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 the Warden to look for the Black Grimoire that was taken from Flemeth long ago. She believes it may still be in the Circle Tower. If the grimoire is found and brought to her before she has asked for it the quest will also trigger. It is located 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).

Morrigan will spend time reading the Black Grimoire (leave Camp and come back to trigger the next stage) only to discover it is not a book of magic, as she hoped. On 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.

Note : The Warden may need to complete one of the main quests first in order to get Morrigan to ask you to kill Flemeth.

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. Bringing her results in a monologue that ends in Morrigan disapproves (-5).

Flemeth will be waiting for the party when they arrive at her home. She apparently realizes that Morrigan has discovered her secrets and is prepared to negotiate an alternative arrangement. There are 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."

Approval (this happens after the conversation with Flemeth, before you return the grimoire to Morrigan) (pc)

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)

Note: Although Alistair is happy with the idea of lying to Morrigan, there is no Approval change.

Flemeth then promises the Warden that they will not meet her again.

Kill Flemeth

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

Main article: Flemeth the Shapeshifter

If the Warden decides to fight, be prepared to fight a High Dragon.

If Oghren is in the party Oghren approves (+2)

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 from her hind legs, and a distance from her front legs, and a distance 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, ranged attackers 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. Then, the tank will no longer be in the safe spot, so have them run to the new safe spot by her side. If done right, she will never hit the other party members as long as the tank holds her attention. Only her area-effect stunning ability is dangerous, because it can allow her to get a strike in. Keep the healer and ranged attackers far away from the dragon, and spread out in case any of them draws a fireball.

Alternatively, wait until Wade's Superior Drakeskin armour is obtained (for extreme fire resistance). Equip the set to the character who will be tanking. Give all party members ranged weapons. Positions all party members except the tanking character as far away as possible while staying in range to fire at Flemeth. The tanking character must position himself at the bottom of the ledge near Flemeth. This positioning prevents Flemeth from dragging the character towards her. With Wade's Superior Drakeskin armour, the tank will hardly take damage from Flemeth as almost all her attacks are fire balls. With any healer knowing just simple heal, this fight can be won on nightmare without a single poultice or lyrium potion used on first playthrough.

The party also use traps, such as Freeze Trap or Freeze Bomb. Gather as as many traps as possible and place them on the same spot as Flemeth appears in her High Dragon form; she will set them all off. If you have 50 traps, it is possible that she will die without you having to attack her at all. (This also works on the High Dragon protecting the Urn of Sacred Ashes.)

Result

If the Warden accepts the quest, the major rewards are the same regardless of how it is resolved.

After Flemeth is dealt with:

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

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

When the grimoire is given to Morrigan:

250 XP
Morrigan approves (+15)

Notes

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 Warden's dialog option of "I'll take the grimoire for myself", its only purpose is as a gift to Morrigan.
Despite Morrigan's offer of "everything else in her hut", the only things of value within Flemeth's hut are exclusive to Morrigan, as well as a very low level chest that was likely looted earlier.

Bug! Some players report being unable to complete the quest; the hut and its surroundings remain empty, no matter the party chosen. Other report the grimoire not being found in the chest after killing Flemeth. The latter can be solved by downloading the "morrigan dialogue restoration fix".

Bug! If you talk to Morrigan before you give her the real grimoire you can ask her "So Flemeth is dead. What now?" even though, as far as she knows, Flemeth is still alive.

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.

Bug! If the Warden takes Morrigan to Flemeth's hut, the same cutscene plays with the same loss of approval, even if Flemeth is dead.