Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3 has a lot of murders going on, more so than the previous two acts combined, and a lot of blame being pushed around. From the moment the player begins act 3, tensions are going to be very high at all times with a city that is threatening to tear itself apart and an overbearing robotic police force overseeing the populace. To make matters even worse, a local and beloved religious leader has been murdered in what appears to be a murder-suicide committed by a refugee that he was supporting and protecting – at least, that is the going theory in the city.
Shortly upon entering Act 3 and the city of Rivington, players will come across a religious temple with a bit of a commotion happening outside, the Open Hand Temple. The Open Hand Temple generally accepts refugees but is currently not doing so due to the recent murder of their leader, Father Lorgan, who was supposedly murdered by Brilgor, one of the aforementioned welcomed refugees. Speaking to those inside and around the temple will provide players with varying opinions about what really happened, but nobody is really sure of the truth. To begin the quest to uncover the truth, players should speak to Sister Yannis and offer to help solve the murder. The investigator who is in charge of uncovering the truth, a Hollyphant named Valeria, is fully convinced that Brilgor is guilty.
Sister Yannis provides the player with various points of interest to check out in their investigation, and there isn’t much of a specific order in which to complete them. This guide specifically will cover one of the most direct routes, starting with investigating Father Lorgan’s corpse in the room on the South-Westernmost side of the Temple.
Updated on September 23, 2024, by Nahda Nabiilah: The Open Hand Temple murder case has to be one of the most complicated cases players will encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3. A murderer is running around, killing citizens all in Bhaal’s name and collecting their hands. By following the murderer’s steps and using a few Speak with the Dead spells/potions in Baldur’s Gate 3, Tav should collect enough clues to capture the one responsible and protect the people of Baldur’s Gate City.
How To Solve The Open Hand Temple Murders In Baldur’s Gate 3
Unfortunately, there isn’t much to immediately note regarding the Father’s corpse, not unless the player thinks a bit more outside the box. The best course of action here is for the player to use the “speak with the dead” ability to speak to Father Lorgan directly, in which you can question him on various things such as where, when, and how he died, and more importantly, who killed him. Father Lorgan will reveal that Brilgor is not the person who killed him, but rather that he was killed by a “dwarf dressed in red.”
After speaking to Father Lorgan, players should keep the character who is capable of speaking with the dead in their party, as their task is not yet done. From the room with the corpse of Father Lorgan, players should head out the door in the back leading outside and into the door directly across from them, leading into the kitchen. Before heading into the hatch that Sister Yannis mentioned, players should instead head through the door to the West of the kitchen, following the stairs down and outside.
From here, players should follow the path through the graveyard until they see the grave next to the small mausoleum. Interacting with the dirt mound will allow the player to dig out the casket of Brilgor, and attacking it with a character will reveal Brilgor’s dead body. Once again, players should use their death-speaking companion to gather some more details from Brilgor, the supposed “killer.”
Now that players have sufficiently spoken to the dead and gathered the relevant details, it is time to head to the scene of the murder. Head back into the kitchen and enter the hatch that Sister Yannis had mentioned, which will lead to the cellar of the Open Hand Temple. Once in the cellar, players have to follow the corridor until they find themselves in a large room with two statues, an altar, and a very obvious panel of the wall that opens behind it.
Directly across from the altar is another room that houses a bunch of buried corpses, and while that room is not relevant to this quest, it is an important part of the “Help the Cursed Monk” quest that players may have started during Act 2. Once the player is ready to continue, they should check the walls directly next to the two statues where they will find an interact-able plaque called “heraldic sign,” and interacting with this sign will reveal a button on both sides. Pressing the buttons will open the wall panel and allow the player to continue toward the murder scene.
Once players have progressed a little way into the room of the murder scene, they will be thrown into combat that cannot be avoided or talked out of. Players should be sure that their team is rested, equipped, and properly put together before proceeding through the now-open wall panel!
Once the player has defeated and looted the enemies, they should be sure to loot all the nearby corpses as well – likely the victims of the people the player just defeated. Among these victims is the corpse of Dribbles the Clown, so looting this body is a very important part of another Act 3 side quest that players have likely picked up already.
Another of the victims will be holding the “flower key,” which will allow the player to progress to the next part of the quest. Further, near the wooden platform will be a hole in the ground which can be searched to find the murder weapon, “Stillmaker.” Players must have a high enough perception to discover this hole on their own. Before leaving, players are free to once again use their ability to speak to the dead to interrogate those who attacked them, though this step is entirely optional.
Where To Use The Flower Key In Baldur’s Gate 3
Now that the player has found the flower key, they have the most essential part of solving the murder. The question is: what does it unlock? The answer to this can be found in a nearby inn, Fraygo’s Flophouse. However, getting to the Flophouse can be a potentially more complicated endeavor than players may anticipate. To reach the Flophouse, players first have to get through the South Span Checkpoint, just North of the Open Hand Temple. This checkpoint is guarded by five Fist units and one of the large Steel Watchers, and various other Fist units are in close enough proximity to join any fights that may break out here.
Due to the nature of Baldur’s Gate 3, the experience of getting through this checkpoint may vary based on the different choices players have made this far, with some players able to talk their way through, some needing to fight or face imprisonment, and some potentially getting around another way. Should players need an alternative method past this checkpoint, abilities such as “Fly” and ” 
Misty Step” can allow characters to go around or through the checkpoint without triggering the interrogation. Furthermore, if players are imprisoned, it is very possible to break out.
Once players have made it past the South Span Checkpoint and have entered Wyrm’s Crossing, it is time to head to Fraygo’s Flophouse. The Flophouse is located directly through the checkpoint; it’ll be the door immediately to the player’s left. The player can accuse the employee of being the murderer for some silly dialogue, but the real thing players are seeking here is upstairs. Players should head upstairs and corner the very first opening to their right to find themselves face-to-face with a ladder that will lead to the attic of the Flophouse.
In the very messy attic, players will find a uniquely pristine-looking wardrobe that seems out-of-place, which is actually a secret entrance that can be unlocked with the flower key that players looted earlier. Upon entering this room, the desk to the player’s immediate right holds what players are seeking: a journal revealing that the murder is part of a Bhaalist plot, as well as a hit list of the other intended murder targets.
Where To Find Investigator Valeria In Baldur’s Gate 3
Now that players have adequate proof that Brilgor is innocent and that Father Lorgan was murdered as part of a serial murder plot in the name of the god Bhaal, it is time for players to report their findings to their Hollyphant friend, Valeria. Valeria can be found directly across the street from the Flophouse, on the second floor of the Sharess’ Caress.
If, for some reason, Valeria is not there, it likely means that the player has progressed the main plot a bit too far, and they will be able to find her again elsewhere later. Speaking to Valeria, will finish the Open Hand Temple Murders quest, and she will send players on their way to begin a new line of quests surrounding the planned murders and the Bhaalist cult.
Where To Find The Serial Killer And How To Stop Him In Baldur’s Gate 3
Upon discovering that the serial killer is a Bhaalist with a target list, marks will appear on the players’ map that point to the victims’ locations. Search for Cora and head to her wine-tasting party. Tav will see Cora, her husband, and Dolor Meztli enjoying some wine. The best course of action here is to warn her and that will anger Dolor as he is the serial killer.
The party will immediately enter a battle with Dolor and his doppelgangers. After defeating everyone, you discover that Cora is safe, but the real Dolor ran away to finish off his next victim, which, in this case, is Figaro Pennygood. Head to the Facemaker’s Boutique in the Lower City to see that Dolor already has Fiagro at a knife point. A cutscene will show Devella on the floor, confirming that whether Tav meets her before or not, Figaro will still be in danger.
If Tav chooses to sneak and surprise the Bhaalist, it will result in the immediate death of the victim, so announce your presence to save the shop owner and defeat the serial killer. Speak with Devella and then loot the body to find the hands of previous victims as well as more pieces of evidence. Additionally, Dolor also carries some great items like potions and spells as well as a decent Dagger. Once Tav confirms that the shop owner is safe, Fiagro offers players discounts on all of his items.
