As I ventured into Avowed's hauntingly beautiful Slumbering Fields during the 'Boundaries of Antiquity' quest, I faced one of 2025's most morally complex RPG decisions. Stumbling upon Weeping Willow—a towering Delemgan with bark-like skin and eyes like haunted pools—I discovered she'd imprisoned Raluka's dwarven expedition team. Her reasoning? Those poor dwarves were collateral damage in her desperate bid to cleanse poisoned waterways. With both factions demanding clean water but distrusting each other's motives, I stood at a crossroads where violence or diplomacy would ripple across Solace Keep's future. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a root system!

The Violent Path: Claiming Mortal Haven Amulet

If you choose to attack Weeping Willow immediately (or later after destroying Woedica's artifact), you'll snag the Mortal Haven amulet—one of Avowed's rarest accessories. This beauty automatically casts Arcane Veil every 20 seconds when your health dips below 25%, perfect for glass-cannon builds. But here's the kicker: killing her doesn't skip the core objectives. You'll still need to:

1. Hunt down the poison source (Woedica's relic in ancient ruins)

2. Clear the aqueduct blockage

3. Report back to Raluka

Raluka pragmatically accepts the Delemgan's demise, but the ecosystem loses a fierce guardian. At the end of the day, this path feels like swatting a wasp with a warhammer—effective but brutally excessive unless you're dead-set on that amulet.

Peacemaker Route: Diplomacy Wins

Opting for truce leads to richer storytelling. After cleansing the poison by destroying Woedica's artifact (yes, you swim through now-safe waters!), you broker peace between Weeping Willow and Raluka. With Perception 12+ or Vanguard Scout dialogue, you convince the Delemgan that dwarves aren't 'invasive pests' but potential allies. Succeed, and they'll coexist near the aqueduct—or compromise by relocating downstream. No fighting, no corpses, just two stubborn factions learning harmony. And guess what? The XP reward matches the violent approach ounce for ounce!

Why Sparing Weeping Willow is the Smarter Play

Unless you're running a hyper-specialized build craving Mortal Haven, violence here is a total no-brainer... in the wrong way. Obsidian crafted nuanced incentives:

• Identical rewards: Same XP, same loot from surrounding ruins

• Zero narrative penalty: Solace Keep gets clean water regardless

• World-building depth: Alive, Weeping Willow hints at Sapadal's schemes

That amulet? Nice but niche—like bringing a flamethrower to a tea party. Most builds won't miss it.

People Also Ask: Your Burning Questions Answered

Here’s what fellow players keep wondering about this quest:

• ❓ Does killing Weeping Willow affect Solace Keep's water?

Nope! The aqueduct cleanup happens regardless—poison vanishes when Woedica's artifact shatters.

• ❓ Can you get the amulet without fighting?

Sadly no. Mortal Haven only drops from her corpse. But hey, Obsidian’s probably giggling at our loot lust.

• ❓ Do origin choices change outcomes?

Drastically! Vanguard Scouts bypass skill checks, while scholars might uncover extra lore about Woedica’s machinations.

My Personal Take: The Future of RPG Quests

Having played Avowed since launch, I’m floored by how this side-quest outshines main stories in older RPGs. Weeping Willow isn't some cookie-cutter villain—she’s a scared guardian doing questionable things for noble reasons. I’d bet my last health potion that 2025’s DLC will expand on these themes, maybe letting us revisit Solace to see if our peace held. More games need conflicts where 'right choices' aren't labeled in neon. After all, life’s murky... and so are poisoned rivers.

Final Verdict

In Avowed’s grand tapestry, ‘Boundaries of Antiquity’ stands out not for loot, but for its quiet brilliance in moral ambiguity. Choose violence if you must—but watching dwarves and Delemgan tentatively share resources? That’s magic no amulet can replicate. Sometimes the bravest thing isn’t swinging a sword... it’s playing therapist to a tree monster and a dwarf with tunnel vision.