Baldur's Gate 3 — Playthrough Chronicle
1. Character Overview
You are playing a custom character — a Tiefling (Asmodeus bloodline), Level 7 — on Balanced difficulty (RulesetLarian being the standard ruleset). Your heritage marks you as kin to the very infernal forces your world fears, a detail that likely coloured more than a few conversations in the Emerald Grove.
Your active party at time of save consists of Shadowheart, Gale, and Karlach, rounded out by two summoned Ice Mephits — a full party of six, with conjuration magic pulling its weight on the battlefield. Astarion and Lae'zel are not currently in the active roster but remain in camp; Halsin and Wyll are also present. Minthara's approval is registered, but she is not in the active party — more on that shortly.
The save sits at the threshold of Act 2, with the Shadow-Cursed Lands firmly entered and Last Light Inn secured, but Moonrise Towers only barely glimpsed.
2. Act 1 — The Sword Coast & Its Complications
The Nautiloid and the Crash
Your story began as all tadpole stories do: chaos, ceremorphosis narrowly averted, a crash-landing near the Ravaged Beach. You freed Shadowheart from her pod before leaving the ship — she came to you unconscious rather than locked away, and you pulled her out into the world. Lae'zel was found shortly after, caged by Tieflings near the chapel ruins, and you secured her release. From the opening moments, you were building a team.
Emerald Grove — Protector of the Refugees
The Emerald Grove consumed a great deal of your time and attention, and you navigated its tensions with considerable care. The flags tell a story of measured, principled engagement:
You entered the Grove during the goblin raid, saw the confrontation at the gates, and chose to work with the Tiefling refugees rather than against them. When a captured goblin became a flashpoint inside the grove, you orchestrated a peaceful resolution — the goblin was released rather than executed, the guards stayed calm, and crisis was averted. You extended similar diplomacy to the tiefling children: when young Mirkon led you to the harpies on the riverbank, you intervened and ended the encounter. You caught the tiefling thief (Mol's crew testing their limits) but handled it with enough grace that the Hideout remained friendly.
Crucially: DENAttackOnDenStateDenVictory is set. The grove survived. The goblin attack was repelled, and the tiefling refugees lived to receive their party invitation. You did not side with Minthara — and yet her approval rating of ≥40 is registered. This means you encountered her in the goblin camp, likely charmed or manipulated her rather than simply killing her (she is not dead, as her approval flag is active). The goblin leaders are all confirmed dead by other flags, meaning you found another path through — drugging the toast, perhaps, or simply cutting through the camp without her cooperation. The refugees celebrated, and you were invited to the party.
The Shadow Druid conspiracy inside the grove was also unravelled. You detected Kagha's tree, discovered the recruitment letter, freed the child she had endangered with her snake, and saw that particular court of snakes concluded. The grove's internal rot was excised alongside its external threat.
Halsin was found and freed from the goblin camp's wolf pens. He returned to the grove, and later — after the leaders fell — he agreed to join you, briefed you on Moonrise Towers and the shadow curse, and is now travelling with your party.
The Goblin Camp — Thorough and Lethal
Your passage through the goblin camp was comprehensive. Every major space was swept: the war room, the wolf pens, the scrying chamber, the throne room. You solved the temple puzzle, freed the tortured adventurer, freed a prisoner from the spider pit, and encountered Volo — who eventually made it to your camp and, based on the flags, performed his infamous "surgical" procedure.
The three goblin leaders — Dror Razglin, the Goblin Priestess, and the Drow Commander — are all confirmed dead. The goblin camp is cleared. GLOGoblinKingStatePermaDefeated and GLODrowCommanderStateDead leave no ambiguity. The Absolute's grip on this region of the Sword Coast is broken.
You also acquired the owlbear cub during the chicken-chasing game at the camp — and the cub has since made its way to your camp, joining the menagerie of strays you've apparently accumulated (the courier dog is also in camp).
The Risen Road
The road north was eventful. You saved the Zhentarim survivors from the gnolls at the ravine — joined the fight, helped break open the chest, and saw Rugan and company off toward Baldur's Gate, though the aftermath cost some lives along the way. The burned tollhouse yielded the mystery of the Paladins of Tyr hunting Karlach, a confrontation you resolved by fighting and defeating them, standing firmly at Karlach's side. You met the devil Desire in the ruins, who told you about someone named Stelmane being taken.
The Hag
Auntie Ethel met her end at your hands. You saw through the forest illusion, descended into her lair, found her surrogate's remains, sided with her "brothers" in the confrontation, and killed her outright. HAGHagStateIsDead is unambiguous. She won't be regenerating for this run.
The Underdark — Exceptionally Thorough
You went deep, and you went wide. The Underdark flags represent one of the most complete explorations of that region the game allows:
You found the Myconid Circle, accepted their quest, sent them to kill Nere, and then saw it through — Nere is dead (UNDTheDrowNereStatePermaDefeated), the Duergar mutineers are defeated, and the gnome workers were freed and have left. Sovereign Spaw's request was honoured.
The Brood Sovereign of the Sussur mushroom fields was dealt with peacefully — you refused its violent demands, and the situation resolved without bloodshed among the hook horrors.
The Adamantine Forge was located and its secrets documented extensively, though the flags don't confirm you actually ran the forge itself — only that you researched it deeply.
The Society of Brilliance's Mind Flayer was encountered and a connection performed. Their scholar allowed trading with you.
The Arcane Tower was powered up (main power restored).
You freed the unfortunate gnome who'd been catapulted into the mushroom fields.
The injured gnome, however, didn't make it — they died from poison and in their madness became a spore servant, a grim footnote to an otherwise heroic sweep of the region.
UNDMyconidSovereignStateSaidKilledGlut suggests you reported Glut's defeat to the Sovereign — meaning the rogue myconid who wanted to raise a fungal army was also put down.
The Githyanki Crèche — A Pivotal Moment
The crèche visit produced one of Act 1's most consequential sequences. You gained access to the upper levels, used the inquisitor's device with Lae'zel, spoke with the projection of Vlaakith herself — and then defied her. CREChainOfCommandStateHuntedByVlaakith and CREChainOfCommandStateBetrayedByVlaakith (via the companion flag ORILaezelStateBetrayedByVlaakith) confirm that you refused to destroy whatever Vlaakith demanded, survived the inquisitor's hostility, and left with Lae'zel's faith in her goddess-queen shattered.
Lae'zel has agreed with Voss in Act 2 (ORILaezelStateAgreedWithVossInAct2) and is now firmly on the Orpheus path (ORILaezelStateIsOnOrpheusPath). She knows Voss met with Raphael at Sharess' Caress. Her entire worldview has been upended, and she is walking a road of revolutionary doubt — and you're walking it beside her.
The Githyanki egg was also delivered somewhere (CREExpeditionerStateGithyankiEggDelivered), and a Society of Brilliance lodge contact in the Lower City apparently knows about it (LOWTheLodgeKnowsSocietyWantsGithEgg) — a thread that will presumably matter later.
One shadow: CREYouthTrainingStateBoyDead. A child in the crèche's youth training died during your visit. The crèche turned fully hostile, and collateral tragedy was not entirely avoided.
3. Act 2 — Into the Shadow
You have arrived in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. The transition was notable: you chose to travel independently rather than with the Drider's caravan, encountering Harper scouts along the way, defeating shadows with them, and escorting them to Last Light Inn.
Last Light Inn — Defended and Secured
Jaheira was met at the inn's entrance, vouched for by Mol (who came to Last Light ahead of you), and you've gained full access. The inn's mood is alert — tensions are high — but the barrier remains up: HAVAreaStateBarrierIsOn confirms Isobel's protection still holds.
And that's because you defended her. An abduction attempt was made — HAVTakingIsobelEventAbductionAttempted — a spy was unmasked, and you sided with Isobel completely. The spy is dead. The barrier stands. The tiefling refugees and Flaming Fist soldiers inside the inn are alive.
However: HAVTakingIsobelEventMolKidnapped is set. Mol was taken during the chaos of that confrontation. She is presumably in Moonrise Towers — another reason, personal and urgent, to push forward.
You've begun upgrading Karlach's infernal engine. HAVForgingOfTheHeartStateReadyForSecondUpgrade means Dammon has performed at least one upgrade and a second is ready — Karlach's chest is cooler, her touch less lethal, her future slightly more hopeful.
Gnomes and tieflings are confirmed in Moonrise's jail (MOOJailbreakStateGnomesInJail, MOOJailbreakStateTieflingsInJail). The bazaar has been entered. Moonrise Towers looms. But the save was taken in the Shadow-Cursed Lands proper — CURRENTREGIONSCLMainA — with the heavy work of Act 2 still ahead.
4. Companion Status
Companion Status Approval Notes
Shadowheart Active party ≥ 50 (high) Romance started (ORIShadowheartStateStartedRomance). She has shared her incurable wound, her wolf dreams, her knowledge of being a Justiciar-in-training. Her mission for her goddess remains deeply unresolved. She trusts you with the artefact.
Gale Active party ≥ 50 (high) Full backstory revealed. He's consumed three magic items for you, Elminster has visited camp, and Gale has indicated willingness to die (ORIGaleStateWillingToDie) — a quiet, ominous flag.
Karlach Active party ≥ 50 (high) Engine upgraded once, second upgrade pending. You told her about Dammon, stood by her against the Paladins, and she is fiercely loyal in return.
Lae'zel In camp ≥ 50 (high) Betrayed by Vlaakith, aligned with Voss and the Orpheus path. A romance can be started (ORILaezelStateCanAskStartRomance). She is a companion transformed by this run.
Astarion In camp ≥ 50 (high) His vampiric nature is known to you, his master Cazador named, a bite scene unlocked. He requested a conversation with Raphael — his own dark bargains are stirring.
Wyll In camp ≥ 20 (moderate) His confrontation with Karlach was resolved peacefully (ORIWyllConfrontationStateResolvedPeacefuly). Mizora has captured him and rendered judgement — he remains a devil (ORIWyllStateIsDevil), his pact still binding. He knows his father is Ravengard.
Halsin In camp ≥ 20 (moderate) Freed, returned, now accompanying you. He knows about the shadow curse and the dark justiciars. His quest is now your quest.
Minthara Not in party ≥ 40 Alive and registered, but not recruited as a companion. The grove was saved, so this is likely a charmed/manipulated encounter rather than an alliance.
Jaheira Met — Encountered at Last Light Inn. Not yet in party.
Romance highlight: Shadowheart is your primary companion relationship — started formally, with significant emotional investment shown through shared dreams, wounds confessed, and the wolf-dream sequence offered and accepted. Astarion's "tasting party" flag from the celebration is set, suggesting at least a flirtatious moment in Act 1, but no romance started flag for him.
5. Notable Decisions
The Grove Saved, the Leaders Slain: You chose the harder road — infiltrating the goblin camp, killing all three leaders, and saving the refugees — rather than the expedient brutality of the raid. Every tiefling who attended that celebration survived because of your choices.
Vlaakith Defied: When a god-queen demanded you destroy something precious in the Astral Prison, you refused. The entire crèche turned hostile. This wasn't a mistake — it was a declaration. Lae'zel is no longer the same warrior who boarded the Nautiloid.
The Hag, No Mercy: You killed Ethel completely rather than striking a bargain. Given that she would offer to remove your tadpole in exchange for terrible costs, this represents either moral clarity or the knowledge that her deals are never worth taking.
Zhentarim Survivors' Fate: You fought alongside Rugan and his group but the survivors ultimately died (PLAZhentShipmentStateSurvivorsAreDead). You were there; it wasn't enough.
The Injured Gnome: In a run otherwise characterised by saving people, the gnome in the Underdark poisoned themselves into madness and became a spore servant. A small tragedy in a generally heroic sweep — the kind of outcome that haunts a hero who tried.
Isobel Defended: When the spy made their move, you acted decisively. The barrier holds, the inn lives, and Mol's kidnapping is the price you couldn't prevent.
Gale's Willingness to Die: This flag is quiet but significant. Gale has reached a point in his arc where he has told you — or decided — that he is willing to give his life. What you do with that information will define his story.
6. Trajectory
This is a heroic, thorough, alliance-building playthrough — but one with a moral spine, not mere completionism. You don't save people because you want to clear quest markers; the pattern across Act 1 is consistent, deliberate protection of the vulnerable. Refugees, gnomes, prisoners, children — your Tiefling walks through the Sword Coast like someone with something to prove about what their bloodline means.
The romance with Shadowheart, the loyalty earned from nearly every companion, the refusal to bow to Vlaakith — this is a character building chosen family from the rubble of a world that doesn't trust them.
Act 2 has barely begun, but the architecture is already clear: Moonrise Towers must fall. Mol is inside, the tieflings and gnomes are imprisoned, and the shadow curse is choking the land. You have Halsin, you have Jaheira, and you have a party that trusts you deeply.
The threads pulling hardest on the immediate future: Shadowheart's mission for her goddess will demand resolution — her dreams, her wound, her identity as a Shar-worshipper are all in motion, and the Shadow-Cursed Lands are Shar's domain. Lae'zel's new path leads through Moonrise and beyond, toward something the githyanki have been hiding. And Gale — who has said he is willing to die — carries an orb of considerable destructive power and a visit from Elminster that changed something in him quietly.
You have built something worth protecting. The question Act 2 will ask is whether you can protect it here, in the dark, where the shadow takes everything.