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Background

You'll automatically receive this quest at the start of Act II.


Walkthrough

You'll begin Act II in the Viscount's Keep in Hightown. The viscount will tell you that the Arishok has asked to see you for some unspecified reason. When you meet with the Arishok in the qunari compound at the Docks, he'll tell you that the merchant Javaris Tintop (who you might remember from the Act I quest Blackpowder Promise) has stolen a decoy recipe from the qunari instead of the explosive powder recipe that he sought. The problem is that the decoy recipe is for a poisonous gas deadly to humans, and "thousands will die" if Javaris starts mass producing it.

To find out where Javaris is, you'll need to talk to the Coterie Barker in Darktown. She'll tell you that Javaris skipped out of town rather than pay his debts, and that he's probably still in the Smuggler's Cut, a cave system connected to Darktown. Inside the Smuggler's Cut, you'll have to battle a few groups of Carta thugs, but when you exit it (via Exit B), you'll encounter Javaris and his bodyguards. The bodyguards will automatically attack you, but after the battle Javaris will explain that some Lowtown elf is framing him for the theft of the recipe. You'll then get to choose between letting Javaris go or killing him. If you kill Javaris then you'll gain rivalry points with Aveline, Sebastian and Varric.

Next up, you'll need to travel to the Side Alley located next to Lowtown. Outside, you'll run into Guardsman Maecon, who will warn you about a "seeping mist" that is killing people. Then inside, you'll find several gas barrels (#6) releasing poison into the alley. If you stand in the poison, then you'll take damage (which will heal almost immediately if you're not in combat). To seal the barrels, you'll need to find steel latches and then use the latches on the barrels. You'll find the first latch on the ground near the entrance (#5). The others will drop during combat. You won't be allowed to exit the Side Alley until you've sealed all of the barrels.

Note: When you meet Maecon, if you have Aveline in your party, then your conversation with him will be different. Afterwards, if you tell Aveline "And we have to play hero," then you'll gain rivalry points with her.

Each time you seal one of the barrels, a group of mercenaries will attack you. One mercenary in each group will drop a steel latch when you kill him, which will allow you to move on to the next barrel. Then once you've sealed all of the barrels, the elven fanatic responsible for the barrels will show up, and she'll attack you with another group of mercenaries. You'll find the greatsword The Brothers' End plus the recipe for Arcane Poison on the fanatic's corpse.

Note: If you tell the fanatic "You're crazy," then you'll gain rivalry points with Varric.

To complete the quest, you'll first need to return to the Arishok (at the Docks). He'll thank you for your assistance, and he'll finally reveal why the qunari have been waiting in the city: some "filth" stole something from them, and they can't leave until they get it back. Then you'll need to return to the viscount (in the Viscount's Keep). He'll reward you with 3 sovereigns and 1000 xp, and then he'll tell you about a missing qunari delegation, which will trigger the quest Offered and Lost.


1 - Silverite


2 - Chest

Inside this chest you'll find a Ship in a Bottle. Picking it up will trigger the quest A Ship for Isabela.


3 - Chest

Inside this chest you'll find the recipe for Runes of Nature Warding.


4 - Deep Mushroom


5 - Steel Latch


6 - Poison Barrels


$ - Locked Chest


Exits:

1. Entrance to the Smuggler's Cut.
2. One-way exit from the Smuggler's Cut.
23. World exit.