Baldur’s Gate 3 Illithid’s Captive: How to Rescue Shadowheart

As you make your way through the Prologue area of Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll encounter an NPC named Shadowheart, trapped in a Mind Flayer Pod and asking for help.

Shadowheart is a Half-Elf who serves as a Trickery Domain Cleric, which can join your party and provide you with healing abilities, buffs, and intriguing spells for stealth and deception. So, if you want Shadowheart to join your party, it’s important to rescue her from the Mind Flayer Pod, where she’s captive.

Where To Find Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate III

You will find Shadowheart captive in the Mind Flayer Pod on the Nautiloid ship shortly after you have added an Intellect Devourer (the talking brain) and Lae’zel to your party. Simply approach her pod, and a cutscene will begin where she asks you to release her.

Go through the dialogue options and let her know that you’ll look for a way to get this thing open.

The other Mind Flayer Pods won’t have anyone interesting except for the one located next to the room you are about to enter.

How To Open the Mind Flayer Pod To Save Shadowheart in BG3

Once you’re done talking to Shadowheart, head towards the eastern room. Enter through the “Sphincter” door and collect the Scimitar and the Gold Key of the Dead Thrall nearby. We will use the key to open a locked chest for some extra loot a bit later.

Now, go to the back of the room behind the Mind Flayer Pod and take the stairs to find another Dead Thrall on the ground. Interact with it and take all the loot, including the Eldritch Rune, which will allow you to open the pod. Also, collect all the nearby loot by opening the Cartilaginous Chest and picking the Slave Mind.

Return to the room with Shadowheart’s pod, and open the Elaborate Reliquary (chest) using the Gold Key you found earlier for a bit of loot. The chest is on the opposite side of Shadowheart’s pod. Now, interact with the console near the Shadowheart’s pod, and go through the available choices for a chance to free her.

Although it is possible to open the pod without the Eldritch Rune, it may not be as satisfying. While it is a simple task, it takes away from the sense of accomplishment that comes with doing things your own way. If you happen to be playing as a Sorcerer, Warlock, or Barbarian, you can simply bypass the rune and release Shadowheart.

Afterward, she will suggest accompanying you to the helm. As soon as you leave the Nautiloid ship, you’ll discover her lying unconscious on the nearby Ravaged Beach. She’ll express her gratitude for your earlier rescue and propose joining your group.

In case Shadowheart is not released from her pod on the Nautiloid ship, you can locate her at the entryway of the Dank Crypt (Abandoned Ruins) located at the northern tip of the Ravaged Beach. There, she will propose to join your group.

That’s everything you need to know about how to free Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3. As you continue to progress, you’ll encounter more characters with their own unique stories, leading to more missions and potential rewards. You can learn more about them on our Wiki Hub Page here.