Ancient Mausoleum

Included areas

The Ancient Mausoleum itself contains two connected rooms:

The surrounding Lower City Graveyard, the Mortuary, and the other mausoleums are neighbouring locations rather than parts of the Ancient Mausoleum.

Reaching the entrance

Enter the Lower City Graveyard and travel towards its western side. The relevant tomb is the one whose exterior map label reads Grand Mausoleum. Do not confuse it with the graveyard’s other tombs, including the Durinbold Mausoleum, Gorion Mausoleum and Hhune Mausoleum. The graveyard contains several locked mausoleums, each with its own contents and access arrangements.

Opening the gate

The Ancient Mausoleum’s gate can be opened in either of two verified ways:

The key can be pickpocketed from Gracie Scyre in the Lower City Graveyard. Lockpicking the mausoleums in the graveyard is not treated as a crime, according to the graveyard’s location information.

Recommended approach

Bring a character who can handle traps and locks. A party member with good Perception, Sleight of Hand and Strength makes the visit safer, although none of the checks is mandatory if you are willing to spend resources or accept damage.

1. Search the main chamber

The first room contains a sarcophagus at its centre and two Opulent Chests on the opposite side. Before interacting with the sarcophagus, let the party make its passive Perception checks. The three nearby traps require a DC 15 Perception check to reveal. They are void-cloud vents, and triggering them calls for a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw.

Disarm the vents if possible. If you cannot, spread the party out before opening the sarcophagus so that one cloud does not catch everyone at once.

2. Open the sarcophagus

Opening the sarcophagus requires a DC 15 Strength check. It contains two identical Grand Mausoleum Offerings Keys. These keys are designed for the two Opulent Chests in the same chamber.

The sarcophagus is therefore more than a simple treasure container. Opening it both triggers the room’s main hazard and provides the intended method for accessing the chests.

3. Use the two Offering Keys

Use one Grand Mausoleum Offerings Key on each Opulent Chest. This avoids the chests’ DC 20 Sleight of Hand requirements. The exact contents are divided between the two chests:

The documented loot list includes a Sapphire, Diluted Oil of Sharpness, Drow Poison, Elixir of Guileful Movement and a Scroll of Revivify. The location source associates these items with the Opulent Chests, but randomisation or container-order differences may affect which chest presents which individual item. Treat the chest contents as fixed categories rather than relying on a particular chest always holding a specific consumable.

4. Explore the side room

The adjoining room contains books and shelves but no documented combat encounter. Search the back of the room for a Corpse Rose, a rare alchemical ingredient. A Crumbling Journal can also be found at approximately X: 1078, Y: 848 in the room.

Read the journal before leaving. Its account of a mortal meeting Jergal resembles the party’s earlier encounter with Withers in the Overgrown Ruins. The physical description of Jergal and the question asked during the meeting are notable because they mirror Withers’ presentation and his first conversation with the party.

Fixed or location-specific items

The two Offering Keys are inside the sarcophagus. The Corpse Rose is in the back of the side room. The remaining valuables and consumables are recorded as chest contents.

Practical value of the rewards

The Scroll of Revivify is the most generally useful item for parties without a reliable supply of resurrection magic. The Elixir of Guileful Movement can help with difficult terrain and movement restrictions, while Diluted Oil of Sharpness is useful for improving weapon damage for a suitable martial character. The Corpse Rose is more important to alchemy-focused players or completionists than to parties simply looking for immediate combat power.

Internal locations

The two room descriptions above are functional divisions of the interior. They are included to clarify the location’s structure rather than to imply that every room has a separate formal map name.

Associated named figures

Gracie Scyre is associated with obtaining the entrance key, but is not a resident of the mausoleum. Jergal appears in the journal’s account rather than as a present character. Withers is not present in the Ancient Mausoleum; the connection is made through the journal and the party’s earlier encounter with him.

Lower City Graveyard

This is the parent area. It contains the Ancient Mausoleum, the Mortuary, ordinary graves and several other tombs. The graveyard also has the huge weeping willow and various documents, ingredients and side discoveries. These wider graveyard contents should not be counted as part of the Ancient Mausoleum.

Other Lower City mausoleums

The following tombs are separate locations within or around the graveyard:

Each has distinct access details and contents. The key for the Ancient Mausoleum should not be confused with the keys associated with these other tombs.

Grand Mausoleum in Reithwin Town

The Act Two Grand Mausoleum is a completely different location in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. It is the Thorm family burial place, contains the entrance to the Gauntlet of Shar and is tied to Shadowheart’s personal quest, Astarion’s story and the search for Ketheric Thorm’s relic. It contains the well-known three-painting puzzle and a route into the Gauntlet of Shar. None of those features belongs to the Act Three Ancient Mausoleum.