Baldur’s Gate III – Be very, very careful with this early Act 2 quest

Baldur’s Gate III – Be very, very careful with this early Act 2 quest

Okay, guys, lemme tell ya something about Baldur’s Gate 3. I goofed up big time and trust me, you don’t wanna follow in my footsteps.

So, picture this: Act 1 ends, and I’ve just conquered the Emerald Grove. Took down goblins and slogged through the Underdark like a champ. I’m feeling invincible, ready to take on anything, right? So I stroll into this “cursed” forest at the start of Act 2 like it’s a walk in the park. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening!

Well, that’s what happens when you underestimate the brutality of Larian RPGs, folks.

The Last Light Inn: A Sanctuary with Consequences

First thing that happened? Stumbled into the Shadow-Cursed Lands, found this sweet spot called the Last Light Inn. Imagine, a haven in a haunted forest, full of Harpers and their fearless leader Jaheira. Ah, good old Jaheira from the original Baldur’s Gate, what a blast from the past. Oh, and guess who else shows up? The tiefling refugees we saved earlier, all on their way back to Baldur’s Gate. It felt like a reunion!

But hold your horses, there’s a twist! You’re supposed to chat with this gal Isobel, but let me warn ya, the moment you strike up a conversation, things go south real fast. All hell breaks loose! So, hold off on that until you’ve got your bearings straight. Finish your catch-ups, handle some side quests, because once you talk to her, there’s no going back. And yeah, if you want to avoid spoilers, well, consider yourself warned.

The Battle at the Last Light Inn: Two Paths, One Outcome

So the showdown at the Last Light Inn? Well, there are two ways it can pan out, and let me tell ya, it’s possible to lose without even kicking the bucket.

The favorable outcome: Swiftly defeat Fist Marcus

Here’s the lowdown. Out of nowhere, this punk Fist Marcus bursts in, demanding Isobel. Now if you decide to side with this bozo and play the True Soul card, be prepared for him to summon a whole army of hellspawn. That ain’t pretty.

Oh, and let me just say, time’s ticking! Marcus and his pals are gunning for Isobel, completely ignoring your squad. If you’re too slow, Marcus will take out Isobel, and game over. No pressure, right?

But it ain’t a cakewalk. Marcus is a tough cookie, level 6, with a whole lot of health, high defense, and multiple attacks per turn. To top it all, his flunkies are ganging up on Isobel. I was blindsided, I’ll admit. I tried to keep Isobel healed, but boy did that backfire.

Anyway, long story short, I finally brought him down after a few tries. Pulled out all the stops, landed some heavy hits, and used all the healing magic I had on Isobel. I even managed to take out a few of the little baddies, which definitely helped.

If you manage to keep Isobel up and take down Marcus, the rest is a breeze. The other Harpers mop up the remaining hellspawn, the inn is safe, and your secret is safe from the Moonrise Towers.

The unfavorable outcome: Isobel falls, chaos ensues

But what happens if Isobel goes down? Chaos, that’s what! Marcus bolts, taking an unconscious Isobel with him, and the inn’s protection vanishes. Sounds bad? Oh, it gets worse! The inn is overrun by shadow zombies, and I had to put down the folks I’d just been partying with. Friends became foes, and the carnage was just…brutal.

The actual battle isn’t that hard, unless you’re still licking your wounds from Marcus. But it’s a downer, trust me. No happy ending here, just an empty inn and a heavy heart. Oh, and Marcus knows who you are now, so no sneaking into Moonrise Towers.

Looking back, I wish the game had given me a heads up about such a big fallout. But hey, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in the life of a hero, right? So now I’ve got two choices: live with the consequences or hit F8 and pretend it never happened. And there’s a little tip for you guys: if you want to play it safe, knock off a few side quests at the inn before getting into the thick of it. Trust me on this.