To Catch a Thief

To Catch a Thief is an optional Act 2 main quest in Dragon Age II. It is only available if Isabela was recruited during Act 1.

Acquisition[]

This becomes available at the conclusion of Following the Qun.

Walkthrough[]

Hawke Estate[]

Return to the Hawke Estate in Hightown to find Isabela and Aveline arguing, both in need of help. Hawke must choose who to help first.

Isabela reveals that she found the relic that she had lost. Her pursuer, Castillon, will spare her life if the relic is returned.

Note: If Hawke does not choose to help Isabela first, she will leave the party permanently and this quest ends.

Lowtown[]

Head to Lowtown at night with Isabela in the party to find Wall-Eyed Sam. Things begin to heat up with a fight against a Sten and a couple of Qunari.

Note: Pick up any dropped loot during this battle; when the Qunari are dead you do not regain control until you have left this area.

Note: Isabela is going to leave the party temporarily (perhaps permanently) after the conversation after this fight, so you may want to remove some/all of her gear.

A cutscene reveals that the relic Isabela had stolen was a tome written by Ashkaari Koslun, the founder of the Qun and, according to Fenris, the "most revered being in their history." Because of Isabela's theft, the Arishok has been unable to simply leave Kirkwall until he has reclaimed what was lost under his command. At the end of this conversation, Hawke chooses between reclaiming the tome for Isabela, which grants:

Isabela: friendship (+15),
Varric: friendship (+10),
Merrill: friendship (+10),
Aveline: friendship (+5)
Sebastian: rivalry (+5),

Or reclaiming it to return to the Qunari, which grants:

Isabela: rivalry (+15),
Merrill: rivalry (+10),
Aveline: rivalry (+5),
Sebastian: friendship (+5).

Note: If you go to the door before triggering the fight, you will skip to the cutscene, and be put in the next section without doing the fight at all.

Lost-End Foundry[]

Enter the Dark Foundry for a fight with Tevinter Mages and some Qunari led by a Sten. These mages are immune to spirit damage, so use frost and nature, which in turn will deal double damage to the Qunari. Isabela runs away at the start of the battle to chase Wall-Eyed Sam, leaving the party. You can either keep your distance until the Qunari or the Tevinter Mages have killed each other or go kill all of them yourself (500 XP). In the room to the north-west, you'll find Lambswool Insoles in a crate - an armor upgrade for Isabela.

Note: The saw blade shut off switches are Master level, meaning they require 40 cunning to detect (or the equivalent using bonus to disarm traps items). No XP is received for pulling the levers. There are two in total, one through each door on the long single room to the north east of the area. They are not important, you can avoid them easily.

Exited Lost-End Foundry[]

After leaving the building, Hawke will find Isabela's Letter on Wall-Eyed Sam's body and the quest ends.

Result[]

Isabela's letter contains an apology and says that she is leaving, either because you promised her the relic (if you did) or because it would require a "better soul" than hers to return the relic to the Qunari (if you demanded she return it).

If Hawke has romanced Isabela at some point in the past or she has a Friendship/Rivalry score of fifty or greater before starting this quest, she will return with the relic during the quest Demands of The Qun.

Rewards[]

1000 XP (quest completion)
Several generic Qunari-related weapons, accessories, or armor
Non-generic rewards:

Gauntlets of the Ashaad

Lambswool Insoles (Isabela's armor upgrade)

Trivia[]

While Isabela is describing the relic she mentions one of the options as "Cousland", which is the family name of the human noble Grey Warden in Dragon Age: Origins.

Bugs[]

During the conversation with Aveline and Isabela at the Hawke Estate the start of this quest, you may still see Gamlen in the background (from when he was here during the start of All That Remains).
There is a chance that Hawke won't have to battle the Sten and his Qunari at all. Just move straight towards the foundry entrance and click on it. Hawke will be brought to a cutscene without having to fight.
If Isabela has the Thumbs Up friendship benefit, Hawke will retain the attack-speed bonus even after Isabela leaves the party.