Corypheus's Prison - Tower Base

Corypheus's Prison - Tower Base
Location	Vimmark Mountains
Enemies	Hurlocks, Genlocks, Deep Stalker, Seal Guardian
Exits	Corypheus's Prison - Daneken's Floor (if you side with Janeka) or Corypheus's Prison - Riannon's Floor (if you side with Larius)
Appearances	Legacy

The Tower Base is the third floor accessed by Hawke in the Grey Warden prison constructed for Corypheus. It can be accessed only as part of the Legacy DLC and can only be entered from Corypheus's Prison - Farele's Floor.

Background

Hawke continues to battle through Corypheus's prison on this floor, and unlocks the third magical seal that is preserving Corypheus's prison. It is also possible to complete the Altar of Dumat side-quest and to trigger and complete The Paragon's Heir side-quest.

Walkthrough

Hawke enters the Tower Base from the end of the second floor in the prison - Corypheus's Prison - Farele's Floor. This level explores the area at the base of the tower - the area consists of a number of open clearings surrounded by various collapsed buildings and caves.

You are lured by a pack of deep stalkers into the first clearing, where you are attacked by deepstalkers.

• On a dead-end path to the south of this clearing is the First Legionnaire's Journal, which triggers the optional side-quest The Paragon's Heir.

In the next clearing, you are attacked by a large group of Darkspawn, including Genlock alpha, Hurlock Alpha, and Hurlock bolters.

• In a large submerged stone building to the north of the clearing is the Second Legionnaire's Journal, which continues the optional side-quest The Paragon's Heir.

You exit the clearing through a gap in the south-west corner between two griffon statues. Immediately ahead of you are stairs leading up which split into two directions. The steps on the turning to the right lead to a raised platform where you can pick up Dumat's Ritual Scroll for the Altar of Dumat side-quest. The path which continues straight ahead (i.e. heading towards the far west of the map) leads to a sunken room containing six torches. One of your party will suggest lighting the torches. To solve this puzzle you only need to light two torches, the middle torch on the north wall and the eastern torch on the south wall (for orientation purposes, the sarcophagus is on the west wall). Lighting all six activates the sarcophagus at the end of the room, which gives up 19+ gold in loot, and the Gloves which form part of the Regalia of Weisshaupt armor set. The gloves vary depending on Hawke's class:

• for mage Hawke, this is Gloves of the Silent One.
• for rogue Hawke, this is Warden Scout's Gloves.
• for warrior Hawke, this is Gauntlets of the Fortress.

Returning the bottom of those steps, you come out into another clearing, where you find the Altar of Dumat up some carved stone steps in the south-west corner of the map. At this point, you may only have three of the four artefacts to perform the ritual - the fourth is further through this level. See the Altar of Dumat quest page for further details on the options of defiling the altar or performing the sacrificial ritual.

You exit the main clearing through a gap between two griffon statues and then through a doorway in a stone wall. You emerge into another clearing into a fight with Deep Stalkers, Corrupted Spiders and Giant Spiders.

• In a small gap to the south, there is a cave with a burning pool of water where you find the Sacred Urn of Dumat for the Altar of Dumat quest.
• In a small alcove just west of this cave is the Third Legionnaire's Journal, which continues the optional side-quest The Paragon's Heir.

Just before you head up the steps to the raised stone bridge, there is a side-path which leads to a small fortified area where you find the body of Tethras Gaven. If you have found all three of the Legionnaire's Journals, and speak the Dwarven prayer, you will complete the side-quest The Paragon's Heir. Continuing back across the stone bridge, you are ambushed at the halfway point by a Genlock alpha.

Once you have crossed the bridge, you can explore the rocky path to the right (which is a dead-end) and continue round to the left which heads towards the seal. There is a massive fight with Darkspawn, including Hurlocks, a Hurlock Alpha and an Emissary in the first wave, and Genlocks, a Genlock alpha and an Ogre in the second wave.

• If Anders is in your party, then at this stage he will find Corypheus's calling too much to bear, and Justice will take over. You will have to fight and defeat Anders in this form, but once he has been defeated he is returned to normal.

Finally, you reach the Seal and have to fight the Seal Guardian. Please see the Legacy (quest) page for details of the fight and the upgrade to The Hawke's Key.

As you are exiting, Larius appears again and warns Hawke about the Grey Wardens in the prison. Janeka then appears supported by three other wardens, and explains that instead of destroying Corypheus, she would like Hawke to help with harnessing his power. Hawke must decide to side with either Larius or Janeka (the decision can later be reversed). Note that the quest splits at this point, depending on which path you choose:

• If Hawke sides with Janeka: the three wardens turn on her and follow Larius off into the tower. You exit into Corypheus's Prison - Daneken's Floor.

• If Hawke sides with Larius: Janeka casts a spell and she and the three wardens disappear. You are left with Larius to find a way into the prison. You exit into Corypheus's Prison - Riannon's Floor.

Involvement

The Paragon's Heir (optional)

Altar of Dumat (optional)

Legacy (main)

Notable items

• Codex entry: First Legionnaire's Journal - for The Paragon's Heir quest
• Codex entry: Second Legionnaire's Journal - for The Paragon's Heir quest
• Codex entry: Third Legionnaire's Journal - for The Paragon's Heir quest
• Codex entry: Speculations on Kirkwall
• Dumat's Ritual Scroll - for the Altar of Dumat quest
• Sacred Urn of Dumat - for the Altar of Dumat quest
• for mage Hawke, the Gloves of the Silent One for the Regalia of Weisshaupt (mage) armor.
• for rogue Hawke, the Warden Scout's Gloves for the Regalia of Weisshaupt (rogue) armor.
• for warrior Hawke, the Gauntlets of the Fortress for the Regalia of Weisshaupt (warrior) armor.

Trivia

• If you have Anders in your party, and you imported a savegame from Awakening, he will compare Janeka's plan with the dangerous and uncertain deal the Warden had a choice of making with the Architect. If you imported a game where the Architect was allowed to live, he will say "we still haven't seen the consequences of that", possibly looking forward to what is yet to unfold in Dragon Age 3.