  5. Deal with the later consequencesIf Dame Aylin survives, follow the later-act storyline that brings the party to Lorroakan.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Begin the search for the Nightsong

    Take the first lead in the Emerald Grove

    Speak with Aradin in the Emerald Grove to hear about the expedition and the search for the Nightsong. If that conversation is unavailable, investigate the evidence left by the failed expedition instead; either route establishes the same broad mystery.

    Location: Emerald Grove

    TipDo not assume the word treasure means an ordinary chest or unique item. The early investigation is setting up a much larger identity reveal.

  2. 02

    Advance the investigation

    Follow the expedition trail through the early game

    Continue exploring and completing the relevant story progression rather than expecting the quest to resolve in Act 1. The early clues establish the destination, but the Nightsong cannot be properly confronted until the party reaches the Act 2 section of the quest.

    Location: Act 1 and the transition into Act 2

    Watch outThe quest spans multiple acts, so leaving the first area does not mean that the search has failed or ended.

  3. 03

    Reach the route to the Nightsong

    Locate the Gauntlet of Shar

    In Act 2, follow the quest's lead to the Gauntlet of Shar. The dungeon is the main exploration section of the search, and reaching its conclusion requires the party to engage with the route through Shar's trials rather than simply searching the surrounding region for a treasure object.

    Location: Gauntlet of Shar

    TipBring the party composition and resources you want for a substantial dungeon section before committing to its deeper areas.

  4. 04

    Open the way to the Shadowfell

    Complete the Gauntlet's progression

    Work through the Gauntlet of Shar until the party can proceed to the Shadowfell. The exact order of the dungeon's challenges can vary with the party's approach, but the essential goal is to finish the route that opens the way to the Nightsong's prison.

    Location: Gauntlet of Shar

    Checkpoint
  5. 05

    Find the Nightsong

    Enter the Shadowfell

    Cross into the Shadowfell once the Gauntlet has led you there. This is the point at which the search stops being a conventional expedition and becomes a major story decision, so finish any nearby preparation you consider important before proceeding.

    Location: Shadowfell

    Watch outTreat entry into the Shadowfell as a major progression point. Save beforehand if you want the option to reconsider the outcome without replaying the preceding section.

  6. 06

    Learn the truth about the Nightsong

    Confront the Nightsong

    At the end of the Shadowfell route, meet the figure imprisoned there and learn that the Nightsong is Dame Aylin. The discovery changes the objective from recovering a supposed treasure to deciding what should happen to a powerful person held in captivity.

    Location: Shadowfell

    Missable
  7. 07

    Resolve the Nightsong's fate

    Choose whether to save or kill Dame Aylin

    Make the central decision over Dame Aylin's fate. Sparing her preserves a powerful figure for later events, while killing her produces a substantially different outcome and can reshape the related story, including Shadowheart's personal arc.

    Location: Shadowfell

    Watch outThis choice has major consequences and should not be made as though it were a normal dialogue branch.

    CheckpointMissable
  8. 08

    Complete the immediate aftermath

    Continue with the surviving outcome

    After the Shadowfell decision, follow the resulting Act 2 consequences and allow the story to reflect the fate you chose. If Dame Aylin survives, she remains relevant beyond this area rather than being removed from the quest after the rescue.

    Location: Act 2

  9. 09

    Resolve Lorroakan's interest in the Nightsong

    Answer Lorroakan's claim in the later acts

    If Dame Aylin was spared, later progression leads to the wizard Lorroakan, who wants the Nightsong brought to him and offers a substantial reward. The resulting confrontation is the later-act continuation of the search and forces the party to decide how to respond to his demand.

    Location: Later acts

Mission mechanics

This quest is structured as a long-form investigation rather than a single map objective. Its first phase is deliberately indirect: the party hears about a failed expedition and searches for the Nightsong without knowing what the name refers to. That uncertainty is important to the quest's design, because the eventual discovery in the Shadowfell recontextualizes the earlier treasure language.

The Gauntlet of Shar functions as the quest's main mechanical gate. The party must explore the dungeon and complete its progression before the route into the Shadowfell becomes available. The quest therefore rewards players who separate ordinary exploration from the critical path and who prepare for a major transition instead of treating the entrance to the Shadowfell as another doorway.

The most important mechanic is consequence management. The save-or-kill decision is not isolated from the rest of the campaign: it affects Dame Aylin's presence in later acts and intersects with Shadowheart's character arc. A party that wants to preserve later content should make a pre-decision save and consider companion reactions before selecting an outcome.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The quest has a clear multi-act progression, moving from an investigation to a dungeon sequence and then to a later-act consequence.
  • Its central reveal transforms the meaning of the early treasure hunt instead of merely adding another reward to the map.
  • The decision involving Dame Aylin is tightly connected to Shadowheart's personal story and has meaningful campaign consequences.
  • The quest can be started through more than one early lead, which makes it resilient to different exploration paths.

Weaknesses

  • The early objective can be confusing because the quest's language encourages the player to search for a physical treasure that does not exist.
  • Its full resolution is spread across three acts, so players may mistake a long pause between stages for a missing objective.
  • The Shadowfell decision can affect later content and companion development, making an unprepared choice difficult to reverse.

Best uses

  • Follow it as a companion-focused quest when Shadowheart is part of the active party.
  • Use the Gauntlet of Shar section as a reason to complete relevant exploration before committing to the Shadowfell.
  • Create a save before the major decision if you want to compare its narrative consequences.

PhasesSpoilers

  1. 1

    Rumor and investigation

    Starts: Speak with Aradin in the Emerald Grove or discover evidence of the failed expedition.

    The party receives the initial lead and begins searching for something described as the Nightsong's treasure.

    • Keep the quest active while continuing normal Act 1 exploration; the early lead does not complete the quest by itself.
  2. 2

    The Gauntlet of Shar

    Starts: Reach the Act 2 section of the quest and locate the Gauntlet of Shar.

    The party must progress through Shar's dungeon before it can reach the Nightsong's prison.

    • Prepare for a substantial dungeon exploration sequence and distinguish optional exploration from the route that advances the quest.
  3. 3

    The Shadowfell decision

    Starts: Complete the Gauntlet's route and meet the Nightsong.

    The discovery that the Nightsong is Dame Aylin leads directly to the save-or-kill decision.

    • Dame Aylin's fateTell The confrontation presents the decision after the Nightsong's identity is revealed.Answer Make the choice only after considering Shadowheart's connection and the later campaign consequences.
    • Save before entering the Shadowfell so the major outcome is not locked in by an unreviewed decision.
  4. 4

    Lorroakan's claim

    Starts: Continue into the later acts after sparing Dame Aylin.

    The wizard Lorroakan seeks the Nightsong and offers a substantial reward, turning the surviving outcome into a later confrontation.

    • Treat this as the continuation of the quest rather than a separate treasure hand-in.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Save Dame Aylin

    The Nightsong survives and remains significant in later acts. The story can eventually lead to a confrontation with Lorroakan, who wants the Nightsong brought to him and offers a substantial reward.

    Spoiler
  • Kill Dame Aylin

    The Nightsong is removed from the later path, producing a different story outcome and affecting Shadowheart's personal arc.

    Spoiler
  • Delay the decision by preparing first

    The game does not make preparation a narrative choice, but making a save before entering the Shadowfell lets the player reconsider the major outcome without repeating the entire preceding investigation.

Checklist

  • Speak with Aradin in the Emerald Grove or investigate evidence of the failed expedition.Either route can establish the search.
  • Keep the quest in mind while advancing from Act 1 into Act 2.The quest is intentionally spread across multiple acts.
  • Find the Gauntlet of Shar.This is the principal Act 2 dungeon connected to the search.
  • Complete the Gauntlet's progression toward the Shadowfell.The Nightsong cannot be confronted until this route is opened.
  • Save before entering the Shadowfell.Recommended because the next major decision has lasting consequences.Optional
  • Learn that the Nightsong is Dame Aylin.This is the quest's central identity reveal.
  • Choose whether to save or kill Dame Aylin.The decision affects later events and Shadowheart's arc.
  • If Dame Aylin survives, follow the later path to Lorroakan.His interest provides the quest's later-act continuation.Optional

Failure conditionsSpoilers

  • Dame Aylin is killedKilling the Nightsong ends the surviving-Dame-Aylin path and changes the later consequences of the quest.
  • The party commits to the Shadowfell decision without preparationThe choice itself is not a conventional combat failure, but entering the decision without a save can force a replay of the preceding section if the outcome is unwanted.
  • The party stops after the Act 2 revelationLearning the Nightsong's identity is not necessarily the full campaign consequence. If Dame Aylin survives, the quest's later continuation involves Lorroakan.

On failure

The most important practical checkpoint is immediately before entering the Shadowfell and making the decision over Dame Aylin.

RewardsSpoilers

  • Dame Aylin's survival
    Sparing the Nightsong preserves her for significant later-act involvement.
  • Lorroakan's offered reward
    Lorroakan offers a substantial reward to anyone who can locate and bring him the Nightsong; the eventual outcome depends on how the party handles the confrontation.
  • Story and companion consequences
    The quest produces different narrative outcomes based on Dame Aylin's fate and intersects with Shadowheart's character arc.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

The treasure was never an object

The Nightsong is Dame Aylin, and finding her is only the beginning of the quest's most important decision. Sparing her can carry the storyline into later acts and eventually place Lorroakan in the party's path; killing her removes that surviving path and changes Shadowheart's related story.

Trivia

  • The supplied title is not the game's official quest title; the relevant in-game quest is generally referred to as Find the Nightsong.
  • The early use of treasure rumors is a deliberate misdirection, because the Nightsong is ultimately revealed to be Dame Aylin.
  • The quest is unusual in scope because its story begins in Act 1, reaches its defining choice in Act 2, and can continue into Act 3.
  • Shadowheart's connection makes the quest important even for players who began it as a general exploration objective.

Sources

Relationships

locations

  • Gauntlet of SharAct 2 locationThe quest's Act 2 progression takes the party through the Gauntlet of Shar.
  • ShadowfellDecision locationThe Nightsong is confronted in the Shadowfell after the party progresses through the Gauntlet of Shar.

characters