The Wailing Banshee – Pillars of Eternity Quest

This guide is for a particular side quest in Pillars of Eternity during Act 2. The guide has a walkthrough of the area, and a map with a legend.

Map Legend

1 – Niah
2 – Lighthouse
3 – The Salty Mast

Background

You’ll receive this quest from Niah in Ondra’s Gift (#1).

Walkthrough

Niah will tell you that she’s looking for construction workers, but that nobody will enter the haunted lighthouse where she’d like the renovations done (#2). When you ask for more details, Niah will explain that she’d like to convert the lighthouse into an inn with more “class” than the Salty Mast (#3), but that the former lighthouse keeper died at her post when the district was flooded during the War of Defiance and still apparently haunts the place. If you agree to look into the matter, then Niah will give you the Lighthouse Key, which will allow you to go inside.

The lighthouse has three levels. As you explore them, you’ll get attacked by rain blights, shades and spectres, which will usually try to ambush you when you open a door or a chest. On the second level, you’ll find the Lighthouse Tower Key (on a table), which will unlock the door leading to the top level.

On the top level, you’ll discover a banshee (cean gwla) named Lilith. You’ll automatically start a dialogue with her when you move into the room. If you want to complete the quest peacefully, then you’ll either need to back away from Lilith or pass a Perception check with her during the dialogue. The check will require you to have Perception 18 at the start, but if you advance on Lilith twice, then you’ll only need Perception 12. If you advance a third time, then Lilith will attack you.

There are two ways to complete the quest:

• You can attack Lilith. She’ll summon shades and spectres to help her, and this can be a tough battle depending upon where you are in the game. But when Lilith dies, the haunting will end. Lilith and her helpers will only drop Spirit Residue when they die.
  
  
• You can figure out why Lilith is haunting the lighthouse. If you pass the Perception check, then you’ll see that Lilith keeps scanning the horizon for something. If you search the room, then you’ll find a Logbook on one of the tables, which will indicate that Lilith was tracking a ship named the Red Dream.
  
  When you ask Niah (now standing near the entrance to the lighthouse, #2) about the Red Dream, she’ll tell you that the ship is actually in port, and that Captain Maerwith and her crew can be found in the Charred Barrel in Brackenbury. When you talk to Maerwith, if you select the dialogue options that begin with
  
  
  • “Someone at the old lighthouse…””The last lighthouse keeper…” or “I know how this sounds.””She ignored the Aedyran advance…”
  
  then Maerwith will go to the lighthouse and meet with Lilith, which will cause the haunting to end. If you say anything else, then Maerwith will either dismiss you or attack you, and your only option will be to go back and fight Lilith.

Regardless of your choice, when you return to Niah (#2), she’ll reward you with 1000 cp. If you killed Lilith, then you’ll also earn a “minor” reputation bonus with Defiance Bay. If you worked with Maerwith to make Lilith leave, then you’ll also earn a “moderate” reputation bonus with Defiance Bay.

After completing the quest, when you enter the lighthouse, you’ll find that Niah’s workers have already completed the renovations on the ground level. This will allow you to talk to Niah behind the bar and buy Camping Supplies and food items from her. The two upper floors will still be works in progress, so you’ll still be able to loot the containers there — which is a good idea if you missed Jack of Wide Waters and Lilith’s Shawl from the top level.


1 – Niah


2 – Lighthouse


3 – The Salty Mast