'Our Rotten Roots' quest walkthrough in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Should you invite Isbrand in?

The "Our Rotten Roots" quest in The Blood of Dawnwalker offers a great opportunity for bonding time with Lacra, but things get complicated when she tries to stop you from watching a certain memory… As if that decision isn't hard enough, at the end of the quest, you also need to decide Isbrand's fate.

Here's what happens if you watch Lacra's memory in The Blood of Dawnwalker's "Our Rotten Roots" quest, plus what happens when you invite Isbrand into your head.

[Ed. note: This guide contains spoilers for The Blood of Dawnwalker, so continue at your own risk! Feel free to follow along or bookmark this page and come back if you get stuck.]

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'Our Rotten Roots' quest walkthrough in The Blood of Dawnwalker

"Our Rotten Roots" becomes available after you've completed the first part of Lacra's quest line, including "A Friend Like This," "Song of the Mountain," and "Hive and Seek." To start this quest line, you must go to Svartrau City and investigate the alley in the northeast.

Following the "Hive and Seek" quest, you must wait at least one day before returning to Lacra in Westridge Outpost. As always, you can only do Lacra's quests during the night. Agree to travel with her to Anachora to begin "Our Rotten Roots." From this point onward, you must complete the following steps:

1. Find Isbrand's memories.
2. At the crossroads, decide whether to go left or right.
3. Defeat Isbrand.
4. Decide whether to invite Isbrand in, or not.

Beware that this quest takes four time segments to complete. There's a lot of fighting ahead, so be sure to upgrade your gear and skills before you proceed.

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Find Isbrand's memories in 'Our Rotten Roots'

After entering Anachora, use Shadowstep to follow the path forward. Teleport from wall to wall, passing the red shades as you go (see picture below). Beware that the red figures will occasionally materialize into undead soldiers and attack you.

Keep following the linear path for now.

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Go left or right in 'Our Rotten Roots'

Once you've seen Isbrand's second memory, by stepping into the sandstorm, the path splits in two. Lacra will urge you to go right, toward the memory of Svartrau. However, you can ignore her wish and go left instead. If you'd like to investigate the memory on the left, this is the route you should take:

Lacra will try to stop you several times, but if you keep going, she'll eventually tell you "you're on your own" and leave. Here's what happens next, depending on your choice:

• If you go left, entering the sandstorm alone: You'll find a memory involving Lacra. It explains why she hates Isbrand and Brencis, but it doesn't help your current mission. Later, when you return to Lacra, she'll be upset but she'll forgive you. In practical terms, going left means having to defeat more enemies, and it will take longer (in real time) to complete "Our Rotten Roots."
• If you go right, toward Svartrau: You won't see Isbrand's memory of Lacra, but she'll thank you for skipping it. You can ask Lacra to tell you the full story instead. Practically speaking, going right means you won't have to defeat additional enemies, and can proceed to Isbrand's last memory straight away.

If you're wondering; going left won't stop you from romancing Lacra later on.

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Should you spare Isbrand in 'Our Rotten Roots?'

Whether you went left or right, follow the linear path again and approach the red throne, which teleports Coen and Lacra to Isbrand's final memory. Watch the cutscene, and be ready to fight Isbrand, The Broken Shade boss immediately after. Beware that you can't use Voracious Bite on Isbrand, so don't waste action points on that skill.

After Isbrand is defeated, Lacra declares that she won't invite Isbrand in. You can ask her to explain this, and she'll tell you that Isbrand is doomed to be absorbed by the Anachora unless you "invite him in" — meaning you invite him into your head, to echo in your thoughts for all eternity. Isbrand clearly wants to be invited, so if you pity him, this would be the way to spare him.

Here's how to invite Isbrand in, and what happens if you do, or don't:

• To invite Isbrand in: Say, "Can I do it instead?" followed by "I'll do it." Isbrand is saved — sort of. He'll live inside Coen's head, occasionally commenting on the rest of your playthrough. He's not as talkative as the other vampires you may choose to invite, though.
• Don't invite Isbrand in: Stay silent or say, "I'm sorry. You'll stay here, forever." In a way, Isbrand will die. His consciousness will wither away in the Anachora, which is bound to be very unpleasant. You probably won't hear from him ever again.

Whatever you decide, The Blood of Dawnwalker's "Our Rotten Roots" quest is done and you will receive the Piercing Shriek vampirism ability as a reward.

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The Blood of Dawnwalker is a time-sensitive, narrative RPG where your actions and decisions matter. If you're just starting out, check out our beginner's guide and our recommended quests to do before mass. After the prologue, you're free to explore Vale Sangora and take on Brencis' boyars however you please, but the freedom can be a bit overwhelming. To help, here's what we recommend doing after the prologue.