Getting to the Gauntlet
The Gauntlet of Shar is beneath the Thorm Mausoleum in the Shadow-Cursed Lands (Act 2). Enter the mausoleum, interact with the three paintings in the correct order (Moonrise Towers, Grief, General), and the floor will lower into the dungeon.
You're in the mausoleum. Interact with the paintings in this order: Moonrise Towers (left), Grief (center), General (right). The floor will descend into the Gauntlet.
Once inside, you'll find a central hub with doors leading to three trials. Each trial rewards one Umbral Gem when completed.
Trial 1: Soft-Step Trial (Stealth)
This is a stealth puzzle. You need to reach the Umbral Gem at the end of a winding corridor without being detected by patrolling shadows.
Soft-Step Trial — this is pure stealth. Send ONE character, preferably a Rogue or anyone with Invisibility. The rest of the party stays behind. Use Pass Without Trace if you have it.
Strategy:
- Send a single stealthy character. The rest of your party stays at the entrance.
- Cast Pass Without Trace or Invisibility before entering.
- Follow the left wall. The shadows patrol in predictable patterns.
- When a shadow passes, move behind it. They don't look backward.
- Grab the Umbral Gem at the end and the trial completes.
If detected: You teleport back to the start. No penalty. Just retry.
Trial 2: Self-Same Trial (Combat)
You fight shadow copies of your own party. Each clone has the same abilities as the character it mirrors.
Self-Same Trial — you're fighting copies of your own party. Focus fire one clone at a time. Start with the most dangerous one — probably the copy of your spellcaster. Don't spread your damage.
Strategy:
- Focus fire. Kill one clone at a time. Splitting damage means you're fighting four enemies the whole time.
- Kill casters first. Your own wizard or cleric clone will use your best spells against you.
- Use consumables freely. Potions and scrolls give you an edge the clones don't have.
- Crowd control works. The clones can be stunned, feared, and knocked prone.
Tip: If you're struggling, come back after leveling up. The clones scale to your level at the time you enter, so there's no benefit to waiting — just make sure your party is well-rested.
Trial 3: Faith-Leap Trial (Puzzle)
An invisible bridge puzzle. You need to walk across a chasm on invisible platforms, guided only by a faint shimmer on the floor.
Faith-Leap Trial — invisible bridge. Throw something (a bottle, a skull, anything from your inventory) ahead of you to reveal the safe tiles. Or use a character with high Perception to spot the shimmer.
Strategy:
- Throw objects onto the void ahead. If they land on solid ground, it's safe to walk there.
- Look for the shimmer. Faint purple outlines show the safe path if you zoom in.
- Save frequently. One wrong step means falling into the void.
- The path goes: Straight, right, straight, left, straight to the gem.
- After grabbing the gem, you teleport back.
The Inner Sanctum
With 3-4 Umbral Gems, you can access the inner sanctum. Place the gems on the altar to lower the platform.
You have enough Umbral Gems. Place them on the altar — the platform will descend. Below you'll find Balthazar and the Nightsong. This is a major story decision, so save before you go down.
Decision point: In the inner sanctum, you'll encounter the Nightsong (Aylin). You must choose:
- Free the Nightsong — fight Balthazar, gain a powerful ally
- Give her to Balthazar — darker path, different story consequences
This is one of the most significant choices in Act 2. Save before deciding.
Summary
The Gauntlet of Shar combines stealth, combat, and environmental puzzles into one dungeon. Use Invisibility for Soft-Step, focus-fire for Self-Same, and thrown objects for Faith-Leap. Let Sidekick AI guide you through each trial in real-time — no pausing to check a wiki when you're mid-puzzle.