Mind Flayer Colony | Baldurs Gate 3 Wiki

Mind Flayer Colony
ACT	Act 2
Location	Moonrise Towers
Suggest Level	8-9

Mind Flayer Colony is a location in Baldur's Gate 3. Mind Flayer Colony features multiple sub-areas where you can meet different characters and discover a puzzle. On this page, you can find related information about the map, quests, enemies, notable items, and other useful tips about Mind Flayer Colony.

Mind Flayer Colony Map

How to Solve the Mind Puzzle in Mind Flayer Colony (Below the Necrotic Laboratory)

You can solve it by the order in the screenshot above. Solving this puzzle will unlock a door to a nice long sword and a decorated wall revealing Mind Flayers' grand scheme. 

• Emotion: The yellow node will connect from the outer left edge to reach the final Emotion Node on the other end.
• Speech: The blue node will connect from the top, then go right, then forward to reach the Speech Node on the other end.
• Memory: The green node begins from the right, then through the middle, and then back towards the left to reach the Memory node.
• Reason: The pink node will connect the remaining nodes, all the way through to the other end. 

Quests in Mind Flayer Colony Baldur's Gate 3

• Lift the Shadow Curse
• Find Mol
• Find Zevlor
• The Grand Duke
• Defeat Ketheric Thorm
• Embrace Your Potential
• The Wizard of Waterdeep
• The Urge

Sub-Areas in Mind Flayer Colony BG3

• Morgue
• Necrotic Laboratory
• Tadpoling Centre
• Barracks

Items in Mind Flayer Colony Baldur's Gate 3

• Summon Us
• Resonance Stone
• Blade of Oppressed Souls
• Myrkulite Scourge
• Ketheric's Warhammer
• Reaper's Embrace
• Ketheric's Shield

Notable NPCs and Merchants in Mind Flayer Colony Baldur's Gate 3

• Mizora
• Nightsong

Mind Flayer Colony Walkthrough

NOTE: This walkthrough will feature an alternate version wherein one of your companions, Gale, gets an opportunity to end the control of the absolute as part of The Wizard of Waterdeep quest. When he gets close enough to the elder brain, he can cause himself to explode killing everything else around him. We recommend following our initial guide here but we will still indicate the alternate version below.

Once your party has rested, you can now interact with the Hollow Tower. Once you do so, you will get a prompt that will ask you if you will leap after Ketheric Thorm and the tentacle that drew him underground with the Nightsong. If you agree, your character will look down on the chasm as Shadowheart asks if you intend to jump down. Seemingly as if your character didn't hear anything, you will jump down the chasm and upon reaching the ground, you see the walls around you are covered with the same red mucus that you found inside the tower, from where the suspicious sounds came from. The mucus is far thicker indicating that you are closer to the source. 

You and your party have finally reached the Mind Flayer Colony and your Dream Visitor speaks to you that you are closer to the source of the parasites, the ones that were used to infect your party. Interact with the membrane that's blocking the path to destroy it and reveal new sub-areas. These membranes are surfaces that your character can interact with. The dream visitor continues to speak again to remind you to be careful as you get closer to the source.

You will find Intellect Devourers in this area but they are not immediately hostile. You will find them roaming around and seem to be running away from you. Follow the passage down to your right to reach a Flesh-Wrought Door that will reveal the Morgue sub-area. You will see rotting bodies and cages dumped nearly anywhere and if you were able to reach Oubliette while you were exploring Moonrise Towers Prison, this was the area that can be seen from the central part.

On your right, you will find a brain that is contained inside it, if you did not destroy the brain in the Nautiloid Ship, they will show up here in the Morgue sub-area. They will ask for your help to have them freed because it claims that they are not like the others and that they will be destroyed. If you save them, they can accompany you in battle in the form of a summon. To reply, you will get the following options:

1. I'll free you.
2. Let me think about it.
3. Not my concern.

There's also a console in the center of this area. When you interact with it, a corpse will fall through the hatch. Chop speaks out, that those are offering from Moonrise Towers. Next, you can speak with Chop, a creature with a hollow mind that has been enslaved by The Absolute. It seems that it is following orders but can't think much on its own. You will now get a chance to choose how to interact with Chop:

1. [ILLITHID] Enter his thoughts.
2. What is this place?
3. What did you do to all these people?
4. About that creature in the cage...
5. I need to find your master- Ketheric.
6. Leave.

You find out that Chop has been harvesting the brains of their captives, while The Absolute turns them into Intellect Devourers and eventually, they will become a part of the hivemind. It also tells you that the brain inside the cage is different from the others, and needs to be fixed. Now you'll get the option if you want to free it or let him do his work:

1. What's wrong with it?
2. [ILLITHID] Let it come with me. We sing the same song.
3. [PERSUASION] I'll take the creature with me. It won't disrupt the hivemind anymore.
4. [INTIMIDATION] Free the creature or I'll kill you and every one of your creations.
5. Do as you will with it.

If you attempt the Persuasion check, you will need to pass a DC of 14. When you are successful, he will hand you the key to free it. Upon successfully freeing the brain, you will receive an item: "Summon Us", they tell you that they will remain with you until you call out to them. Continue looking around this area, and you will find helms on the table. Check your party's equipment and see if any of the items are fit for them.

Your next destination is the Necrotic Laboratory which you will find at (X:715 Y:-49), before entering this area, your party must be prepared for a battle against a horde of enemies. You will find Zombies, Winged Horrors, and a Death Shepherd commanding them. When you are done fighting them, you will have a pile of bodies to loot from. The area that they were standing from shows Profane Womb that can be attacked and destroyed. Behind the ritual zone, there is a secluded space behind it.

Jump over the ledge towards (X:695 Y:-110) to find Resonance Stone on the table. Next to the table, there's a Slack-Skinned Head that speaks in incomplete sentences that seems to be lending the voice to the elder lore. There are two brains in jars near the table - Willing Mind and True Soul - that you can pick up and place inside the Mind-Archive Interface. Then you can talk with the head and learn what each brain knew. (You can insert other brains you collected during your adventure as well. But only Waking Mind can give you the permanent buff Githzerai Mind Barrier)

Next, go to the other side of the laboratory where you can locate another console. This one is in desperate need. You will get an option if you want to help this console or not. If you do, you can get a weapon from this and understand the Grand Design built by the Illithids.

The Mind Flayer Colony Puzzle consists of four nodes to match the other end. Follow this order to complete the puzzle:

• Emotion: The yellow node will connect from the outer left edge to reach the final Emotion Node on the other end.
• Speech: The blue node will connect from the top, then go right, then forward to reach the Speech Node on the other end.
• Memory: The green node begins from the right, then through the middle, and then back towards the left to reach the Memory node.
• Reason: The pink node will connect the remaining nodes, all the way through to the other end. 

You can now walk to the stony statue at the back of the puzzle where a voice will finally speak. The Desecrated Relief tells you about The Grand Design and the words: order, perfection, and unity.  The Dream Visitor speaks to you again to tell you that the Grand Design is the restoration of the Mind Flayer empire, the dream of all Illithids. After this cutscene, look around in the ground and you will find the Blade of Oppressed Souls right next to the opening of the statue. There is also a Jar Brain called Waking Mind, insert it into the Mind-Archive Interface can gives you Githzerai Mind Barrier.

Continue exploring the path on your map and follow the guide to the 'Suspicious Sounds' that is highlighted in a yellow ring. At exactly (X:686 and Y:-13), you will see another Flesh-Wrought Door. This door will lead you to the Tadpoling Centre where you will find similar pods that were used to capture you in the Nautiloid ship.

You can interact with each of the consoles to find out about the prisoners that they once held. There's a Neural Apparatus next to it that you can interact with. You find out that there are Illithids, and the not yet infected ones that are desperate for release. It is your choice if you want to release or purge these creatures, together with the non-infected ones or let them be. 

If you choose to release them, Karlach will give you her approval, while Astarion will give his disapproval. Zevlor is inside one of the pods but freeing them means you will have to fight against the Mind Flayers that will be freed together with the rest of the prisoners. By doing so, the Intellect Devourer will also become hostile at the command of the Illithids. Defeat the enemies here and speak with Zevlor after. He is eager to find out what had become of his people, and you can respond to him with one of the following options:

1. You abandoned them. Do you really think you have the right to ask?
2. Some. Others ended up in a cell in Moonrise. That's on you.
3. They found refuge but what the hells happened out there, Zevlor?
4. I can't tell you. 

If you choose the third option, he tells you that they were ambushed by the cultists and that he has heard a voice of a woman who whispered promises in his mind. He realized that he was put under a charm, and it was too late for the ones that he was supposed to be protecting. He surrendered and even welcomed the Absolute, he said.

1. If you wanted power, you never needed a god- only to live up to your ideal.
2. 'For a moment'- until you realized your reward would be a tadpole.
3. It sounds like you were being enthralled. It's not your fault.
4. Your people didn't need a paladin- they saved themselves. 

After this, he is aware of the battle that lies ahead and will offer his help. He tells you that Ketheric is below and that he intends to look for other survivors and lead them out of the area. Now it's up to you if you want Zevlor to fight with you or save his people:

1. I could use another blade in the fight to come.
2. Find your own people. They need you.
3. I don't care what you do- just get out of my sight.
4. Fine. Good luck, Zevlor.

Continue exploring the yellow ring, and you will find Mizora at (X:682 Y:37) in front of Brine Pools. She speaks out loud that there are no more tadpoles and that it is an indicator that they are planning something big. She had been captured by the Illithids and you have gained an opportunity to free Wyll from his pact with her.

1. [INTIMIDATION] Free Wyll, or I let the cult infect you. I bet you'd make a loyal thrall.
2. [HISTORY] Remember all you can about devils and their contracts. 
3. [PERFORMANCE] Say you know a pact-breaking charm and chant a series of pseudo-Infernal phrases.
4. Poor thing. I'll let you out of there.
5. Fine. Let's get on with it.

If you attempt the History check, you will need to pass a DC of 16. Then you will remember a chant that is used to void a devil's contract. You will now get the next choices:

1. 'Abi diabole, et nunquam redi.'
2. [HISTORY] Remember all you can about devils and their contracts. 
3. [PERFORMANCE] Say you know a pact-breaking charm and chant a series of pseudo-Infernal phrases.
4. Poor thing. I'll let you out of there.
5. Fine. Let's get on with it.

Mizora will laugh at you and she will agree to free Wyll, but only after she's free from the pod. Now you will turn your attention to the controls next to Mizora's pod. The key here is the Right Device will free Mizora, while the Left Device will kill her. Note that Wyll's soul is still bound to her, so if Mizora dies, so does Wyll.

1. [STRENGTH[ Gather your strength and smash your foot through the pod.
2. Examine the device on the left.
3. Examine the device on the right.
4. Leave her there.

If you choose to free Mizora, she reveals that she will only release Wyll's soul after six months and calls you an Ignorang thing.

1. To the Hells with your conditions. Sever Wyll's pact now, or I'll sever your head.
2. A full half of a year? You've got to e kidding.
3. Shrug. Six months isn't that long of a wait.
4. That warlock of yours is turning out to be more trouble than he's worth. 

Mizora will now leave this area and you can continue exploring the Mind Flayer Colony at exactly (X:704 Y:24) you will find another Flesh-Wrought Door that will lead you into the Barracks. You will find a Kressa Bonedaughter in this area who suspects that you are part of the attackers. You can attempt the Deception check here, which requires you to pass a DC of  21, or simply attack her. 

We recommend using the Deception check first, and if that works, you can have one of your party do a sneak attack on her. The rest of the enemies will see what you have done, and you will have fewer enemies to fight. All that's left now is to eliminate Bonefighter, Maghtew Badj, and Hairy Henry. Continue the path behind this section and you will find a Restoration that looks like a mushroom. Interact with it to replenish your health. 

Defeat Ketheric Thorm

In the distance below, you will see a grand area that is separated from the Mind Flayer Colony which seems to be like a grand stage. There's a Neural Apparatus that serves as a lift that will take you to the bottom of the Mind Flayer Colony. Your party is moving closer to Ketheric Thorm and you can sense the Nautiloids stronger down here. At (X:812 Y:-25), you will find another Flesh-Wrought Door, as you interact with it, the Dream Visitor will speak to you, that you have found the location of The Absolute. If you are ready to take the fight, choose Ready, or if you need some time to prepare, go to Campsite and rest. 

You will see 3 people engaged in a conversation: Gortash, Orin, and Thorm. They are planning on taking back the Prism from you while they held the Nightsong captive. You hear them that they will proceed with their plans, and expect Ketheric with his army and weapon. All three of them command The Absolute and the colossal elder brain floats from the water below. 

They have infected Duke Ravengard with a tadpole and they leave at once to lead the march into the Baldur's Gate while leaving Ketheric behind. You will find Ketheric at the edge of the Chasm, proclaiming his worship for his Lord, and he will fall to it as Myrkul will rise from below. Apostle of Myrkul introduces himself as the Lord of Bones and you will now be fighting him. Remember that Ketheric remains invulnerable as long as he has the Nightsong captured. Your initial goal is to free Nightsong with the Help action, as she is trapped inside a soul cage by Ketheric.

When you bring his HP to 0, Ketheric refuses to die and he returns to deliver his speech and ask for his Master's help. He realizes that there is nothing but silence and that he has been forsaken. He calls out to Isobel before he dies and Dame Aylin swoops down to crush his head repeatedly as the rest of your party watches in horror. With Ketheric gone, you will retrieve Netherstone from him, the one they use to control the elder brain.

With that, The Dream Visitor comes to tell you what has happened. It's the three who were controlling the Elder Brain against its will, or what they call The Absolute. They continue to explain that the Netherstones are what's used to control the elder brain. In order to gain full control, you must collect the remaining Netherstones from Orin and Gortash. They continue to reveal that The Absolute is a front of the Dead Three called Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul. Each of them has their own Chosen to take part in this attack on Baldur's Gate 3. You will now have these options to ask them:

1. What do we do now?
2. What hope do we have if the gods themselves are involved?
3. I didn't come here to fight gods- I just want my parasite removed. 

If you choose the first one, they will tell you to prepare for the fight of your lives, to save the lives of everyone in Faerun. They tell you that the Army of the Absolute is marching towards Baldur's Gate and that the elder brain has the power to turn everyone into Mind Flayers. They tell you that you need to seize control of the elder brain and they will offer to be your shield but asks that you must be the sword. 

The Alternate Ending - Gale

NOTE: This is the alternate version of this walkthrough with the help of Gale, who will detonate the bomb to destroy the elder brain and those around him. Following this guide will complete The Wizard of Waterdeep quest in Baldur's Gate 3. A requirement for this is to have Gale as one of your companions upon entering the room in the deepest level of Mind Flayer Colony.

 As your party descends deeper into the Mind Flayer Colony, your party will stop at a Flesh-Wrought Door. Just as you open the door, the Dream Visitor speaks to you again that you have found the root of it all. As you and your party prepare for a fight, you sneak inside and see 3 figures in the middle of a conversation. 

As the Dream Visitor speaks about the Elder Brain being the cruelest and most powerful creature in existence, Gale, who is standing behind you is in awe of so much power before him and how he wishes to hold it. However, he stops himself and says that he can't and must obey as his goddess commands. You, as the main character will hear this and will be prompted with two options:

1. Gale, you cannot do this. You can't condemn us to death.
2. Go ahead. We stand no chance against such forces. Let's end this together.

If you choose the second option, he will then respond to you, "One last gust of Weave. One last gale to end them all". The Dream Visitor will disagree but Gale unleashes the bomb within him, the one that he's been keeping in check ever since your journey together began. The smoke begins to rise up from beneath the Moonrise Towers where the elder brain was destroyed.

The bomb took everything within its powerful radius, however, the remaining tadpoles that had survived will now consume the minds of their host and complete their transformations, now that the control of the Absolute is gone. Soon, Illithids will plague the lands and enslave all those they do not infect. The narrator continues, "It is an ending of sorts. Though not the one destiny had in store for you."

Notes & Tips

• Solve the Mind puzzle to find the Blade of Oppressed Souls, and Desecrated Relief that explains Mind Flayers' grand scheme.
• Solve the Mind puzzle to find the Waking Mind Jar, insert it into Mind-Archive Interface to learn GITHZERAI MIND BARRIER.
• Attempt the Deception check on Knessa Bonedaughter to get her guard down, and you will be able to try a sneak attack against her.
• Help out Nightsong first by using the Help action to take away Ketheric Thorm's invulnerability.