While trying to discover more about Ketheric Thorm and what is keeping him immortal, you eventually find yourself in the Gauntlet of Shar.
You stumble across an Undead Necromancer named Balthazar who serves General Ketheric Thorm and it seems he is after the same thing you are searching for.
You can decide to team up with Balthazar as he sees you as one of his pawns or decide to end his life and find what Ketheric Thorm has sent him to bring back.
Balthazar Location
Balthazar is first encountered at the Gauntlet of Shar and is often spoken to by your party while you make your way to the area with challenges.
You will speak to Balthazar through his undead minions before you are attacked, which will start a battle that allows you to assist him.
After the fight, you will be able to meet him in person and he will tell you about his mission, which is to find the Nightsong as demanded by Ketheric Thorm.
How To Defeat Balthazar?
Attack Balthazar in Gauntlet Of Shar
The first time that you encounter Balthazar gives you a choice to go along with his plan and help him until later or you can just attack him on the spot.
If you do not plan on going with him to Moonrise Towers with his help, you might want to just kill him here. (Or else endure a tough fight later)
This puts you up against only a few enemies and the large Flesh Golem is not that hard to defeat either if you fight smart.
Focusing your attacks on Balthazar is ideal unless other enemies are closer to you and whenever he casts Cloudkill, it is best to attack him to break his concentration.
Other than the Flesh Golem and Balthazar, everything is easy in this part and fighting him after you meet him in person is an easy way to progress.
Attack Balthazar in Shadowfell
If you decide to go along with Balthazar and end up changing your mind when it comes to allowing him to take the Nightsong, you will be in for a tough fight.
This requires that you take out several enemies in the area and their overwhelming numbers will prove to be difficult in the fight.
The best way to go about this would be to summon your familiars if you have any and make sure to use your buffs. (Flesh Golem should not be present here)
Focus your attacks on Balthazar whenever you can as he will just move around and cast Ray of Sickness often but don’t forget to take out the other enemies to avoid taking damage.
Once Balthazar has been taken out, clearing the rest of the enemies in the area will be a piece of cake for you and your party.
Balthazar Loot
Defeating Balthazar will allow you to loot a book called Soul Cage Research along with the Circle of Bones (Rare Circlet) and a Dagger.
The Circlet of Bones provides you with the ability to cast Animate Dead (Level 3 Necromancy Spell) and provides the Undead Ward aura.
Undead Ward causes allied undead within 6 meters of the wearer with resistance to Bludgeoning, Slashing, and Piercing Damage.
Verdict
Aiding Balthazar in obtaining the Nightsong will provide you with a way to infiltrate the Moonrise Towers but there are other ways to do this as well.
Fighting Balthazar early in the Gauntlet of Shar will prove to be easier than when you progress into the Shadowfell as there are fewer enemies.
Encountering Balthazar may be avoided during the earlier parts of when you are in the Gauntlet of Shar, but he will appear later in the Shadowfell if you do not kill him.