In Baldur's Gate 3, Auntie Ethel is one of the antagonists you'll encounter in different acts, and completing her quest line comes with various rewards. Certain NPCs related to Ethel's quest can be freed after defeating the hag, so here's a complete walkthrough of the Overgrown Tunnel in BG3.
How to reach the Overgrown Tunnel in BG3
The Overgrown Tunnel is a secret passageway located inside the Gnarled Teahouse. The Riverside Teahouse Waypoint is the closest fast-travel point to Ethel's Teahouse. This is where you'll first encounter Auntie Ethel in her hag form.
You'll also find Mayrina here, and you can inform her about Ethel's true intentions. She killed Mayrina's brothers and is scheming to take Mayrina's child to gain a new hag body. Ethel also promised Mayrina that she would revive her dead husband (in a zombie form), so you'll have a decision to make towards the end of this quest regarding Connor.
After informing Mayrina about her brothers, Ethel banishes her to a magical prison, and a fight ensues between the hag and your party. Defeating Ethel inside the Gnarled Teahouse is not the end of it as this character returns in Act III, where you'll have to save Vanra, a child Ethel kidnaps for the same purpose.
After defeating Ethel inside the Gnarled Teahouse, walk towards the Fireplace (as shown in the image above). Walk through the Fireplace and climb down the stairs inside the small pathway to enter the Overgrown Tunnel.
How to navigate inside the Overgrown Tunnel in BG3
Once inside the Overgrown Tunnel, you'll encounter NPCs like Efrin, Lorin, Magron, and other characters trapped by Ethel. You can save Efrin and Lorin by speaking to them about the hag's death and instructing them to leave the Overgrown Tunnel safely.
There is a table located opposite Lorin's position where you'll find a few Whispering Masks. This mask is a conduit that allows Ethel to control your character, but it does come with certain benefits. For instance, wearing the mask allows you to pass through Ethel's illusions easily.
Additionally, Ethel's minions won't attack you as long as you have the mask on. The disadvantage is that while wearing the mask, you'll be vulnerable to Ethel's commands and end up attacking your party members.
Take the open pathway located beside the table to enter the next section of the Overgrown Tunnel. Here, you encounter characters like Mask of Vengeance, Mask of Regret, Mask of Servitude, and Mask of Terrors. These characters won't be hostile to you, so you need not fight them. If you do end up fighting, make sure to steer clear of the muddy ground, as it reduces your movement speed drastically.
There is a waterfall illusion located in the eastern corner of this room. Check out the yellow arrow on the image above to see the precise location of this waterfall.
Stand in front of the waterfall and aim at the ledge beyond the path. You can easily jump across the waterfall to reach the next area inside the Overgrown Tunnel. Spells like Misty Step and Teleportation also work in this scenario.
How to disable Poison traps in Overgrown Tunnel in BG3
After traversing across to the other side, you'll enter a massive room with numerous poison traps disguised as Peculiar Flowers. Keep in mind these traps are deadly and can kill your entire party if not dealt with. Characters must go through a Perception check to identify and locate the traps. The best and easiest way to deal with these poison traps is to disarm the Vents located along the terrain.
I recommend using a character with a high Dexterity score, as the Sleight of Hand is essential to disarming traps. Each Vent will trigger a Dexterity skill check, so use characters like Astarion (high Dexterity attribute) to disable the traps. Once the Vents are disabled, start moving close to the Peculiar Flowers to disarm the traps.
Use the ladder shown in the image above to drop down to the ledge below. Be careful as there are a couple of traps placed close to the ladder. Ungroup your party members and use the character with the highest Dexterity to move down the ladder first. Start disarming the Peculiar Flowers before bringing your entire party to the level below.
Follow the roots pathway to descend towards the center of the room. After disarming all the traps, you'll enter the Ancient Abode, where Mayrina is trapped inside a Gnarled Cage.
How to save Mayrina in BG3
To save Mayrina, you must lower the Gnarled Cage and help her escape the Overgrown Tunnel. Start by walking towards the circular golden gimbal located in front of the Gnarled Cage. This is the Control Orb that lowers the Gnarled Cage. Interact with the Orb to set Mayrina free from the prison.
Speak to Mayrina after setting her free, and she informs you about Connor, her dead husband. Auntie Ethel promised to bring him back to life, but in exchange, the hag wanted Mayrina's baby. During this conversation, I recommend selecting dialogue options like "You'd sacrifice a new life for a lost life? That's selfish" or "Your husband must have meant a great deal to you." These prompts force Mayrina to reveal her intentions.
The best outcome in this scenario is to help Mayrina, as she is an important character you'll encounter once again in Act III. After saving Mayrina, she offered you a locket as a reward, but I suggest you refuse to take it. Once that's done, she asks you to meet near the Riverside to help with Connor's burial.
BG3 Overgrown Tunnel Acrid Workshop Items
After saving Mayrina, enter through the Wooden Door to get inside the Acrid Workshop. This is the place where Auntie Ethel stores some of her magical items. Inside the Acrid Workshop, you'll find items like The Ever-Seeing Eye, Staff of Crones, Potion of Speed, some consumables, a few chests, and several letters from Ethel's victims. I recommend picking up all of the essential items and reading through all the letters to understand Ethel's intentions.
After collecting everything, move to the Mushroom Circle at the end of the room. Interact with the Mushroom to get teleported back to the Putrid Bog near the Riverside Teahouse area. Move ahead to speak to Mayrina about Connor's body and complete her questline in Act I.
To find more on Baldur's Gate 3, check out Should you Take Raphael’s Deal in BG3? Choices and Outcomes on Pro Game Guides.
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BG3 Overgrown Tunnel walkthrough – Auntie Ethel questline in Baldur’s Gate 3
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