In the western section of the Shadow-Cursed Lands, the main region of Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3, players will come across the town of Reithwin. The town became home to a cult of Shar thanks to its leader, Ketheric Thorm, and when Thorm died the first time, he cursed the land surrounding the town with eternal darkness.
However, before Thorm fell, he and the Shar cult created many monuments in her name. One such monument is hidden under the large statue at the center of town, between the four main buildings of Reithwin. If a party member approaches the statue and passes a Perception check, the plaques will glow. On the other hand, whether the statue will open is up to the player.
Updated October 4th, 2023: Finding the Sharran Sanctuary in Baldur's Gate 3 can be pretty difficult if players aren't sure exactly where to look. That's because its fairly well hidden inside of a seemingly inconspicuous plaque-laden statue that opens to unveil a staircase. Inside, players will gain access to a special blessing, as well as a dagger if they are brave enough to take it. To help players better find and access the Sharran Sanctuary in Baldur's Gate 3, the following guide now includes a video.
How to Solve the Statue Plaque Puzzle
When Baldur's Gate 3 players interact with the plaques, they'll see part of an inscription. The goal of this puzzle is to select each plaque in order from left to right to create a cohesive message.
North | West | East |
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By reading the north, west, and east plaques in that order, the south side of the statue base will slide open, revealing the way into the Sharran Sanctuary.
How to Earn the Dark Lady's Blessings
The Sharran Sanctuary contains three statues of Shar, each with a plaque at its base. Selecting each one will start a dialog, and players can either step away or roll a saving throw. The statues test Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, and the DC for each test is 14. Shadowheart or another Cleric of Shar can pass these tests automatically.
Characters who pass get a +5 to the tested ability, and this blessing lasts until the party's next long rest. This bonus can improve the ability beyond the usual ability cap of 20, providing a +2 or +3 to the ability's modifier. However, characters who fail these tests get a -5 for the ability in question, and three Sentinels appear to attack the party. The Sentinels are a level seven Wizard, Paladin, and Cleric.
If the party passes all three saving throws (it doesn't have to be the same party member for each), another wall will open up and reveal a hidden altar. Players can interact with the altar or the Ritual Dagger of Shar to start a new dialog.
A character who passes a Religion check or a Cleric of Shar can offer blood to the altar, and doing so will spawn four items: a Scroll of Revivify, a Scroll of Blight, an Elixir of Necrotic Resistance, and a Potion of Angelic Reprieve.
Players can also try to take the Ritual Dagger. Doing so summons in the three Sentinels, the same as failing one of Shar's tests. The Ritual Dagger of Shar is a +1 Dagger that deals an extra 1d4 Necrotic damage, and it's only worth 65 gold. For most players, the dagger isn't worth the extra trouble.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on macOS and PC. The PS5 version launches in September.
