Avowed Steel Resolve quest walkthrough

Avowed is teeming with varied side quests to undertake, including one called Steel Resolve. This sees the Envoy embark on the hunt for a traitor in the Rangers' ranks and ultimately helps decide the fate of Fior mes Inverno, the major city in the Emerald Stair region. With it playing a key role in Avowed's main plot, players have a variety of hard decisions to make in this side mission.

Read on to learn how to finish the Steel Resolve quest in Avowed, including available choices and rewards. Here are the details.

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How to complete Steel Resolve quest in Avowed

The Steel Resolve quest officially begins here (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

This quest can be started by talking to Ranger Acierno near the Ranger Headquarters. This location is to the direct east of Fior mes Iverno in Avowed and can be seen from a distance as a wooden tower with several scaffoldings. Talking to the ranger reveals that a couple of seniors in their ranks have gone missing and been presumed dead. As such, players must track down the prime suspects Ranger Casagrada and Ranger Dorso to be questioned further.

An alternate way to begin the Steel Resolve quest in Avowed is to free Ranger Verano who is being held captive in the bandit camp in the Overgrown Homestead behind the house. Players should find this location marked on the map as it is the same place as the Bounty: The Trantons quest, which sees the Envoy infiltrate the camp and kill the bandit gang.

Free Verado here and free him from the cage with an ice spell, the Eye of Rymrgand fruit grenade, or an ice weapon (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

We recommend going this way before finding Casagrada and Dorso and finishing the Bounty. This is because freeing Ranger Verano offers more insight into the quest and players will gain more XP by killing the bandits plus the leader trio (which results in a boss fight as well) in Avowed.

To summarize, he was with Casagrada when the duo was caught by bandits. However, the latter managed to flee, leaving the former to be held hostage by the bandits. Verano also overheard bandits suggesting that one of their rangers was a traitor and may be involved in the other rangers going missing.

With that done, it is time to track down Cassagrada and Dorso. Finding them is easy since their locations are marked on the map. Casagrada is found on the Fior mes Iverno Docks, south of the Coastal Farms. Players can travel to it either via the Coastal Farms Beacon or the Docks Beacon. He can be found standing around with Ranger Minale.

Talk to him to learn his side of the story where he is adamant that he did not intend to leave Verano behind but instead got separated. While shaky, the Envoy's companions will comment about how he does not seem to be the traitor. Next is Dorso, who is near the Fior mes Inverno entrance and can be reached by traveling to the Fior Southern Gate Beacon.

Ranger Dorso at the Fior Southern Gate Beacon (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

Talking to her will reveal the fate of another Ranger Monato who is touted as the best tracker among the group but was last seen at an Ogre Camp. Unfortunately for the Envoy, this location is to the extreme northwest corner of the map, in the Grim Wetlands — a long trek from Fior mes Ivern. To get there, players must travel to the Infested Camp, where a doorway bars entry further inside.

There will be two orange shield plates above it, which are indicators for switches nearby that need to be activated. Break the wooden planks to the right of the door to power up the right shield. For the left shield, face the doorway, then turn around to see the other switch embedded in the cliffside in the near distance.

Proceed through the doorway here in the Grom Wetlands (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

Once inside, get atop the scaffolding to the right and hop across to the other side. Proceed into the cave nearby and be sure to grab any possible loot. Players will spot the Ogre Ulrask sitting in the arena before they get close. Be sure to have the best possible equipment to fight this beast who is an Exceptional (Purple) 3-tier boss.

This fight becomes more challenging because players must contend with multiple Shades and undead spawns, so stacking on buffs and crowd control moves is key. After the ogre has been defeated, search the nearby pile of corpses to get Monato's Note, which offers further clues to proceed. This takes the gang to a "Root-Strangled Tree" to the east of Lake Lacurna.

Before heading out, a ledge in the cave will lead to a blocked door with an electric switch next to it. Simply follow the wire to reach the input socket that can be electrified to open the door and gain access to a chest containing the Eothasian Breastplate (Unique Armor). After exiting the cave, take the path that leads downwards and stop by the nearby corpse to obtain the Vailian Dueling Ring.

This ring grants a 7% chance to avoid melee damage (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

The easiest way to reach the Root-Strangled Tree would be to travel to the Wild Outskirts Party Camp, rest and upgrade gear as needed, and then proceed. There will be a bunch of bears and perhaps undead on the way and around the search area of the tree, so players should clear the place first.

Approach the tree with pale roots strangling it and check around the left side to see a scroll sitting behind. Pick up the Clandestine Note and read its contents, seemingly from someone coordinating with the bandits. According to the letter, this person will meet the bandits at the edge of the river, just south of the Wild Outskirts Party Camp.

A surprise awaits at the location during the Steel Resolve questline in Avowed (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

Turns out, it was Dorso all along who was collaborating with the bandits to hunt the Rangers — including the Trantons who captured Verano — and was responsible for Monato's death. In other words, she is the traitor Ranger Acierno is looking to flush out. Players can choose to hear out Dorso's side of the story or attack her, the latter of which will initiate combat.

Those who choose the former will learn that Dorso did all of this to prepare the lands for the arrival of the Aedyr Empire — the same one the Envoy hails from — due to their promise of order and safety in the cursed, chaotic world of the Living Lands. That said, the means by which they achieve this is questionable.

Question the Ranger further in Avowed (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

During this conversation, players will also learn that Dorso helped the Steel Garote legion hole up in a cave in Emerald Stair. Those who pride themselves on exploring every nook and cranny will no doubt have encountered them in the Waterfall Cave and — whether on the hunt for loot or just revenge against the Steel garote — chosen to kill them all.

Choosing to deal with the Steel Garote hideout (or ignoring it) has major consequences for the story (during Ancient Soil main quest) and for Emerald Stair. Dorso here chose to ally with the Steel Garote's Captain Aelfyr and helped the soldiers set up camp in the cave. However, letting Dorso know that the Envoy killed her Steel Garote companions will cause her to attack the player.

Those who wish to hear her out further can avoid telling her about the Steel Garrote wipeout and receive the following choices:

• Help Dorso
• Let Her Go
• Attack her

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Help Dorso prepare Fior for the Aedyran forces

If players agree with Dorso's goals, they can choose to help her. This option will make her happy. This sees Dorso urge the Envoy to tell the Rangers that the traitor has been dealt with, and they may even choose to frame innocent Casagrada as the killer. The companions will disagree with this choice verbally.

Note that this outcome will see Fior mes Iverno burned to the ground during the Ancient Soil main quest in Avowed, with survivors migrating to another stronghold in the Emerald Stair region. If players thwarted the Steel Garrote uprising in the Waterfall Cave, the city would still be attacked but recover.

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Let her go, sending Dorso into exile

Choosing this means players agree with her sentiment but not with her actions that have caused the loss of innocent lives. This infuriates Dorso but she will inevitably leave the Envoy's sight, allowing them to go back to the Ranger Headquarters in Avowed.

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Attack Dorso

This initiates a boss fight against Dorso in Avowed. Defeating her will net players XP as well as an Exceptional Dagger that can be looted from her corpse. Letting her know that the Envoy killed the garrisoned Steel Garote members in the Waterfall Cave also has this outcome.

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Report back to Ranger Acierno

Choose how to wrap up the Steel Resolve questline (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

Regardless of which path players choose, they must head back to the Rangers Headquarters to let Ranger Acierno and Ranger Massoni know about everything. Here, they can:

• Tell the truth about Dorso: The Rangers will have a hard time believing one of their most trusted Rangers stabbed them in the back. The duo will then proceed to ask about Dorso's whereabouts. If the player protected her, the Envoy will lie about her whereabouts. If they let her go, the Envoy tells them as much and the Rangers will send a hit squad for her. Rewards: 3,926 XP and One Last Trick.
• Tell the truth and agree with her motives: This will cause the Rangers to become uncomfortable with the Envoy. No item reward upon this choice, only XP.
• Lie and frame Casagrada: Acierno thanks the Envoy for their effort. Rewards: 3,926 XP and One Last Trick (+1).
• Lie and claim there was no suspect: The Rangers will have a hard time believing the Envoy. Players can choose to:
• Blame the Dreamscourge: While Massoni is unconvinced, Acierno will buy this excuse. Rewards: 3,926 XP and One Last Trick
• Blame the Ogre: The duo will remain unfazed so players must either tell the truth about Dorso or frame Cassagrada

One Last Trick is a Unique weapon in Avowed and an Arquebus to be precise. In other words, it is a solid Exceptional quality two-handed ranged weapon that packs a punch. Its bullets can also ricochet to nearby foes.

Avowed is available on PC and Xbox Series X|S platforms.