Broken Circle

The Broken Circle is one of the quests associated with main plot development. The character arrives at Kinloch Hold, home of the Circle of Magi, in order to try and convince them to help in the final battle with the Blight.

Originally there is no option for The Warden to travel directly to Kinloch Hold (the Tower of the Circle). They will, instead, be forced to travel to the Docks of Lake Calenhad. Long ago there was a bridge spanning the waters of Lake Calenhad to the Tower that resides in its centre. Alas, it has fallen into disrepair, and The Warden is forced to take a ferry from the small landing next to the ancient bridge.


 * Note: Below is a basic introduction to the area and quest walkthrough. Certain side quests may be mentioned and a few will also be discussed, but some may be ignored entirely.

Background
Upon arrival at the Lake Calenhad Docks, The Warden will see a small group of people down on the lake waters, and a couple of shabby looking buildings. The Warden can interact with three of the people outside of the buildings.

The first person they will meet will be the Ferry Man. If The Warden is a Mage, the Ferry Man will remember the first trip across the Lake when The Warden was recruited by Duncan. He will also allude to something happening in the Tower. He tells The Warden that he doesn't operate the Ferry anymore, because the Chantry has confiscated it and will not allow anyone to go to the Tower.

The Warden will then see a member of the Mages' Collective. If this is the first time the Warden has encountered this group, he will explain the Collective, and the Mages' Collective Bag next to him. These bags are in several cities and act much like the Chantry Board quests encountered in Lothering.

The third person will only really be important if The Warden has started the Blackstone Irregulars side quests from Lothering, "Dereliction of Duty." Former Blackstone Mercenary Sammael resides here. The Warden can kill him and take the guild supplies he carries.

There is a small Inn here as well, that goes by the name The Spoiled Princess. The Warden may already be familiar with the owner, if they have done the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest. Also, if The Warden has done said quest, the Barkeep will have a quest of his own for them. There are only a couple of other people in the Inn/Tavern, and depending on the content The Warden has done prior, they may or may not be interacted with.

Back outside, and down by the shore of the Lake, The Warden will run into a surly Templar representative watching over the Ferry. He's not too happy with his duty, is a bit of a cynic, and is thoroughly unconvinced that The Warden is indeed a Grey Warden. With patience he can be worked around to giving The Warden a ride across to the tower, if only to avoid getting into trouble with his Superior, Greagoir. Shale makes this encounter much easier. If Shale isn't present and the Warden fails the persuasion checks(as is common if the Warden travels to the Circle early in the game), Morrigan will help the next time you attempt to talk to the Templar.

This is where the real meat of the quest begins. Once The Warden arrives at the Apprentice Quarters, The Warden discovers a dire situation. Knight-Commander Greagoir is organizing troops and barricading off the first floor of the Tower. He will explain that the Tower has been overrun by Blood Mages and Abominations, with some Demons sprinkled in for good measure. He doesn't know exactly what has happened, but he is convinced everyone in the Tower is dead, and has sent off for the Rite of Annulment. Using the Rite he intends to kill everything in the Tower. The Warden can either:


 * Check for any survivors of the Circle and rescue any surviving mages
 * or purge/kill everything in the tower in the idea that "they cannot be saved" and to take no chances of any demon surviving

The first option will obtain the aid of the mages while the second will obtain the aid of the templars to end the Blight. ( I don't know how I did it, but I was able to get both) Greagoir will allow The Warden entry into the tower, but will bar the door behind him—there is no turning back.

Walkthrough: Part One
After the doors have closed behind The Warden, a cut scene will begin. Wynne is fighting a Rage Demon with the help of some apprentices in order to defend some children. This is where the we are introduced to the best NPC healer within the game. After quickly vanquishing her fiery foe, The Warden will be able to talk to Wynne (there is no way to avoid it, she has raised a shield over the doorway to move on). Wynne will want to know what's happening outside, and how it is you got there. The Warden will inform her that Gregoir has sent for the Right of Annulment, and that you have come to try and save those you can, and stop this nightmare before it is too late. The two of you will discuss things a bit. The Warden can side with Wynne, or tell her she is not needed. If you side with her, she will forcibly join the party. If you tell Wynne she is not needed, she will attack you. *''Note: If Morrigan is 'in the party, she will join in the conversation. If Wynne discovers she is an Apostate, and sees you siding with her, she will attack. Wynne is VERY loyal to the Circle, and the rules it has established. ''

First Floor
Regardless of what The Warden chooses, the protective shield over the doorway is removed. If you search around the first room where you either fought, or acquired Wynne, you will find the door going down to the basement is locked. There is a side quest gotten within the Tower that will require The Warden to return to this door once the Broken Circle Quest is complete.

The first floor is the former Apprentices Quarters. There are few tough enemies here, though the enemies will become more challenging as the Party goes up the tower. The worst enemy on the first floor is a Greater Rage Demon before the stairs up to the second floor. Pay close attention to all the loot options on the first floor. There are many chests and such that can be looted, but there also many Codex entries to be found here as well. The beginning of the quests Watchguard of the Reaching and Summoning Sciences can be found on the first floor.
 * Note: All combat is described from the point of view of a Level 10-11 Party.



Second Floor
Upon entering the second floor The Warden will encounter Owain. If The Warden is a Mage, they will recognize Owain as the Tranquil keeper to the Circle stockroom. Owain will speak briefly with the party about some of the things happening within the Tower and tell you about a mage named Niall. Niall had come to Owain and received the Litany of Adralla from him. The litany is a chant that will keep a Blood Mage from dominating a person's mind.

After leaving Owain, The Warden will encounter a group of Blood Mages blocking the way into the rest of the building. They will attack on sight. When the battle is finished, one of the Mages will beg for mercy. She tells The Warden a little about Uldred and why she and her brethren succumbed to the temptation to become Blood Mages. The Warden may decide to either let her escape or to kill her or to recruit her into the mage army. Once the encounter is finished, the way to the rest of the floor is clear. Much of the combat is similar, except now Shambling Skeletons and Blood Mages will be added to the list of encounters. Groups of Mages can be capable of doing high amounts of damage. It is best to handle them with whatever forms of Area Effect damage you can, and any and all forms of interrupts like Paralysis, Crushing Prison, Stuns, Shield Bashing, etc...

Exploring all the rooms will bring, for the most part, encounters with Mages and Shambling Skeletons. It will also net you more pages for the Watchguard of the Reaching quest. In the large room to the north-east, The Warden will encounter the Mage Godwin, who has locked himself inside of a cabinet. He will give you a little more information on Uldred, and you can either kill him, or let him go. If you let him go, regardless of the amount of carnage you left in your wake, he will quietly climb back into his little shelter and leave you to your business of saving everyone. In the southern most room, just after the encounter with Godwin on this floor, you will discover First Enchanter Irving's quarters. Here you will find several Codex entries, but more importantly, The Black Grimoire. This will bring about the NPC specific quest for Morrigan. Continuing around the Tower, you will come across the former chapel. There will be a toppled statue along the back wall The Warden can interact with. Behind the statue will be a phylactery, trying to pick it up will cause it to fall apart in you hands and spawn a Revenant. This Revenant is one of many The Warden must kill in order to complete The Black Vials Quest. Continue following the Tower hall and take the stairs to the third floor.



Third Floor
When The Warden reaches the third floor, they will find nothing. The next room the party enters will have three large pillars in the middle, and three statues along the back wall. The statues look important, but they cannot be interacted with at this time. After the party has gone half way through room, The Warden and the rest of the Party is attacked by the Undead.

The undead start coming up out of the very ground, and quickly swarm the party. There will be two waves of Shambling Skeletons, and at some point an Arcane Horror will join the fray. If The Warden has already been to the Ruins within the Brecilian Forest, then they are already familiar with the devastation these corrupted Mage corpses can be capable of. Take it out first. From this point on, remember to keep any spell casters you have in your party away from any door you intend to open. The third floor has been converted to the Chantry Templar's quarters. Just as the Mages encountered before, the Demons have taken control of these Templars.

Possessed Templars and Charmed Templars are found in every room, and behind every door on this floor. The Templars are particularly effective at taking out Mages. If a caster is within line of site of any door opened to a room containing a group of Templars, they will find themselves the recipient of a devastating rain of Holy Smite that can be fatal. In one of the rooms the Party will encounter a Desire Demon and her group of Charmed Templars. As in any fight with some form of spell caster in the enemy ranks, take her out first, from range, and with as much stunning, paralyzing, knocking down, and other interrupts as possible. Don't ignore the character who is keeping the Templars occupied though—the Templars can be formidable in their own right.

In many of the rooms there are codex entries and some "Torn Pages." These pages will start the quest, Five Pages, Four Mages, so be sure to get them all. The last room on the third floor holds the strongest set of enemies. Demons, Abominations, a giant statue of a shield holding warrior, and a single Tranquil standing in their midst. Once you enter the room, everything except the statue and the Tranquil attack.

At the end of the battle, take a look around. The large statue in the middle of the room looks important. Remember those three statues along the back wall in the great hall where The Warden encountered the ambush? They all play their part in the quest Watchguard of the Reaching.



Fourth Floor
The fourth floor is relatively sparse in enemies, and only a portion of it is accessible at this time. Stay away from the central room for the time being.

There's two difficult fights on the fourth floor. The first of which is a cut scene of another Desire Demon bewitching yet another Templar. The Demon informs The Warden that in him she saw desire for a family life and happiness, which is the illusion she gives him. They can try and snap the Templar out of it, but will not succeed, leaving only two choices. Kill them both, or let the Demon go. If the Demon is allowed to flee, she'll disappear and take the Templar with her. If The Warden decides to fight them, the Templar joins in; between the two of them, it's a pretty tough match. They even summon a couple of undead to help. The Templar will use abilities, while the Desire Demon is a potent spell caster. One tactic is to freeze one of them via spells like paralysis or petrify, and keep them that way while focusing on the other until it's dead. Don't ignore the undead, but don't really focus on them either; let area effect abilities handle them.

Note: Letting the Demon escape nets +1 approval from Leliana (no approval change from Morrigan, Shale, Alistair or Wynn). (Alistair, Shale, Wynn and Morrigan confirmed)

Note: Fighting the Demon nets -3 approval from Sten. Except when replying with the option to attack the Demon at the first chance to do so, before letting any debate begin.

The second encounter will be a much more powerful Blood Mage than has been encountered before and has somehow made friends with a large group of Charmed and Possessed Templars. Keep the Party's spell casters away from the door again, and kill the Mage as soon as possible. With the Mage out of the way, the Templars are just like those on the third floor; they're tough, but not un-manageable.

Now is a good time to rest up, and go back and do the Watchguard of the Reaching side quest if The Warden hasn't already—once you enter the central chamber on the fourth floor, things are going to change. Walk in the room, and enter an immediate cut scene.

Sloth is an Abomination, and so much more. He hovers over the body of an as yet un-named Mage. No matter the dialogue options you choose, Sloth will put The Warden and his party into a comatose sleep. Once the cut scene ends, The Warden will find them selves in some form of hazy reality only ever knowingly visited by Magi. If The Warden is a Mage, or has completed the quest to save Connor, the Arl of Redcliffe's son, then they will recognize where they are.



The Fade: Lost in Dreams
In the Fade The Warden must break the defenses of the Demon Sloth, and kill him. Here we will discover that the nameless Mage that Sloth was standing over is, in fact, none other than the aforementioned Niall.

Because the quest to escape from the Fade and kill Sloth is so long, it will be covered in a separate walk through. Please follow the link below:

The Fade: Lost in Dreams

Welcome back: Fourth Floor
After returning from the Fade, The Warden will be returned to the fourth floor of the Tower. Laying nearby is the corpse of Niall. Take the Litany of Adralla and move on. As the Party continues towards to top of the Tower to confront Uldren, they will be assaulted by Dragonlings, also there is the possibility that there will be a drake directly outside of the room were you take the Litany from Niall. This fight is rather simple as long as you have some form of paralysis and you avoid his flame breath. There will be some Demons and a room that appears empty of all but a chest until The Warden attempts to retrieve its contents; This fight can be rather difficult as it consists of high-level demons, and after returning from the Fade you may be low on supplys, luckily there is a multitude of potions around for you to loot. Going for the chest will trigger a trap and spawn several more Demons to attack the Party.

By the stairs leading up to the Harrowing Chamber, The Warden will find Cullen, trapped in a magical prison. If The Warden is a Mage, Cullen may have been encountered before during the Origin quest, and Cullen reacts accordingly. Regardless, Cullen believes the Party members are demons sent to torment him.

Once The Warden has calmed Cullen down enough, they will be presented with a large moral decision. Cullen describes his torment as ghastly, and explains to you that Uldred is upstairs in the Harrowing Chamber, forcing the rest of the living Mages to become either Blood Mages, Abomonations, or some version of both. He is convinced that not a single Mage can be allowed to make it out of that chamber alive, and everyone must be killed.


 * The Warden may agree with him. Going upstairs and slaughtering everything with or without a heartbeat and ending all hope of getting the Mages Circle to help with the Blight. Doing so will allow the Templars to be recruited. Note that agreeing with this course of action causes Wynn to attack the party immediately, forcing the Warden to kill her before being able to proceed. Once you have agreed, you cannot back-pedal out of the decision!


 * The Warden can disagree with Cullen outright and lose any and all support from the Templars. This means the Mages will join against the Blight instead.


 * Or The Warden may choose to refrain from making the decision until they have at least gone upstairs and witnessed just how horrible the situation is.

With the decision made, The Warden may go upstairs.

NOTE: In the PC version, before entering the Harrowing Chamber, ensure that you have "The Litany of Adralla" in one of the action slots (especially if deciding to side with the Mages). This is important for the battle shortly to come. '''For the console version, the Litany of Adralla can be accessed through the radial menu under advanced. '''

BUG: In the PC version, after returning from the fade, the select party members icon may become active, and Wynne can be replaced by any other character, this way she will not attack when the annulment chat option is choosen. (Worked in 1.01b PC version of DA, not sure about others).



The Harrowing Chamber
In the Harrowing Chamber, The Warden will finally meet Uldred. Uldred is the Mage that offered the services of the Circle of Magi to light the beacon way back during the Battle of Ostagar. Having been shot down for that honor, he turned to the darker arts.

A cut scene plays upon entering the Harrowing Chamber, wherein Uldred forces a mage to become an Abomination. Uldred himself has become possessed by a Pride Demon. There is an extended dialogue The Warden may engage in, in order to learn more of Uldred's goals and motivations. The Warden is free to chose any number of dialogue options, but ultimately, Uldred must be killed.

Combat
Once the cut scene ends, Uldred shows his true form as a Pride Demon. He has a lot of health and some very strong abilities. His three lacky Abominations aren't the same as the previous ones the Party fought either—they are a fair bit stronger.

Every so often during the fight Uldred will attempt to corrupt one of the other Mages that are bound up around the room. Using the Litany of Adralla every time a Mage is surrounded by three rings of pulsing light will prevent Uldred from adding another Abomination to the battled. In the PC version, the Litany will usually appear on the action bar when it is looted from Niall's dead body; if not, spend the time to find it. For console players, the Litany is accessed through the radial menu. If a single Mage lives through the fight, The Warden will have sided with the Magi in the moral decision presented by Cullen.

Uldred himself is very powerful, like a really big Ogre that can also do some spell casting. He likes to knock people to the ground. Keep the character wearing Plate and a Shield on him at all times, and keep that character healed at all times.

Once Uldred finally goes down, First Enchanter Irving (or Cullen, should you have killed all the mages) will speak with you. The Warden's dialogue with Irving/Cullen may have lasting effects on the game.

Result
When all talk is done, Irving/Cullen will take The Warden downstairs to Gregoir, where the matter of the treaty will be discussed. Should you have sided with the Mages, Cullen will try to convince Gregoir that all the Mages need to be killed; the Warden may fan the flames or vouch for the Mages. If all the Mages have been killed, then the Templars will come to aid against the Blight.

Note: The decision you make here may have a direct effect on how you deal with Connor in Redcliffe.

It is also possible to convince Gregoir to take in the Mages after you have saved all from Uldred. First Enchanter Irving will agree to this decision. This way you can side with the Templars without killing the Mages yourself.

Side Quests
All of the following quests may be accessed once Broken Circle has been started.
 * Summoning Sciences
 * Five Pages, Four Mages
 * Watchguard of the Reaching