Chapter 3 Walkthrough - Baldur's Gate 2
Chapter 3 begins the moment you pay 15,000G to either Bodhi in the Graveyard District or to Gaelan Bayle in the Slums District. Essentially, you have to choose which of these 2 factions you want to accept help from as far as rescuing Imoen goes. Depending on which faction you choose the entirety of Chapter 3 will play out differently.
During Chapter 2 you will be approached by a messenger named Valen who starts the quest Meeting with Valen's Mistress. This will serve as your introduction to Bodhi and is where she'll pitch you her offer. Both paths are similar in structure in the sense that they ask you to do 3 quests in total with the final quest being infiltrate and destroy the other faction. Below is a bit of information about the 2.
("Good") Ally With Shadow Thieves: If you choose Gaelan Bayle and ally with the Shadow Thieves Guild you'll have to complete a few tasks for them in the Docks District. The final quest in the chain will involve a raid on Bodhi's sancutary in the Lower Tombs of the Graveyard District.
(Evil) Ally With Bodhi: If you choose to ally with Bodhi you'll be given a few tasks by her in the Graveyard District. The final quest of this chain will involve an assault on the Shadow Thief Guild in Docks District where you'll have to kill Aran Linvail.
The choice is ultimately up to you, I prefer the Shadow Thief route because working for Bodhi doesn't feel right... I also typically play good characters and the Shadow Thief route is seen as the "less evil" of the two routes. Regardless though I have written guides for both so that you're covered no matter what you choose.
Continue to Shadow Thief Chapter 3 Quest Walkthroughs
Continue to Bodhi Chapter 3 Quest Walkthroughs
Before you finish Chapter 3 and move on to the next Chapter let me give you a long list of more side quests that you're able to do at this time. All of the side quests below are quest chains involving Companions. The Enhanced Edition quest chains are the longest and are the ones most worth doing in terms of EXP and magical item rewards but they're also the worst written.
It's up to you which side quest chains you'd like to do and which you want to skip. The information below is provided in such a way that you can skip around and do whatever you wish before proceeding with the rest of the game. My only recommendation would be to make sure you're at least level 15 before proceeding to Chapter 4.
Rasaad's Companion Quest Chain
0. Unlock Trademeet on your World Map by talking with Flydian in the City Gates of Athkatla
1. Visit Trademeet and recruit Rasaad near the fountain
2. Go to the City Gates of Athkatla to start Rasaad's Companion Quest
3. Explore & Complete the Abandoned Ampitheater map
4. Continue to the Heretic Temple map and start exploring that
5. If you haven't already advance Neera's Companion Quest far enough to unlock the Hidden Refuge
6. (Do this now or it's missed forever) Accept Where's Wilson? and complete the quest
7. Finish Rasaad's Companion Quest and the Heretic Temple map
Neera's Companion Quest Chain
1. Trigger the event with Neera in the Bridge District
2. Encounter Neera in an Athkatla waylaid map; this will begin Neera's Companion Quest
3. Visit the Wild Forest map and talk to Neera here
4. Continue to the Hidden Refuge map
5. Accept all available side quests and avoid progressing Neera's Companion Quest any further
6. Complete A New Beer for Mironda, Barad Ding's Eight Cats, Mereth's Hairband and Talisman of the Hearthfire
7. After leaving Hidden Refuge once then returning talk to Amanis Khal to begin an unmarked quest involving finding her child
8. Complete the unmarked quest Amanis Khal's Missing Son
9. Progress Rasaad's Companion Quest far enough to reach the Heretic Temple map
10. Complete Where's Wilson?
11. Advance Neera's Companion Quest again; save Daxus in the Bridge District
12. Visit & Complete the Red Wizard Enclave in Athkatla
13. Visit Hidden Refuge one last time to complete Neera's Companion Quest
14. Remove Neera from party
Dorn's Companion Quest Chain
1. Meet Dorn in the Temple District of Athkatla & Recruit him
2. Begin Dorn's Companion Quest & progress it
3. Clear out the Helmite Camp & Collect your loot
4. Visit & Complete Resurrection Gorge
5. Complete Dorn's Companion Quest
Hexxat's Side Quest Chain
1. Meet "Hexxat" aka Clara at the Copper Coronet in Slums District
2. This will start the Hexxat's Request Side Quest
3. Take Clara to Dragomir's Tomb in the Graveyard District
4. Complete the Hexxat's Request Side Quest in Dragomir's Tomb
5. Return to the real Hexxat in the Copper Coronet & recruit her
6. Hexxat will give you Dragomir's Respite (Bag of Holding with 99 Slots)
7. Wait 1 week and Hexxat's Companion Quest will begin when Cabrina approaches you
8. Complete the Crypts of Durkon for Hexxat's Companion Quest
9. Finish the Tomb of the Unproved for Hexxat's Companion Quest
10. Remove Hexxat from party
Cernd's Side Quest
1. Accept the Animal Trouble in Trademeet Side Quest & Go to Trademeet
2. Talk to Cernd in the High Merchant's Basement & Recruit him
3. Visit the Druid Grove map & complete the Animal Trouble in Trademeet Side Quest
4. (Optional) Complete Dealing with the Trademeet Genies at the same time
5. After turning in Animal Trouble in Trademeet take Cernd to Waukeen's Promenade in Athkatla
6. Igarol will approach you and start Cernd's Child (his Companion quest)
7. Complete Cernd's Child; Cernd will leave the party after you find his baby
8. Return to the Druid Grove after Cernd leaves the group to complete this quest
9. (Optional) Leave Cernd at the Druid Grove with his child (that's what I do)
Anomen's Side Quest Chain
1. Recruit Anomen at the Copper Coronet in the Slums District
2. Wait 5 days then a messenger starts Anomen's Companion Quest
3. Talk to the people in the Government District and urge Anomen not to seek revenge
4. Get Anomen to Level 12 and/or wait 10 days for Sir Ryan Trawl to approach you
5. Watch Anomen's Knight Ceremony to complete Anomen's Companion Quest
Edwin's Side Quest Chain
1. Accept & Complete Find Proof of Mae'Var's Treachery to meet and recruit Edwin
2. Enter the Graveyard District of Athkatla to start Edwin's Companion Quest
3. Visit the Southern Tombs below the Graveyard District
4. Obtain the Nether Scroll from Nevaziah
5. Wait for Edwin's Companion Quest to complete
Mazzy's Side Quest Chain
1. Begin the side quest Investigate The Deaths In Umar Hills
2. Unlock the Temple Ruins location on your World Map
3. Recruit Mazzy inside of the Temple Ruins dungeon
4. Finish Investigate The Deaths In Umar Hills
5. Wait until Mazzy's Companion Quest begins in a few days
6. Complete Mazzy's Companion Quest
Korgan's Side Quest Chain:
1. Recruit Korgan into your party at the Copper Coronet in Slums District
2. This will start The Book of Kaza quest which is Korgan's Companion Quest
3. Visit the Graveyard District and venture down into the Lower Tombs
4. Update the quest in Lower Tombs then visit the Government District and update it again
5. Return to the Slums District and complete Korgan's Companion Quest
Nalia's Side Quest Chain:
1. Visit The De'Arnise Keep map
2. Obtain Flail of Ages (arguably a BiS weapon)
3. Complete The De'Arnise Keep Has Been Invaded
4. Keep Nalia in your party and eventually Nalia's Companion Quest will begin
5. At some point during this quest Nalia will be taken from you; once completed you will get her back
Jan's Companion Quest Chain:
1. Visit the Government District & Recruit Jan Jansen
2. Wait until Jan's Companion Quest begins
3. Complete Jan's Companion Quest
Once you're finished all the side quests you want to do and are ready to proceed to Chapter 4 you'll have to speak with either Aran Linvail or Bodhi, depending on who you allied with. If you aren't yet finished with their quests then you'll have to finish that quest chain before you're allowed to proceed. Check out my Shadow Thief Chapter 3 Quest Walkthroughs or my Bodhi Chapter 3 Quest Walkthroughs for more information.
Before you depart for Spellhold you should keep in mind that you will be unable to return to Athkatla until Chapter 6! Once you arrive in Spellhold you're going to be essentially put on rails until you complete the next few chapters of this game. For this reason you'll want to make sure you're well stocked and prepared before heading out.
Important! I also recommend you recruit Yoshimo into your party if he is not already. He plays a pivitol role in the story during the Spellhold chapter of this game and if you bring Yoshimo with you then you'll get access to Yoshimo's Companion Quest which will earn you 200,000 EXP.
Continue to Walkthrough Chapter 4
Return to Walkthrough Chapter 2