Origin Story 4: Dwarf Rogue (Dwarf Commoner)

Origin Story 4: Dwarf Rogue (Dwarf Commoner)

Default Male Name: Faren
Default Female Name: Natia

As the story opens you are treated to a CS that tells you a little about where you are, and what your life is like in the Dwarven city.  As a castless person, you are less than the lowest of the low, but hey look on the bright side, it can only get better from here, right? 

Being the victim is never a pleasant thing, but being forced to witness your sister filling that role?  The task that he has for your sister is simple enough - she is supposed to hunt down a noble and get with child - that being the quickest way up the social ladder for those who have not got even a finger-hold to begin with.  Not a very pleasant thought, eh?

Your sister seems to have something going - but you have yet to learn what your days work is - so say goodbye to your sister and head on out to discover what it is that Beraht needs you to do today!  Actually, before you go why not do a little looting here first - you never know what you will be facing out there and a few poultices and a dagger might just come in handy!

Attitude Ajustment

After you exit the chamber you get a brief CS  during which he demonstrates that he has a lot less respect for you and your sister than you think he should.

As your conversation progresses you learn that Beraht wants you two to hunt down a smuggler named Oskias who has been making deals behind Beraht's back, and hiding the profits from those deals with the surface dwellers. You need to deliver an attitude adjustment to this non-to-reliable partner in crime, but first you have to locate him!

As there is not much to do here in the slums, go ahead and head for the zone exit to the Commons - where you will enter the City of Orzammar.  Now would be a good time to check out the Codex entries that you have gained so far - one on the City, and one on your class, the Castless.  You can also re-read the conversation that you just had if you are unclear as to what you are doing - and who you are looking for.

On the left as you enter the Commons is a merchant named Olinda - go ahead and have a chat with her and then take a look at her goods.  You don't really need to buy anything now, but she is a good place to sell the loot you get, and the things you do not need, so remember her!

Tapster's Tavern

The first stop on our search for the smuggler, Tapster's Tavern is almost directly across from Olinda's stall.  And look! There sitting at a table in the Tavern is Oskias! 

Let's have a seat and a chat with the little worm - who seems very surprised to be receiving a visit such as ours.  Once we clue him in on the reason for our chat, he makes a not-too-subtle attempt at bribing us, but you can probably figure out why that would not be a good idea.  The question is do we kill him now or later?

For a cheating smuggler he is pretty responsive with information - so you may as well get as much of that out of him first before you decide how to deal with him - and if you are like me, how you deal with him is simple enough: you separate his head from his body!

With Oskias dead, you can chat with your partner Leske, but he is just going to remind you that you need to get the Lurium, back to Beraht before he starts wondering what you have been doing, so it is off to Beraht we go!

Beraht's Shop

After you exit the Tavern turn right and head along the street to Beraht's shop, where you are treated to a brief CS in which some political intrigue is discussed, and then Beraht demands that you report on your mission. 

You have a choice here - you can turn over all of the lyrium you took off of Oskias and report his death, or you can try to keep some of it.  It is your call, but in the interest of speeding things along I just gave him all of it and told him that Oskias is dead.  His response was to tell us about the Proving and the Grey Wardens - and Beraht outlines his plans to take bets - and make bets - on the fights.

Basically he wants you to help Everd, the fighter he has bet on, to win the Proving.  You need to find Everd, learn who he is to fight against, and then use the drugs that Beraht gave you to modify the odds in his favor.  Sounds simple enough, right?

Make sure that you ask where the proving is so you get the pass from Beraht, then head north to the Proving grounds, and go to the Fighter's Quarters, under the stands.

The Proving Grounds

At the entrance there is a Proving Ground Guard you need to speak to and show your pass in order to enter - and once you manage that, you are on your own...  Just kidding!

As you are moving through the chamber Leske notices Duncan, the Grey Warden, and dares you to go over and say hello - so of course you do!  Unlike the locals, Duncan is a lot friendlier, and seems almost happy to be chatting with us.  Since he is here, and we are here, we may as well pump him for some information, right?  That brief conversation nets us a chunk of new Codex entries, and lays the groundwork for what is to come, but I am sure you figured that out already :)

Before you move on head back to the first pillar in the middle - there is a Dwarven carving there that you can examine for a Codex entry.  Do that, and then head for the open passage - just follow the white arrow - where you find Everd.  Oh man, this guy is blitzed!  He will not be fighting anything by the porcelain throne! 

Leske was going to suggest that you go up into the stands and start a rock slide to cover up this mess, but he likes your idea better - you put on Everd's armor and fight in his place.  You vow to win by skill alone, refusing to use the drug, and then open the armor chest and climb into the armor (equip it) and head for the fight!

Your first fight is with Officer Mainar. That fight was pretty easy, but you are not done yet - now you get to fight Adalbo - and again the fight went a lot easier than I would have thought.  Your next opponent is a woman!  Lenba is her name, and I think she plans to kill you!

Taking down an opponent who is fighting case - sword and dagger - is not an easy task, but you make it look really easy mate!  Finally you are to fight the fourth and final bout - but then Everd shows up screaming that you are wearing his armor!

After you remove your helmet, the feces implodes upon the rotary cooling device, and while Duncan protests, the Proving Master is convinced that you need to be made to pay for your insult to the honor of his Proving!  The Master, it seems, wins out, because the next CS finds us in a cell, as prisoner and not as Champion.

Beraht's Hideout

Leske is also locked up - and he fills you in on what has happened.  A visit from Jarvia fills in the rest - you are not in the official jail, you are Beraht's prisoner, and he intends to kill you for the disgrace that you have caused for him - and the money you lost him.

A guard approaches and I am starting to feel like I am in a spaghetti western - but what the heck - you should lure him near and then crush his skull,  grab the cell door key and his battle ax and then free yourself and Leske.  There is a chest nearby with our kit in it - go ahead and grab that now and equip your kit.

Clearly it is time to have you an escape, so make for the door and into the Roads, where you find another door and beyond that a trap!  After you take out the thugs there are three lootable containers so loot those and then continue on, taking out the next two groups of thugs.  Remember to loot the bodies and containers before you go through the nearby door, but go through it you must!

The groups of thugs are getting larger I noticed, but that is okay, it just gets us more XP!  After you take them out, loot their bodies and the containers - one of which has a better pair of gloves than the ones you are presently wearing, so go ahead and equip them now.

The open door to the tunnel on the right leads to a dead-end with a chest, and you can loot another ax from that chest, but then you need to backtrack and go through the next door.

Beraht is standing in the next chamber giving your sister away to his cohorts - and the fight ensues!  You knew that this was leading up to a boss fight, right?

Beraht has a Dwarven Warrior Belt on him so loot that and equip it after your chat with Leske, and then  loot the chests in the room nearby before you head into the next tunnel - the exit that opens onto Beraht's Shop.

The Commons

As soon as you exit the shop you are confronted by a unit of the guards, and ordered to surrender.  Duncan is here, and your admission that you slain  Beraht has impressed both the leader of the guards AND Duncan!

As you stand stunned, Duncan makes you a formal offer to become a Grey Warden.  The guardsman protests, but hey, we knew this had to happen, right?  Leske is proud,

You have now completed the Dwarven Commoner Origin Story.  Go ahead and skip to Part 2 of the Walkthrough now, and pick up the story in Ostagar!