This is a complete walkthrough for the main quest, The Cauldron, of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's campaign. See this guide for quest information, objectives, and major decisions!

The Cauldron Overview

The Cauldron Objectives

Quest Objectives
Find the Cauldron Help Davrin Investigate Find a Way Inside Investigate the Cauldron Find the Gloom Howler Defeat the Darkspawn Horde Speak to Davrin

Find the Cauldron

Enter the Blighted Tunnels

Return to the Hossberg Wetlands. Starting from the Grey Hold where you arrive, head past Lavendel into the Blighted Tunnels cave, where you were in the Something Wrong quest, and through the Old Crossroads.

There will be darkspawn resistance along the way. Defeat them and move south towards a narrow cave path. You will arrive at the Blighted Grove with darkspawn resistance, defeat them and press forward to arrive at the Swamp Road.

Destroy the Blight Abscess in Swamp Road

Travel through the swamp and follow the quest marker on your map. You will arrive at a cave entrance blocked by blight. Aim at the blight abscess and use the Blight Hunter ability to destroy it.

Destroying the abscess will make the connecting blight boil temporarily vulnerable, quickly destroy the boil, followed by the blight blocking the entrance. Enter the path to the Lost Village.

Lost Village Stroll

Fight your way through the darkspawn infested ruin, heading south towards the castle.

Help Davrin Investigate

Arriving at the Castle Gates, if Davrin is not yet in your party, he will be standing by the castle entrance.

Break the Hook

To proceed to the Castle Grounds, break the hook above holding scaffolding using the Griffon Strike ability, then climb over the wall using the ladder.

Fight Through the Castle Grounds

As you arrive at the castle grounds, fight the darkspawn ahead, and after defeating them, approach the entrance to the Cauldron.

The bridge towards the entrance will need to be lowered by destroying the blight boils connected around the area.

Find a Way Into the Cauldron

Destroy the Blight Source in the South

Step	Location
1	Head south towards the Inner Courtyard, and fight your way through darkspawn. Find this staircase and head up it.
2	Jump across the gap with a running start.
3	Jump across the second gap with some momentum.
4	Clear out the darkspawn ambush, and destroy the first blight boil.
5	Destroy the second blight boil.
6	Destroy the third blight boil blocking the path.
7	Destroy the final blight boil, freeing part of the suspended bridge.

Destroy the Blight Source in the North

Step	Location
1	Head north towards the right side of the castle entrance, then walk up the stairs and climb the scaffolding.
2	Climb up the road towards the building entrance.
3	Immediately turn right after entering to find the first blight boil.
4	Clear out the darkspawn ambush, and destroy the second blight boil upstairs.
5	Head back outside and destroy the final blight boil, freeing the bridge to cross.

Return to the Cauldron Entrance

With the bridge down, go back towards the entrance of the Cauldron and head inside.

Investigate the Cauldron

Now inside the Cauldron, follow the hallways deeper inside. If Davrin is not yet in your party, he will be standing along the path and you must replace a member, as Davrin is required to access the remaining quest area.

Continue past the Cauldron's halls, until you reach an Archdemon's final resting place.

Find the Gloom Howler

Walk over the blight puddle in the center, in front of the Archdemon's skull. The puddle is connected to the blight trail on the ground.

Destroy the Blight

This will trigger a darkspawn attack, allowing you to destroy the blight boils in the area. Destroy all the blight boils in the vicinity to move up the stairs towards the Archdemon's remains.

Get to the Vantage Point

Up the stairs, there will be more darkspawn and blight boils to destroy. Destroy the blight boils, the final one being inside the Archdemon's ribcage.

Destroying the final blight boil will trigger a cutscene, where you will finally face the Gloom Howler.

Defeat the Darkspawn Horde

After meeting the Gloom Howler, a darkspawn horde will be unleashed upon your party. Survive the onslaught and defeat the darkspawn.

Speak to Davrin Again To Leave

Wrap Up Unfinished Business

Check the loot chest that spawns first once the quest is complete. Speaking to Davrin will exit the area for the party, and you will not be able to go back inside the Cauldron.

After speaking with him to leave, you will be transported outside the Cauldron, still in the Hossberg Wetlands. At this point you can fast travel using the map.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Related Guides

All Quests List

All Quest Guides

List of All Main Quests