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Overview
1 - Outer Gate
When you arrive at the castle, this gate will have a magical barrier blocking it. You'll have two ways to go through:
If you placed the Barrel of Bwoosh in the
Underground River, then you'll be able to tell Torsin about it, and he'll trigger its explosion, which will remove the barrier.
Otherwise, you'll have to work with Phossey Dugdeep (#2) to open a breach in the wall (#3), and then cause a catapult (#6) to destroy the gate.
2 - Phossey Dugdeep
Phossey will appear here if you need an alternative route into the castle. She'll tell you that she has a Barrel of Bwoosh with her, but that she can't get to a weak spot in the wall (#3) because crusader archers are blocking the way. Once you've killed the archers for her, Phossey will blow open the wall, and you'll have a way inside.
3 - Wall Breach
You might have to defeat several archers here. One of them will drop
Arrows +1, a
Composite Longbow +1, and
Splint Mail +1.
4 - Gnarg Big-Bug
If you reached this spot via the wall breach (#3), then you'll meet the troll handler Gnarg Big-Bug here. No matter what you say to him, he and the mercenaries with him will attack you. You'll earn over 6000 xp for defeating them, and you'll find a
Two-Handed Sword +2 on Gnarg's corpse.
5 - Troll Pen
After defeating Gnarg Big-Bug (#4), the trolls in this pen will ask you for help. You can release them by unlocking the pen, which will either require you to pick the lock or use the Troll Pen Key from the
Dragonspear Castle Basement. The trolls are then supposed to head for the main part of the courtyard and help you in the big battle against the crusade (#7), but all they did for us was stand around and continue to ask for help. We only got them involved by luring enemies to them.
6 - Catapult
If you entered the courtyard via the wall breach (#3), then when you approach this catapult you'll meet a crusader named Held Moran. No matter what you say to him, he'll fire the catapult at the outer gate (#1), destroying it.
7 - Major Battle
When you knock out the barrier blocking the outer gate (#1), the coalition forces will swarm into the castle courtyard and start engaging the crusaders. This will trigger a grand melee with dozens of soldiers involved. The safest way to play it is to sit back and wait for the coalition forces to win, but if you want to get involved, then the next safest route is to equip your party with ranged weapons, and let them pick off enemies while hiding behind the coalition forces. You should try and avoid using spells during the battle because you won't be able to camp in the courtyard until you've defeated all of the crusaders there, and you'll have some tougher fights coming up (#9, #10).
When you loot the corpses from the battle, you'll find lots of
Potions of Extra Healing and
Potions of Healing. You should feel free to use them liberally to make sure your party is fully healed before each major fight.
8 - Inner Gate
Like the outer gate (#1), this gate will start out locked. To get past it, you'll have to defeat the crusaders in the courtyard (#7, #9). Then when you approach the gate, Caelar Argent will appear on the ramparts and she'll once again try to convince you to join her cause. When you decline, she'll retreat into the castle, and Phossey Dugdeep will blow open the gate.
9 - Ashatiel
When you approach one of these two spots (#9), Ashatiel will challenge you to a one-on-one duel:
- If you accept the challenge, then you'll move to the center of the courtyard (#9a), where the fight will start. Ashatiel will have a sequencer, potions, and spells available to her, and your companions won't be able to help you out in any way. So you should either buff up before starting, or you should take some
Potions of Extra Healing with you (or both), so you can guarantee your success.
When you defeat Ashatiel, you'll earn 5000 xp, and you'll find an
Adventurer's Robe,
Bracers of Defense AC 5, a
Cloak of Protection +1, a
Golden Girdle, a
Mace +2, a
Ring of Free Action, and a
Small Shield +2 on her corpse.
- If you decline the challenge, then you'll have to fight Ashatiel and her entire party -- including Balvin Steadyhand (fighter / cleric), Marius of Tethyr (paladin), Sarginson (fighter / mage), Small Kimble (mage), Wormgums (barbarian), and Zoe Kryn (fighter / thief) -- but you'll have your party with you as well. The fight will end once you've defeated Ashatiel, so it's a good idea to focus on her.
If you defeat Ashatiel and her entire party, then you'll earn 22,000 xp, and you'll find Ashatiel's equipment (which is listed above) plus a
Composite Longbow +1, a
Large Shield +1, a
Short Sword +1, a
Sling +1, and some potions and ammunition on the corpses.
When Ashatiel dies, the crusaders will start retreating to the castle, and you'll be able to make your way north without infinite crusader spawns slowing you down.
10 - Crusaders
At this spot you'll run into the last group of crusaders in the courtyard: Alexandria (cleric), Axe Poet (barbarian), Bluebeard (fighter), Chloe (assassin), Dram (mage), and Thasz (fighter). Of this group, Chloe is the most dangerous because left unchecked she'll backstab you to death. So either focus on her right away, or cast a spell like Glitterdust on her so she can't turn invisible.
You'll earn 22,000 xp for defeating the crusaders, and you'll find an
Amulet of Protection +1, a
Battle Axe +2,
Bolts +2,
Bolts of Lightning,
Bracers of Defense AC 6, a
Dagger +2,
Darts of Stunning, a
Heavy Crossbow +2, a
Long Sword +2, a
Morning Star +1,
Potions of Extra Healing,
Potions of Invisibility, a
Sling +1, and a
Wand of Frost on the corpses.
11 - Dosia
If Dosia survives the assault, then she'll camp out here and provide temple services.
12 - Belegarm
You'll meet Belegarm here. He'll have the same wares available as before.
13 - Containers
In the two containers here (both locked, one trapped), you'll find 40
Acid Arrows +1, 40
Arrows +3, 40
Arrows of Ice, two
Potions of Clarity, five
Potions of Extra Healing, and two
Potions of Storm Giant Strength.
14 - Trapped Container
Inside the container here you'll find five
Potions of Fire Resistance, a
Potion of Magic Protection, and a
Potion of Magic Shielding.
15 - Shelves
If you loot the shelves here, then you'll find scrolls of
Chaotic Commands,
Enchanted Weapon,
Free Action,
Protection from Fire (x2),
Protection from Poison, and
Resist Fear.
16 - Desk
On the desk here you'll find a Cursed Scroll of Foolishness.
If you weren't able to complete Skie's quest at the Coalition Camp, then you'll meet her behind the desk. She'll tell you that she was captured by crusaders but that the Hooded Man saved her.
17 - Vault Door
You'll meet Bence Duncan and a small group of coalition soldiers in front of this door. They'll open the way for you, but when you enter the vault, Hephernaan will finally betray Caelar. He'll cast a spell to hold everyone in place, and then he'll cut you so your blood will open a portal to
Avernus (Exit C). Hephernaan will then enter the portal to prepare the demons for their assault, and Caelar and her remaining crusaders will follow so they can stop him. Meanwhile, Bence will retreat and shut the door behind him, so you won't have any choice but to follow as well. When you enter the portal, each character in your party will earn 20,000 xp, and Chapter 12 will start.
Exits
- Entrance to Dragonspear Castle.
- Stairs between the Main Hall and the Basement.
- Portal to
Avernus.
