Saving Mayrina and Other Victims From Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3: A Comprehensive Guide

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Auntie Ethel, the seemingly kind old woman in Baldur’s Gate 3, hides a dark secret: she’s a green hag with a penchant for trapping and tormenting unsuspecting victims. Saving Mayrina and others from her clutches requires careful planning, strategic combat, and a bit of cunning. Here’s how to navigate the treacherous path and rescue those ensnared by Ethel’s wicked schemes.

Freeing Mayrina from Auntie Ethel

The primary goal is saving Mayrina, held captive by Auntie Ethel. There are a few crucial stages to this rescue, and each requires a different approach:

1. The Cage: Upon entering Auntie Ethel’s lair and defeating her initial illusionary defenses, you’ll find Mayrina trapped in a cage suspended above a fiery pit.

   • Method 1: Quick Action: If you act swiftly, you can use ranged attacks to break the cage supports before Auntie Ethel can react. This will drop the cage, but Mayrina will likely take fire damage. You’ll need to quickly extinguish the flames with spells like Create Water, or by throwing water-filled containers. After defeating Auntie Ethel, Mayrina will climb out of the cage and run off in distress.
   • Method 2: Watery Deception: Another approach is to use water to put out the fire before breaking the cage. This triggers Auntie Ethel to teleport Mayrina out of the cage and disguise herself as Mayrina. The next section covers how to identify her.

2. Identifying the Real Mayrina: If you put out the fire, Auntie Ethel will disguise herself as Mayrina to trick you. To identify the real Mayrina from the imposter:

   • Wetness Test: The Mayrina soaked from the water is the real one. The hag-imposter will be dry. This is the most reliable method.
   • Pregnancy: If you examine both “Mayrinas,” the real one will be visibly pregnant. The Ethel-disguise won’t be.
   • Faerie Fire: Casting Faerie Fire on the real Ethel (disguised as Mayrina) will reveal her true form, as the effect persists even through her disguise.

3. Confronting and Defeating Auntie Ethel: Once you’ve identified the disguised Ethel, attack her. Be prepared for a challenging fight.

   • Low Health Negotiation: When Ethel’s health gets low, she will attempt to bargain, offering you power in exchange for Mayrina’s freedom.
   • Bargaining and Threatening: You can agree to her deal, bargain for more power, or threaten her to release Mayrina and offer a reward. Successfully intimidating or persuading her allows you to save Mayrina and receive a benefit.
   • Fighting to the Finish: Alternatively, you can refuse her deal and continue the fight. If you defeat her, Mayrina will be freed, but she’ll be distraught over her husband’s fate.

4. Dealing with Connor: After saving Mayrina (or even before), you can find her deceased husband, Connor. Ethel transformed him into a zombie.

   • The Bitter Staff: Ethel possesses a staff that allows her to control Connor. Once Ethel is defeated (or even while she is alive), you can use the Bitter Staff to temporarily reanimate Connor.
   • Giving Mayrina the Wand: You have the choice to give Mayrina the staff. If you do, she will take Connor’s zombified body to Baldur’s Gate in search of a cure.
   • Breaking the Wand: You can also choose to break the wand, ending Connor’s animation.

Saving Other Victims of Auntie Ethel

Besides Mayrina, Auntie Ethel has other victims held captive in her lair and elsewhere. Here’s how to save them:

• Captain Grisly and the Masked Victims: Below the Blushing Mermaid, you’ll find masked victims under Ethel’s control.

  • Non-Lethal Takedown: The key to saving them is to use non-lethal attacks. Enable “Non-Lethal Attacks” in your passive actions menu and subdue them without killing them.
  • No Magic: Ideally, avoid using damaging spells, as they can easily kill the masked victims even with non-lethal attacks enabled.
  • Ignore Them: You can bypass them entirely to focus on rescuing Mayrina. They will remain under Ethel’s control until she is dealt with.

• Vanra: In Act 3, Auntie Ethel returns, and this time she is holding a little girl, Vanra, captive in her stomach.

  • Hag’s Bane: To save Vanra, you’ll need the Hag’s Bane potion. This potion is crafted using the resources acquired throughout the adventures, including: Vengeance Bloom and Any Essence. Once crafted, when you’re able to, have your most capable fighter throw the Hag’s Bane at Ethel to make her release Vanra.
  • Non-Lethal Attack: On any character, go to the Passive submenu at the bottom of your hub and select non lethal attack. With non lethal attack selected, knock her out using your weapon. It will give you the option to cut her belly and Vanra will be alive.

Making the Right Choices

Decisions regarding Auntie Ethel have consequences. Consider these factors:

• Helping Ethel: Aiding Ethel can secure an invitation to her teahouse and potentially offer a “cure” for the parasite. However, her methods are twisted, and the benefits come at a steep cost.
• Accepting Ethel’s Deal: Accepting Ethel’s deal at low health will save Mayrina, but at a potential personal cost, such as giving up an eye.
• Killing Ethel: Killing Ethel ensures Mayrina’s freedom and prevents future victims, but you might miss out on potential rewards or information.

Ultimately, the best path depends on your character’s moral compass and desired outcome. However, considering Ethel’s nature, choosing to oppose her and save her victims is generally the most morally sound and rewarding decision.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Auntie Ethel

Here are some frequently asked questions about Auntie Ethel and how to deal with her:

1. Should I let Auntie Ethel take my eye? No, absolutely not. Letting her take your eye results in a permanent debuff and is generally a bad idea.

2. Can Auntie Ethel remove the parasite? She claims she can, but her methods are dangerous and unreliable. There are better options for dealing with the parasite.

3. What level should I be to fight Auntie Ethel? Aim for at least level 4, preferably level 5 or higher. The fight can be challenging, especially on higher difficulties.

4. What happens if you let Auntie Ethel live? She’ll likely continue her evil deeds, preying on unsuspecting victims. However, you might gain access to her services or rewards.

5. Should I tell Auntie Ethel about the parasite? Telling her about the parasite is necessary if you want to explore that questline, but be aware of the risks involved.

6. How do I spare Auntie Ethel? Reduce her health to a critical point, and she’ll offer a deal. Accept the deal, and she’ll live.

7. What happens if I help Auntie Ethel? You’ll gain her favor, potentially receiving rewards or services. However, you’ll also be complicit in her evil actions.

8. What do Auntie Ethel’s potions do? Some offer temporary buffs, while others have permanent negative effects. Be cautious before consuming them.

9. Can Volo remove the hag eye? No, Volo cannot reverse the effects of the hag’s curse.

10. Does Auntie Ethel come back? Yes, she reappears in Act 3, presenting another opportunity to confront her.

11. Should I let Volo take my eye? Letting Volo attempt surgery can have mixed results. While it might not remove the Hag eye, it might offer a different type of advantage that is arguably better.

12. Can Raphael remove the tadpole? Raphael offers a deal that involves the tadpole. You used to have to use the tadpoles to get powers from them, and there was clearly something up with Daisy, and the game was more open about using the tadpoles causing memory loss, etc.

13. How do I get through Auntie Ethel’s fireplace? Use click and hold on the floor your character will walk in that direction and you can move the mouse around to change the direction the character is walking. This is a different mode of movement to the normal click to path move.

14. What kind of hag is Auntie Ethel? Ethel is a green hag of incredible power.

15. How do I romance Astarion? You can romance him by supporting his desires, being ruthless to people he views as weak, demonstrating your power over others, and letting him bite you. You can learn more about game design and player experiences at the Games Learning Society website.

    Whether you prioritize a clean conscience, powerful rewards, or simply enjoy a challenging fight, understanding Auntie Ethel’s nature and her machinations is key to making informed decisions and saving her victims in Baldur’s Gate 3. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about the educational aspects of games.