Circus Tent – Baldur’s Gate II

This guide will walk you through the Circus Tent in the Waukeen’s Promenade area of the city of Athkatla in Baldur’s Gate II. This area’s codes in the game files are AR0600, AR0604, AR0605, and AR0606.

Overview

Note: It’s safe to rest in the circus tent.

1 – Genie

When you attempt to cross the bridge here, a genie will stop you and ask you a riddle. If you get the answer right, then you’ll earn 19,500 xp, and the genie will disappear. If you get the answer wrong, then the genie will ask you a second riddle. If you get the answer to the second riddle right, then you’ll earn 14,500 xp, and the genie will disappear. If you get both riddles wrong, then the genie will attack you, and you’ll earn 5000 xp for defeating him.

Since the riddles are multiple choice, you shouldn’t have too much trouble solving them. But if you need help, then the first answer is “the prince is 30 and the princess is 40,” and the second answer is “nothing.”

2 – Shadows and Werewolves

In these places, you’ll encounter groups of shadows and werewolves. The werewolves are real creatures (worth 420 xp), but the shadows are illusions (worth 0 xp) and can be banished using spells like Detect Illusion, Dispel Magic, and True Seeing, plus the Detect Illusion thief skill. You’ll need +1 or better weapons to damage the creatures.

3 – Aerie / Ogre

When you enter Level 1, you’ll meet Aerie here. She’ll look like an ogre, but she’ll claim that she’s really a winged elf (minus the wings). She’ll also inform you that an illusionist named Kalah is behind everything in the tent, and that if you free her by collecting The Ogre’s Sword (aka her key) from the peasants to the north (#5), then she’ll help you. When you deliver the sword to Aerie, you’ll earn 18,500 xp, and she’ll become available as a companion.

4 – Hannah / Spider

At this spot, you’ll meet a spider claiming to be a human woman named Hannah. Hannah is Giran’s mother. You might have met Giran in Waukeen’s Promenade just outside the tent. Hannah will corroborate Aerie‘s (#3) story. Later (see #8), you’ll receive a reward for reuniting Hannah and Giran.

5 – Orcs / Peasants

The two peasants here won’t say anything to you, and they’ll attack you without turning hostile. So you’ll need to force-attack them to end the threat. You’ll earn 975 xp for defeating each peasant, and you’ll find The Ogre’s Sword and a scroll of Friends on their corpses. You’ll need the sword to free Aerie (#3).

6 – Pleasure Slave

The woman here will tell you how wonderful Kalah is.

7 – Vases

Inside the two vases here, you’ll find scrolls of Dispel Magic, Protection from Petrification, and Web.

8 – Kalah

When you enter Level 3, you’ll finally meet Kalah the illusionist. He’ll welcome you to his circus, and then the fight will be on. You’ll have to deal with more shadows and werewolves, which you should be good at killing/banishing by now (if not, see #2), plus Kalah. Kalah will mostly just stand around and take pot shots at Quayle, Aerie‘s uncle (who you might remember as a companion in Baldur’s Gate), so the battle should not be too stressful.

When you defeat Kalah, you’ll earn 2000 xp, and the circus tent will return to normal. This will allow you to see Kalah in his true form, and listen to his dying words, which will earn you an additional 25,000 xp. Then Aerie will offer to continue adventuring with you, even if you didn’t help her, and even if Quayle died.

When you loot Kalah’s corpse, you’ll find a Girdle of Piercing: Elves’ Bane, a Ring of Human Influence, scrolls of Identify, Infravision, Magic Missile, Stinking Cloud, and Stoneskin, and 724 gp. Then when you talk to Hannah, Giran’s mother, you’ll earn 500 xp, and when you go outside the tent and talk to Giran, you’ll earn 2500 xp. Finally, when you talk to the Amnian Soldier who earlier stopped you from entering the tent, you’ll gain a point of reputation.

Exits

• A) One-way exit between the Entrance and Level 1.
• B) Exit between Level 1 and Level 2.
• C) Exit between Level 2 and Level 3. A genie will appear when you approach the exit, but he won’t do anything, no matter what you say to him.