While exploring the Ruined Battlefield in Baldur's Gate 3, players will meet the NPC He Who Was. This unique name and use of necromancy magic makes for an interesting character who will request a favor of those who happen upon him.
To prove the guilt of the dead person he is talking to, he requests that you help him by finding evidence of the crime they committed. He Who Was speaks of justice but in a very dark way, leaving players to wonder if they should help him or not.
Updated On August 21st, 2023 By Joshua Leeds: The Shadow Lands can be dangerous to traverse early into the game, with the shadows making even walking around difficult. This article has been updated to include additional links to help players travel through the shadows and how to obtain the Ledger without having to fight the difficult boss.
Finding The Ledger
Players are able to find proof of the crime before making a decision on how to handle this situation. To find the Ledger, head through the shadows to the bar known as the Waning Moon, just west of the Moonrise Towers fast travel point and through the shadow curse. The Ledger is found near Thisobald Thorm, requiring players to take care of him first. This enemy can be fought outright but can be an incredibly difficult fight due to his ability to use your magic against you and is resistant to most forms of physical damage.
For those wanting to take a different approach, walk towards Thosobald to initiate a conversation. Accept his offer for drinks and tell him stories of your adventures while you drink together. You'll need to pass multiple checks to make him drink three separate times to have him die from drinking too much instead of a fight. After he has been taken care of, save before proceeding, pass a perception check behind the bar to reveal a loose floorboard which can be looted to find the Ledger.
Dealing With He Who Was
After finding the Ledger, players can read it and decide how they want to handle the situation after returning to He Who Was. Refusing to hand over the Ledger or assist He Who Was in punishing Madeline will cause him and his raven to attack. Assisting him in berating Madeline for her crimes will complete the quest, and he will reward you with gauntlets that can summon a 1-hit point raven.
Players can also choose to simply attack and kill He Who Was to let Madeline rest peacefully. Morally speaking, He Who Was seems to lean more towards an evil nature, and ridding the world of him may be for the best. If you do choose to fight He Who Was, you won't receive his special gauntlets and will also have to fight his raven, but considering it's a 4v2, the odds are in your favor.