Baldur’s Gate 3: Smoke Powder Reserves Needed in Grimforge to Rescue the Loyal Nere from Debris
If you do not bring the smoke powder in time, Nere will perish, and you may miss out on continuing the dwarf Bark Root’s quest.
Where to Find the Powder
If you talk to the dwarf slaves near the rubble after killing their overseers, they will hint that the powder can be found with the escaped dwarven female, Philomina.
Despite the map marking the location, finding Philomina’s stash will be quite challenging.
Steps to Obtain the Smoke Powder
- Return to the dock and head to the opposite side to the place where two dwarves are tossing corpses into the water. You can either kill them or persuade them to leave.
- To persuade them, choose:
- [Perception] Inspect the bodies.
- [Deception] I’ll finish up here. You have been ordered to join the others.
If you fail the checks, you will have to fight.
- Once you have dealt with the dwarves, proceed to pick the lock of the double gates using lockpicks (Difficulty — 14).
- Inside the room, you need to pass a perception check to see a button on the wall to the left. Pressing the button will reveal a secret passage to the old part of the Shar temple.
- After passing through the double doors, you will find yourself near a staircase leading upwards. This area is inhabited by creatures that will attack if you step into their acidic secretions on the floor. You can avoid the attack by using stealth mode (crouch) and moving one by one.
- Climb the stairs until you reach a rocky ledge and a small chasm. Jump over the obstacle.
- Proceed to the ornate door. You can either pick its lock (Difficulty — 10) or go through the hole in the wall on the left.
In the large hall, you will find Philomina hiding from the slavers. She will threaten to blow up a nearby barrel of runic powder.
Possible Outcomes
Convincing Philomina to Hand Over the Powder
- You need to successfully persuade or intimidate Philomina to prevent the explosion. The available options are:
- [Persuasion] Laryda sent me. The dwarves need your help.
- [Intimidation] If I were loyal, you wouldn’t be breathing. Step aside before you get hurt.
- [Persuasion] Smile broadly and extend your hand.
- [Persuasion] Are you sure? If you die, it’s forever. It will be all over.
- [Detect Thoughts] Cast the “Detect Thoughts” spell.
Options 1 through 4 require a Charisma check with a difficulty of 15. Choosing the [Detect Thoughts] option will require an Intelligence check with a difficulty of 12. If the checks are successful, the dwarven woman will give you some smoke powder, which is enough to clear the debris, and she will run off to an unknown destination.
Explosion
If you fail any of Philomina’s checks (or choose the dialogue option, “I don’t care. Go ahead, blow it up”), she will immediately blow up the barrel. The explosion is so powerful that nearby party members will fall unconscious. Philomina will perish, and you will not get the powder.
How to Use the Powder on the Debris
After obtaining the powder, return to the debris to clear it. Here’s what you need to do:
- Throw the vial of runic powder under the rocks. The dwarves will run away. It’s also best to move your companions away from the debris.
- Ignite the vial from a distance. Even a regular arrow will suffice.
There will be a big explosion, and a cutscene will automatically start. After the debris is cleared, you will meet the loyal Nere, from whom you can obtain the Spider Lyre, and decide the fate of the dwarf slaves.
