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.
Background
After completing the quest Tranquility, a woman named Macha will show up in Hightown near the Chantry (during the day). When you talk to her there, she’ll give you this quest.
Walkthrough
Macha will tell you that her templar brother Keran has gone missing, and that for some reason Knight-Commander Meredith and the other templars aren’t looking for him. She’ll then ask you to track down his friends, Wilmod and Hugh, to see if they know anything about where he might be. You’ll find Hugh and a few other templar recruits in the Gallows Courtyard, which you’ll now be able to visit on the world map.
When you talk to Hugh and the other recruits, you’ll learn that several templars have gone missing recently, including Keran and Wilmod, and that the recruits have been ordered not to talk about the disappearances, possibly because they’re related to a new initiation rite being performed by Knight-Commander Meredith. One of the recruits will then interject that Wilmod isn’t missing — she saw him earlier that morning — only he subsequently left the city to “clear his head.”
When you reach Wilmod’s Camp outside Kirkwall, you’ll discover Wilmod being threatened by Knight-Captain Cullen (#1). No matter what you say, Wilmod will change into an abomination, and you’ll end up fighting him, plus some other abominations and a rage demon. After the battle, Cullen will reveal that he’s been investigating the disappearances of the recruits, and that many were last seen in the Blooming Rose. However, he’ll admit that he’s had little luck talking to the young ladies who work there, and he’ll ask you to look into the matter.
Inside the Blooming Rose, you’ll meet Viveka in the common room. No matter what you say to her, she’ll agree to check the books, and she’ll discover that Wilmod and Hugh both saw “Idunna the Exotic Wonder from the East.” When you talk to Idunna (in her bedroom upstairs), she’ll at first deny knowing anything, but then she’ll use blood magic and try to force you to kill yourself. If you have a mage in your party, including yourself, then you’ll be able to use that mage to break the spell (which will gain you some friendship with the mage, if it’s Anders or Bethany). Otherwise you’ll end up resisting the spell yourself — and then immediately killing Idunna afterwards (with no impact on friendship or rivalry).
If Idunna is still alive, then she’ll beg you for mercy, and she’ll offer you some information in exchange for her life — including that the mages responsible for the disappearances have a Sanctuary in Darktown, and that their leader, Tarohne, is responsible for everything. You’ll then have to decide what to do with Idunna. If you hand her over to the templars, then you’ll gain rivalry with Anders and Isabela. If you kill her, then you’ll gain friendship with Carver and Isabela. If you kill Idunna before learning anything from her, then you can gain her information from the documents on her desk.
Inside the Sanctuary, you’ll have to battle a motley collection of undead creatures and demons, but eventually you’ll come to the blood mage Tarohne (#7). She’ll helpfully explain her plan — that she’s trying to sow discard amongst the templars by creating abominations in their ranks — and then she and her cohorts will attack you. The ensuing battle should not be too difficult, provided that you can take down Tarohne and the other blood mages quickly (a cone of cold followed by a firestorm might be enough to do the trick).
After the battle, when you loot Tarohne’s corpse, you’ll find a helmet suitable for your main character (either the 
Helmet of the Fallen, the 
Hood of the Spiral Eye, or the 
Last Descent Helmet), and you’ll discover that Keran (#8) is now free from Tarohne’s spell. When you talk to Keran, you’ll try to determine if he’s possessed or not. If you have Anders or Merrill with you, then they’ll be able to verify that he’s clean. Otherwise, you won’t know for sure.
During your conversation with Keran, you’ll be able to gain friendship or rivalry points with your companions:
- If you decide to inform the templars, then you’ll gain friendship points with Aveline, Carver and Varric, and rivalry points with Anders (unless you had him check Keran) and Isabela.
- If you allow Keran to leave or tell him that you believe him, then you’ll gain friendship points with Anders (if you had him check Keran), and rivalry points with Aveline and Carver (if you previously told Keran that he might be possessed).
Regardless, at the end of the conversation Keran will leave.
To complete the quest, you’ll need to travel to the Gallows Courtyard and inform Knight-Captain Cullen about what you’ve learned. During this conversation, you’ll get more opportunities to gain friendship or rivalry points with your companions:
- Stage 1: Keran says mages are trying to destroy the Chantry.
If you agree, then you’ll gain rivalry points with Anders and Bethany. If you blame the templars, then you’ll gain friendship points with Anders and Bethany. If you say that not all mages are like that (or point out that you’re a mage), then you’ll gain friendship points with Bethany and Merrill.
- Stage 2: Cullen says mages cannot be treated like people.
If you agree, then you’ll gain rivalry points with Anders and Bethany. If you disagree, then you’ll gain friendship points with Merrill. If you say that there must be a better way, then you’ll gain friendship points with Varric.
Note: The conversation will only include this stage if you blame the templars or stick up for the mages in Stage 1.
- Stage 3: Deciding Keran’s fate.
If you tell Cullen that Keran might be possessed, then you’ll gain friendship points with Fenris but rivalry points with Anders, Aveline and Bethany, and Keran will get kicked out of the templar order (which will result in you receiving the quest A Debt in the Family in Act II). If you tell Cullen to keep Keran in the order (including if you know from earlier that he isn’t possessed), then you’ll gain friendship points with Aveline and Bethany, and rivalry points with Fenris.
Regardless, at the end of the conversation you’ll earn 4 sovereigns and 400 xp.
1 – Cullen and Wilmod
2 – Crate
Inside this crate, you’ll find the recipe for 
Runes of Impact.
3 – Crate
Inside this crate, you’ll find the recipe for 
Runes of Frost Warding.
4 – Deathroot
5 – Book
On a crate here you’ll find a book that will give you the “lore” codex entry for The Fade when you examine it.
6 – Corpse
On the corpse you’ll find a Thinking Cap.
7 – Tarohne
8 – Keran
9 – Sack
Inside the sack you’ll find a Grimoire of the Apprentice, which will trigger the quest “Grimoire of the Apprentice” when you pick it up. To complete the quest, you’ll just need to deliver the grimoire to Bonwald in the Lowtown bazaar. When you do, you’ll earn 50 silvers and 250 xp.
