Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3

The Mind Flayer Parasite — Baldur's Gate 3 Walkthrough

Understand the Mind Flayer parasite in Baldur's Gate 3, its illithid powers, and seek removal from Auntie Ethel or Omeluum.

·Multi-source verified (78/78)

The Mind Flayer Parasite

The Mind Flayer Parasite quest begins early in Baldur's Gate 3, focusing on your character's illithid powers. These powers, granted by the parasite from the Nautiloid, can be used to influence others or overpower them. The more you use these powers and collect parasite specimens, the stronger they become. This quest is intertwined with the main story, particularly through interactions with your Dream Visitor, who reveals more about these abilities.

The main objective is to find a way to remove the mind flayer parasite. This quest starts at the Ravaged Beach, where you'll encounter Shadowheart unconscious (X:271 Y:217). Interacting with her gives you three options:

  1. Wake her.
  2. Reach for the artefact.
  3. Leave.

Waking her leads to a conversation where she asks how you both survived. Your dialogue choices influence her responses:

  • "I was hoping you might know that." She recalls only the ship and falling.
  • "Doesn't matter - we made it."

If you choose "I was hoping you might know that," you then have three responses:

  1. Now what?
  2. Do you have any idea where we are?
  3. What happened to our gith friend?

Choosing "Do you have any idea where we are?" prompts her to suggest finding supplies, shelter, and a healer for the parasites. This leads to more dialogue options:

  1. 'We'? You want to stay together?
  2. What happened to our gith friend?
  3. Indeed, I'd better get moving then. Farewell.

Selecting "'We'? You want to stay together?" results in her saying you both need each other. You can then choose to:

  1. All right, let's get moving.
  2. No. This is where we part ways.

Several NPCs offer potential solutions for the parasite:

  • Auntie Ethel: Offers to remove the parasite at the Riverside Teahouse. This is mutually exclusive with Volo's Ersatz Eye and Wyll's stone eye options.
  • Omeluum: A friendly Mind Flayer Trader and member of the Society of Brilliance, found at Ebonlake Grotto in the Underdark after being contacted by Blurg. He can attempt to remove the tadpole after completing the "Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite" quest. He also sells the Ring of Mind-Blanking for 70 gp, or in exchange for a story about the Nautiloid.