Dead Hand

Dead Hand
Type	Shrine
Location	Exalted Plains
Appearances	Dragon Age: Inquisition

The Dead Hand is an elven shrine located in the Exalted Plains. It is of Elven origin, marked outwardly by a giant stone hand that possibly once belonged to a statue in proportion with it.

Archer and Pillar Puzzle

As you enter the room with the archer, there is a switch to the southeast, which will open a gate. Move one of your squad into that space and have them hold position. Then, return the switch to its original position, giving them access to one of the torches and a switch.

1. The southwest pillar is already down, so use the switch on the small statue to the north to rotate the archer.

2. The northeast side pillar can be lowered by lighting all three of the blue flame torches. One torch is closest to the entrance on the western side, another is behind the gate on the right (where you have left a teammate) and the last torch is on the eastern side. This action is timed (albeit generously), so you may want your teammates to hold position close to each torch before lighting (keep someone close to the switch as well). After all the torches are lit, pull the switch to rotate the archer.

Note: It can be difficult to get every team member to hold their positions. The puzzle room is large, and the characters tend to break from their positions if the controlled team member moves too far away from the other group members. As long as the characters are somewhat close to the torches, or at least spread out throughout the room, you should have enough time to light all the torches and pull the switch before the pillar goes back to its original position. Sometimes characters will successfully hold their positions if each individual character is commanded to hold position after moving them near their torches. It is most important to have a character near the switch after the torches are lit.

3. The northwest pillar can be lit up by having one character stand on the pressure plate that glows in the northernmost corner of the room, while another character pulls the lever to spin the archer.

4. The southeast is the most complicated. Have your trapped teammate use the switch they have access to, allowing another team mate to go through a gate on the western side, where there is a crank. One teammate will need to stay next to the archer rotating switch, as the pillar will go back up quite quickly after the crank is fully turned. (Don't forget to release your trapped teammate!)

Once all the artifacts have been lit, balls of light emerge (which must be followed for them to move) and light the remaining two artifacts, opening the gate. Enter and loot the crypt, then go into the next room. You will face a Revenant or an Arcane horror and several Undead, kill them then loot the room. This battle is repeatable on subsequent visits to the crypt, which is helpful for farming rare crafting materials and creature research items from the undead.

Rewards

Solving the archer puzzle inside yields:

• 967 XP
• 200 Influence
• 2 Power

Notes

• A Superb Amulet of Cunning is looted from atop a grave in the room north-east of the archer once the puzzle is complete.

Codex Entries

Codex entry: Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide
Codex entry: Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets

Gallery

The Shrine