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Background

You can pick up this quest during the quest Oaths of Fealty in the throne room of Vigil's Keep. If you used the "persuade" dialogue option during your introduction to the nobles, then talking to Ser Tamra afterwards will give you the quest. Otherwise, talking to Anders will give you the quest.


Walkthrough

Regardless of who gave you the quest, you'll learn from the quest-giver that there are traitors who would like to see you dead. When you mention this to Senechal Varel (in the throne room), he'll give you three options: track down an information broker named the "Dark Wolf" in Amaranthine, invite a member of each noble family to stay at the keep as your "guest" (that is, hostage), or do nothing. Depending on what you choose, the quest will proceed in different ways.

Dark Wolf

If you choose the "Dark Wolf" option, then the next time you enter Amaranthine, you'll be stopped by a city guard near the entrance to the city, and she'll give you a message from "Ser Wolf of Rivain." The message will indicate that you can meet the Dark Wolf by the fountain in the northern part of the city.

When you reach the fountain, you'll find a "suspicious guard" there. When you talk to him, he'll introduce himself as the Dark Wolf, and he'll ask you for 50 sovereigns to reveal who the conspirators are. If you refuse to pay, or if you decide to arrest the Dark Wolf (which will lead to a battle), then you'll essentially move on to the "Hostages / Do Nothing" section of the quest.

If you pay the Dark Wolf, then once you've exited and re-entered the Amaranthine map (easiest to do by visiting the Crown and Lion inn nearby), he'll return to the fountain and have information for you. He'll tell you that the conspirators are meeting at Old Stark's Farm, which will then show up on your world map.

When you arrive at the farm, you'll encounter Lady Liza Packton, Ser Timothy, Lord Guy (even if you had him executed), and some mercenaries and assassins. They won't be happy to see you, and they'll attack. You'll get about 400 xp for killing the conspirators, and another 2000 xp at the end of the battle. You'll also find some loot on their bodies (including 8 sovereigns on Liza Packton), but not nearly enough for make up for the 50 sovereigns you paid the Dark Wolf.

Note: If you completed the quest Crime Wave in the main campaign, then you might remember that you're the Dark Wolf, making this new guy an impostor. However, other than being able mention this to the impostor Dark Wolf, nothing in the quest will change.

Hostages / Do Nothing

If you take hostages or do nothing or meet with the Dark Wolf but for whatever reason avoid going to Old Stark's Farm, then eventually (after completing two of the three main sections of the campaign) the traitors will strike. At that point, when you enter the throne room at Vigil's Keep, you and your party will be attacked by Bann Esmerelle, several nobles (including Ser Temmerly the Ox), and several Crow assassins (including a "red" one). This encounter will also trigger the quest "And You, Esmerelle?" which you'll complete when you complete the battle.

You won't really receive a reward for taking this path through the quest, but it won't cost you anything, and you'll gain roughly 10 sovereigns and 1000 xp for defeating the traitors.