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Locationmajor

Gauntlet of Shar

The Gauntlet of Shar is a large Sharran temple complex beneath the Grand Mausoleum in the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Do not enter the Shadowfell until you are ready to commit to Act Two’s endgame Entering it is the important point of no return, not merely completing the three trials.
  • The Gauntlet contains four Umbral Gems relevant to progression one from each of Shar’s three trials and one in Yurgir’s area.
  • Shadowheart is not required to enter or complete the Gauntlet, but the location is central to her personal quest and her relationship with Shar.
  • You can normally deal with Balthazar in the Gauntlet before entering the Shadowfell. If he survives, he can instead become a later encounter.
  • The Silent Library contains the Spear of Night, which is required for Shadowheart’s final trial and is easily missed if you leave after collecting the trial gems.
  • Before entering the Shadowfell, finish important business in Act Two, including Moonrise Towers exploration, prisoner rescues and other quests that may be advanced or closed by the next story sequence.

About this guide

Spoiler warning: This guide covers major Act Two story developments, Shadowheart’s personal quest, Balthazar, Yurgir, the Nightsong, the Shadowfell and the point of no return before the assault on Moonrise Towers.

Overview

The Gauntlet of Shar is a large Sharran temple complex beneath the Grand Mausoleum in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. It is not simply the room containing Shar’s three trials. The location includes the temple’s entrance and central halls, Balthazar’s outpost, a sealed Sharran vault, the Soft-Step, Self-Same and Faith-Leap trials, the Silent Library, Yurgir’s occupied wing and the final route to the Verge of the Shadows.

The Grand Mausoleum is the neighbouring entrance area rather than part of the Gauntlet proper. The Shadowfell, reached through the Verge of the Shadows, is a separate region and a major progression state. Treating all three as one place makes the dungeon’s layout and its point-of-no-return warning confusing.

Shar built the Gauntlet as both a proving ground and a military-religious complex. Its trials test stealth, combat against one’s own failings and blind faith. Each successful trial provides an Umbral Gem, while a fourth is obtained in the temple’s occupied western wing. These gems power the temple’s traversal mechanisms and ultimately open the way to the Nightsong. A Sharran text found in the temple describes the site as both a series of trials and the source of an army of Dark Justiciars.

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The Grand Mausoleum: neighbouring entrance, not the Gauntlet proper

The Grand Mausoleum is the Thorm family burial site north of the House of Healing. It contains the entrance puzzle that opens the route into the Gauntlet.

The mausoleum is where the party first encounters Raphael in this sequence. To reach the Gauntlet, inspect the paintings and press the buttons beneath them in this order:

The correct sequence opens the way to a traversal gem, which carries the party into the Gauntlet. The mausoleum also contains a table with the Temple Map, a note attributed to Balthazar which describes the temple’s multiple levels and distinguishes an intact wing from a ruined wing.

Grand Mausoleum directory

These are entrance or neighbouring locations. They should not be counted as Gauntlet subareas when describing the temple’s internal layout.

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The Grand Mausoleum: neighbouring entrance, not the Gauntlet proper: steps

  1. 01
    Moonrise Towers
  2. 02
    Grief
  3. 03
    General

Grand Mausoleum directory

The Gauntlet proper

The Gauntlet begins after the traversal gem deposits the party inside the temple. Its upper level is dominated by a large central statue of Shar and a web of corridors, chambers and stairways. The eastern and central areas lead towards Shar’s trials, while the western side contains Balthazar’s outpost and a locked Sharran vault. A separate route leads towards Yurgir’s wing.

The temple is split vertically as well as horizontally:

The map’s apparent complexity is partly caused by the temple’s vertical connections. The lower trial level can be reached by stairs or by a lift, but the lift requires a missing handle before it can be used properly. The lift can also behave unreliably, so separate party members before using it if you are concerned about accidental deaths from movement or positioning.

Western and ruined wing

Some of these names identify gameplay areas or map features rather than fully separate map regions. They are included to clarify the temple’s internal hierarchy.

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The Gauntlet proper

NameDetails
Upper levelcentral hall, Balthazar’s outpost, initial Dark Justiciar encounter, trial entrance hall and Yurgir’s route.
Lower levelFaith-Leap Trial, Silent Library and routes towards the lower traversal mechanisms.
Deepest progression routeVerge of the Shadows and the portal to the Shadowfell.

Entering the Gauntlet

You can reach the Gauntlet without Shadowheart, but bringing her provides additional dialogue and makes the location significantly more important to the party’s story. If she is present, she may volunteer to perform the blood sacrifices that begin the trials. The character who gives blood receives the Bleeding condition for a short time. Shadowheart approves when allowed to undertake the rites herself.

The normal route is

  1. 01
    Travel to the Grand Mausoleum.
  2. 02
    Speak with Raphael if you want the context for Yurgir and his contract.
  3. 03
    Solve the painting puzzle.
  4. 04
    Use the traversal gem.
  5. 05
    Activate the Gauntlet’s Ancient Sigil Circle.
  6. 06
    Explore the upper halls before committing to the trials.

Suggested exploration order

The three formal trials can be completed in any order. Their three Umbral Gems are not the only gems needed for the final mechanism, which is why a party that finishes every visible trial can still be missing one.

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A practical route is

  1. 01
    Activate the waypoint.
  2. 02
    Explore the central and western corridors.
  3. 03
    Resolve or bypass the Dark Justiciar ambush.
  4. 04
    Speak with Balthazar, or attack him if you do not intend to work with him.
  5. 05
    Loot the outpost and investigate the locked vault.
  6. 06
    Visit Yurgir’s wing and decide whether to kill him or investigate his contract.
  7. 07
    Complete the Soft-Step Trial.
  8. 08
    Complete the Self-Same Trial.
  9. 09
    Complete the Faith-Leap Trial.
  10. 10
    Enter the Silent Library.
  11. 11
    Obtain the Spear of Night.
  12. 12
    Place the four Umbral Gems in the central traversal mechanism.
  13. 13
    Stop and complete any outstanding Act Two business.
  14. 14
    Enter the Shadowfell only when ready.

Shadowheart

Shadowheart is the Gauntlet’s most closely associated companion. Shar’s trials are central to her personal quest, The Chosen of Shar, and her responses depend on whether the party supports or challenges her faith.

Shadowheart can perform the blood sacrifice at each trial and receives approval when allowed to do so. Her presence is not mechanically mandatory, but it changes dialogue and can make the final sequence substantially more personal.

Balthazar

Balthazar is an undead necromancer serving Ketheric Thorm. He has been sent to retrieve the Nightsong, which is the source of Ketheric’s immortality. His first Gauntlet encounter takes place behind a locked circular door, where his undead servants are attacked by Dark Justiciars.

If you receive the bell, Flesh can fight on your side against the surrounding Dark Justiciars. Flesh is not reliably friendly if summoned during a fight directly against Balthazar, so do not treat the bell as a universal solution.

Balthazar may be fought more easily in the Gauntlet than in his later story location because the battle can be initiated in his chamber rather than during the Shadowfell sequence.

Balthazar’s notable loot

The hidden chest containing Least Expected is near the first Dark Justiciar confrontation. The locked vault requires a very high Sleight of Hand check, though Knock can bypass the lock. Its contents include the Callous Glow Ring, Infernal Iron, gold and scrolls.

Balthazar’s notable loot

Yurgir

Yurgir is an orthon from the Nine Hells, accompanied by Merregon Legionnaires. Raphael trapped him in the Gauntlet through a contract requiring him to kill every Dark Justiciar in the temple. Yurgir believed he had completed the contract, but the last Dark Justiciar, Lyrthindor, survived by splitting into a swarm of rats.

The party is usually led into Yurgir’s area by Nessa, a Displacer Beast. Yurgir’s encounter can be resolved in several ways:

The encounter’s outcome affects Raphael, Astarion’s personal quest and Yurgir’s possible role in Act Three. If Yurgir survives and is freed from the contract, he can later become an ally.

Yurgir’s notable loot

The fourth Umbral Gem lies near Yurgir’s bed of corpses, where Nessa’s route leads into the encounter. Yurgir’s Hellfire Hand Crossbow is carried equipment, while the Dark Justiciar Gauntlets are nearby rather than worn by him.

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Each trial begins by interacting with its sacrificial bowl. Only the character who enters the relevant chamber needs to complete the test, so splitting the party is often the safest method.

The order does not matter.

Yurgir’s notable loot

Soft-Step Trial

The Soft-Step Trial tests stealth and the ability to avoid or remove threats. It is a heavily obscured maze containing locked gates, traps, moving walls and hidden routes.

Only one character needs to reach the end. A character with strong Sleight of Hand, Misty Step, invisibility or another mobility tool is ideal.

Reliable approach

A skeleton in the trial area can provide a Scroll of Misty Step, and the key can be reached through a hidden room. The gate can also be lockpicked or bypassed with teleportation.

Reliable approach

  1. 01
    Leave most of the party outside.
  2. 02
    Use a high-Dexterity character or a character with stealth bonuses.
  3. 03
    Disarm traps where practical.
  4. 04
    Search for levers and alternate routes rather than forcing every gate.
  5. 05
    Collect the Soft-Step Trial Key if you want to open the final gate normally.
  6. 06
    Reach the end of the maze and collect the Umbral Gem.

Self-Same Trial

The Self-Same Trial creates hostile reflections of party members who are inside the room when the trial begins. These reflections copy the participants’ names and equipment, although a custom protagonist’s reflection may have a generic racial name.

The copies begin hidden and may surprise the party. Removing equipment before beginning the trial can make the reflections less dangerous, although this is an optional tactic rather than a required solution.

Practical approach

The Self-Same Trial is also connected to the Know Thine Enemy inspiration for a Soldier background.

Practical approach

  1. 01
    Send only the characters you want copied into the chamber.
  2. 02
    Consider removing valuable equipment before starting.
  3. 03
    Detect or reveal the ambushing reflections.
  4. 04
    Focus on one reflection at a time.
  5. 05
    Avoid striking reflections belonging to characters who are not yet engaged unless you are prepared for the resulting condition.
  6. 06
    Collect the Umbral Gem after the final reflection is defeated.

Faith-Leap Trial

The Faith-Leap Trial is the most dangerous of the three for players who do not notice the map on the floor. The chamber contains a deep chasm and a sequence of platforms marked by statues of Shar. The safe route is invisible once the character begins crossing, but its pattern is shown on the mosaic near the entrance.

The test grants a limited number of mistakes. In Honour Mode, a single misstep can kill the character immediately.

Practical approach

Do not allow the rest of the party to follow automatically. A second character moving onto the wrong section of the invisible path can cause unnecessary deaths even after the first character has established the route.

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The Silent Library is on the lower level of the Gauntlet. It is not just an optional lore room. It contains the Spear of Night, which is required for the final stages of Shadowheart’s Gauntlet quest.

The library is protected by the Librarian, whose Silence Aura affects the area. Spellcasters should expect their usual verbal spells to be unavailable while the effect remains active. The important tactical objective is to remove the Librarian and the magical threats around it before trying to solve the inner puzzle.

Practical approach

  1. 01
    Bring one character into the room.
  2. 02
    Study the mosaic before activating the trial.
  3. 03
    Mark the path mentally or with dropped objects.
  4. 04
    Move in small increments.
  5. 05
    Keep the rest of the party outside the chamber.
  6. 06
    Use the transporter altar at the far end.
  7. 07
    Collect the Umbral Gem.

Silent Library route

The central puzzle asks for a book connected to loss and silence. Search carefully rather than relying only on the most obvious shelves, since the necessary volume is an easily missed piece of environmental interaction.

Silent Library directory

The Silent Library is also one of the locations that explains the Gauntlet’s religious purpose through books and inscriptions. It reinforces the distinction between the trials as initiation rites and the temple as a military centre for Dark Justiciar activity.

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Silent Library route: steps

  1. 01
    Enter the library and identify the source of the silence.
  2. 02
    Destroy or defeat the Librarian.
  3. 03
    Deal with the remaining Sharran defenders.
  4. 04
    Search the bookshelves for the volume required by the riddle.
  5. 05
    Place the correct book in the riddle mechanism.
  6. 06
    Open the inner door.
  7. 07
    Collect the Spear of Night and the other treasure.

Dark Justiciars

Dark Justiciars are the temple’s ghostly defenders. In the Balthazar outpost encounter, Umbral Tremors repeatedly summon or support Justiciars until the tremors are destroyed or enough defenders have been eliminated.

Prioritise the tremors when possible. Allowing the encounter to continue can flood the battlefield with additional enemies. Balthazar’s undead servants may fight as temporary neutrals against the Justiciars, creating an unusual three-sided battle.

Traps and obscurity

The Soft-Step and Faith-Leap trials are built around visibility problems:

Darkvision helps with ordinary darkness, but it does not automatically reveal every trial mechanic.

Honour Mode differences

Honour Mode makes the Faith-Leap Trial less forgiving, with a single mistake potentially causing immediate death. Boss and encounter abilities may also differ from lower difficulties. Do not rely on tactics that depend on several trial mistakes being survivable.

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Progression items

Three Umbral Gems come from the formal trials. The fourth comes from Yurgir’s area. The gems are used in the central traversal mechanisms, but collecting the gems alone is not enough to finish Shadowheart’s sequence. The Spear of Night is also required.

Progression items

Named equipment and valuables

Some entries are fixed placements, while others are carried by characters or appear in chests. Yurgir’s Hellfire Hand Crossbow is fixed to his inventory, while Least Expected is located in a hidden chest near the Dark Justiciar encounter. The Callous Glow Ring is inside the Sharran vault.

Named equipment and valuables

Lore and books

The book The Gauntlet of Shar explains that each trial yields an Umbral Gem and that the final sacrifice will involve Selûnite blood and the rise of a new Dark Justiciar.

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1. Enter through the Grand Mausoleum

Solve the painting puzzle, use the traversal gem and activate the Gauntlet waypoint. If Raphael is present, speak with him before entering Yurgir’s area so that the relationship between the two characters is clear.

2. Explore before committing to the trials

Search the central hall and western corridors. Look for hidden containers, books, alchemical materials and the route to Balthazar’s chamber. This is also a good time to identify the locked Sharran vault.

3. Resolve the Balthazar encounter

You can cooperate temporarily, obtain the bell for Flesh or attack. If you intend to kill Balthazar in the Gauntlet, do so before entering the Shadowfell. His later encounter is a separate progression state and can be more awkward if you have allowed him to continue his mission.

4. Visit Yurgir

Follow Nessa or investigate the western wing directly. Decide whether to attack Yurgir, exploit the contract through dialogue or search for Lyrthindor. If you want Raphael’s questline and Astarion’s related developments, investigate the contract rather than treating the encounter as a simple combat.

Collect the fourth Umbral Gem regardless of how the encounter ends.

5. Complete the three trials

Complete Soft-Step, Self-Same and Faith-Leap in any order. Split the party for each trial and use only one character where possible.

6. Clear the Silent Library

Defeat the Librarian, solve the book mechanism and take the Spear of Night. Do not leave the Gauntlet assuming the three trial gems are all the required items.

7. Use the Umbral Gems

Place the gems into the central pedestal and operate the traversal mechanism. This leads to the Verge of the Shadows.

8. Stop before entering the Shadowfell

The game gives a warning before the final transition. Treat it seriously. Finish outstanding exploration and quests in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, especially anything at Moonrise Towers that you want to complete before the Act Two endgame.

9. Enter the Shadowfell

The Shadowfell is not another ordinary Gauntlet room. It is a separate region and the next major progression state. The Nightsong sequence, Shadowheart’s choice and the fate of Ketheric Thorm’s immortality follow from this transition.

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After entering the Shadowfell

The story advances towards the conclusion of Act Two. Activities at Moonrise Towers and elsewhere may be completed automatically, altered or made unavailable depending on the player’s previous actions.

The safest rule is simple: do not enter the Shadowfell until you have completed everything you want to preserve in Act Two. Completing the three trials alone is not the lockout. The decisive transition is entering the Shadowfell.

Common missable or easily overlooked content

These are not all mutually exclusive, but their availability can depend on which characters have been killed, which conversations have occurred and whether the party has crossed into the Shadowfell.

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Before entering the Shadowfell

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The Gauntlet demonstrates how Shar’s religion operates in practice. It is not merely a shrine. It is an institution that turns belief into military power.

The three trials test different forms of Sharran identity:

The temple’s ruined sections also preserve evidence of a previous conflict. Yurgir and his Merregon forces killed the Dark Justiciars across the route from Grymforge to the Gauntlet, but Lyrthindor’s survival prevented the contract from ending. The rats in the ruined wing are therefore not an unrelated nuisance. They are part of the temple’s unresolved history and the hidden reason Yurgir remains trapped.

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Before entering the Shadowfell

NameDetails
Soft-Stepsecrecy, stealth and the removal of witnesses.
Self-Sameconfrontation with one’s own likeness and weakness.
Faith-Leapobedience to a path that cannot be seen directly.
Final sacrificecommitment to Shar through the destruction of a Selûnite life.

Is the Grand Mausoleum part of the Gauntlet of Shar?

No. It is the neighbouring Thorm burial site and the entrance area. The actual Gauntlet begins after the traversal gem transports the party inside.

Is the Shadowfell part of the Gauntlet?

No. It is a separate region reached through the Verge of the Shadows. It is, however, the Gauntlet’s intended story destination.

Do I need Shadowheart?

No, but she is the companion most closely connected to the location. Without her, you can still complete the trials and reach the Shadowfell.

Do I need to complete the trials in a particular order?

No. Soft-Step, Self-Same and Faith-Leap can be completed in any order.

Why am I missing an Umbral Gem?

The three trials provide three gems. The fourth is in Yurgir’s area.

Can Balthazar be killed in the Gauntlet?

Yes. You can fight him in his outpost before entering the Shadowfell. If you do not kill him, he may appear later.

Can Yurgir be spared?

Yes. You can use dialogue, investigate his contract and potentially free him. The result affects Raphael’s storyline and later ally possibilities.

What is the real point of no return?

Entering the Shadowfell through the Verge of the Shadows. The warning before that transition should be treated as the final preparation point for Act Two’s endgame.

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