The Rat Puzzle in Shar's Gauntlet
A specific challenge within the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldur's Gate 3 involves numerous rats, pivotal to the quest concerning Yurgir the Orthon. This section is often colloquially termed the "rat gauntlet" due to the rats' central role in fulfilling or bypassing Yurgir's infernal contract.
Context: Yurgir and Lyrthindor
Yurgir is ensnared by a contract with Raphael, tasking him with eliminating all of Shar's Justiciars. The final Justiciar, Lyrthindor, evaded death by transforming his essence into a swarm of rats. His consciousness is fragmented among these creatures, preventing Yurgir from completing his contract.
Resolving the Rat Situation
Dealing with the rats is key to progressing Yurgir's storyline. The primary approach involves the following steps:
- Locate the Rats: The rats are dispersed throughout Yurgir's vicinity, including areas near a damaged effigy of Shar and a prominent ritual circle. Some may require active searching or successful Perception checks.
- The Clue: "One Becomes Many": A book titled "One Becomes Many," found near the broken Shar effigy, details Lyrthindor's transformation and the rats' significance.
- Interaction with the Rats:
- Speak with Animals: If available, this ability allows dialogue with the lead rat, potentially opening unique resolution paths or providing more information.
- Elimination: Attacking and defeating all the rats will cause Lyrthindor's fragmented consciousness to coalesce.
- Confront Lyrthindor: Once all rats are dealt with (typically through elimination), Lyrthindor will manifest as a single entity. Defeating him in combat will satisfy the condition of Yurgir's contract concerning the last Justiciar.
Alternative Interactions with Yurgir
While the "rat gauntlet" focuses on Lyrthindor, players have other options concerning Yurgir:
- Persuasion/Deception: Successful Charisma-based skill checks can convince Yurgir to exploit loopholes in his contract, leading him to eliminate his own Merregons, his Displacer Beast, and ultimately himself. This method bypasses the rat hunt.
- Direct Combat: Players can opt to fight Yurgir and his forces directly, irrespective of the contract's details or Lyrthindor's fate.
Core Elements of the "Rat Gauntlet"
The challenge presented by the rats primarily involves:
- Systematic Exploration: Meticulously searching the area to find all rats, some of which can be well-concealed.
- Information Analysis: Utilizing in-game texts and abilities like "Speak with Animals" to understand the situation.
- Strategic Decision: Choosing the method to resolve the rat problem and confront the subsequent manifestation of Lyrthindor.
Successfully navigating this challenge is integral to Yurgir's quest and is a source of an Umbral Gem, essential for progressing further within the Gauntlet of Shar.
