The First Sacrifice

The First Sacrifice
Location	Hightown, Lowtown, Darktown
Start	Help Poster
End	Hightown

The First Sacrifice is a secondary quest in Dragon Age II.

Walkthrough

The Help Wanted Poster

In Hightown you will notice a Help Poster on the wall asking for help in finding a missing wife.

Talk with Ghyslain de Carrac (the husband who is looking for his wife) and listen to his story. The dialogue choices that affect Friendship/Rivalry are:

Choice 2

• "I can help." Isabela: rivalry (+5)
• "You're vile. I won't help you." Isabela: friendship (+5)
• Investigate
  • "Don't you want her back?"
    • "And you wonder why she's gone." Varric: friendship (+5)

The quest will not disappear if you refuse to help; Ghyslain will redirect you to The Blooming Rose and Jethann will be there to restart it. Speak with Jethann in The Blooming Rose.

In the southeast part of Darktown, the cursor will lead you to an underground passage called the Meeting Place.

Note: There is a deathroot to the left of the entrance.

Save Emeric from an assault of thugs. He will tell you that he was investigating multiple women's disappearances and suspects foul play. He will also mentions Mharen, an older mage who disappeared, if you investigate his words during the conversation. If you ask if you can help you will recieve Isabela: rivalry (+5). If you instead say it sounds suspicious you will get the quest, but no approval changes.

Read Emeric's notes and go to the foundry district in Lowtown where Mharen's trail ended. After entering the Dark Foundry through a door in Lowtown in the foundry area, there is a cut scene where a mage is looking over a rail and then runs off. You will be attacked upon moving into the room by a desire demon and multiple shades and abominations. The room off to the right of the center door has a chest and 2 more shades to dispatch. Through the center door are 4 more shades. The door to the left has some bones which have Ninette's ring.

Ghyslain de Carrac

Next you need to go to the Gallows to show Emeric the remains. He is standing right at the front of the area. When speaking with Emeric he will take the bones and say this should be proof for the guards and if Aveline is in the party she will say the guards will assist with this. If you choose the aggressive dialogue option with Fenris in your party, he will suggest bringing the bones to the guard. You will receive 3 and 250 Experience for completing the quest.

Go to Hightown and speak with Ghyslain and tell him the ring is all you could find of his wife. He will ask where you found it and if you tell him you found Ninette's ring on her severed hand he will say keep the ring saying he would rather not have anything to link him to her death since her family is angry and give you 1 though there is no ring in your inventory. If you instead tell him it doesn't matter he will say he will send the ring to her family and you still receive 1 .

Rewards

• 3 from Emeric
• 1 from Ghyslain de Carrac

Notes

• Hawke can talk to Jethann again after the first conversation, here you're given an option to sleep with him (regardless of whether Hawke is male or female), however if Aveline/Carver/Bethany is in your party, they will ask Hawke to do this another time. Ignoring their objection and doing it anyway will result in (+5) from the person who objected.
• After completing the quest, if you haven't taken the option to sleep with him, Hawke will have a third option to inform Jethann of Ninette's death.
• This quest is a preview of the quest Prime Suspect. Other than some dialogue changes, doing or skipping this quest doesn't affect the story.
• Bringing Isabela, Merrill, and Varric to talk to Jethann results in an adorable paired comment. Additional paired comments for Isabela/Merrill (without Varric), and Isabela/Fenris.
• When approaching Ghyslain for the first time to acquire the quest, Ghyslain will sometimes say, "Does no one see this exclamation mark above my head?", breaking the fourth wall.
• If Varric is in the party when you are talking to Emeric, Varric will make a joke about his past.
• When speaking with Ghyslain for first time, some companions will comment after he remarks about Ninette needs to be "dragged home":
  • Aveline: "The guards disagree."
  • Fenris: "I can't imagine why she might have run away."
  • Isabela: "She's your wife, not a dog!"

Trivia

• Dulci de Launcet and her daughters will be sharing rumors about Ninette and her elven lover at Duke Prosper's party in the Mark of the Assassin DLC.

Bugs

• Emeric will appear in The Blooming Rose (Night) after rescuing him with a quest marker over him, but cannot be interacted with after visiting the factory.
• It says you can visit Emeric in Darktown at either Day or Night, but when you exit darktown after saving him, it will always be night time.