Baldur's Gate 3: Solving the Mausoleum Riddle in the Shadowlands
Solving the mausoleum riddle in the shadowlands is the key to Baldur's Gate 3's Gauntlet of Shar — here's the exact order and every reward.
Read the guide →Find the Book of Thay in the Blighted Village and unlock its secrets in Baldur's Gate 3.
So you're hunting for the Book of Thay in the Blighted Village. Good call — this thing is one of the best early-game pickups in Baldur's Gate 3, and I'm gonna walk you through exactly where to go and what to click.
The Book of Thay is tucked inside a locked cellar under a ruined building in the Blighted Village. It's not on the main path, and the game won't hand it to you. You gotta find the right building, break in, solve a small puzzle, and survive a saving throw. Do it right, and you walk away with a permanent bonus plus a quest hook for later.
Here's the full breakdown.
The Book of Thay sits inside the Whispering Depths-adjacent apothecary's cellar in the Blighted Village, on the western side of the map. You enter through a hatch or a cracked floor inside the abandoned building near the village well.
The book itself is on a desk, locked behind a locked ornate chest and guarded by a magic mirror you have to talk your way past. Coordinates (roughly): X: -50, Y: -250 in the Blighted Village.
From the Ravaged Beach, head west through the Emerald Grove and follow the road. The Blighted Village is the ruined settlement just past the bridge, filled with goblins and crumbling houses. You can sneak around the goblins or fight them — either works.
Look for the abandoned apothecary's house on the western edge of the village, near the well. It has a broken roof and a wooden hatch on the floor inside. If you can't find the hatch, look for the building with the alchemist's table and shelves of bottles.
Player tip: I walked past this house three times before realizing the hatch was right under a pile of crates. Move the crates first.
The hatch is locked. You've got three options:
Once it's open, climb down into the cellar.
The cellar is small but dangerous. You'll find:
Disarm the traps with a Sleight of Hand check, or just walk around them carefully.
The mirror blocks the chest. It asks you a question about your worthiness. You need to pass a Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation check (DC 15) to make it stand down. If you fail, it attacks you with psychic damage.
Best approach: Use a character with high Charisma (like a Bard, Warlock, or Paladin). If you don't have one, save before talking and reload if you fail.
Inside the chest is the Book of Thay. Pick it up. It's a quest item and a readable book.
Reading the Book of Thay triggers a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15) . Pass it, and you gain +1 to all saving throws permanently. Fail, and you take psychic damage and the book closes.
You can try again after a long rest. The book also starts the Necromancy of Thay quest, which continues in Act 3.
The Book of Thay isn't just lore. It gives you:
It's one of the best early-game items for any class. Don't skip it.
Here are the mistakes I see most often — and how to avoid them.
A lot of players think the Blighted Village is just a goblin camp. It's not. The cellar is easy to miss because the hatch is hidden under crates. Move everything.
If you fail the mirror, you can still fight it. It has low HP. Just attack it. You don't need to pass the check.
If your Wisdom is low, you'll fail the save and take damage. Use a Cleric, Druid, or Monk to read it, or save before reading and reload if you fail.
The book's saving throw is once per long rest. If you fail, you can try again after resting. Don't waste the book.
The hatch key is on a goblin near the windmill. If you kill him, loot the key. It saves you a lockpick check.
It's in the apothecary's cellar on the west side of the village, inside a locked ornate chest behind a magic mirror. Enter through the hatch inside the abandoned house near the well.
Yes. Pass a DC 15 Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation check. If you fail, you can fight it — it's not tough.
A permanent +1 to all saving throws if you pass a DC 15 Wisdom save. You also start the Necromancy of Thay quest, which continues in Act 3.
Yes, but Wisdom-based classes (Cleric, Druid, Monk) have the best chance. You can also save before reading and reload if you fail.
That's everything you need to find the Book of Thay in the Blighted Village. Grab it early, read it smart, and enjoy the permanent buff. It's one of the best returns on a five-minute detour in all of Act 1.
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