Astarion’s had an axe to grind since the moment we met him. And now, finally, we have a chance to let that axe meet vampiric neck. Maybe literally. But to do that, we’ll need to get through the Sinister Door in Szarr Palace.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Where to Find the Szarr Palace
Szarr Palace is one of the most story important buildings in Baldur’s Gate 3. You can find it in the Lower City in the city of Baldur’s Gate. This is also where Cazador the vampire resides. The exact coordinates are at X:-68; Y:-53.
Opening the Sinister Door in Vampire Palace (BG3)
Who doesn’t love a good Sinister Door? Particularly one with ornate rats. The only issue with them is that they can be pretty difficult to open… unless you have the right items. And in this case, the right items are the Szarr Family Signet Ring and the Kozakuran Dictionary.
Fortunately, we don’t have to go far to find them.
How to Find the Kozakuran Dictionary in Baldur’s Gate 3
From the Sinister Door on the main floor, turn left and head through the curtains. There, you’ll find a set of stairs that goes down. Astarion will mention that this is where the “kennels” are, rooms where Spawn are punished.
But the Kozakuran Dictionary is actually in the first room on the left. It’s distinct because it has green and black tendrils wafting off it.
Open it, and you’ll find a Necrotic cloud emanating from a dead child in the center. This child is Victoria, the child of Leon, who cursed his daughter’s blood to prevent the other vampires from drinking from her. Of course, someone tried to drink from her anyway, and now we have this mess.
The dictionary we want is on the far side of the room, in the wardrobe beneath the painting of a butterfly on a skull. You can walk through the Necrotic mist and take damage, or you can use Dimension Door, Misty Step, and possibly even Fly, to get over it.
Once you grab Kozakuran Dictionary, head out of the room.
How to Find the Szarr Family Ring in Baldur’s Gate 3
The next item we’ll need is the Szarr Family Ring. And to get it, we’ll need to stay on the same floor where we found the Kozakuran Dictionary. Continue down the hall and keep right. A hidden door will appear in the circular alcove. This will open up into one of the kennels.
But don’t stray too far. The keeper of the ring, Godey, is invisible and will try to ambush you. He’s just to the right of the door. We revealed him because we had Volo’s special eye, but we suspect that he’ll just verbally accost you.
In general, there are numerous ways you can reveal invisible enemies in BG3. The first method is by using spells like Faerie Fire (level 1 Evocation) or See Invisibility (level 1 Divination). You can also use Area of Effect spells like Fireball, Web, Arms of Hadar, and so on, which will damage enemies in a large area and remove their invisibility.
Once you do speak to him, you’ll have to pass two dialogue checks. The first is Deception and Intimidation. The next is Deception and Persuasion.
The first doesn’t matter, but if you successfully pass the second (which will require you to hit a 20 or higher), Godey will give you the Szarr Family Signet Ring and push you to go upstairs immediately.
If you fail, you’ll have to pickpocket or kill Godey to get the ring off of him.
To be honest, we killed God after completing the checks because he’s a monster. He’s not particularly strong, and it’s one against four. Do what feels right.
Once you have all of the necessary items to open Szarr’s door, you’re in for a very tough fight with the vampire king himself. Make sure you’re healed up and have all of your spells and items ready. Use Area of Denial spells like Wall of Fire by the two main pillars to force Cazador’s goons to walk through the fire. Combo this with Turn Undead spell to send them right back across the fire to do it all over again.
If you want to cheese the hell out of this fight, cast the spell Sunlight on a teammate, stealth in without triggering dialogue, and get close by Cazador. His health will trickle down and he’ll eventually need to regenerate. At this point, kill the rest of the goons.
Since you’re spending so much time with Astarion and other vamps, one status condition that will be of keen interest is Bloodless. But how long does this status last?
