Stop the Presses

Stop the Presses is a quest in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It can be started by speaking with Estra Stir in the Lower City or Lens in Rivington or Ettvard Needle in the Baldur's Mouth. 
If this quest isn't picked up before Gortash's death, it will no longer be available because the newspaper will be solely reporting on the Archduke's death. Ettvard Needle will even call the party "old news" and shoo them away.
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==Objectives==
== Walkthrough ==
=== Estra Stir and the Baldur's Mouth Gazette ===
Speaking with , just south of the Basilisk Gate in the Lower City at , reveals that the party members are the subject of the Baldur's Mouth Gazette's next issue - the juiciest one to date. Estra refuses to elaborate on what the piece intends to be about, nor hear any arguments about the party's consent to be written about. However, her statements start the quest, to investigate Baldur's Mouth by speaking to the editor. The Baldur's Mouth building can be found south of the Elfsong Tavern at . Inside, there is the editor-in-chief, . 
If Ettvard is spoken to, he reveals that the article being published on the party is negative, and that they should have thought about the consequences before disgracing themselves in public. 
The reason for Ettvard's hatred can vary - if the quest has been started, then he states it is due to getting involved in a murder investigation immediately after entering the city. If the ambush at the Circus of the Last Days has been encountered, there is a chance that he instead places the blame for the murder of the circus performers on the party. If the quest is completed, states that the party members were responsible for destroying the Steel Watch Foundry. Otherwise, he may blame them for a tenfold increase in Absolutionist activity, or for the trafficking of Tiefling Refugees into Baldur's Gate.
After Ettvard has been spoken with, the party members are kicked out of the Gazette and the door is locked, making entry significantly harder. However, it is possible to freely roam about the public parts of the Gazette before speaking with him.
=== Stopping the Hit Piece ===
In order to stop the hit piece, the party must reach the printing press in the Baldur's Mouth basement. This can be reached by an elevator by the entrance or by metal doors downstairs near Ettvard. There are many ways to sneak into the area. One such way is to use or and jump to the roof of the Baldur's Mouth. Then, above the area where the elevator is, there are barricades. These barricades can be destroyed with blunt attacks or spells. After doing this, it is possible to jump down, and use the elevator's lever to sneak into the basement. Alternatively, one party member with could sneak in while the rest of the party waits outside. 
Once inside, there are two Steel Watchers who are patrolling the halls. With using , or , enabling Turn-Based Mode, and the action, it is possible to sneak past them without initiating combat. In between the two halls is an iron gate, which can be lockpicked. Otherwise, entering the side rooms to the north is possible; there are barricades that can be destroyed to cross freely between the two rooms. After getting past the gate, there is the printing press.
Once arriving in the printing room, it is possible to interact with the printing press, * , which starts a conversation. 
If the fairy was freed from the in Act Two, the press recognizes the party, and offers to help immediately. Otherwise, it has to be persuaded through dialogue choices and skill checks. 
* 
* 
* 
Choosing the first two options has the printer speaking up, introducing itself as Jelliwig, the 'artist' in charge of putting ink on the broadsheets.
* 
* 
* 
If Maybe you could do me a favour and stop the presses? Change the article? is chosen, then Jelliwig is reluctant to change the article, for fear of angering Ettvard.
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
If the check is passed and Jelliwig agrees to help, then it states that it needs a new printing block to replace the old one. Appropriate blocks can be found throughout the basement, as well as in baskets on the Baldur's Mouth's main floor. 
Choosing 'Take one step closer' and 'Take another step further' results in different checks:
* 
* 
* 
* 
If these checks are failed, then the press starts printing automatically, and is unable to be tampered with further. 
If is dead, it is possible to alter the headlines even if not having started the quest, or it is no longer available. Doing so affects the world the same way as if the quest was active.
Positive Articles:
* - in a wicker basket 
* - upstairs, in a wicker basket behind Ettvard 
* - in a wicker basket 
Neutral Articles:
* - on a counter 
* - upstairs, in a wicker basket 
* - upstairs, in a wicker basket 
Negative Articles:
* - on a shelf 
* - on a desk 
* - on a counter 
=== Killing Ettvard ===
It is possible to end the hit piece by killing Ettvard. This results in the paper covering his demise, rather than the hit piece.
== Result ==
This quest is time sensitive after speaking to Ettvard Needle - if the quest has not been started or only Estra Stir has been spoken to, then no papers are printed about the party. After speaking to Ettvard, the paper is printed after the next Long Rest. If the headline is not altered by the party, a negative one is printed.
* Positive headline: People around town compliment the party or recognize them positively, and their reputation is improved, resulting in a gain of 10 attitude. 
* Neutral headline: Nothing changes.
* Negative headline: People around town comment negatively towards the party, and their reputation is tarnished, resulting in a loss of 15 attitude.
The following merchants are affected by the attitude change:
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
== Notes ==
* Talking to only initiates this quest, if she is the real Lens and not a disguised .
* The latter half of this quest is trivialized if has been completed, as the only guards in the Gazette's basement are Steel Watchers, which are then disabled.
* The 10 attitude buff for traders seems to apply only to characters who were active members of the party when the quest was completed.
Category:Quests
Category:Time-Sensitive Quests