Dragon Age: Inquisition – Forbidden Oasis Side Quests

Collect as many shards as possible to clear the Temple of Pride and the Pride Demon within.

Many of the quests in the Forbidden Oasis region require a large number of shards. Shards are collected in almost every region in Dragon Age: Inquisition. While you can unlock the Forbidden Oasis fairly early in the game (see the Shard Collector quest for details) you can’t complete many of the quests in the region until you’ve played throughout most of the game and collected a decent number of shards (at least 18). Some of the enemies you’ll face can get up to level 19, which means you need to be fairly high level to engage these enemies. Make sure you’re ready for this region before you get too involved in these side quests.

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Shard Collector

Description: A strange shard has been discovered. It appears to be of ancient origin and may be part of a larger set. Further study could reveal more.
Starting NPC: Any Shard
Requirements: Power Level 4
Reward: Gain access to the Forbidden Oasis area.

Quest Objectives:

  • Investigate shards at the war table
  • Travel to the Forbidden Oasis

There are shards scattered around almost every area in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Collect any one of these shards to unlock this quest. Once you obtain a shard, head to the war room table and direct one of your advisors to research the shards. When the advisor finishes that mission, this quest is complete and you gain access to the Forbidden Oasis area.

Holding the Oasis

Description: Establish camps to hold the Forbidden Oasis and support Inquisition activity in the region.
Starting NPC: Scout Harding
Requirements: None
Reward: +50 Influence, +1 Power Level

Quest Objectives:

  • Establish two camps

When you first arrive in the Forbidden Oasis, speak with Scout Harding to begin this quest. The first camp is the one you arrive at, and the second is marked on your map by a waypoint. Head to the second area and establish a camp to complete the quest.

The Temple of Pride

Description: The entrance to a mysterious temple the ancient elves called Solasan stands tall, foreboding and sealed in the middle of the Forbidden Oasis. It seems to have some connection to strange shards scattered across Thedas.
Starting NPC: Scout Harding
Requirements: None
Reward: +354 XP, +200 Influence, +2 Power Level

Quest Objective:

  • Find the door to Solasan

Speak to Scout Harding once you arrive in the Forbidden Oasis to begin this quest. To enter the Solasan at the end of the quest, you need to have found at least six shards in total. Once that’s done, head north from the starting camp until you reach the Intrinsic Pool, then continue to the east. When you reach the opening blocked by wooden boards, use a warrior to break through the barrier. Continue down the passage until you can turn left. Shortly after making the turn you come to the door to the temple. The door will not move unless you have found at least six shards.

What It’s Worth

Description: A former miner is salvaging valuables in the Forbidden Oasis. She mentioned an old wedding ring, but the cave where she once stored supplies has been overrun with spiders.
Starting NPC: Miner
Requirements: None
Reward: +242 XP, +80 Influence

Quest Objectives:

  • Retrieve the ring
  • Return the ring to the miner

Search the canyons until you come across the wandering miner. She wanders around quite a bit, but once you get close an exclamation point appears on the map to indicate her position. Speak to the miner to begin this quest, which also marks the miner’s location on your map. You need to find the Par’as Cavern on the east side of the Forbidden Oasis (marked on your map).

Once you arrive at the cavern, you can go for maximum XP or take the easy route and fight the fewest number of enemies possible. If you wish to avoid most of the enemies, light the torches around the first room instead of making a break straight for the door ahead. Doing this will limit the number of spiders you have to face. If you run straight for the door, you’ll have to fend off all of the spiders.

The spiders protect chests in the dens on the east and west sides of the room. Take down the spiders guarding the chests, then open all of them to find the ring you need for the miner. Once you have the ring, examine the door in the main room (if you haven’t already) to begin “The Door in Par’as Cavern” quest. Head out of the cavern and locate the miner on your map. Speak with the miner one more time to complete the quest.

The Door in Par’as Cavern

Description: There is a locked door in Par’as Cavern.
Starting NPC: Locked door in Par’as Cavern
Requirements: Complete the “What It’s Worth” quest.
Reward: +44 XP, +40 Influence

Quest Objectives:

  • Find a key to the door
  • Open the door

To begin this quest, examine the locked door in the cavern you visit during the What It’s Worth quest. To complete What It’s Worth, you must speak to the miner a second time. Doing this results in the miner giving you the key to the locked door. Head back to the cavern and unlock the door in question to complete the quest. Loot the room beyond the door before leaving the cavern.

The Cold Endured, The Fire Captured and The Spirit Calmed

Description: An unnatural cold emanates from a locked door within the temple.
Starting NPC: Solasan elemental doors
Requirements: Complete the “Temple of Pride” quest.
Reward: +1,656 XP, +480 Influence and +5 Power Level per elemental path

Quest Objectives:

  • Gather 6 shards
  • Open the first door
  • Gather 12 shards
  • Open the second door
  • Gather 18 shards
  • Open the final door

If you collected at least six shards you gain access to the Solasan at the end of the Temple of Pride quest. Doing so starts this series of quests as well. However, to complete each of these three quests you need at least 18 shards. The shards are found in almost every region in Dragon Age: Inquisition, which means you should save this quest until you’ve gone through a good portion of the game.

Once you collect at least 18 shards, head to the door at the end of the Temple of Pride quest. Inside the next room are three elemental doors. Beyond each of these doors are three additional rooms filled with enemies, loot and a coffin. Opening each of the three coffins raises your elemental resistance based on whichever elemental door you selected. For example, if you choose to open the fire elemental door, each coffin you open beyond that door will increase your fire resistance by four points, then six points and finally ten points.

You can take the rooms beyond the doors one at a time, or if you’re a high enough level you can go through all three rooms in one sitting assuming you have at least 18 shards. Throughout most of Dragon Age: Inquisition you deal with fire and spirit damage more than ice damage, so it’s recommended to start with either the fire or spirit route. The first room of enemies are level eight or below, the second room is filled with enemies up to level ten and the final room has enemies reaching level 15. There are also marks on the floor of each room that will damage party members if they step on them.

There are no restrictions to these quests, so you can go down all three element paths so long as you have 18 shards for each path. It’s best to take on each path as soon as you’ve collected the required amount of shards so you can raise your elemental resistance as quickly as possible.

A Prideful Place

Description: The door at the heart of the temple has opened.
Starting NPC: Open all three Solasan elemental doors
Requirements: Complete “The Cold Endured,” “The Fire Captured,” and “The Spirit Calmed” quests
Reward: +5,076 XP, +600 Influence, +2 Power Level

Quest Objective:

  • Discover what lies within

Once you have opened all nine doors in the The Cold Endured, The Fire Captured and The Spirit Calmed quests, you gain access to the previously sealed door in the first room of the temple. Inside is a  high level Pride Demon and several low level enemies. In addition, there are more marks on the ground that cause damage to any party members that cross over them.

The Pride Demon is level 19, so make sure you’re ready for the battle before you enter the final room. If you have several ranged attackers (mages or rogues), this battle isn’t that difficult. If you don’t, you have to deal with the marks on the floor, which means you should have a Barrier spell active as often as possible to help mitigate the damage. Focus on the lower level enemies before you target the Pride Demon. Once the other enemies are down the Pride Demon is no different than any other Pride Demon you’ve faced up to this point in the game.

Defeat the Pride Demon then open the coffin the room to gain +20 lightning resistance and complete the quest.

Return to the Dragon Age: Inquisition Walkthrough.


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Author
Bryan Dawson
Bryan Dawson has an extensive background in the gaming industry, having worked as a journalist for various publications for nearly 20 years and participating in a multitude of competitive fighting game events. He has authored over a dozen strategy guides for Prima Games, worked as a consultant on numerous gaming-related TV and web shows and was the Operations Manager for the fighting game division of the IGN Pro League.