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Guide your journey through Ballad of Antara's Chapter 4. Uncover the conspiracy, rescue Simon, and deal with Lord Caverton's guards.

Alright, so you've woken up in jail after a rough night at the Henne's Shadow Inn. Lord Caverton's got you on charges of abducting the Consort, and he's convinced you're mixed up with the Shepards and William's dad. He's not messing around, either – he's using Shadow Magic to send you to the Emperor for more questioning. You'll be loaded onto a wagon, but don't worry, Raal's got your back. He'll sneakily put those guards to sleep with some nudberry-laced darts.

Once Raal saves you, the real investigation begins. You need to figure out who's *actually* behind all this. Raal mentions some spooky stuff happening in the Ridgewood – ghosts are apparently wandering around and killing people just by touching them. Kaelyn's worried about her dad, Garvin, who hasn't been heard from since these ghosts showed up. She decides to go look for him herself, planning to meet up later in Grandeur (though she won't actually be there when you check, she'll pop up again later). Raal also bails, saying he's off to find his pack near Ticoro woods (he's not there either, but he'll reappear too). Thankfully, Aren sticks with you, and you both agree to track down the Shepards, since it sounds like they're tangled up in this whole mess.

Before you head off, keep an eye out for Mackey the Merchant near Ticoro. He's got some useful misc items and really dislikes the Shepards, saying they hunt the Grrrlf like dogs. He'll point you towards Maria in Isten, whose son might be joining the Shepards, giving you a lead.

You'll also run into High Brother just outside of Ticoro.

Chapter 4 Walkthrough

1. Head to Varnasse. Once you arrive, chat with Smithy – he can boost your repair skill. Then, find the woman who needs help planting her nudberry seeds in the holes she's dug near the woods east of town. After that, talk to Naomi; she'll ask you to spread some nutrients on Noal's garden.

2. Travel to Korus Landing. Here, you'll need to speak with Jaeger Forest Meister. He's got a party coming up and needs you to fetch him some cheese.

3. Journey to Isten. Take the mountain pass north of Korus Landing. Keep an eye out for a couple of 'bead-lock' chests along the way – one of them contains tickets you can use in Isten. You'll also stumble upon a dead body with some letters; make sure to grab them.

4. Explore Isten. Visit the Temple of Senaedrin and hand over Alethea's letters to the priest to get a gem. Then, talk to Ben Stafford and read his papers to increase your skills. Mage Darvosten is also here and can teach Aren some magic. If you still need tickets for the Amphitheater, find Lord Lighton inside the Inn; you can win them from him by playing cards.

5. Find Maria Liana at the Amphitheater. She's located north of Isten. Maria will tell you that her son, Simon, used to run with the Shepards but left them. He's now joined the Childern, who are patrons of the Theatrical Arts. His last letter came from Durst, in Old Chuno, where he mentioned being happy on the frontier and close to the Waste. Maria also shares a story about a play where she portrayed Siarrah the Mage of Perfection, who summoned a beast from the Etheren and fell in love with him, eventually opening a rift to take him back to his universe.

   • Sub-quest: Durst - Adrian the Swordsmith. Adrian is crafting a sword for someone in Antara but needs a pearl to finish its decoration. Giving him a pearl will boost your skills.
   • Sub-quest: Teal. Talk to the locals in Teal, check out Brian's grave, and then dig up a red key from a dirt mound to the south.
   • Sub-quest: Elona - Noal's House. Noal isn't home, but behind his house is his garden. Go ahead and spread the nutrients Naomi gave you on it.
   • Sub-quest: Everton - Locked House. Find the house with the nameplate