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Locationmajor

Candulhallow's Tombstones

Candulhallow’s Tombstones is a small funeral business in Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Candulhallow’s Tombstones is in an alley northeast of the Elfsong Tavern, near the Lower City Graveyard. The entrance is at approximately X: 74, Y: 25.
  • The front door is locked It can be opened with Tombstone Shop Key or by passing a DC 10 Sleight of Hand check.
  • The hidden entrance is behind the Butterfly on Skull painting in the back office Move the painting and press the button.
  • The secret door cannot simply be lockpicked The required passphrase is “Sicarius”. Several routes can reveal it, including Dolor’s documents, Olfaith Olumssdottir, Devella Fountainhead’s corpse or Orin’s letter.
  • The basement is trapped and prevents fast travel and travelling to camp while the party remains inside.
  • The basement leads to the Murder Tribunal, but the tribunal itself is a separate connected area rather than simply another room of the shop.

About this guide

Baldur’s Gate 3, base game, Act Three Location type: Funeral-goods shop and concealed Bhaalist access point District: Eastway, Lower City Major connected area: Murder Tribunal Primary quests: Investigate the Murders and Impress the Murder Tribunal Spoiler warning: This guide discusses the Bhaalist cult, Dolor, the Murder Tribunal, Sarevok, Orin and major Act Three progression choices.

Overview

Candulhallow’s Tombstones is a small funeral business in Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City. It sits in an alley behind the Elfsong Tavern, close to the Lower City Graveyard. On the surface, the establishment sells coffins, caskets and tombstones. Beneath that respectable trade, however, lies a concealed route into the Bhaalist Murder Tribunal, an important step on the path to Orin and the Temple of Bhaal.

The location is easy to overlook because it has no prominent exterior sign, no normal shopkeeper and no obvious quest entrance. Its importance becomes clear only when the party examines the back office, discovers the hidden button and supplies the passphrase “Sicarius”. The building therefore functions less as a conventional shop and more as a narrative threshold between the Lower City’s murder investigation and the Bhaalist endgame.

Included subareas

Candulhallow’s Tombstones shop

The public-facing building consists of three small rooms filled with funeral merchandise. Tombstones, coffins and caskets occupy the shelves and stands. Some tombstones bear names or epitaphs connected to Dolor’s murder list, including victims whose deaths the party may have prevented. Certain containers can contain common weapons or fresh Camp Supplies.

Back office

The final room contains the concealed route into the basement. A DC 25 Perception check can highlight the relevant painting, although the party can also inspect or move suspicious furnishings manually. If the check is missed, a scroll on the nearby desk provides a clue. Dolor’s documentation contains another hint, including the instruction to seek a trigger hidden by a frame.

Candulhallow’s Basement, or Bhaalist Crypt

The basement is an underground passage built around a dirty-water pool and a narrow brick path. It contains decorative Bhaalist writing, traps and the route to the Murder Tribunal’s antechamber. The area is not a normal free-roaming Lower City interior: fast travel and access to camp are disabled until the party leaves.

Murder Tribunal

The basement door leads to the Bhaalist Murder Tribunal. This is the destination of the route rather than an ordinary shop subroom. Entry involves presenting proof of murder, normally a severed hand or Dolor’s bag of hands, to That Which Guards. The tribunal then becomes the setting for the confrontation with Sarevok and the choice of whether to become an Unholy Assassin of Bhaal.

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Finding the building

From the Elfsong Tavern, head northeast into the nearby alley. Candulhallow’s Tombstones is close to the northern Lower City wall and near the route towards the Lower City Graveyard. The entrance is not presented like a conventional shopfront, so use the quest marker or inspect locked doors in the alley if the building is not immediately obvious.

Named access points and route markers

The nearby graveyard is not part of the tombstone shop. It is a separate Lower City location extending along the northern wall towards the Devil’s Fee.

Named access points and route markers

Opening the front door

The entrance can be opened in either of two confirmed ways:

Dolor can carry a copy of the key, and copies are also associated with some of his doppelganger collaborators in the Lower City. Killing Dolor is not the only way to enter, since lockpicking remains available.

Revealing the secret door

The History and Investigation checks associated with the door provide information but do not replace the passphrase. The dialogue can be attempted by different party members, which may provide additional opportunities to pass a check, but knowing “Sicarius” is the reliable solution.

Follow these steps

  1. 01
    Enter the building.
  2. 02
    Move through the shop to the rearmost room.
  3. 03
    Examine or move the Butterfly on Skull painting.
  4. 04
    Press the button behind it.
  5. 05
    Interact with the revealed secret door.
  6. 06
    Give the passphrase “Sicarius”.

Ways to learn “Sicarius”

The passphrase can be obtained through several progression routes:

The game’s quest progression can therefore lead to the same door from different directions. A player who has not fought Dolor may still reach the area through the murder investigation, while a player who kills Gortash first may receive Orin’s instructions at camp.

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Candulhallow’s Tombstones is deliberately mundane at first glance. The three small rooms are filled with funeral merchandise, including:

There is no verified ordinary shop service that allows the party to purchase these goods from a functioning merchant. The building is best treated as scenery, investigation space and a concealed quest route rather than as a conventional vendor location.

The tombstones are more significant than the displayed merchandise suggests. Their inscriptions connect the shop to Dolor’s murder campaign and may refer to victims whose deaths have already occurred or been prevented. Reading them helps establish that the funeral business is being used to conceal Bhaalist activity and the processing of murder victims.

Ways to learn “Sicarius”

SourceRequirement or circumstance
Dirge of the Unholy AssassinLoot or pickpocket it from Dolor
Olfaith OlumssdottirKill two murder targets from the relevant list
Devella Fountainhead’s corpseKill Devella at Facemaker’s Boutique, then use Speak with Dead
Orin’s letterKill Enver Gortash and read the letter left in camp

Shop containers and minor loot

The contents are not presented as a fixed named treasure cache in the available location evidence. Treat these as minor environmental loot rather than guaranteed unique rewards.

Back-office objects

The back office contains several pieces of investigative material.

Named literature and documents found or associated with the shop

Not every title is necessarily a large, quest-critical document found in the same container. Several are associated literature or environmental records connected with the shop and its investigation. The important practical documents are the Bloodstained Parchment, Dolor’s material, the Dirge of the Unholy Assassin and the records revealing the suspicious ownership and operation of the business.

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The basement is marked in-game as a Bhaalist Crypt. Its design makes the connection between the funeral business and the cult explicit. A brick path crosses or borders a pool of dirty water, while a Flaming Fist shield and a row of inscribed human skulls create the impression of an abandoned or falsified law-enforcement route.

Four skull inscriptions form a roughly rhymed stanza attributed to Invoker Grimlark. Grimlark’s writing also appears in other Bhaalist areas, including locations connected with the Temple of Bhaal and the Undercity.

Back-office objects

NameDetails
Butterfly on Skull paintingconceals the button.
Hidden buttonreveals the secret door.
Nearby scrollhints at the hidden trigger.
Dolor’s documentcontains another clue about the framed object.
Gilded Chestrequires DC 15 Sleight of Hand and contains random minor loot plus a note.

Basement hazards

The safest approach is to remain on the brick path and avoid crossing the water unless there is a clear reason to do so.

The path towards the Tribunal is on the eastern side. A separate route signposted “Flaming Fists this Way” is heavily trapped and is not the recommended route. The brick path leads instead to the Murder Tribunal antechamber at approximately X: -1302, Y: 520.

Basement loot

An unlocked elegant chest sits in the far corner near the water, at approximately X: -1324, Y: 549. It contains minor loot rather than a named unique reward.

Travel restrictions

These restrictions make it sensible to prepare before descending. Bring a party member capable of detecting or disarming traps and consider taking healing resources before entering.

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Candulhallow’s Tombstones has no confirmed active proprietor functioning as a normal merchant during the party’s visit. The location’s suspicious ownership and continued municipal payments are explained through environmental documents rather than through a resident shopkeeper. The fate of the last proprietor is uncertain in the available evidence.

Characters directly associated with the location

NameDetails
DolorWould-be Unholy Assassin, key-holder and source of the passphrase through his documents.
Olfaith OlumssdottirBhaalist recruiter who can reveal “Sicarius” after the required murders.
Devella FountainheadMurder investigator whose corpse can provide the passphrase in a specific progression state.
OrinSource of the alternative Gortash-related route into the Tribunal.
Invoker GrimlarkAuthor of the skull inscriptions, associated with wider Bhaalist writing.
That Which GuardsTribunal gatekeeper, encountered beyond the basement.
SarevokLeader of the Murder Tribunal and the central figure in the connected progression.

Nearby vignettes

The alley and route towards the graveyard contain several named background characters. They are not residents of the shop and should not be treated as its staff.

Alembrosius’s scene includes a letter in a nearby mailbox concerning a repaired vase and payment. Pythonicus and Jitters Corbwell’s exchange suggests questionable trade, but no confirmed shop service or purchasable property is attached to the scene.

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Nearby vignettes

NameDetails
AlembrosiusStands near a makeshift pottery and vase stall beside the neighbouring house. He does not sell the goods himself.
PythonicusDragonborn involved in a suspicious-looking negotiation near the route to the graveyard.
Jitters CorbwellBargains with Pythonicus and refers to Guild-related politics.

Investigate the Murders

Candulhallow’s Tombstones is a major investigation site in Investigate the Murders. After dealing with Dolor or progressing through the murder list, the party is directed to the building. The shop provides both the physical clue trail and the secret route to the Murder Tribunal.

If the party kills Dolor, his body can provide both the victims’ hands and a page associated with the Dirge of the Unholy Assassin. The severed hands are useful later for entering the Tribunal.

A practical route is

  1. 01
    Investigate the murders in the Lower City.
  2. 02
    Find and defeat or pickpocket Dolor.
  3. 03
    Take the Hand Bag and read the relevant document.
  4. 04
    Travel to Candulhallow’s Tombstones.
  5. 05
    Enter the shop.
  6. 06
    Find the button behind the Butterfly on Skull painting.
  7. 07
    Speak “Sicarius” at the hidden door.
  8. 08
    Continue through the basement to the Tribunal.

Note

“I killed to be here, and took the victim’s hand as proof.”

Impress the Murder Tribunal

This quest is part of the route towards Orin’s Netherstone and the Temple of Bhaal. The party must present a severed hand or equivalent proof of murder at the Tribunal. Dolor’s bag of hands is sufficient, as are hands taken from the party’s own victims. Gortash’s Hand is another route. The Dark Urge has an additional possible proof involving Gale’s Severed Hand.

At the Tribunal entrance, That Which Guards asks for proof. The safe response is effectively:

Presenting the required evidence allows the party to proceed. Choosing a different response can turn the guards and the Tribunal hostile.

Consequences beyond the shop

The Tribunal is where the party eventually chooses between:

The latter path involves further murder-related requirements and the killing of Investigator Valeria. The exact consequences belong to the Murder Tribunal and Temple of Bhaal progression rather than to Candulhallow’s Tombstones itself, but entering through the shop is the route that begins this branch.

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Before leaving the area, check that you have:

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For a first visit, use this order

  1. 01
    Inspect the exterior. Note the alley, the neighbouring house and the route towards the graveyard.
  2. 02
    Open the shop carefully. Use the key or a DC 10 lockpick.
  3. 03
    Search the public rooms. Read tombstones, inspect caskets and collect minor supplies.
  4. 04
    Read the office material. Look for the clue about a trigger hidden by a frame.
  5. 05
    Move the Butterfly on Skull painting. Do not rely solely on the Perception highlight.
  6. 06
    Open the secret door with “Sicarius”.
  7. 07
    Prepare before descending. The basement blocks camp access and fast travel.
  8. 08
    Stay on the brick path. Avoid the greasy water and the Flaming Fists route.
  9. 09
    Search the elegant chest if desired.
  10. 10
    Continue east to the Tribunal antechamber.
  11. 11
    Present a severed hand or Dolor’s Hand Bag.
  12. 12
    Make the Tribunal choice with the consequences in mind.

The business is a Bhaalist front

The shop’s funeral trade conceals a cult operation. The suspicious ownership records, timely payments and observations about customers changing appearance point towards doppelganger activity and Bhaalist infiltration. The building’s true purpose is not to provide ordinary funeral services, but to hide access to the Murder Tribunal.

The door’s ability checks are not the solution

The History and Investigation checks at the secret door can reveal that the inscription has Bhaalist origins, but neither check opens the door by itself. The passphrase remains necessary. The dialogue also has a known behaviour in which attempting one check can prevent the other from being attempted by the same interaction sequence.

Basement fire trap

The Flaming Fists sign is misleading from a practical navigation perspective. The route in that direction is trapped with grease, a Fire Explosive and Firewine Barrels. Staying on the brick path to the right is safer.

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Places and subareas

Characters

Some of these characters are visitors, quest contacts or connected-area figures rather than permanent residents of the shop.

Quests

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Quests

Can I enter without killing Dolor?

Yes. The front door can be lockpicked, and the passphrase can be learned through several routes. Dolor’s death is useful because his body can provide the key, documents and Hand Bag, but it is not the only access method.

What is the password?

The password is Sicarius.

Where is the secret button?

Move the Butterfly on Skull painting in the rearmost room of the shop. The button is behind it. A high Perception check can highlight the painting, and nearby written clues also point towards it.

Can the secret door be lockpicked?

No. The door’s History and Investigation checks provide clues but do not substitute for the passphrase.

Is Candulhallow’s Tombstones a working shop?

It is presented as a funeral-goods business, but there is no confirmed ordinary merchant service for buying the displayed coffins, caskets or tombstones during the party’s visit. Its practical role is environmental storytelling and access to the Bhaalist route.

Why can’t I fast travel from the basement?

The basement is a restricted transition area. Fast travel and camp access are disabled until the party leaves it.

Is the Murder Tribunal part of the shop?

It is directly connected to the basement, but it is better treated as a separate subarea with its own encounters, characters and progression.

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This guide is based primarily on the current BG3 Wiki location and quest pages, cross-checked against walkthrough evidence for the entrance, password and basement route. The available sources clearly establish the shop, back office, basement, nearby named vignettes and the connection to the Murder Tribunal. They do not provide a verified fixed inventory for every casket, every tombstone epitaph or every minor environmental container. Those contents have therefore been described only as minor or potentially random loot rather than as guaranteed rewards.

Sources