Changes: Long Way Home

Revision as of 02:19, 26 February 2013

Long Way Home is an Act 1 main quest in Dragon Age II.

During this quest Hawke must travel to the top of Sundermount with Merrill in order to perform a ritual involving the amulet received from Flemeth during the Prologue.

Acquisition

This quest may be performed after gaining entry into Kirkwall, having been received from Flemeth during the Prologue.

Walkthrough

Travel to the Dalish camp at Sundermount, (don't forget to pick up the Elfroot to the south, before entering the camp), and speak with Keeper Marethari. Hawke will automatically get Codex entry: The Dalish Elves. Marethari will send Hawke to meet her First, Merrill, who will accompany Hawke up the mountain to perform a ritual involving the amulet received from Flemeth. She acts as a guest party member for the duration of this quest. Although she cannot be directly controlled during this quest, she will contribute to battles as she sees fit.

Hawke won't get far before a small group of undead attacks and Hawke discovers that Merrill is a mage. After a brief conversation, continue up the mountain until reaching a cave entrance. Fight your way through spiders in the cave, emerging on a hillside.

Note: Hawke will also encounter a shadow warrior accompanied by shades and corpses if Hawke goes upstairs before leaving the cave

DA2 Flemeth emerging from amulet on altar - quest-Long Way Home — Flemeth emerging from the amulet

The way forward is blocked by a magical barrier. When prompted, Merrill will remove it via blood magic. On the other side of the barrier lies a spooky graveyard. The party will be attacked by an arcane horror accompanied by several undead and a shadow warrior. After dispatching the creatures, go to the altar where Merrill will perform the ritual. Flemeth emerges from the amulet and explains (in her own weird way) that Hawke may well have saved her life, in return for saving Hawke's.

If Fenris or Anders are in Hawke's party, there is an option to hear some extra dialogue from one of them via the dialogue wheel, with no approval changes. If both Fenris and Anders are in your party, Fenris takes priority (when choosing Call on Companion/ "What do you think?"). Bethany or Carver will have dialogue at the very end of the conversation. Flemeth then transforms into a dragon and flies away.

Return to the cave entrance and Hawke's party is automatically transported back to the Dalish camp. From there, Hawke's party is transported to the Elven Alienage in Lowtown where Merrill asks if she can expect a visit from Hawke in her new home.

Friendship and rivalry

Interactions of companions before meeting the Dalish keeper at Sundermount**

Investigating "What did you call me?":
- Aveline "An elven slur for human."
- Fenris "It's the elven word for human."
- Carver "Elven gibberish."

Investigating "What are the Dalish":
- Male Hawke "I'm pretty sure I've seen elves around who weren't Dalish."
- Varric "Keep that in mind Hawke, Elves you see elsewhere? Figments of your imagination."
- Fenris "So you say frequently."

When Merrill removes the barrier:

choosing "It did help us."
- Anders: rivalry (+10)
- Fenris: rivalry (+10)
- Aveline: rivalry (+5)
- Bethany: rivalry (+5)
- Carver: rivalry (+5)

choosing "They don't keep helping."
- Aveline: friendship (+5)

choosing "The demon, you mean."
- Anders: friendship (+10)
- Fenris: friendship (+10)
- Aveline: friendship (+5)
- Bethany: friendship (+5)

Note: xbox360 With a party made up of Anders, Fenris, and Bethany, the +5 from Bethany was not received.

Note: pc If Fenris is present during the conversation with Flemeth at the alter, Hawke has the option to let him speak, which provides some supplemental information about Flemeth.

When conferring with Merrill back in Kirkwall towards the end of the quest, the response to her question about a possible visit from Hawke will affect friendship/rivalry as follows:

choosing "I will."
- Fenris: rivalry (+5)

choosing "I don't think so."
- Fenris: friendship (+5)
- Aveline: rivalry (+5)

Note: Either way, Hawke will still be able to visit Merrill at her new home in the Kirkwall Alienage (Lowtown) later. There are no friendship/rivalry changes for Merrill as she has not officially joined Hawke's party yet.

Result

Merrill joins Hawke's party.
The next time Hawke leaves Kirkwall, you will find yourself at the Dead Man's Pass and receive the main quest Blackpowder Promise.

Rewards

8

Notes

If seeking the Supplier achievement, be sure to grab the Silverite in the caverns (next to the door in the firepit room just after the entrance), the Elfroot near the rock slide below the cavern entrance, and the Deep Mushroom in the Elven Graveyard.

It may be worthwhile to continue past the Altar, to the top of Sundermount, while Merrill is following Hawke around as a "bonus" party member. The Arm of Adruil awaits at the summit (Hawke must defeat a Shadow Warrior and may have to touch the magical barrier nearby to activate it), with a couple of relatively difficult fights along the way. An extra party member makes the climb much easier. There is also a line of four simple traps on the way from the altar to the top. Before examining the Altar, it is possible to return to Kirkwall to add a rogue party member and still keep Merrill.
Note: Be careful to head up path before getting too close to altar as, once the Arcane Horror is triggered, Merrill will not follow you up the mountain. She stays in the altar area even after talking to Flemeth

The Arcane Horror guarding the Altar drops 6+ gold sovereigns and a Ring of the Magister when he dies.

Just inside the cave at the top of the mountain, after killing the spiders and in a little room to the right are the class-specific Act 1 item set gloves.

If Fenris is in Hawke's party, there is a small exchange between him and Merrill when she summons the dragon's spirit.

If you select "What do you think, Fenris?", there is some dialogue that will reveal a bit about Fenris.

Trivia

The verbal component of the ritual is the first stanza of "In Uthenera"

@@ Line 92: / Line 92: @@
 * If seeking the [[Supplier]] achievement, be sure to grab the [[Silverite]] in the caverns (next to the door in the firepit room just after the entrance), the [[Elfroot (Dragon Age II)|Elfroot]] near the rock slide below the cavern entrance, and the [[Deep Mushroom (Dragon Age II)|Deep Mushroom]] in the Elven Graveyard.
-* It may be worthwhile to continue past the Altar, to the top of [[Sundermount]], while [[Merrill]] is following Hawke around as a "bonus" party member.  The [[Arm of Adruil]] awaits at the summit (Hawke must defeat a [[Shadow Warrior]] and may have to touch the magical barrier nearby to activate it), with a couple of relatively difficult fights along the way. An extra party member makes the climb much easier.  There is also a line of four simple traps on the way from the altar to the top.  Before examining the Altar, it is possible to return to Kirkwall to add a rogue party member and still keep [[Merrill]].
+* It may be worthwhile to continue past the Altar, to the top of [[Sundermount]], while [[Merrill]] is following Hawke around as a "bonus" party member.  The [[Arm of Adruil]] awaits at the summit (Hawke must defeat a [[Shadow Warrior]] and may have to touch the magical barrier nearby to activate it), with a couple of relatively difficult fights along the way. An extra party member makes the climb much easier.  There is also a line of four simple traps on the way from the altar to the top.  Before examining the Altar, it is possible to return to Kirkwall to add a rogue party member and still keep [[Merrill]]. {{Note| Be careful to head up path before getting too close to altar as, once the Arcane Horror is triggered, Merrill will not follow you up the mountain.  She stays in the altar area even after talking to [[Flemeth]] }}
 * The [[Arcane Horror]] guarding the Altar drops 6+ gold sovereigns and a [[Ring of the Magister]] when he dies.