Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game filled with intriguing quests and mysteries that span across multiple Acts. One such mystery is an item that has puzzled many players is the ‘Fake Portrait of a Noble Before His Death.’ This item can be obtained from Oskar Fevras in the sewers, but is it actually used for anything in-game?
How to Use the Fake Portrait of a Noble Before His Death in BG3
Although the ‘Fake Portrait of a Noble Before His Death’ seems to be a key item in a quest line involving Oskar Fevras, it’s just a miscellaneous item. It appears Oskar may be selling counterfeit versions of costly paintings in Act 3 to earn some money. If you want, you can buy this and other paintings from him and drop them in your camp to decorate it; while simultaneously implying that his life could have taken a different turn if someone had rescued him from the Zhentarim hideout in Act 1.
The ‘Free the Artist’ Quest Line
The portrait is related to Lady Jannath’s estate, located south of the House of Grief and north of the Steel Watch Foundry. If you explore the estate, you’ll discover that Lady Jannath and Oskar share a romantic relationship, and she has been searching for him. Calling back to Act 1, if you exhaust Oskar’s voicelines in the Zhent’s hideout after deciding you do want to help him, you’ll learn he was set to marry before needing to ‘think things through’ and getting captured by the Zhents.
To properly finish complete his questline, you will need to help him out during Act 1. Here’s how to reunite Oskar and Lady Jannath:
- Free Oskar from the Zhentarim hideout in Act 1 by persuading Brem, the trader in the hideout to set him free or by buying his freedom.
- Look for Oskar in Baldur’s Gate during Act 3 at Lady Jannath’s Estate to the west of the Lower City, north of the Steel Watch Foundry. There is a Dragonborn standing guard at the front door that will give advise the player not to enter, but ultimately won’t do anything if you do.
- Toggle ‘Non-Lethal Attacks’ to being active on the ‘Passives tab’.
- Knock out Oskar, who is threatening Lady Jannath in her room.
- Loot Oskar and get the key from him after he’s knocked out and talk with Lady Jannath to find out about all the strange paranormal activity effecting their home.
- Reach the Atelier at the top of the manor. Note: You may need to find creative methods of getting to the top without constantly being knocked down by the cursed skulls throughout the house.
- Take the Painting of a Smiling Maiden in the Atelier and place on the Painting Stand.
- Go behind the secret door that opened and read the letter.
- Read the letter inside the locked chest.
- Get the Torch of Revocation from Mystic Carrion in Philgrave’s Mansion, located south of Sorcerous Sundries and Felogyr’s Fireworks in the abandoned house.
- Use the Torch of Revocation to destroy the Painting of a Smiling Maiden in the Atelier.
- Return to Oskar and Lady Jannath’s bedroom and speak with them to trigger the quest’s finale.
Moving forward, the optimal way to conclude this quest is by attempting to persuade Kerri that her behavior is out of character. Go for persuasion checks whenever you can. That said, this is a moment for you to roleplay how your character would respond to the following conversation moreso than just deciding what the “right” choice would be.
If you let Oskar stick around in the land of the living after the fact, he will offer to take you back into the Atelier to paint a portrait of the hero that saved him and his troubled marriage.