Bastard of Kosigan: Exile of the West Walkthrough - Part IV

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Prinzen Stadt, Köln: The City of Cologne, Part I

All facets of the campaign step up a gear once you reach Cologne. The interwoven questing is non-linear and exploration is fairly open. There are lots of people to talk to and loads of entertaining dialogue to sift through. The order I take is just what I chose; it isn't the only way to go about things.

Big "M" = Merchant

Small "M" = Derich appears here when you complete his quest.

Ok so, lets meet up with our ol' pal Frederick (this quest has been in my journal since the start of the campaign.)

From your starting position at the southern gate, head north to the Palace of the Prince of Cologne and show the Captain of the Guard Frederick's Seal to gain admittance.

Head north and the chamberlain will direct you. In the throne room Prince Frederick will greet you and ask you to speak with his father, Prince Karl von Köln, about some issues they're having (Completed Quest: Rendezvous with Frederick, +30 Exp).

Prince Karl will thank you for helping Frederick in the forest and offer a purse full of gold as a reward; I declined (+500 Exp). He will then request three things of you:

• Investigate the disappearance of children from the lower districts of Cologne (Quest: The Disappearances of the Children)
• Investigate the missing armament-industry caravans north of Cologne (Quest: The Missing Caravans)
• Rid Cologne of the Inquisition. This last quest is not given in the journal at this point (oversight) but it pops up as Convincing the Inquisition to Leave when you speak to the Bishop, later.

Note: There is a Bard standing here, Kert the Minstrel. You can give him 500 GP - or not. You can also pick pocket him for Hummer (harp, Light [1] unlimited/day, Magic Missile [3] unlimited/day, Bard only). This can be sold to Meredoc Sorn in the Low Quarter for about 1,200 GP.

Most of this post is given over to The Missing Caravans quest, but first I want to get Yannia's staff for her.

Just south of the Palace you will see Yannia's House. Use the key she gave you to enter and you will disrupt a raid on the premises by soldiers of the Inquisition, who will attack you on-sight. Slay them and head upstairs (one of the Inquisitors has kindly "disabled" the trap for you; thank his corpse as you step over it).

A pentagram is inscribed on the floor, trapped with paralyzing acid. Slay the three guardian specters hovering about.

Loot the armoire and remains on the floor for trivial treasures. The bookshelf contains a Healer's Hit +6, Cloth Dye - Pink, Feathers, Giant Bee Venom - Mild, Magic Bottle (x10) and Blue Light Gem. Whoop de doo... The old chest holds scrolls of Horrid Wilting and Inferno. The rest is random.

Under Yannia's bed is a trapped trapdoor holding what you're looking for: Yannia's Staff and Yannia's Provisions (plus a bag of rubies and 123 GP).

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(Outside Yannia's house is an old ruined wagon behind stacks of crates. If you destroy the wagon a manhole will be revealed that leads down to the sewers. I'm leaving the sewers until later).

Return to the waterfall cave and give Yannia her staff and provisions (Completed Quest: Retrieve Yannia's Staff, +500 Exp).

You will notice that Willie is gone. Persuade Yannia to reveal her location as being Cologne (+400 Exp). Willie has gone to Cologne to recruit a member to replace Karen for their ritual of power (which requires five members to perform). The ritual involves ancient magic that will give the witches the power of Ancient Gods for one lunar revolution, long enough to eliminate the Inquisition. The Stein sisters learned of the ritual from ancient writings they stole a few years ago from the Vatican: The Forbidden Works. In addition to five witches the ritual requires dark energy (so must be performed in an ancient ruin) and catalytic objects (artifacts from the ancient ruins noted for their resonating properties) (Quest: Information About the Ritual, +150 Exp), (Quest: The Quest for the Catalytic Objects, +200 Exp).

You already have four catalytic objects that can be found: Ancient Bracers of Fire Resistance (+1,000 Exp, 5,000 GP), Ancient Object (+1,000 Exp, 2,000 GP), Ancient Statue (+200 Exp) and Ancient Fishing Pole (+1,000 Exp, 6,000 GP) You may like to keep the bracers, as fire resistance is extremely useful. I don't know the location of the others; it seems Yannia does not want the Ancient Gold Piece... I'm assuming the Cardinal's library chest may hold at least one of them, but I can't access it.

Yannia also reveals that Cardinal de Las Casas is a powerful sorcerer also in possession of The Forbidden Works and that he, too, seeks to carry out the ritual with the help of Black Monk acolytes created through the Dark Arts (Completed Quest: Information about Cardinal de Las Casas, +1000 Exp).

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So, then! It's a race between the witches and the Cardinal to see who will perform the ritual first. It seems at this point it could go either way, with the player tipping the balance.

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Ok, it's time to investigate The Missing Caravans for Prince Karl. Remember, he told us to inquire at the blacksmith, first.

Return to Cologne and make your way to the blacksmith in the southwest, Stannis Göwald. He fears the worst, that the missing caravans are no accident. His brother was also party to one of the convoys. Stannis has no solid leads for you to follow, but read on to see how this quest develops!

Inform him of Derich's broken axle and Stannis will leave to fix it when you agree to cover for his absence by meeting Armand du Prince on his behalf at Frantz's Place (Quest: Help Stannis).

Note: Trade with Stannis before he leaves to help Derich because a bug will prevent you trading with him for the rest of the adventure!

The inn is not marked on the map, grr; it is located just west of The Cathedral of Cologne, vines growing on its facade.

Franzt's Place

In the common room you will overhear an exchange between a Man in Black and a Half-orc wearing armor. When the hulk leaves - note how he reacts to seeing you - speak with Armand. Armand is disagreeable even if you pass the Charisma check (+150 Exp). Flanking him is Diane Keneheim, his bodyguard. She remains silent.

Hang around for a bit until Armand orders his Page to pick up provisions from the marketplace. Follow the Page there.

Before leaving you will see an Old Knight drinking beer, Knight Manfred of High-Königsbourg. You may recruit him as a Henchman, if you like. He has 12s in almost every stat; a typical beer-drinker.

Catch up with the Page at Gotterdam Platz: Marketplace and question him about his master, Armand. You will learn that Armand leads a band of twenty mercs who attack caravans transporting mithril and adamantine. He is building a forge to make weapons (that's why he wants Stannis). The merc campsite is located on the Duke of Würtenberg's land, the Duke "unofficially" supporting the mercs in an effort to weaken Cologne. You will also learn the name of the Half-orc: Mordred, a representative of the King of France (+510 convo Exp).

Ok, it's time to meet Stannis in Wolfswald, to tell him what we know.

Pass a Herculean Strength check to fix the wagon (+100 Exp) and tell Stannis that Armand heads up a band of mercs, mercs that attacked a convoy his brother was in (Completed Quest: Help Stannis, +300 Exp, 300 GP). Stannis will be majorly pissed and head back to Cologne to confront Armand (the confrontation never occurs due to a bug).

Then, Derich will thank you and also leave for Cologne; you can find him again at the marketplace with his inventory refreshed (Completed Quest: Help Derich, +0 Exp, 200 GP).

Return to the Palace and inform Prince Karl of what you have learned about the situation (+200 Exp, 2,000 GP). He will request you deal with the mercs however you see fit, and give you a Letter of Authorization to leave Cologne via the northern gate.

Take the northern gate to The Northern Road and continue heading - you guessed it - north!

Farther Along the Northern Road

You will arrive to see the aftermath of a caravan attack. A dwarf calls out for help; he is fighting veteran mercs all by himself. Two mercs are perched up on a ledge, firing down arrows and fireballs at you. It's on! The sharpshooter is Diane Keneheim, the girl from the inn.

Help Drolin Duruin slay them, and fight Diane until she surrenders. When she does, question her (+350 Exp).

Much of what she says is already known to you, but note the Placeholder for Storyline 1 item you receive during the convo: it seems the Half-orc intermediary (Mordred) - or who and what he represents - may be significant to you, personally, in future episodes.

Let Diane go for +300 Exp and then loot the corpses of the fallen mercs.

• Dreppi Schrent: Ring of Elemental Resistance (Resist Acid, Cold, Fire, Elect 5/-).
• Tommy Tam: Armor of Lightning (Elect resist 10/-, Hide +5).
• The Veteran Mercenary and Man Eater orc have no loot.

If you choose to kill Diane: +385 Exp, Tunic of Agility (Cat's Grace [3] 1/day, SR 10), Composite Longbow +2 (Attack +2, Mighty 2, Massive Criticals 2), Acid Arrows (x20, +1d6 Acid, on-hit DC-16 Blindness).

Persuade Drolin to temporarily join you in taking on Armand and the merc camp (+50 Exp). Drolin is from Enibelungen, the dwarven city to the north that mines the mithril and adamantine. He's pretty useful as a Cleric (7) / Rogue (7), but watch out for his party-unfriendly spells on D&D Hardcore rules. (Drolin may also be killed off for +385 Exp.)

Note: There is a moss-covered Old Forgotten Chest in the southeast holding a Brooch of Protection (Stoneskin [7] single use) and a bottle of wine: Golden Gerwuzstraminer made in 1352.

There is also a Pink Moonflower Plant in the northeast from which you may pluck a Pink Moonflower (Globe of Invulnerability [11], single use).

Merc Camp

You will spy the merc camp on the other side of the cliff. Several named mercs are standing guard, but don't take them out just yet!

Instead, enter the large tent and persuade Nelor S'Valian Zao-Chan to let you into the forge to meet Armand (+250 Exp).

Drop down the trapdoor.

Underground Forge

Surprisingly, Armand du Prince will accuse you of being a spy for Duke Phillipe of Burgundy. It seems a fight is inevitable, but persuade him to tell you why he feels he must kill you. He will respond that it's a family matter (something about Kosigan) and that you're in over your head and it's time for you to die (Placeholder for Storyline 2, +300 Exp).

Goodbye Mister Bond! Err... I mean Lord Carradine!

Slay the jerk and his five mercs, prioritizing the dwarven sorcerer who fires fear from his wand.

Relieve their corpses of loot.

• Armand du Prince (+273 Exp): key, Dagger of Deceit (Attack Bonus +2, +1 Acid, on-hit DC-14 Blindness, Daze & Stun, Chaotic only), Multidagger (Attack Bonus +2, Acid, Bludgeoning, Electrical +1d4).
• Rulinus Strinfeud: Wand of Terror (Fear, Scare charges).
• Lothar ibn Ashrek: Wind of the Desert +1 (Scimitar +1, +1d6 damage).
• Frander Nakshaft: Electric Double-Bladed Sword (Attack Bonus +2, +1d6 Elect).

Use the key to open the (trapped!) steel cabinet for the Account Book, unsigned Letter and 3113 GP.

Loot the rest of the forge for Armor of Red Light (heavy armor, Armor Bonus +2, Imm: Daze, Str +1), Mithril Shield (tower shield, AC Shield Modifier +2, -60% weight), Mithril Armor (x2, Armor Bonus +2, -40% weight), Mithril Helm (Deflection AC +2, -80% weight), and three units of pure Adamantine.

Let the Gnome Blacksmith go; he is irrelevant (+50 Exp). Save the Page and let him tag along for now (+20 Exp, Good +2).

Head back up to the tent and you can choose to let the mercs go, take them out, or a bit of both. Experience yield is far greater if you let them go (+1,400 Exp) but you will miss out on their loot. It's up to you. Note that Derek can be intimidated into giving you info about Kosigan for +350 Exp; then you can slay him for an additional 385.

For your convenience, here is what the mercs drop:

• Nelor S'Valian Zao-Chan: Zao-Chan Do (katana, Attack Bonus +2, +1d6 Cold, Keen, Lawful only).
• Derek Strand: Armor of Endurance (heavy armor, Armor Bonus +2, Con +1).
• Vortiger: Dire Mace +1, Arrows of the Vampire (x18, Vamp regen +2).
• Tren Arelson: Singing Rapier (Attack Bonus +1, +1d6 Sonic), Bard's Tunic (Cha +2), Cloak of Protection (Deflection AC +1, SR 12).
• Elemaïne Djalin: Elven Armor (medium armor, Armor Bonus +3, Entropic Shield [5], 5 charges/use, -40% weight).
• Earaldor Djalin and Tommy Tom have no loot.

When all is said and done Drolin - if he's not dead - will head back to Enibelungen, grateful for your assistance.

Pro-tip: Return to Cologne via the Northern Road and you will bump into Diane Keneheim again, whom you may now recruit as a companion for 1,000 GP (Fighter [7] / Rogue [3]).

The Palace of the Prince of Cologne

Return to the Palace and report your success to Prince Karl, who will richly reward you (Completed Quest: The Missing Caravans: +2,000 Exp, 2,500 GP). He will also look after the Page (+100 Exp). You can tell Prince Frederick a little about yourself, too, but it's just for flavor.

Part V: Prinzen Stadt, Köln: The City of Cologne, Part II.

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