Investigate the Shadow-Cursed Lands

Key takeawaysSpoilers

The quest is primarily an investigation and traversal sequence, with the Thorm Mausoleum serving as its most important puzzle location.

Follow the immortality investigation The quest's main purpose is to find a way to end Ketheric Thorm's immortality and identify the places connected to that problem. Core objective
Travel north of Reithwin Town The route leads to the Thorm Mausoleum, which is positioned north of Reithwin Town in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Mausoleum
Use the correct painting sequence The three-button puzzle is solved by selecting Moonrise Tower first, Grief second, and General third. Painting puzzle
Bring Shadowheart if possible Shadowheart is recommended because the Gauntlet of Shar offers unique dialogue and companion quest progression for her. Companion recommendation

OverviewSpoilers

Investigate the Shadow-Cursed Lands is a major Baldur's Gate 3 quest about uncovering how Ketheric Thorm maintains his immortality.

Investigate the Shadow-Cursed Lands directs the party toward the source of Ketheric Thorm's immortality. Rather than resolving the investigation in a single conversation or combat encounter, the quest uses the region's history and Thorm-related landmarks to point the party toward the next stage of the story.

The central destination is the Thorm Mausoleum, located north of Reithwin Town. The mausoleum contains a painting puzzle with three buttons labelled Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General. Pressing them in the correct order opens the route deeper into the area.

The investigation also connects Ketheric Thorm's personal history with the tomb of his daughter, Isobel. After navigating trapped marble plates and reaching the traversal gem, the quest points onward to the Gauntlet of Shar. Shadowheart is recommended for this part of the journey because the location provides unique dialogue and companion quest progression.

This page focuses on the quest's known investigation route and the puzzle solution. It does not assign unverified combat statistics, rewards, time estimates, or encounter counts to the quest. Major story information is included, so readers seeking a spoiler-light route should stop before the details of the mausoleum and the Gauntlet of Shar.

Where this sitsSpoilers

InvestigationTrace the source of Ketheric Thorm's immortality

MausoleumSolve the painting puzzle and navigate the trapped marble plates

Shar's gauntletContinue the investigation beyond the mausoleum

●Investigate the Shadow-Cursed LandsquestCurrent quest
2Thorm MausoleumlocationPrimary puzzle and traversal location
3Gauntlet of SharlocationNext destination in the investigation

The quest progresses from regional investigation to the Thorm Mausoleum and then toward the Gauntlet of Shar.

Requirements

The known route requires access to the Shadow-Cursed Lands and the ability to reach the Thorm Mausoleum north of Reithwin Town.

RequiredAccess to the Shadow-Cursed LandsThe quest takes place in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, so the party must be able to travel through this region.
RequiredReach the Thorm MausoleumThe investigation's main puzzle is inside the mausoleum north of Reithwin Town.
RecommendedBring ShadowheartShadowheart is not stated to be mandatory, but bringing her is recommended for unique dialogue and companion quest progression in the Gauntlet of Shar.

ObjectivesSpoilers

Find a way to end Ketheric Thorm's immortality.This is the quest's central investigation and gives context to the route through the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
Reach the Thorm Mausoleum north of Reithwin Town.The mausoleum is the key location where the investigation becomes a concrete puzzle and traversal sequence.
Solve the painting puzzle.The buttons labelled Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General must be pressed in that order.
Navigate the trapped marble plates.The plates must be crossed carefully to reach the traversal gem safely.
Continue toward the Gauntlet of Shar.The quest's investigation eventually guides the party onward to the Gauntlet of Shar.

WalkthroughSpoilers

01
Find a way to end Ketheric Thorm's immortality
Begin the investigation into Ketheric Thorm's immortality
Treat the quest as an investigation into the source of Ketheric Thorm's immortality rather than as a standalone objective to defeat him immediately. The information available for this route points toward Thorm-related locations in the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
Location: Shadow-Cursed Lands
TipKeep the immortality objective in mind when deciding which Thorm-related landmark to investigate next.
02
Reach the Thorm Mausoleum
Travel to Reithwin Town and head north
Use Reithwin Town as the regional reference point for the next destination. The Thorm Mausoleum is located north of the town, so the route continues away from Reithwin Town toward the mausoleum rather than deeper into the town itself.
Location: North of Reithwin Town
Watch outThe source pack does not specify a precise path, entrance, enemy placement, or travel hazard between Reithwin Town and the mausoleum.
03
Locate the painting puzzle
Enter the Thorm Mausoleum
The mausoleum is the principal investigation site for this quest. Once inside, look for the puzzle involving three buttons associated with paintings named Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General.
Location: Thorm Mausoleum
TipRead the labels before interacting so the three selections can be identified by name.
04
Solve the painting puzzle
Press Moonrise Tower first
Select the button labelled Moonrise Tower as the first input in the painting puzzle. This is the opening part of the required sequence, and selecting the paintings in a different order does not solve the puzzle as intended.
Location: Thorm Mausoleum
05
Complete the painting puzzle
Press Grief second and General third
After Moonrise Tower, select Grief, then select General to complete the sequence. The complete order is Moonrise Tower, Grief, General; keep the labels distinct because the final two selections are separate steps.
Location: Thorm Mausoleum
Watch outUsing the wrong order can prevent the puzzle from opening the intended route.
06
Reach the traversal gem
Navigate the trapped marble plates
Beyond the puzzle, proceed through the mausoleum while accounting for the trapped marble plates. The known route requires navigating these plates carefully so the party can reach the traversal gem safely.
Location: Thorm Mausoleum
TipMove deliberately across the marble plates instead of treating this section as an ordinary hallway.
07
Continue the investigation
Investigate the tomb of Isobel
The mausoleum contains the tomb of Isobel, identified as Ketheric Thorm's daughter. This landmark connects the location's physical layout with the personal history behind the immortality investigation.
Location: Thorm Mausoleum
08
Continue the investigation
Proceed toward the Gauntlet of Shar
After the mausoleum section, continue following the quest toward the Gauntlet of Shar. Bringing Shadowheart is recommended before continuing because the location provides her with unique dialogue and companion quest progression.
Location: Gauntlet of Shar
TipIf Shadowheart is in the active party, keep her present for the Gauntlet of Shar section.

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

The Thorm Mausoleum section combines environmental storytelling with a fixed interaction puzzle. Three buttons are identified by the labels Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General, and the puzzle solution is based on selecting those labels in the sequence Moonrise Tower, Grief, General.

Traversal is also part of the mausoleum challenge. Trapped marble plates stand between the party and the traversal gem, so the route is not only about identifying the correct painting sequence. The available information confirms the hazard and the destination, but not a tile-by-tile safe path.

The quest's companion context matters once the investigation points to the Gauntlet of Shar. Shadowheart is recommended rather than described as mandatory, with her presence providing unique dialogue and companion quest progression tied to that location.

What works and what does not

Strengths

The quest gives the immortality investigation a clear physical destination in the Thorm Mausoleum.
The painting puzzle has a definite three-part solution rather than requiring an unspecified combination.
The mausoleum links environmental traversal, Thorm family history, and the route toward the Gauntlet of Shar.
Shadowheart's presence adds companion-specific context to the later destination.

Weaknesses

The marble-plate section can be hazardous because the plates are trapped, and the available information does not provide a complete safe route.
The quest can be difficult to follow if the party overlooks the connection between the mausoleum, Isobel's tomb, and Ketheric Thorm's immortality.
The source pack does not establish a precise combat roster, encounter count, or reward table for this quest.

Best uses

Use the page as a navigation reference for the mausoleum and painting puzzle.
Bring Shadowheart when continuing toward the Gauntlet of Shar if companion dialogue and progression are priorities.

Quest checklistSpoilers

Investigate the source of Ketheric Thorm's immortality.This is the central purpose of the quest.
Reach the Thorm Mausoleum north of Reithwin Town.The mausoleum is the principal investigation site.
Identify the three painting buttons.The labels are Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General.
Press Moonrise Tower, then Grief, then General.This is the correct puzzle sequence.
Cross the trapped marble plates carefully.The traversal gem lies beyond this hazard.
Visit the tomb of Isobel.The tomb is located inside the mausoleum.
Continue toward the Gauntlet of Shar.This is the next major direction given by the investigation.
Have Shadowheart available for the Gauntlet of Shar.Recommended for unique dialogue and companion quest progression.Optional

Failure conditions

Use the wrong painting sequenceThe buttons must be selected in the order Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General. A different order does not solve the puzzle as intended.
Trigger the trapped marble platesThe mausoleum contains trapped plates, and careless navigation can create a hazard before the party reaches the traversal gem.

On failure

The source pack does not specify exact damage, reset behavior, checkpoint placement, or other failure-state details for the marble plates or painting puzzle.

Rewards and progressionSpoilers

Progress toward ending Ketheric Thorm's immortality
Completing the investigation route advances the story's effort to discover a way to end Ketheric Thorm's immortality.
Access to the Gauntlet of Shar investigation
The quest eventually guides the party toward the Gauntlet of Shar for the next stage of the investigation.
Shadowheart companion quest progression
Bringing Shadowheart to the Gauntlet of Shar is recommended because the location supports unique dialogue and companion quest progression.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

ShadowheartRecommended companion for unique dialogue and companion quest progression in the Gauntlet of Shar.

AftermathSpoilers

The investigation continues beyond the mausoleum

Solving the mausoleum puzzle and reaching the traversal gem does not conclude the wider investigation. The quest points onward to the Gauntlet of Shar, where Shadowheart can provide unique dialogue and companion quest progression.

Trivia

The mausoleum puzzle uses three labels that connect the location to Ketheric Thorm's story: Moonrise Tower, Grief, and General.
The Thorm Mausoleum contains the tomb of Isobel, making the site both a puzzle location and a piece of the Thorm family history.
Shadowheart's recommendation is tied to the Gauntlet of Shar section rather than being identified as a requirement for entering the mausoleum.

Relationships

characters

Ketheric ThormImmortality investigationThe quest investigates how to end Ketheric Thorm's immortality.
ShadowheartCompanion contextHer presence is recommended for unique dialogue and companion quest progression in the Gauntlet of Shar.
IsobelThorm family historyThe mausoleum contains the tomb of Ketheric Thorm's daughter, Isobel.

locations

Thorm MausoleumPrimary locationThe mausoleum contains the central painting puzzle and trapped marble-plate route.
Reithwin TownRegional landmarkThe Thorm Mausoleum is located north of Reithwin Town.
Gauntlet of SharNext destinationThe investigation eventually guides the party toward the Gauntlet of Shar.