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Background

You'll only visit Fort Drakon if you surrendered to or were defeated by Ser Cauthrien at the Arl of Denerim's Estate. If you fought Ser Cauthrien and won, then you'll be able to move right on to the Elven Alienage section.


Walkthrough

When you show up inside the prison, you'll have two ways to proceed. You can try to escape by yourself (or with Alistair, if he was with you when you were arrested), or you can use two of your companions to break you out. Your main character will only gain xp if you try to escape on your own, so that's the choice we'd recommend.

Companion Escape

If you decide to wait for your companions, then you'll be able to select the two who will try to rescue you. You won't be able to use Shale for this, but all of your other companions (including the mabari war hound) will be available. Some of these combinations are amusing (for example, Zevran and Oghren will pretend to be circus performers), so you might want to save first and try a few out.

Regardless of who you choose, your companions will be stopped at three places inside the fort: at the inner doors (#9), by the captain (#10), and by Sergeant Tanna (#8). Leliana and Zevran will be able to bluff their way past all three. Sten and Oghren won't be able to bluff much of anybody. Other companions will only be able to bluff once or twice. If the bluffing fails, then you'll have to fight from that point on. You'll also have to fight when you get past Sergeant Tanna, because the guards in the northern part of the fort will recognize that you shouldn't be there.

Note: If you're not able to bluff Sergeant Tanna, then you'll be able to use one of the ballistae near her to distract her. This will work for all of your companions.

When your companions finally reach the prison (#1), they'll find it guarded by a soldier and a jailor, and the jailor will drop the Key to Cell Doors when he dies. Then when your companions unlock your cell door (#1a), you (and Alistair if he's with you) will regain your equipment, and you'll join forces. However, you won't have to do a lot of fighting on your way out. You'll probably only encounter soldiers at the inner doors (#9).

Note: You'll gain approval from the companions involved in the rescue.

When you leave the fort, you should return to Arl Eamon's Estate so you can plan what to do next. This conversation is covered in the location entry for the Elven Alienage.

Main Character Escape

If you decide not to wait for your companions, then you'll have to escape on your own (or with Alistair, if he was arrested with you). To start out, you'll need to get out of your cell (#1a). If you're a rogue, then you'll be able to pick the lock on the door. Otherwise, you'll have to lure the jailor to you and then either rob him, kill him, or trick him to get out. Once out of your cell, you'll find your equipment inside the chest next to the door (#1b).

From this point on, you'll have two ways of escaping from the fort. You can fight your way out, or you can put on a disguise (#3) and talk your way out. The first method will involve some reasonably easy combat, even if you don't have Alistair with you, and it will net you some xp. The second method will involve some coercion checks (#5-7), and it will get you out of the fort the most quickly, but it won't net you any xp. Either way, when you exit the fort, you should return to Arl Eamon's Estate so you can plan what to do next. This conversation is covered in the location entry for the Elven Alienage.


1 - Prison

You'll start out in your cell (#1a). If you're escaping on your own, then you'll find your equipment in the chest by the door (#1b).


2 - Kennel

Regardless of your escape plan, you'll have to fight a soldier and two war hounds here.


3 - Armor Stand

If you're escaping on your own, then you'll find guard uniforms on the armor stand here. Clicking on the armor stand will allow you to put on or take off the uniforms. While wearing a guard uniform, you'll be able to bluff your way past most of the guards in the fort.


4 - Guards

If you're escaping on your own, then the guards here will ask you for a password. There are two ways to get it:

• You can kill or rob the soldiers in the storage room (#6). You'll end up with a List of Passwords, which will let you know that today's password is "rabbit."
  
  
• You can talk to the colonel (#5), who will order you to get your patrol ready for inspection. You'll then have to talk to the soldiers in the storage room (#6), then retrieve their blades from the armory (#7), and then pass a quiz from the colonel (the correct answer is "discipline"). Each step along the way will require you to pass some sort of persuasion, intimidation, or poison check. But if you're successful, then the soldiers from the storage room will start following you, and they'll tell the guards the password when you get to the door.

If you have the soldiers with you, then you'll be able to walk right out of the fort. But if you stole or killed for the password, then you'll have to pass a persuasion check with Sergeant Tanna (#8) and then fight the soldiers at the inner doors (#9). However, when you reach those doors, two of your companions (probably Leliana and Morrigan) will join you, making the fight much easier.


5 - Colonel


6 - Storage Room


7 - Armory


8 - Sergeant Tanna


9 - Inner Doors


10 - Waiting Room


Exits:

23. World exit (Denerim).