Origins | Ostagar | Lothering | Circle Tower | Warden's Keep (DLC) | Return to Ostagar (DLC) | Stone Prisoner (DLC) | Brecilian Forest | Redcliffe | The Urn of Sacred Ashes | Orzammar | Deep Roads | Denerim | Final Onslaught |
TO DENERIM
Zevran's Past
Now is a good time for me to chat Zevran up. The more approval I have with him, the more likely he will side with me during an encounter with another Antivan Crow that will happen very soon. By way of advice, avoid being judgmental regarding his past or his lifestyle to avoid taking reputation hits. There's a certain last mission that he won't speak of, at least not until later.
Dwarven Army
I now travel to Redcliffe Castle. I come across Dwarven Soldiers locked in battle with Darkspawn on the way there as a random encounter. Many of the Darkspawn are on the right, so Wynne obliges with an Inferno-based Grease Fire on the right side. It becomes a matter of mowing them down physically after.
Calling the Landsmeet
I bring news of all the treaty quests being fulfilled to Arl Eamon. He then brings the party to Denerim, whereupon a tense verbal confrontation with Teyrn Loghain ensues.
Rescue the Queen
I am now in Arl Eamon's estate. I go around collecting all the Codex entries and xp bonuses that I can. Arl Eamon will be in the southeast corner of the estate. Once I go there, an Elven maid named Erlina informs me that Queen Anora is being held captive by Arl Howe. I have a new quest, to rescue the Queen.
Taliesen
I bring Zevran into my party this time. He's going to be an obligatory party member for my next confrontation as it is. That fact also means I have to drop one of my usual party members. Wynne and her healing abilities are indispensable. It boils down to a choice between Alistair and Leliana. I go with Leliana, since her Captivating Song can end up making the difference in a large scale battle such as this.
I then travel to any other neighbourhood on the Denerim map, and this leads to a Back Alley random encounter. I have Leliana summon and script her Blight Wolf. I move ahead, and run into another Antivan Crow named Taliesen. Zevran will become an obligatory party member at this point, whether or not I had included him beforehand. If my approval with Zevran had been low, he would have joined Taliesen in the attack against me. If it had been middling, I would have to use a Persuasion check to convince him to take my side. My approval with Zevran is high though, so there's no issue about whether or not he'll help me against Taliesen.
There are quite a few leghold traps at the base of the stairs, so I retreat with the intention of having the Assassins come after me and away from the traps. Leliana activates her Captivating Song once the party gets surrounded. Zevran uses a carefully placed Frost Bomb on several assassins. He thereafter seeks out any opportunities for backstabbing that he can find. Once the melee assassins are dead, Aldarion, Leliana and Wynne take down the archers one by one with their own missile fire. Taliesen leaves behind the Gloves of Guile (+2.5 armor penetration), but I already have better for both Leliana and Zevran.
It is afterwards that Zevran is willing to explain his last mission before leaving Antiva for Ferelden, and Taliesen's involvement.
Now it is time to do some jobs for the Antivan Crows. It is best to do those quests before I kill Arl Howe and rescue the Queen.