Unveiling the Nightsong: Should You Tell Lorroakan in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The question of whether or not to tell Lorroakan about the Nightsong in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a pivotal one that branches into significant story arcs and character outcomes. In short, no, you should not tell Lorroakan about the Nightsong. Informing him sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately leads to the Nightsong’s imprisonment and exploitation, furthering his ambitions and potentially aligning you with a less desirable outcome, especially if you favor a more heroic playthrough. While lying to him may seem deceptive, it’s often the morally sound path, preserving the Nightsong’s freedom and influencing the overall narrative towards a more positive resolution. This decision has massive implications for Shadowheart, and your ultimate battle against the Absolute.
Navigating the Sorcerous Sundries and Lorroakan’s Ambitions
Lorroakan, residing in Sorcerous Sundries, is obsessed with acquiring the Nightsong’s immortality. His goal is to harness her power to enhance his own magical abilities and solidify his position as a supreme wizard. Revealing the Nightsong’s location to him essentially provides him with the key to achieving this ambition, regardless of the cost.
When you first encounter Lorroakan’s projection, you’re presented with multiple dialogue options. Choosing to discuss the Nightsong will lead you to choose one of four portals. The correct portal is the one on the far-left, since it has this plaque: “The Nightsong is an immortal being, the child of a deity.”
Why Keeping the Nightsong a Secret is Crucial
- Moral Alignment: Siding with Lorroakan leans heavily into an evil playthrough. He seeks to exploit the Nightsong, not protect her.
- Shadowheart’s Quest: Your choice dramatically impacts Shadowheart’s personal quest. Aligning with Lorroakan almost guarantees she becomes a Dark Justiciar, a path that leads to significant character changes and story outcomes.
- Future Conflicts: Supporting Lorroakan strengthens his position, potentially creating a more formidable enemy later in the game.
- Nightsong’s Fate: The most direct consequence is the Nightsong’s potential imprisonment and suffering. Preserving her freedom is essential if you’re aiming for a heroic narrative.
- Lorroakan’s Nature: Lorroakan is presented as an arrogant and power-hungry individual. He was known for being rather poor, despite his expensive tastes. and had a short temper. Helping him generally contributes to a less desirable outcome.
Alternatives to Informing Lorroakan
If you’ve already initiated the dialogue with Lorroakan, there are still ways to mitigate the consequences:
- Lie to Aradin: You can lie to Aradin about finding Nightsong or tell him the truth. This choice will determine if Aradin will come to your camp later with mercenaries and try to take the Nightsong.
- Refuse to Cooperate: You can choose dialogue options that express skepticism or disinterest in Lorroakan’s quest, effectively stonewalling his efforts.
- Seek Alternative Solutions: Focus on rescuing the Nightsong yourself, without involving Lorroakan. This protects her from his exploitation and allows you to control her destiny.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What happens if I tell Aradin I found the Nightsong?
Telling Aradin the truth about finding the Nightsong will lead to him demanding a cut of the reward. You can either agree to his demands or attempt to talk him out of it. Be aware that if he believes you have the Nightsong, he’ll later appear at your camp with a group of mercenaries to try and take her by force.
2. Should I kill the Nightsong?
Players should only really allow Nightsong to be killed in Baldur’s Gate 3 if they are inclined towards an evil run or if they really want to see an evil version of Shadowheart after she becomes a Dark Justiciar. It also grants her powerful gear from Shar.
3. How do I deal with Lorroakan if he becomes hostile?
Spells like Moonbeam can continually affect him, though you can also unleash your strongest spell on him in hopes of taking him down in one hit. You can also send Karlach to deal with him quickly. Silencing him also prevents him from casting spells, making him easier to handle in melee combat.
4. What happens if I let Balthazar take the Nightsong?
Letting Balthazar take the Nightsong is generally a bad idea, but it will let you get away without a fight. However, Shadowheart will permanently abandon you if you choose this option.
5. Is it better to help Lorroakan or the Nightsong?
It is generally better to help the Nightsong. Helping Lorroakan aligns you with a morally questionable character and contributes to a less desirable outcome for the Nightsong and the overall storyline.
6. Should I free the Nightsong?
Saving the Nightsong will make things easier when facing up against the Absolute, but killing it will make things easier for those who are looking to side with the Absolute. The choice depends on your desired alignment and playstyle.
7. Is it worth killing Balthazar?
If you attack and defeat Balthazar in Baldur’s Gate 3, you can loot his body to get the rare Circle of Bones headgear, uncommon Warped Headband of Intellect, and Animate Dead, a level 3 Necromancy spell.
8. Should I help the Emperor?
You need the Emperor alive, as he’s actually the only one who’s preventing you from being completely corrupted by the Absolute. If you fight him, you’ll go up against his Intellect Devourer brain creatures, as well as the Githyanki invaders.
9. Should I free Orpheus?
To summarize, players should side with the Emperor if they don’t want to become Mind Flayers, and they should free Orpheus if they don’t mind all the tentacles. The former may cause Lae’zel to turn against the player, and it will force Karlach to return to Avernus so her Infernal Engine doesn’t cause any more problems.
10. Can you still romance Shadowheart if she kills the Nightsong?
Here, you’ll have two options that allow you to continue your romance: Let Shadowheart kill the Nightsong, or convince her to save the Nightsong. Any other options, such as handing the Nightsong to Balthazar or fighting Shadowheart to save the Nightsong, will cause her to leave your party and end your relationship.
11. What silences the Nightsong?
To silence the Nightsong you’ll need the book you can find in the Silent LIbrary. After defeating the justiciar duellists, disarm the trapped bookcases all around you and search the second bookcase on the right as you enter.
12. Does Nightsong join your party?
Upon freeing her from her prison and defeating Ketheric, she joins the party in the Camp. While not necessarily a recruitable character, the inclusion of such an important figure in the story can give players a semblance of how important their mission is to the people of Faerun.
13. What does Aradin’s key unlock?
There’s a locked chest in the tiefling camp next to where Aradin and his group usually hang if they’re alive and the convo after the goblins ended peacefully. It’s not marked for stealing if Aradin’s lot isn’t there. I’m pretty sure that’s what it unlocks. Yes, it is called Adventurers’ Chest.
14. What happens if Orpheus becomes Illithid?
If Orpheus becomes an illithid, he’ll ask you to kill him after defeating the Netherbrain.
15. Does the Emperor betray you?
He will betray you on a dime if you decide to free Orpheus, regardless of how much you bonded throughout the journey, leading you to believe he was just manipulating you. But then again, if you let him gobble Orpheus up – well then you discover the ugly truth – he was actually not going to betray you at all!
Making Informed Choices
Ultimately, the decision of whether to inform Lorroakan about the Nightsong rests on your desired narrative path and moral alignment. However, considering the potential consequences and the Nightsong’s fate, choosing to deceive or avoid cooperating with Lorroakan is generally the more advantageous option for a heroic playthrough. It allows you to protect the Nightsong, influence Shadowheart’s destiny, and shape the overall storyline in a more positive direction. By carefully navigating these choices, you can craft a compelling and rewarding experience in Baldur’s Gate 3. Further insights into games and learning can be found at the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.