Back Alley is a location for random encounters and scripted encounters when traveling through Denerim in Dragon Age: Origins.
Background
This is the default random encounter when traveling through the Denerim city map. Typically, you will encounter various bandits, often with various tricks, such as closing a portcullis on a party member and ambushing them, or setting up a fire trap and firing from behind barricades. There are also at least two event related encounters, as listed below.
Involvement
Pearls Before Swine
During the quest Pearls Before Swine and after dealing with the White Falcon mercenaries at the Pearl, the Warden will encounter Sergeant Kylon who will show up to give his congratulations. Unless the mercenaries were killed at the brothel, the mercenary leader Cristof will appear and attack both the party and Kylon's men. The axe Aodh can be looted from Cristof. Kylon's health will never drop below one during the skirmish with the mercenaries, so he can easily tank Cristof and his men.
Taliesin
This encounter will trigger after the Landsmeet when traveling on the Denerim City Map. Here, the Warden will meet Taliesin. If his approval rating is high Zevran and two other companions will fight Taliesin and other assassins. If the Warden's approval rating with Zevran is not high enough, then he will side with Taliesin and will fight against the Warden. If the approval rating is above 35 but lower than 60, he may elect not to fight either with or against Taliesin.
Black Vials
A "Back Alley" is also the location of one of the Revenants involved in the Black Vials quest, which can be accessed during the bandit ambush random encounter. The party will enter the alley whilst travelling to one of the locations in Denerim. The phylactery through which the Warden awakens the Revenant only appears during this encounter, and will be unavailable if not interacted with at the time.
During the ambush, the first companion to enter the last area will be trapped. To unlock the entrance, the companion has to pull on a lever, then the rest of the party will join the fight.
Characters
- Sergeant Kylon (during Pearls Before Swine)
- Taliesin (after Landsmeet)
Enemies
- Bandits (Human, Normal)
- Cristof (Human, Elite)
- White Falcon mercenaries (Human, Normal)
- Taliesin (Human, Elite) - Assassin class (drops Gloves of Guile)
- Assassins (Human, Normal and Elite)
- Revenant (Demon, Boss)
Notes
- If you don't use Zevran that often, don't forget to equip him with some decent equipment before entering this encounter.
- There are a lot of traps worth a lot of XP here. It is good to take someone along who can disarm them.
- This area has the same layout as the Dirty Back Alley.