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Baldur’s Gate 3 is overflowing with things to find, all you need to do is keep your eyes peeled and explore. Countless hours can be spent pouring over the map and finding hidden nooks that contain everything from small encounters to sprawling adventures. It makes the game truly sing.
Of course, with so much to do and so much of it being woven into everything else, it can be difficult to discern what the right course of action is. This is highlighted rather wonderfully in the game’s third act when the party accidentally stumbles across a newborn Mind Flayer living in Rivington.
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Where To Find The Newborn Mind Flayer
You can find the Newborn Mind Flayer in Rivington, hiding in an abandoned windmill. To get there, simply head east from Rivington General. The door to the windmill is locked, however, so you will need to either pick the lock or use magic. Since the door is made of wood and has low HP, we opted to save time and blow it open with a cheeky Fire Bolt.
Once inside you will find the sleeping Mind Flayer.
Should You Kill Or Spare The Mind Flayer
Mind Flayers are incredibly dangerous – both in the game and in the narrative. They are powerful spellcasters who have proven time and time again that they are not to be trifled with. The thing is, with the introduction of The Emperor, Mind Flayers are no longer soulless, emotionless monsters that deserve killing. Heck, the poor sod in front of you was likely captured and had a parasite forcibly inserted into their brain – much like you.
Not only that, this Mind Flayer is a representation of your fate – the inevitable end you will meet if you don’t do something about it. This makes the decision as to whether to murder a Mind Flayer – potentially your kin – a difficult one. You have two options, sneak away quietly to not disturb it, or kill it and harvest its tadpole.
Neither are great choices. Murder is rarely a good thing to partake in, and doing it to eat a brain parasite is justification in only the loosest of senses. Allowing it to live, however, gives the Absolute a powerful follower who could wreak havoc on the people of Rivington – most of whom are starving refugees.
We highly recommend that you kill the Mind Flayer. The Emperor is a unique case, so this Mind Flayer will be a mere pawn to a higher power – their free will is a shadow at best, and an illusion at worst. Tadpoles are also fairly rare, so grabbing any extra is a tangible and instant boost in power. Finally, there’s some loot worth grabbing.
Choosing to attack the Mind Flayer will cause it to wake up. Due to it being surprised, you will have a full turn of actions before it will do anything. This is more than enough time to kill it.
Rewards For Killing The Newborn Mind Flayer
In addition to getting a tadpole to insert into your brain, you get a powerful ring – the Ring Of Truthfulness. Its effect gives you an Advantage on Insight Checks, which is a fantastic boost when it comes to discerning an NPC’s true intentions during a conversation. Be sure to equip this to the character who does the most talking and you will reap almost immediate rewards.
That’s all we have for Baldur’s Gate 3 for now. Be sure to check out our other guides and lists for more Baldur’s Gate content.
