Narlen's Heist

Narlen's Heist
Quest
Type	Side quest
Requirements
Chapter	Five
Locations and People
People Involved	Narlen Darkwalk

Narlen's Heist is a side quest, obtained inside Baldur's Gate's Thieves' Guild where you will find the thief Narlen Darkwalk. He will have two tests for a thief, and only a thief, in your party to complete to gain his support in the guild.

Note: The game keeps restocking Narlen's items – you can pickpocket them for easy money at each stage of the quest.

Narlen's First Test

For the first test, Narlen will have your thief meet him outside the Splurging Sturgeon in the south^(484.3012) of the western section of northeast Baldur's Gate after dark. He's waiting there from the eighth hour in the original game and from the ninth hour in the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition until four in the morning. If any party member that is not a thief is within sight (see also bugs), Narlen will refuse to start the job; these could instead hide north of the tavern or inside a building.

Narlen Darkwalk: Now we're up to the business! Keep to the shadows and the watch will be blind to our sneak. You will spy the road while Rededge an' I plunder within. Be on yer cautions and yell the warnin' if ye see the soldierman. I'd no fight 'em if I was you, just call the call and make for the dark. If they give chase, ye fade to black an' keep quiet. Never known a guard to spot a thief scared to hiding. Stand from here while we two are off and in. We'll be back before the gold knows it's ours.

Narlen will lead your thief to the lookout position and enter the De’Mallonblade household, supposedly with his partner, Redege. A few seconds later, a Flaming Fist Mercenary will approach, and your thief will be given three options.

Flaming Fist Mercenary: It's awful late to be out and about, citizen. Why are you not at rest?
1: 'Ere boys! The jig is up! Make fer the dark! [warn Narlen of the guard]
2: No reason at all, sir. I'll just be on my way then. [followed by Option 1 or simply walking away which is refusing to warn Narlen]
3: Thievery sir! There are miscreants burgling this very building! [rat out the thieves]

Choosing option 1 and escaping the guard is the preferred option. The easiest way to make the guard disappear is to go into the Blushing Mermaid which is right there, and rest for 8 hours. (You can have the rest of your party already be waiting for you there.) After returning to the Thieves' Guild and speaking to Narlen, he will reward you with 100 gp.

Narlen Darkwalk: 'Ere there, good fortune ye return to us! Quite the scramble down the alleys, with no less than ten and four guards on our run 'n hides! Good call that alarm o' yers! Would have caught us unknowin' wise without ye. Had enough time to bail the room with gold in pocket, so we've 300 gold to divvy. None too bad a haul, but a mere pittance stacked aside next dark's targy. Ye in with us again?

Choosing option 1 and killing the guard fails the test for your thief, and Narlen will not give you the second test. Killing the guard will give you 420 xp and decrease your party's reputation by 10. After returning to the Thieves' Guild and speaking to Narlen, he will reward you with 300 gp and leave. It is irrelevant who or what caused the guard's death. The only thing that matters for Narlen's response is whether or not the guard has been killed.

Narlen Darkwalk: 'Ere ye are, ye blasted squeaker! Ye got dirt fer brains? Ye must, cause ye growin' something in yer ears to make ye not hear! I said nix on fightin' the guard! If no one scratches a soul case, it's just a petty theft. Ye break a watchman and they hunt ye 'cross the planes! The city'll be pins 'n needles for a week, long after the window closes on the score for tonight! We scored 300 gold this last, and that's all I'll get with you! Take it 'n go, ye Captain Hackum!

Choosing option 2 or option 3 and walking away without warning Narlen fails the test for your thief. If you return to the Thieves' Guild and speak to Narlen, he will tell you that Rededge was killed by the guards and challenge you to a duel.

Narlen Darkwalk: Ye would show yer jack nasty face back here after runnin' out on us?! Ye didn'a call the warn, ye gacking mather! Guardsmen caught us unknowin' blind, an' Rededge caught his blade in the softside! A rogue-dual I ask, to the dyin', 'twixt ye and me! Any o' yer friends twitch a blade and my droogs will slab the lot! I'll quiet ye good, so's Rededge can kick yer hind across the lower planes hisself!

If you fight fair, meaning only your thief attacks Narlen, none of the other members of the guild, including Alatos, will turn hostile. Killing Narlen grants you 975 xp, leather armor, 16 arrows, a short bow, a short sword, 75 gp, and a chrysoberyl gem. If anyone other than your thief attacks, then the entire guild will turn hostile and attack, however, Narlen will not be alive to support you during subsequent Thieves' Guild quests and obviously will not give you the second test. If Narlen somehow kills your thief (seems highly unlikely), he will stand there and give his default greeting without offering the tests, and the rest of the guild will act as before. Either way, you can still trade with Black Lily.

Narlen's Second Test

If you pass the first test, Narlen will give you a second test in the Thieves' Guild immediately after reporting and being rewarded for the first test.

Narlen Darkwalk: 'Tis so for me an' Rededge. The mark tonight is a ripe plum for plucking, and a mite more dangerous. No petty gold, 'cause you passed that intro. This dark holds a jewel fence, with pretties brought stolen from Waterdeep. A mage of meager power called for a component gem called a rogue stone, and Gantolandan answered. His home be our target, but he be a side more cagey than last. We join at dusk by the Blade and Stars to sort the deed.

For the second test, Narlen will have your thief meet him outside the Blade and Stars^(284.820) in southeast Baldur's Gate after dark. Regardless of what Narlen said, you can meet him during the same night if it's still dark. If the rest of your party is within sight, Narlen will refuse to start the job just like during the first test.

Narlen Darkwalk: This dark we'll see how ye are on the inside. Rededge will eye spy the alley while ye and I are search an' keep. Follow on to the door, I'll be the picker. Once we're inside, get the gems, then we make for the Guild. Ye won't be seeing much of me, I'll be keeping to the shadows.

You'll follow Narlen into Gantolandan's Home, and that's the last you'll see of Narlen. No one is downstairs, and there is 39 gp in a locked chest and a mundane book in each bookcase. Head upstairs where you'll see Gantolandan sleeping. The Rogue Stone is in a trapped and locked chest of drawers in the northwest corner of the room, and two bookcases on the eastern wall hold one mundane book each. If you are hiding in shadows and moving silently, Gantolandan stays sleeping. If you are not silent, including rummaging through containers, Gantolandan will start to wake up. If you convince him to go back to sleep and don't quickly leave the room, he'll start to wake up the next time you make noise. Convincing him to go back to sleep is fun with the typical Baldur's Gate flair. Return to Narlen for your reward.

Narlen Darkwalk: Well snuck, by any measure! Gantolandan wakes this morn none the wiser, but more the poorer! All the guild will hear o' this, and ye be welcomed as brethren. Split the gemmies thrice, and tonight we'll suck the monkey a keg apiece tavern-wise!

Narlen will take the Rogue Stone from you, give you 3 pearls, and walk away.

If instead you wake up Gantolandan, he'll attack you, and you fail the test. It doesn't matter if you run away, kill him, or he kills your thief. If you kill Gantolandan, you will receive 1,200 xp, a Long Sword +1, and 64 gp. When you return to Narlen, he'll be upset and leave.

Narlen Darkwalk: Never has fallen to Faerun a more bungled thief! Wakin' Gantolandan brought more guard than rats to cheese. Or mayhaps cats to rats! I don't fancy being the rodent in the mix! Not a gem fer the trouble neither. If this be common knowin' I'll get no rest in guild. Neither ye, 'cause many brethren will query Alatos why he sought ye. Ye no proved yer worth this night past.

If you return to Narlen without a rogue stone after stealing it, by selling it or dropping it on the ground, he will react the same way as if you woke Gantolandan, even if that never happened. The quest will then fail in the same way as if Gantolandan was woken.

In your Journal

• Triggered By: Speaking to Narlen Darkwalk in the Baldur's Gate Thieves' Guild
• Journal Section: Quests, Done Quests
• Quest Title: Narlen's Heist (for both tests)
• First Test Quest Begins (in Quests):

A THIEF from my party is to meet Narlen Darkwalk by the Splurging Sturgeon Inn. The rest of the party must wait out of sight, or Narlen will call the deal off. After we’ve met, we will go to the De’Mallonblade household, where he and his partner Rededge will go inside while I stand watch outside. If anything goes wrong, I am to call the alarm and run. No one is to be hurt, especially no city guards. If all goes well, we will meet back at the Thieves’ Guild and plan another caper.

• If you fail the First Test by killing a guard (in Done Quests):

Narlen and Rededge successfully got away with the gold from the De’Mallonblade house, but I killed one of the city guard in our escape. The Flaming Fist will be extra watchful for the next few days, so Narlen has called off any future jobs. I've been fairly paid, but I don't think they like my style.

• If you fail the First Test by failing to warn Narlen, no matter who wins the duel (in Done Quests):

Narlen wasn't happy to see me at the Thieves' Guild. When I failed to call the alarm, a city guard killed Rededge. Narlen challenged me to a duel. No matter who wins, I'm sure I've burned my bridge with the Thieves' Guild.

• First Test Quest Successfully Completed and Second Begins (in Quests):

I met Narlen and Rededge back at the Thieves' Guild after we successfully fled from the city guards. We got the gold we went for, and have set our sights higher for tonight. A jewel fence named Gantolandan is our target, and we are to meet by the Blade and Stars to sort out the deed: the theft of a valuable rogue stone. Again, only a thief must be visible. All other party members must wait out of sight.

• Second Test Quest Completed (in Done Quests):

I met Narlen back at the Thieves' Guild and he was understandably happy. We successfully stole the gems from Gantolandan and have split this rich treasure between us. I get the feeling that I have proved myself worthy of the guild's respect and am considered one of their own. Certainly this will help me in the future.

• If you fail the Second Test by waking up Gantolandan, no matter if you run away, kill him, or he kills your thief (in Done Quests), or not bringing a rogue stone to Narlen after the mission:

I met Narlen back at the Thieves' Guild, and he was unhappy. Our first job went off fine, but this time I couldn't deliver the goods. It feels like all the other thieves are judging me.