Dissent – 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.

Map Legend

1 – Starting Point
2 – Spindleweed
3 – Smugglers and Mercenaries
4 – Deep Mushroom
5 – Ella
6 – Crate
7 – Document

T – Trap

$ – Locked Chest

Exits:

1. Exit to Darktown.

Background

You’ll automatically trigger this quest when you return to the Arishok (at the Docks) at the end of the quest Blackpowder Courtesy.

Walkthrough

When you talk to Anders in his clinic in Darktown, he’ll inform you that the templar Ser Alrik has proposed a “tranquil solution,” which would turn every mage in Kirkwall tranquil within in the next three years. He’ll then ask you to help him sneak into the Gallows Courtyard at night so he can search for evidence of this plan, and then expose it to Grand Cleric Elthina. If you agree to help, then you’ll gain friendship points with Anders. If you refuse, then you’ll gain rivalry points with Anders, and you’ll immediately end the quest without a reward.

Note: While talking to Anders, you can also gain friendship or rivalry points with Sebastian. You’ll gain friendship points by saying nice things about templars and by refusing to help Anders. You’ll gain rivalry points by doing the opposite.

To sneak into the Gallows Courtyard, you’ll need to pass through the Gallows Dungeon, which has an entrance at the southern end of Darktown. Inside, you’ll have to battle smugglers, mercenaries and spiders, but at the end you’ll witness a Circle mage named Ella being accosted by a group of templars, including Ser Alrik (#5). No matter what you say, Anders will turn into Justice, and you’ll have to fight the templars.

At the end of the battle, Justice will advance on Ella and threaten to kill her, too. For some characters (we’re not sure what determines this), you’ll get a “back down” or “don’t hurt her” dialogue option. If you select it, then Justice will leave and Ella will survive, and you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris and Sebastian, plus friendship or rivalry points with Anders (depending on if you’re friends or rivals with him). If you select any of the other dialogue options, then Justice will kill Ella before departing, and you’ll gain rivalry points with Fenris and Sebastian. Regardless, at the end of the encounter, Anders will flee back to his clinic in Darktown, and you’ll find Alrik’s Papers and Dissension on Alrik’s corpse. The papers will indicate that Knight-Commander Meredith and the Divine Justina both rejected Alrik’s tranquil solution.

If Ella survived the encounter, then when you leave the Gallows Dungeon (via Exit A) she’ll come up to you and thank you for your help. She’ll also ask you what happened with Anders. If you reply “Just what it looked like,” then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris and Sebastian. At the end of your conversation with Ella, you’ll have to decide where she should go. If you tell her to go somewhere safe, then you’ll gain rivalry points with Fenris and Sebastian. If you send her to the Circle, then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris and Sebastian.

To complete the quest, you’ll need to check up on Anders in his clinic in Darktown. When you talk to him there, you’ll get a chance to earn lots of friendship or rivalry points with him. In general, if you’re nice and forgiving then you’ll gain friendship points, and if you’re mean and aggressive then you’ll gain rivalry points. If you stay aggressive with Anders, then you’ll get the option of asking him to leave, which will cause him (and all of his equipment) to disappear from the game. If you don’t want to deal with the conversation with Anders, then you can simply show him Alrik’s Papers right away, which will earn you friendship points. But regardless of what you say, you’ll earn 1000 xp at the end of the quest.

Note: If you send Anders away, then you’ll gain friendship points with Sebastian and rivalry points with Anders.

Another Note: After completing the quest, you can show Alrik’s Papers to Knight-Captain Cullen (in the Gallows Courtyard) and Grand Cleric Elthina (in the Chantry). The latter will gain you friendship points with Anders.


1 – Starting Point


2 – Spindleweed


3 – Smugglers and Mercenaries

After the battle here, you’ll find Fine Dwarven Trousers on the corpse of a dwarf mercenary. Picking up the trousers will trigger the quest “The One True Pantaloons,” which you can complete by delivering the trousers to Impeccable Bulf in the Hightown market. For your efforts, you’ll receive 1 sovereign and 750 xp.


4 – Deep Mushroom


5 – Ella


6 – Crate

Inside this crate you’ll find Spirit Essence (an armor upgrade for Anders).


7 – Document

On the ground here you’ll find a document that will give you or update the “lore” codex entry for The Enigma of Kirkwall. You’ll need to find several of these codex entries for the Archaeologist achievement.


T – Trap


$ – Locked Chest