The Reclusive Scholar is a side quest during Balduran's Final Voyage, one of the quest arches in the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion.
Summary[]
A scholar named Mendas wants to travel the sea in the pursuit of knowledge. He has heard of an island that contains a shipwreck with many riches and artifacts. However, the sea is treacherous and the Merchants' League keep the charts to themselves.
Obtain the Sea Charts[]
Ulgoth's Beard[]
To start this quest travel to Ulgoth's Beard and speak with Mendas in his home. He will ask you to retrieve some sea charts which are necessary to navigate to the Isle of Balduran. These charts are in the possession of Captain Tollar Kieres who can be found in the Merchants' League Counting House located in Northeast Baldur's Gate.
| “ | Mendas has sent us to the Merchants' League Counting House in the city of Baldur's Gate. We are to "obtain" their sea charts for him. The Counting House should be located in the northeastern quadrant of the city. | ” |
— Journal entry | ||
Merchants' League Counting House[]
When you enter the Counting House you can obtain the sea charts one of three ways:
- You can perform an expensive request for the Captain to obtain the charts.
- You can pick his pockets once you've gained permission to hang around the building.
- You can initiate fighting and kill the Captain and his Crewmates with no reputation loss.
Return the Charts[]
Return the sea charts to Mendas for a 2000 or 3000 
reward. If you are ready to embark to the island you can tell him so or tell him to wait.
| “ | Some old dodder named Mendas wanted to hire me for an errand. He'll wait 'til I'm ready, and he'll like it. | ” |
— Journal entry | ||
You won't be able to get off the island and back to the mainland without completing The Mysterious Island quest so sell off your loot, stock up on whatever supplies the party might need, and try to get as many silver weapons as you can get your hands on.
| “ | We have agreed to travel the Trackless Sea for Mendas and fetch him the logbook from Balduran's final voyage. Mendas will hire a boat and meet us at the docks in Ulgoth's Beard. | ” |
— Journal entry | ||
Meeting him and confirming your readiness will start a cut-scene of the journey. The quest will stay open until you've completed your journey back to Ulgoth's Beard.
Returning from the Isle of Balduran[]
When you have completed The Mysterious Island quest and have returned to the docks in Ulgoth's Beard, speak with Mendas. He's going to be a tad bit upset that you killed his wife Kaishas Gan and the rest of his clan. Once you have killed him then that will mark the end of this quest with one final entry in your Journal.
| “ | The mystery of Mendas and the island has become clear. Mendas/Selaad sent us to the island under the pretense of retrieving evidence from what was believed to be Balduran's shipwreck. It was indeed the adventurer's ship, though his personal fate yet remains a mystery. Balduran's crew were infected with lycanthropy sometime during that fateful voyage. The ship was beached and wrecked, leaving the two strains of lycanthropes, werewolves and wolfweres, to fight amongst themselves for survival. The more organized werewolves built the village near which we recently shipwrecked on our own fateful voyage. The chaotic wolfweres took residence in the ruins of Balduran's ship, and both packs survived in uneasy coexistence since then. Mendas/Selaad eventually took the risk of sailing for the mainland. Somehow he made it and, upon discovering that someone had finally found the island, made up a plausible tale in order to have us first steal the sea charts and later travel to the island to put them in his werewolf mate's hands. She had us kill the wolfweres and then infected the party with lycanthropy, intending us to join the pack or die fighting. We killed her, took the charts and sailed home to discover finally the truth of Mendas's duplicity. Fate seems to enjoy toying with me. | ” |
— Final Journal entry | ||
Mod content[]
This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
Further extension of the quest to gain the sea charts is provided by the mod Balduran's Seatower.
A non-hostile resolution to the island itself is possible through optional components in The Calling or Sword Coast Stratagems.