Summary

• Freeing Nightsong in Baldur's Gate 3 can have long-term consequences for Shadowheart.
• Killing Nightsong in Baldur's Gate 3 has a few other effects, but it's generally not advisable.
• Allowing Balthazar to take Nightsong to Ketheric Thorm is also a possibility in the Shadowfell.

Freeing or killing Nightsong in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be a daunting decision to make depending on how much information the player has gathered so far and how they want to proceed with the story. There are consequences for both actions, and there is even a third option to follow when going through that pivotal moment set in Act 2. Additionally, this is a decisive moment for players who want to romance Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3, so it is important to make the correct decision as this can stain the rest of the story.

This article contains massive spoilers for Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the long-term consequences that may take place in Act 3.

When progressing through the story of Larian’s turn-based RPG, players will encounter several instances that are considered points of no return, and the choice to kill or spare Nightsong happens in one such moment. This simple decision has a few drastically different outcomes depending on how players act upon it. In fact, it may even lead up to Shadowheart leaving the player’s party permanently, without a chance to bring her back. One of the choices is considered a morally objectionable decision in Baldur’s Gate 3, even if it does get the approval of some characters in the process.

Who Is Nightsong In Baldur’s Gate 3?

A Weapon Isn't A Weapon After All

Upon entering Shadowfell, Lady Shar’s domain, players will discover that Nightsong isn't just an object, but instead an Aasimar who has been imprisoned by Ketheric Thorm. In her current state, she is what grants Ketheric his immortality, so Nightsong is the key to defeating him. Killing her is an effective way of removing the villain’s invulnerability, but there are other ways of achieving this without putting the Shadow-Cursed Lands at risk.

On the other hand, it can also be a good choice to make if players are embracing an evil playthrough in Baldur’s Gate 3. Depending on how the dialogue goes, they soon discover she is the daughter of the goddess Selûne, Shar’s main rival.

What Happens If You Kill Nightsong In Baldur’s Gate 3

A Dark Decision Bears Little Fruit

It is important to note that allowing Shadowheart to kill Nightsong is an evil action. It may not be as evil as allowing her to be taken to Ketheric Thorm by Balthazar in Baldur’s Gate 3, but it does have a lot of evil-aligned consequences. The first and most long-term one is that Shadowheart will have concluded her mission and will become one of Shar’s Dark Justiciars. Though it may seem like a good idea to allow the character to follow her dreams, the truth is that she has been played by Shar.

Devoting herself to the goddess of the night is not actually beneficial to Shadowheart, who will be sent down a dark and somewhat evil path by embracing Shar completely upon killing Nightsong. There are still ways of romancing her further on, even if she mentions she has no time for the player, but it is under different and more gruesome consequences. For players looking for a more evil-aligned playthrough without losing Shadowheart (and even twisting her in the process), this is one of the best choices to make in Baldur’s Gate 3.

The most meaningful and immediate consequence of killing Nightsong, however, is the effect it has on the Shadow-Cursed Lands. As the daughter of Selûne, Nightsong’s death enables darkness and corruption. By killing Nightsong, players will quickly find out that she was the last thread of hope for life in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. A short cutscene shows that Isobel’s power falters with Nightsong’s death, and the Last Light Inn’s magical barrier falls. This, in turn, makes everyone there susceptible to the Shadow-Cursed Lands’ corruption.

Beasts eventually invade and take the lives of everyone there, including Jaheira. Dammon, vital to Karlach’s questline in Baldur’s Gate 3, also dies. Isobel herself, the rest of the Thieflings taking shelter, the Harpers, and the Flaming Fists will die there, too. Because of this, it's not really an ideal choice for most playthroughs.

The only slightly positive aspect of allowing Shadowheart to kill Nightsong is that Ketheric Thorm’s immortality is removed, allowing the party to chase him down through Moonrise Towers and eventually kill him. Nevertheless, this will prove to be a much more difficult series of fights, as not only Nightsong herself will not be able to help, but the allies from Last Light Inn will also be unavailable to storm Thorm’s palace. Players should only really allow Nightsong to be killed in Baldur’s Gate 3 if they are inclined towards an evil run or if they really want to see an evil version of Shadowheart after she becomes a Dark Justiciar.

Shadowheart also gets a powerful weapon and strong armor piece from Shar upon becoming a Dark Justiciar.

What Happens If You Save Nightsong & Free Her In BG3

The Path Of The Righteous Has Just Rewards

Saving Nightsong is the correct decision in the game if the playthrough is inclined toward something morally correct. Freeing the daughter of Selûne may do a few things. One of the most important ones is that Shadowheart will defy her own faith, leaving behind Shar and the chance of becoming a Dark Justiciar. At the time, this will have a few repercussions that seem negative. The companion will continue to accompany the party, but she will shut herself off, not wanting too many interactions. Nevertheless, this is only her contemplating, as she will develop into a more interesting character once she starts worshiping Selûne in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Eventually, Shadowheart will change her entire hairstyle and become a more positive companion as she is free from the grasp of the Lady of the Night. For players romancing her, they will finally see some progress in their relationship with her following that first date back in Act 1. This takes a while but is all connected to freeing Nightsong from Shadowfell’s prison. Another positive consequence of this action is restoring Nightsong’s powers in Baldur’s Gate 3. As a full Aasimar, Nightsong embraces the powers of her mother, Selûne, and dons the power of the light to fly freely, spreading light on the Shadow-Cursed Land.

If she is freed, Isobel can continue holding up the barrier around the Last Light Inn to protect all those inside. Additionally, if players did the Halsin quest, which sees them save Thaniel and then reunite the boy with his lost half Oliver, Nightsong will also cleanse the Shadow-Cursed Lands from its plague. This is the biggest transformation the map sees at this point, and both Nightsong and the Last Light’s Harpers initiate an assault on Moonrise Towers in Baldur’s Gate 3. Upon leaving Shadowfell and going to the Inn, Isobel informs the players that Jaheira and her troops went to fight Ketheric’s legions.

Both the Harpers’ and Nightsong help in the battles at Moonrise Towers, which is appreciated, as it is tough to reach Ketheric and then battle the villain himself. After the major threat is resolved, players also get a Legendary weapon, an the one granted to Shadowheart when she spares Nightsong, as well as more information about the daughter of Selûne. She, Isobel, and Jaheira will also the player’s campsite later on if they survive the fight in Baldur’s Gate 3.

When Act 3 rolls around, having Nightsong in camp can also open up some extra content, with a storyline involving the wizard Lorroakan getting a boost if Dame Aylin is alive. She's also willing to help out in a couple of Act 3 fights. Saving Nightsong spares more lives, grants more rewards, and opens up more possibilities for narrative developments in Act 3, making it a more worthwhile choice to make.

Freeing Nightsong also removes Ketheric’s immortality, so there is no technical need to kill her to dispose of the villain.

Killing Or Freeing Nightsong Has An Impact On Roleplay

Killing Dame Aylin Makes Sense For Some Parties

Although the mechanical benefits of freeing Nightsong definitely outweigh any advantage to killing her, it's also important to take roleplay considerations into mind. Freeing her works perfectly for a traditionally heroic party, as dispatching a prisoner for the sake of material gain certainly isn't morally commendable. Pushing Shadowheart toward turning her back on Shar is also one of the most rewarding plot lines in a good-aligned campaign, and seeing the gradual transformation she can undergo after freeing Nightsong adds depth to her character.

That being said, letting Shadowheart kill Nightsong isn't one of the Baldur's Gate 3 that ultimately goes nowhere. She does have a complete story arc that's exclusive to the Dark Justiciar path, and it can be an interesting one to explore in the right campaign. It can also make more sense for a party focused on acquiring power to kill Nightsong. Although it's not ultimately beneficial, there's no way for a character to know that with certainty in-game. Another option that can make sense for evil roleplay is handing her over to Balthazar to please Ketheric Thorm.

What Happens If You Let Balthazar Take Nightsong In Baldur’s Gate 3

The Worst Of Both Worlds

Since Ketheric is the biggest power player in Act 2, it might seem like following his will and giving Nightsong to Balthazar would be beneficial. On the contrary, this is one of the worst possible choices to make in the game, as it is not only evil, but it does not immediately remove the villain’s immunity. This action truly upsets Shadowheart and, after leaving Shadowfell, she leaves the player’s party in Baldur's Gate 3 permanently. If players want to get rid of her for some reason, this is the best way to proceed in Act 2.

Eventually, there will be developments at Moonrise Towers that will make the Ketheric Thorm storyline progress further, and a showdown with the villain is inevitable, so cozying up to him doesn't have any real long-term benefits. The only positive aspect of this decision is avoiding a fight against Balthazar and his undead minions, either in his office or at Shadowfell. Nevertheless, it is vile and likely the least interesting of all the options laid out for players in Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3.