Help the Emperor's Old Hideout

Key takeaways

The quest combines environmental discovery, a difficult Githyanki encounter, and lore-focused exploration.

Start at Elfsong Tavern Approach Elfsong Tavern in the Lower City to initiate the investigation into the hidden location.
Search the cellar The route is concealed behind a cellar puzzle: clear the rats and locate the hidden button that opens the passage.
Prepare for an ambush The hideout is defended by Githyanki warriors and the inquisitor Ch'r'ai Har'rak, making the combat sequence the quest's main danger.
Inspect the revealed room After the attackers are defeated, use the button behind the large statue to access a room containing equipment and personal items.
Look beyond the loot The hideout's objects provide information about the Emperor's history, while the area may also lead to additional dream sequences and the city sewers.

Overview

Help the Emperor's Old Hideout is an Act 3 side quest about investigating a secret location tied to the Emperor's past.

The quest begins when you approach Elfsong Tavern in the Lower City. Rather than presenting the hideout as an obvious destination, the investigation first sends you into the tavern's cellar, where rats conceal the route to the next part of the exploration. The cellar is therefore the practical starting point for the quest, not merely a nearby landmark.

To open the way forward, clear the cellar of rats and search for a hidden button. Activating it reveals a passage leading toward the Emperor's old hideout. The location then becomes a combat-focused investigation: a Githyanki ambush, led by the inquisitor Ch'r'ai Har'rak, stands between the party and the deeper secrets of the site.

Once the attackers are defeated, a button behind a large statue reveals a hidden room containing valuable equipment and personal objects. The Sword of the Emperor, Cerebral Citadel Armour, Cerebral Citadel Gloves, and Stelmane's Portrait are among the notable discoveries. Exploring the hideout also provides additional context about the guardian's life, may trigger further dream sequences, and reveals a hatch that leads directly into the city sewers.

Where this sits

Approach the tavernLocate the quest's starting area

Investigate the cellarClear the rats and find the hidden button

Enter the hideoutFollow the passage to the secret location

Survive the ambushFight the Githyanki warriors and Ch'r'ai Har'rak

Search the hidden roomReveal the room behind the statue

Explore the aftermathExamine personal items and the sewer hatch

●Help the Emperor's Old Hideoutside-missionCurrent quest entry

This is an optional Act 3 investigation in the Lower City.

Requirements

The supplied material identifies an Act 3 starting point but does not establish a separate prerequisite quest or required item.

RequiredReach Act 3The quest is identified as an Act 3 side quest.
RequiredApproach Elfsong TavernThe investigation is initiated by approaching Elfsong Tavern in the Lower City.
RecommendedBe ready for combatThe route includes a challenging ambush by Githyanki warriors and Ch'r'ai Har'rak.

Objectives

Find the entrance to the hideoutInvestigate the cellar beneath Elfsong Tavern and locate the mechanism that opens the passage.
Defeat the Githyanki attackersSurvive the ambush involving Githyanki warriors and the inquisitor Ch'r'ai Har'rak.
Reveal the hidden roomAfter the fight, use the button behind the large statue to open the concealed room.
Search the Emperor's belongingsInspect the equipment, portrait, and other personal objects to learn more about the Emperor's past.
Explore the sewer connectionCheck the hatch in the hideout, which provides a direct path into the city sewers.

WalkthroughSpoilers

01
Initiate the investigation
Approach Elfsong Tavern
Go to Elfsong Tavern in the Lower City to begin the investigation. The quest is tied to the tavern area, so use the building as the landmark for finding the route rather than searching the wider city first.
Location: Elfsong Tavern, Lower City
02
Find the hidden entrance
Enter and search the cellar
Continue into the tavern's cellar and inspect the area for the concealed entrance. The cellar is occupied by rats, and the passage cannot be found simply by following an obvious doorway.
Location: The cellar beneath Elfsong Tavern
TipSearch the cellar after dealing with the rats so the button and its surroundings are easier to inspect.
03
Make the cellar safe
Clear the cellar of rats
Defeat the rats in the cellar before attempting to operate the hidden mechanism. The supplied material does not establish an exact number of rats, so treat the objective as clearing the hostile creatures from the cellar rather than looking for a fixed count.
Location: The tavern cellar
04
Open the passage
Press the hidden button
Locate and activate the hidden button in the cleared cellar. Pressing it opens a passage that leads away from the tavern and toward the secret location connected to the Emperor.
Location: The tavern cellar
05
Reach the hideout
Follow the passage into the hideout
Proceed through the newly revealed route and enter the Emperor's old hideout. The location is secret and tied to the Emperor's history, so examine the area as you advance instead of treating the passage as a purely linear combat route.
Location: The passage to the old hideout
06
Survive the ambush
Prepare for the Githyanki ambush
Expect a challenging encounter once you reach the hideout. Githyanki warriors attack the party, and the inquisitor Ch'r'ai Har'rak is part of the confrontation.
Location: The Emperor's old hideout
Watch outThe ambush is the quest's principal combat hazard. Avoid moving deeper into the area until the attacking Githyanki and their inquisitor have been dealt with.
07
Defeat the attackers
Defeat Ch'r'ai Har'rak and the attackers
Win the encounter against the Githyanki warriors and Ch'r'ai Har'rak before searching for the hidden room. The supplied sources do not specify enemy numbers, individual attack patterns, or a special required counter, so focus on completing the encounter without assuming an unverified tactic.
Location: The Emperor's old hideout
08
Reveal the hidden room
Find the statue mechanism
After the attackers are defeated, search behind the large statue for another button. This mechanism is separate from the cellar button and reveals the room containing the hideout's most notable equipment and personal effects.
Location: Behind the large statue in the hideout
09
Investigate the belongings
Search the hidden room
Enter the newly revealed room and collect or inspect its contents. The room contains the Sword of the Emperor, Cerebral Citadel Armour, Cerebral Citadel Gloves, Stelmane's Portrait, and other trinkets connected to the Emperor.
Location: The hidden room behind the statue
10
Find the sewer route
Inspect the hideout's other exits
Continue examining the hideout after the hidden room is opened. A hatch provides a direct route into the city sewers, giving the location value beyond its loot and lore discoveries.
Location: The Emperor's old hideout
11
Complete the investigation
Review the aftermath
Completing the exploration reveals more about the guardian's life and can trigger additional dream sequences. The supplied material does not identify the exact trigger conditions or sequence order, so revisit the area and inspect its personal items without assuming every dream occurs immediately.
Location: The Emperor's old hideout

Mission mechanics

This quest is built around two hidden-button discoveries rather than a conventional quest marker chain. The first button is in the tavern's cellar and opens the route to the hideout; the second is behind a large statue and opens the room containing the main equipment and personal items. Searching the environment is essential because neither mechanism is described as an ordinary entrance.

The combat section is concentrated inside the hideout. Githyanki warriors ambush the party alongside the inquisitor Ch'r'ai Har'rak, so the exploration phase changes into a direct fight before the hidden room can be accessed. The sources do not provide a reliable enemy count, level recommendation, or ability-by-ability strategy; those details should not be treated as fixed guidance.

The hideout also functions as a lore location. Stelmane's Portrait and other trinkets give context about the Emperor's history, while completing the exploration can lead to additional dream sequences. A hatch connects the location to the city sewers, creating a second practical reason to inspect the whole area after the main confrontation.

What works and what does not

Strengths

The quest links environmental investigation to narrative discovery through the two concealed buttons.
The hideout combines a challenging Githyanki encounter with equipment, personal objects, and information about the Emperor's past.
The sewer hatch gives the location a practical traversal function as well as a story purpose.

Weaknesses

The entrance is easy to overlook if the tavern cellar is not searched after the rats are dealt with.
The ambush can interrupt exploration before the player reaches the most valuable room.
The exact conditions for any additional dream sequences are not established by the supplied material.

Best uses

Treat the quest as both a combat encounter and a lore investigation.
Search behind the large statue after the ambush instead of leaving once the attackers are defeated.
Use the sewer hatch as an alternate route after completing the hideout exploration.

PhasesSpoilers

1
Cellar cleanup
Starts: Entering the tavern's cellar during the investigation
Rats occupy the cellar and must be cleared before the hidden entrance can be properly located.
- Rat attacksTell The supplied source identifies rats as the cellar enemies but does not document their individual attack tells.Answer Clear the cellar before searching for the hidden button.
- Do not assume the tavern cellar's ordinary layout contains the entrance; search for the hidden button after the rats are dealt with.
2
Githyanki ambush
Starts: Entering the secret hideout
Githyanki warriors attack the party with the inquisitor Ch'r'ai Har'rak.
- Githyanki warrior assaultTell The source confirms an ambush by Githyanki warriors but does not provide a complete attack list.Answer Defeat the attackers before attempting to access the hidden room.
- Ch'r'ai Har'rak's assaultTell Ch'r'ai Har'rak participates in the challenging ambush as an inquisitor.Answer Treat the inquisitor as part of the main encounter and do not leave the area unexplored until the fight is over.
- The ambush is the main combat gate between the entrance and the hidden room.
3
Hidden-room discovery
Starts: Defeating the attackers and searching behind the large statue
A button behind the statue reveals a room containing equipment and personal belongings.
- Search the statue's rear after combat; the room is not opened by the cellar mechanism.

Boss encounterSpoilers

Location
The Emperor's old hideout
Health
Not documented in the supplied material

Ch'r'ai Har'rak is the named leader of the Githyanki ambush. Defeat the inquisitor and the accompanying Githyanki warriors before searching behind the large statue; the supplied sources do not establish a specific weakness, ability rotation, enemy count, or numerical strategy.

Rewards

Access to the hidden room
The Sword of the Emperor
Cerebral Citadel Armour
Cerebral Citadel Gloves

Checklist

Approach Elfsong Tavern in the Lower CityThis is the quest's stated starting point.
Enter the tavern cellarThe entrance investigation takes place below the tavern.
Clear the cellar of ratsThe hidden button is found after dealing with the cellar's hostile creatures.
Locate and press the cellar's hidden buttonThis opens the passage toward the hideout.
Defeat the Githyanki warriorsThey ambush the party inside the secret location.
Defeat Ch'r'ai Har'rakThe inquisitor is part of the hideout encounter.
Search behind the large statueA second button is hidden there.
Open the hidden roomThe button reveals the room containing notable loot and personal items.
Inspect Stelmane's Portrait and other trinketsThese objects provide context about the Emperor's history.Optional
Check the hatch to the city sewersThe hatch provides a direct route into the sewers.Optional

Collectibles and secretsSpoilers

01
Stelmane's Portrait
Where: The hidden room in the Emperor's old hideout
A personal item that offers insight into the Emperor's history.
02
Other trinkets
Where: The Emperor's old hideout
The hideout contains additional personal objects connected to the Emperor's past.

RewardsSpoilers

Sword of the Emperor
A notable piece of loot found in the hidden room.
Cerebral Citadel Armour
Equipment found among the valuables in the room behind the statue.
Cerebral Citadel Gloves
Equipment found in the same hidden room.
Stelmane's Portrait
A personal item that contributes to the hideout's historical context.
Dream sequences
Exploring the area can trigger additional dream sequences, although the precise trigger conditions are not established here.
City sewer access
The hideout's hatch provides a direct path into the city sewers.

AftermathSpoilers

The hideout is more than a loot room

After the ambush, inspect the personal objects as well as the equipment. The hideout can reveal more about the guardian's life and may trigger additional dream sequences; its hatch also connects directly to the city sewers.

Trivia

The quest's entrance and its reward room are both opened by hidden buttons, but they are located in different parts of the route.
The hideout contains both combat-related rewards and personal objects, including Stelmane's Portrait.
The location has a direct connection to the city sewers through a hatch.