Getting inside the asylum

Before gaining access to Spellhold Asylum, there are a few steps Gorion's Ward should take.

Starting the quest
After defeating the 3 vampires that ambush you in Brynnlaw docks (Valen, Del and Parisa), Sine urges you to go to the local tavern, "The Vulgar Monkey" and seek for a man called Sanik, for he knows how to get inside the Asylum.

Sanik is a merchant that supplies the Asylum with basic materials, such as food and spell components, but he states that he is leaving town because of a certain "misunderstanding" with the local mistress, Lady Galvena.

Before he can explain the matter further, an assassin appears and kills him with an arrow - then proceed to kill you too, but he hardly pose a threat, and drops some minor loot..

The innkeeper will be mad at the assassin, and will explain you about Galvena's Business and what got Sanik killed - he had an affair with one of the Lady's employees, Claire. The innkeeper suggests that Claire may be killed by Galvena, and that perhaps she knows how to enter the Asylum. He also explains that you will need some help to enter Galvena's Brothel - either using violence, or talking to a Courtesan just outside her festhall.

Lady Galvena Festhall
When you first reach Brynnlaw, the Festhall will be closed and the courtesans will shun you away, but it will become available after the events in the Vulgar Monkey.

The courtesan (either a male or a female, depending on your party leader) will either take you inside the building or explain how one can enter by using a medallion. If you choose the medallion you will have to find Chremy to acquire it (and he won't surrender it to you alive). There's no need to wear the medallion, just keep it in your inventory and enter the festhall, where the frontmen will inquire you - with the medallion, you just need to tell him that you are the new employee to the lady and he will open the door. Enter the door to a dark hallway

If you choose to convince a courtesan to get you inside, you will go to his/her room. They will urge you to end Lady Galvena's operations and will suggest that you go talk to the cook, who dislikes the whole thing up, and give her an sleeping draught. Exit the room to the same dark hallway.

There are five doors on the hallway - wich resembles the "maze" at Windspear Dungeons. The first door leads to the entrance; the second to the courtesan's room; the third to the kitchen; the fouth to Galvena's room; the fifth door is locked and leads to a small dungeon where Claire is being held and tortured. There are 2 guards standing guard by the fourth and fifth door, and as soon as you reach the third door they will inquire who you are - they are very suspicious and hard to dodge, but you can avoid this by walking the hallway invisible.

In the kitchen, talk to the cook Ellie and her aidee. She will agree to use the draught on the guards ale, and her aidee will handle it to them. Exit the kitchen and watch peacefully as the 2 guards and the captain of the guard falls peacefully asleep.

Or you can just hack and slash your way to the dungeon. Your call. The fight is terrible easy at this moment of the game, but one of the guards carry a Halberd +2.

The key to open the dungeon is inside Galvena's room.

Rescuing Claire and Confronting Galvena
Fights in small spaces can easily become a hell, so be ready. As soon as you open eastern door, you will see Galvena, Vadek and Claire. There will be some dialogue, and the fight will begin.

Vadek is a wizard and will cast spells like Malison, but mainly lightning bolt, wich can be deadly in such places. He starts combat with Mislead and stoneskin, so bring some spells that allow you to detect invisible enemies. Galvena, on the other hand, will engage in melee and is less of a menace. Kill Vadek, then kill her. Valdek drops 20 Darts +1 and a quarterstaff +2; Galvena a Studded Leather Armor +3 and a flail +2.

Talk to Claire inside the cell and she will immediatly take you to the docks so she can escape Brynnlaw. A friend of Savik, Golin, will take Claire in his ship, and will explain you how to access the Asylum. Basicaly, there are two ways of doing it: with a ward stone or becoming a "deviant".

Perth the adept and the Wardstone
Perth is a decent wizard that lives in the eastern part of Brynnlaw. Enter his place and a ood dialogue will begin - leading to an inevitable battle. Do not give him much time to act, as he can cast Maze and Power Word, Kill. Once he is dead, he will drop the Asylum wardstone and the Book of Infinite Spells.

Wardstone in hand, head to the northeastern exit of the city, where you can find Sime once again. Talk to her then proceed to Spellhold. There are plenty of incorporeal undead in the way - Shadows, Wraiths and a few Demon Wraiths. Dispose of them and head to the door of the building, way up North. Note that once you open the door you will not be able to go back to the town - a powerful death spell will hit you if you try to cross de bridge back. Foward is the only way now.

Captain Desharik and the Deviants
The party may take an alternate route, as long as you have either Minsc, Wilson or Yoshimo in your group.

As Golin explained, Desharik has been using his position to throw anyone he considers a threat in the Asylum as a deviant. His enemies, but also the mentally ill, are all going to visit Spellhold somehow. So you must convince him that you are not quite right in the head. Telling him "I'm mad" is of no use, that's an answer he must see to believe.

As such, having Minsc and Wilson in the group is enough to convince anyone your party has taken some bad decisions (either a ranger who talks with a hamster or a brown bear who speaks with Gorion's Ward). On another possible way, the captain will recognize Yoshimo (he says that the captain believes he owns a debt to him).

If this goes well, you will be granted entrance to the Asylum, and things will go awry from now on.