Baldur’s Gate 3 has so many complex quests and interesting or friendly NPCs. One of the best side quests in Act 2 is figuring out how to wake up Art Callugh (a Flaming Fist) in Last Light Inn. He is affected by a powerful magic Shadowfell leading to his current condition. This task is important because it lets you move forward with the story and get the help of Halsin in BG3, the Druid. In this guide, we’ll explain how to wake Callugh from his strange sleep because he is a crucial guy to lift the Shadow Curse from the Shadow-cursed lands.
Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Wake Up Art Callugh
When you arrive at the Last Light Inn, you’ll come across Art Cullagh, lying unconscious in one of the large rooms on the first floor. Talk to Cullagh, and during his murmurings, he mentions a name Thaniel. Talking to Fist J’ehlar, who is watching over him, reveals that no one has been able to wake him, though he keeps muttering this name in his sleep. Afterward, head back to your camp and tell Halsin what you overheard. Halsin will agree to join you back at the Last Light Inn to look into Art’s situation.
When you mention Thaniel in conversation with Halsin, he will immediately recognize the name and decide to investigate Art Cullagh himself to find out Thaniel’s whereabouts. You don’t need to add Halsin to your active party because he will naturally travel to the inn on his own. Once you return to the Last Light Inn, Halsin will examine Art and figure out that the only way to wake him up is with his personal item, something connected to Art’s past.
Go to the House of Healing
Next, make your way to the House of Healing to investigate it as per the above map location. Starting from the Last Light Inn, head towards the southwestern end until you come across the Rethiwin Mason’s Guild. Beyond the wooden hatch and elevator crane, you will find an iron gate with an NPC named Arabella on the other side. She has a small favor that is related to yet another side quest, but for this time, continue ahead towards the Mausoleum and fight your way past whatever Shadow-cursed harpers and shadows lie in your path.
Halsin suggests investigating the House of Healing in Reithwin Town, a location linked to Art’s last known orders. So, head southwest from the Last Light Inn, crossing the bridge into Reithwin Town. Get past the Mason’s Guild and Grand Mausoleum teleport sigil. Continue south along the tree roots until you reach the House of Healing. Inside, you’ll come across a disturbing character: Malus Thorm, a corrupted surgeon obsessed with grotesque “experiments.” His nurses, called the Sisters, follow his every command.
Your first encounter will be with Sister Sinda who will tell you to join the line and wait until your time comes to meet the doctor. Use the dialogue option that you don’t have time and need to see him right away. Use Bard and Performance checks to show the patient’s symptoms. She will now pity you and let you go to the theatre to meet him. Further, in the first room to the right, you’ll also find Sister Lidwin, who is acting as a merchant with a few useful items; she buys and sells items for gold. Move to the back of the house to encounter Malus Thorm in the operating theatre.
Encounter Malus Thorm
Thorm will want to operate on you to test the medicine. If your character has high Persuasion, Religion, or Investigation, convince the nurses to practice their “medicine” on Malus instead. With successful high checks, this eliminates him right away, and you can loot his body without combat. In case the checks fail or you prefer a fight, Malus and his nurses become hostile. This fight can be tough, as Malus has around 300 HP and can multi-attack when his health drops below 110 HP. Use AoE attacks like Fireball or Crowd Control abilities to survive the battle. No matter how you deal with him, loot Malus Thorm’s body to find a Battered Lute—the key to waking up Art Cullagh.
Waking Art Callugh
Return to the Last Light Inn with the Lute in hand. Art will be spilling some beans regarding Thaniel in his sleepy state. Halsin says he keeps saying his name, so he knows something and urges you to recover him. Then choose the dialogue option mentioning the Lute. Your character will play the lute, which immediately stirs Art from his slumber.
Once awake, Art reveals crucial information: He remembers Halsin and warns that Thaniel is trapped somewhere in the Shadowfell. The only clue he provides about his location is the scent of lavender in the dark and cursed lands. At this point, Halsin confirms that rescuing Thaniel is important for breaking the Shadow Curse. This triggers the next stage of the quest, requiring you to find and save Thaniel from the Shadowfell.
Now that Art Cullagh is awake, you next have to meet Halsin at the lakeshore as he said, where he will try to open a portal to the Shadowfell. Defend the portal from waves of attacking undead while Halsin completes his ritual. Once in the Shadowfell, you task is to rescue Thaniel, who has been split in two, requiring you to track down his lost half—Oliver. This sequence leads into the broader mission of lifting the Shadow Curse, one of the major storylines in Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3.
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