Mad Hermit

Mad Hermit
Title	Hermit
Race	Human
Gender	Male
Location	East Brecilian Forest
Voice	Jamie Glover
Appearances	Dragon Age: Origins

The Mad Hermit is encountered by the Warden in the northeast section of the East Brecilian Forest. The Hermit is captured by The Chantry not long after meeting The Warden and is executed for his crimes. Noone goes to his funeral and he is forgotten even by the Dalish.

Background

The hermit is a deranged apostate who lives in the forest. He believes the trees are out to get him and that "they" sent the Warden as part of some conspiracy. Zathrian reveals to you that the hermit is infamous among the Dalish; he is a Shemlen blood mage hiding from the Chantry. He apparently constructed a tower in the Brecilian forest which has since mysteriously disappeared.

Walkthrough

Upon entering his campsite, the Mad Hermit will teleport next to you, and begin a tirade while swinging his fists. Upon engaging what can only be loosely categorized as "dialogue" with him, it will become abundantly clear that something is amiss: first and foremost, the Hermit speaks in questions, and insists everyone around him do the same (or it's a game which gives him amusement).

Through the dialogue (and several quests), it is possible to extract information (and items) from the Mad Hermit, the most important being the Grand Oak's Acorn.

He also asks you to kill the Grand Oak that keeps harassing him about an acorn.

Killing the Grand Oak

If the Warden chooses to side with the Mad Hermit and kill the Grand Oak, the hermit will aid the Warden in progressing to the center of the forest for the questline Nature of the Beast.

However, the Hermit requires 1 Werewolf Pelt for the whole party, this can be used multiple time to enter the Ruins.

Bug! If you have more than 1 Werewolf Pelt in your inventory, ALL of them will be used! So go sell them to Varathorn first before talking to Hermit.

Valid Trades

Note: Once you have completed the Nature of the Beast storyline, you can no longer trade with the Hermit, nor can you agitate him into attacking by rummaging through the stump.

Note: It is possible to not be able to obtain all items if too many questions are asked, the final question being "Have you... ever been in love?"

The Hermit accepts the following items:

Athras's Pendant, received after bringing him news of Danyla.

Deygan's Boots, the boots from injured Dalish hunter Deygan (in the West Brecilian Forest).

Dusk Ring in the chest by the tree in the abandoned campsite (-1 strength and +3 cunning). The option "A silver ring" actually means this ring; the hermit won't take just any general silver ring.

Halla Horn The halla horn necklace crafted by Varathorn if the Warden lied to Elora about the halla.

Scarf, received from Danyla.

The Tale of Iloren, from Cammen.

Song Book, in the chest behind Lanaya (Zathrian's first).

Bug! ps3 Deygan's Boots may not be in the list of trade items when speaking to the hermit, despite them being in the players inventory and not equipped to anyone.

Note: This may not be a bug. Deygan's Boots is only offered as a choice after you offer the hermit gold and he refuses.

Three of the above items are required to obtain the three items from the Hermit:

Grand Oak Acorn

Ancient Elven Helm

Codex entry: Archons of the Imperium

Strategy

One possible approach to the Mad hermit is to try and maximize the number of items obtained from him. This can be done by following this sequence:

1. Trade with the hermit
   • Trade for the Oak Acorn first, so that it won't be retrieved from the Tree Stump (see below);
   • Trade with him again based on what items the Warden has collected and the items the Hermit offers in exchange;
2. Inspect the Tree Stump
   • The Hermit will take exception (eventually leading to a fight -but running away works once object is attained- see below), but first the Warden will have a chance to pick one item out of the stump; the item may be
     1. Grand Oak Acorn (unless the Warden has already obtained it via trading);
     2. Golden Ring;
   • If Zevran is in the party: when you approach the Tree Stump, he will offer to show off his quick hands. He will successfully steal the item from the stump, but the Hermit will still attack.
3. The Mad Hermit will summon a couple of Greater Rage Demons and attack the party after they rummage the tree Stump;
   • If Dog is in the party: the Hermit's tent acts as a Landmark;
   • The Hermit may be imprisoned/frozen, but apparently can't be shattered.

The Hermit may drop:

Commoner Clothing

Chainmail

Diamond

Emerald

Emerald Ring

Garnet

Greater Health Poultice

Greater Lyrium Potion

Potent Lyrium Potion

Expert Frost Rune

Expert Flame Rune

Dreamsever, Constant drop.

Expert Lightning Rune

Magic Staff, Constant drop.

Ruby

Swift Salve

Money, from 55 to 6 , Constant drop.

He can also drop a master flame rune, master frost rune, or a Master Dweomer rune, so it can be assumed that he can drop master versions of the other runes as well.

• Note: It appears that if you reset too many times, instead of receiving a random amount from 55c to 6g, the game will fix the coin reward at the minimum 55c

Trivia

• His first question to the Warden is "What is your name?" and sounds very much like the toll bridge keeper in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
• As you reach into the old stump there is something else moving around that stabs you painfully in the hand. This seems to be a nod towards the treebeast trial in the 1980 Flash Gordon film.
• To end his answers he always says, "But that's all I have to say about that," which is a possible nod to Forrest Gump.
• The encounter may be a reference to the classic 1988 text game 'Fish!' by Magnetic Scrolls, in which an insane hermit in the woods guards a tree stump containing a ruined golden ring.