Help the Cursed Monk

Help the Cursed Monk is a side quest in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). Read on for a detailed walkthrough for Help the Cursed Monk, its location, and the rewards you'll get for completing this side quest!

Side Quest Details

Journal Entry
Help the Cursed Monk We read the journal of a Dark Justiciar. He mentioned an amulet of great power that also made the wearer laugh. It was cast into the lava.
Recommended Level	Level 6
Rewards	・Tasha's Hideous Laughter Spell (if you agreed to receive the curse) ・Sentient Amulet (if you refused to receive the curse)
Starting Location
Grymforge - 2nd Level to the west of where your boat is docked.
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Help the Cursed Monk Walkthrough

	Help the Cursed Monk Guide
1	Read the Dark Justiciar's Journal
2	Retrieve the Sentient Amulet
3	Speak to the Cursed Monk
4	Travel to the Open Hand Temple
5	Enter the Crypt
6	Open Shirra Clarwen's Sarcophagus
7	Accept or Refuse the Monk's Curse

Read the Dark Justiciar's Journal

To begin the Help the Cursed Monk quest, read the Dark Justiciar's Journal which you can loot from a Dark Justiciar skeleton on the 2nd level to the west of where your boat is docked in Grymforge.

Retrieve the Sentient Amulet

The Sentient Amulet is located deep down the lava levels of the Grymforge. Follow our steps below to get there:

• Begin at the Cave-In rubble and jump over to the platforms to the east leading up to the Ancient Forge waypoint.
• From the waypoint, go down the stairs that leads to the Adamantine Forge.
• Jump over the gap to the southwest to reach the stairs and keep going until you reach the area filled with bursting lava.
• At the middle of the lava, you'll find an Adamantine Chest on a platform that contains the Sentient Amulet. Make your way there while hopping from one platform to another to avoid being damaged by the lava.

Defeat or Avoid the Lava Elemental

A Lava Elemental will be patrolling the area where the Adamantine Chest is located. You can choose to let it pass by until the path leading to the chest is clear, or you can choose to fight it.

If you decide to kill it, hop on one of the platforms to gain the High Ground advantage, then cast out your spells to deal with it quickly. You will have to beat it in one turn as it regenerates to full HP each round. Refrain from using any fire spells as the Lava Elemental is completely immune to fire.

Some good spells to use here would be Guiding Bolt to open up the fight, and Thunderwave if the Lava Elemental gets close to you. This should damage it enough for the other non-spellcasting party members to use bow attacks to finish it off!

Speak to the Cursed Monk

Open the Adamantine chest using lockpick (DC 20), then take the Sentient Amulet inside.

A trapped monk will emerge from the amulet and wishes to return to her granddaughter, Shirra Clarwen, at the Open Hand Temple near Wyrm's Crossing in Baldur's Gate.

Sentient Amulet Abilities and Side Effects

When equipping the Sentient Amulet, you'll gain access to the Shatter Spell and Ki Restoration.

However, the downside to this is that you'll be sufferring from the High Spirits condition where you must succeed a Wisdom Saving Throw each time you use one of the amulet's unique abilities, otherwise the wearer becomes Hysterical.

Travel to the Open Hand Temple

As soon as you arrive in Rivington at the beginning of Act 3, go past the waypoint and follow the main path to your left until you reach the Open Hand Temple (X: -48, Y: -3).

Speak to Sister Yannis and ask her about Shirra Clarwen's whereabouts. She'll inform you that Shirra had passed away a year ago and her body is buried in a crypt under the temple.

You'll also begin the Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders after the conversation with her.

Enter the Crypt

Go to the temple's kitchen by going through the doors on the right side of the temple. Enter the Ornate Wooden Hatch to find yourself in the temple's tunnels, then follow the path until you reach an altar with two statues behind it. The entrance to the crypt is located just across the altar.

Open Shirra Clarwen's Sarcophagus

There will be four sarcophagi inside the crypt. Read the plaque of Shirra Clarwen on the northwestern corner of the room first, then open the sarcophagus. The cursed monk will then take over her granddaughter's corpse to speak with you.

Accept or Refuse the Monk's Curse

Accept or Refuse the Curse
Accepting the Curse	Refusing the Curse

The monk's initial plan was to pass the curse to his supposed living granddaughter, but due to her untimely passing, the monk then asks if you would be willing to receive the curse instead.

Accepting the Curse

Once you accept the curse, the laughter will begin to take control of you, and you'll have to pass two Wisdom or Constitution dialogue checks with a DC of 15 to resist it. Alternatively, you can also choose not to resist the curse and let it take over you.

Do note that whether you succeed or fail the skill checks, you'll still succumb to the madness either way. After this, you'll receive the Tasha's Hideous Laughter spell and lose -2 Wisdom to your ability score.

Refusing the Curse

Refusing to receive the curse will anger the monk and the other corpses would rise from their tombs to fight you.

You'll only need to target and defeat the cursed monk during this fight so focus solely on him. Once he's been dealt with, he'll accept his fate of forever being cursed and the quest will end there.

You won't be receiving the Tasha's Hideous Laughter if you chose to go with this route, but on the bright side, your Wisdom ability score won't receive that -2 penalty and you'll get to keep the Sentient Amulet without its Hysterical side effects.

Help the Cursed Monk Rewards

Tasha's Hideous Laughter Spell

Accepting the curse will grant you the ability to use the Tasha's Hideous Laughter spell. This spell leaves a target Prone due to laughter. This requires the caster's Concentration and can only be used once per Long Rest.

Tasha's Hideous Laughter Spell Guide and Effects

Sentient Amulet

Refusing the curse will reward you with the Sentient Amulet. When equipped, you'll gain access to the Shatter Spell and Ki Restoration.

Sentient Amulet: Accessory Guide and How to Get

Baldur's Gate 3 Related Guides

List of All Side Quests

Prologue Side Quests

All Prologue Side Quests
How to Free the Intellect Devourer	How to Free Shadowheart

Act 1 Side Quests

Druid's Grove Quests

Druid Grove Quests
How to Steal the Sacred Idol	Should You Save The Goblin Sazza?	How to Avoid Tiefling Pickpockets
Save the Refugees	How to Save Nadira	How to Save Mirkon
How to Save the First Druid Halsin	How to Open the Stone Slab	Request Help from Nettie
How to Investigate and Expose Kagha	Save Arabella	-

The Risen Road Quests

The Risen Road Quests
Find the Missing Shipment	How to Rescue the Grand Duke
Rescue the Trapped Man	How to Free Oskar Fevras

Blighted Village Quests

Blighted Village Quests
How to Beat the Goblins: Blighted Village	How to Open the Necromancy of Thay	How to Recruit the Ogres
How to Finish the Masterwork Weapon	That Barn: Avoid Killing Buthir	Rescue the Gnome and Stop the Windmill

Goblin Camp Quests

Goblin Camp Quests
How to Get Volo's Ersatz Eye	Defiled Temple Puzzle
Find the Nightsong	Ask the Goblin Priestess for Help

Nautiloid Crash Region Quests

Nautiloid Crash Region Quests
Dank Crypt Guide	The Dying Mind Flayer	Auntie Ethel Quest Guide
How to Get Owlbear Cub	Spiderling Nest Guide-	How to Open the Selunite Chest
How to Get Scratch	Should You Heal Pandirna	Underground Passage Guide

Underdark Quests

Underdark Quests
Arcane Tower Guide	Defeat the Duergar Intruders	Save the Grymforge Gnomes
Find the Adamantine Forge	Deliver Nere's Head	How to Find the Mushroom Picker
How to Cure the Poisoned Gnome	Help the Cursed Monk	Omeluum Location

Mountain Pass Quests

Mountain Pass Quests
Steal a Githyanki Egg	How to Beat Gremishkas	How to Access Guardian of Faith Room
Dawnmaster Puzzle Guide	Where to Find the Githyanki Creche	-

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

Act 2 Side Quests

Last Light Inn Quests

Last Light Inn Quests
Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse	Rescue the Tieflings	Rescue Wulbren
How to Lift the Shadow Curse: Where to Find Thaniel	Find Zevlor	Help He Who Was
Investigate the Selûnite Resistance	-	-

Gauntlet of Shar Quests

Gauntlet of Shar Quests
Gauntlet of Shar: All Trials and Umbral Gems	Kill Raphael's Old Enemy

Mind Flayer Colony Quests

Mind Flayer Colony Quests
How to Solve the Necrotic Laboratory

Act 3 Side Quests

Rivington Quests

Rivington Quests
Investigate the Suspicious Toys	Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders	Find the Missing Letters
How to Get to Wyrm's Rock Fortress	How to Find Dribbles the Clown	-

Lower City Quests

Lower City Quests
How to Get to the House of Hope	How to Get to Cazador's Palace	Rescue Orin's Victim
Aid the Underduke	How to Get to the House of Grief	Investigate the Murders