Here Lies the Abyss

Here Lies the Abyss is a main quest in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The quest plays out across several locations in Thedas.

"Varric has a friend named Hawke, who fought Corypheus once before and now fears Grey Wardens are under the influence of the ancient darkspawn. Hawke has a Warden contact who may be able to say more."

Acquisition
The quest is received when talking with Varric as part of the From the Ashes quest, after The Inquisition has taken up residence in Skyhold (see: In Your Heart Shall Burn).

Walkthrough
Varric mentions he has a friend that may be able to aid the Inquisition against Corypheus. The Inquisitor must meet Varric on top of Skyhold's battlements to be introduced. Varric's friend is Hawke, the former Champion of Kirkwall. He informs the Inquisitor of having an ally among the Grey Wardens that has more information on the nature of Corypheus and his plans. The Warden ally is currently in hiding, in Crestwood, and the Inquisitor should travel to meet him.

Crestwood
The Inquisitor must select the War table mission Find the Warden to unlock and travel to Crestwood.

The village of Crestwood turns out to be besieged by the Undead. The Inquisitor is likely to meet a pair of Grey Wardens intent in fighting to save an elven girl named Jana. At the end of the fight, they will mention they are hunting a renegade Grey Warden (Hawke's Warden ally), and will leave the scene. Impressed by the Wardens' prowess, Jana will be tempted to join the order, but the Inquisitor has a chance to change her mind. The decision will have an impact in later stages of the quest, and essentially the Inquisitor may encourage her to join the Wardens, or dissuade her (if Solas is in the party, he may help in this process), in which case she will become an agent for the Inquisition.

Outside of the village of Crestwood, near Three Trout Pond camp, in a smuggler's den once held by The Blind Men, the Inquisitor will meet Hawke's Warden ally. Depending on the player's decisions in Dragon Age: Origins, the Warden ally will be either Stroud, Alistair, or Loghain Mac Tir.

The Warden ally informs the Inquisitor that the situation is dire: all Wardens have been summoned to Orlais by Warden-Commander Clarel in one last desperate attempt to end all Blights forever, but he suspects some form of foul-play involving Corypheus. This is because all Wardens in Orlais have simultaneously begun to hear what they believe to be the call of the Archdemon, the precursor to The Calling. In an attempt to prevent a new Blight, Warden-Commander Clarel suggested a drastic strategy of using blood magic and demons to make a final stand in the Deep Roads and end all Blights forever. The Warden ally too experienced this Archdemon call, but loudly protested Clarel's plan. The Warden mages immediately claimed he was interfering, and decried him as a traitor, forcing him to flee and hide.

The Wardens believed Corypheus dead by Hawke's hand, but the Warden ally looked into the matter more, knowing that, as with an Archdemon, Corypheus may not die easily. Through his own investigation, the ally has come to believe that the call felt by the Wardens is not being produced by an Archdemon, but by Corypheus, in order to command the Wardens.

The Warden ally says that all Wardens have gathered at a Tevinter ritual tower in the Western Approach and asks the Inquisitor's aid in investigating.

The Western Approach
The Inquisitor must select the War table mission Investigate the Western Approach (requires 8 Power) to unlock and travel to the Western Approach. Until then, the Warden ally will remain at Skyhold, on the battlements.

Once in the Western Approach, the Inquisitor may travel to the ancient tower, and meet Hawke and the Warden ally there. They will inform the Inquisitor that the Wardens within the tower have already begun their ritual. As the party enters the Watchtower, they will find a group of Wardens lead by Livius Erimond, a Venatori magister. It is revealed that Erimond is working for Corypheus, and has manipulated the Grey Wardens into willingly perform the ritual. The blood magic, in fact, binds each Warden to a demon, transforming the order into a demon army capable of entering the Deep Roads, fighting the darkspawn, and eventually kill the Old Gods as they sleep, thus preventing any future Blight. However, the ritual has another side effect: enslaving the demon-bound Wardens to Corypheus. Erimond will also reveal the nature of the Inquisitor's mark (the Anchor), as a means to safely cross the Veil.

Erimond attempts to subdue the Inquisitor, but is thwarted by the Anchor. As Erimond flees the scene, the Inquisitor is left facing the demons and Wardens that had already performed the ritual.

Afterward it is noticed that Erimond fled to Adamant Fortress, an abandoned Grey Warden fortress. Hawke and the Warden ally agree to scout ahead and confirm the Warden presence before returning to Skyhold.

Adamant Fortress
Upon entering Adamant the Inquisitor is faced with a massive battle. The Inquisition's forces assault the fortress and batter their way inside. The Inquisitor and their companions enter the fray.

Lower Bailey
The party encounters Shades and a Warden spellbinder. When battle has finished Cullen will announce that the resistance along the walls is preventing the Inquisition from moving forward. The battlements must be cleared. The Inquisitor must head east.

A senior Warden and other Wardens will be engaged here, including archers. Shades will mass on the bridge and must be eliminated in order to progress. Open the door heading west.

Main Bailey
The Inquisitor encounters some resistance to the enslaved Wardens by other Wardens. A Warden spellbinder and shades will attack. After the battle the remaining Wardens can be told to surrender or fall back to safety. If they fall back they will not initiate further conflicts with enemies. Head through the door to the south.

Shades and a Warden archer must be defeated before the stairs can be used to reach the battlements.

Battlements
The Inquisitor must fight past demons and Wardens to reach three siege points, which will allow Inquisition soldiers to gain ground in the fortress (clearing the siege points is not mandatory but results in 967 experience, 200 Influence and 2 Power). The first siege point is guarded by a Rage demon.

The second siege point is guarded by Warden spellbinders and a Pride demon. Hawke will assist in this fight and afterward can be directed to fight with the party or stay to secure the battlements. Heading south leads to the last siege point.

The last siege point contains several shades and a pride demon.

Afterward, return to the stairs and open three doors ahead, heading west, to enter the main bailey. In the bailey are shades and a rage demon.

Main Courtyard
In the main courtyard Erimond is revealed at last. He is presiding over Clarel's sacrifice to bind a demon to her. If Jana was recruited the girl will be the sacrifice; otherwise it will be another Grey Warden. Clarel is unaware that Erimond is a Venatori serving Corypheus and she asks that he summon a demon to bind to her. The Warden warriors are afraid and suspicious of the intentions of the Warden mages. The ritual will be interrupted by the Inquisitor, who can choose to call upon Blackwall, who will try to rally the Wardens, or mention the mercy shown the Warden warriors from the main bailey, if they were spared. The History Knowledge Inquisition perk also provides a special dialogue option, if taken. The Warden ally will tell Clarel that Corypheus is behind the sacrifices.

Erimond then outplays the Inquisitor by summoning Corypheus's dragon to attack. Clarel realizes that she has been betrayed and attacks Erimond and the dragon. She urges her Wardens to assist the Inquisition and pursues Erimond. Nevertheless, a pride demon and Warden spellbinders will attack, as they are enslaved by Corypheus, but the Warden warriors will stand with the Inquisitor. After the battle, head west along the battlements. Demons will be encountered along the way.

Clarel and Erimond are discovered engaged in a duel. Clarel nearly succeeds in slaying Erimond before the dragon attacks, mauling her. Near death, she enacts one last attack to destroy both herself and the dragon. The force of her spell shatters the walkway and all plummet. The Inquisitor and party are saved when the Inquisitor opens a rift and all fall through.

The Fade
The Inquisitor, their party, the Warden ally, and Hawke are trapped physically in the Fade and must now escape by locating a rift that corresponds to the rift that had been opened in the main courtyard in the physical world.

Before climbing the stairs a table can be interacted with to initiate the optional side quest Fears of the Dreamers. A candle east of the table can be retrieved to be placed on the table to complete the first part of the quest. The chair nearby can now be interacted with to gain a Magic point.

Climbing the stairs, the party encounters what appears to be the spirit of Divine Justinia V. It is unclear if the vision is the Divine or a spirit, but the entity knows the truth of the events at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Slaying demons will help to restore the Inquisitor's memories. It is revealed that the Inquisitor's memories of the event were stolen by the Nightmare, the general of Corypheus's demon army, a creature that feeds on terrors. The Nightmare was in fact the origin of the false Calling the Grey Wardens experienced.

Wraiths will appear that must be defeated, each one releasing a green memory that must be collected, four in total. When all are collected the truth at the Temple is revealed: The Inquisitor interrupted Corypheus's ritual in an effort to save the Divine and touched the mysterious orb in the process. The Anchor was the result of this contact. Most shocking of all, it is revealed that Grey Wardens were collaborating with Corypheus in the ritual as Warden mages were magically restraining the Divine for the sacrifice.

Shades and wraiths will appear on the path to the first Eluvian in the east. This one will boost Magic. Next return to the area where the Divine appeared and descend the stairs, being wary of shades. It leads to a clearing where the Nightmare will begin to taunt the party. A group of wraiths and shades appear. In this area the second Fears of the Dreamers task can be completed. A point of Constitution can be gained by placing the flowers near the skeleton in the south in the vase to the north. The Eluvian here will also give a Dexterity boost.

Next the party will face attack by giant spiders called Fearlings. They have names such as "Mages", "Templars", "The Blight" etc. which are related to codex entries found in the area describing the fears of various people around Thedas. Another Eluvian can also be interacted with northward in a circular dead end to gain one Cunning Point. Investigating the Eluvian first will spawn two rage demons and more wraiths.



After dealing with more spiders the party will encounter the Divine again. She can be questioned further, and needs the Inquisitor to battle more demons to recover more memories. There is a supply chest nearby to restock potions. Wraiths can be battled for further memories, which reveal greater information: It was in fact the Divine and not Andraste who appeared in The Breach. She died as the Inquisitor escaped, slain by demons to make certain the Inquisitor could flee. Therefore this entity is not the Divine but a benevolent spirit that has taken on her form. Hawke and the Warden ally get into a heated argument about the Wardens' culpability in the Divine's death, to which the Inquisitor can agree with either or urge them to put the argument aside for now, as more fearlings appear.

The third Fears of the Dreamers task can be completed next by placing the tarot card next to the skeleton in the cauldron in the west. This earns one point of Strength.

Next battle more fearlings and a Terror demon. Then examine the Eluvian for a Willpower boost. Conquering the fearlings here allows the spirit to open a barrier to access a clearing. Climbing stairs to the north will face the team with two pride demons. After the fight, search for a stuffed animal to finish the fourth task by placing it on the bed to the east. This earns one Willpower point.

In this area the side quest Broken Window will also activate.

Descending the steps to a lower area leads to the final task and a few demons to fight. In the graveyard to the east each tombstone is engraved with the name of a companion and their fear; searching the stone in the center reveals a vial of darkspawn blood. Take the vial back to the table and earn one point in Cunning.

The horrors nearby can be defeated to gain access to the Eluvian. Examining it will grant a Strength boost.

Next, fight more fearlings, as well as shades, wraiths and despair demons. To the north will appear a pride demon. Defeating the demons allows the spirit to open a new barrier to reveal a rift at the end of a cave. If Fears of the Dreamers was completed the reward will be here. A supply cache is here as well.

Nightmare's Lair
The rift ahead leads back to the real world but it is blocked by a massive spider-like demon. The spirit sacrifices herself to subdue the demon, asking the Inquisitor to give a farewell message to Leliana before doing so. With the demon temporarily departed the Aspect of the Nightmare must be fought, a Fear demon. The demon has several fearlings and uses barriers to protect itself. It is resistant to spirit damage but all other spells and status effects can be used. Fearlings and wraiths will appear as the battle rages on and the demon will use barriers frequently.

When the demon is defeated the spider demon reappears, blocking the party's escape. A pivotal decision will have to be made. One of the Inquisitor's allies, either the Warden ally or Hawke, must remain behind in the Fade to fight the massive spider, buying time for escape.

If Hawke is chosen: Hawke will demand to remain behind to fight the creature as Hawke feels Corypheus is their responsibility and the Warden ally must remain to restore the Grey Warden order. When charging the creature, Hawke will say farewell to Varric and also apologize to their love interest.

If the Warden ally is chosen: The Warden ally, after the revelations about the Warden involvement in the Divine's death, will demand to remain behind to fight the creature. Choosing the Warden ally as the sacrifice may have impact upon the next pivotal decision made.

Adamant Fortress
Upon returning to the fortress from the Fade, the Inquisitor closes the Fade rift that was opened and destroys the remaining demons--as well as Erimond's hope at creating a demon army. Erimond has been taken alive for judgment. Then the Inquisitor will reveal that one of the companions sacrificed themself to save the rest.

The knowledge of the vulnerability of Grey Wardens to the power of Corypheus, and their culpability in the death of the Divine, makes their presence in Orlais contentious. The Inquisitor must make a decision on the fate of the Wardens in Orlais: whether to exile them from Orlais due to their potential for corruption, or to allow them to remain and fight for the Inquisition. At this time the Warden ally, if alive, is the last surviving senior Warden in Orlais.

If the Wardens are exiled: The Grey Wardens will leave Orlais, thus leaving the Empire without any Warden presence.

If the Wardens join the Inquisition: The Grey Wardens will remain and rebuild their order, joining the forces at Skyhold.

If alive the Warden ally will return to Weisshaupt to relay the events that occurred; otherwise Hawke will do so.

Skyhold
The quest completes following a conversation with Leliana at Skyhold after the above decision.

Adamant

 * 150 Influence
 * 2 Power

Optional: Clear the Siege Points

 * 967 XP
 * 200 Influence
 * 2 Power

The Fade

 * 200 Influence when you arrive
 * 2 Power  when you arrive
 * Attribute points from the Eluvians (1 Magic, 1 Dexterity, 1 Strength, 1 Willpower, 1 Cunning)

Skyhold

 * 9875 XP
 * 3200 Influence
 * 4 Power

Companion Reactions
The decision whether to recruit or exile the Grey Wardens will have significant impact with the companions.

Codex Entries
Found in the Fade
 * Codex Entry: A Letter by a Burning Candle
 * Codex Entry: A Letter Written in A Shaking Hand
 * Codex Entry: A Plea from the Warrior to the Spirits
 * Codex Entry: Fears of the Dreamers
 * Codex Entry: The Claws of Dumat
 * Codex entry: The Keepers of Fear
 * Codex entry: The Laws of Nature in the Fade
 * Codex Entry: Walking the Fade: A Harrowing
 * Codex Entry: Walking the Fade: Frozen

Bugs

 * Upon reaching the Tevinter ritual tower, conversations may freeze and only unlock after a certain time has passed, or the player has somehow triggered the conversation to continue. Portions of conversation may be lost when this occurs.
 * On Xbox360, when Clarel slits the sacrifice's throat, if you quickly press the Skip button you will see the Inquisitor with their throat slit and pouring blood.
 * During the fight with the Aspect of the Nightmare the Warden ally and Hawke may, after the first assault from the Nightmare, remain stunned throughout the entire battle and thus be unable to fight.

Trivia

 * Most of the quest names in the main plot refer to specific verses of the Chant of Light. "Here lies the abyss" can be seen in the Canticle of Andraste 14:11.
 * Depending on the identity of the Warden ally, Blackwall may comment that he knew and respected Duncan, the Ferelden Warden-Commander in Dragon Age: Origins.
 * Patrick Weekes was the main writer for this quest.