The Necromancy of Thay is a book that can be found in Baldur’s Gate 3. It is a mysterious book that holds powerful spells of necromancy, but whoever opens the book must possess a strong will, or else they will be forever damned by its cursed.
Read ahead as we talk about how to find and open The Necromancy of Thay in Baldur’s Gate 3.
The Necromancy of Thay Location
The Necromancy of They can be found in a secret room within a cellar in the Blighted Village. In order to get to where it is hidden, head to the house behind the Blighted Village waypoint, then go down the hatch to reach the basement.
Down at the basement, you will find a bookcase by the wall. Investigate it and you will notice that there are scratch marks on the floor where it’s on. Near the bookcase are three crates in a stack. Move the top crate to reveal a lever behind it. Pull the lever to move the bookcase aside, revealing a secret passage.
Follow the path up ahead and look for three large barrels in the wall. Near the barrels is a huge ornate mirror. Interact with it and a face will appear in the mirror. You will need to convince the mirror that you are an ally of its master by answering its questions correctly with the following answers:
- “Szass Tam is a foul, wretched creature.”
- “I read a doctor’s journal – he used balsam to clean a wound.”
- “I’d look for whatever spell will rid me of this worm in my head.”
Alternatively, you can simply intimidate the mirror and pass the charisma check to get through.
Through the mirror, you will arrive at an abandoned laboratory. Head to the room towards the west first and you will find a Rusted Key on the right side near the shelves.
Head back to the east and disable the trap on the floor, then use the key to open the gate.
Inside is where you will find The Necromancy of Thay. It is resting on a pressure pad that can trigger a trap, so before picking it up, go on turn-based mode and put something else on the pad to replace the book, or you can disable the traps first. Take note that you should have your character pick up the book and not Astarion as it may prevent you from taking the book back from him.
How to open The Necromancy of Thay
To open The Necromancy of Thay, you will first need to find a Dark Amethyst in the Whispering Depths. You can find one in the area at coordinates X:-560, Y:-356.
Once you have obtained the Dark Amethyst in your inventory along with The Necromancy of Thay, you can then open the book and read it. Take note that the book can only be used once and there are different outcomes that you can get depending on your actions and on who you have with you in your party.
The Necromancy of Thay Outcomes
The Necromancy of Thay can be used in different ways and by different characters, too.
You read the book
If you decide to read the book, you will have to go through three wisdom checks that grow more difficult in every turn. The DC goes from 10, 15, to 20 (5, 10, 15 charisma check for Sorcerers). Clearing all the checks will reward 45XP to all party members, all the sages will be rewarded with the Secrets of the Necromancer and the All Knowledge Is Worth Having inspirations, and you will be given the Speak with Dead ability.
Destroying the book
If you decide to destroy the book, the book will drop to the ground. You can then use a radiant attack to destroy the book. Everyone in your party will gain 45XP.
Opening the book with Gale and Astarion in the party
If you decide to open the book with both Gale and Astarion in the party, you will be given an option to give it to either one of them after inserting the amethyst. Giving the book to one of them will gain their approval and you will lose the approval of the other. There will then be two different outcomes depending on who reads the book.
Gale receives the book
If Gale receives the book, you will gain his approval. The next time you set camp, talk to him to trigger another cutscene. Gale will then consume the book in order to keep his condition in check. You will gain his approval once more during this cutscene.
Astarion receives the book
Astarion will have slightly different cutscenes whether or not you give the book to him, or if he already has possession of the book and the amethyst. Regardless of whichever cutscene it is, you will end up seeing Astarion trying to wrestle the book from taking over him. He then expresses that he would want to learn the secrets of the book so that he can get the edge over his master.
