Nekromancy of Thay
Nekromancy of Thay is a unique book that allows you to learn new spells, but only if you manage to read it. The book can be found in the first act in the basement of the apothecary’s house in the deserted village, but it cannot be fully unlocked immediately.
Who to Give the Tome To
Before reading, think carefully about who should receive all the bonuses and spells from the Nekromancy of Thay, as changing the character later will be impossible. Companions like Gale and Astarion will be interested in Nekromancy of Thay, but the choice of character is yours. If you give the book to Astarion upon his request, you will get additional cutscenes in the camp where the blonde elf tries to read it.
Unlocking the Ancient Tome
Where to Find the “Key”
Once you find the ancient tome in the basement of the apothecary’s house, you will not be able to open it right away because it is securely locked. Choose the option to take the book during dialogues and then go in search of the key — a dark amethyst. The dark amethyst can be found in the same deserted village.
- Near the rune circle “Deserted Village,” there is a dried-up well. You need to descend into it to access the dungeon “Whispering Abyss.” There, you will encounter small spiders and a boss — the Phase Spider Matriarch. It patrols directly above the spot where the dark amethyst lies.
With the amethyst in hand, you can not only open the ancient tome in Baldur’s Gate 3 but also read it. To do this, simply click on the book in your inventory. A cutscene will appear where you can choose: “Insert the amethyst into the slot in the book’s binding.”
After full reading, the tome will close, and it will only be able to be opened again in Act 3.
Reward
After inserting the dark amethyst into the slot on the ancient tome, you will need to pass three wisdom checks of difficulty 10, 15, and 20. It is best to choose a character with the highest wisdom attribute, such as a cleric, druid, monk, or ranger, to facilitate the checks.
- Bonus “Forbidden Knowledge” — gives +1 to wisdom checks.
- Spell “Speak with Dead” — you automatically learn a spell that allows you to ask five questions to some humanoid dead creatures without using a spell slot.
How to Finish Reading
Searching for the Codex
You will find a way to finish the Nekromancy of Thay through Gale’s personal quest “Wizard of Waterdeep.”
In the third act, upon arriving at Baldur’s Gate, you will need to visit the store “Magical Supplies” and speak with Tonna the Librarian on the first floor.
With a [Persuasion][Intimidation][Deception] check of difficulty 18, she will reveal that all necessary books are in the basement, and the entrance is located in her office on the second floor. Since she does not want to give you permission, you will need to use your wits to get into the basement.
Once in the basement, besides the “Annals of Karsus” needed by Gale for the story, you should not miss the book “Tharciate Codex.” Otherwise, you will not be able to finish reading Nekromancy of Thay.
The Codex is located in Elminster’s sanctuary. You can access it either by opening the doors in the following order:
- Silver Hand
- Evocation
- Wish
Or by using the “Knock” spell to immediately open the door “Elminster”.
Reward
You need to have the character who will continue to read the Nekromancy of Thay also read “Tharciate Codex.”
After this, it’s time to reopen the necromancy book. Thanks to the Codex, a new Wisdom check (difficulty 20) appears.
Then the character will receive:
- Spell “Horrid Dance” — allows you to summon 4 ghouls to aid you until the next long rest.
- Curse “Tharciate Withering” — the character receives a -5 decrease in endurance. This negative condition can be removed with the “Remove Curse” spell.
What Happens if You Destroy It
If you wish to destroy the Nekromancy of Thay, interact with the book and choose the option in the dialogue: “Throw the ominous tome with the intention to destroy it.”
Then attack the tome with any radiant damage spell, which Shadowheart has by default.
But that’s not the end. Three shades will appear that you need to fight. After defeating them, you will gain nothing except experience and an early end to the book’s story.
