Most Baldur's Gate 3 players missed a rare opportunity to directly converse with the Elder Brain in Moonrise Towers

Moonrise Towers in Baldur's Gate 3 often remains underexplored by players. Most choose morally upstanding characters, which prevents free movement through this location. The hostility of the towers' inhabitants toward those not serving the Absolute forces players to rush through without examining every corner of this unexpectedly large area.

During first playthroughs, many players yank their hand from a cracked wall immediately after sticking it in, realizing that interacting with strange whispering holes isn't the best idea for a character's long-term survival. However, the consequences of failing various skill checks remain unknown to most.

In community discussions, many commenters expressed surprise learning what happens if you don't free your hand from the opening.

"This is far from my first playthrough, but I've never found this interaction before," one player admitted.

Many acknowledged they interacted with the wall but wisely decided not to continue the investigation.

When failing the skill check, one of the Elder Brain's tentacles can grab the character. This represents one of the few moments in the game where players can directly interact with the main antagonist. Warlocks with the Great Old One patron feel compelled to engage with this entity. The realization that the Great Old One knows of your presence proves more terrifying than needing to confront the Elder Brain.

The mass of tentacles contains unique dialogue for the Dark Urge, as the Elder Brain recognizes the character as a "disgraced master." The dialogue foreshadows game events, hinting that the player will destroy the trio of Ketheric, Gortash, and Orin.

At this point, players can either pass a skill check to break free, or upon failure, the tentacle squeezes harder and drags the entire party into the illithid colony. The character also suffers a dislocated shoulder, which serves as a debuff on all attack rolls.