Spellhold

Your guide to Spellhold in Shadows of Doubt. Learn how to get inside, who to talk to, and how to survive the dream sequence and escape.

Alright, so you've ended up at Spellhold because Desharik didn't play ball. No worries, we'll get you through this. The path to the Asylum Entrance is pretty straightforward, though you'll definitely run into some trouble along the way. Keep in mind, the enemies you face will change depending on whether it's day or night. Daytime means Lizard Men and an Air Elemental, while nighttime brings out two groups of undead. Just be ready for a fight either way.

Once you're inside Spellhold, things can go a couple of ways. You might get a tour from a rather shifty 'Coordinator,' or you might just be hanging out with the other inmates. Either way, there are some interesting folks to chat with:

• Aphril: She's got this whole multiverse thing going on. If you've played Planescape: Torment, her descriptions of Sigil might sound familiar.
• Dill: This guy can shapeshift into other people. Pretty neat, huh?
• Dradeel: You might remember him from Tales of the Sword Coast. He's got a serious fear of dogs now, which is a bit of a change. If you talk to him again, he'll actually give you some recipes.
• Tiax: He'll give you a good scare with some threats before he accidentally shrinks his own underwear. Classic Tiax!
• Wanev: You might need to pick a lock to find this former coordinator. He hands out these 'memos' that seem like total gibberish at first. It's actually a simple rotation cipher, so keep that in mind.
• Naljier Skal: This one can just conjure up cheap jewelry out of thin air. Handy for a quick buck, maybe?
• Imoen: Sadly, she's not doing too well. She's clearly been through a lot and won't have much to say.

Wanev's Memo: If you get one of his memos, here's the trick: subtract 4 from each letter, wrapping around from 'A' to 'Z'. The message reads: "My pantaloons are full of weasels. Inform the queen so that she might shoo them away. Here we go 'round the mulberry bush. Go, monkey, GO!" Some say there's a second memo, but honestly, I didn't have the patience to find it.

After a bit more time passes, or you reach a certain point in your 'tour,' the Coordinator will drop his disguise and reveal himself as Jon Irenicus. And if Yoshimo is with you? Well, that's another surprise coming your way. Turns out Yoshimo was drugged, and you're both in for it.

Next up is a dream sequence. After a big reveal about Imoen, Irenicus does his thing, and you'll wake up in a dream world with Imoen calling out to you. She'll tell you to 'find her within.' Head straight forward, and you'll run into a Demon blocking your path. To get past it, you'll have to sacrifice a point of Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Dexterity. Annoying, I know. Keep going into what looks like not-Candlekeep, and you'll find Imoen waiting.

She'll tell you that you need to face your instincts together. Head back outside and go west. You'll find Bhaal there. When he turns hostile, don't even bother trying to fight him – you can't hurt him. Your best bet is to just let him chase you all the way back to Imoen. Now you can fight him. If you're not feeling up to a brawl, a Potion of Defense might help. Keep at him until...

...you snap back to reality. You'll earn a hefty 48,500 XP, and the rest of your party gets 28,500 XP each. You'll also learn that Irenicus has taken something important from you. To top it all off, Irenicus orders Bodhi to deal with you and Imoen. Time to get moving!