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QuestsupportingSide missionModerate

Hunt the Devil

An Act 1 quest on the Risen Road in which the party must decide whether to trust Anders and his supposed paladins or protect Karlach, the fugitive they call a devil.

RoleA branching Act 1 side quest centered on the conflict between Anders's group and Karlach.
Statusavailable
Importancesupporting
RewardThe Sword of Justice from Anders's group, or the opportunity to recruit Karlach by siding with her.
TimeVaries by approach and combat choices.
  • ActAct 1
  • AreaRisen Road
  • Mission typeSide mission
  • DifficultyModerateThe final difficulty depends on party level, preparation, and which side is confronted.
  • Primary conflictAnders's group versus Karlach
  • Branching outcomeTwo major routesThe quest can end with Karlach killed or with Anders's group defeated.

The quest has no single mandatory allegiance. The most important preparation is deciding which outcome matters to the party.

Key takeaways

The quest is short in structure but significant in consequences. Investigate both sides before committing to a target.

  • The target is Karlach Anders's request to hunt a devil ultimately directs the party toward Karlach, who can otherwise become a companion.
  • The paladins are not what they claim Anders and his companions are oathbreakers serving Zariel, despite presenting themselves as paladins of Tyr.
  • The central choice changes the outcome Killing Karlach produces the Sword of Justice, while siding with Karlach opens the route to recruiting her and continuing into Hellion's Heart.
  • Evidence can be gathered before the decision Speak with Dead can reveal information about the dead at the location and help challenge Anders's version of events.

Hunt the Devil overview

Hunt the Devil is an Act 1 choice-driven quest on the Risen Road. Anders presents his group as paladins of Tyr and asks the party to hunt a dangerous devil, but the target is Karlach, a potential companion.

The quest begins on the Risen Road when Anders asks the party to find and kill the fugitive he describes as a devil. The request appears to offer a straightforward contract, but it places the player between two competing accounts of the same conflict: Anders's claim that Karlach is a dangerous enemy and Karlach's claim that she is being pursued unjustly.

Investigation can expose that Anders and his companions are not the righteous paladins they claim to be. They are oathbreakers serving Zariel, and their apparent mission is connected to tracking Karlach rather than protecting innocents. The distinction matters because the quest does not simply ask the player to defeat an obvious villain; it asks which testimony to believe and which alliance to preserve.

The decisive branch comes when the party confronts Karlach or returns to Anders. The player can kill Karlach to satisfy the supposed paladins, earning the Sword of Justice, or side with Karlach and defeat Anders's group. The latter route can recruit Karlach and lead into Hellion's Heart, while the former removes that companion opportunity from the current playthrough.

Where this sits

Reach the Risen RoadFind the competing leads
Investigate the requestCompare Anders's and Karlach's accounts
Choose an allegianceResolve the confrontation
Follow the consequenceRecruit Karlach or claim the paladins' reward
  1. 1Anders's requestThe quest is introduced by Anders.
  2. ●Karlach's encounterThe supposed devil is a potential companion.
  3. 3Final allegianceChoose Karlach's side or Anders's group.
  4. 4Hellion's Heartrelated questA possible follow-up after recruiting Karlach.

Hunt the Devil is an Act 1 branch on the Risen Road rather than a linear mission with one fixed resolution.

Requirements

Reach the Risen Road and investigate at least one of the people involved before choosing a side.

  • RequiredAccess to the Risen RoadThe quest takes place in this Act 1 area, where both Anders's request and Karlach's situation can be pursued.
  • RecommendedA party prepared for a confrontationEither major resolution can lead to combat, so restore the party and consider arranging your active group before committing.
  • OptionalSpeak with DeadThis spell can provide additional information from corpses at the location and may help reveal the truth behind Anders's claim.
  • RecommendedDecide whether Karlach should remain recruitableIf recruiting Karlach matters to the playthrough, do not kill her for Anders's reward.

Objectives

  1. Investigate Anders's requestLearn why Anders wants the party to hunt the devil on the Risen Road.
  2. Find KarlachLocate the person Anders identifies as the fugitive devil and hear her account.
  3. Determine who is telling the truthUse dialogue and, if available, Speak with Dead to examine the conflicting stories.
  4. Choose a sideEither kill Karlach to fulfill the paladins' request or help Karlach defeat Anders and his companions.
  5. Resolve the aftermathCollect the consequence of the chosen route, including the Sword of Justice or Karlach's possible recruitment.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Enter the area and find the people connected to the hunt.

    Reach the Risen Road

    Travel to the Risen Road during Act 1 and look for the local lead concerning a dangerous devil. The quest can be advanced by speaking with Anders, but approaching the area with Karlach already in mind gives the party a chance to compare both sides before attacking.

    Location: Risen Road

    TipMake a manual save before beginning the confrontation so you can examine both branches without losing the opportunity to recruit Karlach.

  2. 02

    Accept or investigate the request to hunt the supposed devil.

    Speak with Anders

    Talk to Anders and hear his request to hunt a devil. He presents himself and his companions as paladins of Tyr, so treat the request as an allegation rather than proof that Karlach is hostile.

    Location: Anders's position on the Risen Road

    Watch outAgreeing to help Anders does not require killing Karlach immediately; continue investigating before making an irreversible choice.

  3. 03

    Locate Karlach and hear her account.

    Find Karlach

    Search the Risen Road for Karlach, the fugitive described by Anders. Speak with her before drawing conclusions, because she identifies herself as the victim of a pursuit and can become a potential party member if the player supports her.

    Location: Risen Road

    Watch outDo not kill Karlach if you want the option to recruit her or pursue the companion content that follows her recruitment.

  4. 04

    Gather enough information to choose an allegiance.

    Test the paladins' story

    Use the available dialogue options to question the conflict and compare Karlach's account with Anders's claims. If the party has Speak with Dead, use it on relevant corpses at the location to uncover information about Anders and his connection to Zariel.

    Location: Risen Road and the surrounding encounter sites

    TipInvestigation is valuable here because the quest's apparent holy-versus-devil framing hides a dispute involving oathbreakers.

  5. 05

    Kill Karlach and complete Anders's request.

    Choose whether to side with Anders

    If the party accepts Anders's version of events, confront and kill Karlach. This resolves the hunt in Anders's favor, but it removes Karlach as a recruitable companion for that playthrough and closes the route into her related companion quest.

    Location: Karlach's encounter on the Risen Road

    Watch outThis is the irreversible companion-altering branch. Confirm that you do not want Karlach in the party before taking it.

    Missable
  6. 06

    Defeat Anders and his companions.

    Choose whether to side with Karlach

    If the party believes Karlach, return to Anders's group or confront them as enemies and defeat Anders and his companions. This route exposes their status as oathbreakers serving Zariel and preserves Karlach's opportunity to join the party.

    Location: Anders's group on the Risen Road

    TipBring the party into the encounter prepared for combat rather than assuming the group will remain neutral after the dialogue reveals the deception.

    Missable
  7. 07

    Finish the branch and follow its reward or companion consequence.

    Claim the chosen outcome

    After the confrontation, speak to the surviving ally or inspect the aftermath to confirm the quest's result. Killing Karlach can provide the Sword of Justice, while helping Karlach can lead to her recruitment and the continuation into Hellion's Heart.

    Location: Risen Road

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Hunt the Devil is built around information-gated allegiance rather than a simple combat objective. Anders supplies the initial framing, Karlach supplies a competing account, and the party's dialogue choices determine whether the encounter remains an investigation or turns into a fight. The quest therefore rewards players who delay the attack long enough to speak with both sides.

Speak with Dead is especially relevant because it can reveal information from corpses at the location. That evidence does not replace the final choice, but it gives the party another way to challenge the identity and motives of the supposed paladins. The quest's deception is part of its core mechanic: the names paladin, devil, Tyr, and Zariel do not all describe the roles Anders first claims.

The resolution is also a companion-management decision. Supporting Karlach preserves her recruitment route and can open Hellion's Heart, while completing Anders's request sacrifices that opportunity in exchange for the Sword of Justice. Players should treat the reward and the companion as mutually influential outcomes rather than unrelated prizes.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The quest gives both sides a personal motive, making the decision more involved than accepting an ordinary kill contract.
  • Its dialogue and corpse-investigation elements reward players who question the first account they hear.
  • The outcome has a clear gameplay consequence: Karlach's recruitment route or the Sword of Justice.

Weaknesses

  • The initial description of Karlach as a devil can lead players into a major choice before they understand the deception.
  • The quest can close off Karlach's companion opportunity if the player follows Anders without investigating.
  • The exact value of each branch depends on the party's priorities, so there is no universally best reward.

Best uses

  • Complete it as an early Act 1 decision about companion recruitment and trust.
  • Use it to introduce a playthrough's preferred approach to morally ambiguous quests.
  • Investigate both parties before committing to either combat route.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Kill Karlach to fulfill Anders's request

    The supposed paladins' request is completed and the Sword of Justice can be obtained, but Karlach cannot be recruited through this encounter and her related companion route is lost for the playthrough.

    Spoiler
  • Side with Karlach and defeat Anders's group

    Anders and his companions are exposed as oathbreakers serving Zariel, Karlach remains available as a potential companion, and the story can continue into Hellion's Heart.

    Spoiler
  • Investigate before choosing a side

    Using dialogue and Speak with Dead can reveal more about the conflict, allowing the party to make the final decision with better information.

Checklist

  • Reach the Risen RoadThe quest begins in this Act 1 area.
  • Speak with AndersRecord the accusation against Karlach before acting.
  • Find and speak with KarlachHear the target's account before committing to Anders.
  • Use Speak with Dead if availableCorpses at the location can provide information about the hidden circumstances.Optional
  • Make a manual save before the final confrontationThe branch can affect Karlach's recruitment.
  • Choose whether to protect KarlachSiding with her leads to the route in which Anders's group is defeated.
  • Claim the Sword of Justice if taking Anders's routeThis reward belongs to the branch in which Karlach is killed.Optional
  • Speak with Karlach after helping herFollow the recruitment opportunity and check for the start of Hellion's Heart.Optional

Failure conditionsSpoilers

  • Karlach is killedThe Anders branch resolves the hunt but removes Karlach as a recruitable companion for the current playthrough.
  • The party commits to Anders before investigatingFollowing the initial accusation without hearing Karlach's account can produce the branch that closes her companion content.
  • The party defeats Anders's group after choosing KarlachThis is not a failure of the quest; it is the intended combat resolution for Karlach's route.

On failure

The quest's key failure state is missing Karlach's recruitment opportunity, not failing a timed objective. Save before the final choice if both outcomes need to remain available.

Rewards and dropsSpoilers

  • Sword of Justice
    Can be obtained when the player kills Karlach to fulfill the supposed paladins' request.
  • Karlach recruitment opportunity
    Siding with Karlach and defeating Anders's group allows her to be recruited as a party member.
  • Hellion's Heart
    Karlach's recruitment route often leads into this related companion quest.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

The choice changes Karlach's story

If the party sides with Karlach, her survival can turn the encounter into the beginning of a longer companion relationship, including the possible follow-up quest Hellion's Heart. If the party kills her for Anders, the immediate compensation is the Sword of Justice, but Karlach's recruitment route is no longer available through this playthrough.

Trivia

  • The quest's title uses Anders's description of Karlach rather than identifying her by name, reinforcing the importance of questioning the initial request.
  • Anders's group presents itself as serving Tyr, while the investigation links the group to Zariel and exposes the oathbreakers' deception.
  • Speak with Dead can be used as an investigative tool in a quest whose main conflict is a dispute over competing testimonies.

Sources

Relationships

characters

locations

  • Risen RoadQuest areaThe Act 1 area where the quest begins and its major confrontations occur.

quests

  • Hellion's HeartPossible follow-upA related companion quest that can follow Karlach's recruitment.

items

  • Sword of JusticeBranch rewardA reward available on the route where Karlach is killed for Anders's group.