The Mercenary Fortress is a side quest in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Mercenaries are stirring unrest in the Hinterlands. They have occupied an old fort in the woods.
Acquisition[]
Note: Letter on a Bandit in the Hinterlands
Codex Entry: An Unsigned Letter
This quest is triggered after looting the orders found on a bed rest just after confronting the second bandit group during the Hinterlands side quest East Road Bandits. A copy of the orders can potentially be looted form outlaws around the Hinterlands if they were not acquired during East Road Bandits.
- See notes below if you are having difficulty triggering the quest.
Walkthrough[]
The Mercenary Fortress known as the Grand Forest Villa, is located in the southwestern area of the Hinterlands just south of the Forest Inquisition Camp located in Hafter's Woods. Approaching the entrance completes the quest.
Note: An Unsigned Letter
For extra XP take out all the Outlaw Enforcers patrolling the villa and The Mercenary Leader (level 9 elite rank enforcer) found on the second level. He will be guarding a key needed to unlock Valammar, an abandoned dwaren thaig, used for the side quest Deep Trouble. The Mercenary Leader always drops a random amount of gold, a rare belt and unique armor (see notable items).
Additional XP can also be earned by reading the Codex entry: An Unsigned Letter found on a table to the right of the Valammar Key. The note text An Unsigned Letter can be found in the room directly across from the villa's main entrance.
Reward[]
- 128 XP
- Influence 80
Collections[]
Astrariums[]
Landmarks[]
Mosaics[]
The Fall numbering
The Fall (piece #1) - found atop the south-westernmost tower.
Shards[]
Skyhold Customizations[]
- Ferelden Banner - looted from a large chest in the room directly across from the Grand Forest Villa's main entrance.
Songs[]
- Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother - unlocked after finding all Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe landmarks.
Notable items[]
Loot[]
- Enhanced Belt of Health - looted from the Mercenary Leader inside the Grand Forest Villa.
- Masterwork Vanguard Armor - also looted from the Mercenary Leader.
- Valammar Key - found on the overlook guarded by the Mercenary Leader.
Codex entries[]
- Codex entry: Grand Forest Villa
- Codex entry: A Letter from the Carta
- Codex entry: Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother
- Codex entry: An Unsigned Letter
Note texts[]
- A Letter in an Empty Home (Safeguards Against Looters)
- Letter on a Bandit in the Hinterlands
- An Unsigned Letter
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Notes[]
- For those having a difficult time triggering this quest, visit the Outlaw Encampment located east of the Grand Forest Villa. It will be slightly north of the eastern Fade rift that is part of the side quest Rifts in the Woods. The orders can be found on the ground of the camp, looting them will initiate the quest. If the Grand Forest Villa has already been discovered, the quest will trigger and immediately complete.
- An ocularum can be found at the front of the villa.
- The quest may disappear from the Journal upon completion.
- Looting the Valammar Key unlocks Codex entry: A Letter from the Carta.
Bugs[]
- If the side quest Well, Shit is active and have yet to acquire the Valammar Key, Bianca will be waiting inside Valammar and will have unlocked the entrance. The side quest Deep Trouble can still be completed in the usual manner; however, the quest will remain in the quest log until the key has been acquired from the Grand Forest Villa. Doing the quests in this order may potentially break the quest chain preventing the quest The Mercenary Fortress from triggering.