The Elven Mountain Ruins are ruins of an ancient elven dwelling hidden high in an unknown mountain range outside[1] Orlais. The main structure is on an island in the lake, while three large sentry towers are situated on nearby mountaintops.
Background[]
Involvement[]
The Inquisitor enters one of the sentry towers through an eluvian while following the trail of a Qunari who was found dead in the Winter Palace. The bridge to the central island is broken, and the Inquisitor is left to search the three towers interconnected with eluvians for clues. More Qunari bodies in similar clothing lay around. They all appear to have been recently taken by surprise and killed by magic. Their notes are written half in Qunlat and half in the common tongue.
In the second tower the Inquisitor encounters elven spirits. If the Inquisitor drank from the Well of Sorrows, they know the secret greeting from those Fen'Harel trusted and can pass safely. Otherwise the spirits consider them intruders and engage in combat. The Inquisitor's Anchor interacts with veilfire-like mosaics in the towers. They disappear, revealing hidden passages and ancient memories of the place.
The Inquisitor's hand starts to hurt in the third tower near an elven device, and they acquire the Anchor Discharge ability. A small wolf statue nearby summons more spirits when touched. The statue fits into the pedestal by the bridge and allows to raise its missing section.
Qunari attack the Inquisitor on sight in the sanctuary behind the bridge. The Qunari themselves are fighting spirits as well. A large mural on the far wall of the building depicts Fen'Harel removing elven vallaslin. The statue of the Dread Wolf next to it guards a secret passage and moves when the Inquisitor solves a puzzle, a part of the "Lateral Thinker" achievement.
Hidden armory behind the last mosaic down below is also occupied by the Qunari. After they are defeated, the Inquisitor finds a plan of attack on the Winter Palace with a shock trooper. A note about an unknown intruder who awoke the spirits and fled lies nearby. With that knowledge, the Inquisitor departs for the palace.
Areas[]
- Vine-Covered Tower
- Bridge
- Smoking Tower
- Silent Tower
- Forgotten Sanctuary
- Hidden Armory
Quests[]
Enemies[]
- Spirits
- Spirit Shadow (Rogue - Double Daggers)
- Spirit Archer
- Sentinel Champion (Warrior - Two-Handed Great Maul)
- Qunari
- Ben-Hassrath Agent (Warrior - One-Handed Sword)
- Ben-Hassrath Assassin (Rogue - Double Daggers)
- Qunari Defender (Warrior - Mace and Tower Shield)
- Qunari Shock Trooper (Warrior - Two-Handed Great Axe)
- Qunari Spearman (Warrior)
Resources[]
Prophet's Laurel (found near the edges of the Forgotten Sanctuary)- Silverite (found near the edges of the Forgotten Sanctuary)
Codex entries[]
Note texts[]
Notable items[]
- Superb Belt of Urgency Vine-Covered Tower
- Superb Belt of the Inferno Pact Smoking Tower
- Superb Belt of the Storm Pact Smoking Tower
- Sigil of Felandaris Forgotten Sanctuary
- Arrowwood Forgotten Sanctuary
- Single Incarnation Hidden Armory
Dialogue points[]
Each companion has one dialogue point:
- Iron Bull - Vine-Covered Tower, as the Inquisitor is walking up from the eluvian entrance, there will be a landing on the stairwell; the dialogue point is on the left.
- Sera - Vine-Covered Tower, behind the first building.
- Blackwall - Smoking Tower, on top of the stairs left of the guardian spirits.
- Dorian - Silent Tower, highest level of the tower near the railing, overlooking the scenery.
- Varric - Silent Tower, highest level of the tower near the railing, overlooking the scenery.
- Cole - Forgotten Sanctuary, outside the building to the right.
- Cassandra - Hidden Armory, in the central open area of the lowest room with the eluvian, beneath a banner.
- Vivienne - Hidden Armory, first room on the right.
Notes[]
Pile of rubble leading to a hidden passage
- After the Inquisitor gets Anchor Blast, they can re-visit the location and clear the rubble on the shore southwest of the Forgotten Sanctuary. The newly discovered passage leads to a treasury within the Hidden Armory with a substantial amount of gold and random valuables.
- The eluvian leading from the Vine-Covered Tower to the inaccessible part of the Smoking Tower ("B" on the map) is obscured by crates. They can be broken by a warrior or with the Anchor Blast.
- For the additional puzzle in this see area Lateral Thinker.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ The Inquisitor's comment upon entering Elven Mountain Ruins.
- ↑ Note: Ancient Mosaics