You've probably been there. You’re standing on that broken bridge in the Grymforge, staring across a massive, terrifying chasm at a majestic temple bathed in purple light. It looks right there. You check your journal, and it says "Find the Sharran Temple." Naturally, you try everything. You use Feather Fall and jump into the abyss. You die. You try Misty Step. Out of range. You spend three hours looking for a hidden lever or a secret path through the rocks.
Here is the cold, hard truth: you cannot get there from here.
Basically, Larian Studios loves a bit of environmental storytelling, and that temple you see in Act 1 is a massive tease. It’s the Gauntlet of Shar, but it is physically inaccessible until you progress much further into the story. If you’re pulling your hair out in the Underdark, just stop. Take a breath. You've gotta move on to Act 2.
Finding the Sharran Temple in Act 2
To actually find the Sharran temple, you need to reach the Shadow-Cursed Lands. This isn't just a side quest you stumble into; it’s the core of the Act 2 narrative. You’ll eventually find yourself in Reithwin Town. It's a gloomy, miserable place, but that’s where the entrance hides.
Specifically, you are looking for the Thorm Mausoleum. It’s located in the northern reaches of the Reithwin Graveyard. You’ll know you’re close when you see the devil Raphael hanging out near the entrance. He usually has a cryptic favor to ask about a "rival" inside. Honestly, if you see the posh devil, you’ve found the right spot.
Inside, things get a bit... trap-heavy. Ketheric Thorm didn't want visitors. The mausoleum is a series of rooms filled with sarcophagi, but the back chamber holds the real secret. You’ll find three paintings on the walls. This is the first "gate" to the temple proper.
The Painting Puzzle Order
If you mess this up, the room fills with a nasty black cloud that makes life difficult. You need to press the buttons under the paintings in the order of Ketheric’s life.
- Moonrise Towers (The splendor)
- Grief (The tragedy of his daughter)
- General (The infamy of his service to Shar)
Once you hit them in that order, the walls shift, and a secret elevator appears. This is the "Traversal Gem" platform. Step on it, hit the button, and you’ll descend into the Gauntlet of Shar.
What Most People Miss in the Gauntlet
Once you’re finally inside, the game doesn't just hand you the rewards. You’re in a massive dungeon designed to test Sharran initiates. The first thing you'll hit is a statue with a forcefield.
A lot of players try to brute force this. Don't. You’ll just get knocked back and look silly. Look around the side rooms and pull the levers to lower the lanterns. Extinguish the light. When the room is pitch black, you’ll see a glowing path on the floor. Follow it to the "Umbral Gem" at the center to unlock the main doors.
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You've gotta understand that this temple is the "point of no return" for Act 2. If you find the temple and go all the way to the bottom—the Verge of Shadows—the game will give you a big warning. Pay attention to it. If you proceed past that point, most of your pending side quests (like rescuing the Tieflings from Moonrise) will automatically fail.
Essential Checklist for the Temple
- Bring Shadowheart. Seriously. This is her entire character arc. If you leave her at camp, she’s going to be furious, and you’ll miss out on the most significant dialogue in the zone.
- Find the Silent Library. It’s tucked away on the lower levels. You need the "Spear of Night" hidden behind a riddle there. The answer is a book called Teachings of Loss: The Nightsinger.
- Deal with the Orthon. There’s a massive demon named Yurgir hanging out in the eastern wing. You can fight him, or if your Charisma is high enough, you can literally talk him into "disarming" himself. It’s one of the best moments in the game.
- The Trials. You need four Umbral Gems to reach the end. Three come from the Soft-Step, Self-Same, and Faith-Leap trials. The fourth is held by Yurgir.
Practical Steps to Take Right Now
If you’re still in Act 1, stop searching the Grymforge. Pack your bags and head to either the Mountain Pass or the Underdark elevator to transition to Act 2.
If you're already in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, make a beeline for the Last Light Inn first to get your protection from the curse, then head west across the river to Reithwin. The temple is your final destination for the Act, so make sure you’ve visited Moonrise Towers at least once before you dive too deep into the Gauntlet. You’ll want to talk to Balthazar there—or kill him—depending on how you’re feeling that day.
Get your party leveled up to at least level 7 or 8 before entering the Mausoleum. The fights inside, especially against the "Self-Same" trial (where you fight shadow versions of yourself), can be surprisingly brutal if you're under-geared. Check your inventory for "Daylight" spells or items that grant necrotic resistance; they’re literal lifesavers in these halls.