Merchants are spread across Thedas in Dragon Age: The Veil Guardbut none have as rich an inventory as The Black Emporium in Dock Town. Unfortunately, this merchant can only be unlocked later in the game, preventing players from picking up some easy items until they reach a certain point. Once you reach the end of Act 2, you can unlock the quest in a few ways.
The Black Emporium is a hidden market that you cannot enter until you unlock it. Unlike other merchants in the game, this one has no reputation rating, so Everything in this store’s inventory is unlocked as soon as you enter. Another thing to note about this vendor is that you can only spend Etheric Remnants here, so you might want to try farming some extra Remnants before splurging.
How to unlock the Black Emporium
Talk to the caretaker or find the mysterious messenger
Before you can get the Black Emporium side quest, you will need to complete or “The Cobbled Swan Case” or “Bloodbath” and “The Cauldron” after the fall of Weisshaupt. The first is a Neve sidequest, “Bloodbath” is a Lucanis sidequest, and “The Cauldron” is focused on Devrin, so pick your poison. I really liked the Devrin mission; Without spoiling it, the mission added depth to Devrin’s character and brought up some interesting questions for his character to deal with.
After finishing your chosen mission, return to the Lighthouse. There should be a new quest exclamation mark outside the Janitor’s Workshopwhere they will tell you that Xenon the Antiquarian is waiting for you in Dock Town. If you miss the Caretaker’s warning, don’t worry; you can continue the mission in another way.
The quest prompt will also appear in Glandivalis Square in Dock Town. Once you get there, look for a man with a raven’s head called “Shadow Messenger.” The Messenger will direct you to the Black Emporium, which is just a few steps away.
Where to find the Black Emporium location
Click on Dock Town and follow the markers
Unlike some of the more complicated missions in Guard of the Veil, all you need to do to complete this is go to Dock Town, use the beacon closest to the quest marker and walk to the store. There are no fancy levers, no wards to open, no puzzles to complete, which honestly took me by surprise when I first loaded it. Use the Beacon in the central, open area of Dock Town.
Once you arrive, the mission will be completed automatically and you will receive the “A highly regarded supplier” conquest. There isn’t much else to this store other than its inventory, although there is a Candlehop in the store for you to pick up. Now, you can check out the admittedly impressive inventory that Xenon the Antiquarian has to offer.
The Black Emporium inventory
An exclusive along with some very good updates
Each merchant’s store in Guard of the Veil only carries gear for your class, so the inventory here will depend on which class you’re playing. I played as a Qunari wizard, so I had magical equipment along with Vitaars in my shop’s inventory. If you’re playing Warrior or Rogue, you’ll have gear for your class at similar rarities to what was in my store.
Overall, The Black Emporium guarantees you unique gear for basically no work, making it well worth your time. As mentioned earlier, the store only accepts Etheric Remnants, which are a little harder to find than gold. You can also purchase some Moments if you still want to upgrade your Caretaker’s Workshop, along with decorations for your personal chambers in the Lighthouse.
Finally, Black Emporium also has a companion gift that will help you progress your romance with Harding. As Etheric Remnants are scarcer than other materials, it is important to have a little discernment when choosing what to buy. The Black Emporium is an excellent store to upgrade your favorite weapons or purchase some exclusive armor. Dragon Age: The Veil Guard.
- Released
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October 31, 2024
- Developer(s)
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BioWare
- CERS
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence