Act of Mercy

Act of Mercy
Act	1
Start	Gamlen's House
End	Wounded Coast Approach
Previous	Wayward Son
Next	The Midnight Meeting or Bounty Hunter
Appearances	Dragon Age II

Act of Mercy is an Act 1 main quest in Dragon Age II.

Acquisition

Hawke will find this quest on the Writing Desk in Gamlen's House at some point after completing the quest Wayward Son.

Walkthrough

Wounded Coast Approach

Travel to the Wounded Coast Approach and defeat the dragonlings who occupy the initial section (if you have not fought their kind yet, they are vulnerable to cold damage). Talk to Ser Thrask near the entrance to the Runaway's Cavern, who informs Hawke of some apostate mages within. They fled the Circle in Starkhaven, which burned to the ground recently, and escaped mid-transfer to Kirkwall. Ser Thrask requests Hawke's help in bringing them in peacefully, before another group of more violent templars led by Ser Karras arrives to outright kill the apostates. Enter the caves.

Runaway's Cavern

Alain

Upon entering the Runaway's Cavern, Hawke's party will be attacked by a few Normal-ranked Corpses and an Elite-ranked Apostate Mage who readily resorts to blood magic. Unlike the standard/"Barrier" variant, this one is vulnerable to Spirit damage on Nightmare difficulty, not immune to it. However, his spells can quickly demolish your party, so take him down with full force before dealing with the corpses. After a breather, there are three more corpses in the room below. In the following chamber with the mine cart rails (the entire map is an inversion of the route through the Slaver Caverns during Wayward Son), a few Critter-ranked Skeleton Archers join the mix. After this encounter Hawke will meet Alain, who informs Hawke that the apostate leader Decimus has turned to blood magic. Alain will then appear as if he is going to join Ser Thrask at the cavern's entrance so he can return to the Circle.

Note: If Hawke heads back to check whether he's indeed with Ser Thrask, Ser Thrask will still be alone without any acknowledgment of Alain. However, upon completing the quest, Alain is present in the cutscene with Ser Karras.

The cave contains one standard chest and no traps. Make sure to grab the Raw Lyrium west of where you met Alain.

Decimus can be found at the end of the cavern (once combat starts, you will receive Codex entry: Blood Magic: The Forbidden School, if you have not yet gotten it from your interaction with Idunna during Enemies Among Us), initially supported by Corpses and Skeleton Archers. Decimus himself fights very much like the blood mage you fought initially, and he can drain your life with an area-of-effect spell to heal his own. One strategy is to him with Horror (or some lesser stunning ability such as Miasmic Flask) and kill him before he casts a single spell. This strategy favors dual-wielding rogues and heavy hitters, after which you turn your attention to the walking dead. However, a great deal of Skeleton Archers spawn in after only a couple more kills, with three Critter-ranked Apostates who shoot plumes of fire magic. This gives the second wave a great deal of ranged power, so respond in kind and take out as many archers as you can first, ignoring the melee Corpses until the ranged enemies are dealt with. Another method is order everyone back to the mine cart room to choke their advance. Decimus doesn't pursue very often in this scenario, allowing the corpses to be picked off before returning to him and extricating your team from what would otherwise be a turkey shooting. He drops The Hypnotist's Staff, one of the better electrical staves in Act 1, so hold onto it.

After Decimus is defeated, Grace will approach and lament that Decimus went against the group's wishes by resorting to blood magic. Seeking freedom for the remaining mages, she requests that Hawke kill Ser Thrask so they can get clear of Kirkwall before more templars arrive to the outskirts of the Free Marches. Hawke can agree to kill Thrask on her behalf, refuse, or convince Thrask they are dead without having to kill him. If Hawke chooses to bluff, Grace will allow him to do so, but she remains unconvinced it will work.

On Hawke's return through the cave, two groups of undead attack, one in the mine cart chamber, another in the entrance chamber. (If Bethany is in the party, she states they are leftovers of Decimus' acts of reanimation, that he was prepared for a siege.) A mage with enough points in Magic can equip the Hypnotist's Staff they just picked up to deal far greater damage to these corpses than the ones they slew on the way in. If Hawke agreed to kill Ser Thrask, two groups of templars will attack instead, of roughly the same makeup of melee fighters and archers. The templars in the entrance chamber will be joined by a Lieutenant, however his blue aura does not seem to regenerate health, thus it is not as bothersome as the more typical yellow aura. Either enemy type yields 200xp in each encounter (400xp total), with a negligible 11xp extra for killing the Lieutenant in the second templar fight.

Confrontation with Ser Karras

When Hawke returns to the entrance of the cave, Ser Karras will have arrived with his contingent of templars. The dispute varies slightly depending on the previous choices made in conversation with Grace, but all quarrels seem to indicate that Ser Karras intends to simply execute the mages rather than return them to the Circle.

Refuse to kill Thrask

If Hawke refused to kill Thrask, the mages will accompany him outside of the cave, right to Ser Karras. Ser Karras insults Thrask's use of "mercenaries" to carry out his duties, then threatens to execute the mages rather than simply returning them to the Circle. Hawke will be given the opportunity to:

• Return the mages to the Circle. Ser Thrask will promise to return them unharmed and Ser Karras implies that Ser Thrask will not be around long enough to do so. This avoids a fight, but also denies the rewards of killing Karras.

Note: This is the only route to siding with the templars for the purposes of Mage Hunter and Arcane Defender.

• Free the mages instead, resulting in a fight with the templar reinforcements.

Bluff

If the decision was made to lie to the templars, then the party has the following options:

• "I killed the mages." All subsequent conversation options lead to combat with the templars (318 exp).
• "I'm a friend of Thrask's." Leads immediately to combat.
• "I'm a friend of the mages." Leads immediately to combat.
• Call on Varric if he is in the party. Varric will spin a tale that Hawke is a foreign templar that Knight-Commander Meredith specially requested to help investigate the situation. Alternatively, if Hawke is a mage, he'll tell them you are Enchanter Hawke from Ferelden who came to root out rebel mages. He then says that some of the mages are dead and others escaped to the coast. The templars will leave and the mages can escape without any form of combat.
• "I'm your best friend." This option is only available to a sarcastic Hawke. Hawke will claim that Karras has been done a favor, and that some of the mages are dead but their leader fled towards the coast. The templars will leave in pursuit and the mages can then escape without a fight. There is no variation for a Hawke mage and Ser Karras appears to be unaware of the fact.

If you chose to defer to Varric, you will have the option to tell the templars how they died.

• They killed each other.
• Their leader escaped.
• We killed them.

Varric will explain that a couple may have fled through "back passages" to the coast prior to Hawke's arrival. If Hawke is a mage, the templars express surprise that mages are capable of cooperating with the templars.

In summary, only Varric or a sarcastic Hawke can successfully bluff the templars. Any other attempt will only lead to dialogue choices which Karras sees through the lie, leading to combat.

Agree to kill Thrask

Under this option, Ser Thrask will tell Hawke to run, thus preventing Hawke from actually considering this option any further. It leads automatically to a fight with Karras and his entourage.

Combat

Ser Thrask will always assist Hawke in combat with the templars. On Nightmare it behooves Hawke to follow Thrask's advice and run; fleeing towards the main thoroughfare of this coastal area will separate the templars from each other, allowing Thrask to hold a great number of them, and as he is invincible they will not be able to dispatch him and resume pursuing you. However, if the Templar Hunter and Ser Karras pursue the party simultaneously, the battle can turn sour very quickly. Exploit their weakness to cold and spirit elements to punch through their armor and defenses, and focus on the Hunter first; Karras' regenerative aura is blue and does not restore health, thus he does not fortify enemies the way other commanders do. Take out the archers second, then kill the Normal-ranked Templars while keeping Karras stunned. Defeat him with the full force of the party, then return to Thrask to help kill the ones he has been holding back.

If the templars are slain, Ser Karras can be looted for the Edge of Song and Glory and the Dragon Hunter's Hauberk. If the templars are fooled, these items cannot be obtained. As long as the apostates are freed, regardless of method, Grace will award the Chanters' Staff.

Friendship/Rivalry

When conversing with Ser Thrask:

• Agreeing to help him
  • Aveline: friendship (+5)
  • Anders: friendship (+5)
• Joking response results in no approval changes.

• "Do it yourself."
  • Anders: rivalry (+5)
  • Aveline: rivalry (+5)
  • Merrill: rivalry (+10)
  • Varric: rivalry (+10) (PC 1.04 was not received with Merrill and Aveline in the party).

When speaking with Alain (first mage encountered in caverns):

• Choosing the last aggressive answer
  • Anders: rivalry (+5).

When speaking with Grace:

Choice 1 (If Hawke is a Rogue or Warrior, skipped if Hawke is a Mage):

• "I'm sorry."
• "So raise him from the dead."
  • Merrill: rivalry (+10)
• "He was a blood mage."
  • Merrill: rivalry (+25)

Choice 2 (If Hawke is a Mage):

• Aggressive option:
  • Anders: rivalry (+10)

Choice 2 (If Hawke is a Rogue or Warrior): no effect

Choice 3:

• "I won't help you."
  • Bethany: rivalry (+5)
  • Carver: friendship (+10)
  • Aveline: friendship (+10)
  • Anders: rivalry (+10)
  • Fenris: friendship (+5)
  • Merril: rivalry (+10) (If Hawke is a Mage)

• "I'll convince him you're dead." / "Murder is going too far."
  • Aveline: friendship (+5)
  • Varric: friendship (+10)
  • Anders: friendship (+5)
  • Merrill: friendship (+10)
  • Fenris: rivalry (+5)
  • Isabela: friendship (+5)
• "I will kill Thrask."
  • Aveline: rivalry (+15)
  • Carver: rivalry (+10)
  • Varric: rivalry (+5)
  • Anders: friendship (+5)
  • Merrill: friendship (+10)
  • Fenris: rivalry (+5)
  • Isabela: friendship (+5)

Outside the Cavern

If Hawke refused to help Grace

• Return the mages to the Circle
  • Fenris: friendship (+10)
  • Carver: friendship (+10)
  • Aveline: friendship (+5)
  • Bethany: rivalry (+10)
  • Merrill: rivalry (+10)
  • Anders: rivalry (+15)
• Free the Mages
  • Fenris: rivalry (+10)
  • Carver: rivalry (+10)
  • Merrill: friendship (+10)
  • Anders: friendship (+15)
  • Aveline: rivalry (+5)

If Hawke chose to lie to the Templars

• "I'm a friend of the mages."
  • Fenris: rivalry (+5)
  • Anders: friendship (+5)
• Letting Varric speak
  • Fenris: rivalry (+5)
  • Varric: friendship (+5)
  • Isabela: friendship (+5)
  • Anders: friendship (+5)
• "I'm your best friend." Only available to a sarcastic Hawke
  • Fenris: rivalry (+5)
  • Isabela: friendship (+5)
  • Anders: friendship (+5)

• "I'm sorry Ser Thrask" After combat
  • Varric: friendship (+5) (if "I'm a friend of Thrask's." or "I'm a friend of the mages." was chosen)

If Hawke promised to kill Ser Thrask

• No approval changes

Max possible approval changes:

• Between Anders: rivalry (+40) and Anders: friendship (+15)
• Between Aveline: rivalry (+15) and Aveline: friendship (+20)
• Up to Bethany: rivalry (+15)
• Between Carver: rivalry (+10) and Carver: friendship (+20)
• Between Fenris: rivalry (+10) and Fenris: friendship (+15)
• Up to Isabela: friendship (+10)
• Between Merril: rivalry (+35) and Merril: friendship (+20)
• Between Varric: rivalry (+15) and Varric: friendship (+20)

Rewards summary

• 400 XP (Quest) + 318 XP (Combat) If the Templars were killed: Up to 718 XP
• 2 0 0
• Random coins, junk, potions, equipment
• Unique items:
• The Hypnotist's Staff from Decimus
• Edge of Song and Glory from the Templars, if they are killed
• Dragon Hunter's Hauberk from the Templars, if they are killed
• Chanters' Staff rewarded by Grace, if the mages are freed
• Crafting materials:
  • Raw Lyrium from the Runaway's Cavern

Consequences

If the templars were killed, a group of their order will seek revenge against Hawke in the Act 2 side quest, The Midnight Meeting. Also in Act 2, Hawke will have the option of further helping the templars (Side quest: Bounty Hunter) or mages (Side quest: The Underground Railroad) depending on whose side Hawke chose in the quest.

If the mages are returned to the Circle, Hawke can talk to Thrask in Act 1 in the Gallows courtyard to learn that Meredith ordered three Starkhaven mages executed at random.

If the mages are allowed to escape and are not sent back to the Circle, they will eventually be caught and returned to the Circle in the next three years. Also, If Karras is alive and spoken to in Act 2, he will tell Hawke that he knows she/he lied about the mages, but he caught them anyway.

Regardless of Hawke's decision in this quest, in Act 3 Grace will team up with Ser Thrask to rebel against Knight-Commander Meredith. She will, however, kill Thrask with blood magic when Hawke comes to intervene.

Notes

• Due to the way in which the quest progresses, you will be unable to change party members between the two largest friendship/rivalry gains, which are speaking to Grace and making your final decision. Therefore, certain party members such as Carver, Anders, and Fenris will be subject to a double-check no matter what and must either add to their gains or have them reduced. In Carver's case, for example, the (+10) from refusing to kill Thrask is negated by (+10) if you decide to let the mages go. In short, between these two scenarios and despite your dialogue choices he may only gain +20 Friendship, +10 Rivalry, or no change at all. There is no way around this.

Bugs

• For PC v1.04, it is possible to gain double the friendship/rivalry when talking to Grace. After defeating Decimus, right click to converse with Grace before she begins her automatic conversation with you. The conversation will then occur twice in a row. This will enable you to gain twice the rivalry/friendship.
• In some cases, the rumor about this quest may remain in the quests list. This seems to happen if Act of Mercy is accepted before completing A Business Discussion. To fix this you can use gffeditor -> SAVEGAME_CAMPAIGN -> SAVEGAME_JORNAL -> SAVEGAME_JORNAL_ACTIVE_LIST -> 0 -> rumors_act_of_mercy. If you find it, you can right click on full tree of 0 -> delete. You can then add your save back to your savegame folder.
• For Xbox 360 the rumor of this quest may remain in the quest list. If so then select as your active quest and return to Gamlen's house, you may be able to reselect this quest from the message board there.