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Locationmajor

Moonrise Towers Prison

Moonrise Towers Prison is the lower prison complex beneath Moonrise Towers in Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Rescue the prisoners before entering the Shadowfell and returning from it Once the party completes the relevant Nightsong progression and returns from the Shadowfell, the prison rescue quests automatically end.
  • The prison has five cells, an outer lobby, a torture room, a central Warden’s office and routes to the docks.
  • Wulbren’s escape route is usually the safest for rescuing both the gnomes and tieflings. Give him Wulbren’s Hammer or another bludgeoning weapon, then help break the chains at the boat.
  • The Oubliette is connected to the prison but is not part of the prison proper Several holes and cliff routes lead down into it, but most entrances are one-way.
  • The prison is easier to clear before starting the escape Destroying the Scrying Eyes and isolating the guards reduces the chance that the prisoners will be killed during the breakout.
  • The area changes after the assault on Moonrise Towers Myrkulite enemies, Necromites and Mistresses of Souls replace much of the normal prison population.

About this guide

Spoiler warning: This guide covers major Act Two story developments, the fates of Minthara, Wulbren and the tiefling prisoners, the assault on Moonrise Towers, and the point-of-no-return involving the Shadowfell.

Overview

Moonrise Towers Prison is the lower prison complex beneath Moonrise Towers in Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3. It is not the whole of Moonrise Towers, nor is it the same area as the Mind Flayer Colony or the Oubliette beneath it. The prison is a self-contained section of the tower with its own lobby, torture room, five-cell block, central Warden’s office, guard routes, docks entrance and several dangerous drops into the deeper underground.

The area is the centre of several of Act Two’s most important rescue missions. It is where the Ironhand gnomes, including Wulbren Bongle, and several tiefling refugees are imprisoned. It is also where Minthara may be taken after surviving Act One and being condemned by Ketheric Thorm. The prison can be infiltrated while Moonrise Towers is still friendly, cleared room by room before a rescue attempt, or entered during the later assault, when its occupants and encounters change substantially.

Named subareas

The Mind Flayer Colony and the Oubliette should be treated as neighbouring or connected locations, not as ordinary rooms within Moonrise Towers Prison. The Oubliette is deeper beneath Moonrise Towers and is associated with the colony’s waste and underground facilities. The prison merely provides several early ways to reach it.

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From inside Moonrise Towers

From the main floor of Moonrise Towers, travel to the south-western side of the building and follow the stairs down. Adept Ghulen is stationed at the bottom. If the cult is still friendly, the party can normally enter without starting a fight, although restricted areas and the Warden’s office may still count as trespassing.

This is the most direct route if the party is infiltrating Moonrise Towers as an apparent ally of the Absolute.

From the docks

The prison also connects to the docks through Heavy Oak Doors. Zealot Soreni and Zealot Zira guard this entrance during the normal prison state. The docks are particularly important during the prisoner escape, because Wulbren and the tieflings attempt to reach the boat or leave through this side of the complex.

Reaching the Oubliette

The prison has several ways down into the Oubliette:

The pits can be jumped into, but they do not provide a reliable route back up. The Cragged Rock route is the important exception because it can be used to leave the Oubliette. Treat the pits as deliberate one-way exploration routes rather than convenient shortcuts.

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Prisoners

The normal prisoner population is split between Ironhand gnomes and tiefling refugees. Their survival depends on the player’s previous choices, the timing of the rescue and how the escape is handled.

Tiefling refugees

Wulbren is held in the fourth cell to the right when approaching from the prison stairs. The tieflings occupy the other prisoner cell group. Their presence depends partly on the outcome of the refugee storyline in Act One.

Named residents and personnel

Absolute prison staff

The Warden patrols around the central tower and may move between her office, the ominous pit and the prisoner cells. Adept Keris patrols around the prison route, while Zealot Nadi watches the far end of the cell corridor. The Questioners remain in the torture room unless combat or story progression changes their position.

Story-dependent visitor

If Minthara survived Act One and Ketheric Thorm condemns her, she is moved to the torture room. Questioner Jasin and Questioner Sumera attempt to destroy her mind there. The player can intervene and escort her out, although the exact dialogue and checks depend on the approach used.

Prisoner records

A Moonrise Towers Prisoner Log can be found on the Warden’s desk. It lists prisoners who passed through Moonrise Towers, including names connected with Balthazar’s experiments and Wulbren’s imprisonment. It provides additional context for the relationship between the prison, Balthazar and the deeper facilities beneath the tower.

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The normal prison is controlled by the Cult of the Absolute, although its staff are serving Ketheric Thorm’s regime and the larger plans surrounding Moonrise Towers.

The Scrying Eyes are especially important. A single eye may be destroyed without immediately alerting the entire tower if the party does enough damage to kill it in one hit, although other Scrying Eyes can become hostile. Destroying both eyes before opening the cells makes the escape considerably more manageable.

Prison security directory

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Prison security directory

NameDetails
Adept Ghulenguards the stairs to Moonrise Towers
Adept Kerispatrols the prison route
The Wardencontrols the prison and watches the central tower
Zealot Nadiguards the far end of the cell corridor
Zealot Soreniguards the docks entrance
Zealot Ziraguards the docks entrance
Questioner Jasintorture room
Questioner Sumeratorture room
Scrying Eyesmobile magical surveillance

Rescue the Tieflings

Rescue the Tieflings is one of the prison’s central missions. The imprisoned refugees can escape by boat or on foot.

The quest is not limited by the number of long rests taken. It is, however, limited by story progression. Completing the relevant Nightsong sequence and returning from the Shadowfell causes the quest to end automatically, with the journal recording that the prisoners were never found. The rescue and its rewards must therefore be completed before that point.

The surviving refugees later appear at Last Light Inn. Important rewards include:

These rewards are tied to the survivors being rescued in Act Two. Finding the characters later in Baldur’s Gate does not necessarily recreate the missed Act Two rewards.

Rescue Wulbren

Rescue Wulbren can begin after dealing with the gnomes in Grymforge, through Barcus Wroot, or simply by encountering Wulbren in the prison.

Wulbren needs something capable of breaking stone. The game accepts a suitable bludgeoning weapon, including a generic mace. The most thematically appropriate item is Wulbren’s Hammer, which can be found above the Warden’s office. It is possible to donate the weapon through dialogue or throw it into Wulbren’s cell.

The gnomes then break through the rear wall, reach the boat and smash its chains. The party must help them survive the guards and ensure that the tieflings reach the boat before the gnomes leave.

Rescue the Grand Duke

The prison is also associated with Rescue the Grand Duke, although the Grand Duke’s exact location and the wider mission extend beyond this area. Treat the prison as one part of that storyline rather than as the whole rescue location.

Decide Minthara’s Fate

If Minthara is alive after Act One and captured by the Absolute, the prison becomes the location for the next stage of her storyline. The party can encounter her in the torture room and attempt to free her before her mind is destroyed.

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Recommended preparation

Before speaking to Wulbren or opening any cell:

Recommended preparation: steps

  1. 01
    Make a manual save.
  2. 02
    Bring a bludgeoning weapon or locate Wulbren’s Hammer.
  3. 03
    Prepare stealth, invisibility, Misty Step, Fly or another way to reach the rear ledges.
  4. 04
    Consider bringing a character who can deal reliable Force or bludgeoning damage.
  5. 05
    Disable or destroy the Scrying Eyes.
  6. 06
    Decide whether to clear the guards first.
  7. 07
    Avoid long resting or fast travelling after giving Wulbren the weapon unless you are ready for the escape to begin.

Method one: the boat escape

This is generally the cleanest route for saving both prisoner groups.

The rear walls are reachable from the rocky ledge west of the cells. Misty Step, Jump and Fly can all help party members reach the area. Once the walls are broken, the prisoners run towards the boat.

Timing danger

If the tieflings take too long to reach the boat after Wulbren has freed it, the groups can become separated. In combat, the tieflings have only a limited number of turns to catch up. The group left behind may try to escape through the docks and face guards outside Moonrise Towers.

Method one: the boat escape: steps

  1. 01
    Enter the prison and reach the cells.
  2. 02
    Speak to the prisoners. A guard may interrupt. Dialogue checks such as Deception or Persuasion can allow the party to continue speaking with them.
  3. 03
    Reach the upper area of the Warden’s office.
  4. 04
    Take Wulbren’s Hammer, or use another appropriate bludgeoning weapon.
  5. 05
    Give or throw the weapon to Wulbren.
  6. 06
    Move to the rear ledges behind the cells.
  7. 07
    Break the back walls of the gnomes’ and tieflings’ cells with Force damage or another suitable method.
  8. 08
    Move quickly to the boat.
  9. 09
    Help Wulbren break the chains.
  10. 10
    Defeat the guards alerted by the Scrying Eyes.
  11. 11
    Speak to Wulbren and choose whether to travel with the prisoners.
  12. 12
    Follow up at Last Light Inn.

Method two: opening the cells

The Warden’s office contains several levers. Individual levers open specific cells, while a large floor lever opens all of them and triggers an alarm.

This route is more direct but less controlled:

Opening the cells by lever causes the prisoners to flee through the prison. Combat starts, and the party must keep the escape route clear. The prisoners eventually move north towards the Toll House before safely reappearing at Last Light Inn, provided they survive.

Method two: opening the cells: steps

  1. 01
    Enter the Warden’s office.
  2. 02
    Use the individual levers if you want to release particular cells.
  3. 03
    Avoid the large alarm lever unless you are ready for combat.
  4. 04
    Follow the prisoners towards the docks.
  5. 05
    Defeat the guards inside and outside the prison.
  6. 06
    Allow the survivors to reach the route towards the Toll House and Last Light Inn.

Method three: clear the prison first

The safest general strategy is to clear the ordinary prison guards before freeing anyone.

This approach avoids turning the rescue into a running battle while the prisoners are exposed. The wider Moonrise Towers population does not automatically become hostile merely because the prison has been cleared, allowing the party to remain undercover elsewhere in the tower.

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A practical order is

  1. 01
    Deal with the Warden in or near her office.
  2. 02
    Wait for patrols to enter isolated positions.
  3. 03
    Defeat Adept Keris and Zealot Nadi away from the prisoners.
  4. 04
    Destroy both Scrying Eyes.
  5. 05
    Remove the guards by the docks if you intend to use that exit.
  6. 06
    Free the prisoners only after the prison corridor is quiet.
  7. 07
    Use the boat route or the individual cell levers.

Notable fixed items

The Spellcrux Amulet and Moonrise Guard’s Key are obtained from the Warden. Wulbren’s Hammer is located above her office and is a convenient way to satisfy Wulbren’s escape plan, although the quest accepts other bludgeoning weapons.

The torture room contains several scrolls and a dagger. The room’s contents are available whether or not Minthara is present.

Notable fixed items

ItemLocation or sourceNotes
Browbeaten CircletArea above the WardenFixed prison loot
Moonrise Guard’s KeyThe WardenLooted from the Warden
Spellcrux AmuletThe WardenImportant spellcaster equipment
Wulbren’s HammerUpper area above the Warden’s officeCan be given to Wulbren
Moonrise Towers Prisoner LogWarden’s deskLore document
Scroll of False LifeTorture roomFixed scroll loot
Scroll of Speak with DeadTorture roomFixed scroll loot
Scroll of Hold PersonTorture roomFixed scroll loot
DaggerTorture roomOrdinary fixed weapon

Exploration checklist

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The prison changes substantially when the Harpers attack Moonrise Towers after the Nightsong is freed.

Entering the prison during the assault starts a battle involving Myrkulites and undead summons. A Death Shepherd is positioned in the lobby with ten Necromites. Further into the prison, Duckie Verish, Sarabayle and Willinx Jindlebee appear as Mistresses of Souls. They summon additional Necromites until defeated.

Only some of the original prison guards participate in the main prison battle if they survived until the assault:

The Questioners and several other guards are found dead elsewhere in Moonrise Towers. If Flaming Fists were brought to Last Light Inn through Florrick’s storyline, they can assist in the prison battle. Jaheira does not follow the party into the prison and waits near the stairs leading upwards.

Assault-state directory

Harper casualties found in the area

Defeating the skeletons and Mistresses of Souls during the assault grants A Bone To Pick, an inspiration event for characters with the Soldier background.

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After freeing the Nightsong

Moonrise Towers becomes hostile and the Harpers attack. The prison’s normal population is replaced or killed in several places, and the area becomes a combat zone.

After returning from the Shadowfell

The prisoner rescue quests end automatically. The journal may state that the prisoners were never found, even if the party has not previously visited the prison. This is the most important missability warning for the location.

Achievement implications

Rescuing all the imprisoned tieflings and deep gnomes earns Under Lock and Key. Saving Cal, Danis, Lakrissa and Lia is also part of the requirements for Leave No One Behind, assuming the wider tiefling-rescue conditions are met.

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For a first playthrough, the following order minimises risk:

If the party is deliberately playing an evil or hostile route, the order changes. The prison can still be explored during the assault, but the prisoner rescue content may already be unavailable or altered by earlier choices.

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Achievement implications: steps

  1. 01
    Visit Moonrise Towers and establish access while the tower is still neutral.
  2. 02
    Explore the main floor before declaring open hostility.
  3. 03
    Enter the prison from the internal stairs.
  4. 04
    Speak with the tieflings and Wulbren.
  5. 05
    Search the torture room and check whether Minthara is present.
  6. 06
    Sneak into the Warden’s office and take Wulbren’s Hammer.
  7. 07
    Destroy the Scrying Eyes.
  8. 08
    Clear the Warden and isolated prison guards.
  9. 09
    Rescue the prisoners by the boat route.
  10. 10
    Visit Last Light Inn and collect the tiefling-related rewards.
  11. 11
    Return to Moonrise Towers for remaining exploration.
  12. 12
    Complete the Gauntlet of Shar and resolve the Nightsong only after the prison content is finished.

The Oubliette pits

The red pit and Cell Three’s glowing hole are tempting shortcuts into the depths, but neither is a dependable exit. Characters may survive the fall, and some enemies can return to the prison after being thrown down. Do not send a valuable party member into either pit without a plan for the Oubliette and a route back through the Cragged Rock.

The Warden’s office

The office is both a treasure room and the control point for the prison. Entering the upper level can count as trespassing and may attract a Scrying Eye. Use stealth, invisibility, distractions or a suitable dialogue approach if the prison is still neutral.

Prisoner pathing

The rescue is not complete when a cell door opens. Prisoners can be delayed, separated or killed during the escape. The party should move ahead of them, remove hostile guards and remain near the boat or docks until everyone has departed.

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Moonrise Towers Prison shows how the Absolute’s organisation combines ordinary incarceration with religious terror and experimentation. The prisoners are not merely detained. The guards repeatedly describe them as property, and the prisoner log records their transfer into Balthazar’s custody, subjugation or disposal.

The prison also makes the tower’s hierarchy visible. The Warden administers the cells, the Questioners perform psychological and physical abuse, the Zealots guard access points, and Balthazar’s experiments provide the implied destination for prisoners considered useful. The Oubliette beneath the prison extends that hierarchy into a hidden biological and illithid environment.

Its design reinforces the same idea. The ordinary cells and guard posts occupy a functional prison, while the central office represents bureaucratic control. The pits, fleshy openings and lower tunnels reveal that the prison is only the visible upper layer of Moonrise Towers’ much larger system of imprisonment and experimentation.

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Is Moonrise Towers Prison the same as the Mind Flayer Colony?

No. The prison is above the Oubliette and the Mind Flayer Colony. The Oubliette can be reached from the prison, but it is a separate deeper area.

Can I rescue the prisoners after entering the Shadowfell?

Not reliably. Returning from the Shadowfell after resolving the Nightsong progression ends the rescue quests. Rescue the prisoners first.

Do I need Wulbren’s Hammer?

No. Wulbren can use another suitable bludgeoning weapon. His Hammer is simply the most direct and story-appropriate item.

Which escape route is safest?

Clearing the prison first and then using the boat route is generally safest. Destroy the Scrying Eyes and deal with the guards before starting the escape.

Can Minthara be saved from the prison?

Yes, if she survived Act One and was sent to Moonrise Towers. She can be found in the torture room and may be escorted out through dialogue and appropriate checks.

Should I jump into the Oubliette?

Only if you are prepared to explore it and leave through the Cragged Rock route. The main pits are effectively one-way entrances.

Does clearing the prison make the whole tower hostile?

Not necessarily. The prison can be cleared in advance while the rest of Moonrise Towers remains neutral, provided the party avoids raising the alarm elsewhere.

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Sources