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Background

You'll receive this quest from Viscount Dumar (in the Viscount's Keep) at the conclusion of the quest Blackpowder Courtesy.


Walkthrough

The viscount will tell you that a qunari delegation has gone missing -- disappearing almost immediately after meeting with him in the keep -- and he'll send you to Seneschal Bran to learn more. Bran will tell you that the city guard must have been involved, and he'll suggest that you look for more information in the Hanged Man tavern.

Note: Before heading to the Hanged Man tavern, you might want to talk to the Arishok (at the Docks). Telling him about the missing delegation is one way to earn his respect (for the achievement A Worthy Rival). Doing this will also earn you friendship points with Aveline.

At the Hanged Man tavern (at night), you'll find Orwald the Braggart standing at the bar. When you talk to him, he'll brag about making a lot of coin at the expense of the "heathen oxmen." If you don't have Aveline in your party, then no matter how you respond to Orwald, you'll end up fighting him and several other patrons, but afterwards he'll reveal that he was hired by a templar with the seal of the grand cleric. You'll also find the Seneschals' Leather Strap and possibly the Guardian of Enasalin (if your main character is a rogue) on the corpses of the patrons.

If Aveline is in your party, then you can have her question Orwald, and she'll get the information out of him without a fight -- but also without any gear. If you use Aveline in this way, then you'll gain friendship points with her. If you ignore Aveline and fight Orwald anyway, then you'll gain rivalry points with her.

Note: If you fight Orwald, then Isabela and Varric might help you out in the battle, even if they're not in your party.

When you visit the Chantry to find out what's going on, you'll run into Mother (formerly Sister) Petrice. After some prodding, Petrice will admit to knowing about the abductions, but she'll put the blame on an "unreliable" templar named Ser Varnell, and she'll tell you that you can find him in a refuge near Darktown (during the day). If you talk to Grand Cleric Elthina while you're there, and if you mention that someone has been using her seal, then you'll gain friendship points with Sebastian.

In Ser Varnell's Refuge, you'll find Ser Varnell preaching to a crowd of fanatics while torturing the qunari delegation (#3). You'll get two ways to respond. If you say "Varnell and the others die," then you'll gain friendship points with Anders, Aveline and Sebastian. If you say "Go ahead, kill the qunari," then you'll gain rivalry points with Aveline and Sebastian. If your character has focused on the aggressive dialogue stance during the campaign, then choosing the "Go ahead" response will give you the option of throwing in with Varnell and the fanatics. Otherwise, no matter what you say, you'll end up supporting the qunari.

If you side with Varnell and the fanatics, then the qunari delegation will break free of their chains and attack you. Varnell will help you out in the battle, but the fanatics will run away. If you side against Varnell and the fanatics, then Varnell will finish off the qunari delegation, and he and the fanatics will attack you. Either way, the qunari delegation will end up dead, and after the battle Viscount Dumar will show up to survey the damage.

Note: The fight against Varnell can be difficult, simply because a ton of fanatics will spawn to help him out. For an easier time, you should retreat back to the entrance of the refuge (#1). Varnell and the fanatics will chase you there, but by moving the fight, all of the fanatics will show up from the same direction, making them easier to kill with area-effect spells.

When you talk to the viscount, you'll have to decide what to do about the bodies of the delegates:

• If you say "Burn them to hide the torture," then you'll gain rivalry points with Sebastian. Choosing this option will make the quest The Fixer available to you.
  
  
• If you say "Do not hide it," then you'll gain friendship points with Aveline and Sebastian. Choosing this option will earn you respect from the Arishok (for the achievement A Worthy Rival).

Regardless of what you choose, you'll earn 3 sovereigns and 1000 xp at the end of the quest.

Note: After completing the quest, you'll be able to talk to Petrice (in the Chantry) and the Arishok (at the Docks) about what happened. If you didn't burn the bodies, and if you're truthful with the Arishok, then this is another place where you can earn his respect (for the achievement A Worthy Rival).


1 - Starting Point


2 - Locked Chest

Inside this "standard" locked chest, you'll find the dagger Stitch-Maker.


3 - Ser Varnell

If you kill Varnell, then you'll find the shield River's Wave on his corpse. Otherwise, you'll find the shield in a nearby crate (#4).


4 - Crate

Inside this crate you'll find the Shield of the Knight Herself. Picking it up will trigger the quest The Shield of the Knight Herself.


T - Trap


Exits:

23. World exit.