[Darksword]

I am in Ch1 and am about to finalise this quest. But the last time I played this chapter (November), I made a note about ending the quest - a note that I couldn't read. So I went to the Mondgesaenge Database site to check what it had to say about this quest.

I found advice about the best time to complete this quest that was new to me.

Is it really better

Spoiler:(zum lesen bitte Text markieren)

not to complete this until Chapter 3 in order to A, get more xp points and B. be able to do the quest Fernando's business? The English guide by N3Burgener, or at least the way I always read that guide, advises finalising this quest in Ch1.

I ask this because my ability to read German is limited, and I may have misunderstood Mondgesaenge ...

[Thorwyn]

The experience you get for this quest partly depends on the chapter. Asking Balthasar, Bengar or Elvrich about the bandits and handing over some evidence to Fernando gives 50 exp*chapter (e. g. 50 exp in chapter 1 and 250 exp in chapter 5). Also, you can’t complete the quest "Fernando’s business" if Fernando is already in jail, so you have to wait at least until chapter 3 if you want to complete both quests.

[Darksword]

Thank you, that is really good to know. I guess I'll hold off then: the question, I guess, is finding the optimum point where increasing the xp offers less advantage than what can be gained by having the xp. This game is amazing, there is so much to learn about it.

[Manucubus]

By the way: can you already blackmail Fernando with one bandit's rapier (which you have to give to him in return) and then still go to Martin later (in a later Chapter) to put him behind bars (and successfully finish "bandits' weapons dealer")?

[Darksword]

By the way: can you already blackmail Fernando with one bandit's rapier (which you have to give to him in return) and then still go to Martin later (in a later Chapter) to put him behind bars (and successfully finish "bandits' weapons dealer")?

That's really interesting: I'll remember that. So now another question. If you blackmail Fernando, but did not go to Martin yet, can you still do the quest Fernando's Business?

[Arkain]

Just tested it, yes, you can.

Do take care of the correct sequence of things, though. If you're a mage, Fernando will be possessed at one point and refuse to talk to you, once you trigger that part, so do it last. Also, you're technically better off if you let him pay you for not betraying him to the militia. You only need to give him a single proof for that, so drop all but one of the swords, take it all up afterwards, re-read the letter and then tell Martin anyway. That's ideally all after you've told Fernando about his business and just before you beat him up if he's possessed. Do also note that most of this gives more exp in later chapters, so you might as well postpone it until chapter 5, if you're after maximum profit. Storywise, it makes sense to do it all in chapter 3, as that's when the addon plot comes to a close anyway.

[Darksword]

Just tested it, yes, you can.

Wow! That was fast! Thank you so much.

Do take care of the correct sequence of things, though. Also, you're technically better off if you let him pay you for not betraying him to the militia.

Yes, it was wanting to get that extra experience that made me go to Mondgesaenge to look at this quest more deeply.

You only need to give him a single proof for that, so drop all but one of the swords, take it all up afterwards, re-read the letter and then tell Martin anyway. That's ideally all after you've told Fernando about his business and just before you beat him up if he's possessed. Do also note that most of this gives more exp in later chapters, so you might as well postpone it until chapter 5, if you're after maximum profit. Storywise, it makes sense to do it all in chapter 3, as that's when the addon plot comes to a close anyway.

I agree that not doing anything until Ch 5 would not make sense story-wise. Thank you, Arkhain, and also Manucubus, for the advice about the swords. I'll leave all this until Ch3: tell Fernando about his business; leave swords (except 1) and other proofs in a chest: blackmail F with 1 sword; get swords and letter, re-read letter and go to Martin.

If you're a mage, Fernando will be possessed at one point and refuse to talk to you.

Fascinating! After this play-through, I really must try being a mage; that is, if I can still spend a lot of LP on Strength and two-handed fighting - my fingers are not quick enough to keep switching from spell to spell. I need to investigate how the whole mage training works, the cost of the circles etc.

[Arkain]

You can actually drop all the stuff right in front of him and pick it up after talking, nobody cares. Just equip one of the swords and you'll have a single one to keep, instead of dropping the whole bunch.

About the possession: do note that possessed people tend to refuse to talk to you, but only after you've triggered their possession dialogue and beaten them up.

[Darksword]

You can actually drop all the stuff right in front of him and pick it up after talking, nobody cares. Just equip one of the swords and you'll have a single one to keep, instead of dropping the whole bunch.

oh my! I never thought of simply equipping a sword as a way of keeping one in the inventory before dropping the rest ... Perfect.