Rescue the Gnome: How to Stop the Windmill

This is a walkthrough on how to rescue the Gnome in Blighted Village in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). Read on to know how get rid of the Goblins, what dialogue choices to make, what the best strategies are for fighting the goblins, and how to stop the windmill!

Side Quest Details

Journal Entry
Rescue the Gnome
Reward	Smoke Powder Satchel and The Speedy Lightfeet
Related Quest	Save the Grymforge Gnomes
Location
Head west of the Emerald Grove and inside the Blighted Village.

How to Rescue the Gnome

Get Rid of the Goblins

When you get into Blighted Village, there are a group of goblins torturing a tied up gnome on the windmill. There are two ways you can get rid of the goblins and save the gnome. The first is to convince them to leave by passing a skill check, while the other is by fighting and killing them.

Stop the Windmill

Once you get rid of the gobbos, you can now safely stop the windmill by going to the back and use the Brake Lever inside. When the windmill halts, you can go back to the front and untie the gnome.

How to Get Rid of the Goblins

Convince the Goblins to Leave

NPC Dialogue
''Find your own. He's ours.'
Dialogue Options	Dialogue Results
[INTIMIDATION (DC15)] ''I won't let you harm a defenceless being - not without a fight.''	Success The goblins leave the area Failure Force you into combat with the goblins
[PERSUASION (DC15)] ''All of you lot against one deep gnome? You should go find a better target.''
[DETECT THOUGHTS (DC9)] Read the goblin's mind.
[ILLITHID | WISDOM (DC2)] ''You will release the Gnome. That's an order.''

Before approaching the goblins at the windmill, use any spell buffs to prepare your party incase you have to fight the goblins.

With the choices above in mind, it is best to have someone with high Wisdom, such as Shadowheart, to walk up to them and choose the Detect Thoughts option because it has a low difficulty check.

To save the Gnome, you can convince the Goblins to leave by passing one of the skill checks above. For these options to appear, do not say that you ''...just want to pass by,'' but instead command them to ''release the gnome.''

Similar to the previous encounter, you could also choose the Illithid option since it has the lowest difficulty check. However, it is only recommended to use this choice if you do not have anyone in the party that has a high Wisdom stat.

Shadowheart Companion Guide

Fight the Goblins

The other option is to fight the goblins. Although, this battle is difficult because you will be severely outnumbered. It is also hard to assassinate this group of gobbos since they are all close together, which makes the Sneak Attack and Hide combo hard to pull off without being undetected.

Eliminate the Goblin Devouts

The priority for this fight is to eliminate the Goblin Devouts first. These enemies are annoying because they can heal other allies and use high damage spells against you. Killing them first will make the rest of the fight more manageable.

Go on Top of the Stone Platforms

Another way to gain an advantage is to go on top of the stone platforms in the area. This will give you the high ground, making your ranged skills easier to hit while also making enemies below have a harder time hitting back.

Rewards for Saving the Gnome

The Gnome's Belongings

The gnome will offer you his belongings after you speak with him. You can pick them up by entering the wooden hatch at the back of the windmill. You can find a variety of items there like a shovel, camp supplies, thieves' tool. Most notably you can get the Smoke Powder Satchel and The Speedy Lightfeet from the heavy backpack and heavy chest respectively.

The Speedy Lightfeet Overview

Who is the Gnome in the Blighted Village?

Barcus Wroot

The deep gnome that was being tortured by goblins is Barcus Wroot. He is an NPC in the game looking for a friend who seems to be in danger. He mentions of going to the Underdark in hopes of finding them there. You can also encounter him later on during the Save the Grymforge Gnomes side quest.

Save the Grymforge Gnomes Guide

Baldur's Gate 3 Related Guides

List of All Side Quests

Prologue Side Quests

Act 1 Side Quests

Druid's Grove Quests

The Risen Road Quests

Blighted Village Quests

Goblin Camp Quests

Nautiloid Crash Region Quests

Underdark Quests

Mountain Pass Quests

This section is currently under construction. Check back later for updates!

Act 2 Side Quests

Last Light Inn Quests

Gauntlet of Shar Quests

Mind Flayer Colony Quests

Act 3 Side Quests

Rivington Quests

Lower City Quests