You’re wandering through the dense, corpse-ridden streets of Lower City in Baldur’s Gate 3, and you stumble upon Philgrave’s Mansion. Inside sits a mummy lord who smells like a week-old landfill but talks like a refined aristocrat. He wants his "property" back. Specifically, he wants you to find Mystic Carrion’s servant, a zombie named Thrumbo who apparently had the audacity to seek a life of his own.
It sounds simple. Just go find a runaway zombie, right? Wrong.
This quest is a classic Larian Studios rabbit hole. It’s not just about a game of hide-and-seek; it’s the gateway to one of the most mechanically interesting boss fights in Act 3 and some of the best Necromancy gear in the game. If you’re like me, you probably spent twenty minutes checking every alleyway near the docks while getting harassed by Steel Watchers.
The truth is, Thrumbo isn't that far away, but he's hiding in a spot that’s incredibly easy to walk right past if you aren’t paying attention to the small environmental cues.
Where Thrumbo Is Actually Hiding
Once you take the quest from Mystic Carrion, your map gets a few markers, but they’re intentionally vague. You’re looking for a small house by the water.
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Head northeast from the Philgrave Mansion toward the docks. You’re looking for Vonlowe’s Home. It’s a tiny, unassuming shack right on the shoreline. When you walk inside, it looks empty. You might see some plates, some debris, maybe a stray rat.
Look for the wardrobe.
Seriously. The terrifying undead servant of an ancient mummy lord is hiding in a closet. When you interact with the wardrobe, Thrumbo will tumble out, terrified. This is where the quest actually begins to branch. You can be the "good" guy and help him, or you can knock him out, kill him, and haul his body back to Carrion like a morbid delivery driver.
Most players choose to help Thrumbo. Why? Because Mystic Carrion is a jerk, and more importantly, he’s a jerk with a lot of legendary loot that he won't give you unless you kill him. But you can't just swing a sword at Carrion and expect him to stay dead. He’s a lich-adjacent entity; he has jars.
The Mechanics of Death: Finding the Canopic Jars
If you decide to side with Thrumbo to find Mystic Carrion's servant and ultimately end the mummy's reign, Thrumbo tells you a secret. Carrion is immortal because his vital organs are tucked away in jars scattered across the city.
If you don't destroy these jars, Carrion just resurrects. It’s annoying. It’s also a waste of spell slots.
The Jar of Heart
This is the big one. And it’s actually inside Thrumbo. If you talk to him and dig into the lore, you realize he’s been carrying the Mummy Lord's heart inside his own rotting chest this whole time. It’s the ultimate hiding spot. To get it, you’ll eventually need to convince Thrumbo to give it up or, if you're playing a darker run, take it by force.
The Jar of Lungs
This one is tucked away in the Undercity Ruins. You’ll need to head down into the sewers, specifically the area near the City Sewers waypoint. Look for a mortuary-style area. It’s guarded by some pretty nasty undead, so don't just wander in there with half HP.
The Jar of Liver and Brain
These are usually found together in a secret basement area accessible through a trapped pressure plate or a hidden door in the ruins. Specifically, check the Ancient Lair north of the sewers. It’s filled with grease, fire traps, and more zombies than a mid-2000s horror flick.
Why You Should Care About the Torch of Revocation
If you’re doing the "Free the Artist" questline (which is notorious for being one of the most frustrating haunts in the game), you need Mystic Carrion. Or at least, you need his stuff.
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The Torch of Revocation is the only way to burn the cursed painting of Oscar Fevras. You can get this torch by completing the quest to find the servant or by looting it off Carrion’s dusty remains. Honestly, the boss fight is the more rewarding route. Carrion drops the Staff of Cherished Necromancy, which is essentially a god-tier item for Wizards or Sorcerers who like to spam Blight or Circle of Death without burning through every high-level spell slot they own.
Tactical Advice for the Philgrave Fight
So, you’ve found Thrumbo. You’ve smashed the jars. Now you’re back at the mansion to finish the job.
Don’t just run through the front door.
Mystic Carrion has high initiative and loves to cast Cloudkill or Insect Plague in that cramped hallway. It’s a death trap. Instead:
- Use the Balcony: There’s a balcony on the second floor. If you have someone with Misty Step or high Strength for jumping, get them up there.
- Fire is Your Friend: Like most mummies, Carrion hates fire. Fireball, Wall of Fire, or even just a well-placed grease bottle can ruin his day.
- Silence Him: He is a primary caster. If you can land a Silence bubble or hit him with a Sussur weapon, he becomes a lot less threatening and mostly just flails around with mediocre melee attacks.
Common Mistakes and Quest Bugs
Sometimes, the quest to find Mystic Carrion’s servant can get a bit wonky. I’ve seen reports where Thrumbo doesn't spawn in the wardrobe. If that happens, usually a quick long rest or a reload fixes the trigger.
Also, make sure you don't accidentally sell the jars. They look like vendor trash if you aren't reading the item descriptions. "Ancient Jar" might sound like something worth 5 gold, but it's the key to the whole quest. If you sell it to a random merchant in the Lower City and then forget which one, you're going to have a bad time retracing your steps.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To wrap this up and get you back into the game, here is exactly how you should handle this quest to get the best outcome:
- Visit Philgrave’s Mansion first. Get the quest officially so the map markers (as vague as they are) appear.
- Head to Vonlowe's House. Go to the docks, find the shack, and open the wardrobe to find Thrumbo.
- Talk to Thrumbo. Don't kill him immediately. Listen to his story to unlock the quest "Defeat Mystic Carrion."
- Hunt the Jars. If you want the loot and the "good" ending for the zombies, go to the sewers and the Ancient Lair to destroy the Lungs, Brain, and Liver.
- Get the Heart. Talk to Thrumbo again after destroying the other jars; he will "regurgitate" the Heart jar. Destroy it.
- Kill Carrion. Go back to the mansion. Since his jars are gone, he won't respawn.
- Loot the Staff. Make sure to grab the Staff of Cherished Necromancy and the Torch of Revocation from the chest behind his desk.
By following this order, you ensure you don't miss out on the legendary gear and you clear the way for the "Free the Artist" quest simultaneously. It's the most efficient way to handle the spooky side of the Lower City without getting stuck in a loop of respawning mummies.