Bleak Oath

Bleak Oath [WM2]
Details
Type	Task
Quest giver	Kern
Location(s)	Stalwart Village The Gréf's Rest Whitestone Hollow Haddi's house Dyrford Village Dyrford Mill
NPCs involved	Kern Cevestin Eska
Experience gained?
XP type	Normal
XP level	28
Total XP	1,248 XP
Total ST	2.5 stronghold turn(s)
Experience breakdown Objective ID Weight XP ST 1...6 (6) 1 178 0.3571429 End state 1 180 0.3571427 TOTAL 7 1248 2.5 (XP = Experience points, ST = Stronghold turns) The experience listed is per party member, and does NOT include other bonuses, such as party size.
Outcomes and rewards
Finish the quest	2,000 from Eska 3,000 from Kern
Finish the quest	2,000 from Eska 3,000 from Kern
Technical
Quest ID	px2_05_qst_buyers_remorse

Bleak Oath is a task in The White March - Part II.

Synopsis

Angry and more than a little drunk, a Stalwart villager by the name of Kern managed to inadvertently hire a Bleak Walker paladin to resolve a long-standing feud. The matter has now escalated beyond his control.

Walkthrough

1. Start the The White March - Part II story-line.
2. Talk to Kern in the Gréf's Rest in Stalwart Village.
3. Read the spirit in Haddi's house in Whitestone Hollow to learn about Kern's son Eska in Dyrford Village.
4. Deal with Cevestin in the mill in Dyrford Village before he kills Eska.
   • Cevestin and the Bleak Walker paladins will attack you immediately after you choose one of these dialogue options, even if they don't have [attack] tag in front of them.
     • "I've been asked to save Eska. You won't stop me."
     • "Come and face a worthy opponent."
     • "What if I hire you instead?"
     • "Step away from him.", then "Step away or die."
     • "What if I buy out the contract?"
     • "You first contract? Kill Cevestin."
   • If you have 18 Resolve or two requirements of (Bleak Walker Paladin or 14 Intellect) and either (3 Cruel Disposition or 3 Aggressive Disposition or 3 Stoic Disposition) you can convince the Bleak Walker paladins to kill Cevestin for you and let Eska go. An Intellect 14 dialogue "This isn't a real contact. It's a joke. You're under no obligation to finish it." will also convince the Bleak Walker paladins if you meet the disposition checks. For the 18 Resolve dialogue path, one successful outcome looks like:
     • "Contract?"
     • "That's a flimsy justification for murder."
     • "These sadistic games are beneath your order."
     • "I know a thing or two about getting into castles" (or "I took down the Torn Bannermen" if you've defeated Concelhaut). There's also other dialogue options here if you've defeated various dragons, or have a mercenary background.
     • "You snatched the opportunity to frighten a drunk man into believing he was to blame."
     • "Give up now, Cevestin" (requires Resolve 18)
5. If you can convince the Bleak Walker paladins, you will be able to hire them later at your stronghold (-2 +6 ). Otherwise you'll earn 2,000 from Eska and Moderate Positive Reputation with Stalwart.
6. Report back to Kern. No matter how you deal with Cevestin and his group, He'll give you 3,000.

Journal

quests\px2_05_wildernesses\px2_05_qst_buyers_remorse
ID	Objectives
0	Bleak Oath
	10000	Angry and more than a little drunk, a Stalwart villager by the name of Kern managed to inadvertently hire a Bleak Walker paladin to resolve a long-standing feud. The matter has now escalated beyond his control.
	Alternate descriptions
	40001	One of the locals in Whitestone Hollow was visited by ominous, armed strangers, and has not been seen since. His neighbors assume the worst.
	40002	A home in Whitestone Hollow has become the site of a massacre. The perpetrators are long gone.
1	Travel to Haddi's house.
	10001	I met a dwarf named Kern in the Gréf's Rest. He begged me to find and stop Cevestin, a Bleak Walker paladin, before he can harm Haddi and his family. Haddi's house can be found to the east of Stalwart in Whitestone Hollow, close to a trade road.
	20001	Haddi and his wife have been killed. The Bleak Walker is nowhere to be seen. There may be hints within the house as to where they've gone.
2	Search the house.
	10002	In Whitestone Hollow, I came across the scene of an apparent raid. The inhabitants' neighbors were too afraid to come inside. Perhaps I can make some sense of the remains.
	20000	In Stalwart I spoke to Kern, a local man who confessed to having inadvertently hired a Bleak Walker to resolve a long-standing feud between himself and Haddi. Clearly things have escalated beyond his control. He begged me to resolve the matter.
3	Find Eska.
	10003	By reading Haddi's soul, I learned of the circumstances leading to his death. The trio behind the killing are intent on tracking down Haddi's son, Eska, at the mill in Dyrford and finishing the job.
4	Confront the paladins.
	10004	I've reached Dyrford Mill- and found Eska facing off against the Bleak Walkers inside. I doubt the paladins will appreciate the interruption.
	20002	Eska has been killed.
5	Check up on Haddi.
	10005	According to the neighbors, Haddi was recently visited by a group of heavily armed and dangerous-looking individuals. They're afraid to go inside, and have turned to me for help.
6	Return to Kern.
	10006	The paladins have been dealt with. Kern will be waiting back at the Gréf's Rest in Stalwart. I'm sure he'll want an update on the situation.
End states
	Quest Failed
	30000	Someone critical to this quest has died.
	Killed Bleakwalkers, Kern and Eska Dead
	30001	With the paladins and Eska all dead, this matter has come to a bloody close.
	Killed Bleakwalkers, Eska Dead. Told Kern
	30002	I told Kern the outcome of the battle with the Bleak Walker paladins. He was distraught at what his actions brought upon Haddi's family, and resolved to redeem himself if possible. For now, he thanked me for enacting some degree of justice.
	Killed Bleakwalkers, Eska Alive. Told Kern.
	30003	I told Kern the outcome of the encounter with the Bleak Walker paladins. He was very grateful to me for saving Eska's life, though he doubts the lad will ever forgive him for what befell his family.
	Talked Down BWs, Kern and Eska Dead
	30004	I decided that Bleak Walker associates could be useful, and convinced two of their number to turn on their leader. Eska hasn't survived the encounter- but I've come out of it with new allies.
	Talked Down BWs, Eska Dead. Told Kern.
	30005	Kern was more than a little displeased to hear that I hired on the Bleak Walkers at the expense of Eska's life.
	Talked Down BWs, Eska Alive. Told Kern
	30006	I decided that Bleak Walker associates could be useful, and convinced two of their number to turn on their leader. Kern was pleased to hear that Eska survived the encounter.
	Killed Bleakwalkers, Eska Alive, Kern Dead.
	30007	I slew the Bleak Walker paladins, saving Eska in the process. He was pleased to hear that Kern had paid for bringing so much death upon Eska's family- and very grateful for my intervention.
	Talked Down BWs, Eska Alive, Kern Dead.
	30008	I decided that Bleak Walker associates could be useful, and convinced two of their number to turn on their leader - much to Eska's consternation. The lad escaped unharmed, and I now have a paladin in my employ.
	Hired BWs, Killed Eska, Kern Convinced to Pay
	30009	Kern was more than a little displeased to hear that I hired on the Bleak Walkers at the expense of Eska's life. He even refused to pay. He came around.
	Saved Eska, Never Met Kern
	30010	I slew the Bleak Walker paladins, saving Eska in the process. He was grateful for the rescue, though the death of his family weighed heavily on him.