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 Player 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 center. Alas, it has fallen into disrepair, and the Player 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 Docks, the player will see a small group of people down on the lake waters, and a couple of shabby looking buildings. The Player can interact with three of the people outside of the buildings.

The first person they will meet will be the Ferry Man. If the Player is a Mage, the Ferry Man will remember the first trip across the Lake when the Player was recruited by Duncan. He will also allude to something happening in the Tower. He tells the Player 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 Player will then see a member of the Mages' Collective. If this is the first time the Player 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 that the Player first encountered in Lothering.

The third person will only really be important if the Player has started the Blackstone Irregulars side quests from Lothering, "Dereliction of Duty." Former Blackstone Mercenary Sammael resides here. The player 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 player may already be familiar with the owner, if they have done the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest. Also, if the Player 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 Player has done prior, they may or may not be interacted with.

Back outside, and down by the shore of the Lake, the Player 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 Player is indeed a Grey Warden. With patience he can be worked around to giving the Player a ride across to the tower, if only to avoid getting into trouble with his Superior, Greagoir. Shale makes this encounter much easier.

This is where the real meat of the quest begins. Once the Player arrives, s/he 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 Right of Annulment. Using the Right he intends to kill everything in the Tower. As a Grey Warden, it is the Player's duty to attempt to save those whom he can and to get the aid he needs to end the Blight. Greagoir will allow the Player 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 Player, 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 firey foe, the player 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 Player 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 Player 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 Player 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 player 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 player will encounter Owain. If the Player 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 Andralla from him. The litany is a chant that will keep a Blood Mage from dominating a person's mind.

After leaving Owain, the player will encounter a group of Blood Mages blocking the way into the rest of the building. They will attack the Player on sight. When the battle is finished, one of the Mages will beg for mercy from the Player. She will tell the Player a little about Uldred and why she and her brethren succumbed to the temptation to become Blood Mages. The Player may decide to either let her escape or to kill her. 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 interupts 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 Player 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 northern 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 Player 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 Player 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 Player 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 Player 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 Player 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 Player encountered the ambush? They all play their part in the quest Watchguard of the Reaching, which will be covered at the bottom of this page in the Side Quests section.



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 Player will have some dialog with the Demon. They can try and snap the Templar out of it, but will never succeed. That leaves 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 player 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. This particular Templar isn't like the others; he must have been an officer. He's tough, and knows how to use his abilities, while the Desire Demon is a potent spell caster. Best bet 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 Shale, Alistair or Wynn). (Other Companions and choices need to be tested.)

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 Player 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.


 * Meet Sloth.
 * Meet Sloth.

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 Player and his party into a comatose sleep. Once the cut scene ends, the player will find them selves in some form of hazy reality only ever knowingly visited by Magi. If the Player is a Mage, or has completed the quest to save Connor, the Arl of Redcliffe's son, then they will recognize where they are.


 * Welcome. Welcome Adventurer, to the Fade.







The Fade: Lost in Dreams
In the Fade the Player 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

== Walkthrough: Part Two ==

Welcome back: Fourth Floor:
After returning from the Fade, the Player 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 a Drake and some Dragonlings. Get the scale off the Drake and continue. There will be some Demons and a room that appears empty of all but a chest until the Player attempts to retrieve its contents. 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 Player will find Cullen, trapped in a magical prison. If the Player 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 Player 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 Player can 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 Player to recruit the Templars to the cause. Note that agreeing with this course of action causes Wynn to attack the party immediately, forcing the Player to kill her before being able to proceed. Once you have agreed, you cannot back-pedal out of the decision!
 * The Player 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 Player 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 Player may go upstairs.

NOTE: 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.



The Harrowing Chamber:
In the Harrowing Chamber, the Player 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 Player may engage in, in order to learn more of Uldred's goals and motivations. The player 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.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. However, if a single Mage lives through the fight, the Player 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 have speak with you. The Player's dialogue with Irving can have lasting effects on the game, but ultimately be the Player you wish to be!

Result
When all talk is done, Irving/Cullen will take the Player 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 Player 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.

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

Summoning Sciences Side Quest:
This Quest is meant to be completed AFTER the Player has finished with the Broken Circle quest and the Tower is once again safe. The sequence to the quest will be written out below. Even though the quest can be done before the Tower is finished, it is not recommended. *Note: The player will find a "Summoning Font" in the library on this floor, clicking on it will start the "quest sequence" and bring up several items the Player can interact with (on PC these can be viewed via the TAB key to make them easier to use).

It would appear that the "Trickster Whim" you summon during the second ritual will make an appearance later. The chantry board will update with a quest to find it and stop it. My apologies to anyone who I may have confused by saying there was another part to the quest. Thanks KageZX for clarifying that. --Crackerjaquebox 17:15, November 20, 2009 (UTC)


 * First Sequence:


 * 1) Touch the Summing font - This will active the flames
 * 2) Touch the Tome of Spirit Personages
 * 3) Touch the "First Summoning Flame"
 * 4) *This will summon a "Spirit Hog" that will die immediately and drop some minor items.


 * Second Sequence:


 * 1) Touch the summoning font
 * 2) Touch Rodercoms Uncommon Calling
 * 3) Touch the Statue of Magus Gorvish
 * 4) Touch the "Second Summoning Flame."
 * 5) *This will summon a "Trickster Whim", that will simply disappear.


 * Third Sequence
 * 1) Touch the summoning font
 * 2) Touch Elvor’s Grande Bestiary
 * 3) Touch the Common Table Markings
 * 4) Touch the Spiritorum Eterialis
 * 5) Touch the Statue of Magus Gorvish
 * 6) Touch the Novice Philactery
 * 7) Touch the "Third Summoning Flame"
 * 8) *This will summon a Bereskarn which you must defeat. It will drop a pair of gloves that grant +20% electricity damage.


 * Fourth and Final Sequence (It is a wise idea to have a rogue standing by the Fourth Summoning Flame with the pick-pocket Skill).


 * 1) Touch the Summoning Font
 * 2) Touch the Tome of Spirit Personages
 * 3) Touch Rodercoms Uncommon Calling
 * 4) Touch the Statue of Magus Gorvish
 * 5) Touch Elvor's Grande Beastiary
 * 6) Touch the Common Table Markings
 * 7) Touch the Spiritorium Etherialis
 * 8) Touch the Statue of Magus Gorvish
 * 9) Touch the Novice Phylactery
 * 10) Touch the "Fourth Summoning Flame" PAUSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER!


 * 1) *The fourth summoning will summon a Mage, you need to pick-pocket him quickly because he teleports away in a few seconds. (this is a Codex Entry Item)

Watchguard of the Reaching Side Quest
After clearing the third floor of all hostile entities, the Player can return to the Great Hall and start the ritual begun by the unfortunate apprentice whose notes the Player has been picking up throughout the Tower. In the Great Hall where the ambush from the undead and the encounter with the Arcane Horror was, the Player will find three statues along the back wall. They may interact with these statues by clicking on the base of the statue just below the feet (it's a very small area, and can be difficult to hit).


 * Note: When interacting with the statues there will be NO dialogue and NO special actions taken. One will just click the statue and move on, do not stand there waiting for anything to happen, and don't click multiple times, as this will cause the Player to get shocked.

The correct sequence for activating the statues is:

Left: The Statue holding a Bowl

Right: The Statue with a raised Sword

Center: The Statue with a lowered Sword

Then travel to the central room where the large Statue holding a Shield is and click on it.

If the player has done this correctly, there will be a note that appears on the screen saying something like "A loud grinding noise is heard from deep within the Tower. Perhaps something just got lose." (paraphrasing)

From here the player must travel all the way back to the area they first encountered Wynne. Earlier in the walkthrough it was mentioned that the basement door was locked. The Player must try and open it (it doesn't actually open). Once the Player has clicked on the door, a very tough, named Rage Demon will appear behind the Party. This particular Rage Demon is very powerful, but like all of his kind has a weakness to Frost abilities.

Once the Demon is dead, looting its charred remains will yield the Player some loot, Including the very powerful 2-handed sword named: Yusaris.