Dragon Age: The Veilguard – An Academic Interest Walkthrough (Gaspin Manor)

You can’t travel far when you first visit the Hossberg Wetlands in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The region opens up once you complete the story quest “Something Wrong,” but several locations are still off-limits.

This includes Gaspin Manor, which you can only visit after speaking to Bastian in Lavendel, and who only speaks to you after you complete “Something Wrong.” Doing so starts the side quest “An Academic Interest,” which unlocks a major part of this Dragon Age: The Veilguard map.

How to Reach Gaspin Manor

After speaking to Bastian, go east from Lavendel through the blighted tunnels, then turn right. Just past the fast-travel beacon on the far side is a staircase with an archway at the top. A barrier blocks this staircase until you start the quest “An Academic Interest.”

However, there’s more than one barrier keeping you from Gaspin Manor. Venatori have set up a series of red lyrium barriers, and you’ll need to break through them to reach the end of the quest. For this first barrier, turn right and head back outside to the cliff. Open the small chest, then break the four barrier crystals in order.

The next barrier is more complicated, partly because of the darkspawn in the tunnels and partly because the crystal that’s embedded in the ground will explode every few seconds. Fortunately, you can reset the exploding crystal’s timer by destroying the three crystals that spawn around it.

To destroy it for good, go up the stairs to the left and around to the wooden platforms. Break the crystal over the platform, then the one at the top of the stairs, and finally the exploding crystal. While you’re up here, be sure to jump across the wooden platforms to collect another small chest.

The crystal sequence protecting the barrier continues past the exploding crystal. To continue, head back down the stairs, then go up the passage to the southeast. Damage the four crystals you encounter in order, then destroy the red barrier.

There’s one more barrier between you and Gaspin Manor, and this time the exploding crystal has two sets of barrier crystals protecting it.

• Head up the stairs next to the exploding crystal, then look to your right. The first crystal is on the wooden bridge, and the second is right next to you.
• Look down into the alcove to the left of the stairs. The other two crystals stretch from there to the exploding one.
• Once the exploding crystal is down, you can destroy the one at the top of the staircase, and then finally the barrier.

Before you continue, there’s a blue barrier at the other end of the wooden bridge. You can disable it with Unbind Wards, then head inside for a Memento and a large chest.

How to Unseal the Cellar of Gaspin Manor

Gaspin Manor is straight ahead after you break the last red barrier, and the manor courtyard is full of Venatori cultists. Defeat them so you can concentrate on the next objective of the quest “An Academic Interest,” which is to unseal and enter the manor’s cellar. Like before, you’ll need to break a series of red lyrium barrier crystals in the right order to get inside.

• One sequence starts with the crystal overlooking the main staircase. Break it first, then the one at the top of the stairs, then the one by the fountain.
• The second sequence starts with the one by the hay bales, then the one above the fountain.
• Breaking both sets will allow you to destroy the exploding crystal in the courtyard, and then the one below the balcony.
• The third sequence starts inside the main manor house, to the east of the large gate on the south wall. Next, destroy the crystal by the gate, then the one at the base of the stairs.
• The fourth sequence starts on the balcony above the cellar entrance. Next, destroy the one above the stairs, then the one at the base of the stairs.
• Destroying the second two sequences lets you destroy the second exploding crystal. You can then destroy the crystal by the stairs to the cellar, and finally destroy the seal on the cellar.

Even after all that, you’ll still need to use Neve’s Unbind Wards to open a second seal and finally enter the basement. Once inside, you can find four notes left by Lord Gaspin and the Venatori, all trying to discover the secrets hidden below. To find them yourself, use the lyrium dagger on the elven wall in the back.

How to Beat Consuming Obsession

The biggest danger of the Consuming Obsession fight is the cramped quarters you have to fight it in. It attacks the moment the elven wall disappears, and it reestablishes the blue barrier, which means you have to fight it (and the two Shades it summons) in the cellar. Obsession is weak to necrotic and strong against electricity, while the Shades are vulnerable to cold and resist necrotic.

• Like most boss battles, it’s a good idea to take out the minions first. Doing so allows you to concentrate on the boss without having to worry about attacks from behind.
• Obsession can teleport, and it often creates arcane orbs that damage you if you get too close.
• Obsession has the Devouring trait, which means it can absorb health from the Shades (giving you another reason to take them out early).
• Unlike most enemies, Obsession has both a barrier and armor. As a reminder, light attacks are more effective against barriers, while heavy attacks deal more damage to armor. Obsession’s barrier takes damage first.
• Obsession’s main attacks include a set of projectile waves and a line attack that hits an area directly in front of it.

When you defeat Consuming Obsession, search the chest that appears to get a weapon. You can then enter the elven room it was trapped in to open a large chest and read a note, the Final Missive. Report back to Bastian to get the following rewards:

Where to Find Every Collectible in Gaspin Manor

You only need to visit the cellar of Gaspin Manor to complete the quest “An Academic Interest,” but there’s plenty more to find in this area. You can do so during the quest or come back after you’ve turned it in.

• Head up the stairs in the main manor and go through the open doorway to see a platform with a large chest on it. This platform is just close enough to jump to. Open the chest, then climb the balance beam to pick up a Memento. Jump across from the higher platform to open a small chest and activate a ladder.
• There’s a blue barrier blocking the way to the southern part of the manor. You can jump down from the second floor to get around it, then, use Unbind Wards on the barrier from this side to get rid of it for good.
• The balcony off the southern part of the manor holds a small chest and an Evanuris Shrine. The four targets you need to hit are all in the manor and close by.
• There’s a wisp behind a locked door in the courtyard area. To open the door, point the three moveable statues towards the nearest torch. The wisp room also contains a small chest.
• You can use the wisp to open a shortcut. Bring it to the large gate on the south wall, and it will possess a skeleton and open the way.
• To the right of the gate is a blocked doorway. Destroy the obstruction to get access to a large chest and a Memento.