Blackpowder Promise – Dragon Age 2 Quest

In this guide, you will find a map, legend, and walkthrough for a quest in Act 1 of Dragon Age 2. You will also find all the branching consequences for your actions during the quest throughout the guide.

Map Legend

1- Javaris
2 – Embrium
3 – Castle Treatise
4 – Tal-Vashoth Mercenary
5 – Tal-Vashoth Leader

Exits:

• A – Entrance to the Tal-Vashoth Cavern.
• W – World exit.

Background

After completing the quest Long Way Home, the next time you leave Kirkwall for the Free Marches, you should end up at Dead Man’s Pass. As you explore the region, you’ll encounter a dwarven merchant named Javaris Tintop fighting off some giant spiders (#1). After helping him to survive the encounter, Javaris will give you this quest.

Walkthrough

Javaris will confide in you that the qunari have an explosive powder that anyone can use — “and it’s just dust, no lyrium, no demons.” He’ll then tell you that the Arishok doesn’t seem interested in selling the recipe for the powder, but that if somebody — such as you — were to defeat the Tal-Vashoth at the Wounded Coast, then maybe the Arishok would be so grateful that he’d change his mind. No matter what you say to Javaris, you’ll agree to help him out.

Note: How you respond to Javaris can give you some friendship or rivalry points. If you ask for money, then you’ll gain rivalry with Aveline but friendship with Isabela; if you tell Javaris that his plan is weak, then you’ll gain rivalry with Carver; and if you mention that the task would be like hunting outlaws, then you’ll gain friendship with Aveline and Isabela.

Another Note: Since you won’t be allowed to return to Dead Man’s Pass after leaving it, be sure to pick up the embrium (#2) and the castle treatise (#3) before heading to the exit.

At the Wounded Coast, you’ll probably encounter lots of enemies, including some groups of Tal-Vashoth, but nothing will happen in the quest until you reach the western side of the region. At that point (#4), you’ll meet a Tal-Vashoth mercenary who will warn you about the Tal-Vashoth ahead — and he’ll even ask you to kill them, since they cling to the Qun and murder and steal. If you’ve been taking the aggressive dialogue stance with your character, and if you do so again with the mercenary, then you’ll be able to convince him to help you fight against the Tal-Vashoth Leader (#5). With any other dialogue choices (including trying to hire him) the mercenary will just leave.

Past the mercenary you’ll encounter groups Tal-Vashoth warriors, and then you’ll come to the Tal-Vashoth Cavern (Exit A), where you’ll encounter even more warriors. Eventually you’ll come to the Tal-Vashoth Leader (#5), and you’ll start up a major battle with the Tal-Vashoth. This battle can be difficult because of the layout of the cavern — you’ll probably end up with companions and enemies all over the place — and so we’d recommend retreating back the way you came, and defeating the Tal-Vashoth in the tunnels. But if you do stay and fight, then you should definitely take out the Tal-Vashoth Saarebas as soon as it appears (in the second wave), or else its area effect spells might decimate your party. After the battle, you’ll find the recipe for Combustion Grenades on the corpse of the leader.

After defeating the Tal-Vashoth, when you travel to the Qunari Compound at the Docks, you’ll be able to inform Javaris that you’ve completed his task. However, the Arishok won’t be impressed by your actions, and he won’t offer Javaris the recipe for the qunari explosive powder. You’ll then have three ways to complete the quest:

• If you tell Javaris that he should leave, then he’ll fire you and you won’t get any sort of reward.
  
  
• If you tell the Arishok that Javaris still owes you, then you’ll receive 3 sovereigns and 400 xp.
  
  
• If you tell the Arishok that Javaris promised you future profits, then you’ll receive 4 sovereigns and 400 xp.

After completing the quest, you’ll be allowed to stay in the compound and have a conversation with the Arishok. This conversation can teach you a bit about the qunari, and also why the Arishok doesn’t think much of Kirkwall.

Note: If you have Fenris with you for the meeting with the Arishok, then you’ll gain some extra dialogue options. If you have Isabela with you when you head to the meeting, then she’ll leave your party rather than enter the qunari compound, but you’ll be able to get her back after completing the quest.


1- Javaris


2 – Embrium


3 – Castle Treatise

On the ground here you’ll find a castle treatise that will trigger the quest “Castle Treatise and House Accounting” when you pick it up. To complete the quest, you’ll just need to deliver the treatise to the Traditionalist Envoy in Hightown. When you do, you’ll receive 50 silvers and 250 xp.


4 – Tal-Vashoth Mercenary


5 – Tal-Vashoth Leader