Dragon Age: Inquisition – From the Ashes

Head to the far side of the castle where the waypoint for the From the Ashes quest is located. Once there, speak to Varric to initiate another cut-scene. To continue this quest line, you’ll need a power level of at least eight. Complete side quests around the region until you reach the necessary power level

Once you reach a power level of eight, head to the war room. Access the Ferelden region and select the Find the Warden area in the middle of the map to venture to Crestwood. After the cut-scene, run forward and speak to the Inquisition Officer to obtain a few side quests, then head southeast toward the primary mission waypoint.

After the first enemy encounter, speak with Grey Warden just ahead. Continue to make your way toward the waypoint, taking down enemies as they attack. It won’t be long before you reach the Still Waters side quest waypoint. Take out the enemies attacking the villagers just outside the town, then head through the main gate.

Just inside the gate is an exclamation point on the map, indicating a quest begins here. Step inside the first house on the left and speak to Gauld to begin the Naturalist side quest. Leave the house and then continue around the corner and up the stairs to reach the next waypoint marker for the Still Waters side quest.

Head inside the house ahead and speak to the mayor. Leave the village and head south to the new Still Waters waypoint marker. When you reach the fork in the road, take the high ground to the left to reach the landmark and cave. Claim the area using the post to the left of the cave entrance, then head inside the cave to find a decent amount of loot.

With the caved looted, head back outside and continue to the southwest to reach the Still Waters waypoint. When you reach the keep just before the waypoint, attack the gate to bring it down, then take out the numerous enemies just inside the gate.

Head up the stairs on either side, then continue down the next hallway. Another group of enemies attack in the courtyard ahead. Defeat the enemies and then make your way up the stairs and around the corner to the left. Go through the door at the end, then through the second door just ahead.

Move to the far side of the area, then through the doorway to the right. Access the supply crate in the next room to replenish your supplies, then continue up the stairs. When you reach the next level, be prepared for a fight. Another ambush awaits in the open area ahead, but it’s the second wave of enemies you need to worry about.

The Highwayman Chief leads the second wave, and he’s nearly as powerful as a boss-level enemy. He is vulnerable to electricity, but immune to any physical effects. He also hits very hard so make sure your mage has a barrier spell up as often as possible. It’s also beneficial to have your mage use lightning spells when barrier is unavailable.

Once the Highwayman Chief goes down, continue into the small open area ahead where the waypoint is located. Place the Inquisition flag on the flag pole to capture the keep and establish another remote base.

Quest Objective: Find a door that leads to the dam

With the Highwayman Chief down, make your way to the new waypoint marker for the Still Waters quest. It should be just ahead of your position, immediately following the defeat of the Highwayman Chief. Open the door at the waypoint, then head down the hall to the right, up the stairs at the end and through the next door.

When you get outside, continue southwest down the path. Follow the path all the way down until you reach the Old Crestwood street sign. Head to the left at the junction and enter the tavern at the end of the walkway. Speak to the villager and loot the upstairs area if you wish, then head into the next room (on the first floor) and through the door at the end. Push the wheel inside to trigger a cut-scene and lower the water.

Quest Objective: Find an entrance to the flooded caves

Leave the tavern, then head back out to the street sign and make your way north. You can fast travel to the camp to the north where you first entered the region, but you will miss out on XP and some loot. Take down the enemies that sporadically attack. When you see the rift in the distance off to the left, head in that direction. Soon you’ll come across a basic rift that should be sealed to earn two power levels.

With the smaller rift closed, loot the area immediately surrounding the rift, then continue your journey northward. Along the way you’ll encounter more enemies, as well as a landmark location to the left. If you collect the landmark, enter the shack just behind it to find more loot, then continue north to find an astrarium. To complete this astrarium, start at the left middle point in the center triangle formation and move down, circling around to the top point of the center triangle, then map the outer triangle to the left, looping back around to the top point in the middle triangle. From here, map the outer triangle to the right to complete the puzzle.

Handle the side ventures, then continue to make your way toward the Still Waters waypoint to the north. If you reach the encampment where you entered the region, you’ve gone too far north. Once you reach Old Crestwood, head north to find the Flooded Caves.

Once inside the cave, head down the main path ahead, lighting the torches as you go. When you reach the waterfall, head down the left path near the torch to find loot. Circle around the right path to find a chest, but if you activate the torch near the chest a few enemies will attack.

Head back around or drop down to the middle section, then follow the path to the lower regions of the cave. Continue to the right when the path branches off and take down the small group of enemies that attack in the area beyond. Loot this area, then head down the right passage near the end of the room instead of following the path to the left. Don’t miss the loot off to the left as soon as you enter the passage.

Open the chest at the end of the passage and examine the item on the ground, then head back to the main room and follow the path to the lower section of the cave. Take out the enemies just ahead, then make your way deeper into the cave.

When you reach the room to the left with two torches on either side of the doorway, first head into the adjacent room on the right. Immediately to the left is a partially hidden hallway. At the end of the hallway is a mosaic piece. To the left of the hallway is the way out (with a chest in the northwest corner), so head back the way you came, stopping before you go into the room where two torches lined the doorway.

To the right is a section of the wall that can be destroyed with a warrior. Inside the next room are crafting materials and a ladder. Down the ladder in the next room you’ll find more crafting materials, another mosaic piece and more loot.

With all of the loot gathered, you can now enter the room with two torches by the doorway. Inside is the rift you’ve been looking for. Three waves of enemies attack before you can successfully close the rift, but you can disrupt it several times throughout the fight to weaken the enemies. At this point in the game you shouldn’t have much trouble with the enemies, but have a mage keep a barrier up as much as possible to minimize the damage throughout all three waves.

Seal the rift after the third wave of enemies, then collect the loot left behind (including a chest on the far west side of the room). With the rift closed, head across the hall, then through the doorway to the northeast, cross the water, then up the stairs to find a ladder toward the surface. Climb up the next ladder just ahead, then make your way up the stairs to the left.

Loot the area at the top, then pull the lever at the end of the path to open the door ahead. Loot the next room, then follow the passage to get out of the cave. Just outside is another rift. Take down the enemies and close the rift, then head west until you can turn to the south. After a short distance you’ll reach the Crestwood village again. Head to the new waypoint marker for the Still Waters mission to reach the mayor’s house, then read the letter inside to complete the quest.

Quest Objective: Meet Hawke’s warden ally in Crestwood

Leave the village and continue south until you can finally head to the east (after passing the hidden cave on the map). This happens when you’re almost due west of the primary waypoint marker for the Here Lies the Abyss quest. You’ll pass a camp site on the way to the waypoint, so make sure you setup camp to replenish your supplies and create a fast travel point. From the camp site you’ll have to swing around to the southeast before you can continue the path northward.

As you approach the waypoint you’ll come across a cave. The person you seek is inside the cave. Speak to Hawke at the cave entrance, then head inside. When you reach the door ahead, examine the blind skull banner to the right, then proceed through the door to trigger a cut-scene.

Return to the Dragon Age: Inquisition Walkthrough, or continue to Investigate the Western Approach.

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