Avenge the Ironhands

Avenge the Ironhands is a quest in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It can be started by speaking to Wulbren in Moonrise Towers at the end of Act Two or by approaching the gate to Wyrm's Crossing in Rivington.

Wulbren wants the Ironhands avenged.

“

When he becomes Grand Duke, it will only get worse. Laws will change, freedoms will vanish, and soon you'll be accused and sentenced before you've even committed a crime. And the fucking Gondians are to blame for all of it.

„

— Wulbren, assigning blame for Gortash's ascendancy

Objectives

Meet the Ironhand Gnomes in Baldur's Gate.

• "The Ironhand Gnomes are planning something big in Baldur's Gate. We should look for them once we arrive in the city."

Follow the gnomes.

• "A group of deep gnomes attacked a Steel Watcher when it scanned us - saving us. They fled. We should follow them."

Search for the gnomes.

• "The deep gnomes didn't survive, but they must have come from somewhere close by. We should find their hideout."

Speak to Wulbren.

• "We discovered the deep gnomes' hideout."

Destroy the Steel Watch Foundry.

• "Wulbren wants to crush the Gondians for serving Gortash and supplying him with Steel Watchers. He asked us to sneak into their Steel Watch Foundry and destroy it."
• "In order to blow up the Foundry, Wulbren gave us a powerful explosive called a runepowder bomb. We need to plant it somewhere in the Steel Watch Foundry."
• "Barcus is adamant that there is a peaceful way to deal with the Gondians - one that doesn't need violence."

Find the right place to use the runepowder bomb.

• "We've arrived in the Steel Watch Foundry. We need to find the perfect place to use the runepowder bomb, otherwise it won't do enough damage."

Inspect the Neurocitor.

• "We have found the heart of the Foundry - the Neurocitor. We should examine it."

Find another way to destroy the Steel Watch Foundry.

• "We used the runepowder bomb. We need to find another way to destroy the Steel Watch Foundry."

Use the code to destroy the Steel Watch Foundry.

• "We learned of a way to destroy the Foundry using the Neurocitor. We need to enter code 'Nebelun' then increase it to maximum output."

Speak to Wulbren.

• "The Foundry has been destroyed. Wulbren will be pleased."

Quest Complete

• "Wulbren is gone, his quest for vengeance with him."
• "Wulbren was delighted to discover that the Foundry was destroyed, and that all the Gondians are dead. He's offered us the might of the Ironhand Gnomes - should we ever need it."
• "Wulbren claimed that so long as a single Gondian was alive, the city would be in danger. We agreed and dealt with the survivors."
• "Wulbren wanted us to kill the remaining Gondians - we refused. Enraged, he attacked."
• "Wulbren wanted us to kill the remaining Gondians - we refused. He stormed off, promising revenge."
• "We encouraged Barcus to take Wulbren's place as leader of the Ironhand Gnomes - and he delivered. He ousted Wulbren, and negotiated peace between the two factions. Wulbren stormed off, promising revenge."
• "We moved on without dealing with the Steel Watch Foundry."
• "With Gortash dead, the Steel Watch destroyed the Foundry that created them - and the Gondians we were tasked with eliminating."

Walkthrough

Finding Wulbren and the Ironhand Gnomes

If Wulbren was rescued as part of ⁠Rescue Wulbren, he appears in Moonrise Towers after ⁠Defeat Ketheric Thorm is completed. Here, he can be spoken to and mentions grand plans for the city of Baldur's Gate. This adds the quest to the quest log, but the bulk of the quest does not commence until Act Three starts.

The gnomes are encountered once the party approach the checkpoint and answer the Flaming Fist's questions, having the Steel Watcher scan them. As the party is about to be arrested as enemies of the Absolute, some deep gnomes pop up and use a Sunflash grenade to disable the Steel Watcher. The Flaming Fists at the checkpoint give chase, and the gnomes run off somewhere to the east.

The gnome cave location.

The deep gnome hideout can be accessed by climbing down a set of vines at X: 38 Y: 26. Approaching the cave triggers a  DC 15 Survival Check which, if passed, reveals a set of footprints leading into the cave, leading to ⁠Angleiron's Cellar.

After entering the cave, a deep gnome greets the party, stating Wulbren has not forgotten what they did for him at Moonrise Towers. Wulbren can be found in the southwestern room at X: -258 Y: -1084, along with  Barcus, if he survived. Wulbren asserts that the city has gone to hell and the Gondians are responsible for it, as they created the Steel Watchers who are patrolling the city. Wulbren then asks the party to go along with his plan to end the Gondians and their creations once and for all.

Refusing to go along with Wulbren's plan earns the ⁠Keeping Your Hands Clean inspiration for party members with the Folk Hero background. Accepting his proposal instead grants the ⁠Explosive Artistry to party members with the Entertainer background and the party receives the  Runepowder Bomb.

Destroying the Steel Watch Foundry

Main article: Disable the Steel Watch

The Ironhands arrive

The Ironhand Gnomes appear once the Foundry explodes to confront any surviving Gondians and congratulate the party. Wulbren then declares that any Gondians must be killed, as they are a threat to Baldur's Gate. If Barcus is alive, he interjects that the Gondians are no threat and that Wulbren has been a negative influence on the Ironhands.

Choosing these options causes Barcus to step up as the new leader of the Ironhand Gnomes, and both the Gondians and the Ironhand Gnomes become allies to the party:

• [GOOD CLERIC] [PERSUASION] You carry the light and love of all that is good, Barcus. I think you would make an excellent leader of the Ironhands, don't you? (DC 10)
• [DEEP GNOME] [PERSUASION] By all that glitters, perhaps the Ironhand Gnomes need a new leader. What say you, Barcus? (DC 10)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] There's no honour among thieves, Barcus - and same goes for the Ironhands. Take Wulbren's place, lead them yourself! (DC 10)
• [BARD] [PERSUASION] If this was an epic of old, Barcus here would summon his courage - and lead the Ironhand Gnomes. (DC 10)
• [PERSUASION] Perhaps the Ironhand Gnomes need a new leader. What say you, Barcus? (DC 15)

Threatening Wulbren causes him to walk away if successful, upon which he promises death on the party and the Gondians:

• [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Leave, Wulbren - or I'll cleave that thick skull of yours in two. (DC 18)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] LEAVE, LITTLE WULBREN. OR DIE. (DC 18)
• [ROGUE] [INTIMIDATION] I know a hundred ways to kill you, Wulbren. So I'm only going to say this once - walk away (DC 18)
• [FIGHTER] [INTIMIDATION] You are outnumbered and outmatched, Wulbren. Retreat - now. (DC 18)
• [INTIMIDATION] Walk away Wulbren - I won't ask twice. (DC 18)
• [WILD MAGIC] [SORCERER] [INTIMIDATION] Wulbren, I could burn you alive - and possibly myself. But that's a chance I'm willing to take - walk away. (DC 18)
• [SORCERER] [INTIMIDATION] Wulbren, don't make me burn you to a crisp. Walk away. (DC 18)
• [OATH OF VENGEANCE] [INTIMIDATION] Leave now, little Wulbren, or I'll split you from head to navel - and that's a promise. (DC 18)

Otherwise, the party can choose to side with the Gondians and a fight against the Ironhand Gnomes ensues:

• I won't let you hurt the Gondians.
• Toobin has suffered enough - I won't let you hurt him.

Or the party can instead support the Ironhand Gnomes resulting in a fight against the Gondians:

• Wulbren makes a good point - you must die for the city, Gondians.
• Sorry Toobin - I guess this is it for you.

If none of the hostages are saved from the Iron Throne, or if  Obelia Toobin does not survive - even if some other Godians survive, Wulbren then points out the dead bodies floating in the harbour. If the party previously told Zanner that they survived, he and the Gondians become hostile and attack the party automatically.

Quest rewards

•  Gontr Mael - a legendary weapon dropped by the Steel Watch Titan
• A new ally for ⁠Gather Your Allies - potentially both the Ironhand Gnomes and the Gondians, or one or the other.