Irenicus' Dungeon is the area where Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn begins. Imoen, Minsc and Jaheira can be found on the first floor and Yoshimo on the second floor of the dungeon.
Background[]
Irenicus' first base in the game consists of several chambers, corridors amd cut-out rooms with different purposes for Irenicus' experiments. These include prisons, libraries, bedrooms and even laboratory cloning rooms. This base appears to be underneath Athkatla and may be part of the old sanitary/storm water sewer system of the City of Coin. This multilevel sprawling complex is a mixture of modified old sewers, abandoned temple areas, storage rooms. strange portals and newer workshops with furnaces and work bays. It is an underground lair of epic complexity. There is a connection to the still active sewer system, and once your character escapes this place, you end up in Waukeen's Promenade.
The main character and their starting companions are initially trapped here in the prison room (Area 1), excluding Khalid and Dynaheir.
Rooms of the dungeon[]
At the very start of the game (Area 1), Imoen has some how escaped from her cage-like cell and will let Gorion's Ward free from his cell. Jaheira and Minsc are nearby, in two other cages or cells. Jaheira's door can be opened with a key located on top of the table in Area 2 (the Key item description says "A typical cell key that one might find in any jail. This one may fit Jaheira's cell.") - but Minsc's cell has no lock (the cage is welded shut) and the ranger has to be provoked to a fit of rage to break free. If there are player-created characters other than Gorion's Ward, they will be in this room as well. They do not require any extra effort to open the doors to their cells.
In the Weapons Room (Area 2), there are basic weapons and armors for the main character and his companions to use, because their original gear from the first Baldur's Gate game was taken away and presumably sold. There is also a hidden stash behind a trapped picture in this room where you can retrieve a Dagger +1, 3 Potions of Healing and the Golden Pantaloons if the main character had them in the last game. Imoen’s current thieving abilities will disarm and unlock this stash with relative ease. There is also a Jailkeep Golem that was not designed to attack escaping inmates (as it was not expected for anyone to escape), it will only tell you to get back into the jail cells.
The Portal Rooms (Areas 3 and 17) are magic portals that lead to the second level of the dungeon once the key from Area 16 has been retrieved.
The Electricity Power Room (Area 4) is where a buzzing contraption that seems like a battery to produce electrical power and to spawn Lightning Mephits. It produces lightning that can harm the party. It can be turned off with a switch that will also grant 2000 XP.
The Crystal Room (Area 5) is a room full of pools and magic crystals that show images of cityscapes and presumably other things as well. Aataqah the Genie will be here to ask the player a question that will lead to different outcomes. See the quest notes for the possible outcomes. Eventually the genie will suggest to Gorion's Ward to seek out Rielev and then disappear.
The Laboratory (Area 7) has several tubes, a few of which contain strange creatures that appear to be in a state of suspended animation. These tubes can be powered by power cells collected from Rielev. The creatures inside will provide mostly minor hints on the nature of Jon Irenicus. The trapped locked box contains a Quarterstaff +1.
The Storage room marked as Area 6 contains a Sewage Golem charged with cleaning the dungeon's sewers. As the golem has no eyes, it will mistake Gorion's Ward for Irenicus and offer to perform its services. Allowing it to do so will open the way to Area 13.
Behind a closed door is Area 8. Within are two Lesser Clay Golems, that are standing in a dormant state. Perhaps they await orders or are currently inactivated.
Rielev's Chamber is Area 9 and in it is the glass container that contains Rielev. The creature inside will task the party with taking out the container's Energy Cells, thus killing it for 4000 XP award. The energy cell can then be used to power several more tubes and containers at the Laboratory area.
Among the books in the Library (Area 10), a diligent adventurer will find some useful potions and scrolls. Further down the corridor some Duergar will challenge the party (Area 11). One of them, a Duergar known as Ilyich wears Mail of the Dead (by default) or another item of the list of imported items in case Gorion's Ward was imported from Baldur's Gate I. Also be sure to collect the Acorns needed for the Helping Irenicus's captive dryads quest.
Continuing down the corridor from the Duergar room, a door is present on the left side of the corridor at the point where the corridor turns right (not marked on map). This is a portal to the Elemental Plane of Air and leads to the freeing the djinni quest. To activate the portal, the Air Elemental Statue must be in your possession.
The corridor ends at Area 12 where a Cambion is trapped inside a magical sphere. There is a strange machine in the center of the room. If a player examines the machine a text display reads:
- "Pushing on the lever of the machine seems to excite the demon that stands in the circle. The magic barrier that surrounds it weakens visibly. If the wheel is turned further, you expect that the magic might disappear altogether."
If the player continues with the lever, a text says:
- "You push the lever, and the room begins to hum. The magic barrier around the demon disappears. The fiend snarls and gnashes his teeth."
The Fiend attacks! Upon death it is worth 6000 XP and drops a Bastard Sword +1.
Area 13 (now opened) contains a single Otyugh worth 5000 XP and leads to Irenicus' chambers.
Beware of the traps in Master’s and Mistress’ Rooms (Areas 14 and 16). The Master's room contains the Helm of Balduran in a trapped chest along with the Air Elemental Statue and other loot. Turning right out of the room leads towards a small grassy area with a single tree (as strange as that sounds underground) and three dryads. They will ask to be set free with the help of the acorns held by Ilyich in Area 10.
The next area (the Mistress' Room) contains the key to the portals in Areas 3 and 17 and the Pommel Jewel of the Equalizer. Entering this room will also sound an intruder alarm and will turn the golems from Area 8 hostile (unless you have previously destroyed them). These golems will race on foot to wherever your party is located on the first floor. They will attempt to crush you with bludgeoning melee blows.
Enemies[]
Quests[]
- Escape Irenicus' Dungeon
- Release Jaheira From Her Cell
- Release Minsc From His Cell
- Free the Djinn
- Helping Irenicus's captive dryads
- Aataqah's Question
Gallery[]
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Mod content[]
This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
Sword Coast Stratagems can revise the beginning Dungeon. Install the "Tactical Challenges for BG2 Component" and then select "Make the starting dungeon slightly harder".
From the Mod's Readme: This is a very low-key modification to the initial dungeon. It replaces the pathetic goblins with duergar (which I think has a better "feel" to it in any case) and it prevents you from sleeping more than once. (I allow you to sleep once because (i) it gives you a chance to choose your spells, and (ii) Imoen has some rest-related dialogue that I don't want to block.)
The Shadow Magic mod adds a special ring to the equipment found at the very start of the dungeon, usable by a protagonist with one of the mod's added kits.
Skip Chateau Irenicus allows the player to bypass the dungeon entirely while still receiving all the items and XP they would have gained. It also includes functionality to move NPCs, both original and mod-added, to allow the player to recruit them.
Gallery[]
People involved[]
- Portraits from Portraits Portraits Everywhere
