A Bulwark Against Darkness is one of the most rewarding side quests in The Blood of Dawnwalker, sending Coen across Vale Sangora to gather the materials needed to forge the powerful Arbiter Armor set.
The quest is a little unusual because it doesn’t simply mark four locations on your map.
Instead, you’ll need to track down four specific components, take them to a Uriashi blacksmith, and then survive a final ritual battle.
Here’s a complete walkthrough of A Bulwark Against Darkness, including how to start the quest, where to find every required material, and how to finish the ritual.
How to Start A Bulwark Against Darkness
You won’t be able to start the quest immediately.
First, you need to reach Infamy Level 4 (Notorious).
Once you’ve reached this level, a mysterious letter will eventually make its way to Coen. Depending on your progression, a smuggler can approach you in Svartrau, while the letter can also be obtained through Anca after progressing through Echoes of Silenced Bells.
Once you receive the letter:
- Open your inventory.
- Go to Books & Notes.
- Read the Mysterious Letter.
- Read the List of Armour Components.
This officially begins A Bulwark Against Darkness.
The list reveals four materials you’ll need:
- Relic of a Saint
- Bundle of Silk Threads
- Flask of Quicksilver
- Moult of a Large Lizard
Find the Relic of a Saint
There are multiple Saint relics that can satisfy this requirement, so you don’t necessarily need to hunt down one specific item.
One of the best options is the Saint’s Tibia, which can be obtained at St. Tyna’s Convent during Echoes of Silenced Bells.
It’s particularly useful for this quest because it has little value outside of being used as the required crafting material.
If you already have another qualifying saint relic in your inventory, you can use that instead.
Which relic should you use?
If you have a choice, avoid sacrificing useful equipment. For example, Relic of St. Tyna and Relic of St. Dasius can have value as amulets, making the less useful Saint’s Tibia a better choice.
Find the Bundle of Silk Threads
The Bundle of Silk Threads can be obtained through the Sanzhani-related questline.
There are two ways to get it.
The first is to purchase it from the Sanzhani trader after progressing through the relevant quests, although this route can cost around 6,000 Denarii.
Alternatively, you can obtain the bundle for free through Come Hither.
Follow the quest toward Murohn’s lair and enter the cave. Defeat the Murohn inside, then look around the area for the Bundle of Silk Threads.
The free method is obviously preferable if you’re trying to save your money.
Find the Flask of Quicksilver
The Flask of Quicksilver is found inside Aurelius’ Tower.
You’ll need to progress through the Home Sweet Home quest to access the relevant part of the tower.
After completing the strange sequence inside the tower, Coen wakes up back at its base. Don’t immediately leave.
Instead, return to the upper floor and enter the room that was previously inaccessible.
You’ll find the Flask of Quicksilver sitting on a table inside.
Quick tip: Use Focus Mode when searching the room. The item can be easy to overlook among the other objects.
Find the Moult of a Large Lizard
The final component is the Moult of a Large Lizard.
Head toward the Briar Sloughs, around the area between the Briar Sloughs and Maragir Wealds. The required cave is close to the marshes and south of the Witchcraft Vendor.
Enter the cave and deal with the enemies inside. Continue toward the back of the cave, and you’ll find the Moult of a Large Lizard.
Pick it up to complete the material collection.
Where Is the Uriashi Blacksmith?
Once you have all four components, travel to the Uriash Hermitage in the northwestern part of the map.
The Uriashi blacksmith is located near the Uriash Hermitage Shrine. Her name is Nareh, and she’s the person capable of turning your collected materials into the Arbiter Armor.
Speak with her and hand over the required materials.
You don’t necessarily need to collect everything before visiting her. However, having all four materials ready makes the process much quicker.
Start the Arbiter Armor Ritual
After giving Nareh the required materials, she’ll begin forging the armor. But there’s one small problem: you have to protect her while she works.
A group of enemies will attack the area, turning the forging process into a combat encounter.
Make sure you’re properly prepared before starting the ritual. Heal up, make sure your abilities are ready, and don’t rush directly into the middle of the enemy group.
How to Survive the Final Ritual
The final battle is essentially a defense encounter.
Enemies will attack while Nareh completes the forging process. Focus on keeping the pressure off the blacksmith while dealing with enemies efficiently.
The encounter includes wolves and a bear-type enemy, with the larger enemy posing the biggest threat.
These tips can make the fight much easier:
- Prioritize enemies attacking Nareh.
- Use area-of-effect abilities when multiple enemies surround you.
- Don’t let the wolves overwhelm you.
- Save your strongest abilities for the larger enemy.
- Keep enough healing available for the final part of the fight.
- Use the environment to avoid being surrounded.
Once every enemy has been defeated, the ritual will be completed.
A Bulwark Against Darkness Rewards
Completing the ritual rewards you with the Enhanced Arbiter Armor set, giving Coen a complete set of powerful armor.
You’ll also unlock the Arbiter’s Regalia trophy/achievement.
The set consists of four pieces:
- Arbiter Armor
- Arbiter Leggings
- Arbiter Bracers
- Arbiter Boots
The armor is useful because its bonuses cover both Coen’s human and vampire capabilities, making it a versatile choice rather than something locked to a single playstyle.
And that’s everything you need to complete A Bulwark Against Darkness and get the Arbiter Armor in The Blood of Dawnwalker.
