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To reach Auntie Ethel’s lair in Act 1, follow the road south of the Blighted Village to the Riverside Teahouse in the Sunlit Wetlands. The fireplace hides the way into the Overgrown Tunnel, which leads to the Ancient Abode and Mayrina. Protect anyone who wears a Whispering Mask, put out the fire on Mayrina’s cage during the encounter, and decide whether Ethel’s potential ability-score bargain is worth letting her live.
How to find Auntie Ethel and start Save Mayrina
The quest can begin when you meet Ethel and Mayrina’s brothers, Johl and Demir, south of the Blighted Village. Continue to the Riverside Teahouse in the Sunlit Wetlands. Ethel’s fireplace conceals an entrance to the Overgrown Tunnel, the route into her lair and onward to the Ancient Abode where Mayrina is held. The quest journal can vary according to what you have already done and said.
The [Save Mayrina quest reference] and [Riverside Teahouse location guide] provide the route and quest context.
How to get past the Whispering Masks
A masked victim and an illusory door guard the way through the lair. You need only one party member wearing a Whispering Mask to pass the door, but the mask can let Ethel control its wearer. Cast Protection from Evil and Good on that character before equipping the mask; the spell suspends its harmful effect.
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Do not put on a mask without that protection. If you have no safe way to protect the wearer, avoid treating the mask as ordinary equipment.
How to save Mayrina during the encounter
In the Ancient Abode, Ethel sets Mayrina’s suspended cage on fire. If your priority is rescuing Mayrina, address the fire promptly during the encounter; leaving it burning puts the rescue at risk.
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A walkthrough reports that the control orb can be reached before combat to lower the cage. Because the route and interaction can depend on the game’s current version and encounter state, treat this as an optional approach to verify in your game rather than a guaranteed shortcut. See PC Gamer’s Auntie Ethel walkthrough for its account of the encounter.
Should you accept Ethel’s bargain?
When Ethel is near defeat, she may offer a piece of her hair in exchange for being allowed to live. Accepting grants a permanent +1 to one selected ability score, but means negotiating with the hag rather than simply killing her. The available resolution—and what happens to Mayrina—depends on dialogue and the encounter state.
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| Choice to weigh | What it means |
|---|---|
| Take the hair | Gain a permanent +1 to a chosen ability score through Ethel’s bargain; she survives the encounter. |
| Refuse the bargain and kill Ethel | Do not accept the hair in exchange for her survival; resolve the fight without that reward. |
| Choose how to resolve Mayrina’s situation | Mayrina’s fate can differ depending on the dialogue and state of the encounter; do not assume accepting or refusing the bargain alone determines every outcome. |
Class and oath choices can matter: accepting the hag’s deal may affect a paladin’s oath. If that is important to your character, consider the tradeoff before agreeing. For the recorded quest outcomes and dialogue branches, consult the quest reference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do with Bitter Divorce and Connor
After the encounter, explore the lair for the Bitter Divorce wand. It opens an optional decision connected to Connor: you can use the wand in his story, keep it, or destroy it. This is a moral and narrative choice, not a required step to complete the rescue. The quest reference records multiple possible consequences, so choose based on the outcome you want for Connor rather than assuming there is one mandatory use.
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Should you trade an eye to remove the parasite?
Ethel also offers to remove a party member’s parasite in exchange for that character’s eye. Her attempt fails to remove it, making the bargain a lasting cost without the promised cure. Do not treat this offer as a way to solve the parasite problem.
Quick Recap
Route and encounter checklist
- Meet Auntie Ethel and Mayrina’s brothers south of the Blighted Village, or continue to the Riverside Teahouse in the Sunlit Wetlands.
- Use the concealed passage behind the teahouse fireplace to enter the Overgrown Tunnel.
- Before equipping a Whispering Mask to pass the illusory door, cast Protection from Evil and Good on its wearer.
- Reach the Ancient Abode and respond promptly when Ethel sets Mayrina’s cage on fire.
- Near the end of the encounter, decide whether the +1 ability-score hair is worth Ethel’s survival and any oath implications for your paladin.
- Afterward, find Bitter Divorce if you want to make the optional Connor decision.
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