Dissent is a companion quest for Anders in Dragon Age II acquired after finishing Visit Anders and Blackpowder Courtesy.
Walkthrough
Speak with Anders at his clinic. He will tell of Ser Alrik's misuse of the Rite of Tranquility. He asks you to accompany him to a secret entrance to the Gallows Dungeon, a basement of The Gallows in Darktown. He suspects Ser Alrik of plotting something called "The Tranquil Solution"--turning all mages in Thedas into Tranquil. His goal in infiltrating the Gallows is to obtain evidence of this plot and expose it to the Grand Cleric so she can no longer claim neutrality in the matter.
As usual, the amount of friendship or rivalry points you receive depends on each choice of response you make while talking to Anders in his clinic regarding this quest. Since friendship or rivalry points effectively cancel each other out, the total amount at the end is tallied and you are only shown the end result of your choices. They can be broken down into each specific gain below:
- (Note: There appears to be a cap of no more than 15 points of friendship or rivalry gain for Sebastian for this conversation. i.e. If your total reaches above 15 in either direction, only 15 is counted.)
2nd choice:
- "They wouldn't do that."
Sebastian: friendship (+5) - "You're crazy."
- "We must stop them."
Sebastian: rivalry (+10)
3rd choice:
- "Not all templars are that bad." Sebastian: friendship (+5)
- "What are they, bored?"
Sebastian: friendship (+5) - "Do you have a plan?" Sebastian: rivalry (+5)
4th choice:
- "Of course, I'll help." Anders: friendship (+5) Sebastian: rivalry (+5)
- "Isn't this dangerous?" (If you ask about "Tranquil Solution" first, this will be unavailable. This can be chosen before deciding to accept or refuse the quest and has no change on Sebastian's or Anders' approval.)
- "You're on your own." Sebastian: friendship (+10) Anders: rivalry (+15)
Investigating details of the "run-in" opens up the Codex entry: The Mage Underground.
Note that refusing to do the quest means you cannot access the quest at all (You can access the quest by going to the Gallows Dungeon at the southernmost part of Darktown - even though it shows as complete in your journal); unlike some other quests, this one is skippable. As there is an armor upgrade for Anders, a Spindleweed, a Deep Mushroom and a codex entry from the Band of Three found during the quest, it may not be wise to refuse, even when trying to rival Anders.
Upon entering the tunnel, you're attacked by lyrium smugglers; Anders comments that the tunnel was built by the smugglers so that they could service the lyrium addictions of the Templars.
There are two complex chests in the tunnel, so you may want to bring a rogue who can unlock those chests. The location will remain accessible until you loot the papers off of Sir Alrik's body.
Ser Alrik and Ella
At the end of the tunnel, you come upon a mage girl named Ella in the act of sneaking out of the Circle. She's just been caught by Ser Alrik himself, along with some templars. She says she's just going to visit her mother, but Ser Alrik reveals that he has a very dubious personal motive for making mages Tranquil. As Anders watches the injustice take place, Justice takes control of his body and launches an assault on the templars. A fight ensues. Varric will have a comment here if you choose the Humorous line.
Anders under Justice's control
After they're all dead, Justice will threaten Ella as well. Calm him down with the special "star" dialogue option that appears (this will only be available after achieving friendship or rivalry). Any other dialogue choice leads to Ella's death.
- If Ella escapes unharmed:
- Fenris: friendship (+5)
- Sebastian: friendship (+15)
- Anders: friendship (+15) Anders: rivalry (+15) (Dependant on friendship or rivalry)
- If Ella dies:
- Fenris: rivalry (+10)
- Sebastian: rivalry (+10)
Afterward, you find a note on Ser Alrik showing that he was indeed plotting "The Tranquil Solution" but that both Knight-Commander Meredith and the Divine refused his idea.
Before leaving the area, be sure to pick up an armor upgrade for Anders in one of the crates west of the exit. Also, there is an Enigma of Kirkwall note for the Band of Three quest nearby.
When you return to Darktown, you are immediately approached by Ella if she is still alive.
- If you choose either non-aggressive answer and tell Ella to go somewhere safe;
- Fenris: rivalry (+10),
- Sebastian: rivalry (+5).
- If you choose either non-aggressive answer and tell Ella go back to the Circle;
- Fenris: friendship (+10),
- Sebastian: friendship (+5).
- If you choose the aggressive answer and tell Ella to go back to the Circle;
- Fenris: friendship (+20),
- Sebastian: friendship (+10).
Choosing the aggressive answer and telling Ella to go somewhere safe will result in no change for Fenris or Sebastian.
Optionally, at the end of the quest you can confront Grand Cleric Elthina in the Chantry ( Anders: friendship (+5)) and Cullen in The Gallows by presenting the note to them.
If Hawke did not bring Bethany to the Deep Roads and she went to the Circle at the end of Act 1, telling Ella to return to the Circle will prompt her to say that maybe Bethany was right and the Circle isn't so bad.
Result
Talk to Anders again at his clinic in Darktown to complete the quest. Dialog choices allow Hawke to:
- Calm Anders and show him the papers found on Ser Otto Alrik's body. Anders is relieved since this means the plan has not been put into action. He wonders if the Grand Cleric might be more reasonable than he thought and plans to try speaking to her (up to Anders: friendship (+30) depending on dialogue choices).
- Confront him and tell him to leave; he will no longer be available as a companion. From this decision Sebastian gains Sebastian: friendship (+10) but Merrill or Fenris will not be affected. (Note that after the battle with Ser Alrik ends, you will not have access to Anders' inventory, thus any gear he has equipped leaves with him if you choose this dialogue option, unless you quickly click on his approval change upon leave to bring his panel and subsequently press "I" to open his inventory.)
- Confront him and tell him to stay. Anders will ask if evidence was found about Ser Otto Alrik's plan, Hawke will show him the letter which results in him wondering about speaking to the Grand Cleric Elthina. Anders: rivalry (+20). Possible to gain Anders: rivalry (+35) by choosing all agressive options throughout the course of the quest. If you only choose the aggressive options when confronting him, you still will only receive Anders: rivalry (+20).
Both options may affect other companions' friendship/rivalry status as well.
- 1000 XP - after talking with Anders
Notes
- If you are seeking the Supplier achievement, be sure to grab the Deep Mushroom and Spindleweed in the Gallows Dungeon. Also, do not send Anders away, as doing so will lock his Justice quest in ACT III, which in turn locks out from an area where you would receive a Deep Mushroom.
- If you are seeking the Archaeologist achievement, be sure to grab the Enigma of Kirkwall codex entry after the battle with Alrik.
- If he doesn't already have it, Anders will get his Vengeance ability for free after completion of the quest.
- If you want to return to loot or open some chests, simply leave Ser Alrik's letter in place. This will leave the passage accessible until later, (since the quest will be incomplete).
- In order to receive the armor upgrade for Anders do not begin this quest until you have a rogue with 30+ Cunning for lockpicking. The armor is contained in a "Complex" locked chest and you will be unable to re-enter the area a second time. (On PS3 and X360 it isn't in a "complex" locked chest (fixed as of 1.03 patch on PC, with upgrade now in an unlocked crate).
- Talk to Grand Cleric Elthina after finding Ser Alril's letter to get a unique dialogue option asking her about it.
- Don't forget to LOOT the Fine Dwarven Trousers from a dwarf mercenary nearby after the first wave of enemies for The One True Pantaloons
Trivia
- "The Tranquil Solution" is likely a reference to the "Final Solution". This was the most deadly phase of the Holocaust in World War II.
- If Carver became a templar, he mentions "a permanent solution" some in the Templar Order argue for in his letter to Hawke.