This guide will walk you through “Denerim Market District”, in Dragon Age: Origins. We will go through how to go through this area, as well as any secrets you can find.
Map
Denerim Market District
Inside the Market District you’ll meet lots of people who will give you lots of quests, but the only reason to visit this area for the main questline is to track down Brother Genitivi so you can find out what he might know about the Urn of Sacred Ashes. However, when you get to his house (#20), you’ll discover that he isn’t there, and his assistant Weylon won’t know much other than that Genitivi was heading for the Lake Calenhad Docks.
If you’re cunning enough, then you’ll realize that Weylon is lying. Otherwise, you’ll have to travel to the Lake Calenhad Docks and talk to the innkeeper in the Spoiled Princess inn. The innkeeper will get very nervous when you ask him about Genitivi. With a little prompting he’ll admit that something is going on, and that “they’re watching me.” Then when you exit the tavern, you’ll get ambushed by a half dozen cultists, including a “yellow” cultist leader. They won’t drop much when they die.
When you confront Weylon about his lies, he’ll attack you — and probably die pretty quickly. Then when you explore the rest of Brother Genitivi’s house, you’ll discover Genitivi’s Research in a chest, and it will direct you to the Village of Haven. You’ll also find the corpse of the real Weylon.
1 – Blood Mage Doors
You’ll need to mark these doors for the quest “Blood of Warning“.
2 – Marjolaine’s House
This house is involved in the quest “Leliana’s Past“.
3 – Sara
Sara is involved in the quest “Notices of Death“.
4 – Sister Theochild and Mother Perpetua
If you talk to the sisters then you’ll gain the Magic and Religion codex entry for The Chant of Light: Redemption.
5 – Chanter’s Board
You can pick up six quests from the chanter’s board: “Back Alley Justice“, “Desperate Haven“, “Fazzil’s Request“, “Loghain’s Push“, “Missing in Action“, and “Skin Deep“.
6 – Sister Justine
Sister Justine is the curator of the rectory of the chantry. She’s involved in the quest “Forgotten Verses“.
7 – Well
The well is involved in the quest “Solving Problems“.
8 – Lee Bloodrake
Lee is involved in the quest “Solving Problems“. He’ll only show up for his part in the quest.
9 – Mages’ Collective Liaison / Bag
You can pick up three quests from the bag: “Blood of Warning“, “Have You Seen Me?“, and “The Scrolls of Banastor“.
10 – Slim Couldry
If your main character has the Stealing skill or the Stealth talent, then a fence named Slim Couldry will show up here and give you the quest “Crime Wave“.
11 – Goldanna’s House
Goldanna is involved in the quest “Alistair’s Family“.
12 – Wade’s Emporium
You’ll meet Herrin (at the counter) and Wade (at the forge) inside the emporium. Herrin will sell you the armor pieces that Wade creates. You won’t find much available early in the game, but after gaining two allies for the Grey Wardens, Herrin’s selection will include The Felon’s Coat and Evon the Great’s Mail. Meanwhile, Wade will take any Drake Scales or Dragon Scales that you find, and use them to fashion special pieces of armor for you. See the quest entry for Drake Scale Armor for details about what you can receive.
You’ll also find a Love Letter in the locked chest in the shop. You’ll need Love Letters for the quest “Correspondence Interruptus“.
13 – Sergeant Kylon
Kylon will recognize you as a Warden, but he won’t exactly rush to arrest you. If you ask him if he needs any help, then he’ll give you the quest “Pearls before Swine.” He’ll tell you that the White Falcon mercenaries are causing problems in the Pearl, and he’ll ask you to drive them out without killing anybody.
You’ll have three ways of dealing with the mercenaries. If you’re persuasive, then you can convince them to leave through dialogue. If you attack them, then you can let them leave when they surrender, and perhaps confiscate their gold (worth 2 sovereigns). Or you can attack them and then finish them off.
When you leave the Pearl to report in to Sergeant Kylon, you’ll be stopped in the city streets. If you killed the mercenaries, then Kylon will be angry with you. He’ll refuse to give you a reward, and he’ll no longer wish to deal with you. If you want to, you can take the opportunity to attack Kylon and his men, but they won’t drop anything noteworthy when they die.
If you dealt with the mercenaries without killing anybody, then when you encounter Kylon in the city streets, he’ll be happy with you, but you’ll get ambushed by about a dozen White Falcon mercenaries, including their leader Cristof. Cristof will drop the axe Aodh when he dies, and picking it up will give you the Items codex entry for Aodh. Kylon will also reward you with 2 sovereigns.
After dealing with the White Falcon mercenaries, if Kylon is still happy with you, then he’ll give you the quest “The Crimson Oars,” which will be about the same as his previous quest, except that it will deal with the Crimson Oars mercenaries in the Gnawed Noble Tavern (#21). Kylon will also encourage you to use violence this time. “Denerim won’t miss a few dead mercenaries.”
When you reach the Crimson Oars mercenaries, you’ll have two ways of dealing with them — persuasion and violence — but it won’t make any difference which you choose this time. After dealing with the mercenaries, when you return to Kylon, he’ll reward you with 3 sovereigns and 100 xp. Then when you talk to him again, he’ll thank you for what you’ve done for the city, and he’ll give you 4 sovereigns and 50 xp.
14 – Hooded Courier
The courier is involved in the quest “Grease the Wheels“.
15 – Knight-Commander Tavish
Tavish is involved in a pair of quests: “Justice Must Be Served” and “Defying the Collective“.
16 – Market Stalls
You’ll meet a few people of interest in and around the market stalls:
- Cesar and Master Ignacio. You’ll find them working together in one of the stalls. Cesar will sell you a variety of objects (including some poison recipes), and Ignacio will talk to you about Antiva. After leaving the stall (and after the plot has moved far enough along), Ignacio will leave the stall for the Gnawed Noble Tavern (#21), and then shortly after that you’ll be invited by a street urchin to meet with him there. See the quest entry for “The Trial of Crows” for more information.
Also, near Cesar on a crate you’ll find a book that will give you the Books and Songs codex entry for The Noladar Anthology of Dwarven Poetry.
- Fayd the Apprentice. He’s involved in the quest “Notice of Termination“.
- Habren. She’s not involved in any quests, but you’ll be able to steal a Tiara from her.
- Liselle. She’s not involved in any quests, and you won’t be able to buy anything from her.
You’ll also find four locked chests around the stalls. Two of them can be picked open normally. The other two are involved in the quest “Crime Wave“.
17 – Gorim
Gorim will sell you a variety of dwarven gear, including Gorim’s Sword, Gorim’s Shield, and a Manual: Berserker. If you started the game as a dwarven noble, then the two of you will recognize each other, and Gorim will give you the Aeducan Family Shield, plus a letter from your father (which will unlock the Notes codex entry for A Letter from King Endrin). Gorim will also give you a 20% discount on some of the items in his shop, and he’ll buy items from you at twice the normal amount.
Note: After gaining two allies for the Grey Wardens, Gorim will improve his selection.
18 – Ser Landry
Ser Landry will recognize you from Ostagar — but not in a good way, and he’ll demand a duel. If you’re persuasive or intimidating, then you’ll be able to convince him to leave you alone. Otherwise, you’ll trigger the quest “Honor Bound,” and you’ll have to fight him near the entrance to Wonders of Thedas (#22). When you get there, you’ll have a choice: to duel Landry as intended, or to have your entire party attack his entire party. It won’t make much of a difference which you choose. Either way you’ll earn a small amount of xp and find an Engraved Mace on Landry’s corpse.
19 – Grey Warden Poster
From the poster you’ll learn that “the hidden pearl holds the key” and “the griffons will rise again.” You’ll need this information to open a door in the Pearl.
20 – Brother Genitivi’s House
Besides meeting Weylon here, you can also pick up the codex entries for Chantry Hierarchy, Dragon Cults, and The History of the Chantry: Chapter 3. You’ll also find a Steel Symbol of Andraste, which is a good gift for Leliana.
21 – Gnawed Noble Tavern
You’ll meet several people of interest inside the tavern:
- Bartender. He’ll sell you some alchemy items, including the Greater Health Poultice Recipe. If you ask him if anyone needs help, then he’ll introduce you to the “favors for certain interested parties” (aka rogue) quests: “Correspondence Interruptus“, “Negotiation Aids“, and “Solving Problems“.
- Blackstone Irregulars Liaison and Box. You can pick up the quests “Notices of Death” and “Restocking the Guild from the box“.
- Crimson Oars Mercenaries. They’re involved in the quest “The Crimson Oars” (see #13).
- Edwina. She’s the owner of the tavern.
- Master Ignacio. After talking to Ignacio at the market stalls (#16), he’ll eventually move into his room here, and he’ll invite you to work for the Antivan Crows. This will trigger the quest “The Trial of Crows“.
- Sophie’s Guard. Supposedly she’s guarding Sophie’s room at the end of the hall, but she won’t notice if you break in and rob Sophie blind. Sophie’s room is one of the marks in the quest “Crime Wave“.
You can also pick up some codex entries while you’re here: Nevarra (from a book in the entry hall), Politics of Ferelden (just for entering the tavern), Rivain (from a book in Sophie’s room), and The Legend of Calenhad: Chapter 3 (from a book in Ignacio’s room).
22 – Wonders of Thedas
Inside this shop you’ll meet a tranquil proprietor, who will sell you items designed for the magically inclined, including a Ring of Ages, a Tome of Arcane Technique, Reaper’s Vestments, and more. You’ll also meet Sheth the Apprentice inside the shop. He’s involved in the quest “Notice of Termination“.
Finally, if you click on all of the books and scrolls in the shop, then you’ll learn the codex entries for Denerim, Geography of Thedas, The Aeonar, The History of the Chantry: Chapter 4, and The Qunari.
23 – Warehouse
The warehouse is involved in the quests “Crime Wave” and “Solving Problems“. You won’t be able to get into the back room of the warehouse until later in the game (after you’ve rescued Riordan from the Arl of Denerim’s Estate).
24 – Mysterious Door
This door is involved in the quest “Friends of Red Jenny“.
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