Caridin's Cross

Caridin's Cross
Type	Crossroads
Terrain	Underground
Location	Deep Roads
Inhabitants	Darkspawn, deepstalkers, brontos
Exits	Ortan Thaig Deep Roads
Appearances	Dragon Age: Origins

Caridin's Cross is a crossroads within the Deep Roads, named after the ancient Paragon, Caridin.

Background

Map of the area

Caridin's Cross was, at a time, the largest crossroads in the Deep Roads, connecting the city of Orzammar with many outlaying thaigs. It is now in a state of ruin, inhabited only by the darkspawn and deepstalkers. If the area with deepstalker eggs is approached the deepstalker matriarch should appear off the road in the area by the right side of map. There are also several road markers in Caridin's Cross.

A darkspawn "fort" of sorts is located south of the starting point (in the middle of the crossroads), with three ballistae manned by genlocks watching the roads. Charging the position without first removing the ballista crews is rather dangerous. Fortunately the area is small enough that area-based spells can easily dislodge them.

Quests

A Paragon of Her Kind

An Admirable Topsider

Asunder

The Black Vials

The Drifter's Cache

Notes

• The exits are all marked "Deep Roads" but they do not go to the same areas. The bottom one opens up Ortan Thaig on your travel map.

Characters

Hired Goon

• Hired Goons and Elven Mercenary: Two dwarves and an elven mage hired by either Lord Harrowmont or Prince Bhelen, unless you are publicly working for one and secretly working for the other, will be waiting for you at the start of the area. After a brief speech, they will attack.

Enemies

• Bronto (Brontos, Lieutenant)
• Deepstalker (Deepstalkers, Critter)
• Deepstalker leader (Deepstalkers, Normal)
• Deepstalker matriarch (Deepstalkers, Boss)
• Elven Mercenary (Elf, Normal, Mage)
• Genlock (Darkspawn, Normal)
• Genlock emissary (Darkspawn, Lieutenant) (one of the emissaries will drop Topsider's Hilt yielding Codex entry: Topsider's Honor)
• Genlock runners (Darkspawn, Normal)
• Hired Goon (Dwarf, one Normal, one Lieutenant)
• Hurlock (Darkspawn, Normal)
• Hurlock alpha (Darkspawn, Lieutenant)
• Hurlock emissary (Darkspawn, Lieutenant)
• Shriek (Darkspawn, Normal)
• Ogre (Darkspawn, Lieutenant)
• Ogre alpha (Darkspawn, Boss)
• Revenant (Demon, Boss) (only when summoned using the Glass Phylactery)

Containers

The darkspawn "fort"

Northwest

• Chest (Darkspawn, Normal) - locked
• Chest (Darkspawn, Normal) - locked
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)
• Rubble (Darkspawn, Normal)
• Chest (Darkspawn, Elite) - locked (50 XP)
• Chest (Darkspawn, Elite) - locked (50 XP)
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)

North-central passage

• Chest (Dwarven, Elite) - locked
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)

Fort

• Broken Crate (Dwarven, Normal) - near vials
• Chest (Special) - Totem
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)

Deepstalker nest

• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)
• Sarcophagus (Dwarven, Boss)

Southwest tunnel

• Chest (Darkspawn, Boss) - locked (60 XP)
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)
• Fractured Stone (Stone, Normal)
• Drifters' Cache (Darkspawn, Boss) - see Drifter's Cache

Notable items

An underground river crossing the location

Effort's Gloves, source: Drifter's Cache

Head in a Bag, source: Small Bloody Sack

Ring of the Warrior, source: Drifter's Cache

Thorn of the Dead Gods, source: Drifter's Cache

Topsider's Hilt, source: on the genlock emissary in south cave corridor of Caridin's Cross

Torso in a Bag, source: Small Bloody Sack

Notable gifts for companions:

Totem, source: Chest

Codex entries

Codex entry: Asunder, source: Small Bloody Sack

Codex entry: Orzammar History: Chapter One, source: Statue near southwest exit to Deep Roads

Codex entry: The Black Vials, source: Glass Phylactery

Codex entry: The Blights, source: Firepit

Codex entry: The Crosscut Drifters, source: Rubble

Codex entry: The Shaper's Life, source: Runestone

Codex entry: Thorn of the Dead Gods, source: Drifter's Cache

Codex entry: Topsider's Honor, source: Genlock emissary

Special objects

• Road Markers
• 2 x Tripwires (40 XP and 50 XP) attached to exploding barrels.
• 8 x Leghold Traps (40 XP) Next to deepstalker cage, in the "fort", and on the bridge.
• x3 Ballistae manned by genlocks to fire devastating missiles.
• A Glass Phylactery containing the essence of one of The Black Vials revenants.