Shadow-Cursed Lands in Baldur’s Gate 3 are one of the deadliest regions you’ll face in Act 2. Without the right protection, venturing too far will quickly kill your party. Thankfully, you can remove the Shadow Curse for good during the Lift the Shadow Curse side quest in Baldur’s Gate 3 by progressing Halsin’s quest. This is a multi-step storyline that spans most of Act 2 and requires you to wake up Cullagh (a cursed man), defend Halsin during a dangerous ritual, rescue Thaniel, and reunite him with his other half. Here’s the complete walkthrough to help you get rid of the curse and complete the Lift the Shadow Curse quest.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Lift the Shadow Curse Walkthrough
Once you reach Last Light Inn in Act 2, talk to Halsin at your camp. He’ll explain that the land is corrupted because a spirit named Thaniel was split apart, and the only way to end the curse is to reunite him. This begins Halsin’s “Lift the Shadow Curse” questline. Below is the complete guide on how to proceed.
Find and Wake Art Cullagh
Head to the Last Light Inn, and on the first floor, you’ll find Art Cullagh in a deep magical sleep. Talk to him with the Speak with Dead spell, and it triggers another side quest Wake up Art Cullagh. He repeatedly mutters Thaniel’s name.
To wake him, you need a personal item, the Battered Lute. This is carried by Malus Thorm, a grotesque undead surgeon inside the House of Healing, located west of Moonrise Towers. Defeat Malus and his assistants, loot the lute, then return to Art Cullagh at the inn. Play the lute to wake him, which triggers a cutscene where Halsin speaks to him.
Defend Halsin at the Lakeshore
After Art comes out of his deep sleep, Halsin insists he must cross into the Shadowfell to rescue Thaniel. Follow him to the lakeshore near Last Light Inn.
- A portal opens, and Halsin enters alone.
- Your task is to defend the portal against multiple waves of shadow creatures.
- Prioritize ranged enemies (archers and casters) since they can damage the portal quickly. AoE spells like Fireball or Spirit Guardians make this fight easier. Shadowheart and Wyll are the best choices to lead the battle as their abilities will kill enemies quickly.
- Survive until Halsin returns carrying Thaniel’s body.
Rescue Thaniel’s Other Half: Oliver
After the portal fight, Halsin explains that Thaniel is weak because his body is split into two parts. The other half of his spirit was lost to the Shadow Curse long ago and has taken the form of a child named Oliver. To find him, head southeast of the Last Light Inn, past the Shadowed Battlefield waypoint, until you discover a ruined house known as the House in Deep Shadows. As hinted by Thaniel as he saw in his dream, wild flowers grow here unusually bright for the cursed land.
Inside the ruined house, you’ll meet Oliver, who at first appears to be a lonely boy. He asks you to play hide-and-seek. If you have a way to reveal invisibility, such as the See Invisibility spell/scroll, or the replacement eye Volo gives you, the game will be far easier. If you spot Oliver very quickly, it makes him upset, and he calls in his “parents,” shadowy constructs that immediately attack your party. Defeat them, then return to speak with Oliver again.
The child refuses to accept that he is Thaniel’s part and vanishes into a portal. Following him takes you to Reithwin Town, where the real challenge begins. Oliver hides within a magical shield Nightdome, while his shadow family — “Mommy,” “Daddy,” and later a shadow Owlbear attack alongside waves of fragile “Shadow Friends.” Every Shadow Friend has only 1 HP, but every time you kill one, the Nightdome weakens. Focus on eliminating these summons and Oliver’s shadow parents to break the barrier around him.
Once the dome collapses, you can finally confront Oliver directly. You can persuade him through dialogue, either with kindness or firmness, to accept his bond with Thaniel. If successful, Oliver agrees to reunite with his other half and returns with you to camp. After Thaniel’s body is complete, go back to camp. Halsin confirms that the curse’s root is finally weakened, though the land won’t fully be restored until you defeat Ketheric Thorm and complete Act 2. After Ketheric’s defeat, the Shadow Curse will be permanently and completely lifted in Baldur’s Gate 3.
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