Caridin's Cross



Caridin's Cross is a crossroads within the Deep Roads, named after the ancient Paragon smith, Caridin.

Background
Caridin's Cross was once the largest crossroads in the Deep Roads, connecting the city of Orzammar with many outlaying thaigs. It is now in a state of ruin, inhabited only by the darkspawn and deepstalkers, occasionally even a Deep Stalker Matriarch. If the area with deepstalker eggs is approached repeatedly the Deep Stalker Matriarch appears there-for me it appeared after the 3rd time/appearance of deep stalkers in that area (off the road in the area by the right side of map).

Travelers are advised to read the road markers, lest they become lost in the crossroads.

There is a darkspawn "fort" of sorts south of the starting point (in the middle of the crossroads), with three ballistae manned by genlocks watching the roads. Charging the position without first removing the ballista crews is rather dangerous. Fortunately, the area is small enough that a Tempest/Blizzard/Inferno will easily dislodge them.

A part of Topsider's Honor can also be found here.

Characters

 * Hired Goon: A goon hired by either Harrowmont or Bhelen (unless you are outwardly working for one and secretly betraying him by working for the other) will be waiting for you at the start of the area. After a brief speech, he will attack.

Enemies

 * Hired Goons (Dwarf, one Normal, one Lieutenant)
 * Elven Mercenary (Elf, Normal, Mage)
 * Hurlocks (Darkspawn,Normal)
 * Hurlock Emissary (Darkspawn,Lieutenant)
 * Hurlock Alpha (Darkspawn,Lieutenant)
 * Genlocks (Darkspawn,Normal)
 * Genlock Emissary (Darkspawn,Lieutenant) One of the emissaries will drop Topsider’s Hilt yielding Codex Entry: Topsider's Honor (See An Admirable Topsider.)
 * Genlock Runners (Darkspawn,Normal)
 * Shrieks (Darkspawn,Normal)
 * Bronto (Beast,Lieutenant)
 * Ogre (Darkspawn,Lieutenant)
 * Ogre Alpha (Darkspawn,Boss)
 * Revenant (Demon,Boss) (Only when summoned using the Glass Phylactery, see The Black Vials.)
 * Deep Stalker (Beast,Normal)
 * Deep Stalker Matriarch (Beast,Boss)

Items
, Head in a Bag and Torso in a Bag, source: Small Bloody Sack , source: Drifter's Cache , source: Drifter's Cache , source: Drifter's Cache

Notable gifts for companions: , source:.

Containers
Northwest
 * (Darkspawn, Normal) - locked
 * (Darkspawn, Normal) - locked
 * (Stone, Normal)
 * (Darkspawn, Normal)
 * (Darkspawn, Elite) - locked
 * (Darkspawn, Elite) - locked
 * (Stone, Normal)

North-central passage
 * (Dwarven, Elite) - locked
 * (Stone, Normal)
 * (Stone, Normal)

Fort
 * (Dwarven, Normal) - near vials
 * (Special) - Totem
 * (Stone, Normal)

Deepstalker nest
 * (Stone, Normal)
 * (Stone, Normal)
 * (Dwarven, Boss)

Southwest tunnel
 * (Darkspawn, Boss) - locked
 * (Stone, Normal)
 * (Stone, Normal)
 * (Darkspawn, Boss) - see Drifter's Cache

Codex Entries
, source: Rubble , source: Fire-pit , source: Rubble , source: Drifter's Cache

Special Objects

 * Tripwires (Disarm for 40 XP and 50XP) Attached to exploding barrels.
 * Leghold Traps (Disarm for 40 XP) On the bridge, and just walking on that bridge will trigger the spawning of many Genlocks.
 * Ballista manned by Genlock to fire devastating missiles.
 * Road Markers "The words on this statue are too damaged to read. From what you can make out, it seems this was a memorial to a child Paragon"
 * A Glass Phylactery containing the essence of one of The Black Vials Revenants

Exits
, The southern exit unlocks the area. , All exits open this travel map.