If you want to explore the apothecary's cellar in Baldur's Gate 3, there are a couple of puzzles you'll have to overcome. The first is heading to the Blighted Village, finding the cellar hatch, and then uncovering the secret door that leads you further into the underground area. The second is convincing a magical mirror that you're a friend of its master so it'll grant you access to his lab.
The lab itself contains some pretty decent loot, including lots of magical scrolls, and the powerful Necromancy of Thay book. This magical tome can give you a permanent bonus to Wisdom checks—if you're able to overcome the trial of reading it, that is. Here, I'll explain how to open the secret door in the Blighted Village cellar and what answers you need to give to the mirror to get into the lab.
Recent updates
November 2024 Entering the apothecary's cellar still works as described below, but BG3 patches have added a few bug fixes and updates since launch:
September 2024: In the dialogue with the Ornate Mirror in the Apothecary's Cellar, fixed a re-rolling History check (regardless of success or failure) and fixed one of Avatar Lae'zel's lines never appearing.
February 2024: The 'Search the Cellar' quest journal will now update when you reach the last page and when you arrive at the city.
November 2023: Fixed the shroud and minimap display for an Act I cellar with a secret door, making it even more secret.
August 2023: Opening the Ornate Mirror in the Blighted Village will now clear the shroud beyond it.
How to open the secret cellar door
Once you're inside the apothecary's cellar in the Blighted Village, which is to the west of Silvanus' Grove, you'll find your progress is barred. To enter the laboratory itself, you're going to need to open a secret door hidden behind the big bookcase next to the painting on the north side of the cellar. The lever to activate this is hidden behind a nearby crate that you can smash with attacks. Head through into the next area, though be careful not to disturb the coffins lying nearby unless you want to tango with the undead.
All Ornate Mirror answers
In the next section, you'll find an Ornate Mirror on the wall, and when you approach it, you'll be asked a series of questions. Correct answers will gain you access to the lab, while the wrong answers will see you labelled as an intruder and set on fire—this mirror isn't playing around. Here are the answers you need to choose:
- Tell it your name
- "Yes, an ally! I'm an ally of your master's."
- "A foul lich. May he die a thousand more deaths."
- "To clean a wound?"
- Any response besides "I'd see the ones I love."
After that, the mirror opens up to grant you access to the laboratory, and you can open the main door to the original part of the cellar using a lever on the west side of the room.
