The Birthright companion quest, unlocked on your first visit to Gamlen’s House, is a short but rewarding episode that leads to a collection of significant secondary quests. You can also acquire Bait and Switch from the Writing Desk (see Gamlen’s House) which can lead to the recruitment of a new companion. If you have access to any of the three Premium Content quests available at launch, you can attend to these short tasks straight away.
Lest you forget, the purpose of your Act 1 adventures is to raise capital to join Bartrand’s Deep Roads expedition. The funds that you acquire by completing optional quests will provide all the sovereigns you need to accomplish that – and more besides.
- The Wayward Son quest marks your first extended visits to Lowtown and the Docks in the evening, so you may wish to read up on the gangs that inhabit these areas (and, for that matter, Hightown).
- Complete the Fools Rush In secondary quest to recruit Isabela. This optional companion has an intriguing role to play in major events of Act 2 but will be lost forever if you fail to approach her before you reach the Deep Roads.
- While some companion quests are extensive undertakings, others are simply short cutscenes and dialogue sequences that serve to further both the story and your relationship with the individual in question. Always approach these carefully – and especially so if you intend to unlock the “Great Minds Think Alike” Achievement/Trophy.
If you have been following our walkthrough, completing Enemies Among Us will finally allow you to begin the Deep Roads Expedition. Before you rush to speak with Bartrand, we strongly suggest that you use the Quests chapter to identify optional activities that you may have missed – particularly secondary and companion quests. Failing to complete many of these will preclude the possibility of playing follow‑up quests in Act 2, or an assortment of reactive events, as revealed in the following table (see next page).
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Quest
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Page
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Notes
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Birthright
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63
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Short but profitable jaunt. It offers great rewards, and it’s the gateway to many other secondary quests.
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Bait and Switch
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57
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Only way to recruit Fenris. Miss it, and you lose him forever.
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The Way it Should Be
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62
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Aveline’s companion quest for Act 1. If you don’t complete it, you cannot play her character-specific Act 3 quest.
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58
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Has a short reactive quest in Act 1, but opens up four further quests in Act 2 – all of which are otherwise unavailable. It’s a highly profitable secondary quest strand.
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Magistrate’s Orders
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56
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This profitable quest leads to reactive events in later Acts.
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Loose Ends
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59
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A short quest that follows up on your choice of employer in the Prologue.
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The Unbidden Rescue
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61
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A mostly self-contained quest (with a tiny reactive detail in Act 2), but a great source of XP.
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Herbalist’s Tasks
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61
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This collection quest has a linked equivalent in Act 2; fail to complete both, and you’ll miss out on both Solitivus’s extra inventory in his shop and a unique reward in Act 3.
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Fools Rush In
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59
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Required to unlock Isabela; if you don’t complete it, you can’t recruit her to your party.
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Finders Keepers
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60
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Another self-contained quest with good rewards. Also unlocks a special merchant.
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The First Sacrifice
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62
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Foreshadows two main plot quests in Act 2.
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Night Lies, Pier Pressure & Sharp Little Pinpricks
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68
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This trio of side quests sees you clear Hightown, Lowtown and the Docks of the gangs that roam their streets at night. Each Act has three of these.
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Completing main plot quests only, ignoring all other opportunities, will raise in the region of 35 to 45 sovereigns (depending on how diligent you are in collecting loot), and leave your party at approximately level 7 when you depart for the Deep Roads. Finishing all potential quests, however, will see you amass from 85 to 100 sovereigns, and reach level 11 – not to mention potential earnings and XP from later follow-up quests.