Dog Days

Dog Days
Creators	The Observer
Other Name	GarretQuest
Quest Details
Quest Type	Champion
Requirements	3 days have passed since the Tutorial or discovering the overgrown glade north of the Old Forest
Quest Giver(s)	Garth
Level Range	1+
Location(s)	Westbank (Old Forest)
Conditions and Outcomes
Can Fail?	No
Is Timed?	No
Unique Loot	Yes (combat route)
Multiple Outcomes?	Yes
Completion Result	Continuation of In Her Footsteps Garret appears in The Frost Hound Whitewood Bow (combat route)
Other Information
Version Added	0.1.13
Changelog	0.5.0 (Dog Days change from Side to Champion quest as well as additional Hethia sex scenes)

“	Stupid, stupid, glory-seeking pup. By the time someone's wandered into the Frost Hound and told me what Garret was up to, he's already packed up and left. That was three days before you arrived. Neither him nor anyone else from the logging camp have shown their faces in Hawkethorne since, and with all the nonsense happening of late no one's been able to go in and check on them.	”
—Garth

Page reconstruction in progress--Spotty McBumble Fuck (talk) 15:56, 30 August 2023 (UTC)

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About two or three weeks prior to the Champion's arrival, there had been odd occurrences at the logging camp in the Old Forest. With the recent sightings of a warg, the strongest man in Savarra had taken it upon himself to take care of the problem. This was unfortunately three days before the Champion's arrival, and the camp's loggers nor Garret has been seen since, which has Garth a bit concerned.

Quest States

Quest States

State	Acquisition	Description
0	Having received the quest from Garth	Garth has asked you to investigate the disappearance of his son Garret, who left for a logging camp before the blizzard hit and hasn't been seen since. The camp is situated on the western side of the Old Forest.
1	Having found Westbank	You've made your way through the forest and to the logging camp, but there's no sign of Garret or the loggers. Perhaps you should investigate further.
2	After discovering the loggers at the longhouses or getting the information from Garret	It appears that a pale elf druidess is holding Garret and the loggers hostage for her own reasons. You could attempt to confront her directly, or head back to town and see if anyone has anything to say about the situation. Either way, she'll have to be dealt with before you can bring everyone home.
3	TODO	Sanders has agreed to parley with the druidess and get everyone home safely. He's asked you to meet him at the gates to the logging camp.
4 (completed)	TODO	While you didn't manage to defeat Hethia, at least you managed to get everyone home safe. That's got to count for something, right? Maybe you'll take your lumps and learn from it.
5 (completed)	TODO	One way or the other, you've managed to free Garret and everyone else at the logging camp and return them safely to town. Give yourself a pat on the back. You've managed to free Garret and the loggers from Westbank. They'll be able to help get you through the thorny walls protecting the corrupted garden now. Talk to Garth to get them rounded up. One way or the other, you've managed to free Garret and everyone else at the logging camp and return them safely to town. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Acquisition

It must be three days since the end of the Tutorial and the Champion must wake up at The Frost Hound. Alternatively, if the Champion has discovered the solid wall of roots and vines north of the Old Forest, they may ask Garth about their Gardening problem.

Characters Involved

Brother Sanders (conditional)	Garret	Garth	Hethia	Norathar

Companion Interactions

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Companions

Agnimitra	Arona	Atugia	Azyrran	Brint/Brienne
No unique interactions	TODO	No unique interactions	No unique interactions	Unlocks a route variation Moderate dialogue and references to No unique interactions
Cait	Etheryn	Kiyoko	Quintillus	Viviane
No unique interactions	Unlocks two route variations Significant dialogue and interactions with Hethia (TODO)	Cannot be recruited yet	No unique interactions	No unique interactions

Quick Summary

• 1a. Sleep at The Frost Hound after 3 days since the start
• 1b. Ask Garth about Gardening having discovered the overgrown glade, north of the Old Forest
• 2. Gather all the information from Garth
• 3. Travel to the Old Forest, specially the western part marked with an !
• 4a. With a Hunter background, the Champion can directly find the camp without issue
• 4b. Without it, they must fight a gauntlet of 3 encounters (Wolves, Effigies, and Hornets) straight, defeat or retreat will reset the count
• 5a. Travel north to the longhouses and speak to the loggers
• 5b. Travel east to the hall and speak to Garret

TODO

TODO

TODO

TODO

Detailed Summary

A Job, and a Bride

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After getting their morning bearings, the Champion heads towards the Frost Hound's common room, where Garth calls their attention. Once the Champion takes a seat at the bar, Garth asks if they plan to head out of town again, to which they answer yes and ask in return if there's something he needs done. Garth nods and explains that no one has been heading into the Old Forest after that night, and since they are the only one heading into it, he has a job for them.

The Champion explains their encounter with the ever-growing roots to Garth, to which he comments on the oddity of it and while he's seen druid magic before, never something that powerful. As his wife said, no magic in the world that can't be overwhelmed eventually, as such they're going to need a lot of big, strong lads to do some dirty work for them, and he knows where they are.

Garth explains the existence of Westbank, a logging camp located at the western side of the Old Forest. About two or three weeks before the Champion's arrival, there had been word of animals acting oddly and a series of close shaves with things in the darkness, too close together to be mere coincidence. Garth adds that there's something unsettling about a snowshoe rabbit hopping up to the gates and just sitting there for hours, the feeling as if the bunny is merely a puppet and someone else is looking through its eyes. It's something he's seen during his younger days on the road.

Garth offers them a drink, to which they take a big swig of and note that if it's a bribe, it's working pretty well. Garth shifts the topic back to explaining that while Hawkethorne is full of hunters, not much can actually fight besides him and old man Sanders. During that time, they managed to assemble something of a militia to investigate, however, a warg had been spotted prowling near the treeline. Garret caught wind of this and declared that he would take care of the problem himself. Before Garth could do anything about it, his son had left and that was three days before the Champion arrived. Neither Garret nor anyone else from the camp has shown their face in Hawkethorne since and with all the things that have been happening, no one's been able to check in on them.

Understanding the task, the Champion has a few questions before they head out:

Option	Tooltip
Location	Where in the Old Forest is the logging camp, exactly?
Troubles	Animals acting strangely aside, was there anything that happened to Westbank?
Garret	Why did Garret go alone ahead of the militia?

On the question of the camp's location, Garth repeats that it's on the western edge of the woods by the river. Most people who travel in that direction go by barge, but the Champion would be better off following the old logging trails, and while it hasn't been used for a while, it's better than trying to convince anyone to pole them a barge upriver these days. The Champion repeats by asking where exactly it is, Garth sighs stating he forgot they're not used to the lay of the land as most people here, and he proceeds to mark it on their map. Garth cautions them that the trail hasn't been used in quite a while and may have gotten pretty overgrown.

When asked if there was anything that happened to the camp, Garth explains that a few weeks ago, an angry pale elf lady came up to the camp, complaining that the logging work was coming close to some kind of sacred grove.

On the mention of pale elf, the Champion glances over to Etheryn. She quickly looks away, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

When asked what happened, he explains that the loggers asked the lady where the grove was so they could keep clear from it, unfortunately she can't tell them where exactly it is. The problem was that the logging wasn't going to stop altogether and since she wasn't going to cooperate, they weren't going to either. She also had other complaints about the wrong kinds of wood being grown in the wrong areas, and she eventually stormed back into the trees after negotiations broke down. Garth and Sanders did acknowledge the possibility of the strange behavior to her doing, but they have no idea where she might be nor are they going to send people one by one to check, which was the point of the militia they assembled.

The Champion assumes that the pale elf lady must be some kind of wildling or druidess, to which Garth nods in agreement. He states that the lads in Westbank aren't idiots and at the very least they make sure they still have a job tomorrow. Additionally, as a follower of Velun, Sanders does an inspection every season to ensure the forest is being treated right, along with giving his blessings to the camp. The pale elf lady did not recognize the Living Gods.

Etheryn pipes up, stating that he's right. She explains that when the royal family had officially converted to the worship of the Living Gods after the Godswar, those that still had faith in the animalistic practices of the Old Wyld broke away and left the Winter City. They can only assume that this pale elf lady is one of their number, and she cautions that they are rather hard-line in their worship, having thrown away everything for their faith and she can't image they've grown more lax in their centuries of self-exile. Appealing to them in Velun's name isn't going to do much, and in fact, will have the opposite effect.

When asked on what a pale elf is, Garth explains, using Ivris as an example of a wyld elf, adding that if they're going to spend anytime in the Marches, they'd do well to learn the difference. He continues, stating that unlike wyld elf women, the women of the pale elves are tall, lean, and powerful. They've given their lupine shieldmaidens a run for their money in the past. On the other hand, their menfolk aren't much different, which makes sense because their city in the north is ruled by a queen. That's all he has about them as they keep to themselves, but regardless they're not to be taken lightly.

When asked what happened, he explains that the loggers asked where the grove was so they could keep clear from it, unfortunately she can't tell them where exactly it is. The problem was that the logging wasn't going to stop altogether and since she wasn't going to cooperate, they weren't either. She also had other complaints about the wrong kinds of wood being grown in the wrong areas, and she eventually stormed back into the trees after negotiations broke down. Garth and Sanders did acknowledge the possibility of the strange behavior her doing, but they have no idea where she might be nor are they going to send people one by one to check, which was the point of the militia they assembled.

The Champion assumes that the pale elf lady must be some kind of wildling or druidess, to which Garth nods in agreement. He states that the lads in Westbank aren't idiots and at the very least they make sure they still have a job tomorrow. Additionally, as a follower of Velun, Sanders does an inspection every season to ensure the forest is being treated right, along with giving his blessings to the camp. The pale elf lady did not recognize the Living Gods.

With that, the Champion states that if they see her, they might as well stop and have a chat. Garth grimaces at it, answers that she'll definitely stop them, but he gets the feeling that she'll want to do more than just talk.

On the question of why Garret went alone, Garth growls and asks why the gods cursed him with a moron for a son.

The Champion attempts calm down Garth by stating that there's no need to lose one's cool when actually trying to do something constructive. Garth for his part pours himself a mug of mead and states that while he doesn't condone drinking on the job, it'll do him more good than harm this time around, and they both proceed to drain their mugs.

The Champion attempts to calm down Garth by stating as such, and so he can tell them about his son, whom he openly lambasts for being a fool but secretly loves very much. Garth narrows his eyes and gives them a stare, to which the Champion explains that while he had bemoaned his fate for being saddled with an idiot son, he would not be sending them after him if he didn't care, that hate is not the opposite to love - indifference is. For a while Garth says nothing as he goes through what the Champion just said, then states that not everyone likes hearing the blunt truth. They answer that the advice is well taken.

Garth sighs, stating that it's his fault, that he should have had Garret work all the energy out of his system when he was a pup. Garth had his fill of adventure when he was younger, and built the inn so that he wouldn't have to suffer any of that nonsense. What Garret did is to hop up and want to traipse off into the world, just like his mother did. The Champion begins to form the timeline of events, first the warg showing up, probably being the most exciting thing that has happened in Hawkethorne for years, and second would be a young, impulsive glory-hunter leaping on the chance of an adventure. Garth admits they had an argument the night before, one of many, in which he stated that the first actual threat Garret would meet would send him over his head in trouble, Garret for his part said that if he took down the warg himself, it would prove otherwise. Before he could say anything else, Garret that stormed out of the room, he adds that Garret takes after his mother.

Garth apologizes for unloading the dirty laundry out in the open, to which the Champion accepts that they did ask for it but at least know they know why Garret went out alone and that it might make it easier finding him when try get to the camp. He adds that Garret will probably be holed up somewhere or at the camp itself, that if he's alive, he'll be more than willing to come home at this point, and if not... to not bring him back as Gwyn won't be able to take it.

Will all their pertinent questions answered, the Champion proceeds to depart, but is momentarily stopped by Garth as he hands them a pack of Camping Supplies. He states that it's the least he can do since they're going after his fool of a son and he wants them to be as rested as possible before facing down whatever is preventing Garret from coming home. He adds that if they want more supplies, they can buy some from Leorah.

In Search for the Camp

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Navigating to the western section of the Old Forest, specifically that marked with an !, will allow the Champion to begin searching for the old logging trail.

With weapons drawn, the Champion begins hacking their way through the underbrush. The further they progress, their feeling of apprehension grows as their instincts tell them of something. Eventually, a faint rustling has the Champion ready their weapons as something tangled in the thorny undergrowth barrels straight towards them.

The Champion must now succeed in a series of 3 combat encounters; that of the Wolves, the Effigies, and lastly the Hornets. They must clear the encounters one after the other, defeat or fleeing midway will have them fight the entire gauntlet again.

As the Champion picks themselves back up, they take stock of their surroundings, only to discover that all the progress they made has been lost. As Etheryn gathers her bearings, she confirms the presence of some kind of nature magic, as the Old Forest holds much power for those that still follow the Old Wyld. It's not impossible that a ward of such strength could not be created, but also maintained as it relies on misdirection rather than force to lead intruders astray. She is sure that if they keep themselves together, they can breach the ward.

As the Champion makes their way through the trail, they can sense that something isn't right about the trail. They draw upon their instincts and experience as a hunter to move silently and swiftly through the thorny underbrush. Through their cautious travel, several times they hear telltale rustles and spot signs of something stalking them, but they manage to evade whatever is hounding them. Thorns and briars litter their path, but they eventually spot the silhouette of a palisade wall.

Having made it through the path of the logging camp, they can travel through the path without issue should they decide to leave and return at a later time.

Westbank

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Map

1 2 3 4 Points of Interest 1 Riverside 2 Longhouses 3 Work Yard & Exit to the Old Forest 4 Hall

Having reached the camp, the Champion can begin investigating the whereabouts of Garret and the loggers. They may also leave and revisit the camp at anytime while the events of Dog Days has not concluded.

Longhouses

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Investigating the longhouses has the Champion peer inside the windows, and despite it being boarded up, they think they can see movement within. After considerable knocking from the Champion, a voice asks who's there, to which the Champion explains that Garth sent them to get them out. When asked how many are there, the voice answers that all ten of them are present, and while a little tired, cold, and stressed, they're alright. They had tried to sneak out before, but the magic of the crazy elf chick prevents them from escaping. Since Garret arrived, he'd been taking the brunt of her attentions, but with the things in the forest and the barges being full of holes, the loggers are not skilled enough to slip out of the camp like the Champion.

While they don't know why the elf chick still hangs considering she got what she wanted, she mostly leaves the loggers alone as she maintains her witchcraft. The loggers are hopeful that since the Champion got past her magic, they have a chance on getting out.

The Hall

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At the hall, the Champion can see a large iron-barred cage tucked in a corner. There seems to be someone sitting in it, but it is unclear given the dim light. Investigating the cage has the Champion cautiously approach, and about halfway to the cage, a voice calls out from it stating that they don't have to do that, as he can hear and smell them from a mile away and it's not like he can do anything from inside the cage.

The Champion ponders if their abilities are being called into question, to which he explains that most people forget to disguise their scent, and that he's got a pretty good nose for a lupine regardless.

Despite his words, the Champion is still cautious, to which he states that he can't fault them for thinking he was dangerous, that he's just that awesome. When they question if he's that awesome, then why is he locked up in a cage, he admits to their point and asks for them to come over, and he promises not to slip through the bars and bite off their head.

Conceding that he isn't going to hurt them, they step forward to the figure sitting in the cage and they assume it's Garret, as they recognize the family resemblance. If Etheryn is present, she looks more than a little troubled at Garret's predicament, and gives a look with more than just a bit of sympathy. Garret looks up to them and states that they're a new face, and when the Champion states that Garth had sent them, his expressions sours, murmuring that he thought his old man would be glad to be finally rid of him. The Champion answers that Garth isn't and asks if he's okay, to which he takes a moment to calm himself to answer that the crazy elf bitch isn't really out to hurt them, that he thinks she's just as stuck as they are, and since he agreed to be her pet, she's left the others alone. Unfortunately things won't last long as the camp's rations will eventually dry out, but no one wants to make the first move. For Garret's part, he's getting more high-quality pussy than he'd ever imagined possible, just not how most folk imagine it. The Champion then proceeds to ask Garret the following questions:

Option	Tooltip
Garret	So, just what's Garret's deal?
Elf	Ask him about this elf witch he speaks of.
Cage	So, does he have any ideas on getting out of this cage?
Workers	Are they alright?

When asked what his present situation has to do with the others, the Champion explains that if they're going to formulate a plan to escape, they'll need all the pertinent information at hand.

Garret proceeds to gather his thoughts. He assumes that since his old man sent them, they know some of the story; that Garth said a bunch of choice things back then, that it was only natural for him to say that since he already had his fun when he was young and gets all crabby at Garret when he realizes he's not as spry as he used to be. Garret was pissed too, that if could take down the animal that was getting everyone worked up, that his old man would be forced to admit that he wasn't the useless piece of dogmeat he thinks Garret is. When questioned on what made him think he could do what the trained-up militia couldn't, he answers that all they would have accomplished is scaring the beasts into falling back, only to return once they all went home.

Garret proceeded to travel to the camp, being smart enough to go around the twisting path rather than meeting it head-on. When he arrived at the camp, he saw the warg prowling the bushes, to which he proceeded to wrestle it. Despite the challenge, and the Champion's disbelief when Garret states that his entire body is a weapon, he would have succeeded if not for the witch that cast a spell on him. She gave him an earful about hurting her pet, stripped him of his stuff, and locked him in a cage because she wasn't sure of what to do with him.

They also state that they get the distinct impression that he's reluctant to share that information so soothe his wounded pride. Garret somewhat admits to that and proceeds to gather his thoughts. He assumes that since his old man sent them, they know some of the story; that Garth said a bunch of choice things back then, that it was only natural for him to say that since he already had his fun when he was young and gets all crabby at Garret when he realizes he's not as spry as he used to be. Garret was pissed too, that if could take down the animal that was getting everyone worked up, that his old man would be forced to admit that he wasn't the useless piece of dogmeat Garth thinks he is. When questioned on what made him think he could do what the trained-up militia couldn't, he answers that all they would have accomplished is scaring the beasts into falling back, only to return once they all went home.

The Champion questions if Garret is just rationalizing his bad decision to prove himself to his father, to which he glares, answering that if they want him to continue, that they should knock it off. That he's already been humiliated enough, and if they want to turn into his old man, then they could at least do it after things have been dealt with.

Garret proceeded to travel to the camp, being smart enough to go around the twisting path rather than meeting it head-on. When he arrived at the camp, he saw the warg prowling the bushes, to which he proceeded to wrestle it. Despite the challenge, and the Champion's disbelief when Garret states that his entire body is a weapon, he would have succeeded if not for the witch that cast a spell on him. She gave him an earful about hurting her pet, stripped him of his stuff, and locked him in a cage because she wasn't sure of what to do with him.

When asked what he can tell about the elf witch, Garret explains that she's almost as tall as he is, well-muscled but not bulgy, and while strong she's not trained in close combat - having seen her with a bow and commanding her warg to hold people. For the warg, it's movements are stiff and awkward, as if less a willing companion and more under a spell. On the side of her other magics, the elf is impervious to cold; having seen her commune in the icy river every evening, the ability to command plants to some degree, and being able to hold people in place. The way the elf carries herself reminds him of the legends of the shieldmaidens. When asked about the shieldmaidens, Garret explains that to be one, they would know when to be humble, when to be bold, and when to ignore their pride and pull out - completely unlike Gwyn and the elf witch acts too haughty for her own good, as if not used to being denied. With that, the Champion might be able to goad her into doing something stupid. If present, Etheryn affirms that officially, women are supposed to be respected a bit more in the Winter City, although reality differs quite harshly.

One a final note, Garret adds that fighting her may not be necessary. She seems just as stuck in Westbank as everyone else. She hasn't actually hurt anyone, and so long as Garret plays her games, she doesn't bother the loggers. Garret summarizes by stating that if they can offer her a way out that doesn't hurt her pride, it might be possible to talk her down. Although if the Champion wants to beat her up, he'll even help out if they can get him out of the cage, and if not, they might be able to talk her down or get Old Man Sanders to help. Before wrapping things up, the Champion asks why he got to be the witch's special pet. Garret shifts his eyes and answers that he grew to full manhood, which is what she's after - a Bimbo Champion accompanied by Brint will be momentarily distracted by thoughts of who is bigger and if they could try taking both at once.

On the topic of his cage, Garret's first idea is that the lock on the cage isn't anything special, he suggests that a Thief Champion can pick the lock open as it beats looking for the key; else he suggests that they might want to consider getting the key instead, as most ordinary people aren't of the mind to go about picking locks open. When asked on where the key might be, Garret explains that elf witch keeps it on her at all times, but they might be able to swipe it from her when she communes at the river, although they'll need to get past her warg. Another option would to bend the bars of his cage, as he's been slowly weakening the metal bars without making it obvious.

With Brint present, Garret states that with the cut of beef at their side, he's sure that bending bars and lifting gates shouldn't be any problem. Brint smacks his fist into the other's palm and states that dogmeat is right, the Champion just needs to say the word.

With the Champion's physique, Garret states that they could have a fair go at actually finishing the job. The Champion inspects the bars and confirms that they are bent just slightly out of shape, that finishing the job is within the realm of possibility.

While Garret has been talking, the Champion confirms that the bars are ever so slightly bent. When the Champion answers that they might give finishing the job a go, Garret states that, with no offense, they look a little too scrawny to be bending bars and lifting gates, although appearances can be deceiving, so he wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised.

Regardless, this wraps up their options of getting Garret out of his cage, although the Champion is more than welcome to try any other crazy ideas they might have. A Black Mage Champion contemplates on using a fireball, but it might turn Garret into literal dogmeat. Garret states that he's glad that they've put more faith in his hare-brained schemes than his old man does, goes to show that he's not a complete idiot.

When asked about the workers, Garret answers that while they aren't physically wounded, they're spooked - from the big blizzard, to the elf witch, and the strange things going on in the forest. The fact that they can sense that the elf witch is in over her head about the situation, that there is something out there bigger and badder than her doesn't help. Garret's advice is the leave the workers holed up in their longhouses, behind their barricades, and so long as the Champion doesn't take too long to fix things, he'll keep the witch placated.

Having gotten all relevant information from Garret, he asks if the Champion has seen the witch wandering around the camp yet, to which they answer no. He states that she left not too long ago to shore up whatever spell she has cast and she'll be back soon, so they should stay out of her sight unless they want a confrontation. He reminds them that he's more than willing to lend a hand if they want to fight her, but they should be careful as the last thing he needs is their would-be savior to end up beside him in the cage. A Bimbo Champion states that it's a date; else, they reassure him that they have no intention of messing up.

Having talked to Garret, the Champion can check up on him as well as explore the options they had discussed.

Option	Tooltip
Talk	Ask Garret how's he doing, and if the situation's changed.
Pick Lock	Isn't there something that can be done about the lock?
Bars	Attempt to bend the bars on Garret's cage.
Leave	-

Checking up on Garret has him state that he's still bored, and while he's still being fed and watered out of a dog dish which includes walkies and everything that entails, he's at least getting plenty of pussy, although, through the carrot-and-stick approach. The Champion reassures him that they'll get him out soon, to which he mumbles that his old man would say that a lot, which usually meant never. He closes the topic by stating that while he doesn't want to be an ass, the Champion can spend their time on getting him out instead of flapping their gums.

Attempting to pick the lock of Garret's cage can go a manner of ways;

Etheryn offers to pick the lock, to which the Champion obliges. Using the tools from a slim pouch she carries, she is able to successfully open the lock.

The Champion proceeds to reach into their armor and draw out a small set of tools, additionally, a Bimbo Champion will grope themselves for luck. With ingenuity and determination, the Champion is able to pop open the lock.

While untrained at opening locks, the Champion feels confident in getting it open given the right tools. When asked where the loggers keep their tools, Garret answers that there should be a toolshed in the work yard that contains heavy equipment. Considering that option is too far and too loud, they ask him if there's anything else, to which he answers that there might be a workbench at the back of the hall. After pilfering through the workbench, the Champion finds a spool of wire that they bend into shape, along with pliers. With sweaty hands, they manage to crack open the lock.

Any celebrations are cut off as Garret points to towards the doorway, which reveals a flicker of movement through one of the shuttered windows. They silently take position on either side of the doorway when it bursts open, and the elven druidess sitting astride her warg storms in. With longbow ready, she scans the room and draws her attention to the empty cage. Garret lands a flying tackle against the warg, knocking the druidess off, and while the warg's claws catch his shoulder and draws a deep gash, he lands a satisfying crack against its muzzle with his bare fist. The druidess scrambles to retrieve her bow, and as she begins an incantation, she is forced to dart out of the way as the Champion attempts to strike her.

While Garret deals with the warg, the Champion will fight the druidess (see Confrontation section for details).

If none of the success conditions are met, the Champion has no idea on how to coax open the lock. While there a no signs of anything outside, Garret makes a growling noise as being in the cage is starting to wear on his nerves. The Champion may attempt to pick the lock again.

The Champion contemplates on the available options, based on the amount of Strength the Champion has in relation to their level, they may feel that they have a fair chance in success; else, while they could try, they don't think they're the person for this kind of job. Additionally if Brint is present, he will unsubtly draw attention to himself as he states he can make short work of the cage. After assessing their options, a final confirmation of Yes or No is required if they wish to proceed with the brute force option.

The Champion turns to Brint, who has a big smile on his face as it seems he won't take no for an answer. With a Cunning of 50%+, the Champion can sense a flash of rivalry between Brint and Garret; else, the Champion doesn't know why Brint's being so insistent. Regardless, the cage stands absolutely no chance against Brint's strength. With the job completed, Brint dusts the flecks of rust off his hands, and gives a small clumsy bow. Garret for his part states that he's a show-off, but a good one at that, and hoists himself out.

The Champion steels themselves and takes a deep breath, as they begin prying the bars apart. Although their joints strain and shoulders burn, they are successful in creating a hole for Garret to slip through. Something approaching a smile forms across his muzzle as he hoists himself through the hole. He looks the Champion up and down, then touches his forehead in respect as he gives his thanks.

Any celebrations are cut off as Garret points to towards the doorway, which reveals a flicker of movement through one of the shuttered windows. They silently take position on either side of the doorway when it bursts open, and the elven druidess sitting astride her warg storms in. With longbow ready, she scans the room and draws her attention to the empty cage. Garret lands a flying tackle against the warg, knocking the druidess off, and while the warg's claws catch his shoulder and draws a deep gash, he lands a satisfying crack against its muzzle with his bare fist. The druidess scrambles to retrieve her bow, and as she begins an incantation, she is forced to dart out of the way as the Champion attempts to strike her.

While Garret deals with the warg, the Champion will fight the druidess (see Confrontation section for details). Additionally, if the Champion had successfully freed Garret without Brint, they will receive the Fatigued status effect.

If none of the success conditions are met, the Champion will put all their strength in prying apart the bars only to create a small hole for Garret to stick his arm through. Unfortunately, the hall's doors burst open from the force of the druidess' entrance. As her gaze fixes on the Champion, she states that she'll even thank them for taking the annoying loggers off her hands, the doggy in the cage however is someone she'd like to keep for a little while longer - he's got a nice big bone, and she'd still like to play with it. When the Champion states that they are taking Garret too, she replies that she hoped that it wouldn't come to this and her warg bounds towards the Champion.

Having failed to free Garret, the Champion will fight both the druidess and her warg (see Confrontation section for details).

Riverside

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TODO

Confrontation

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section will contain, Brother Sanders parley route, Etheryn parley route, Champion parley route, & combat route. TODO

Aftermath

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section will contain the success and failure results from the confrontation routes. TODO

Progress

The information below is a holdover from before this page's current update and may be incorrect

Garret mentions that Brother Sanders can talk with her. The Westbank option will become available when talking to Brother Sanders at the Chapel of Velun. Upon asking the priest for help, he will be found at the logging camp in which he will be able to successfully negotiate peace and allow the loggers and the doggy dildo (Garret) to return home.

Garret mentions that Hethia can be found at the river between 16:00 to 20:00. The following options can be selected if the Champion goes to the river during said time range:

• Watch - Watch the druidess for a moment and assess the situation.
  • After the party's initial observations and discussions, the Champion can continue to watch the druidesses
  • Yes - Clearly watching pale elf druidesses bathe in rivers is an important task.
  • No - You have better things to do than be a voyeur.
• Attack - Go in and put an end to this!
• Parley - This doesn't have to get violent. Try and talk her down.
  • The Champion can attempt to broker peace by themselves
  • TalkYourself/Yes - Try and talk down the druidess.
    • This will start a conversation battle, in which the wrong answer/question will result in a reset to the start of the dialogue and a deduction of 10 Resolve, if the Champion's resolve reaches 0, this will result in a "success" where she will be too annoyed to deal with the Champion that she just leaves (see Parley Spoiler below for correct path)
    • Inquire - Can Hethia tell you more about herself?
      • Question - What happened?
      • Keep Silent - Remain quiet and observe the situation.
        • Agree - It must have been hard on them.
        • Disagree - The old is eventually replaced by the new. Such is the way of things, is it not?
        • Keep Silent - Remain quiet and observe the situation.
    • Interrogate - Why's Hethia in the camp? What's going on here?
      • Disrespect - Sorry, but I'm underestimating you.
      • Keep Silent - Remain silent and observe the situation.
        • Criticize - It's still wrong to keep him locked up and use him as a dildo, though.
        • Sympathize - You don't think she's a bad person, really.
        • Keep Silent - Remain silent and observe the situation.
  • Don't Talk/No - Not now, at least.
• Key - See whether you can slip past the warg and get the key to Garret's cage.
  • The key can be successful stolen without notice if any of the following conditions are met:
    • If the Champion's class is a Thief
    • If the Champion has a high Cunning and Agility range (both stats should at least be 60% of current level limit)
  • Successfully stealing the key will result into a combat encounter against Hethia while Garret fights the warg
  • Failing all these checks will result in a combat encounter against Hethia and her warg

If peace was successfully brokered by the Champion or through Etheryn, Hethia will leave peacefully

If the Champion were to be defeated by Hethia, they will wake to find Brother Sanders, Garth and a gathered militia at the logging camp. The group escort the prisoners and the Champion back to Hawkethorne, this will mark the quest as completed.

Upon completion of the quest, Garret will eventually return to The Frost Hound tavern and have a talk with his dad. The Champion can eavesdrop on said conversation.

• Yes
• No - This is none of your business.

Facing Hethia at the river will allow her warg Norathar to join and fight the Champion. However if the Champion was successful in bending the bars or picking the lock, Garret will face Norathar while the Champion deals with Hethia, otherwise the warg will also fight the Champion.

If Hethia has been defeated in combat but the Champion were to be beaten by her warg, it will result in a Bad End.

Result & Reward

With the loggers freed, they can assist in destroying the ever-growing vine wall that blocks the path to the Corrupted Garden. Upon completing the quest, Garret can be regularly encountered at The Frost Hound.
If Hethia was defeated in combat, her Whitewood Bow is the Champion's for the taking. It should be noted that the bow can be returned to her later on.

Parley Spoiler

Spoiler

For those unwilling to carefully choose through the Parley conversation battle, this diagram will show the correct path.