Every player inBaldur’s Gate 3is afforded the freedom to experience the story in their own way, even when it comes to their preferred companions and whether they want to pursue their individual quests or not.
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Late in the second act ofBaldur’s Gate 3, players will eventually stumble into the Gauntlet of Shar, a place of worship for the eponymous deity. As a faithful Sharran, Shadowheart naturally fits into this place. However, the game can be unpredictable at times, and one can’t say for sure that bringing her here will lead to the best of outcomes.
Should You Bring Shadowheart To The Gauntlet Of Shar?
The short answer is yes, players should definitely bring Shadowheart to the Gauntlet of Shar. Not only is this location part of her companion quest, but she’ll also give players some much-needed insight when it comes toconquering the temple’s various trials.
As a devout Sharran, Shadowheart knows what to do in each of the trials needed to unlock the way forward. When entering a trial chamber, Shadowheart will make a remark regarding the mechanics of each trial, hinting at the goal of each challenge. Bringing her here isn’t mandatory, but it’s nice to have a party member who knows what they ought to be doing.
The real meat and potatoes of this, however, is by the end of the gauntlet. After completing all the trials, players will reach the temple’s inner sanctum, which will lead to Shar’s domain. Inside is the Nightsong, the artifact that the adventurers from the druid’s grove have been meaning to find. It turns out that the Nightsong is actually an Aasimar who has been caged up and used as the source of Ketheric Thorm’s immortality.
Here, players will either be forced to choose between killing the Nightsong or sparing her. The former will cement Shadowheart’s place among the Sharrans as a Dark Justiciar, locking her fate as a pawn to the dark goddess. Meanwhile, the latter will free Shadowheart from Shar’s grasp and open her eyes to the truth of her religion. Of course, whether or not the Nightsong lives has a completely different effect on the campaign, butthat’s a story for a different time.
Shadowheart’s dream of becoming a Dark Justiciar isn’t all positive. Players will still be able to use her as a party member if she does kill the Nightsong (though herromance route might take a hit), but she’ll be much angrier, more zealous, and generally less cheery overall. To embrace Shar is to embrace the darkness, and if there’s anything that the temple’s trials have taught, it’s that Shar isn’t exactly a kind deity.
On the other hand, convincing Shadowheart to reject Shar will cause her to question her existence. The Nightsong will shed some light on her past once players take a long rest, so ensure to talk to her after leaving Shar’s domain.
The decisions players make here will drastically affect the flow of the story even if Shadowheart isn’t present, so choose wisely.
