Quick Links
Among the companions ofBaldur’s Gate 3, Shadowheart tends to be the one in every party. This is mostly due to her class; as a Cleric, she has access to plenty of supporting spells, both in and out of combat. But not all players get to know who she really is.
With her blurred past and unclear allegiances, she can join you whether you choose pure good or pure evil. This will also change her a great deal, both mentally and physically. She’s already one ofthe most useful characters in the game, yet she can also be one of the most interesting to get to know.
Spoiler Warning!
Who Is Shadowheart?
Shadowheart is a half-elf priestess of Shar, a goddess of darkness and loss. She doesn’t share her religion lightly since Shar worship is banned in many places, but she shows pride in her religion. Even if she follows the goddess of dark deeds, she’s against unnecessary cruelty, preferring even to avoid combat whenever possible.
Shar is the sister and opposing deity of Selune. They are in a constant battle of dark and light, with Selune representing light and Shar dark.
There’s a limit to how much you can learn about Shadowheart sinceher memories were wiped before she left Baldur’s Gate. All she knows is her devotion to Shar and her need to complete her quest: find the Astral Prism and return it to Baldur’s Gate. Only then will her memories be restored.
When asked about the reasoning behind a memory wipe, she’ll say that it’s for her cloister’s protection, which does make sense, but there are still things that don’t add up. Shadowheart’s own nature seems to go against the tenets of Shar since she loves to help people and is against hurting them.
Why Was Shadowheart’s Memory Wiped?
Her memory wasn’t only wiped; it was also altered. The only memory she keeps of her youth is as a child when worshipers of Shar saved her from an angry wolf. The reality is that the wolf was her elven father, being pinned down before her eyes as she was being kidnapped.
Shadowheart’s birth name is Jenevelle Hallowleaf, yet no matter how she finds out about this name, she’ll still rather be referred to as Shadowheart.
She was taken into a church of Shar, indoctrinated into believing a true devotion to the deity.Her parents were devotees of Selune, and this was all a macabre play with more than one aim: To strike against Selune and to mold Shadowheart into a true champion of Shar.
Among the many rituals to shape her into Shar devotion, Shadowheart was given a curse: a scar that will never completely heal causes pain in her right hand. This curse is tied to her parents, who are being held prisoner at a secret Shar church. Shadowheart would need to kill her parents to end the curse, who are being saved as her final test of devotion.
Why Is Shadowheart After The Astral Prism?
Among the few things Shadowheart can remember at the start of Baldur’s Gate 3 is her mission: Find the Astral Prism and bring it to Baldur’s Gate. The why is not a concern of hers; she’s simply carrying her orders as blindly as possible.
She was put on this mission by Viconia DeVir, the head of the Shar church in Baldur’s Gate. While Viconia doesn’t know exactly what the Prism does, she knows it to be an important artifact that many are looking for, with the Githyanki and the Cult of the Absolute among them. Having it in her possession will likely be beneficial.
The Githyanki and the Cult are after the Astral Prism because Orpheus is within it, something the Shar church doesn’t know and ultimately can’t get any benefit from beyond it being a bargaining chip.
This quest ended up being closer to a suicide mission since Shadowheart wasn’t sent alone, but she alone remains. She survives thanks to the entity inside the Prism but ends up being infected by an Illithid tadpole in the process.
Is Shadowheart Good Or Evil?
Baldur’s Gate 3 tries to step away from clear-cut definitions of good and evil, yet vestiges of that system are found within the game. Characters like Karlach or Wyll are clearly good, even if they’ve been marked by evil before. Astarion and Lae’zel fall more on the evil side, although plenty of good can be found within.
Shadowheart’s story makes her seem evil at first glance, but hers is a story you shape with your actions. As soon as Act One, you’ll see the impact since saving the Tieflings has her smiling for the good deed, while siding with the goblins will make her drunkenly accept that this is what her goddess would’ve wanted.
In reality,Shadowheart’s core is good, but she can be corrupted into evil acts. Much like the church of Shar is doing with her mind, you may push her into darkness and end up with a very different Shadowheart than those that bring her to the light.
Can You Romance Shadowheart?
Yes, and she’s the most popular choice taken by players. This is likely due to her inclination to view good deeds favorably, yetyou can still romance her in typically evil playthroughs. She changes so much in the process, however, that it’s like two different characters.
Beyond moral choices, helping animals will also increase Shadowheart’s approval.
Her main breaking point is during Act Two, atThe Gauntlet of Shar. Reaching its end, Shadowheart will be confronted with a choice: To slay the Nightsong or not. Slaying her keeps her on the path to becoming a Dark Justiciar, a paragon of Shar worship.
While tricky to do, you can also convince her not to kill the Nightsong, renouncing Shar and losing all her favor. This takes Shadowheart into a path of light, her class powers now given by Selune. Whatever you choose, you’ll still be able to continue her romance path, even if with some different endings.
