eXputer

QuestmajorSide missionHard

Stop the Hag

A multi-act questline about confronting Auntie Ethel, rescuing Mayrina and other victims, and ending the Hag’s threat in Baldur’s Gate 3.

RoleSide questline involving Auntie Ethel, Mayrina, the Gnarled Teahouse and a later confrontation in the Mermaid Tavern.
StatusAvailable across Acts 1 and 3
Importancemajor
RewardVaries according to the player’s choices involving Auntie Ethel and Mayrina.
TimeVariable; the questline can span multiple acts.
  • Quest typeSide questline
  • Primary antagonistAuntie Ethel
  • Initial actAct 1
  • Later opportunityAct 3
  • Core locationsGnarled Teahouse; Mermaid Tavern
  • DifficultyHardThe trapped lair and deceptive combat can make this encounter more demanding than its initial presentation suggests.
  • OutcomeChoice-dependent

This questline does not have a single fixed reward or ending; outcomes depend on how the party handles Auntie Ethel, Mayrina and the victims.

Key takeaways

The quest rewards careful exploration and attention to the Hag’s deceptions more than rushing directly into combat.

  • Investigate the teahouse The Gnarled Teahouse is only the visible part of the encounter. Search for the route into the lair and prepare for traps, illusions and hostile servants before committing to the rescue.
  • Treat the rescue as a choice-driven encounter The result for Mayrina and the other victims depends on more than defeating Auntie Ethel. Non-lethal attacks and suitable spells can support a victim-focused approach, while careless area attacks may create additional problems.
  • Remember the later confrontation Stopping Ethel in Act 1 is not the only possible end to the conflict. Act 3 contains a further opportunity to oppose her beneath the Mermaid Tavern.
  • Do not rely on appearances The Hag’s encounter uses disguises, magical doubles and environmental threats to obscure the real danger. Observe targets and surroundings before spending limited resources.

Stop the Hag

Stop the Hag follows the party’s attempts to oppose Auntie Ethel, a Hag whose promises of help conceal a campaign of kidnapping, manipulation and magical abuse.

The quest begins in Act 1 when the party encounters the crisis surrounding Mayrina. Players can choose whether to intervene in Auntie Ethel’s kidnapping of Mayrina, but investigating the situation leads toward the Gnarled Teahouse and the Hag’s hidden lair. The early section combines dialogue, exploration and a dangerous rescue attempt rather than presenting the antagonist as a straightforward battlefield encounter.

Auntie Ethel’s teahouse is a deceptive location. The apparent hospitality of the building gives way to a trapped environment containing magical hazards, hostile thralls and illusions. If the party does not resolve the confrontation quickly, Ethel can retreat into her lair, where the rescue becomes more complicated and the surroundings themselves become part of the encounter.

The questline can have consequences beyond Act 1. Mayrina is one of the Hag’s primary victims, and later events in Act 3 provide another opportunity to confront Ethel when she is hiding beneath the Mermaid Tavern. The choices made during the earlier rescue influence how the later storyline is understood, particularly for players trying to protect the Hag’s victims rather than simply pursue a combat victory.

Where this sits

Act 1 investigationMayrina’s kidnapping and the Gnarled Teahouse
Hag’s lairTraps, illusions, thralls and the rescue
Act 3 returnA final opportunity beneath the Mermaid Tavern
  1. 1Find the source of Mayrina’s crisisinvestigationThe first section directs the party toward Auntie Ethel and the teahouse.
  2. ●Confront Auntie EthelencounterThe confrontation can move from the teahouse into the concealed lair.
  3. 3Resolve the victims’ immediate dangerrescueThe party must account for the trapped environment as well as Ethel herself.
  4. 4Revisit the Hag’s threatfollow-upAct 3 can provide a later confrontation beneath the Mermaid Tavern.

Stop the Hag begins as an Act 1 rescue investigation and can continue into an Act 3 confrontation.

Requirements

No strict party composition is required, but preparation for traps, crowd control and deceptive targets is strongly recommended.

  • RequiredReach the Act 1 encounterExplore the area around the Gnarled Teahouse and investigate the situation involving Mayrina and Auntie Ethel.
  • RecommendedPrepare for environmental hazardsBring healing, defensive resources and ways to respond to magical effects or dangerous terrain.
  • RecommendedCarry control or rescue toolsNon-lethal attacks and suitable spells can help preserve victims or disable defenses, depending on the chosen approach.
  • OptionalSave before entering the lairThe encounter can branch through combat and dialogue outcomes, so a separate save is useful before the confrontation.

Objectives

  1. Investigate Auntie Ethel’s involvement in Mayrina’s kidnapping.Follow the conflict to the Gnarled Teahouse instead of treating the initial encounter as an isolated conversation.
  2. Enter the Hag’s lair.When Ethel retreats, continue through the trapped environment and look for the route deeper into her domain.
  3. Protect the victims while opposing the Hag.The rescue objective is affected by attacks, spells and decisions made during the encounter.
  4. Resolve Auntie Ethel’s threat.The questline can lead to another confrontation in Act 3 beneath the Mermaid Tavern.Optional

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Learn what happened to Mayrina and identify Auntie Ethel’s role.

    Investigate the encounter involving Mayrina

    Begin by examining the situation around Mayrina and Auntie Ethel rather than accepting the Hag’s presentation at face value. The conversation establishes Mayrina as the person in immediate danger and points the party toward the Gnarled Teahouse.

    Location: Act 1, on the approach to the Gnarled Teahouse

    TipKeep dialogue and exploration options open before starting a fight; the quest is designed around discovering the deception.

  2. 02

    Find the entrance to Auntie Ethel’s hidden lair.

    Reach the Gnarled Teahouse

    Travel to the teahouse and speak with Ethel or investigate the building as circumstances allow. The visible rooms are not the full encounter, so search for signs that the location conceals a passage into the Hag’s lair.

    Location: Gnarled Teahouse

    Watch outTreat the teahouse as hostile territory even when Ethel is speaking peacefully; the quest can turn into combat or a forced retreat.

  3. 03

    Enter with a plan for hazards, illusions and hostile thralls.

    Prepare before entering the lair

    Heal the party, restore useful resources and decide whether the priority is defeating Ethel, rescuing victims or combining both goals. The lair contains traps and magical effects, so a formation that leaves characters spread across hazards can make the next section harder.

    Location: Gnarled Teahouse and the entrance to the lair

    TipUse turn-based movement and inspect suspicious terrain rather than moving the whole party blindly through the passage.

  4. 04

    Reach the deeper chamber without abandoning the rescue effort.

    Navigate the trapped environment

    Advance through the lair carefully and respond to the hazards as they appear. The route is dangerous because the environment can injure or delay the party while Ethel’s servants and magical defenses divide attention.

    Location: Auntie Ethel’s lair

    Watch outRushing toward the next room can trigger hazards while party members are still out of position.

  5. 05

    Clear a safe route toward Ethel and the victims.

    Deal with the Hag’s thralls and illusions

    Hostile pawns and magical doubles can obscure which threats deserve immediate attention. Separate genuine targets from distractions where possible, protect fragile party members and avoid wasting powerful attacks on an uncertain target.

    Location: Auntie Ethel’s lair

    TipUse examination, positioning and controlled attacks before committing to large area effects.

  6. 06

    Stop Auntie Ethel and prevent her from completing her plans.

    Confront Auntie Ethel in her lair

    When Ethel retreats from the teahouse, pursue her into the lair and begin the main confrontation. The fight combines her own magic with the arena’s hazards, so preserving movement options and keeping characters away from exposed danger is as important as dealing damage.

    Location: The Hag’s lair

    Checkpoint
  7. 07

    Defeat or disable Ethel without worsening the victims’ situation.

    Protect Mayrina during the confrontation

    Keep the rescue target in mind while fighting the Hag rather than treating every combatant as disposable. The result can change according to the attacks, non-lethal options and spells used around the victims.

    Location: The lair’s central confrontation area

    Watch outArea attacks and uncontrolled effects can harm people the party is trying to save.

    Missable
  8. 08

    Complete the rescue and decide what to do with the associated magical item.

    Resolve the Act 1 outcome

    After the confrontation, inspect the room and speak with Mayrina to understand what the party’s choices achieved. The immediate victory is not necessarily the end of Mayrina’s story, and the wand associated with her situation can affect how the aftermath develops.

    Location: The Hag’s lair and its aftermath

    Missable
  9. 09

    Find the Hag’s later hiding place.

    Follow the Hag’s trail into Act 3

    If the questline continues, look for evidence that Auntie Ethel’s threat has not been fully removed. In Act 3 she can be found hiding beneath the Mermaid Tavern, creating a later chance to intervene on behalf of her victims.

    Location: Baldur’s Gate, beneath the Mermaid Tavern

    Watch outAdvancing the wider story can close access to earlier areas and unresolved Act 1 outcomes.

  10. 10

    Stop Auntie Ethel for good and resolve the remaining consequences.

    End the remaining threat

    Confront Ethel again beneath the Mermaid Tavern and deal with the victims and followers connected to her operation. This later encounter is the questline’s final stated opportunity to stop her and can provide closure for Mayrina’s campaign against the Hag.

    Location: Basement beneath the Mermaid Tavern

    Missable

Mission mechanics

The distinctive mechanic of Stop the Hag is that combat takes place inside a hostile puzzle-like environment. Traps, magical illusions and summoned pawns prevent the party from reducing the encounter to a single damage race. Exploration, careful target selection and the preservation of movement routes are all part of the fight.

Ethel’s deception also affects how players read the battlefield. A character may need to examine targets, compare their positions and avoid spending limited resources until the real threat is clear. This is especially important when the party is trying to protect victims, because indiscriminate attacks can undermine the rescue objective.

The quest supports more than one approach to victim preservation. Non-lethal attacks and specific spells can be used as tactical tools, but their usefulness depends on the exact target and situation. Players should treat these options as part of a broader plan rather than assuming that every victim can be safely handled in the same way.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The quest combines investigation, dialogue, exploration and combat instead of placing the entire objective in a single arena.
  • The trapped lair makes positioning and route planning meaningful throughout the encounter.
  • Victim-focused choices give the confrontation consequences beyond simply defeating Auntie Ethel.
  • The Act 3 continuation gives the earlier conflict lasting narrative relevance.

Weaknesses

  • The Hag’s illusions and summoned pawns can make target selection unclear, especially on a first attempt.
  • Environmental hazards can punish players who enter without healing or a plan for movement.
  • The quest’s branching outcomes mean that a combat victory does not automatically guarantee the best result for every victim.
  • Some consequences are separated by acts, making it easy to overlook the connection between the early rescue and the later confrontation.

Best uses

  • Approach the quest as a rescue and investigation mission rather than a routine boss fight.
  • Use controlled movement, examination and defensive resources to reduce the impact of the lair’s hazards.
  • Create a save before the teahouse confrontation if preserving optional outcomes matters.

PhasesSpoilers

  1. 1

    Teahouse confrontation

    Starts: The party challenges Auntie Ethel or pushes far enough into the Gnarled Teahouse for her deception to collapse.

    The initial encounter establishes Ethel as the antagonist and can lead directly to her retreat into the hidden lair.

    • Auntie Ethel’s magicTell Magical effects and deceptive behavior signal that the apparent conversation has become a hostile encounter.Answer Spread vulnerable characters carefully and keep defensive resources available.
    • Do not assume the visible teahouse is the complete battlefield.
    • Decide whether the immediate priority is Ethel, Mayrina or safe access to the lair.
  2. 2

    Lair hazards and thralls

    Starts: Ethel flees from the teahouse into her hidden domain.

    The party must navigate traps while dealing with illusions and summoned or controlled pawns.

    • Environmental trapsTell Suspicious sections of the route and hazardous terrain can threaten characters moving without caution.Answer Advance deliberately and avoid sending the entire party through an untested area.
    • Magical illusionsTell Multiple apparent threats can make it difficult to identify the genuine target.Answer Examine targets and prioritize certainty over immediately spending area attacks.
    • Keep the party within support range without clustering everyone on a hazard.
    • Use turn-based movement when the route becomes difficult to read.
  3. 3

    Main Hag confrontation

    Starts: The party reaches Ethel deeper in the lair.

    The decisive fight combines Auntie Ethel’s magic, battlefield deception and the danger of harming the people the party is trying to save.

    • Illusion-based pressureTell Copies or misleading targets appear during the confrontation.Answer Verify targets before committing high-value attacks.
    • Lair controlTell The arena itself limits safe movement and can split the party’s attention.Answer Preserve escape routes and move characters away from hazards before they become trapped.
    • Protect the rescue target while maintaining pressure on Ethel.
    • Non-lethal or spell-based solutions may support a victim-preservation strategy.

Boss encounterSpoilers

  • Location
    Auntie Ethel’s lair beneath the Gnarled Teahouse
  • Health
    Not listed; encounter durability varies with game difficulty and party progression.

Keep the party mobile, inspect apparent targets before attacking and avoid allowing the lair’s hazards to dictate the fight. Protect Mayrina and other victims while reducing Ethel’s ability to create distractions. If the quest continues into Act 3, the later encounter beneath the Mermaid Tavern should be treated as a separate opportunity to resolve the remaining threat.

Weaknesses

  • Target identification and battlefield control are more important than relying on raw damage alone.
  • The Hag’s defenses can be disrupted by suitable spells or careful tactical choices.

Rewards

  • Quest outcome involving Mayrina and the Hag’s victims
  • Possible access to the Bitter Divorce wand
  • Later consequences connected to the Mermaid Tavern confrontation

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Intervene in Auntie Ethel’s kidnapping of Mayrina

    The party becomes involved in the Act 1 questline and can pursue the conflict to the Gnarled Teahouse and the Hag’s lair.

  • Use non-lethal attacks or suitable spells around victims

    These tools can support an attempt to save victims or disable defenses rather than treating the encounter as an unrestricted battle.

    Spoiler
  • Take or use the Bitter Divorce wand after the Act 1 confrontation

    The wand is tied to Mayrina’s situation and can influence how the immediate aftermath is resolved.

    Spoiler
  • Leave the Act 1 conflict unresolved before progressing

    Later story progression can make earlier locations or outcomes unavailable, so unresolved rescue decisions may be missable.

    Spoiler
  • Pursue Ethel beneath the Mermaid Tavern in Act 3

    The party receives a final opportunity to oppose the Hag and address the wider consequences of her actions.

    Spoiler

Checklist

  • Investigate Mayrina’s disappearance before treating the situation as resolved.The kidnapping is the central lead into the questline.
  • Search the Gnarled Teahouse for the route into the hidden lair.The visible building does not contain the whole encounter.
  • Save before confronting Auntie Ethel.Several victim and reward outcomes are choice-dependent.
  • Bring healing and defensive resources into the lair.The environment can be as dangerous as the enemies.
  • Check targets before using powerful area attacks.Illusions and pawns can make the battlefield deceptive.
  • Protect Mayrina during the main confrontation.The rescue objective can be damaged by careless attacks.Optional
  • Investigate the aftermath and the Bitter Divorce wand.This item is associated with Mayrina’s outcome.Optional
  • Look for the Hag beneath the Mermaid Tavern in Act 3.This is the later opportunity to continue the questline.Optional

Collectibles and secretsSpoilers

  • 01
    Bitter Divorce

    Where: Associated with the aftermath of the Act 1 Hag encounter

    The wand is connected to Mayrina’s situation and can be involved in the player’s decision about the immediate outcome.

    Missable
  • 02
    Whispering Masks

    Where: Around the Hag’s lair and her thralls

    These masks are associated with the servants under Ethel’s influence and may be encountered during the lair section.

    Missable

Failure conditionsSpoilers

  • A party member or victim is defeated during the encounterCombat failure can force a reload and may prevent the intended rescue outcome.
  • The party harms a protected victim with uncontrolled attacksArea effects and poor target selection can undermine the objective of saving the Hag’s victims.
  • The party advances the story before resolving the Act 1 sectionEarlier areas and choices may become unavailable after major progression, making some outcomes missable.
  • The party leaves the later Hag encounter unresolvedThe questline’s Act 3 conclusion requires finding and confronting Ethel beneath the Mermaid Tavern.

On failure

Use a manual save before entering the teahouse and again before the main lair confrontation. The exact checkpoint behavior can vary with the game’s current state and difficulty.

RewardsSpoilers

  • Bitter Divorce
    A notable item associated with the Act 1 aftermath and the choices surrounding Mayrina.
  • Whispering Masks
    Items associated with Auntie Ethel’s thralls and the lair encounters.
  • Victim outcomes
    The principal reward is narrative and choice-dependent: the party can change the fate of Mayrina and other people affected by the Hag.
  • Act 3 resolution
    Following the quest into the Mermaid Tavern can provide closure by offering another chance to stop Ethel.

AftermathSpoilers

The Hag’s story can continue

Defeating or escaping Auntie Ethel in Act 1 does not necessarily close every thread connected to her victims. Mayrina can later lead a group in Act 3 dedicated to hunting the Hag, and the party can find Ethel hiding beneath the Mermaid Tavern for a final opportunity to intervene.

Trivia

  • The quest is framed around a Hag rather than a conventional monster hunt, making deception and bargains central to its structure.
  • The Gnarled Teahouse functions as both a social setting and the entrance to a trapped combat environment.
  • The questline is unusual in that its central conflict can reappear across Acts 1 and 3.
  • Mayrina’s later role gives one of the early victims an active connection to the continuing hunt for Auntie Ethel.

Sources

Relationships

Characters

  • Auntie EthelAntagonistAuntie Ethel is the Hag at the centre of the kidnapping, lair encounter and later confrontation.
  • MayrinaVictimMayrina’s kidnapping begins the central Act 1 conflict and her later actions connect the questline to Act 3.

Locations

  • Gnarled TeahouseAct 1 locationThe teahouse conceals the entrance to Auntie Ethel’s lair.
  • Mermaid TavernAct 3 locationAuntie Ethel can later be found beneath the Mermaid Tavern.

Items

  • Bitter DivorceAssociated itemA wand tied to the aftermath of Mayrina’s rescue.