Dragon Age Origins: Arl of Redcliffe Dragon Age: Origins Guide

Last update: 07 June 2024

Description: You can officially start this quest when you get to [Redcliffe] (M27, 1). Approach the bridge where you'll have a chance to talk to Tomas (M27, 2). The next conversation will take place in [Redcliffe - Chantry] where you'll receive an update from Teagan (M27, 3), activating a local A village under siege quest.

You can resume the main quest after you've successfully defended the village from the undead. Talk to Teagan again (M27, 21), however this time Isolde will join the conversation. Teagan will give you a signet ring and a task to find a secret passageway to the castle. Proceed to [Redcliffe - Windmill] (M27, 22) and once you're inside move south. Find a hatch in the floor (M27, 23). Using it will transport you to [Redcliffe castle - Basement] (M28, 1).

Head forward until you'll have to deal with the first group of the undead. Killing the zombies shouldn't be a big problem as long as you remember about attacking single targets instead of all the monsters at the same time. Using abilities of your team members will also get you one step closer to victory. Jowan is being held in a prison cell nearby (M28, 2). Once you've heard his version of the story you may leave him in the cell, kill him or set him free. I wouldn't recommend killing him, because you would lose a chance of him helping you out later on and you would probably make some of your followers angry.

Be careful in the next room of the basement, because other zombies will surprise you once you're close enough to the stairs. I would recommend retreating to the corridor where Jowan was being held so that your team won't be attacked from several directions at the same time. Once you've dealt with all the monsters use the stairs to travel to [Redcliffe castle - Main floor] (M28, 3). Here (M29, 1) you'll also have to remain cautious, because a mini-boss (greater shade) will be guarding one of the nearby rooms. Try using different spells during all the battles with the shades, because they're more vulnerable to magic.

Start moving east and don't forget to inspect smaller rooms found along the way, especially since one of these areas is going to be an armory (M29, 2). Use your lockpicking skills to get in there and collect useful things. Watch out for other mini-bosses in the area, including a devouring corpse and a mabari (one of the northern rooms of the castle). There are also plenty of traps in the area, including a powerful trap in one of the main corridors. Eventually you'll have to reach a staircase leading back to [Redcliffe castle - Basement] (M29, 4). Use it instead of heading south, because you shouldn't attack the main group unless you've rejoined with allied units.

Take your time in the cellar (M28, 4) and once you're done exploring use the stairs leading to [Redcliffe castle - Courtyard] (M28, 5). I would recommend that you leave most of the team behind (M30, 1) and use a warrior or a camouflaged rogue here. Move this person to the north-west and pull the lever (M30, 2) before you're caught by the monsters. A nearby gate is going to be raised which will allow allied units to join the battle. Start attacking enemy forces and watch out for a mini-boss (revenant). I would recommend attacking this beast from a large distance and you should also prevent your team members from standing too close to each other, so they won't lose too much health if an explosion occurs near their position. Once the revenant is dead focus on eliminating hostile archers.

Eliminate all the monsters and once it's safe talk to Sir Perth (M30, 3). It would be a good idea to agree to his proposal and to join him and the other men on an assault on the castle. You'll soon automatically return to [Redcliffe castle - Main floor] (M29, 5) and you'll have a chance to talk to possessed Connor. This scene will end with the boy escaping to his room and you having to engage possessed guards in combat. In the early stages of this battle you should be focused on injuring Teagan who will act as a typical mini-boss. Achieving victory here shouldn't be a problem, so you should pay more attention to choosing how this quest should end. All the choices can be made during the conversation with Teagan.

ENDING 1: Killing Connor

If you decide to kill Connor without giving the boy a chance to survive proceed to the western room where you'll have to defeat a large group of animated knights. Killing these opponents won't be an easy thing, so you should consider retreating to the previous area where allied units can assist you in achieving victory. Once you've won entered the western room for the second time and use the stairs leading to [Redcliffe castle - Upper floor] (M29, 6).

You'll be moving east here and naturally new enemy units will stand in your way. Keep pushing forward and use a lot healing spells and potions to prevent team members from dying. Save your game prior to entering the last room where Connor will be waiting for you (M29, 7). He'll soon transform into a lust demon and you'll have to take part in a boss battle.

This battle will have several phases. Each time you've sufficiently injured the demon you'll be forced to take out a small group of weaker creatures. Keep using mostly ice spells on the main demon and the same goes with smaller rage demons. Don't forget to monitor health bars of your men and women, because it would be even harder to win if someone would to die here. After you've defeated Connor you'll be given a chance between killing him yourself and letting his mother to deal the final blow. Finishing this quest will activate the next one - Urn of Sacred Ashes.

ENDING 2: Sacrificing Isolde's life to save Connor

In order to unlock this ending you would have to keep Jowan alive and present Isolde with an opportunity to save her son's life. The next step will be to choose the person who will fight the demon. You can choose Wynne, Morrigan or yourself if you're playing as a mage. Watch a short cut-scene after which you'll find yourself standing in the [Fade] (M31, 1).

Start exploring this realm and ignore ghosts seen along the way, because they won't attack you. Arl Eamon will appear near the area where you've started (M31, 2), however talking to him is not mandatory. Use the nearby portal and keep heading forward until you locate Connor's hideout (M31, 3).

It's important how you'll respond to Connor's initial statement, because sooner or later you'll have to defeat a demon hiding in his body for the first time. This duel is going to be extremely easy, however you should try ending it as soon as possible. I would recommend using ice spells, because not only they'll deal a lot of damage but you'll also freeze your opponent.

You'll have to defeat the demon a few more times (M31, 4). Each time you'll be forced to use a portal and to find Connor's new hideout. Notice that later on the demon will not be alone, because smaller creatures will appear around him. Always focus on the main boss and once it's gone deal with the remaining enemy forces. Defeating the demon in the last location (M31, 5) will result in your character returning back from the Fade and finishing this quest will activate the next one - Urn of Sacred Ashes.

ENDING 3: Asking the mages for help in rescuing Connor

This is by far the most time-consuming solution, but if you manage to pull it off you'll save both Connor and his mother. During the conversation with Teagan, Isolde and Jowan you'll have to come up with a plan of asking the mages in [Circle tower] for help. Leave [Redcliffe castle], travel to [Lake Calenhad docks] and from there reach the tower. You can find more information on how to get there by reading the description of an another main quest - Broken circle. You can only ask the mages for help AFTER you've defeated Uldred (M40, 3) and it's also important that during your final conversation with Greagoir (M33, 1) you convince the templar that he should leave the tower under mage's control (otherwise Irving would be sent to prison). Talk to Irving and tell him about the boy. The enchanter will be more than happy to help and he'll immediately travel to the castle.

You should follow Irving by returning to [Redcliffe castle - Main floor] (M29, 5). Approach the people standing here and initiate a new conversation. You'll have to decide who should travel to the [Fade] to rescue Connor and you'll be allowed to choose between Jowan, Irving and the mages in your team. It doesn't really matter which person it's going to be, because no one will die aside from the demon. Read the description of the second ending to find out how to locate the demon and how to kill it. Finishing this quest will activate the next one - Urn of Sacred Ashes.

You can rescue Arl Eamon once you've completed Urn of Sacred Ashes main quest. Make sure that the ashes are in your inventory and return to [Redcliffe castle - Main floor] (M29, 5). Talk to Teagan here and give him the ashes. It won't take long before Arl Eamon is fully healed. You can now talk to your new ally, however you won't be able to affect his decisions in any major way (you can only advise him what should happen with Jowan). Eamon will give you an elite Redcliffe shield. This conversation will end with you receiving a new main quest - Gather an army.