The Deep Roads Expedition

The Deep Roads Expedition is a main quest in Dragon Age II.

After being allowed to enter Kirkwall and working for a year, Hawke needs to join an expedition to the Deep Roads to gain money and status within the city. The expedition is run by the brothers Bartrand and Varric.

This quest is started right after Hawke ends his/her debts with the smugglers/mercenaries, when he/she and their surviving sibling unsuccessfully try to persuade Bartrand to let them on to the Expedition. A pickpocket then attempts to steal Hawke's money, but is caught by Varric. Varric then offers to Hawke the opportunity to become business partners with himself and Bartrand. The quest requires 50 sovereigns to start, along with finishing the quest Tranquil.

Upon giving Bartrand the 50 sovereigns, Hawke's mother will appear and attempt to persuade you not to bring Carver (if player is a mage) or Bethany to the Deep Roads in fear something will happen to you both. You will then be prompted to choose party members, with Varric locked in.

Upon arriving in the Deep Roads you discover that the passage is blocked by a collapse and must attempt to find a side passage. You will also be informed that Sandal has wandered off into the passages and you must attempt to find him as you search them.

After finding Sandal (surrounded by darkspawn corpses... again) you continue your search while fighting many different enemies. After slaying many darkspawn, golems, and a dragon, you discover a side passage. You then return to Bartrand and he will be "pleased" that the expedition is moving again.

After the cut-scene with Bartrand, you are transported to an undiscovered Thaig, the Primeval Ruins, which you must explore. Beyond Bartrand's camp (where you can talk to Bodahn to get his thanks for saving Sandal) you move to the northwest passage where you battle a number of shades and a stone golem.

Beyond that point, you enter the Primeval Thaig, where you discover a pure lyrium idol. Bartrand, unwilling to share the profits of the expedition, takes the idol and locks you in the thaig.

To find your way out you must enter the Ancient Crypt. You will battle a large number of shades and profanes, until the battle is stopped by a hunger demon in the form of a profane. He offers a deal - stop killing the profanes (he feeds off their hunger), kill a Rock Wraith up ahead, and he will tell you the location of a key to a locked door that leads to higher tunnels.

if you accept the deal. if you accept the deal.

Alternatively, you can kill the demon (or ask Merrill to do it if she's with you), after which you have to battle more shades, profanes, and an abomination.

In either case you forge ahead to where you battle the Rock Wraith. The Rock Wraith will raise profanes to help him. After he's defeated there's a cut scene where your party walks forward to a stash of treasure chests, one of which contains the key to let you out of the crypt. This moves your party, so you might want to go back to where you fought the Rock Wraith to pick up loot that it dropped before leaving the crypt. If you have Varric in your party and made the deal with the demon there is an opportunity for a humourous dialogue option when the demon appears by the chests.

When you exit the Ancient Crypt, you get a number of cut-scenes leading to Act 2.