Still Waters¶

Quest Giver : Scout Harding

Requirement : Travel to Crestwood

Reward : 2446 Experience, 500 Influence, +5 Power

Besides looking for the Grey Warden, one of the main reasons we are here is due to reports of corpses walking the land. Turns out the reports are right. Follow the road from the initial camp east (doing the quest above) and then south to the village of Crestwood.

Once you arrive, help the front guards drive off the Corpses and enter the town. A man inside will tell you to talk to the mayor (probably a good idea). One of the houses on the right (the far one) has the Crumpled Letter codex inside it. There’s also a house boarded up near that (again, probably smart). The house to the left has a man you should talk to to get the “The Naturalist” quest, which we’ll cover later.

Onto the mayor’s house! It is up the hill, the highest house in the small village. Enter and talk to the mayor to see what you can do. Convince him you are here to help and he’ll mention the fort (occupied by bandits… go figure) that has the dam controls. We’ll have to fight our way to it, but he gives us the key we need. While you are in the house, grab The Anderfels codex from the corner.

While we are close to Crestwood, you should make time to head northeast a bit to a plaza with the “Memories of the Drowned” landmark, a Logging Stand, and a woman who will give you the “Homecoming” quest. That quest goes with this one, so we may as well be efficient!

“Capturing Caer Bronach”

The keep is to the south of Crestwood. Very hard to miss. Head to the old Marketplace Road and follow it southeast to the keep. Let’s take the subtly approach here and bust the front door in…

You’ll be greeted warmly by two armored Mabari and archers on the roof. Take out the pups and you can either use the stairs nearby to jump over to the roof or just use the ladder. The fighting will draw down two foot soldiers, so be ready for them.

Move further in to a courtyard. Ignore the ladders to the left for now and charge the stairs. A shielded guardsman is up here, but beyond him are some archers. Foot soldiers and Prowlers will join the fight as it goes on. Kill them all. At the top head left through the door to the upper area (this is where the left ladders go to). The doors here are locked, so ignore them and head through the archway ahead, going right.

You can replenish potions here. Head up above and kill the two lieutenants and archers you find. Up ahead is the Highwayman Chief. He’ll come at you on the narrow battlement, meaning you can have your tank easily block him off and lay down death on him. He is a two-handed warrior and functions just like the brute enemies you’ve seen before. Be sure to loot him once you kill him for the unique two-handed weapon The Last Stand . Once you kill him, go past him to the flag pole and raise it for the Inquisition to complete the quest “Capturing Caer Bronach”. You will get 1934 Experience, 1600 Influence, and +5 Power.

While we are here, talk to the new castle care-taker, Charter, for the quest “High Stakes”. We can sell stuff and craft stuff here too. Nearby the craft weapon station is a door. Inside of it is a Mosaic Piece you should definitely nab now. There is also a ladder leading down to a small cave area. Head down there and kill the spiders you find (including an elite spider named “Snowball”) to also acquire the Healing Mist Grenade Recipe off of Snowball’s corpse. Ah, poor Snowball! This cave leads to a door by the lake, by the way. Good for some sort of secret escape!

We should also explore the upper level of the keep while we are here. You can find Hard in Hightown: Chapter Four up on top level laying around. Varric will be pleased! You can also talk to a guard by the flagpole for the “Weeding Out Bandits” quest, which you may as well pick up. Lastly, there is a staircase up to the spy room nearby you can unlock with a rogue. Do so and grab the Caer Bronach codex and the A Magister’s Needs codex. You can even chastise the spies for locking you out if you want! Ha!

With all that done let’s focus on the task at hand. Head through the marked door by the merchant to be led outside to the dam. At the end is a tavern you will have to load into (this is so the game doesn’t have to SHOW the lake going down and can do it in the loading screen). Inside are some teenagers who we are totally catching red-handed. Heh… head upstairs really quick and grab the The First Blight: Chapter One codex, and then go hit the dam controls for a scene. Ha, dam controls. Head outside when you are done.

The water has lowered. We can access a part of old Crestwood now (and you can do the “Rift at Caer Bronach” quest easily now. Head back to see a dragon come tease us with her presence. Soon, my lovely…

Explore Old Crestwood for the many chests and Bottles of Thedas you can find (see our collection list). You can also get the “Burdens of Command” quest from a Wraith here and find the Mayor’s Old Home. North of all of that though you can find the entrance to The Flooded Caves. That is our goal here. Take some time to do the quest “Homecoming” and search for loot and bottles in the flooded village though, by all means. Enter the caves when you are ready.

We’re in a cave now, but there are lanterns EVERYWHERE. Behind the platform you arrive on is a Chest . Follow the path down lighting lanterns on the way. At the big open room and can move around the sides of the area to fight some corpses in the back and find another Chest , then you must go down. At the bottom of the wood walkway you can once again move around the side of the area (away from the obvious tunnel) to find a third Chest . Now, follow the tunnel to another wide-open area.

Up ahead is a Despair Demon and some Corpses. Kill them all. Before you go down the slope nearby, check out the tunnel on the right for a Chest and a pile of bodies you can examine. If you can’t tell, people were LIVING here when the flood came…

Take the slope down to the bottom area on the left. Down here look to the left as you go to find a door a rogue can open. Inside is the Paragons Known and Lesser Known codex (great read!), and a Chest . Up ahead is a Rage Demon you can kill for the “Burden of Command” quest. Easy enough. He is a bit stronger but not much…

Continue forward until you come to an area with a door, an open door to the rift, and a smashable wall. Smash the wall and drop down to find Chest x2 in a tomb-area, as well as a Mosaic Piece , then climb back up.

Now, BEFORE you go tackle the rift, take the nearby door. This leads to a VERY wide-open dwarven area. Explore it to find a Mosaic Piece near the central throne area and a Chest near an elven relic. Activate it and head further in, checking near the doorways for another Chest . This area further in will lead to some nugs and, finally, to a ladder leading OUT of the Flooded Caves. We want to explore this. Trust us! Go ahead and exit the caves.

Once you are out, climb the ladder and make your way to a door, where you can find a Chest and Mosaic Piece nearby. Hit the lever to open the door. This leads to the cave on the northeast portion of the map. A shortcut! Y’know, in case you ever want to visit some flooded caves… Go ahead and head back to the doorway with the rift now.

Head inside and fight the rift. Unlike most rifts, this rift will have FOUR phases before you can shut it. Still, the monsters here are weak. Wraiths and Shades, Lesser Terrors and Rage Demons. All easy to kill, so go wild and shut the rift when you can. Note that you can find the unique Axe of Green Edges among the loot on the rift, as well as a Chest in this room along the walls.

We need to go tell the mayor what happened. Head back to Crestwood now (you may as well turn in the “Burden of Command” quest while you are at it) and you’ll find the mayor is gone. He left a note though. Read it to add the Letter of Confession to the codex and add the “Find Crestwood Mayor” operation to the War Table. And with that done, this quest is complete.

Rift Near the North Gate¶

Quest Giver : Scout Harding

Requirement: Travel to Crestwood

Reward : 512 Experience, 200 Influence, +2 Power

This rift is fairly close to your starting camp. We only have to destroy the one rift, so this will be easy.

On your way up there, be sure you do the “A Change of Heart” quest above! Another recruit / agent is always welcome! After that, there is little else in your way!

Once you get to the rift, kill the Corpses and Arcane Horror that come out. The second wave will feature a Rage Demon, Corpses and Wraiths. Kill them all and shut the rift to complete the quest.

Rift at Caer Bronach¶

Quest Giver : None

Requirement : Take over Caer Bronach

Reward : 512 Experience, 200 Influence, +2 Power

After you lower the water for the “Still Waters” quest, we can access this.

Once you do that, you can find this rift in Old Crestwood. The rift WAS under water, but we can reach it now. Once you get close, kill the Corpse Archers and Wraiths you find, then wait for round two. Next up is a Rage Demon and more Corpses and Wraiths. Slaughter them all to close the rift and complete the quest.

Rifts at Three Trout Farm¶

Quest Giver : None

Requirement : Find the Three Trout Farm Camp

Reward : 512 Experience, 200 Influence, +2 Power

Once you find the Three Trout Farm Camp to the east of Caer Bronach, you will get this quest.

Two rifts, both to the south. One is near the camp, one is further south. The rift near the camp is easy to get to. Head there and take out the Shades and Corpses in the first wave and be ready for an Arcane Horror, Wraiths and Corpses in the second.

The rift to the south is… very much down there. In fact, it is very likey that you will encounter the dragon of this zone on your way down there, which is good and we highly recommend fighting it! Check out how to taker her down below.

Once you have access to the rift, head down there and fight the Shades that show up. The hill is a good place for an archer and their height attack bonus. The second wave will feature a Despair Demon and Wraiths. Take them all out and shut the rift to complete the quest.

Holding Crestwood¶

Quest Giver : Scout Harding

Requirement : Travel to Crestwood

Reward : 100 Influence, +1 Power

Only one camp! I know, right?! This is mainly due to the large landmarks in the area. For example, from the starting camp, you can find the village of Crestwood to the east. This has a fast travel point and (later) a shop, so it is a good camp substitute!

Then, to the south, is Caer Bronach. This is a fort that we will take over at some point during out stay here. Another camp replacement. Even better, really, since you can craft and upgrade things here.

Once you are done taking over the fort, focus on the “Still Waters” quest. It is all on the western side of the map and means we don’t quite need this extra camp yet. Once that is done, head to Caer Bronach and head east, aiming for this camp. It isn’t a terribly far ways away, and is easy to find. Once you settle it (the “Three Trout Farm” camp), this quest will be complete.

The Naturalist¶

Quest Giver : Gauld

Requirement : None

Reward : “Wyrm Hole” quest.

After entering Crestwood, visit the first house on the left and talk to a man named Gauld. He’ll mention his friend, Judith, who refused to come to town when the corpses started rising and wants someone to check on her (us).

This quest will have to wait a bit. We recommend you carry on and complete the “Still Waters” quest first, and then at least the “Holding Crestwood” quest so you can use the second camp out east, Three Trout Camp.

Once that is done, you can travel south from Three Trout Camp and find Judith’s house fairly easily (be sure to check out the first farm building on the way for the Plants vs. Corpses codex on the room and the familiar scene in the garden.

Judith is alive and well in here home and as soon as you talk to her the quest will be complete. Be sure to ask her about Wyverns in the area to get the “Wyrm Hole” quest.

Homecoming¶

Quest Giver : Sister Vaughn

Requirement : None

Reward : Experience, Influence, Power

You can find Sister Vaughn northeast of Crestwood. Go visit here after you talk to the mayor and she’ll mention the bodies in the lake. You will get this quest afterwards.

You can do this quest once you have followed the quest “Still Waters” to the point of draining the lake and uncovering old Crestwood. Once that has happened go ahead and spend some time exploring it. To the north you will find the “Mayor’s House” landmark. We will base our body discovery from here.

On the northeast part of town, east of the Mayor’s House, you can find the first Bodies 1/3 . They are in a house, with a chest.

Now, head south of the Mayor’s House and enter the first house on your left that is on the same elevation to find Bodies 2/3 .

Finally, west of the Mayor’s House, in the house up the embankment, you can find Bodies 3/3 .

Once you have them all, return to Sister Vaughn to complete the quest. You can also talk to the Mayor about his house, but we can’t seem to confront him about why it was so empty or any of the notes we found in the village.

Capturing Caer Bronach¶

Quest Giver : Exploration

Requirement : None

Reward : 1934 Experience, 1600 Influence, +5 Power

You get this quest while doing the quest “Still Waters”. Well, more precisely, you get this quest when you approach the Caer Bronach fort. A bit weird, but there you go. This quest covers taking over the fort itself, and is covered in our “Still Waters” quest (due to it being a necessity to complete the Still Waters quest), meaning having it here is redundant.

Check the “Still Waters” quest if you want info on this quest.

High Stakes¶

Quest Giver : Charter

Requirement : Capture Caer Bronach

Reward : Unlock “Expose the Double Agent” operation.

Talk to Charter (the leader) after taking over Caer Bronach to learn that a spy named Butcher hasn’t reported in yet. This of course means we have a job to do.

Before you do this, go get the camp out to the east. The Three Trout Camp location. Good to have that. Now, from there to the southeast is the South Road and a Highwayman Camp. Go find it and kill the bandits. Just north of these bandits, near the rocky spire, is Butcher’s corpse…

Read the letter he has on him and then kill the Venatori that attack. Seems SOMEONE knew he was coming with valuable information. Go report this to Charter to complete the quest and unlock the “Expose the Double Agent” operation at the War Table.

Weeding Out Bandits¶

Quest Giver : Soldier

Requirement : Capture Caer Bronach

Reward : 80 Influence

After taking over Caer Bronach, head to the flagpole again and talk to a soldier there. They will tell you the remains of the Highwaymen are now ambushing people on the roads, giving us this quest. Time to mop up!

Head east from Caer Bronach. you can find bandits just about anywhere out here in the farmlands. They usually roam around in groups of two, but will sometimes be in groups of three. They even have a camp near the lake to the far east.

Once you kill eight bandits in total, this quest will be considered complete. No talking to anyone required. There are more than eight bandits out here, so you may wind up killing even more. No biggie!

Burdens of Command¶

Quest Giver : Wraith

Requirement : Drain lake to Old Crestwood

Reward : Experience, 200 Influence, +2 Power, Amulet of Power

This quest is received after you drain the lake near old Crestwood. Do so and then while you are exploring the northern part you will run into a Wraith who is NOT hostile! You can actually talk to it and agree to help it pass on by following a command!

Ha! Thankfully the command is to kill a Rage Demon in the Flooded Caves nearby. This coincides with the “Still Waters” quest though, and is done on the way to do that quest, so just do it then. We cover this in our section for “Still Waters”.

Once you are done, return to the Wraith to report and help it move on. Besides the power and influence rewards, it will also give you an Amulet of Power that only Cole can use. Very nice! With that the quest is done.

Wyrm Hole¶

Quest Giver : Judith

Requirement : Complete “The Naturalist”

Reward : 80 Influence, Warden Scout Armor Schematic

The Wyverns Judith is talking about are north of the Three Trout Camp. From the camp head west a bit and then north up into the hills. You will find a Venatori Camp that you should take out, as well as an Astrarium you should solve. More on point though, there is a cave nearby that is the path we need. While in the cave, be sure to ping your search bar for a hit as you go along. You can find a Bottle of Thedas along the left-hand wall this way.

At the end, the cave opens up to a small shallow lake area that has THREE Wyverns. Two small ones and one big one. They are level 15, and are elite mobs. Focus on one at a time to reduce their numbers, use potions as you need to, and try to debilitate them with freezing effects.

Once you slaughter them, return to Judith to let her know. You’ll get an influence bump but also the Warden Scout Armor Schematic . Very nice.

BOSS - Northern Hunter¶

The Northern Hunter is an Electricity-based dragon, and is weak to spirit attacks. Neutral to cold and fire. Very good things for most mages.

This is a rather easy fight if you’ve done some of the Orlais exploration content ahead of Crestwood, but as always you want to be at or near this beast’s level to stand a chance. Full potion stock, etc.

The Northern Hunter has all of the normal Dragon type moves. She’ll rear her legs up and swipe at you with them (hitting whoever is nearby), as well as sweep her tail around. She is fond of jumping about to and fro and will very likely destroy some of the walls near the castle ruins you fight her at. She also whips her wings up and draws everyone in, just like all dragons do, which is an annoyance for mages and other ranged characters but is actually beneficial for warriors as they can attack during this time without worry.

In place of fire, the Northern Hunter uses electricty streams for her attack. She will also shoot out electric balls. Finally, her only other note-worthy attack is to charge the sky up with electricity. This makes everyone in your party glow purple, and puts a ring around them. By itself this ring does nothing, but if you get a party member inside that ring they will take shock damage. And yes, it is cumulative, meaning everyone close together can kill you all quickly.

Stay spread out during this fight, mostly due to the shock-ring move that the Northern Hunter does (and ESPECIALLY stay spread out when she does that!).

Other than that, use your strongest attacks and lay into her. Take advantage of her wing-flap move and her normal attacks with your allies spread out. You can do some major damage during these times. The Norther Hunter does NOT fly away and bombard you with electric balls during the fight, so keep at her and she will soon fall. Enjoy your rewards!

Loot: 1,934 Experience, 1600 Influence, +4 Power, In Death, Sacrifice (Medium Armor), Enhanced Guard Belt, Inquisitor Hat Schematic, Amulet of Power (Iron Bull ONLY), Superb Ring of Life-Drain, Intense Dragon Blood x6, Dragon’s Tooth, Dragon Webbing x2, Dragon Scales x4, Dragon Bone