Rescuing Claire

Rescuing Claire is a sub-quest to the Saemon Havarian route of the quest Getting Inside the Asylum in Chapter 4 of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. It begins after the player witnesses the murder of Sanik at the Vulgar Monkey tavern, and is told that he was killed because he sought to free a local courtesan - Claire - from the clutches of Galvena, the local brothel madame. The party is charged with rescuing Claire from Galvena's wrathful clutches so they can find a way inside of Spellhold.

The Vulgar Monkey innkeeper, who first gives this quest to the party, will advice that the party can either see to force their way into the brothel, or use strategy by 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 Galvena's Medallion. If you choose the medallion, you will have to find Chremy and then fight him to acquire it. There's no need to wear the medallion, just keep it in your inventory and enter the festhall, where the frontmen will stop you. Just 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 their room. They will urge you to end Lady Galvena's operations and will suggest that you go talk to the cook Ellie, who dislikes the whole thing, and give her a Sleeping Draught. Exit the room to the same dark hallway.

There are five doors on the hallway—which resemble 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 fourth 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 by the fourth and fifth doors, 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 Ellie and her aide. She will agree to use the draught on the guards ale, and her aide will handle it to them. Exit the kitchen and watch peacefully as the guards and their captain fall peacefully asleep.

Or you can just hack and slash your way to the dungeon. The fight is easy, but one guard carries 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. After some dialogue, the fight will begin.

Vadek is a wizard and will cast spells like Malison, but mainly Lightning Bolt, which can be deadly in close quarters. 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 her. Valdek drops 20 Darts +1 and a Quarterstaff +2; Galvena drops a Studded Leather Armor +3 and a Flail +2.

Talk to Claire inside the cell and she will immediately take you to the docks so she can escape Brynnlaw. A friend of Savik's, one Golin, will take Claire aboard his ship and will finally explain to Gorion's Ward how to access the Asylum: with a wardstone taken from Perth the Adept, a local representative of the Cowled Wizards, or by becoming a "deviant", as determined by Captain Desharik.