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Night Terrors is an Act 2 secondary quest in Dragon Age II.

Acquisition

The quest is acquired from a letter in Hawke's mansion at the beginning of Act 2. Feynriel, the apostate mage rescued from slavers during Wayward Son, has gone into a coma due to his particular talent. His mother, Arianni, has called upon assistance of Hawke and Keeper Marethari to save him. In order to wake him up, Hawke must enter the Fade to confront the demons struggling for control over Feynriel.

Walkthrough

Before entering the Fade

After a conversation with Keeper Marethari and Arianni, the Keeper will talk to Hawke in private, asking them to kill Feynriel in the Fade should he prove too weak to control his abilities, and risk becoming an abomination. She explains that killing Feynriel in the Fade would make him Tranquil, and no longer a threat.

If you answer "I understand":

Rivalry Anders: rivalry (+5)
Rivalry Merrill: rivalry (+10)
Friendship Sebastian: friendship (+10)
Note: If Sebastian is in your party with Fenris or Isabela when you talk to Arianni, Sebastian will disapprove Rivalry (+10). It can be nullified by selecting "I understand" when talking with Marethari, as it will cause Sebastian to Friendship (+10). If Anders or Merrill is in the party, their dialogue overrides Sebastian's, which causes you to miss the initial disapproval entirely.

The other option "I can't do that":

Friendship Anders: friendship (+5)
Friendship Merrill: friendship (+5)
Rivalry Sebastian: rivalry (+10)
Note: Paired with above Rivalry (+10) for accepting quest, gives a total of Rivalry Sebastian: rivalry (+20).

After this conversation, you will have the option of selecting your companions to go into the Fade. Note that Sebastian will refuse to go.

In the Fade

Hawke will find themselves in Feynriel's vision of the Templar Hall. Once Hawke enters the Fade, you will automatically acquire:

Codex entry: The Fade Codex entry: The Fade

If Anders is in the party, Justice takes over.

Note: Hawke has 3 dialogue options with Anders/Justice and none have any affect on approval/rivalry ratings.

Justice will automatically cast Vengeance when in the Fade, even if he has not learnt it. Note that in this room, there is a book that will give Hawke +1 attribute point, one out of four you can get from the Fade. See “Two Puzzles and a moving book” below for details.

Torpor

Torpor

The sloth demon

If Hawke proceeds out into the courtyard, they will meet the first demon. It is a sloth demon who will ask Hawke to allow him to possess Feynriel. He offers Hawke power, knowledge and magic in return. See Rewards for details.

You can either refuse its offer immediately or question it further. If you pick the latter and Anders is in the party, Justice will plead that Hawke refuse its offer. If you tell the spirit to back down, Justice will attack and you will be forced to defeat him. Justice, and by extension Anders, will then be out of the party for the duration of the quest, leaving you with the smaller party. After defeating Justice, you have a second chance to accept or reject the demon’s offer for the same approval changes as described below, but with the exception of Anders.

If Hawke rejects the offer, Torpor must be defeated. If not done by now, you will have a third chance to stop the demon from possessing Feynriel by betraying it and telling the half-elf to wake up.

Note: Torpor falls to Blood Slave and can help fight its fellow shades

If you accept the demon's offer right away and do not question him:

Rivalry Anders: rivalry (+15)
Rivalry Fenris: rivalry (+15)
Rivalry Aveline: rivalry (+15)
Friendship Merrill: friendship (+5)

If you reject the demon's offer:

Friendship Aveline: friendship (+10)
Friendship Anders: friendship (+10)
Friendship Fenris: friendship (+5)
Rivalry Merrill: rivalry (+5)

If you listen to Anders and attack the demon:

Friendship Anders: friendship (+10)
Note: Merrill’s approval rating will remain unchanged in this case.

If you tell Justice to back down, it will attack you.

Rivalry Anders: rivalry (+10)
Friendship Fenris: friendship (+5)
Rivalry Merrill: rivalry (+5)
Note: Telling Justice to back down will end a romance with Anders, even if you reject Torpor's offer. However, if you have not yet done the Questioning Beliefs (Anders Act 2) quest required to complete the romance, you can tell Justice to back down and still continue the romance by rejecting the demon's offer and then telling Anders it was a ruse during Anders in the Fade.

Two demons

There will be two quest markers waiting for you at two doors that are up some steps on either side of the hall.

Proceed to one of the rooms.

Once inside, Hawke will have an opportunity to help Feynriel realise he is in the Fade. Hawke may attempt to help the demons fool him, but ultimately Feynriel will realise he is in fact in the presence of a demon.You will be presented with following options:

  • (top options) point out the discontinuities of the visions
  • (middle options) agree with the demons, pretending that the visions are real
  • (bottom options) bluntly tell Feynriel that he is facing the demons

Choosing mostly middle or bottom options will frighten Feynriel and make him insecure, while choosing mostly top options will make him more confident of his powers.

If trying to make a deal with Torpor, choosing mostly middle options will result in the demon refusing to possess Feynriel if given the opportunity at the end. This will lead to a fight with Torpor and not getting its reward for the quest. If Feynriel is weak minded because of your choices, he will ask Hawke to kill him as he can't handle the temptations.

Caress in Feynriel’s Desires

Caress

The desire demon

Through this door is the desire demon. It will be posing as Feynriel's father Vincento. Hawke will confront Feynriel in the form of his mother Arianni. If Hawke's party is in the Fade with them, one of them will fall to tempation and betray Hawke to side with the demon; they will have to be defeated.

Note: Only one party member is tempted at each encounter. If fight poses too much of a challenge, it is helpful to load an earlier game and remove betraying companion's equipment

See below for a note on the characters’ temptations.

  • Isabela will be tempted by the offer of a new ship and crew.
    Friendship (+5), if a witty comment chosen
    Rivalry (+5), if an aggressive comment chosen
  • Aveline will be tempted by getting back her deceased husband, Ser Wesley
Note: If Hawke is a mage, Wesley will comment on Aveline's troubles starting when they met the apostate Hawke

Wryme in Feynriel’s Pride

As you go through the door from the courtyard, go in the first door on the left and pick up the book with Codex entry: Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons (you may already have that codex entry from the altar on Sundermount - if that's the case, no codex entry will be available here). In the end room, the pride demon Wryme will be posing as Keeper Marethari. Hawke will confront Feynriel in the form of First Enchanter Orsino. Another companion may betray Hawke during the confrontation. See below for a note on the characters’ temptations.

  • Merrill will be tempted by the offer of power enough to save and protect her people.
    Rivalry (+20) for a diplomatic choice.
    Friendship (+10) for a sarcastic choice.
    Rivalry (+10) for an aggressive choice.
  • Fenris will be tempted by being given power enough to be an equal to the magisters.
  • Varric will be tempted by the offer of power to get back at his brother Bartrand for his betrayal in the Deep Roads.

After the two demons are defeated

A rage demon will spawn after the first demon is defeated, no matter which one you picked to kill first. When Hawke has killed both demons, it’s the last chance to pick up the four extra attribute points mentioned earlier before ending the quest.

If you made an agreement with Torpor

Torpor and Feynriel will be waiting in the Courtyard once both demons are defeated. If you strengthened Feynriel's mind in his projections, you will now have a choice once again. You can let Torpor possess the boy, or tell Feynriel to wake up. This betrayal will cause Torpor to attack, and Feynriel to plead to let him die. This death will cause him to become Tranquil, as the Keeper explained at the beginning of the quest. Hawke will still receive reward for the quest, though not in full.

If you lie to Feynriel and let Torpor posses him, in Act 3 there will be people in Lowtown driven to madness by possessed Feynriel. Hawke will encounter Grigor, a member of the city guard, in Lowtown at night cornered by Melson and his personal guards. Melson has gone crazy and killed several city guards, saying that Feynriel told him that they were thieves. Melson & his guards will attack and are killed by Hawke. After the fight, Grigor refers to Feynriel as "The Dreamstalker."

Grigor & Melson

Guardsman Grigor & Melson

If you refused Torpor's offer and killed it

Feynriel will be waiting in the Courtyard where you killed Torpor once both demons are defeated. If his mind was weakened, he will beg you to kill him. However, if you strengthened his mind, Feynriel will be more confident and will automatically learn to leave the Fade, ending the projection. He decides to go to Tevinter to study his Dreamer skills.

Two puzzles and a moving book

Before you leave, there are some extras you will want to look into; you can acquire up to +4 attribute points. One is from reading the Book in the room you spawn in, one for solving the First Barrel Puzzle, and two for solving the second.

Note: The character you use to complete a puzzle will get the attribute points.

For the barrel puzzles, there is a requirement on a max number of moves you can take before some demons are summoned and you are locked out of the puzzle.

Note: It is recommended to save the game before attempting a puzzle: a bug sometimes occurs causing the barrel to moving into the floor or inside another barrel, if this happens just load your last save and start over.

Book

Night terrors book

The book which is found in the first room

The book is in the room you spawn in. With the entry behind you it can be found floating around the second column on your right. It will be transparent as it moves, and solid-looking as it stops. It is only when it stops that you can interact with it and get the attribute point. First click will "catch" the book causing it to fall to the floor, second click will award the attribute points. It is recommended to stop the party members from following you as you chase the book and try to interact with it. To do this, on console open the radial menu and push “Hold Position” and on pcpc press the hold button ("H" by default) while you’re a bit away from the book’s route. Push the same button again when you’ve gotten the attribute point to get the party members to move again.

First Barrel Puzzle

Puzzle1solution

Solution to the first barrel puzzle

East of the first room are 7 barrels that can be moved by clicking on them. If you can get all four large barrels on the floor and the three smaller ones above them within the move-limit you get another +1 attribute point. You only have a limited number of moves to make.

Puzzle 1

A B C D

E F G H

Note: These letters represent the positions, and not the barrels on them. Thus the barrel on position A can be moved to position B, and will no longer have the label 'A'.

Click on the barrels in this order:

C G F E A B F E A B C G H D

Second Barrel Puzzle

Puzzle2solution

Solution for the second barrel puzzle

The second barrel puzzle is in the next room to the east, accessed by the hallway south of the two rooms. This time you have to get all four red barrels into the middle of the 10 barrels to get another +2 attribute points. You only have a limited number of moves to make.

Puzzle 2

A B C D E F

G H I J K L

Note: See the note under Puzzle 1.

Click on the barrels in this order:

B H E K G A L F B C E D I H J K

A note on the characters’ temptations

If either demon succeeds in tempting a party member, Hawke will have to fight it along with the tempted party member. Once a companion is defeated, they will be expelled from the Fade. Anders will never be tempted as Justice keeps him safe here, although Justice will attack you if you agree to deal with Torpor. Sebastian will refuse to even enter the Fade, as this is apparently no place for "a man of the faith."

The party members listed above will always betray Hawke, regardless of friendship or rivalry points, or the resolution of issues related to their temptation. For example, even if Varric's friend meter is maxed out and he has confronted Bartrand during the relevant companion quest, he will still betray Hawke when tempted by Wryme. Likewise, Aveline will still betray Hawke when tempted by Caress, even if she has a full friend meter and has begun a relationship with Donnic.

In both cases, only those characters will betray Hawke. With Caress, Isabela is the default, but if she isn't in your party and Aveline is, it will be Aveline. With Wryme the order is Merrill, Fenris, then Varric. Therefore, if you go into the Fade with Anders, Aveline, and Varric, you could potentially lose all three for the duration of the quest (if you choose to deal with Torpor). A party of Merrill, Fenris, and Varric could only lose one character, as could a party of Anders, Isabela and Aveline (provided Torpor is not negotiated with).

Possible Outcomes

Feynrielleaves

Feynriel gains control of his dream.

There are three possible outcomes for Feynriel for this quest.

  • Deal with the Demon To ensure a reward is given, the player must respond with the topmost or bottom most answers during the demon encounters. Upon returning to Torpor, the player must convince Feynriel he is safe with the demon. If any condition is not satisfied, the sloth demon will say his mind is useless and attack, resulting to the next mentioned conclusion. If successful, the possession will result in an encounter later in the game with people who have been driven insane by their dreams.
  • The Dreamer With encouragement and Hawke's refusal to kill him, Feynriel will seek out mages in Tevinter for more knowledge on how to handle his abilities. His mother will not like that he leaves without saying goodbye, but understands. The Keeper will reward you with the Tome of the Slumbering Elders. If you didn't tell Feynriel of the demons and he figures it out for himself, he will show more confidence and will not ask you to kill him. This outcome will trigger the Who Needs Rescuing?-quest in Act 3, where Feynriel uses his newly gained abilities to save a kidnapped noble.
  • Tranquil Dreams If you choose mostly middle or bottom options in the conversations with Caress and Wryme, Feynriel will be horrified and will beg for it himself. If you respond with the topmost answers, Feynriel will want to go to Tevinter, but you will still have the option to make him Tranquil, against his will: choose "I cannot let you go." Back from the Fade, the Keeper will reward you with the Tome of the Slumbering Elders. Arianni will be devastated. If you subsequently speak to Thrask in the Gallows Courtyard in Act 2, he will tell that she committed suicide by taking poison.
  • Save Feynriel:
    • Friendship Anders: friendship (+5)
    • Rivalry Aveline: rivalry (+5)
  • Kill Feynriel in the Fade:
    • Rivalry Anders: rivalry (+15)
Note: You can regain some friendship points with Anders after you exit the Fade if you sided with Torpor against Justice. When speaking to Arianni Anders will cut in and tell her that his mind could have been saved. Agree with Anders and tell her that if it was not for Hawke's weakness before the demons temptation, her son would have had a better chance.
Anders admits that he did not expect Hawke to be so honest and gives some respect for telling the truth. Fenyriel's mother will be furious with Hawke, but Keeper Marethari interrupts her and defends Hawke, saying that even the best can fall prey to demonic temptation.

Betrayals by companions will result in quests for each betraying companion. Depending on Hawke's dialogue choices it can lead to friendship or rivalry points.


Aveline - Doubts that Linger
Fenris - Fenris Night Terrors
Isabela - Isabela's Apology
Merrill - Merrill, An Apology
Varric - Varric's Apology
Anders - Anders in the Fade

Rewards

  1. 4 attribute points:
    1. 1 for reading the Book in the first room
    2. 1 for solving the first barrel puzzle
    3. 2 for solving the second barrel puzzle
  2. If Hawke sides with the demon:
    1. 6 attribute points if Hawke chooses "Power"
    2. 1 talent/spell point if Hawke chooses "Knowledge"
    3. 2 unique runes, Torpor's Barrier Rune, that offer magic resistance if Hawke chooses "Magic"
  3. If Hawke does not side with the demon:
    1. Tome of the Slumbering Elders (if Feynriel masters his mind)
  4. 500 XP/(major) demon and 1000 XP (quest completion)

Notes

  • If you visit Sundermount before starting this quest you may encounter Templars demanding a group of Dalish hand over Feynriel (if you sent Feynriel to the Dalish, or let him choose, at the conclusion of Wayward Son). During the conversation you can side with either the Dalish or the Templars in in the following fight or simply leave the conversation. Taking a side results in Rivalry Isabela: rivalry (+5) while simply leaving results in Friendship Isabela: friendship (+5). It is also possible with a special dialog option, to convince the Templars to leave peacefully, though reluctantly. Conclusion:
  • You don't gain anything from the peaceful solution.
  • If you take either side you gain roughly 275 XP for the kills and 750 XP for resolving this situation (plus random loot from corpses). Siding with the templars has no effect on "Night terrors".
  • The rogue skill Confusion can be used to turn allies (templars or dalish) into enemies. If you kill them during Confusion's duration, you can gain roughly 100 additional XP. The leaders of each group cannot be killed, however.
  • Rivalry Sebastian: rivalry (+10) if he is in the party when you speak with Arianni in regards to the quest, stating it was what caused the fall of the Golden City by Tevinter mages. He will also refuse to be in the party to enter the Fade, stating it's no place for a man of the faith. So if you are working on the Loyalty of the Prince achievement down friendship path do not take Sebastian to your initial conversation with Arianni, then select "I'll come back later" instead of starting the quest. Go to Merrill's home nearby and add him to your party, then go back to Arianni and begin the quest. and select "I understand" when talking to Marethari. Once the quest begins, you will immediately go to the party select screen, so you can replace Sebastian as he refuses to come.
  • The DLC mabari hound can be very useful here as he cannot be tempted. However, when gearing up for the pride demon fight, wait to summon the dog once the fight is initiated or he might be locked out behind the door.
  • If you turn off the tempted character's tactics and add one with Self > Any > Wait, they will just stand there for the whole fight making it much more manageable. You would need to set the tactics before you enter the room, since once the battle starts, they are no longer in your party, and thus their tactics cannot be chosen.

Bugs

  • At times, the barrels will go into each other, higher than they should and/or lower than they should, if this happens just carry on or try again, it's still possible to get the reward if this happens.
  • If Anders is in your party, Vengeance will remain active after this quest is over. If he has this spell, you can deactivate it manually. If he does not, you must remove him from your party, add others and confirm, then add him back (Xbox 360).

Trivia

  • When Isabela is tempted with the offer of a ship, she will respond to the demon by saying "I like big boats, I cannot lie." This is a reference to the rap song "Baby Got Back". If Hawke has taken on the sarcastic voice type, they will question her about this line during Isabela's Apology.
  • The official strategy guide suggests taking Sebastian with you especially on Nightmare difficulty, as he is "immune to the temptations of the Fade". However, Sebastian cannot be taken with you at all, saying "the Fade is no place for a man of faith."
  • When first speaking to Arianni to initiate the quest, a mage Hawke can mention that they have "braved the Fade before" even though this was never previously shown to the player. This statement is a possible reference to a cut Act 1 quest that would have involved a mage Hawke entering the Fade, but was never implemented in the final game.

External links

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