Escaping the asylum

Escaping the asylum
Quest
Type	Main quest

Escaping the asylum is a Main Quest in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and its Enhanced Edition. It takes place during Chapter 4 and begins once the player enters the main floor of Spellhold for the first time.

Quest summary (abbreviated - main points only)

Note:	For a more detailed look at what's going on and included content in a particular area, visit the specific area page links.

Enter Spellhold

Entering Spellhold results in the party being taken captive by Jon Irenicus. See Getting inside the asylum for methods to do so. Also see Spellhold Main Floor for details once inside.

Note:	A special party companion plot twist will occur if Yoshimo is a member of your group during the escaping the asylum questline.

Irenicus strips the PC's bhaalspawn soul essence

In a cutscene the player will resume the quest within a laboratory located in the Spellhold Basement - a scene plays out involving the death of several shadow thieves whose extermination is used to power some kind of sophisticated apparatus; resulting in the protagonist being drained of certain essential forces while trapped in a glass tube/cage.

Irenicus will reveal that he stole some fundamental part of Gorion's Ward's soul, using it to heal himself of some unknown affliction (this causes you to lose all of your special bhaalspawn innate abilities).

Candlekeep Bhaal dream

The protaganist then is transitioned to a cut scene scenario detailed on the Dreams (Shadows of Amn) page.

After the dream sequence the player will also learn that the same thing happened to Imoen, and also, that she is a bhaalspawn as well. After some banter, threats, vows of vengeance etc. he will depart the lab to continue with his master plan, leaving the PC a drained and soulless husk. The PC and the rest of the party are handed over to Bodhi to do with as she pleases.

Bodhi initiates the asylum hunt

Bodhi will transport the party to the Asylum Dungeon's first floor, declaring that she wants the party to try and solve their way through this labyrinth of monsters, traps and trials, whilst she will intermittently hunt them down. She then departs, but not before reuniting Gorion's Ward with Imoen at long last. If the party lost Yoshimo, she will immediately join the party to fill the slot. If the party did not include Yoshimo, the player can choose to add Imoen to the party or instruct her to escape on her own. If that option is taken expect a poor verbal reaction from some core party members. Imoen will then depart the dungeon level (somehow) and can be located later in the Copper Coronet (somehow). If the party already has six party members and the player wants to add Imoen, then one party member will have to be dismissed, and if so, will depart spellhold and then be recruitable again at their usual place (somehow).

The party must make their way through all three levels of the Asylum Dungeon, then navigate the Arbiters examination until they finally return to the main floor of Spellhold. Thanks to Irenicus stealing their soul, Gorion's Ward has lost their original Bhaalspawn abilities - but, on the third level of the labyrinth dungeon, in a scripted encounter, they will gain a replacement power; Slayer Form.

Once the party has convinced the arbiters that they should be released from the asylum, they must deal with Lonk in order to acquire the keys to the inmates' cells. As Imoen explains, Irenicus is too powerful and too well protected to be defeated by a conventional assault, but an onslaught of insane spellcasters would be something else entirely. Additionally, Saemon Havarian will also make an appearance and advise that the inmates are a resource to exploit against Irenicus. If the party decides to kill Saemon at this juncture, which is possible, then the player will shutter their path forward. They will be limited to using the portal to the underdark and the entire leaving the island quest as well as the Underwater City adventure will not happen.

The newly expanded party must then fight a battle against Irenicus, covered in the Battle with Irenicus in Spellhold article. When Irenicus is reduced to "Near Death" status, he will teleport away, but the asylum inmates will be killed in a scripted event. This then activates the second phase of the battle, against a number of enemy assassins, whose ability to hide in shadows and then backstab is a threat not to be underestimated. At the same time, if Yoshimo was brought to Spellhold, he will also appear and fight the party to the death, asking that if he dies, Gorion's Ward will take his heart to the Temple of Ilmater in Athkatla so his soul can be freed.

Once the last of the Murderer thieves are killed, the party is free to explore Spellhold. In the entry hall, the party will re-encounter Saemon Havarian again (unless killed earlier), who offers a way to leave Brynnlaw; there is a key to a portal to the Underdark in the Director's study, available via a door nearby, or the party might be able to set sail on Saemon's ship. If the party tries to attack Saemon, then they are forced to take the portal.

Entering the Director's Chambers requires slaying a Stone Golem left behind to guard them. The party can find two of Irenicus' journals in these chambers, which provide some clue as to what he was doing, as well as a Staff of Thunder and Lightning, a Rogue Stone and a Horn of Silence. If they have declined Saemon's offer they must take Jon's Key and return to the lower floor to open the hidden door to a portal to the Underdark, gaining 20,000 Quest EXP and completing Chapter 4 by immediately beginning Chapter 5.

If the party chooses to accept Saemon's offer of help, they must instead complete a miniature quest, leaving the island. This will result in them receiving the Silver Blade, as well as 20,000 Quest XP, and being taken to the Underwater City. This is where they must end the sahuagin civil war before they can reach the Underdark and begin Chapter 5. An advantage to going this route is being able to visit stores and temples on the island in between adventures, relieving inventory pressure. Much unique treasure and further gameplay with XP rewards is also presented. Bypassing this route is possible, but the party will miss out on all the offerings of that path.

More detailed content links

• Getting inside the asylum from Brynnlaw
• Spellhold exterior map area of the whole structure in detail.
• Spellhold Main Floor After gaining access to the asylum in detail.
• Spellhold Bodhi's Hunt Level 1 The first asylum labyrinth dungeon level in detail.
• Spellhold Bodhi's Hunt Level 2 The second asylum labyrinth dungeon level in detail.
• Spellhold Bodhi's Hunt Level 3 The third asylum labyrinth dungeon level in detail.
• Kobold Room (Spellhold Test) required area after leaving the labyrinth, first meeting with the Apparition (Spellhold).
• Various Spellhold Tests conducted by the Apparition (Spellhold), including the Final Judgement Spellhold Test.
• Spellhold Basement and the final battle with Irenicus here, as well as final actions in this area. Can leave chapter 4 to the Underdark if desired via a portal.
• Battle with Irenicus in Spellhold details of this battle in his laboratory.
• Leaving the island if the party did not take the portal to the Underdark, and instead agreed to an escape with Saemon Havarian.
• Underdark if the party did take the portal to exit the Asylum and pursue Irenicus and Bodhi.

Mod content

This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.

The Improved Asylum mod adds further content to Bodhi's hunt in the asylum.

The Sword Coast Stratagems mod component that is optionally installed (for challenge and realism) that disarms the party's equipment (they are captive prisoners after all) takes place just before resuming the quest in the Spellhold Bodhi's Hunt Level 1 area.

Mod gallery (alphabetical order)

Portraits from Portraits Portraits Everywhere

Aphril - "I see through the walls, for there are no walls when you are somewhere else! I walk through them all, and they walk through me!"

Bhaal during the dream sequence - "Fall to your knees—you can do no other! I am within you. I am your essence."

Bodhi will hunt down the party in the Asylum labyrinth. UB mod portrait.

Coordinator - I know why you have come; you have been observed since you arrived on the isle. No doubt you are brimming with concern for your "Imoen."

Dili - "Shouldn't walk away from people. Harder to give your face back if I take it. I should know your name, too. I should know..."

Dradeel - "Personally, I spend the time reconstituting culinary delights from my childhood. Would you like a recipe?"

Imoen - "Who is Imoen? I don't know that name. I don't know that name! She's not here!"

Jon Irenicus - "A bit of treachery by Saemon and a spell component goes into a soup or some other dish. Undetectable, and nothing more than a seasoning until my casting."

Lonk the Sane - "What is this place? Strange question coming from you. It was my understanding that you wanted to be confined here."

Naljier Skal - "Hello... have ya come to play? I like to imagine stories of far away. Farther than you can see... or should."

Saemon Havarian - "The inmates of this place are a resource to be tapped. Release them, and their anger and frustrations will strike at Irenicus."

Tiax - "The heavens move because he waves his hand! The waters stir as he twiddles his toes! The wind blows as he passes! And on a whim, he can break them all."

Wanev - "Hehehehehehe! It's all right. Tired of working here, wanted a holiday, was thinking of retiring, probably going to die! Time to move on under down... down down."