Open Hand Temple

Key takeaways

• The temple is in Rivington, south of the South Span Checkpoint and opposite Sword Coast Couriers.
• The main quest here is Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders, begun by speaking to Sister Yannis after her argument with Investigator Valeria.
• The investigation requires examining Father Lorgan’s body, finding Brilgor’s grave, exploring the cellar and following the blood trail into the caves.
• The underground area contains the murder weapon, Stillmaker, the Flowery Key, the Clown’s Severed Torso, a number of named corpses and three hostile doppelgangers.
• The Flowery Key does not open a door in the temple It is used at Fraygo’s Flophouse, where it exposes further evidence against Dolor and the Bhaalist murder plot.
• Tara can be found on the temple roof Her encounter is strongly affected by whether Gale has been recruited and whether he is present in the party.

About this guide

Overview

The Open Hand Temple is an Act Three location in Rivington, the first major settlement outside Baldur’s Gate. It is an Ilmatari shrine that has traditionally offered healing, food and charity to refugees, but its public work has been disrupted by the murder of its head priest, Father Lorgan. The temple is therefore both a functioning religious complex and the starting point for one of Act Three’s first major investigations.

The location is broader than the main nave. For this guide, Open Hand Temple includes the temple building, its infirmary, kitchen, dormitories, inner courtyard, belfry and roof, the rear graveyard, and the separately named Open Hand Temple Underground Area beneath it. The underground area contains the temple cellar and crypt, a natural cave system, the murder scene and several corpses connected to other Act Three quests. The nearby Sword Coast Couriers, Circus of the Last Days, Western Beach, South Span Checkpoint and Fraygo’s Flophouse are treated as neighbouring or connected locations, not as parts of the temple itself.

Main nave

The nave is the large public hall at the front of the temple. A pool stands in the centre, with dining tables along the sides and the altar at the far end. The infirmary is reached through the door to one side of the altar and the kitchen through the other.

This is the most important room for starting the murder investigation. Sister Yannis and Investigator Valeria can initially be found arguing near the altar. Valeria considers the case effectively solved and blames Brilgor, while Yannis believes that the investigation has been rushed. Speaking to Yannis after Valeria leaves allows the party to volunteer for the investigation.

The tables along the northern side contain Potions of Healing and Potions of Greater Healing. They are not presented as a normal shop inventory, so treat them as loot rather than a temple service.

Infirmary

The infirmary occupies the southern side of the rear annex. Sister Rose the Penitent is tending to Father Lorgan’s body. If the murder quest is active, she can explain that Lorgan’s wounds contained a paralytic poison and that his hand had been removed before his death.

The corpse can be questioned with Speak with Dead. Lorgan identifies his killer as a dwarf in red and says that he was attacked in the tunnels beneath the temple while attempting to protect Brilgor and other refugees.

Father Lorgan’s chest key can be taken from the body. The key is useful in the dormitories, where his central chest contains a false bottom and his journal.

Kitchen

The kitchen is on the northern side of the annex. Brother Donnick works here and reveals that Brilgor’s body was buried in the graveyard behind the temple. He also explains that Father Lorgan had been taking unusually large quantities of food down into the basement, a clue that the cellar had been used to shelter refugees.

The kitchen contains the main hatch to the underground area. This is the most straightforward entrance to the cellar and the murder scene.

Dormitories

The dormitories occupy the western side of the temple and surround the inner courtyard. A door leads from the dormitories to the rear graveyard.

Five wooden chests stand beside the beds. Four are locked and require a DC 10 Sleight of Hand check. The central chest is Father Lorgan’s and requires either his key or a DC 15 Sleight of Hand check. A passive DC 10 Investigation check can reveal a false bottom containing the priest’s journal. One of the other chests contains the Seraphic Pugilist Gloves. The bookshelves may also contain random rare or very rare spell scrolls, so their contents should be treated as variable rather than fixed.

Inner courtyard and belfry

The inner courtyard lies between the annex rooms. From here, the party can reach the belfry and gain access to the roof. The belfry provides a wide view across Rivington and is also part of the temple’s vertical exploration route.

Graveyard

The graveyard is behind the temple, beside the Circus of the Last Days. It can be reached from the dormitories or from the circus side of the grounds.

A fresh dirt mound contains Brilgor’s casket. Digging it up with a shovel provides access to the body, which can be questioned with Speak with Dead. Brilgor’s testimony confirms that the initial accusation against him is false and directs the party towards the tunnels beneath the temple. A nearby wooden chest contains minor loot.

The graveyard also provides a way into the circus without dealing with the guard at the main entrance. The fence connecting the graveyard and circus grounds is locked, but it can be opened with the appropriate Sleight of Hand check. Alternatively, the party can jump into the graveyard from behind the circus ringmaster’s tent.

Roof

The roof is reached by climbing the knotted roots outside the temple or by climbing through the belfry and using Feather Fall to descend.

The tressym Tara is found on the roof. Her conversation is connected to Find the Missing Letters and changes significantly depending on whether Gale has been recruited and whether he is in the active party. Tara’s nest contains the Bundle of Letters and the Ring of Blink. With Gale present, she is much easier to persuade and may surrender the items without a difficult sequence of checks. Without Gale, several ability checks of at least DC 15 may be required.

A DC 18 Survival check near the roots can reveal a buried chest containing random precious gems and a random very rare spell scroll.

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Main entrance

The front doors are the normal entrance and lead directly into the nave. This route is best for beginning the murder investigation because it places the party near Yannis, Valeria, the altar and the doors to the infirmary and kitchen.

Kitchen side door

A side door opens into the kitchen. It can be approached from the western path beside the South Span Checkpoint, from the Western Beach by climbing the slope, or by using the knotted roots outside the temple. This route is useful if the party wants to reach the cellar quickly.

Circus-side entrances

Two locked approaches connect the temple grounds to the Circus of the Last Days. One iron gate requires a DC 15 Sleight of Hand check and leads into the inner yard. Another iron fence requires DC 10 Sleight of Hand and leads towards the graveyard. The graveyard can also be reached by jumping from behind the circus ringmaster’s tent.

These are access routes, not separate temple services or entrances intended for normal visitors.

Western Beach and cave entrance

The natural cave under the temple has its own entrance from the Western Beach. Several boulders may need to be moved aside. This route enters the cave rather than the cellar and is useful for reaching the underground area without first entering the temple.

Inside, a movable wall connects the cave to the cellar. It can be opened using a lever or hidden buttons. A more difficult series of jumps from the cliff can also connect the cave and cellar library.

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Temple clergy and staff

Brother Bill and Brother Clements can be found discussing their faith and Lorgan’s death. Choosing which brother to support grants one of two mutually exclusive Acolyte inspirations:

Sister Yannis is the temple’s key quest-giver and acts as its practical authority during the crisis. She can also provide help with the quest involving Shirra Clarwen and the Sentient Amulet.

Investigators and story visitors

Valeria is present as the official investigator of Father Lorgan’s death. Her conclusion that Brilgor is guilty is deliberately challenged by Yannis and the party’s investigation.

Tara is not a temple resident in the same sense as the clergy. She is a visiting tressym associated with Gale and the missing letters quest.

Ordinary NPCs and local scenes

Near the southern stairs, Cormac and Brigid discuss a robbery in which Cormac was beaten by bandits. Near the northern stairs, a news hawker comments on events in Baldur’s Gate, including the death of Duke Stelmane. At the temple doors, Rozes Kallista leads a family of tiefling refugees asking Novice Bramble for help. These scenes are environmental vignettes rather than full services or independent quest hubs.

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Cellar and prayer hall

The kitchen hatch leads first to storage and then to a small prayer hall used for last rites. Blood stains the altar, marking the murder scene where Father Lorgan was killed.

A small library lies south of the prayer hall. Its shelves contain random scrolls. A locked and trapped display case contains an Elixir of See Invisibility. The case requires a DC 15 Perception check to detect the trap and two DC 20 Sleight of Hand checks to disarm and lockpick. A barrel nearby contains healing potions of random quantity and grade.

A breach behind the far bookshelf leads into the natural cave.

Crypt

The crypt is west of the prayer hall. It is the crucial area for both the murder investigation and Help the Spirit of the Amulet.

If the party completed the relevant earlier-stage quest and still has the Sentient Amulet, opening Shirra Clarwen’s sarcophagus allows that storyline to progress or conclude here. The crypt also contains the hidden controls for the secret passage leading into the murder tunnels.

Natural cave

The cave is a broad underground space beneath the temple. Three figures are found discussing Dolor, his weapons and a location in the flophouse. They reveal themselves as doppelgangers and become hostile.

The cave is not a random or procedural area. Its enemies, named corpses and principal quest items are fixed, although some containers contain random loot.

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Quest start

Speak to Sister Yannis in the nave after the exchange with Valeria. Agree to investigate. Depending on party backgrounds, this may grant:

The investigation is not merely a matter of finding one clue. The party must establish that Brilgor was framed, identify the real killer and find evidence connecting the temple murder to the wider series of Bhaalist killings.

Recommended walkthrough

Lorgan’s body → Brilgor’s grave → cellar and crypt → doppelgangers → Stillmaker and Flowery Key → Fraygo’s Flophouse → Valeria and Devella.

The quest journal confirms that a name alone is not enough to clear Brilgor. The dagger and the later target list are needed to demonstrate that the murder was part of a deliberate Bhaalist operation.

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Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Speak to Sister Yannis. Agree to investigate Father Lorgan’s murder.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Question Sister Rose. In the infirmary, ask about Lorgan’s death. She explains that the killer used a paralytic poison and removed Lorgan’s hand.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Question Father Lorgan’s corpse. Use Speak with Dead. Lorgan identifies a dwarf in red and says he was attacked in tunnels from the cellar while hiding Brilgor and other refugees.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Speak to Brother Donnick. He identifies the location of Brilgor’s grave behind the temple and confirms that Lorgan had been taking food into the basement.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Dig up Brilgor. Use a shovel on the fresh dirt mound in the graveyard, then question Brilgor’s corpse. His testimony points towards the underground murder site.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Enter the cellar through the kitchen hatch. Follow the blood trail from the prayer hall. If the secret passage is not immediately obvious, search the crypt for hidden buttons concealed by wall decorations. The party can also reach the connected caves from the Western Beach.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Defeat Muzz, Rudd and Zomm. These doppelgangers are hostile. Their names and identities are fixed for this encounter.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Search the bodies. Zomm carries the Flowery Key. Muzz carries Field Report - Deathstalker Zumm, which names Dolor. Speak with Dead can be used on Zomm for additional information about Dolor, the dagger and the flophouse.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Find Stillmaker. A Perception check can reveal a hole in the cave floor containing Stillmaker, the poisoned dagger used in the murders. Picking it up advances the quest.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Collect the additional cave evidence. Search Penela Lumpensicks for the Clown’s Severed Torso and the note Illasera, the First. These are part of Find Dribbles the Clown, not proof specifically required for the temple murders.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Take the Flowery Key to Fraygo’s Flophouse. The key opens a hidden room on the upper level of the flophouse. This is outside the temple’s boundaries, but it is the next mandatory investigation site.

Recommended walkthrough: steps

1. 01
   Report to Investigator Valeria. Present the evidence and then follow the next lead to Gauntlet Devella in the Lower City.

Doppelgangers

These three enemies are the principal combat encounter in the underground area. They are not random encounters. They are tied directly to Dolor and the murder investigation.

Environmental hazards

The natural cave contains vents emitting Cloudkill vapour. Approach carefully, especially if using a familiar or separated character to scout. The display case in the cellar library is trapped, and several locks in the temple are red-outlined even though there may be no witnesses nearby.

The underground area also contains narrow ledges, vertical routes and movable obstacles. Feather Fall, jumping abilities and careful positioning can provide alternative approaches, but the normal route through the kitchen hatch and crypt is more reliable.

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Fixed notable items

The underground location also contains Arrow of Roaring Thunder, potentially two if they have not been used by Rudd. Various books, notes and temple writings are scattered through the cellar, including Field Report - Deathstalker Zumm, Dear Missus Priest, Rites for the Passing, Teachings of Ilmater and Tenets of the Broken God.

Fixed notable items

Random or variable loot

The following should not be treated as fixed rewards:

The existence of these containers is fixed, but their exact contents may vary.

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Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders

This is the temple’s defining quest. It begins at the nave, uses almost every major temple subarea and then continues to Fraygo’s Flophouse and the Lower City. Completing it provides evidence for the wider murder investigation connected to Orin and Bhaal.

Find the Missing Letters

This quest is advanced through Tara on the roof. The Ring of Blink and Bundle of Letters are associated with her nest. Gale’s recruitment and presence change the interaction substantially.

Help the Spirit of the Amulet

The crypt contains Shirra Clarwen’s sarcophagus. This is a progression point for the Sentient Amulet questline if the party has retained the required item from earlier in the game.

Find Dribbles the Clown

The underground cave contains Penela Lumpensicks’ body and the Clown’s Severed Torso. This is a collectible body-part objective rather than a separate temple story. It can be advanced here even if the party has already begun the quest, and the cave’s corpses provide one of the fixed pieces needed for completion.

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For a first visit, the most efficient route is:

This route avoids unnecessary backtracking while preserving the temple’s main discoveries.

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Before leaving the temple area, check that you have:

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The Open Hand Temple’s location makes it a natural first stop in Rivington. It introduces the refugee crisis, the city’s strained law enforcement, the Bhaalist murder plot and several Act Three collection quests without requiring the party to enter the Lower City first.

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The temple’s story is built around the contrast between Ilmater’s charitable ideals and the violence surrounding Rivington. Father Lorgan is not simply a murder victim. His final actions show him hiding Brilgor and other vulnerable refugees from the authorities, placing the temple’s duty to protect the innocent above the official investigation.

Valeria’s quick conclusion demonstrates the political pressure around refugees in Rivington. The temple investigation also introduces the broader Bhaalist method: murder carefully selected victims, frame another group and use the resulting panic to destabilise the city. The target list found after using the Flowery Key confirms that Father Lorgan’s death was part of this larger plan rather than an isolated killing.

The Open Hand Temple therefore serves three functions at once:

Find Dribbles the Clown: steps

1. 01
   Enter through the front doors.
2. 02
   Listen to Yannis and Valeria.
3. 03
   Speak to Yannis and accept the investigation.
4. 04
   Visit Sister Rose in the infirmary.
5. 05
   Search Lorgan and take his chest key.
6. 06
   Speak to Brother Donnick in the kitchen.
7. 07
   Open the kitchen hatch.
8. 08
   Search the dormitories on the way, including Lorgan’s false-bottomed chest.
9. 09
   Dig up Brilgor in the graveyard.
10. 10
    Explore the cellar, crypt and secret tunnel.
11. 11
    Defeat the doppelgangers.
12. 12
    Take Stillmaker, the Flowery Key and the Dribbles-related loot.
13. 13
    Return to the upper temple if needed.
14. 14
    Climb to the roof and speak to Tara.
15. 15
    Visit Fraygo’s Flophouse before reporting to Valeria, so the evidence chain is complete.

Find Dribbles the Clown

Sources

• Open Hand Temple - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki
• Open Hand Temple Underground Area - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki
• Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki