A Bitter Pill - Dragon Age 2 Companion Quest

In this guide, you will find a map, legend, and walkthrough for the designated quest in Act 2 of Dragon Age 2.

1 – Embrium
2 – Glitterdust
3 – Blood Sacrifice
4 – Orana
5 – Chest
6 – Chest
7 – Locked Chest
8 – Chest
9 – Hadriana

$ – Locked Chest

Exits:

A – One-way entrance into the Abandoned Slaver Den.
W – World exit.

Background

When you leave Kirkwall with Fenris in your party, there’s a good chance that you’ll get ambushed by slavers. If you tell them that Fenris isn’t a slave, then you’ll gain friendship points with Aveline, Fenris and Sebastian. If you try to work out a deal with them, then you’ll gain rivalry points with Aveline, Fenris and Sebastian. But regardless of what you say, the slavers will attack you.

After the battle, Fenris will conduct an interrogation, and he’ll learn that Hadriana, Danarius’ apprentice, is the one responsible for the attack, and that she’s hiding out in the Holding Caves near the city. Fenris will then demand that you confront her right away. During this conversation, if you say “We go after them,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Aveline and Fenris. If you say “And now they’re dead,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris and rivalry points with Isabela. If you say “Calm down, Fenris,” then you’ll gain rivalry points with Isabela. And if you say “Not right now,” then you’ll gain rivalry points with Fenris. But regardless of what you say, you’ll trigger the quest.

Note: If you ignore the quest for a while, then eventually you’ll get ambushed by slavers and undead creatures in Kirkwall. If this happens, then Fenris will again demand that you confront Hadriana. No matter what you say, you’ll gain rivalry points with Fenris, but if you agree to help him out, then he’ll stay with you, and your party will automatically travel to the Holding Caves when you leave the ambush site. If you refuse, then Fenris leave your party for good, and he’ll deal with Hadriana on his own.

Walkthrough

When you reach the Holding Caves, you’ll have to fight your way through groups of slavers to reach the Abandoned Slaver Den (Exit A). Inside the den, you’ll have to do some more fighting, but shortly you’ll meet up with a slave named Orana (#4). In your conversation with her, you’ll get to say at most four things, and each of these responses can affect your standing with your companions:

In your first response, if you say “I’m sorry,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris.
In your second response, if you say “Take this coin and go,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Isabela (and lose 10 sovereigns). If you say “Not our problem,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Isabela and rivalry points with Aveline.
In your third response, if you say “I will pay her,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris, Merrill and Varric, and rivalry points with Isabela. If you say “Slaves are useful,” then you’ll gain rivalry points with Aveline, Fenris, Isabela and Merrill.
In your final response, if you ask “What else will she do?” or “Do you want help or not?” then you’ll gain rivalry points with Fenris.

Past Orana, you’ll finally come to Hadriana (#9), and she and her minions will attack you. After the battle, Hadriana will try to make a deal with you, but no matter what you say, Fenris will kill her. Then, depending on what you say next, you’ll gain some friendship or rivalry points with your companions:

In your first response, if you say “It’s up to you, Fenris,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris and Isabela. If you say “We can’t trust you,” then you’ll gain rivalry points with Fenris.
In your third response, if you say “Watch what you say about mages,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Anders and rivalry points with Fenris. Any other response will net you friendship points with Fenris.

At the end of the encounter with Hadriana, Fenris will storm off and leave your party, but you’ll find him the next time you enter your estate in Hightown. When you talk to Fenris there, you’ll gain friendship points with him if you choose the diplomatic / understanding dialogue options.

1 – Embrium

2 – Glitterdust

3 – Blood Sacrifice

Fenris will comment on the sacrifice victim, and this will generate a short conversation if you have Merrill with you.

4 – Orana

5 – Chest

Inside this chest you’ll find Spirit of 4:60 Black.

6 – Chest

Inside this chest you’ll find a Tevinter Chantry Amulet. Picking it up will trigger the quest Tevinter Chantry Amulet.

7 – Locked Chest

Inside this “standard” locked chest, you’ll find Felons’ Punch-Gut.

8 – Chest

Inside this chest, you’ll find Reinforced Straps (an armor upgrade for Fenris).

9 – Hadriana

$ – Locked Chest