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Locationmajor

Sword Coast Couriers

Sword Coast Couriers is a small but unusually well-connected location in Rivington, the first district reached after crossing Wyrm’s Crossing in Act Three of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Sword Coast Couriers is a stand-alone establishment within Rivington, not a separate district extending across the surrounding roads.
  • Its main quest is Find the Missing Letters, started by speaking with Danzo Arkwright inside the post office.
  • The missing pigeons have been killed by Tara, who is found on the roof of the Open Hand Temple, a neighbouring location rather than part of the courier building.
  • If Scratch is summoned at the kennels, Angry Mar’hyah attempts to reclaim him Successful dialogue checks can keep Scratch at camp and remove Mar’hyah from the game.
  • The post house contains useful lore and records, including an Address Book, a Dispatches Ledger and a Post House Delivery Complaints ledger.
  • Having Gale in the party makes the Tara section substantially easier and changes some of the available dialogue.

About this guide

Base game, Act Three, Rivington Major spoilers for Rivington, Gale, Scratch, Tara and the Find the Missing Letters quest

Overview

Sword Coast Couriers is a small but unusually well-connected location in Rivington, the first district reached after crossing Wyrm’s Crossing in Act Three of Baldur’s Gate 3. It is a functioning post house, pigeon loft and courier-dog kennel rather than a broad settlement or district. Its importance comes from the number of nearby story threads it touches: the Open Hand Temple murders, Gale’s tressym Tara, Scratch’s former handlers, the South Span Checkpoint, Wyrm’s Rock and several Lower City characters named in the post office records.

The location’s central problem is simple: the post office’s carrier pigeons are disappearing, and several letters have gone missing with them. Investigating leads to the roof of the neighbouring Open Hand Temple, where the party can find Tara, a tressym connected to Gale. The location also offers one of the game’s most direct opportunities to protect Scratch from an abusive former owner.

Included areas

Main post house

This is the public-facing office where Danzo Arkwright works. It contains the counter, office material, delivery records and access to the upper floor. Speaking with Danzo begins the location’s main quest.

Upper pigeon loft

The loft contains the carrier pigeons and Commander Lightfeather, the head pigeon. Speaking with him requires Speak with Animals or another way to communicate with animals. His testimony points towards the Open Hand Temple roof.

Messenger-dog kennels

The kennels are outside and behind the post house. They are overseen by Angry Mar’hyah, with Oyster Boy Dringo working as her assistant. Several dogs are confined in cages when the party first arrives.

The kennels are part of Sword Coast Couriers, but they should not be confused with a purchasable property, a general animal shop or a camp facility. Mar’hyah does not sell the dogs, and the kennel yard has no ordinary vendor service.

Neighbouring places, not subareas

The following places are close to Sword Coast Couriers but remain separate locations:

The Open Hand Temple roof is especially important because it is part of the route for Find the Missing Letters. The quest crosses the boundary between the two locations rather than expanding Sword Coast Couriers to include the temple.

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Sword Coast Couriers is easy to reach after entering Rivington from Wyrm’s Crossing. From the South Span Checkpoint, travel south towards the Open Hand Temple. The post house is across the road from the temple.

There are three useful ways into the premises:

The rear key is not essential, because the main entrance is available. It is useful for players who want to enter through the yard, avoid the front approach or collect all nearby items without lockpicking.

Suggested first visit

This order avoids missing the quest’s central clues and lets you resolve the dog storyline separately.

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Neighbouring places, not subareas

Neighbouring places, not subareas: steps

  1. 01
    Front entrance: the normal route into Danzo’s office.
  2. 02
    Rear side doors: opened with the Sword Coast Couriers Key.
  3. 03
    Kennel gate: a shabby gate on the outside of the fenced dog yard, approximately X: 16, Y: -11.

Suggested first visit: For the cleanest sequence

  1. 01
    Enter Rivington and visit the Open Hand Temple.
  2. 02
    Cross to Sword Coast Couriers.
  3. 03
    Speak with Danzo Arkwright.
  4. 04
    Speak with Commander Lightfeather upstairs.
  5. 05
    Investigate the Open Hand Temple roof.
  6. 06
    Return the letters to Danzo before leaving the area.
  7. 07
    Visit the kennels with Scratch only after deciding how you want to handle Mar’hyah.

Danzo Arkwright

Danzo is the proprietor and postmaster of Sword Coast Couriers. He stands behind the counter in the main post house and begins Find the Missing Letters.

He explains that his carrier pigeons have been disappearing and that the surrounding roads are becoming unsafe because of the Absolute’s armies and other dangers. He is particularly anxious because some of the missing correspondence is connected to his own business.

Danzo is not a conventional merchant. His role is primarily conversational and quest-related. Depending on what the party does with the letters, he may pay a finder’s fee, offer a larger payment after being blackmailed, or become hostile.

Commander Lightfeather

Commander Lightfeather is the senior carrier pigeon in the upper loft. With animal communication active, he describes the missing pigeons as having been attacked near the rooftops west of the post house.

His cryptic reference to the “sign of featherless wings” points towards the Open Hand Temple and its Ilmater imagery. Talking with him and learning his name can grant inspiration to characters with the Outlander or Soldier background.

Angry Mar’hyah

Mar’hyah is the kennel master. She trains and controls the courier dogs, but her treatment of both the animals and Dringo is openly cruel.

She refuses to sell the dogs. Her major story function is her connection to Scratch. If the party summons Scratch in the kennels, she claims that he belongs to Sword Coast Couriers and demands that he be returned.

Oyster Boy Dringo

Dringo is Mar’hyah’s assistant and handyman. He is treated abusively by Mar’hyah and may challenge her behaviour during the confrontation over Scratch.

If Mar’hyah leaves or is knocked out, Dringo releases the caged dogs. This changes the kennel yard from a place of confinement into a comparatively peaceful area, with the dogs free to roam.

Scratch

Scratch was formerly associated with the courier service and its handler Gomwick. He is not a permanent resident of the post house. By this stage of the game, Scratch can be living at the player’s camp.

Summoning him in the kennels triggers Mar’hyah’s attempt to reclaim him. Scratch is not automatically lost, but the party must resolve the confrontation carefully.

Tara

Tara is a talking tressym found on the Open Hand Temple roof, not inside Sword Coast Couriers. She is nevertheless the cause of the missing-pigeon crisis and is closely connected to Gale.

Tara has eaten the carrier pigeons and kept the letters in her nest. She may also give or sell items depending on the party’s actions and whether Gale is present. Her wider Act Three appearances continue on Lower City rooftops.

Other named people nearby

Several named NPCs are positioned outside or beside the post house. They are not employees of Sword Coast Couriers.

Their conversations are ambient or connected to wider Act Three events. Lens can be involved in Orin’s impersonation plot, while the conversations behind the kennels concern getting past the South Span Checkpoint and the approaching conflict.

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Find the Missing Letters

Find the Missing Letters is the main activity at Sword Coast Couriers. Danzo starts it when the party asks about the post office’s unreliable deliveries.

Starting the quest

Speak with Danzo at the front counter and ask why delivery is not guaranteed. He explains that carrier pigeons have gone missing and that letters have not reached their destinations.

The party can agree to investigate. Danzo offers payment for returned letters, with the final amount depending on whether the correspondence remains unopened and whether the party discovers information that can be used against him.

Following the trail

Go upstairs and speak with Commander Lightfeather using Speak with Animals. He directs the party towards the rooftops west of the post house, especially the Open Hand Temple roof.

The roof can be reached by climbing the temple’s knotted roots or by using the belfry route and suitable movement or falling protection. The temple roof is a separate location, but it is the intended destination for this quest stage.

Meeting Tara

The nest contains the Bundle of Letters and the Ring of Blink. If Gale is present, Tara is generally easier to persuade and more cooperative. Without Gale, the party may need to pass multiple checks. Taking the letters by force or deception can cause Tara to spit a fireball before flying away.

Contents of the letter bundle

Opening the bundle reveals three pieces of correspondence:

Do not open the letters if you want the highest straightforward payment from Danzo. Reading them provides additional information but gives Danzo grounds to object. The quest page lists approximately 320 gold for unopened letters and approximately 640 gold after reading them and blackmailing Danzo, although observed rewards can vary slightly by difficulty, modifiers or version. Treat those figures as typical rather than guaranteed.

Returning to Danzo

Return to Sword Coast Couriers and speak with Danzo. The outcome depends on whether the letters were opened and whether the party reveals or conceals what they learned.

The post house’s records give additional context for the correspondence, including the wider postal network and several prominent names elsewhere in Baldur’s Gate.

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Protecting Scratch from Mar’hyah

This encounter is not a formal quest with a conventional reward, but it is one of the location’s most important activities.

A second check can remove Mar’hyah from the kennels entirely:

If the second check succeeds, Dringo releases the dogs. If the party attacks Mar’hyah, non-lethal attacks can also be used, though the exact aftermath differs from a successful dialogue resolution.

What is at stake?

The important result is not a weapon or large amount of gold. It is Scratch’s continued place at camp. Giving him back removes him from the party’s camp story, while successfully resisting Mar’hyah allows him to remain.

The encounter can also generate companion approval, particularly from characters who object to animal cruelty.

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Recommended sequence

  1. 01
    Visit the kennels without summoning Scratch if you want to hear Mar’hyah and Dringo’s ordinary conversation first.
  2. 02
    Summon Scratch when ready.
  3. 03
    Allow Mar’hyah to make her claim.
  4. 04
    Pass a dialogue check to keep Scratch.
  5. 05
    When Dringo reveals Mar’hyah’s wider cruelty, use Deception or Intimidation to force her to leave.

Post office

Status: Functional quest location, not a purchasable property.

The post office offers narrative courier services rather than a player-accessible mailing system. There is no general letter-delivery mechanic for the party. Its “service” is represented through Danzo’s quest and the records found inside.

Pigeon loft

Status: Functional story area.

The loft contains the carrier pigeons and Commander Lightfeather. It provides the clue that sends the party towards Tara.

Dog kennels

Status: Functional story area, not a shop.

The kennels contain caged courier dogs and are overseen by Mar’hyah. The party cannot buy the dogs. After Mar’hyah is removed, Dringo releases them.

Rear entrance

Status: Locked shortcut.

The rear doors are opened with the Sword Coast Couriers Key. The key is hidden behind the building between hay bales and animal cages.

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The location contains more written material than conventional treasure. Much of its value is contextual.

Sword Coast Couriers Key

Found behind the building, hidden between hay bales and pigeon or animal cages. It opens the rear doors. A passive Perception check is needed to notice it.

Address Book

Found in Danzo’s office. It provides names and connections for people encountered later in Rivington, Wyrm’s Crossing and the Lower City. It is primarily a lore and investigation item.

Dispatches Ledger

It also helps connect the post house to the wider city’s institutions and characters.

Post House Delivery Complaints

This record sheds light on failed or suspicious deliveries, including the final intended recipient of the Iron Flask from Act One. It is useful background material for players following the Zhentarim and delivery-related references.

Related literature

Some items are inside the courier building, while others are tied to the quest or its nearby areas. Their exact placement can differ from the broader story association, so do not treat this list as proof that every title is physically inside one container.

Ring of Blink

The Ring of Blink is found in Tara’s nest on the Open Hand Temple roof. It is associated with the missing-letter investigation rather than the courier building proper. Tara may surrender it through dialogue or after a successful interaction.

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Sword Coast Couriers is a private postal business, not a faction headquarters. Its work is affected by several larger powers:

The post office itself has no formal combat encounter on entry. The main risks are social, quest-based and environmental. Violence may result from failed dialogue, attacking Mar’hyah or taking action against Tara.

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For a thorough but efficient visit, use this route:

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Ring of Blink: steps

  1. 01
    Enter the building through the front door.
  2. 02
    Speak with Danzo Arkwright and accept Find the Missing Letters.
  3. 03
    Search the main room and office for written records.
  4. 04
    Go upstairs and speak with Commander Lightfeather.
  5. 05
    Leave the post house and inspect the exterior conversations around the road and kennels.
  6. 06
    Enter the Open Hand Temple and reach the roof.
  7. 07
    Speak with Tara, recover the letter bundle and obtain the Ring of Blink if possible.
  8. 08
    Return to Danzo and decide whether to keep the letters unopened.
  9. 09
    Visit the kennels with Scratch present if you want to resolve his ownership dispute.
  10. 10
    Pass the first check to keep Scratch.
  11. 11
    Pass the second check to remove Mar’hyah and free the dogs.
  12. 12
    Recheck the post house before leaving if you want to read all available records.

Bring Gale before resolving Tara

Tara’s dialogue changes significantly if Gale has been recruited, and his presence can bypass or simplify some checks. If you care about seeing the Gale-specific interaction, bring him to the Open Hand Temple roof before completing the missing-letter sequence.

Do not open the letters casually

Opening the letter bundle changes the reward route. If you want the unopened-letter payment, return the bundle without reading it. If you want the extra lore and blackmail option, open it deliberately and accept the consequences.

Resolve Scratch before moving too far into Act Three

The kennel scene depends on Scratch still being available at camp. Complete it before progressing through too many major Act Three events, and avoid treating the encounter as a harmless optional conversation if keeping Scratch matters to you.

Distinguish Tara’s later shops from Sword Coast Couriers

Tara can later appear on Lower City rooftops and offer magical items, particularly if Gale is present during the relevant quest. Those later rooftops are not part of Sword Coast Couriers and should be treated as separate progression states.

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Before leaving Sword Coast Couriers, check that you have:

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Is Sword Coast Couriers a whole district?

No. It is a named establishment within Rivington. Its included spaces are the post house, upper pigeon loft and adjoining dog kennels. The Open Hand Temple and its roof are neighbouring locations connected by the missing-letter quest.

Can I buy a dog here?

No. Mar’hyah refuses to sell the courier dogs. The important dog-related outcome concerns Scratch and whether he remains at the player’s camp.

Do I need Gale to complete the missing-letter quest?

No. Gale is not required, but having him present makes the Tara encounter easier and provides unique dialogue.

Can I get the Ring of Blink without Gale?

Yes. Tara’s interaction can still provide the ring without Gale, although the party may need to pass additional checks or use a different approach.

Is there a vendor at Sword Coast Couriers?

Danzo is a quest-giving proprietor, not a normal equipment vendor. The post office does not function as a general shop.

What happens if I kill or attack Mar’hyah?

The party can fight her, although the social resolution is cleaner. Non-lethal attacks are another option. If local law enforcement is not alerted, the encounter does not necessarily create wider legal consequences. Dringo can take over the kennels and release the dogs.

What caused the missing letters?

Tara killed and ate the carrier pigeons and kept the letters in her nest on the Open Hand Temple roof. The quest therefore begins at the courier office but is resolved through a neighbouring location.

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Sword Coast Couriers proper

Associated quest route, outside the building

Nearby named NPCs, not staff of the courier service

This directory separates the courier premises from the neighbouring temple and nearby Rivington encounters. The evidence confirms the main named personnel and the adjacent NPC vignettes, but it does not establish every unnamed background civilian or every decorative sign as a distinct named entry. No unsupported business or service has been added.

Sources