Investigate the Murder Room

Walkthrough for Divinity: Original Sin's 'Investigate the Murder Room' quest. Learn how to find clues, interrogate witnesses in the tavern, and explore the basement.

Try to open the large chest along the south wall. It is locked, so pick the lock or smash the chest to reveal its contents. Alternatively, you can find the key for this chest in Esmeralda's house. In the chest you will find a "Letter" from the "Duke of Ferol", which starts the quest "The Councillor's Wife". This is "Esmeralda", the wife of Councillor Jake, the murder victim. You will be collecting evidence of the murder to solve it and find the perpetrator by talking to potential witnesses and following leads. The butler did not do it.

You can freely take any item in the murder room, especially the pictures hanging on the wall, as they are valuable and can be sold to a Merchant for easy gold.

Interrogate Potential Witnesses in the Tavern

Start by talking to the "Duke of Ferol" in the northeast corner of the first floor, the writer of the letter. Choosing conversation option 2 will result in a -20 hit in your attitude. Attitude affects how others perceive you and react during conversations or bartering. This decrease does not matter with Ferol as he is not a merchant.

Next to the Duke is "Unsinkable Sam", a cat. If you have the Pet Pal talent, talk to him. He will tell you about his girlfriend, "Maxine", starting the quest "Kitty Love". Maxine is the cat in the Town Hall.

In the northwest corner are merchants "Anna" and "Alistair", members of the Fabulous Five. Anna has useful items to trade, while Alistair offers little.

Talk to "Novak" at the bar, another Fabulous Five member, for little information. Speak with "Yvad Tavernier", the bartender, for his observations on the murder. "Francis", in a room to the south, is a religious fanatic who sells potions.

Upstairs, in "Shereth's" room, you can converse with her. She is a traveling merchant selling Witchcraft and Scoundrel skillbooks, lockpicks, and trap disarm kits. As Source Hunters, you can choose to expose her as a source of Source, initiating a battle with her and other patrons. Alternatively, you can let her be to continue trading.

Enter the Basement of the Tavern

Go into the basement of the Tavern. You will find a green poisonous cloud to the south, which also conceals a fire trap. Beyond the cloud is a chest, and a key to another chest to the north. The north chest can be bashed open, but may damage your weapon.

Loot the adjacent untrapped rooms first. In the room to the east, find a Tavern Ornate Chest Key for the ornate chest in the green cloud room. To get through the poison cloud, detach a character from your group. Have someone toss fire into the green cloud to dissipate it temporarily. Have your detached character carefully enter the room, avoiding the floor plate at the door that triggers the fire trap. Walk to the west and find the Simple Tavern Cellar Chest Key atop a crate. The green cloud will return; get close to the Ornate chest and open it with the key. Quick Save before opening the chest, as loot is often random. If you dislike the contents, reload and try again. You can block the poison cloud by tossing fire into it again or placing a crate on the vent.

Exit the room carefully, avoiding the pressure plate. Then, go to the chest in the north of the room and loot it. You might find Peter Lee's Sword, an Unbreakable one-handed sword.