An Unlikely Scholar

An Unlikely Scholar
Location	Orzammar Commons Circle of Magi
Quest Giver	Dagna
End	Dagna
Other NPCs	First Enchanter Irving Knight-Commander Greagoir Janar
Appearances	Dragon Age: Origins

Dagna wants to join the Circle of Magi to study their history and lore, but knows that dwarves cannot use magic. She wants The Warden to speak on behalf of her to talk to the Circle.

Background

Dagna is a member of the smith caste, those dwarves responsible for creating the arms and armaments of Orzammar and working with Lyrium. At some unspecified point in her life, she found a scholarly fascination with the mages of Thedas and with the practice of magic despite being well aware that she could never become a mage herself.

When The Warden encounters her, she has been attempting to gain the attention of the Circle Tower for a number of years but with no success. She is well aware that leaving Orzammar would mean forsaking all claims to family and caste and appears to have no reservations about doing so if given the chance.

As a form of payment for studying amongst the mages, she offers all that she has learned of working with lyrium from the Smith Caste.

Walkthrough

• When Dagna first makes her request, The Warden can agree to help her or refuse.

• Agreeing to take her request to the circle will net (+2) from Wynne and (+1) from Leliana.

• Dagna's father, Janar, runs a shop in the Orzammar Commons. If spoken to before Dagna has left for the Circle, he will ask that the Warden does not get involved as he wants his daughter to stay in Orzammar. The Warden can return to Dagna and convince her not to leave on behalf of her father.

• Alternatively, travel to the Circle Tower. If it has not already been done, it will be necessary to complete the Broken Circle quest before broaching the subject of Dagna studying there.
• Depending upon the choices The Warden makes, Dagna will or will not be able to study at the Circle of Magi.
  • If The Warden Sided with the Templars - Knight-Commander Greagoir will respond she cannot study at the Tower. It is also possible to skip asking Greagoir for permission and simply tell Dagna that the Circle was destroyed. In which case Dagna will make her own way to the tower.
  • If however the Warden Sided with the Mages - First Enchanter Irving will be open to the idea that she can study at the Tower.

• Return to Dagna with the news.

Result

• If Dagna has been accepted into the Circle Tower, she can be found there next time The Warden visits.
• If you talk to Dagna's father after this quest and tell him she left for the Circle, he will be upset that she has become a surface dwarf and casteless. He will refuse to trade with The Warden and forces The Warden to leave his store.

Note: If you speak to Dagna's father after completing the quest without mentioning anything to him beforehand, he will still maintain his dialogue as if you had never done the quest at all. Simply avoid asking him about Dagna, and access to his shop will remain.

Rewards

Assuming that you saved the mages in the Circle Tower and respond positively to Dagna's request, she will reward you with either a Greater Lyrium potion or a Dweomer Rune (depending on your level) if you ask her for one. Requesting the "token of gratitude" also awards 100 XP.

Epilogue

• Deciding to aid Dagna leads to an event in the Epilogue comments. Should the Warden aid Dagna in her studies with the Circle she will make a discovery about lyrium. Unless The Chant in the Deeps was completed, this will lead the Circle of Magi to open relations with the dwarves of Orzammar and establish a place of study away from the eyes of the Chantry. The Divine in Orlais, the head of the Chantry, does not take kindly to hearing this news and contemplates an Exalted March on the Dwarves.
• If Dagna remains in Orzammar and you have not opened a Chantry in Orzammar then an Exalted March is not contemplated.

Bugs

ps3xbox360Occasionally, after receiving First Enchanter Irving's permission for Dagna to study at the Circle Tower, the player is able to go up to the Second Floor of the Circle Tower (for example, to find Godwin for the Precious Metals quest) and return down to the First Floor to find Dagna. If you speak to her she will react like she is still in Orzammar (there will be a chair back in front of her so you can't see her) and telling her that First Enchanter Irving has given her permission will complete the quest. The same thing can happen if you sided with the templars - Dagna appears on the second floor, and after you tell her the Circle has been destroyed, she says she will go anyway. When you return to the first floor, she will behave as though the Circle is still intact.

Upon returning to Orzammar, Dagna will be standing outside her father's shop but will react as if she is in the Circle Tower. This glitch prevents you from telling Janar about Dagna's escape and will allow Janar to continue trading with the player.

ps3Sometimes if Dagna leaves for the Circle Tower and the player tells Janar about it, the quest will not complete. Instead, the quest mark will stay over Janar's head. The player will still, however, not be able to trade with Janar.

xbox360 Sometimes Dagna leaves for the Circle and the player does not have to tell Janar about it. The quest is marked complete in the menu, however the quest marker will stay over Janar's head. The player can still trade with Janar.