The Dragon's Dogma 2 quest, A Candle in the Storm, is one of the longest, most exhausting quests that players are likely to experience, especially if they're not willing to wait until the Flamebearer Palace Spellseal has been opened, and not willing to use Ferrystones and Portcrystals. But whether you're willing to make the most out of the Dragon's Dogma 2 fast travel system or not, the quest A Candle in the Storm has some confusing elements regardless, and ends with a choice about whether to oppose or support the Empress Nadinia in a dangerous plan that Ser Menella opposes. And even then it's not completely over, as you need to then carry out that very plan to success… but we get ahead of ourselves. For those who want to know how to get through, here's how to complete the DD2 A Candle in the Storm quest for yourself.
Dragon's Dogma 2 A Candle in the Storm quest walkthrough
The Dragon's Dogma 2 A Candle in the Storm quest can only be started after players have completed the Dragon's Dogma 2 Shadowed Prayers quest in Bakbattahl and the Flamebreaker Palace, and not only that, it seems like you have to have completed it successfully, and saved Nadinia's life.
We also recommend that you play the main story of Dragon's Dogma 2 at least until you reach the point where the Flamebearer Palace Spellseal door is opened, which is done as part of the game's main plot in the "The Guardian Gigantus" quest. You don't have to have done this, but it will make things a lot easier for yourself.
If you're doing this quest before then, we recommend that you bring two Portcrystals, placing one in Bakbattahl and one in the Volcanic Island Camp. You'll be bouncing between these two locations a lot, and frankly it's good to have Portcrystals in both settlements generally, especially Bakbattahl.
With that sorted, here's a step-by-step walkthrough on how to complete the Dragon's Dogma 2 A Candle in the Storm quest.
- To start the quest, after completing Shadowed Prayers and saving Nadinia, head to the Volcanic Island Camp and speak to Ser Menella, who's next to the Blacksmith's.
- Menalla asks you to interrogate Herman, the assassin who tried to kill Empress Nadinia.
- Head back to Bakbattahl, specifically the Gaol on the Northeast side of town. If you've done the Dragon's Dogma 2 A Veil of Gossamer Clouds quest and found the secret bridge around the back of the palace, it's on the same path as that, to the North.
- Head in and speak to Herman in his cell. You'll need to bribe him 5000G for the truth, which is that he was hired to kill Nadinia by the gang known as the Coral Snakes.
- Head back to Menella in Volcanic Island Camp and report this to her. She has a plan to lure out the Coral Snakes by pretending that you've captured Empress Nadinia and are happy to hand her over.
- To do this, you need to leak this fake info to a Coral Snake… and there's one back in the Gaol, a man named Ashe just two doors down from where Herman was. Sigh. Spend the Ferrystone to get it over with quickly if you put a Portcrystal in Bakbattahl, or make the long march back to Bakbattahl.
- Tell imprisoned Ashe "The Empress is in my Custody", and he'll say somebody will come to meet you there.
- Thank Christ, you don't have to go back to the Volcanic Island Camp, instead heading to a small house marked on your map East of Bakbattahl, where you can find Nadinia, Menella and a decoy - though the latter may not be necessary.
Should you support or oppose the Empress's proposal in Dragon's Dogma 2?
The Empress Nadinia has a proposal not to use a decoy, acting as bona fide bait for the assassin in the best hope of luring them out and getting their plan. You can choose to either support the empress's proposal or oppose it, and we definitely recommend supporting it - the rewards at the end will be greater.
After you do this, speak to Menella to fast-forward to nighttime and the commencement of the plan. The Empress will be pretending to sleep on a bed and you'll be approached by a masked Beastren - who asks you to kill the Empress.
Don't worry, you don't have to kill Nadinia, just walk up to her and unsheathe your weapon. That's enough to convince the mysterious masked figure of your loyalty, who stops you before you can do anything deadly. She reveals her grander plan, at which point Nadinia and Menella spring the trap and reveal the assassin's identity.
This path - saving the Empress's life with her proposal and getting the villain's full plan - appears to provide the greatest rewards, granting the player 25000G and a Ring of Amplification, which boosts all healing from Curatives by 10% when worn.
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