Baldur’s Gate 3 has such an extremely vast number of sidequests and consequential decisions to be made that it actually feels like Dungeons & Dragons. For those who aren’t familiar with the source material, what we mean by that is: it feels like you can do anything. Such is the case when you need to find Oskar in the Free the Artist quest.
Like Dungeons & Dragons, however, Baldur’s Gate 3 really doesn’t hold your hand. If you don’t explore, you won’t find secrets–simple as that. You’ll get as much out of BG3 as you put into it. If you want to really experience the fantastically designed world, it’s up to you to do so.
That said, the Act One sidequest Free the Artist is notoriously easy to accidentally pass by, even for avid explorers.
Baldur’s Gate 3: How to find Oskar and start Free the Artist
Funny thing about this quest–you have to find and free an NPC painter named Oskar to complete it. You have to find Oskar to even begin the quest altogether. See why it’s easy to miss? As if that wasn’t enough, Oskar is in an area so easy to miss that it literally has “Hideout” in it’s name.
To gain access to Free the Artist, you’ll want to start the quest Find the Missing Shipment, which is picked up on the Risen Road upon encountering a group of dying hyenas. This will lead to a couple of skirmishes as you head towards a cave to the north, where you will defeat a pack of Gnolls attacking two NPCs. These NPCs, Rugan and Olly, are the two actually carrying the missing shipment. The shipment is to be brought to the Zhentarim Hideout–with or without its transporters.
Related: How to complete the Stop the Presses quest in BG3, explained
Whatever you do, do not open the Iron Flask within the shipment. There is a warning stating that the client requesting the shipment will know if you open it, because you’ll be dead. The warning also states that “this is not a threat, it is simply what will happen if you open the flask.” Heed the warning.
Even if you somehow survive opening the flask, you won’t be able to interact with the NPCs in Zhentarim Hideout, which you’ll need to do for Free the Artist. Just don’t open it.
Once you have the missing shipment, head to Zhentarim Hideout through the hatch in the wine storage room in the northwest corner of Waukeen’s Rest. Salazon will stop you and demand a password. Just go ahead and select the Detect Thoughts option. Or, if Rugan and Olly survived, they will tell you the password.
Head down the hatch and through the wardrobe and you’ll discover the Zhentarim Hideout Waypoint. Congratulations, you’ve done the hard part and can now actually begin Free the Artist!
Baldur’s Gate 3: How to free Oskar
Now that you’re inside Zhentarim Hideout, another NPC named Zarys will give you a hard time and insist you need to do a job for her to “buy your life back.” However, as soon as you make your way down the path of disarmed traps, you will see Oskar and a couple other NPCs. Oskar is the one painting.
Speak to Brem, the trader next to Oskar, and he will tell you that you can buy a self portrait from him made by his “pet artist.” Questioning Brem’s meaning will lead to an offer to purchase Oskar from him. You have to the option to pay 1000 gold, or pass an Intimidation or Persuasion check to save some money. The DC is 20, so you should either save your game before rolling or accept that you might be dropping a pretty penny.
Speak to Oskar and he will make some jokes about being purchased and not wanting to know what price he was appraised at–then, he will mention Lady Janneth. Asking about this reveals that Oskar caused quite a scandal in the city of Baldur’s Gate by getting engaged to royalty, and then skipping town before the wedding.
Though not necessary, you will be given the choice to give Oskar 200 gold to aid on his journey back to Baldur’s Gate. We recommend giving him the gold, as Oskar promises you will be handsomely rewarded when you seek him out later in the city. Giving him the travel aid likely ensures that he actually reaches Baldur’s Gate alive.
