Dragon Age: Origins

This secret achievement, "Amaranthine's Last Hope", is one of 5 secret achievements in the Awakening expansion pack. It is 1 of only 2 missable achievements (if you are planning on getting them all in 1 play-through a tactical save is required) and works in a similar choice system as all the main faction choices in the original game. When you have completed the three storyline quests, located in The Blackmarsh, Wending Wood (Silvrite Mine) and Knotwood Hills (Kal'Hirol) and you return to the Throne Room of Vigil's Keep the nobles will be gathered and Seneschal Varel will give you a typical 'point of no return' speech. Here you will be given 2 dialogue options:

1.) Assembe the men. We're going to war.
2.) There are some things i must take care of first.

If you choose the second option you are free to return to your game. If you select the first then you are tied in to finishing the game. When you choose option one you have the choice of choosing your end-game party and then it's off to Amaranthine.

When you arive you will fight a bunch of darkspawn and some grubs. Kill them and the city's defenders will start a conversation with you. As this is happening a talking darkspawn representing The Architecht will approach and inform you that The Mother's forces are marching on the Vigil. This is where your choice affects the achievement. Again you have 2 choices:

1.) So be it. destroy the city.
2.) I'm not giving up on Amaranthine.

Choose the second option and you will stay to fight in the city. Your first task is to clear the streets of darkspawn and save the friendly soldiers. When this is done you will fall back to the chantry to rest and then assault the Inn, killing a darkspawn general inside. When done here follow the Smuglers route to the cove beneath the city and kill a second general. Leave via the other opening on to the area outside the city walls and dispatch the third general and the Armoured Ogre Alpha and then the achievement is yours.

This may be just my luck, but when I went in with Anders, Oghren, Nathanial, and myself (Elf Magi) saving the city bugged out. As I was on the stairs next to the quest board, somehow someone reanimated dead, and there was a revived darkspawn (or maybe it was a revived guard- I couldn't tell) that was taking no damage, and it would not allow me to progress through saving the city because it thought I was still in combat. I loaded a save from the beginning of Kal'Hirol, thinking it just glitched, and had the same results, in the exact same spot. I have yet to go through the whole thing again to be sure though, but everyone please be wary, just in case.

EDIT: This helped me pass the glitch. I found it on Gamespot.


"The Animated Dead in Amaranthine is Frozen. I found a way to avoid this tactical error. Instead of going to the side of the stairs first, Run to the top of the stairs. There you will be stopped by a barrier. Then run back down the stairs. Make sure all darkspawn are dead. Next, go to the side of the stairs. Finish off any remaining darkspawn. Once this has been done, the barrier will be broken. CRITICAL: Head up the stairs and kill the Hurlock Emissary FIRST!! He is the one who summons the Animated Dead. Hope this helps you on your Quest. Have fun"