Underground Passage

Key takeaways

• The Underground Passage is an Act One location inside the Emerald Grove, not an independent region or an entrance to the Underdark.
• It connects The Hollow, the Enclave Library and the Forest.
• Its three hostile guardian statues can be disabled by interacting with the matching Bear, Eagle and Wolf runes.
• The passage provides an alternative way to enter the Enclave Library without first relying on Nettie.
• Findal’s rescue is time-sensitive in relation to the Goblin Camp and can change the contents of the passage.
• The best fixed rewards include Nature’s Snare, the Key of the Ancients, a Charred Key, an Elixir of Fire Resistance and several consumables.

About this guide

Overview

The Underground Passage is a small but unusually useful sub-area of the Emerald Grove in Baldur’s Gate 3. It is not the same place as the Overgrown Tunnel, and it should not be treated as a generic section of the Grove’s caves. The passage is a defined location: a trapped cavern running roughly parallel to the western side of The Hollow, with routes to the Forest, The Hollow and the Enclave Library.

It is easy to overlook because its entrances are concealed stone doors rather than obvious map transitions. The tunnel is also more than a shortcut. It contains one of the Grove’s most dangerous early trap sequences, a conditional goblin encounter involving Findal, a route into the Enclave Library that can bypass Nettie, and several useful early-game items.

The passage’s importance changes depending on when you enter it. Before the goblin leaders are defeated, Findal may be rescued from goblin scouts. After the Goblin Camp has been dealt with, the same encounter can instead be replaced by Findal’s corpse if he was not saved. If Sazza is being escorted, the scene can also become hostile for reasons unrelated to the normal rescue outcome.

Included named entries

Underground Passage

• Underground Passage

Connected or bordering locations

• The Hollow
• Forest
• Inner Sanctum
• Emerald Grove

Not included

The following are separate locations and should not be counted as part of the Underground Passage:

The distinction matters particularly for the Overgrown Tunnel, which is listed as a separate location and is not another name for the Grove passage.

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The passage has three concealed doors. These entrances do not all have the same discovery requirements.

Not included

• Overgrown Tunnel
• Whispering Depths
• Underdark
• Secluded Cove
• Sacred Pool
• The Hollow

From the Forest

The Forest entrance is at approximately X: 172, Y: 423. It is behind a mossy boulder and a fallen tree. A DC 10 Survival check is required to locate the concealed door.

This is usually the least convenient entrance for a party exploring the Grove normally, since it requires approaching from the Wilderness side. It is useful, however, if you have already discovered the outer Grove and want to enter the tunnel without passing through The Hollow.

From The Hollow

The Hollow entrance is on a rocky ledge behind the Makeshift Prison, at approximately X: 204, Y: 604. It requires a DC 5 Perception check to notice.

This is the most natural entrance for parties exploring the Grove’s tiefling settlement and prison area. It is also the side most directly associated with the Findal encounter.

From the Enclave Library

The Enclave Library entrance lies opposite the Hollow-side route, at approximately X: -446, Y: -30. It requires a DC 5 Perception check to spot, but opening it requires a party member to have the Key of the Ancients equipped.

This door also has a small trapped antechamber. Poison vents release clouds into the approach, so do not rush through merely because the door has been unlocked.

Alternative route into the Enclave Library

The passage can be used to reach the Enclave Library without dealing with Nettie first. This makes it valuable for characters who want to explore the library early, obtain the Key of the Ancients by unconventional means or approach the Grove’s internal areas without following the standard dialogue route.

This should not be confused with the normal route through the Inner Sanctum. The passage is an alternative access point, not a replacement for the rest of the Grove’s internal layout.

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The passage is a cavernous tunnel with a main path running through shallow water and rocky ground. Its defining feature is the line of guardian statues positioned to cover the route. The area is compact, but several rewards are placed away from the obvious centre of the path.

Only three are hostile. One bear, one eagle and the wolf can fire on trespassers. Each hostile statue requires a DC 5 Perception check to detect its danger.

The area also contains the remains of a sixth statue depicting an elk. There is no corresponding elk rune, and it does not form part of the active trap sequence.

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The statues fire flames at characters who enter their sight. A successful or failed saving throw affects the result, with the attack dealing 2d6 fire damage and applying Burning for three turns on a failed DC 12 Dexterity saving throw.

The safest solution is to deactivate each statue by interacting with its matching rune. Unlike levers, the runes cannot simply be shot to turn them off. Mage Hand can interact with them, which is useful if you want to avoid exposing a character directly.

The most reliable exploration order is

1. 01
   Enter from The Hollow or the Forest.
2. 02
   Stop before advancing into the statue-controlled section.
3. 03
   Use turn-based mode.
4. 04
   Find and disable the three hostile statue runes.
5. 05
   Search the rocky outcrop near the Wolf rune.
6. 06
   Loot the trapped heavy chest.
7. 07
   Check the crates, barrels and backpack near the Forest exit.
8. 08
   If entering through the Enclave Library, disarm the poison-vent antechamber before proceeding.

Rune directory

The Wolf rune is hidden on the side of a rocky outcrop projecting from the water. Reaching it requires a jump from the main route.

Rune directory

Recommended method

Use Turn-Based Mode before moving into the statue section. A character with good Dexterity can dash from cover to cover, interact with a rune and continue before the statues get many opportunities to fire. Alternatively, use Mage Hand where the terrain allows it.

If you decide to destroy the statues instead, attack them from range. This is slower and may consume more resources, but it avoids the need to cross the trapped area while the statues remain active.

Practical trap checklist

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The passage contains a conditional encounter involving Findal, a druid associated with the Emerald Grove. If the Goblin Camp has not yet been defeated, Findal is found unconscious and surrounded by goblin scouts. The named goblins in the encounter are Gresh, Gurza, Torrack and Worm. Sazza can also be present under specific circumstances.

The rescue

After defeating the goblins, the party can heal Findal or tell him that they intend to finish the job. Healing him sends him back to the Grove, where he can later be found in the Inner Sanctum. A character with the Folk Hero background can receive the inspiration A Timely Rescue for defeating the goblins and saving him.

While Findal remains unconscious, he can be pickpocketed for the Key of the Ancients. He does not later accuse the party of stealing it after waking. This provides an alternative to obtaining the key from Nettie.

Sazza’s effect

If Sazza is being escorted through the passage, Findal can recognise that the party is helping an escape attempt and may become hostile. This is a special progression state rather than the standard version of the encounter. Treat Sazza as a conditional visitor, not a permanent resident of the passage.

If Findal was not saved

If the party enters after defeating the Goblin Camp without having rescued Findal, his corpse can be found along the path instead. This is one of the passage’s clearest progression changes. It means that the location’s contents are not identical on every visit.

Named characters directory

Major items

Loot directory

The random-container entries above are not guaranteed to produce an identical result in every playthrough. The fixed named items are the most dependable reasons to search the area thoroughly.

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The Underground Passage is directly or indirectly relevant to several Act One objectives:

The broader Emerald Grove supports many more quests, but they should not all be treated as Underground Passage content. For example, the Rite of Thorns, the Sacred Idol and the Secluded Cove’s harpy encounter belong to other Grove subareas. The passage can support movement between these places, but it does not contain their main scenes.

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Loot directory

• Save the Goblin Sazza
• Save the Refugees
• Find a Cure
• Rescue the Druid Halsin
• Defeat the Goblins
• Steal the Sacred Idol

The passage’s most direct activities are

1. 01
   Rescue Findal.
2. 02
   Defeat or avoid the goblin scouts.
3. 03
   Disable the guardian statues.
4. 04
   Obtain the Key of the Ancients.
5. 05
   Enter the Enclave Library by the alternative route.
6. 06
   Collect Nature’s Snare and the concealed consumables.

Standard Grove route

This is the most convenient route for a first playthrough:

Standard Grove route: steps

1. 01
   Enter the Emerald Grove and reach The Hollow.
2. 02
   Explore the Makeshift Prison area.
3. 03
   Find the concealed door on the rocky ledge.
4. 04
   Enter the Underground Passage.
5. 05
   Resolve the Findal encounter before progressing too far in the Goblin Camp storyline.
6. 06
   Disable the guardian statues.
7. 07
   Collect the Charred Key and the buried chest near the Wolf rune.
8. 08
   Disarm and loot the heavy chest containing Nature’s Snare.
9. 09
   Exit towards the Forest or unlock the Enclave Library door if you have the Key of the Ancients.

Library-first route

Use this if you want to access the Enclave Library without following the usual Nettie sequence:

Library-first route: steps

1. 01
   Obtain the Key of the Ancients from Findal or Nettie.
2. 02
   Approach the concealed Enclave Library door.
3. 03
   Equip the key on a party member.
4. 04
   Disarm the poison vents in the small antechamber.
5. 05
   Enter the Underground Passage.
6. 06
   Disable the statues from the safer side.
7. 07
   Search the remaining loot before returning to the Grove.

Sazza route

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If escorting Sazza

1. 01
   Expect Findal’s dialogue to differ.
2. 02
   Be prepared for Findal to become hostile.
3. 03
   Keep Sazza protected from the guardian statues and environmental hazards.
4. 04
   Decide whether you want to resolve the passage before continuing with the Goblin Camp storyline.

Findal’s fate

Findal’s state depends on the order in which the party handles the Grove and Goblin Camp storylines:

This makes the passage worth visiting before finalising the Goblin Camp situation if you want to see the rescue encounter and obtain its associated inspiration.

Findal’s fate

The Key of the Ancients

The key is not permanently locked to a single source. It can be obtained from Findal while unconscious or from Nettie. This means that missing one acquisition route does not necessarily prevent access to the Enclave Library.

Grove-wide progression

The Underground Passage sits inside a location affected by major Act One choices. The Emerald Grove’s refugees, druids and goblin conflict can radically alter the surrounding settlement and its available characters. The passage’s own trap layout remains the central fixed feature, but the encounter population and Findal’s presence are progression-dependent.

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The guardian statues reflect the Emerald Grove’s nature-focused identity. Bears, eagles and wolves are represented among the active defences, while the ruined elk statue suggests that the passage may once have contained a larger or different protective arrangement. The game does not provide a fully explicit history for the tunnel, so the elk should be treated as environmental evidence rather than proof of a particular past event.

The passage also reinforces the Grove’s separation between public and protected spaces. The Hollow is a relatively open refuge for tieflings, while the Enclave Library lies within the druids’ guarded inner complex. The tunnel links these spaces through a route protected by traps rather than ordinary guards.

The wider Emerald Grove’s history involves druids, Harpers and conflict with Sharran forces, but those historical frescos are located in the Inner Sanctum rather than the Underground Passage itself. They are relevant context for the parent location, not direct Underground Passage landmarks.

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Is the Underground Passage part of the Underdark?

No. It is an Act One location within the Emerald Grove. It is a short hidden tunnel linking Grove subareas and the Forest, not an Underdark route.

Is it the same as the Overgrown Tunnel?

No. The Underground Passage and Overgrown Tunnel are separate named locations.

Can I avoid the guardian statues?

Yes. You can disable them through the Bear, Eagle and Wolf runes, use Mage Hand where practical, or destroy the statues from range. Turn-based mode is the safest way to reach the runes while minimising damage.

Where is Nature’s Snare?

It is inside the trapped heavy chest at approximately X: -425, Y: -200. The Charred Key found near the Wolf rune can open it.

Can I get the Key of the Ancients without talking to Nettie?

Yes. Findal can be pickpocketed for the key while unconscious. The game also permits the key to be obtained from Nettie through the normal Grove sequence.

What happens if I arrive after defeating the Goblin Camp?

If Findal was not rescued earlier, his corpse can appear in the passage.

Does the passage have a waypoint?

No. The nearest relevant waypoint is Emerald Grove Environs in the wider Grove area.

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This guide treats the Underground Passage as the defined location shown by the game’s location hierarchy and separates it from the wider Emerald Grove subareas. The available evidence verifies the major access points, trap mechanics, Findal encounter, named goblins, loot and quest links.

The location page itself is marked as needing verification for some details, and random container contents are not guaranteed to be identical in every playthrough. Consequently, this guide does not claim a frame-perfect inventory for every crate, barrel or procedural consumable stack. It also does not infer additional services, businesses or residents from the surrounding Grove, since no shops or permanent vendors are verified as being inside the Underground Passage itself.

Sources

• Underground Passage - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki
• Emerald Grove - bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki