The Olda questline is one of the most branching and morally complex side stories you will encounter. On the surface it looks like a simple fetch errand, but the decisions you make cascade into drastically different endings, unique loot, and lasting world state changes. This guide breaks down every fork in the road, shows you exactly what each choice leads to, and helps you secure the reward that best fits your character build or roleplaying style.
Whether you are after the rare Spectral Ward enchantment, want to recruit Olda as a permanent ally, or just need to see all possible fates for the village of Thornhollow, you will find every detail here.
How to Start the Olda Quest
The quest becomes available shortly after you complete the main story mission Echoes in the Marsh and reach level 14. Head to the northern edge of Thornhollow and look for an alchemist’s hut with a crooked chimney. Inside you will find Olda, an elderly hedge mage who is frantically packing her belongings. Speak to her and she will explain that the village council has branded her a witch and plans to burn her at dusk unless she delivers a rare reagent called Starlight Resin to prove her worth.
Accepting the quest formally begins “The Olda Request” in your journal. You can also refuse, which fails the quest line immediately and causes Olda to flee, locking you out of all subsequent content. If you are undecided, note that simply talking to her and walking away does not start a timer; the quest only advances when you actively engage with its objectives.
Phase One: Retrieving Starlight Resin
Where to Find the Resin
Starlight Resin drops from the Lunar Wisps that appear in the Weeping Woods only between midnight and 2 am in-game. The wisps are level 16-18, immune to ice damage, and explode on death, so bring fire-based weapons or spells. Once you have three vials of resin, return to Olda.
What Happens If You Give Her Fake Resin?
If you attempt to pass off common tree sap (which you can craft at any alchemy station), Olda will detect the forgery immediately. She will scold you, your reputation in Thornhollow drops by 20 points, and the quest fails. There is no way to recover from this; you cannot retry the quest on the same save file.
Optional: Stealing the Resin from the Village Healer
You can avoid the Weeping Woods entirely by sneaking into the Thornhollow healer’s cellar and stealing a pre-filled vial. This requires a Sleight of Hand skill of 45 or higher. If you are caught, the entire village turns hostile and Olda is executed off-screen. If you succeed, Olda will be grateful but slightly suspicious, opening up a unique dialogue branch later.
Phase Two: The Village Council Confrontation
Once Olda has the genuine resin, she asks you to accompany her to the council meeting. This is where the quest’s major branches split.
Choice A: Defend Olda Publicly
At the meeting, select the dialogue option “This woman saved my life, and I will vouch for her.” This triggers a persuasion check (difficulty 65). If you pass, the council reluctantly pardons Olda. She rewards you with her grandmother’s signet ring, which grants +10% resistance to all magic. She also remains in Thornhollow as a potion vendor with exclusive stock.
If you fail the persuasion check, the council sentences Olda to exile. You can then choose to either accept the verdict or intervene by force.
Choice B: Speak Against Olda
Accusing Olda of witchcraft or revealing the stolen resin (if you took that route) immediately turns the council hostile toward her. Olda is dragged to the pyre. You can stop the execution by attacking the guards, but this will make Thornhollow permanently hostile. If you let her burn, the quest ends with a reward of 500 gold from the council and a permanent -15 relationship penalty with all mage faction NPCs.
Choice C: Stay Silent
If you say nothing during the meeting, Olda tries to defend herself. Her fate is then determined by the stolen resin variable. If you obtained the resin legitimately, the council will exonerate her with a close vote; you receive a modest reward of a magic ring and 100 gold. If you stole the resin, the healer testifies against her, and Olda is exiled.
Olda’s Exile: The Hidden Path
If Olda is exiled (either through a failed persuasion check or your silence while holding stolen resin), the quest does not actually end. Travel to the Frostmaw Mountains and look for a small cave marked with a runic symbol. Inside, you will find Olda trying to survive. She will be bitter and hostile. At this point you have two options.
Help Her Settle in the Mountains
If you offer supplies and gold (1,000 gold and 10x firewood), Olda will warm up to you. She reveals that she was once a master enchanter and teaches you the Spectral Ward recipe, which applies a damage shield that scales with your missing health. This is a unique enchantment you cannot obtain anywhere else.
Report Her Location to the Council
Return to Thornhollow and tell the council where Olda is hiding. They send a hunting party, and Olda is killed. You receive 800 gold and the title of “Honorary Thornhollow Bailiff,” which gives a 5% discount at village shops. However, any mage companions in your party will permanently leave if they witness this betrayal.
Olda as a Permanent Companion
There is one hidden outcome that requires a very specific sequence: you must steal the resin, then at the council choose to defend Olda publicly but deliberately fail the persuasion check, then intervene by force, and finally escape Thornhollow with her. If Olda survives the escape, she will offer to join your party as a permanent companion. She is a formidable elemental mage with a unique talent tree focused on ice and summoning. This also unlocks her personal side quest later in the game.
All Endings and Rewards Summary
| Path | Ending | Key Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Defend & pass persuasion | Olda stays in village | Signet ring (+10% magic resist) |
| Defend & fail persuasion, no force | Exiled, cold path available | Spectral Ward enchant (if helped in mountains) |
| Defend & fail persuasion, use force | Companion path unlocked | Olda as companion, plus her quest line |
| Speak against, let burn | Olda dies | 500 gold, mage faction hatred |
| Silent with legit resin | Olda pardoned with small reward | Ring + 100 gold |
| Silent with stolen resin | Exiled, cold path | Spectral Ward or 800 gold + title |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start the Olda quest after completing the main story?
Yes, the quest is not missable as long as you have not triggered the final battle. It becomes unavailable only if you advance the main quest past the point of no return (the “Shattered Veil” operation). Finish any pending Olda steps before that moment.
Does Olda’s fate affect the game’s ending?
Indirectly. If Olda survives (pardoned, exiled, or companion), she appears in the epilogue slides and can influence the political balance in the region. If she dies, a new mage-hating regime takes power in Thornhollow, which locks you out of a late-game magic faction quest.
Is Spectral Ward worth the 1,000 gold cost?
Absolutely for tank builds or any character expecting to be at low health often. It provides a shield equal to 30% of your missing health for 8 seconds, effectively doubling your survivability in clutch moments. Many players consider it one of the best defensive enchantments in the game.
What happens if I kill the village council before the confrontation?
If you kill any council member outside the quest sequence, the entire quest line breaks and Olda will vanish from the hut. There is no way to recover this. Reload an earlier save if you want to experience the quest.
Can I romance Olda?
No, Olda is an elderly mage and not a romance option. However, if she becomes a companion, you can develop a deep platonic bond that unlocks a unique shared ability, “Arcane Synergy,” which boosts both your spell damage by 15% when you are near each other.
Do I need specific skills to get the best rewards?
While not strictly required, a high persuasion skill (minimum 65) and decent stealth open up the most lucrative and lore-rich paths. If you lack these, consider using temporary buffs before key checks or accept the exile path for the Spectral Ward alternate route.
