Shepherding Wolves

Shepherding Wolves
Act	1
Location	Vimmark Mountain Pass
Quest Giver	Sister Petrice
End	Sister Petrice
Previous	Blackpowder Promise
Appearances	Dragon Age II

Shepherding Wolves is an Act 1 main quest in Dragon Age II.

In this quest Sister Petrice asks Hawke to lead a chained and collared Qunari out of Kirkwall to freedom. The Qunari, whom Petrice has dubbed Ketojan, can only make gurgling sounds. Ketojan is actually a Saarebas, a Qunari mage.

Acquisition

Blackpowder Promise must be completed for this rumor to become an active quest. The rumor has it that someone from the Chantry is offering good money for a mission. Go to Lowtown at night to find out more. Just south of The Hanged Man Hawke will see Sister Petrice setting herself up for a first-class mugging. Rescue her and she offers Hawke the quest, inviting the party to meet her at her safehouse to learn more.

Walkthrough

Lowtown

Sister Petrice's safehouse can be found in the Old City Slums region of Lowtown, almost directly across the alley from Gamlen's House. Go inside and speak to her. She asks Hawke to lead Ketojan to freedom.

If Hawke accepts the mission:

• Varric: rivalry (+5)
• Anders: friendship (+10)
• Merrill: friendship (+10)
• Bethany: friendship (+5)

Note: pc xbox360 Hawke may not get Bethany: friendship (+5)

If Hawke refuses:

• Varric: friendship (+10)
• Anders: rivalry (+15)
• Bethany: rivalry (+5)

Note: pc Hawke may not get Bethany: rivalry (+5)

Note: on pcxbox360 Hawke may not gain approval from Isabela.

Note: If initially refused, it is possible Hawke will not receive reputation gains for the remainder of this mission.

As this is a main quest, even if Hawke initially refuses, it must be completed.

In order to escape the city unseen, Sister Petrice instructs Hawke to lead Ketojan out of the city via an underground passage.

Undercity Warrens

There are traps in the tunnels and the party will face spiders and a band of thugs. None of the chests located in this area are locked, so if you are interested in boosting approval for non-rogue companions, an unconcerned about traps, it may be better to forgo putting any rogues into the active party. All of the traps in the tunnel are standard to detect and disarm (requiring a rogue with 20 cunning).

Just before battling the band of thugs, there is a cutscene where the thug leader confronts Hawke, hurling insults at him and Ketojan. The insults angers Ketojan, and when the thug leader tries to stab Hawke, Ketojan is provoked into action and unleashes his magic upon the thug leader. This causes the rest of the thug band to attack the party. After the battle, there are a couple of chests with assorted loot available before leaving the area. Depending on Hawke's class a chest will contain:

Boots of the Spiral Eye (mage)

Boots of the Fallen (warrior)

Last Descent Boots (rogue)

Vimmark Mountain Pass

Upon exiting the underground tunnels to the Wounded Coast, Hawke encounters an encampment of other Qunari, who call Ketojan "Saarebas," meaning "dangerous thing". Apparently, the members of Ketojan's karataam were killed, and their bodies were left in a trail leading to exactly where Hawke and fellow cohorts would emerge. The Arvaarad proclaim that since Ketojan has spent some time without his handler, he may have been corrupted by demons and thus cannot be allowed to live.

At this point, Hawke can:

Choice 1: Hand Ketojan over to be killed.

• Anders: rivalry (+10)

Choice 2: Refuse to hand Ketojan over.

• Anders: friendship (+10)
• Merrill: friendship (+5)
• Carver: friendship (+5)
• Aveline: friendship (+5)
• Bethany: friendship (+10)

Note: pc Hawke may not get Bethany: friendship (+10)

Choice 3: Inquire about a mage in your party (Hawke must inquire about Qunari mages first). This results in a fight with the Qunari, same as refusing to hand Ketojan over.

• Merrill: friendship (+5)

Choice 4: Say "The Arishok knows of me."

• Does nothing; no approval changes whatsoever.

If Hawke hands Ketojan over, the Qunari will unbind Ketojan, and with his final words before submitting to a ceremonial death, Ketojan acknowledges Hawke as worthy of following. The Qunari leader will then reveal that since Hawke is worth following, they are also worthy of the ceremonial death now required by the Qun because Hawke spent time with an unsupervised mage. Consequently, Hawke is forced to fight in self defense.

If Hawke refuses to hand Ketojan over or reveals that any party member is a mage, Merrill: friendship (+5), the Qunari will put Ketojan under a binding spell, and attack the party immediately - UNLESS Hawke has requested that Ketojan refrain from attacking under any circumstances (the aggressive chat option available after Ketojan defends Hawke and Co. from the thugs). Saarebas will be unbound and is then able to speak and choose his own path. In accordance with the teachings of the Qun, he chooses death for himself and gives Hawke the Talisman of Saarebas before immolating himself with fire magic.

If there is a mage (other than Hawke) in the active party during the initial confrontation with the Qunari leader and Hawke asks the mage their opinion on the matter, the Qunari leader will become enraged. If Hawke is a mage, they will have a star option to ask Arvaarad why the Qunari shackle their mages. This yields the same result as having another mage in the party; an additional line of dialogue by Hawke will occur. Arvaarad will curse Hawke, claiming that Hawke is a demon contaminating his ears with her/his words. He will then attack with his forces, binding Ketojan in the same manner as the prior scenario (Ketojan will be released from bondage and still immolate himself). Hawke will not receive any approval points in this particular scenario.

It is clear that Sister Petrice had Hawke set up to be killed by the Qunari. Return to Lowtown to investigate (before leaving, grab the Silverite deposit near the Qunari camp).

Return to Lowtown

Return to Sister Petrice's safehouse in Lowtown at night. Hawke finds Petrice and her Templar assistant packing up, intending to leave without a trace. When confronted she reveals that had Hawke been killed, she would have used the events to turn the Chantry against the Qunari.

If Hawke chooses the "I don't care, just pay me" option:

• Varric: friendship (+5)
• Carver: friendship (+5)
• Aveline: rivalry (+5)

If Hawke chooses the "I should kill you" option:

• Varric: rivalry (+5)

Complete the conversation to collect payment and complete the quest.

Note: Fenris will not gain friendship or rivalry throughout this quest regardless of responses.

Note: If Isabela is present there is a special cutscene between her and Sister Petrice's Templar assistant. She also makes a comment after the quest is completed about seeing Sister Petrice return in the future. (This cutscene is not unique to Isabela; a party member will make a comment and Varnell will tell them to mind their tongue).

Rewards

Money - 7

Talisman of Saarebas - If freed from the Qunari party, Saarebas will give this to Hawke before he kills himself.

Notes

• It is possible to tell the Arishok about the events, which helps in obtaining the A Worthy Rival achievement.
• If seeking the Supplier achievement, be sure to grab the Silverite in the Vimmark Mountain Pass (200 EP).
• After meeting the Arvaarad the Codex entry: The Qunari - Saarebas is obtained.
• Following a discussion with Ketojan before he kills himself, Codex entry: The Qunari - Asit tal-eb is acquired.

Trivia

• After completing the quest Hawke can talk to Elthina, who says the following: "Several of our brothers and sisters take the Qunari threat too personally. The Maker would not have sent them if not to teach us something." This line triggers only once in Act 1 and only after this quest.