Flemeth's Real Grimoire

Flemeth's Real Grimoire is Morrigan's companion quest in Dragon Age: Origins.

Walkthrough

The quest begins when Morrigan's approval is high enough and she asks you to look for the Black Grimoire that was taken from Flemeth long ago. She believes it may still be in the Circle Tower. If you find and bring her the Grimoire before she has asked for it the quest will also trigger. You can find it in the Senior Mage Quarters in a chest in First Enchanter Irving's office (last door on the right before the stairs to the third floor). When you give her the tome, she will thank you profusely.

Morrigan will spend time reading the Black Grimoire (you can leave Camp and come back to trigger the next stage) only to discover it is not a book of magic, as she hoped. When you return to the Party Camp she will initiate a conversation explaining what she found out. The Grimoire describes how Flemeth has managed to live so long: as she gets old, she raises a daughter only to take over her body when her current body would die. Naturally, Morrigan is not keen on being the next sacrifice. She asks for the Warden's help in the matter.

If the Warden decides not to help, Morrigan will leave the party (although she will reappear towards the end of the main quest line, on the eve of the Final Battle of Denerim).

On the other hand, if the Warden chooses to help Morrigan, she will explain that he or she should:

Travel to Flemeth's Hut without Morrigan (so that she will not have a handy recipient for her spirit during the fight);
Face and kill the old witch;
Find and return to Morrigan Flemeth's Real Grimoire, so that she can prepare to defend against Flemeth's powers in the future, should she somehow manage to survive after her defeat.

Traveling with Morrigan in the group will ensure that Flemeth will not appear in her hut and you won't be able to find her Grimoire, so you must leave her behind for this confrontation.

Flemeth will be waiting for the party when you arrive at her home. She apparently realizes that Morrigan has discovered her secrets and is prepared to negotiate an alternative arrangement. You have two choices: allow her to escape or kill her; the tangible rewards are the same in either case (the grimoire and an upgrade for Morrigan's robes), although the party might react somewhat differently.

Allow Flemeth to flee

To avoid fighting, choose the following conversation options:

"I should dance to your tune, instead?"
"She knows how you extend your unnatural lifespan."
"I need Morrigan, I have no choice in this."
"I could do that."

Reactions

If Leliana is in the party Leliana disapproves (-3)
If Wynne is in the party Wynne disapproves (-5)
If Zevran is in the party Zevran approves (+2)

When you meet up with Morrigan again (in Camp or elsewhere), you can tell her that you killed her Mother or lie to her.

Kill Flemeth

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

Main article: Flemeth the Shapeshifter

If you decide to fight, be prepared to fight a High Dragon.

The main strategies include:

(a) using a fire-resistant tank to draw her aggro;
(b) setting casters or archers at long-range; and/or
(c) snaring Flemeth (e.g. with Cone of Cold).

This fight can be made very easy, and winnable as early as level 8 using any character with a taunting ability and ranged attackers, by taking advantage of her lack of mobility. There's a safe spot on each side of the dragon where she cannot strike with any of her abilities. The spot is a distance D from her hind legs, and a distance D from her front legs, and a distance D from her side. The distances are equal, about the length of a person. It is "between" her hind and front legs, but to the side a bit. Bring a healer and a tank. The tank should be equipped with bonuses to Healing Received, Fire Resistance, Health Regeneration, Constitution and/or Health. Armor rating does not matter at all. Your tank should not be hitting the dragon, but staying in the safe spot, and moving as soon as the dragon jumps up and twists. Your tank will no longer be in the safe spot, so run to the new safe spot by her side, equal distance from her, and from her front and hind legs. If done right, she will never hit you as long as the tank holds her attention. If you set your companions to attack from distance, and position your tank in the safe zone, you can wait for her to begin her turning animation and run to the new safe zone before she has an opportunity to strike. Only her area-effect stunning ability is dangerous, because it can allow her to get a strike in. Warmth balms help and should be used only on your tank. Keep your healer and ranged attackers far away from the dragon, and spread out in case any of them draws a fireball. Keep mana reserves high and make sure the tank is always at a minimum of 70% health. Don't underheal, but don't waste mana/potions by healing when there's not enough damage. If your tank is taking damage, you're not in the safe spot. Practice finding the safe spot, then pay attention maneuvering your tank. Remember to check your tank's status and re-use warmth balms or fire crystals to increase fire resistance. If these rules are followed, the dragon can be killed using only (e.g.) Alistair as a tank, the Warden, and Wynne for healing. On Nightmare difficulty, it's really easy if you perfect the maneuvering of the tank to the safe spot.

Result

If you accept the quest, the major rewards are the same regardless of how you resolve it:

Flemeth's Grimoire, a gift for Morrigan that will end the quest

Robes of Possession, a powerful mage armor usable only by Morrigan

Approval may refer to:

Approval (Origins), for the approval meter in Dragon Age: Origins.
Friendship and rivalry, for the approval meter in Dragon Age II.
Approval (Inquisition), for the approval meter in Dragon Age: Inquisition.

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

, Morrigan's approval rating will increase substantially.

250 XP (when you give the Grimoire to Morrigan).

If you do not fight her, Flemeth promises you will not meet her again.

Notes

If you let Flemeth go, and lie about killing her, Alistair's approval only changes on the PC; it does not change on the Xbox or PS3 versions of the game.

If Morrigan's quest is refused and she leaves the party, she will behave as if she never left after returning with her offer. The request will remain in the Quest Log until The Final Battle.

While there may not be a minimum approval for Morrigan to request the first grimoire, make sure you raise hers to (Warm) or (Care) in order to move the second request along.

Despite the mage Warden's dialog option of "I'll take the grimoire for myself", its only purpose is as a gift to Morrigan.

Bug! Some players report being unable to complete the quest; the hut and its surroundings remain empty, no matter the party chosen.

Bug! Flemeth's Grimoire may vanish from inventory if turned in more than once per Warden (i.e. save, hand it over, reload, hand it over again; reload again and it disappears.

[confirmation needed]

Bug! If, while Morrigan is studying the first grimoire, you send her away ("I think you should leave"): returning to camp will trigger the request for the 'real' grimoire (from her disembodied voice) - the quest can be accepted as normal, but even if you subsequently kill or bargain with Flemeth, Morrigan is gone and you will not be able to properly finish the quest.