Baldur’s Gate 3 Underground Passage Chest: How to Get the Charred Key

Extinguish your frustrations.

Updated August 16th, 2023, by Alex Huebner
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If you’re playing Baldur’s Gate 3 and have wandered your way into the Underground Passage behind Emerald Grove, you may have run into the Heavy Chest. To get into the chest you’ll need a Charred Key, which is within the passage. Here’s how to get the Charred Key.

How To Get To The Underground Passage

In the Emerald Grove you’ll see a shabby door in the Northwest corner.

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When you go through you’ll see a tiefling, Sazza, aiming a crossbow at a goblin. This will spur an interaction where you can choose to watch or save the goblin.

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After your interaction with them, you can go behind the goblin and jump to the landing.

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There is a door along the wall on the right, if you make the passive perception check it will reveal itself to you and you can go into the Underground Passage. We found this door the easiest way to get the runes inside disabled with minimal damage.

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Disable the Runes

As soon as you enter you’ll see goblins and a fallen druid. You can try to sneak to disable the first rune, but you will need to fight the goblins to save Findal, the druid.

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After your battle, immediately disable the three traps, first Rune of the Bear on the left wall where you entered.

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Climb the stairs the ranged goblin was shooting from to disable the Rune of the Eagle on the column at the top. In the dark cave behind this spot is the Heavy Chest that you need the Charred Key for.

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To disable the final rune it will be safest to ungroup from your party. Jump across to the platform in the water and dash down the stairs.

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At the very base you’ll see the glowing blue plaque to disable the Rune of the Wolf.

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Get the Charred Key

On the ground is a dead human, click them to loot the body and you’ll see the charred key in their possession.

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Once you take the key you can go back to the chest and hopefully, someone in your party will have a successful perception roll and see the chest is trapped. Use a Trap Disarm Toolkit to disable it. From there you’re free to open the chest with the key and take the items inside.

- This article was updated on August 16th, 2023

About The Author

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Alex grew up with a controller in hand, enthralled with the other worlds games can take you to. Indie, horror, adventure, and cozy games are among her usual genres with The Legend Of Zelda, Little Nightmares, Don't Starve, and Animal Crossing making her list of favorite titles. In Fall 2014 she got her Bachelor's from Iowa State University in Advertising and has been writing since 2015. Eventually she found her happy place in tech and gaming in 2019 with titles across several sites including iMore, Android Central, IGN, Game Rant, and Windows Central.

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