Gale wants to know more about the Crown of Karsus in Baldur’s Gate 3, and if you want to help him learn everything there is to know about the artifact on the Elder Brain, you need to unlock the Sorcerous Sundries Vault. Reaching the vault will take plenty of stealth to achieve without causing issues, but it’s certainly possible, and we’re here to help.
Where to Find the Sorcerous Vault in BG3
To find the Sorcerous Vault, you need to unlock Tonla Tome-Monger’s office on the second floor of Sorcerous Sundries. Inside the office, there is a bookshelf with a hidden lever on a loose book. Before going to the vault though, we would recommend speaking to the librarian before going to her office. With enough persuasion, you can get Tolna to give you hints about the vault’s location.
After speaking to Tolna, head to the stairs behind you and go to the path on the left. You will find Tolna Tome-Monger’s office which will lead you to the Sorcerous Vault. It’s easy to lockpick this door, and Astarion was able to get past it in one roll for our own party, but you need to watch out for the sentries.
We recommend going invisible with one of your characters. Make sure they are separated from the rest of the party and pick the lock while you are invisible. Once you are inside the office, it’s time to unlock the Sorcerous Sundries Vault.
How to Open the Sorcerous Vault in BG3
The Sorcerous Vault is unlocked by pulling the clasped book on the bookshelf in Tolna Tome-Monger’s office. You can find this book on the first bookshelf to the right when you enter the room, and pulling it will cause a portal to appear. This blue portal will form on the far left side of the room, but we still recommend looting before you jump in. There are some additional snippets or lore only found in Sorcerous Sundries.
Some of the books will detail how the hidden vault works, and you can even loot a chest key from the same bookshelf. Take all you can and then jump into the portal. You’ll be thrown into a room full of traps, so all the knowledge you can get is important.
How to Get Through the Sorcerous Vault in BG3
Once you’re in the Sorcerous Vault, you’ll proceed through a wooden door and have to navigate a maze of three rooms with four doors each. Each room requires you to enter the correct door in order to progress. If you enter the wrong room, you’ll be lead backwards.
Sorcerous Vault Room 1
The first room you enter will have three doors labeled Karsus, Silverhand, and Elminster. The west door on the righthand side, Karsus is your ultimate destination, but first you’ll need to enter the South door, Silverhand. We recommend splitting up from your party before proceeding. Each door has a round disc on the floor in front of them which are trapped. If a party member steps on one of these, they’ll splash you with acid. Be sure to disarm them before stepping through to the next room.
Sorcerous Vault Room 2
The second room will have four rectangular panels around the center circle. These are trapped and will blind you if you step on them, but they’re easily avoidable. Jump over them or disarm them and head into the west door labeled Abjuration to the right of where you entered.
Sorcerous Vault Room 3
In the third room, the center circle on the floor is a trap, and if you don’t immediately disarm it, you’ll get pelted by fire balls. On the wall beside the north door labeled Silver, you’ll see a lever. Pull this, and then head on through the Silver door. You’ll enter a small room with a rectangular floor trap you’ll want to jump over. A giant lever is at the back of the room. Pull this, and the Karsus door in the first Sorcerous Vault room will unlock. Now head back out and enter the south door labeled Wild, and it will spit you back out into the first Sorcerous Vault room.
If you want to grab some treasure on your way through, including the ability to read the Necromancy of Thay, you can open up the Elminster door and enter Elminster’s vault by going through the following door sequence: Silverhand, Evocation, Wish, Foresight.
You can now waltz on through the Karsus door and grab the Annals of Karsus from Karsus’s vault, along with some other goodies.
Now that you’ve entered the Sorcerous Vault, another tough area to enter is Raphael’s realm. Check out our guide on how to enter the House of Hope in Baldur’s Gate 3.
