Escape the Deal

A contract signed with great reluctance.

Escape the Deal is a sub-quest of the Quest  Deal with the Devil in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It is automatically added to the journal if Raphael's Soul-Sworn Contract is accepted.

Objectives

Find a way into Raphael's House of Hope.

• We signed Raphael's deal but are having second thoughts about giving the ultra-powerful Crown of Karsus to a devil. Raphael is smart, but perhaps he can be outsmarted: if we could get into the House of Hope and destroy our contract, that would void the deal.
• We talked with Korrilla and learned of a way into the House of Hope: it seems there's a diabolist somewhere in Baldur's Gate who knows how to get in.

Find Helsik the diabolist.

• The orthon Yurgir, whom we aided in the Shar Temple, visited our camp with some advice about our infernal contract. He told us that in the Lower City there is a diabolist named Helsik who can get us into the House of Hope.
• We learned that in the Lower City there is a diabolist named Helsik who helped Gortash open a portal into the Hells. Perhaps she can help us get into Raphael's House of Hope.
• We found a shop called Devil's Fee run by a diabolist named Helsik. Perhaps she can help us get into Raphael's House of Hope.

Enter the House of Hope.

• We talked to Helsik and persuaded her to help us get into the House of Hope. She gave us a grimoire that describes a ritual that will open a portal to the Hells.
• We acquired a grimoire that describes a ritual that will open a portal to the Hells. If we follow its instructions, that may enable us to get into Raphael's House of Hope.
• We completed a ritual that opened a portal to the Hells. We should use it to enter the House of Hope.

Find the infernal contract.

• We have entered the House of Hope. Now to find our contract.

Search the Archive.

• We met Hope, the mad spirit of the House, who told us we'll find our contract in the Archive.
• We found Raphael's notes in the safe in his Boudoir, and learned how to access the treasures in the Archive. That's where we'll find our contract.

Find a way to deactivate the magic field.

• We found our contract, but it's locked behind an impenetrable magic field. We must find a way to deactivate it.

Investigate the Boudoir.

• The Archivist wouldn't tell us how to deactivate the magic field, but we might find an answer in Raphael's Boudoir.
• We learned of Raphael's boudoir. We should find a way to gain access to it - it may hold answers.

Destroy the infernal contract.

• We obtained the password to deactivate the contract's magic field. We should return to the Archive.
• We found the contract. It's protected by an impenetrable magic field, but we learned the password to deactivate it.
• We used the password to deactivate the magic field, and can now destroy our contract. But we were told that Raphael will know what we've done, so we must be ready.

Quest Complete

• We can no longer get to the House of Hope. Now we are bound to fulfil the terms of our deal with Raphael.
• We destroyed our infernal contract with Raphael. Now we have no obligation to give him the Crown of Karsus.

Walkthrough

Sharess' Caress

Mamzell Amira can be encountered on the ground floor of Sharess' Caress by the front entrance. When asked what she has to offer, Amira mentions that a devil is in residence Raphael. At the bar, Korrilla can be met, informing the party that Raphael wishes to speak with them.

At the top floor Raphael can be found in a room labelled the Devil's Den. If Kith'rak Voss is alive, he is trying to make a deal with Raphael, but Raphael sends him away. He does, however, have a proposition for the party. Raphael is in possession of the Orphic Hammer that can break the cage that holds Orpheus. In return, he wants the  Crown of Karsus, which is being used to control the Elder Brain.

Raphael's proposal can be rejected or accepted. If it is rejected, he states that he will remain at Sharess' Caress for some time in case they change their mind. If the deal is accepted, he creates a Soul-Sworn Contract and the party instantly feels a pang of regret, starting the quest to escape this deal.

The Devil's Fee

A note about Helsik is in Nine-Fingers Keene's room.

There is a note in the Lower City Sewers within the Guildhall. Across the way from Nine-Fingers Keene at her desk is the Devil's Fee Observer's Report, which states that Helsik is a diabolist who aided Enver Gortash and the Chosen Three in obtaining the  Crown of Karsus.

If the party completed  Break Yurgir's Contract without killing him in Act Two, then Yurgir appears at camp to offer advice. He tips the party off to Helsik in the Lower City.

The party can also randomly stumble upon Helsik by exploring the Lower City and entering The Devil's Fee. Helsik initially sells a number of magical items without revealing her true work. The party can learn about this fact by walking around. Several items in the shop trigger Arcana checks which, if succeeded, reveal that they are genuine artifacts from Hell. These items are the Monster's Skull at X: -43 Y: 3, another Monster's Skull at X: -47 Y: 2, and infernal gems at X: -25 Y: 5. After these artifacts are discovered, the party can pass a DC 18 Persuasion check) to ask Helsik if she is a diabolist.

Alternatively, the party can learn of Helsik's capabilities by exploring the top floor and finding the Coin of Mammon and other objects in the top floor area that reveal she is capable of opening a door into hell.

Additionally, the party can learn of Helsik's diabolist background by reading {{SmRarityItem|Report on Activities of Enver Gortash}, a note located in the Infiltration Training Room in the lower level of the House of Grief at X: -331 Y: -1595.

Opening the portal to Hell

Once the party is aware of Helsik, they can find her at the Devil's Fee. Inquiring about Helsik being a diabolist has her revealing that her true business is not in information or hellish curious. She is Mammon's Picklock, Latchkeeper of the Nine Hells. She breaks people into the Hells, for a cost. The cost is 20,000 gold. On passing a DC 20 Persuasion check, she waives the fee in lieu of the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength, starting  Acquire the Gauntlets for Helsik. Otherwise, she can be persuaded to cut down the fee to 10,000.

The placement of the ritual items in the circle.

Striking a deal with Helsik, she gives the party all the tools needed to open a portal to Hell. This includes a Grimoire Bound in Imp Skin and a Ritual Pouch with all the necessary items. The party must go upstairs in the Devil's Fee to find a circle in blood, read the Grimoire Bound in Imp Skin to learn the ritual, then place the ritual items in the correct areas. Starting from the point closest to Helsik's diary and going clockwise:

• Skull at X: -35 Y: 6
• Coin of Mammon at X: -34 Y: 8
• Empty spot
• Diamond at X: -30 Y: 7
• Incense at X: -29 Y: 4
• Empty spot
• Empty spot

Then, the Infernal Marble must be placed in the center of the circle and a portal to hell opens.

Meeting Hope

A map to the House of Hope.

Once inside the House of Hope, a strange dwarf appears to greet the party. She believes that the party is in great danger. She herself is dealing with her jailers, but can be convinced to stick around. Asking her who she is reveals that she is Hope, and that she is trapped in the prison. Only the Orphic Hammer can release her from her bonds. She explains that the party has to get past the Debtors and sneak to the Archive to get their Soul-Sworn Contract. To aid the party, she gives them a Debtor's Disguise so that they can move about the House undetected.

As the party was given the Orphic Hammer by Raphael in exchange for the contract, they can go to the prison and free Hope directly. However, this makes the entire House of Hope hostile immediately.

Mol's Contract

The Infernal Gem locks away Mol's contract.

If alive, Mol has a contract in the House of Hope, locked in a room with an Inert Infernal Gem at X: 6481 Y: 2944. Interacting with the gem requires a DC 10 Wisdom check and a DC 20 Arcana check check to open.

This room also contains 666 gold, a Staff of Spellpower, and a Helldusk Helmet.

The Archivist

Before entering the Archives, Hope appears once again to warn the party about the Archivist. She says that the party must exploit his weakness to get by. Before she can fully explain, the party must pass either a Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom check to keep on speaking with her. After passing the check, if asked how to deal with the Archivist, she says that he fears authority figures. With a DC 20 Persuasion check, she reveals that he particularly fears Verillius Receptor, a High Inquisitor of Zariel who has official permission to audit Raphael's collection. Verillius' true form is so ghastly and mind-scarring that she takes on guises when she comes to visit. The party can exploit this by pretending to be that guise. If Hope fails to get out the name, then a successful use of  Detect Thoughts (DC 10) can be used on the Archivist to reveal the name as well.

The Archivist welcomes "Verillius" to the Archive.

Once inside, the party must pass a DC 15 Deception check to get the Archivist to fully believe in the ruse. Unfortunately, the Archivist cannot give access to the contract, as it is surrounded by an impervious sphere. The sphere requires a magic code that only Raphael has. Instead, he refers the party to wait in the Boudoir until Raphael has returned. The Archivist can also relinquish the pass to the Boudoir by passing a DC 25 Intimidation check, or by pickpocketing him.

If the Archivist is not successfully deceived or intimidated, information on how to enter the Boudoir can be found in the Outer Portals room at X: -6441 Y: 2920. Nubaldin is cleaning up the room. Speaking with him, lets him explain that he once ran the prisons, but was moved to the Outer Portals room after failing to prevent Enver Gortash from escaping. If the party already killed Gortash, they can tell him this, which delights him. As a reward, Nubaldin explains a secret trick to get into the Boudoir - the party must venture next door to the balcony at X: -6446 Y: 2936 and jump off the stones to enter the balcony of the Boudoir. The party can also find this out without Nubaldin by just exploring the House of Hope.

Jumping on the rocks here leads to the Boudoir's balcony.

The Boudoir

Upon entering the Boudoir, the party is accosted by an incubus named Haarlep, who has been polymorphed into a perfect copy of Raphael. Haarlep asks why the party members are there, but is already aware that they seek the contract. Haarlep helps the party out if they agree to "play a game" with him. Agreeing to play the "game" results in the player character taking off their clothes and Haarlep seducing them to give over their mind and body. The player character can insist that only the body may be taken, with which Haarlep agrees and tells them that they always know when an orgasm is experienced in their form. Otherwise, giving over both mind and body results in a game over.

Refusing to play makes Haarlep hostile. Additionally, succeeding in a DC 25 Constitution check during the "game" also makes him hostile. After defeating Haarlep a Key From Raphael's Safe, and Helldusk Gloves can be looted from his corpse. The safe contains the magic phrase needed to steal the contract.

The location of Raphael's safe.

Raphael's magic phrase can be pilfered without the need to deal with Haarlep, by utilizing  Greater Invisibility,  Supreme Sneak, or other skills to move towards the giant painting west of the bed. A successful perception check reveals that the painting is rigged with a trap. It must be disarmed ( DC 20 Sleight of Hand check), and then the button below the painting must be pressed. The safe must be lockpicked ( DC 25 Sleight of Hand check) and its content must be taken, before Haarlep notices anything.

Escaping Hell

After stealing Soul-Sworn Contract, regardless how it is done, the Archivist is instantly aware of it. He states that the dinner bell has rung for Raphael and the party is the main course. Hope appears one last time to state that everything will be on fire once they leave the Archives. She pleads with the party one last time to come to the prison and smash her chains.

Smash the crystals with the Orphic Hammer to free Hope.

After leaving the Archive, all the residents of the House of Hope turn hostile, including the Eternal Debtors and several Hell Spheres. On the way to the prison, the party can stop in the Boudoir and use the rejuvenation faucet at X: -6482 Y: 2977 to heal. The entrance of Hope's prison cell is on the eastern side of the House, in a hatch just south of the Outer Portals. Once inside, the party must face two Spectators and a large number of Vengeful Imps. A party member must equip the Orphic Hammer and smash the two crystals to free Hope, who joins the party as an Attached Follower.

Once Hope is freed, the party must return to the entrance where the portal is located. Unfortunately, Raphael, Yurgir, and Korrilla are there waiting, surrounded by four Pillar of Souls. Raphael is enraged, and states that the deal is over and that none of the party is getting out alive. Yurgir can be convinced to switch sides through passing a DC 30 Persuasion check, if he was killed in Chapter Two, otherwise he automatically switches sides if he helped the party find the House of Hope in the first place.

Quest rewards

• Gloves of Soul Catching - if Raphael is defeated while keeping Hope alive.
• Helldusk Armour - looted from Raphael's corpse.
• Yurgir as an ally for  Gather Your Allies if he is convinced to fight against Raphael.
• Mol as an ally for  Gather Your Allies if her contract is stolen and returned to her AND she is not told that Raphael is dead if the party killed him.

Notes

• If Korrilla is saved in the final battle by knocked her out with non-lethal damage, then Hope acknowledges that her sister is still alive.
• It is technically possible to tell Hope to go away after she first appears, then ignore her and go forward into the House of Hope. However, once the party is spotted by the Debtors, they immediately sound the alarm and the entire area becomes hostile.
• The ritual to open the portal to Hell does not require reading the tome in order to enact it, all the necessary components can be found within the Devil's Fee and so long as they are placed in the correct places the portal to hell will open. Helsik has no special dialogue if doing this.