Key takeaways
- The Hollow is a large Emerald Grove subarea, not the whole grove The Sacred Pool, Secluded Chamber, Tiefling Hideout and storage interior are best treated as connected child areas or adjoining spaces rather than collapsing the entire Emerald Grove into one location.
- Explore before advancing the grove’s major story Several refugees, merchants and quest characters can leave or die after major progression events such as raiding the grove or resolving the goblin crisis.
- There are multiple merchants close together Arron, Mattis, Dammon, Auntie Ethel and, in a more limited way, Okta can all trade with the party.
- The northern end contains the most immediately consequential encounters Sazza’s prison, Pandirna’s storage hut and the route into the Underground Passage all reward careful exploration.
- The Hollow contains several missable outcomes Rolan’s decision, Arabella’s fate, Sazza’s escape, Ethel’s departure and Aradin’s survival all affect later content.
- The area has unconventional routes Zevlor’s chamber opens towards the Forest and Risen Road through jumps and ledges. These routes are useful, but they are awkward to traverse backwards and may require Feather Fall, Misty Step or similar movement tools.
About this guide
Spoilers: This guide covers the Emerald Grove’s refugee quarter, including its connected subareas, quest outcomes, merchants, hidden routes and progression changes. It includes major Act One spoilers.
Overview
Baldur’s Gate 3, base game, Act One
Baldur’s Gate 3, base game, Act One
Introduction
The Hollow is the main refugee quarter within the Emerald Grove. It is not simply the open cavern immediately beyond the grove gate. In the game’s location structure, the name covers a broad, winding section of the grove that includes the trading post, training ground, makeshift prison, storage hut, Dammon’s smithy, Auntie Ethel’s stall, Zevlor’s Secluded Chamber and the hidden Tiefling Hideout. The Sacred Pool, Ravaged Beach, Underground Passage and the wider Emerald Grove are neighbouring or connected locations rather than ordinary parts of the Hollow itself.
Most of the area is occupied by tiefling refugees from Elturel, led by Zevlor. The Hollow is consequently both a practical hub and one of the game’s most important early social locations. It contains several traders, companion recruitment opportunities, faction disputes, child-related quests and routes into other parts of the grove. Events here also determine which characters may survive and reappear later in the game.
Included and neighbouring areas
Connected but distinct locations
The Tiefling Hideout is physically beneath the Hollow and is closely tied to it, but it functions as a distinct subterranean area with its own occupants and encounters. The Secluded Chamber is similarly a named cavern attached to the Hollow rather than merely an unnamed corner of the main cavern.
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The safest way to navigate the Hollow is to treat the trading post as the southern starting point and follow the two main paths north.
There are also vertical routes. The scaffold near the training ground leads down towards Ethel’s shop, while the Secluded Chamber opens onto ledges overlooking the stream. From there, the party can reach the Forest or, with suitable jumping and falling protection, the Risen Road. These are not ordinary road exits and are easier to use as outward routes than as return paths.
Connected but distinct locations
Suggested first exploration route
This route minimises backtracking and allows the player to see most of the area’s time-sensitive conversations before committing to a major faction outcome.
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Suggested first exploration route: steps
- 01Enter through the main gate and speak with Arron at the trading post.
- 02Visit Rolan, Cal and Lia before deciding how to respond to their argument.
- 03Inspect the oxen stall, speak with the Bored Ox if possible and investigate the hay.
- 04Speak with Shadowheart if she is not already in the party.
- 05Visit Mattis and Silfy, but be ready for a theft attempt.
- 06Continue to the Sacred Pool entrance and witness the confrontation involving Arabella.
- 07Return to the training ground, recruit Wyll if available and speak with Guex and Asharak.
- 08Explore Dammon’s smithy, Auntie Ethel’s stall and Okta’s kitchen.
- 09Search the storage hut and makeshift prison.
- 10Visit Zevlor’s Secluded Chamber and the Tiefling Hideout before resolving the grove’s central crisis.
Main Hollow areas
Connected locations
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Connected locations
Refugee leaders and important residents
Zevlor
Zevlor is the leader of the tiefling refugees and resides in the Secluded Chamber. He is central to the grove’s political crisis, the refugees’ possible escape and the later raid or defence of the grove. His chamber also provides one of the Hollow’s unusual exit routes.
Dammon
Dammon is the refugee blacksmith and a trader. He is found at his smithy in the lower western part of the Hollow. Speaking with him is important for The Hellion’s Heart, especially if Karlach is in the party. Dammon’s later availability depends heavily on the fate of the refugees and the grove.
Arron
Arron is a halfling druid stationed at the trading post. He is one of the first traders most players meet in the grove. He also provides information about the druids’ position and the ritual taking place in the Sacred Pool.
Auntie Ethel
Auntie Ethel presents herself as a kindly elderly trader selling lotions and potions. She can be found near Dammon’s smithy. Allowing her to fuss over the player character can result in a Potion of Greater Healing, while admitting to having a parasite prompts her to offer help.
This encounter is deliberately misleading. Ethel is connected to later events in the Sunlit Wetlands. If she is stolen from, or if fighting breaks out in the Hollow or nearby Sacred Pool, she leaves the grove and can later be found in the wetlands.
Okta
Okta cooks for the refugees near Ethel’s shop. She can offer a bowl of gruel, and she can function as a limited trader for camp supplies. The trading option is available through the lower-left Trade button during the initial dialogue rather than necessarily appearing as a conventional shop conversation.
Travelling tieflings
Rolan, Cal and Lia
Rolan, Cal and Lia are travelling tieflings who are not part of Zevlor’s refugee group. They are arguing about whether to continue towards Baldur’s Gate or remain in the grove to help their fellow tieflings.
The player’s response affects their later appearances. Convincing them to stay moves them further into the Hollow near Okta’s kitchen. Their survival and later availability are connected to the grove’s broader progression.
Adventurers
Aradin
Aradin leads a group of adventurers who reach the grove after a failed expedition. If he survives the initial goblin attack and remains in the grove, he can be found in the north-western adventurers’ corner.
Aradin can provide the Stamped Handbill, which begins or advances Find the Nightsong. If he is knocked out during the confrontation at the ramparts, he and his crew leave the Hollow, but their belongings remain in the adventurers’ chest.
Barth and Remira
Barth and Remira are members of Aradin’s group. Barth is involved in the encounter with Meli, while Remira tends to her injuries nearby.
Liam
If Liam is rescued from the Goblin Camp, he can later be found sleeping in the adventurers’ corner. His presence is therefore conditional rather than guaranteed.
Children and young refugees
Meli
Meli is a tiefling child who steals Barth’s Brass Locket. Following the encounter gives the player a choice about whether to support Meli or Barth. The outcome can grant one of two mutually exclusive background inspirations:
Danis and Bex
Danis and Bex are young lovers found on a scaffold above the adventurers’ corner. Their dialogue adds another small view of refugee life and can change as the grove’s crisis develops.
Mattis and Silfy
Mattis runs a small stand with his sister, Silfy. Their operation is a child-led scam rather than a conventional reputable shop. Mattis offers a fake magical ring trick, and Silfy attempts to rob the player while they examine the merchandise.
A successful Perception check can catch Silfy. Failure causes her to retreat to the Tiefling Hideout and starts Find Your Belongings. Mattis’s Act One stock includes novelty rings, a shovel, thieves’ tools, dye-related items and assorted junk.
Doni
Doni stands near the oxen and a lookout post. He has little substantive dialogue at first, but his position becomes meaningful once the party is invited into Mol’s hideout.
Gan, Ide and Umi
These tiefling children train with practice weapons at the training ground.
Asharak
Asharak supervises the children’s training. He asks the player to say something encouraging to them.
Guex
Guex is an adult tiefling learning to fight. The player can offer combat advice through Insight, Athletics or class-specific dialogue. Success grants approval and the To Arms! inspiration for Soldier-background characters.
Other named characters
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The shop’s stock is partly deliberately deceptive. Several rings are joke or novelty items, although the shovel and thieves’ tools can be practically useful. Mattis can still be traded with through the interface even if a dialogue confrontation removes the normal shop conversation.
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Other named characters
| Trader or service | Location | What it provides | Important conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arron | Trading post | General goods and information | Available near the main entrance |
| Mattis | Eastern path near Sacred Pool | Small, mostly novelty-oriented stock | Silfy may attempt to steal from the party |
| Dammon | Western lower section | Smithing-related trade and equipment | Important for Karlach’s quest |
| Auntie Ethel | Near Dammon | Potions and lotions | Leaves after theft or nearby conflict |
| Okta | Near Ethel’s shop | Camp supplies through dialogue trade | Limited and easy to miss |
| Pandirna’s storage | Storage hut | Potions, ingredients, camp supplies and valuables | Requires entry by lockpicking, alternate access or other methods |
Trading post
The trading post is the first major plaza after entering the Hollow. Arron stands beside a circular stone area and an obelisk. Speak to him before rushing deeper into the grove, since he gives early context about the refugees and the druids’ ritual.
Oxen stall
The hay chest can be found with a DC 9 Perception check or by speaking with the Bored Ox. Looting it is not treated as a crime.
Mattis’s stand
Mattis’s stand is both a shop and a scripted theft encounter. The party can attempt to beat Mattis at his ring trick. Successful outcomes can grant:
If Silfy steals from the party and escapes, she retreats towards the Tiefling Hideout and Find Your Belongings begins. A DC 15 Perception check can catch her before she gets away.
Training ground
The training ground is one of the safest places to recruit Wyll. If he survived the battle at the grove gate, he can be found teaching the children basic tactics and can join the party there.
Speaking with Guex offers a small skill challenge. Advice based on Insight, Athletics or an appropriate martial class can earn approval and the Soldier inspiration To Arms!.
Sacred Pool entrance
The entrance to the Sacred Pool triggers a confrontation between tiefling refugees and druids. The dispute concerns Arabella, a tiefling child accused of trying to steal the Idol of Silvanus.
This is the entry point for Save Arabella. It is worth dealing with before wandering away, since Arabella’s fate can be determined quickly once the player enters the relevant druid area.
Storage hut
The storage hut is locked and its door is marked as a crime to pick. It can also be entered through the rocky shelves behind the makeshift prison.
Inside is Pandirna, whose legs have been paralysed. Depending on the character’s class and choices, the party may:
The rat outside mentions biting an “evil thing”, referring to the gem in the chest. A Dark Urge character has a distinctive violent interaction here. For paladins, several choices involving Pandirna may have oath consequences.
Makeshift prison
The prison is a wooden-fortified northern annex. Sazza is held in an iron cage while Arka prepares to kill her in revenge for Kanon’s death. Memnos attempts to prevent the execution.
A hidden stone door behind the cage requires a DC 5 Perception check to locate. Saving Sazza advances Find a Cure and begins Save the Goblin Sazza. It also grants the Criminal-background inspiration Jailbreaker and contributes towards the relevant achievement.
Paladins should consider the oath consequences before choosing. Letting Arka kill Sazza is an oathbreaking action for Oath of the Crown paladins, while helping Sazza escape can break the oath of both Oath of the Crown and Oath of Vengeance paladins.
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Main entrance
The main entrance is through the Emerald Grove’s fortified approach. This is the intended route and places the party directly at the trading post.
Sacred Pool route
An archway connects the Hollow to the Sacred Pool. This is the easiest internal connection and is used frequently during the grove’s early quests.
Underground Passage
A stone door near the makeshift prison connects to the Underground Passage. This is especially useful when helping Sazza escape. It also provides an alternative way to reach the Hollow’s northern fringe.
Secluded Chamber routes
The route involves jumps over the stream and elevated rock shelves. Feather Fall is recommended for the Risen Road route, while Misty Step, Grant Flight or comparable movement abilities can help with difficult gaps. These paths may be awkward or impossible to reverse without suitable mobility.
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The Hollow is not primarily a combat dungeon, but it contains several dangers.
The Secluded Chamber contains ledges leading towards
Malnourished Torchstalks
Torchstalks are camouflaged along the route near the storage hut and explode when approached. Search carefully before moving characters through the northern path.
Theft and crime
Several containers and interactions can trigger crime reactions:
Not every container is criminal. The hay chest near the oxen and certain exposed containers near Doni can be looted without being treated as crimes.
Oathbreaking
The Hollow contains several choices that can affect paladin oaths:
If playing a paladin, save before making irreversible dialogue choices and inspect the oath warning carefully.
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Quests directly associated with the Hollow
This directory reflects quests listed in the Hollow’s location index, including quests that begin elsewhere but use the Hollow’s characters or outcomes.
Quests directly associated with the Hollow
Practical activity checklist
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Rolan’s decision
The party’s handling of Rolan’s argument affects whether he, Cal and Lia stay in the grove or leave. This can change their later appearances and survival.
Refugee raid
If the grove is attacked during Raid the Emerald Grove, the Secluded Chamber becomes a refuge for the most vulnerable tieflings. The area’s normal conversations and population can change sharply after the attack.
Aradin’s survival
Aradin’s presence depends on the outcome of the grove gate battle and the confrontation with Zevlor. If Aradin is knocked out at the ramparts and survives, he leaves the Hollow, but his possessions remain in the adventurers’ chest.
Auntie Ethel
Ethel does not remain in the Hollow after theft or nearby violence. She later appears in the Sunlit Wetlands, so players should speak with her and check her wares before starting a conflict in the area.
Mattis and the tiefling refugees
Mattis’s later locations depend on the survival of the tiefling group and the choices made in Act One. If he survives and Rolan, Cal and Lia remain in the grove, Mattis can later appear at Last Light Inn. Further survival and quest outcomes can move him again in Act Three.
Sazza
Sazza’s prison encounter is one of the Hollow’s most time-sensitive choices. Allowing Arka to kill her removes the escape route and changes the related quest. Helping her escape creates a route into the Underground Passage and affects later goblin-related content.
Arabella
Arabella’s fate is decided through the confrontation at the Sacred Pool entrance and the associated druid area. Do not treat this first scene as background dialogue: it is the opening stage of a major child-rescue quest.
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The Hollow is the clearest expression of the Emerald Grove’s central conflict. The refugees are not merely camping in a neutral shelter. They are crowded into a space controlled by druids who increasingly view them as a threat to the grove’s security and ritual.
Its layout reinforces this tension. Refugees work, train, cook and trade in the same confined cavern where prisoners are held and political decisions are made. Children run scams beside armed adventurers. A blacksmith who has survived the Hells works near a hag in disguise. The area is both a settlement and a temporary holding point before the refugees are forced to move again.
The Hollow also acts as a narrative crossroads. Its characters connect to major plot threads involving Karlach, Wyll, Lae’zel, Shadowheart, the goblins, the druids, the Nightsong and the tiefling refugees’ later journey. Exploring it thoroughly gives the player more than equipment. It reveals who is likely to remain in the story, who is in danger and which alliances are still possible.
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Is the Sacred Pool part of the Hollow?
No, not in the strictest location sense. The Sacred Pool is a neighbouring central area of the Emerald Grove connected by stairs and an archway. The Hollow guide should include the entrance and its associated encounters, but not treat the entire Sacred Pool as the same subarea.
Is the Tiefling Hideout part of the Hollow?
It is a connected child area beneath the Hollow. It is physically and narratively linked to the Hollow, but has its own distinct cavern, occupants and access conditions.
Can I recruit Wyll in the Hollow?
Yes. If Wyll survives the initial defence of the grove gate, he can be found at the training ground and recruited there.
Can I recruit Shadowheart here?
Yes, if she has not already joined the party. She can be found near the oxen stall.
What happens if I attack Auntie Ethel?
Conflict in the Hollow or nearby Sacred Pool can cause Ethel to leave. She later appears in the Sunlit Wetlands, so this changes where the encounter continues rather than necessarily ending her storyline.
How do I enter the storage hut without committing a crime?
The front door is locked and red-outlined, but the party can use the rocky shelves behind the makeshift prison to reach the interior.
How do I free Sazza?
Stop Arka from killing her, then open the cage using the Iron Cell Key or a DC 10 Sleight of Hand check. The hidden stone door behind the cage leads towards the Underground Passage and requires a DC 5 Perception check to find.
What is the best time to leave the Hollow?
Ideally, after speaking with the principal residents, visiting the merchants and resolving the immediately available refugee and child quests, but before committing to the grove’s final faction outcome. Major progression can remove characters, alter shops and change the area’s population.
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This guide treats The Hollow as the Emerald Grove’s refugee-quarter location and includes the named connected subareas documented as part of its practical map structure: the Secluded Chamber, Tiefling Hideout, storage area, adventurers’ corner, training ground, prison and commercial spaces.
The wider Emerald Grove, Sacred Pool, Ravaged Beach, Underground Passage, Forest and Risen Road remain separate locations. Some quests listed under the Hollow begin or conclude elsewhere, so they are included as related activities rather than claims that every objective takes place inside the cavern.
The verified sources consulted provide strong coverage of named characters, routes, quests, traders and major loot locations. They do not establish a completely exhaustive inventory of every unnamed background prop, decorative stall, ordinary generic refugee or random container. Accordingly, this guide does not claim that its item directory includes every piece of incidental scenery or procedural loot.
Sources
- The Hollow - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki
- The Hollow - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki
- Mattis - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki