Safeguarding Mayrina in Baldur's Gate 3: Expert Guide

Baldur's Gate 3 offers numerous chances for players to assume the role of a hero or even embrace their inner villain. A notable early instance of this can be found in Mayrina's predicament, an adventure awaiting those who venture into the enigmatic Fetid Bog.

Within the initial region explored in Baldur's Gate 3, lies a treasure trove of hidden discoveries and engaging quests (in fact, this specific area comprised the entirety of the game's early access build). One such quest awaits in the form of Mayrina's quest, nestled within the murky depths of the Fetid Bog.

Finding the Fetid Bog

Meeting Mayrina

If players are looking to locate Mayrina's quest, their first destination should be the Fetid Bog. There, they can rendezvous with her family, who are currently engaged in extracting information about her whereabouts from Auntie Ethel. For detailed guidance on this conversation and for methods to navigate through the treacherous bog, please consult this comprehensive guide.

Mayrina can be found inside the Riverside Teahouse, where Ethel is determined to see her eat until she's completely full. When informed of her family's tragic demise in the Bog, Mayrina immediately cancels her agreement with Ethel, causing Ethel to magically transport her to another location. It is noteworthy that repeatedly questioning Ethel about Mayrina will also result in her being teleported away. Furthermore, accepting Ethel's proposal to deal with the treacherous Illithid Tadpole will lead to Mayrina being whisked away by teleportation.

Rescuing Mayrina

Triggering Ethel's anger will incite a confrontation with her Redcap allies and prompt her to flee using a concealed passageway concealed within the fireplace. Once the Redcaps have been incapacitated, players can deactivate the fireplace and proceed through the rear to infiltrate Ethel's lair. Alternatively, stumbling upon the secret passage will also automatically initiate this battle.

Upon entering Ethel's lair, players will encounter a formidable obstacle in the form of a living door that blocks their path. To overcome this illusion, one can wear one of Ethel's eerie wooden masks, which grants the ability to see through the deception. However, a word of caution is warranted as wearing the mask also exposes the wearer to the risk of falling under Ethel's control. Those who possess a resilient spirit, particularly paladins who adhere to the "Oath of the Ancients," can fortify themselves and resist this influence by succeeding in a wisdom save. Nevertheless, it is prudent to remove the mask upon traversing beyond the door.

Alternatively, players can employ a different approach by engaging the door in a dialogue, employing threats or other persuasive measures to extract the knowledge needed to safely pass. This approach, however, demands a successful check in either persuasion or intimidation.

Upon entering the door, players will immediately find themselves in an open space, where they will be ambushed by some of Ethel's mind-controlled servants. This presents an opportunity to experiment with non-lethal tactics since these individuals are not in their right state of mind. However, caution is advised as removing their masks will result in the players' deaths. Moving ahead, there is a pathway that leads deeper into Ethel's hideout, obscured by poisonous clouds. Lighting the clouds on fire can temporarily clear them, but it will render the area hazardous and the gas will return unless players block the vents. Detecting the vents requires a successful perception check, and they can be obstructed by throwing an item on top of them.

After successfully navigating the gas-filled area, players will reach the location where Mayrina is being held captive, and they will need to defeat Ethel in order to free her from this predicament. Engaging in combat with Ethel proves to be highly challenging, particularly for lower-level players. Ethel possesses the ability to create illusions capable of casting spells independently from her. Furthermore, she frequently employs the hold person spell to immobilize the party, as well as the ray of sickness spell to inflict damage and debuff the players.

To initiate the skirmish, Ethel will ignite the enclosure where Mayrina is confined. This compels players to swiftly navigate towards the control orb situated across the room to lower the cage and liberate her from imminent peril.

Players can discern the genuine Ethel from the imposters by recognizing that only the real Ethel is susceptible to debuffs. Additionally, using Witchbolt to identify her is an effective method to keep track of her. It is important for players to mark her before a certain point to prevent inadvertently killing Mayrina, as Ethel will attempt to switch with her. Once Ethel's health is significantly reduced, she will try to strike a deal with the party, offering to spare Mayrina in exchange for power. Players have the opportunity to intimidate her successfully by passing an Intimidation check, which will result in gaining both power and Mayrina. This will be rewarded with an item that permanently increases one stat by +2. Alternatively, players could choose to eliminate Ethel now, as this dialogue option will only activate when she is near death.

Once Mayrina is freed, players should acquire the wand "Bitter Divorce" from the adjacent room. Subsequently, they need to locate Mayrina outside and converse with her near her husband's coffin. Players can decide whether to utilize or destroy the wand, but in either case, the quest will be deemed completed and Mayrina will depart for Baldur's Gate. It should be noted that selecting to use the wand violates the Oath of the Ancients, and therefore Paladins sworn to this oath should refrain from doing so.

Baldur's Gate 3 is available now for PC and Mac, and on September 6th, 2023, for PS5.