Baldur’s Gate 3 – Complete Guide to Dark Urge Memories and Their Discovery

Baldur’s Gate 3 features seven origin characters, among which six serve as engaging companions. However, the Dark Urge stands out as a customizable protagonist akin to the standard “Tav.”This character is distinguished by a well-defined backstory that significantly influences the narrative. A pivotal aspect of the Dark Urge’s identity is their amnesia — players must journey through the game to uncover the forgotten details of their past, deciding whether to seek redemption or indulge in further darkness.

This article contains spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.

Throughout the gameplay, players encounter numerous opportunities to reclaim lost memories as the Dark Urge. Some memories are unavoidable, while others require specific conditions or class abilities to unlock. Delving into the Dark Urge’s memories enhances the player experience in Baldur’s Gate 3, offering profound insights into their past. Below are key interactions that lead to memory recovery.

Interacting With The Nautiloid Prisoners

A Secret Near The Start

The initial memory the Dark Urge can uncover involves engaging with a younger prisoner on the Nautiloid. Many players might overlook this interaction, as engaging with the older prisoner, while providing unique dialogue, does not trigger memory recollection. It’s essential to directly inspect the younger prisoner to unlock this key insight.

This memory evokes a feeling of familiarity for the Dark Urge, recalling their own time of captivity, strung up on a grim operating table, possibly hinting at a connection with Orin or Kressa Bonedaughter.

Eating The Noblestalk

The Underdark Holds A Surprise

One of the more prominent methods to restore the Dark Urge’s memories involves consuming the Noblestalk, found at the edge of the Mushroom fields in the Underdark. Although tricky to acquire, this item is unique in its ability to assist with Amnesia. Handing it to Derryth will allow her to stock more in her Apothecary, but they won’t trigger any cutscenes.

Giving the Noblestalk to characters like Shadowheart and Baelen may also yield results. An additional Noblestalk piece is available in the Facemaker’s Boutique during Act Three. Consuming it grants varying memories based on the player’s prior encounters with the enigmatic Sceleritas Fel. Without this encounter, the Dark Urge recalls a horrific act of violence, while previous interactions bring a vivid recollection of gruesome undertakings.

Killing The Goblins In Moonrise Towers

Cruelty Is Necessary Here

Upon meeting Ketheric Thorm during Act 2, Z’rell grants the Dark Urge dominion over the goblin’s fate. A distinctive dialogue option—commanding the goblins to “beg, choke, and die”—allows the Dark Urge to momentarily recall their historical reverence within Moonrise Towers. Subtle hints of camaraderie with Ketheric also arise, coupled with a sense of impending disgrace that drives the Dark Urge to explore their history further.

Talking To Steelclaw The Cat

Not One For Animal Lovers

In a poignant encounter, Steelclaw the cat recognizes the Dark Urge and recalls their past torment. Players can utilize the Speak with Animals spell to interact, delving into memories that the Dark Urge might wish to suppress. Though Steelclaw’s intentions are vengeful, the Dark Urge’s actions—whether sparing or killing her—further cement their harrowing past. The subsequent memory flash will reveal their cruelty in Moonrise Towers.

Talking To The Absolute

A Direct Link To The Big Bad

Near coordinates 127 -178 in Moonrise Towers lies a crack in the wall harboring a pulsating mass. Inserting a hand initiates a cutscene where the Dark Urge converses with the Absolute, revealing their contentious past as a forsaken heir. This conversation distinctly positions the Dark Urge as a pivotal character in the storyline.

Interacting With A Mind Flayer Pod By The Colony’s Brine Pools

Another Secret Near Moonrise

Within the mind flayer colony, two pods are accessible for interaction during Act Two. If Wyll is among your party, one pod will contain Mizora, while the other remains empty. Engaging with the empty pod permits a memory to surface, wherein the Dark Urge recalls their confinement in a similar situation.

A charisma check can reveal details about their desperate escape attempt, which likely contributes to the throbbing headache felt at the game’s onset. Notably, a woman’s laughter, hinting at betrayal, resonates through this memory, presumably linked to Orin.

Encountering Kressa Bonedaughter

More Mind Flayer Secrets

When facing off against Kressa Bonedaughter at the mind flayer colony’s barracks, players often engage in combat. However, for the Dark Urge, Kressa recognizes them, leading to a more in-depth exchange that still culminates in battle. If the Dark Urge opts to feign ignorance, Kressa will recall their shared torturous history before confronting them.

Entering Wyrm’s Rock Fortress

An Unmissable Piece Of The Story

The Dark Urge’s most critical memory surfaces upon arrival at Wyrm’s Rock Fortress. Players will experience an animated sequence that unveils their identity as a Bhaalspawn, revealing the dark source of their violent urges. This pivotal moment in Act Three not only progresses the character’s story but also accentuates their role within the larger narrative.

To reach the fortress, players can use spells like Misty Step, Fly, or Feather Fall, gaining access primarily through the prisons located at coordinates 46, 187. Alternatively, minor criminal acts can lead to arrest, providing a straightforward path to the fortress, though items will be confiscated upon entry. Getting a pass or successfully persuading Blaze Elin with a daunting DC 30 charisma check, reduced to 25 with a gold donation, are also options for entry.

Bribing Helsik In The Devil’s Fee

Lower City Secrets

As players explore the Devil’s Fee in the Lower City, an intriguing opportunity arises to uncover more about Gortash and the Dark Urge’s shared history via Helsik. A bribe beginning at 100 gold can reap crucial insights. Helsik exposes that she facilitated a portal to the Hells for both characters but demands additional payments to divulge more details.

To fully grasp their past, players may need to invest a total of 5,000 gold for complete disclosure. The pair sought the crown of Karsus, thus engaging with powerful entities like Mephistopheles and Raphael, highlighting the immortal ties between them.

Talking To Gortash & Confronting Orin

Villains From The Past

Conversations with Gortash and Orin, the Dark Urge’s former allies, prompt reflections on their shared past. Gortash’s admiration for the Dark Urge’s methods becomes apparent, while Orin’s encounter reveals her role in the Dark Urge’s memory loss — a direct consequence of her betrayal entwined with the illithid parasite.

“I always preferred your methods to hers. You have mastery over your urges, Orin was consumed by her gruesome obsessions.”- Enver Gortash to the Dark Urge

This revelation triggers memories of the Dark Urge as Bhaal’s chosen one, orchestrating the Absolute’s plots before being usurped by Orin. This narrative arc underscores the importance of the Dark Urge’s origin, making their unique perspective essential to the story.

Talking To The Oathbreaker Knight

Paladins Have Their Own Content

Players adopting the Oathbreaker subclass unlock exclusive interactions that reveal the complexity of the Dark Urge’s character. After acknowledging their Bhaalspawn status, conversations with the Oathbreaker Knight provide deeper insights into the nature of their paladin oath, emphasizing personal actions over divinely assigned fate.

Players curious about this subclass can break their oath easily, illustrated by acts against the tieflings near the Emerald Grove. Questions about previous oath-breaking episodes reveal a long history of defiance and a shared past with the Oathbreaker Knight, enriching the Dark Urge’s narrative depth.

Using A Level Six Heal Spell On The Dark Urge

Support Is Appreciated

Upon reaching level 11, clerics and druids unlock the powerful level six Heal spell, providing substantial healing and the removal of afflictions. Notably, this spell also helps address the Dark Urge’s Amnesia, initiating a cutscene mid-battle when cast. Players might find themselves surprised, as such revelations often surface during pivotal moments, like the fight against Gortash.

Depending on the timing within the game, the Dark Urge’s memories can vary greatly. Should healing occur post-orin’s defeat, they recall a fleeting moment of childhood innocence, contrasting starkly when the memory surfaces earlier, revealing a chilling past that involved familial homicides. As the most intricate character in Baldur’s Gate 3, navigating the Dark Urge’s storyline offers a thrilling yet poignant experience.

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