Investigate Cazador's Palace

Key takeawaysSpoilers

The quest is both an investigation and a decisive companion-story confrontation.

• Act 3 companion quest The quest belongs to Astarion's personal storyline and reaches the part of that story concerned with Cazador Szarr and the vampire spawn.
• Two known starting points Speak with Ulma at the Gur Camp or encounter vampire spawn at Fraygo’s Flophouse to initiate the investigation.
• Progression items matter The Kozakuran Dictionary and the Szarr Family Ring are identified as necessary for progressing through the investigation.
• The ritual is the central stakes Cazador plans to sacrifice seven thousand people in pursuit of near-divine power, making the dungeon confrontation a major moral decision.
• The ending affects multiple groups The outcome determines what happens to Astarion's potential ascension, the imprisoned victims, and the conflict with the Gur tribe.

OverviewSpoilers

Investigate Cazador's Palace is an Act 3 quest focused on Astarion's history, Cazador Szarr's ritual, and the vampire spawn held beneath Szarr Palace.

The quest becomes available during Act 3 and is tied directly to Astarion's personal story. It can begin after speaking with Ulma at the Gur Camp or after the party encounters vampire spawn at Fraygo’s Flophouse. These entry points connect the party to the larger conflict between the Gur tribe, Astarion, and Cazador Szarr.

The investigation leads toward Szarr Palace, where the party must work through the palace's defenses and locate the dungeon below. Progress depends on finding and using the Kozakuran Dictionary and the Szarr Family Ring. The objective is not simply to reach the building; the party must uncover the route into the dungeon where Cazador prepares his ritual.

Cazador intends to sacrifice seven thousand people to obtain near-divine power. The final part of the quest therefore combines an encounter with Cazador Szarr and a major decision about whether the ritual is stopped or allowed to proceed. Astarion's potential ascension and the fate of the imprisoned victims are central consequences of that decision.

Completing this questline concludes Astarion's primary narrative arc, The Pale Elf, and resolves the conflict with the Gur tribe. Because the outcome affects Astarion and thousands of prisoners, players who want to preserve all available choices should make a separate save before the ritual confrontation.

Where this sits

Requirements

The supplied material identifies access to Act 3 and one of two investigation triggers, but it does not specify a complete prerequisite list.

• RequiredReach Act 3The quest is identified as an Act 3 quest.
• RecommendedSpeak with Ulma at the Gur CampThis is one documented way to initiate the quest.
• RecommendedEncounter vampire spawn at Fraygo’s FlophouseThis is the other documented starting route in the supplied material.
• RecommendedAstarionThe quest is tied to Astarion's personal story, although the supplied material does not state whether he must be present for every stage.
• OptionalPreserve a pre-ritual saveA separate save is useful before the ritual confrontation because the quest contains major choices and consequences.

ObjectivesSpoilers

1. Initiate the investigation into Cazador SzarrUse the Gur Camp or Fraygo’s Flophouse lead to connect the vampire spawn to the palace investigation.
2. Locate Szarr PalaceFollow the investigation toward the location where Cazador's defenses and ritual preparations are hidden.
3. Navigate the palace's defensesAdvance through Szarr Palace rather than treating the exterior as the end of the quest.
4. Find the dungeonReach the underground area where Cazador Szarr is preparing the ritual.
5. Use the Kozakuran Dictionary and Szarr Family RingThese two items are identified as necessary to progress through the investigation.
6. Decide whether to stop or allow the ritualThe decision affects Cazador's seven-thousand-victim plan, Astarion's potential ascension, and the imprisoned victims.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Initiate the quest

   Begin the investigation at a known lead

   Travel to the Gur Camp and speak with Ulma, or continue through Act 3 until vampire spawn are encountered at Fraygo’s Flophouse. Either lead starts the investigation connected to Cazador Szarr and points the party toward the missing location.

   Location: Gur Camp or Fraygo’s Flophouse

   TipIf Astarion's personal story is a priority, keep him available while pursuing the lead so the investigation remains connected to his companion arc.

2. 02

   Locate Szarr Palace

   Follow the lead to Szarr Palace

   Use the information gathered from the Gur or the vampire spawn to identify Szarr Palace as the next destination. The palace is the important location to reach; the investigation does not end when the initial conversation or encounter is over.

   Location: Route toward Szarr Palace

   Watch outThe supplied sources do not specify every route or access condition, so do not assume that an unverified entrance or shortcut is required.

3. 03

   Navigate the palace's defenses

   Search the palace for a way forward

   Enter Szarr Palace and work through its defenses while looking for evidence and access to the lower area. The relevant goal is to reach the dungeon beneath the palace, not merely to explore the upper palace rooms.

   Location: Szarr Palace

   TipKeep track of named items and clues during the investigation instead of leaving the palace as soon as the first objective appears to be complete.

4. 04

   Obtain the Kozakuran Dictionary

   Find the Kozakuran Dictionary

   Search the palace investigation for the Kozakuran Dictionary. The supplied material identifies this item as necessary for progression, so it should be treated as a key quest object rather than ordinary loot.

   Location: Szarr Palace

5. 05

   Obtain the Szarr Family Ring

   Obtain the Szarr Family Ring

   Continue the investigation until the Szarr Family Ring is found. Along with the Kozakuran Dictionary, it is specifically identified as necessary to progress toward the dungeon.

   Location: Szarr Palace

   TipIf progression appears blocked, check whether both named quest items have been found before searching for another route.

6. 06

   Reach Cazador's dungeon

   Use the investigation items to reach the dungeon

   Apply the Kozakuran Dictionary and Szarr Family Ring as the palace's progression requires, then continue below Szarr Palace. The dungeon is where Cazador Szarr prepares the dark ritual and where the quest's central confrontation takes place.

   Location: Entrance to the dungeon beneath Szarr Palace

   Checkpoint
7. 07

   Assess the ritual and its victims

   Confront the ritual preparations

   In the dungeon, identify the ritual and the imprisoned victims before committing to the final decision. Cazador intends to sacrifice seven thousand people to harness near-divine power, so this stage exposes the full consequence of allowing the ritual to continue.

   Location: Cazador's dungeon

   Watch outThis is the major spoiler point of the quest. Save before proceeding if you want to compare the available narrative outcomes.

8. 08

   Choose the ritual's fate

   Resolve Astarion's potential ascension

   At the ritual confrontation, choose whether to stop Cazador's plan or allow it to proceed. The decision also addresses Astarion's potential ascension and the fate of the imprisoned victims, so it is a companion-story choice rather than only a combat result.

   Location: Cazador's dungeon

   Watch outThe choice has lasting consequences for Astarion and the prisoners.

9. 09

   Finish the questline

   Complete the Gur conflict resolution

   After the ritual confrontation and its consequences, the questline resolves the conflict with the Gur tribe. This resolution is part of the completion of The Pale Elf and should be treated as the narrative conclusion of the investigation.

   Location: Aftermath of the dungeon confrontation

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

This quest is structured around investigation and access rather than a single objective marker. The party first obtains a lead from the Gur Camp or Fraygo’s Flophouse, then follows that lead to Szarr Palace and searches for the route into its dungeon. The palace's defenses function as the barrier between the investigation and the ritual chamber.

The Kozakuran Dictionary and the Szarr Family Ring are the most important named progression objects in the supplied material. When the route forward is unclear, these are the first quest-specific items to verify. Their role is progression-focused, so they should not be treated as optional curiosities.

The dungeon changes the quest from exploration to a moral confrontation. Cazador's plan involves seven thousand sacrifices, while Astarion's possible ascension and the imprisoned victims create consequences beyond the immediate encounter. The safest general practice is to complete preparation and make a manual save before the ritual decision. The exact interaction sequence, encounter rules, and combat mechanics are not established by the supplied sources.

What works and what does not

Encounter phasesSpoilers

1. 1

   Investigation lead

   Starts: Speak with Ulma at the Gur Camp or encounter vampire spawn at Fraygo’s Flophouse.

   The quest begins with information about the vampire spawn and the connection to Cazador Szarr. This phase establishes the investigation before the party reaches the palace.

   • Record which lead began the quest so later investigation steps remain easy to follow.
2. 2

   Palace defenses

   Starts: Reach Szarr Palace.

   The party must navigate the palace's defenses and search for the way into the dungeon. The supplied source identifies the palace as a progression area but does not enumerate its individual encounters.

   • Search for the Kozakuran Dictionary and Szarr Family Ring while advancing.
3. 3

   Dungeon and ritual

   Starts: Reach the dungeon beneath Szarr Palace.

   The party discovers Cazador's dark ritual and the imprisoned victims. This phase reveals the scale of the planned sacrifice and sets up the final decision.

   • Create a save before making the ritual decision.
4. 4

   Resolution

   Starts: Choose whether to stop or allow the ritual.

   The decision determines the direction of Astarion's potential ascension and the fate of the victims, then leads into the conclusion of The Pale Elf and the Gur conflict.

   • Consider the consequences for Astarion and the prisoners before confirming the choice.

Cazador Szarr confrontationSpoilers

• Location
  The dungeon beneath Szarr Palace
• Health
  Not specified in the supplied sources.

Reach the dungeon through the palace investigation, ensure the Kozakuran Dictionary and Szarr Family Ring have been accounted for, and make a manual save before the ritual confrontation. The encounter is tied to a larger choice about stopping or allowing Cazador's ritual, so combat preparation alone does not determine the quest outcome.

Choices and consequencesEnding spoilers

• Stop Cazador's ritual

  The planned sacrifice of seven thousand people is opposed, changing the outcome for the imprisoned victims and affecting the resolution of Astarion's personal story.

  Spoiler
• Allow Cazador's ritual to proceed

  The ritual's intended sacrifice and Astarion's potential ascension become the defining consequences of the quest's resolution.

  Spoiler
• Resolve the confrontation with Astarion's ascension in mind

  Astarion's potential ascension is one of the quest's central moral decisions and can determine the direction of his narrative conclusion.

  Spoiler
• Consider the Gur tribe's outcome

  Completion of the questline resolves the conflict with the Gur tribe, so the consequences extend beyond the palace and its prisoners.

  Spoiler

Quest checklist

• Reach Act 3The quest is identified as an Act 3 quest.
• Speak with Ulma at the Gur Camp or encounter vampire spawn at Fraygo’s FlophouseEither is a documented initiation route.
• Locate Szarr PalaceThe palace is the main investigation location.
• Search the palace's defenses for progressionThe dungeon is reached by advancing through the palace.
• Find the Kozakuran DictionaryNecessary quest progression item according to the supplied material.
• Find the Szarr Family RingNecessary quest progression item according to the supplied material.
• Reach the dungeon beneath Szarr PalaceThis is where Cazador prepares the ritual.
• Save before the ritual decisionRecommended because the choice has major consequences.Optional
• Resolve the fate of the ritual and imprisoned victimsThe decision is central to the quest's conclusion.
• Complete Astarion's The Pale Elf arcThe questline concludes his primary narrative arc.
• Resolve the Gur conflictCompletion also resolves the conflict with the Gur tribe.

Quest items and notable finds

• 01
  Kozakuran Dictionary

  Where: Within the Szarr Palace investigation.

  The supplied material identifies this as one of the items necessary to progress toward the dungeon.

• 02
  Szarr Family Ring

  Where: Within the Szarr Palace investigation.

  The supplied material identifies this as one of the items necessary to progress toward the dungeon.

Failure conditionsSpoilers

• The party cannot progress through the palaceIf the route forward is unclear, verify that the Kozakuran Dictionary and Szarr Family Ring have been found, as both are identified as necessary progression items.
• A major ritual choice is confirmed unintentionallyThe ritual confrontation includes decisions affecting Astarion's potential ascension and the imprisoned victims. A pre-confrontation save is the safest way to preserve the ability to reconsider.
• A desired narrative outcome is missedThe quest's choices have lasting consequences for Astarion, the victims, and the Gur tribe. Decide which outcome is wanted before committing to the ritual resolution.

Rewards and outcomesSpoilers

• Astarion personal-story progression
  Completing the questline concludes Astarion's primary narrative arc, The Pale Elf.
• Resolution of the Gur conflict
  The questline resolves the conflict with the Gur tribe.
• Ritual outcome
  The final resolution determines whether Cazador's planned sacrifice is stopped or allowed and affects the fate of the imprisoned victims.
• Astarion's potential ascension outcome
  The quest includes a major decision concerning whether Astarion ascends.

Characters in this mission

• AstarionCompanion whose personal story is the focus of the quest.

AftermathEnding spoilers

Trivia and context

• The quest can be discovered through either a Gur Camp conversation or an encounter at Fraygo’s Flophouse.
• The investigation uses two specifically named items, the Kozakuran Dictionary and the Szarr Family Ring, as progression markers.
• The quest's conflict involves vampire spawn, the Gur tribe, Astarion, and Cazador Szarr rather than only the player character and a single antagonist.
• The ritual's stated scale is seven thousand intended sacrifices, making the final choice one of the quest's largest narrative stakes.

Sources

• bg3.wiki
• TheGamer guide
• Video guide source
• Video guide source
• Video guide source
• Video guide source
• Video guide source
• bg3.wiki reference
• Fextralife guide

Relationships