The Boltan Card Trick - Drakensang: The Dark Eye Quest

In this guide, you will find a map, legend, and walkthrough for the respective quest in Chapter 4 of Drakensang: The Dark Eye.

1 – The Muddy Boot
2 – Temple Ruins
3 – Crypt
4 – Old Mill

Background

You’ll receive this quest from Innkeeper Soapstone when you leave the Temple of Hesinde in Ferdok at the start of Chapter 4.

Walkthrough

Soapstone will tell you that a “no-good thief” named Thalya stole a Jewelry Case from him, and that she’s been spotted playing boltan in Moorbridge. He’ll then reason that since you’re going to Moorbridge anyway, you might as well look for the thief and the jewelry case while you’re there.

You’ll find Thalya in the Muddy Boot tavern in Moorbridge (#1). She’ll be called “rogue” there, but she’ll readily admit to being Thalya when you talk to her. However, she’ll then spin a tale involving a cursed necklace and other “unfortunate circumstances,” and she’ll make you a deal. If you agree to help her with the necklace, then she’ll give you what she stole from Soapstone.

Before you can help Thalya, you’ll have to eliminate the undead presence in the area. This will happen when you kill the necromancer at the temple ruins (#2). Then when you return to Thalya, you’ll earn 8 experience points, and she’ll begin following you.

To remove the curse on the necklace, you’ll need to escort Thalya to the crypt where she stole it from (#3), so that she can put it back. However, when you get there, you’ll discover that her robbery companion from long ago is now undead — and not at all happy that Thalya abandoned him in the crypt.

The companion, Ailric Farfara, will demand his share of the loot that Thalya stole from the crypt — 27 ducats. Since Thalya is incapable of settling the debt herself because of the curse, you’ll have to pay it for her. (The game will also make it sound like you can just leave Thalya in the crypt forever, and while that solution might seem fitting, you won’t be able to complete the quest that way, and so it’s not a great option.)

Pick Pocketing Note: Ailric has a pick pocketing difficulty of 100, which means that you’ll never be able to rob him. However, if you try, he’ll appreciate the effort and give you a (worthless) Lucky Charm.

When you pay Ailric the 27 ducats, he’ll break the curse, which will cause the necklace to vanish and him to die. You’ll also earn 15 experience points. Then Thalya will promise to meet you at the tavern (#1) to pay you what she owes, and she’ll leave the crypt. But before leaving yourself, you should loot Ailric’s corpse, where you’ll find Farfara’s Rapier.

When you reach the tavern, you’ll receive 5 experience points, but you’ll discover that Thalya just robbed Innkeeper Pebblebeer and then fled to the Old Mill (#4). When you follow her there, you’ll receive 10 experience points, and Thalya will give you her remaining swag — 10 ducats, 2 thalers, and Innkeeper Soapstone’s Jewelry Case. If you complain to her about receiving stolen money, then she’ll promise to visit you in Ferdok someday and pay you what she owes, but you’ll never see her again.

To complete the quest, you’ll just need to return the stolen goods. When you give Innkeeper Pebblebeer his money back (10 ducats and 2 thalers), he’ll reward you with a Valuable Gold Chain that he found in Thalya’s room, plus 12 thalers. You’ll also receive 10 experience points.

If you examine the chain, then you’ll recognize that it belongs to Innkeeper Soapstone. So when you finally return to Wagoner’s Home in Ferdok and visit Soapstone in the Serene Sow, you’ll have a choice. If you give Soapstone the Jewelry Case but not the chain, then he’ll reward you with 95 farthings and 5 experience points, and you’ll be able to sell the chain for 825 farthings. If you give Soapstone the case and the chain, then he’ll reward you with 325 farthings and 50 experience points.

1 – The Muddy Boot

2 – Temple Ruins

3 – Crypt

4 – Old Mill