Main quest is stuck and journal is not updated

[Mustard Jelly]

I was playing second playthrough. Not long after I entered Defiance Bay and Act II, suddenly I realized that my main quest has not been updated since Caed Nua. It was the quest named 'Old Watcher' and it said I should confront the watcher whose name I forgot. Of course, I already met him and killed him so that I could repair the eastern tower so I can get to Defiance Bay. 

 

Actually, main quest proceed with almost no trouble. I met Woedica's ghost follower at the First Fire and he directed me to the sewer. However, journal doesn't get updated and more importantly, I do not get any reward from the main quest. Concerning side quests, their journal updated normally and I get rewards normally, too.

 

I already tried console command that force-proceed the quest progress with IE mod installed, but it didn't do anything on the main quest while the console command do its job on the side quests. I suppose it is because my main quest 'The Old Watcher' is already completed in my flags.

 

Maybe I can just play with intuition to complete the second playthrough's main quest and fill the lacking XP from more side quests (another difficulty increase mode for myself, I guess), but the bug is quite unsettling and I want to fix it if there is a known solution.

[wih]

Same situation here. I am in Defiance Bay and I realized that I haven't finished The Old Watcher quest.

 

I think this might have happened because when I killed Maerwald, the battle wasn't finished yet. One of Maerwald's summons, the Flame Blight was still alive (it was POTD and I didn't realize quickly this thing was immune to piercing).

 

So the battle continued. And I don't think I ever got the choices dialog. The one where I needed to decide what to do with Maerwald'

In any event, I am now stuck.

 

[Mustard Jelly]

I don't think Maerwald choice is the main cause of the problem because I chose the consequence of Maerwald at that time (though I can't remember whether I killed Maerwald first or his fire blight first).

 

Anyhow, the phenomenon that Maerwald choice does not appear is also a very intriguing bug, nonetheless.

[wih]

I read in older threads that there is a bug which happens when the player quick saves right after the conversation with Maerwald and before the battle.

 

This is what really causes this bug. I am now certain, because I restarted the game, played up to Caed Nua and made some tests.

 

Initially, I tried to defeat Maerwald without quicksaving. Wasn't easy, because I am playing PotD. Took several reloads, going through the conversation each time. I managed to kill Maerwald, then I killed the Flame Blight. After the combat was over, I got the choices dialog and all the quests updated correctly.

 

Then I made a quick save after the conversation. I again killed Maerwald and the Flame Blight was again alive. The Time and Tide quest updated. I killed the Flame Blight, finishing the battle. Then nothing happened - I didn't get the choices dialog, The Old Watcher quest didn't update and I didn't get the Never Far From The Queen quest.

[Mustard Jelly]

I read in older threads that there is a bug which happens when the player quick saves right after the conversation with Maerwald and before the battle.

 

This is what really causes this bug. I am now certain, because I restarted the game, played up to Caed Nua and made some tests.

 

Initially, I tried to defeat Maerwald without quicksaving. Wasn't easy, because I am playing PotD. Took several reloads, going through the conversation each time. I managed to kill Maerwald, then I killed the Flame Blight. After the combat was over, I got the choices dialog and all the quests updated correctly.

 

Then I made a quick save after the conversation. I again killed Maerwald and the Flame Blight was again alive. The Time and Tide quest updated. I killed the Flame Blight, finishing the battle. Then nothing happened - I didn't get the choices dialog, The Old Watcher quest didn't update and I didn't get the Never Far From The Queen quest.

 

That is good to know. Thank you for your experiment.

 

However, because major encounters tend to be difficult ones, I have enjoyed to save after conversation and before battle. It is sad to learn that I should not use that method.

[wih]

However, because major encounters tend to be difficult ones, I have enjoyed to save after conversation and before battle. It is sad to learn that I should not use that method.

 

 

This is just a bug that totally needs to be fixed.

 

The game should not force you to go through the conversation each time, because this cheapens the roleplay experience. The first time through, you read carefully every sentence, thinking about how your character would respond. You take decisions (that may affect your reputation). You are immersed into the dialogue and the game. Then the battle starts and you are killed. Now you need to replay all the conversation just to get to the battle. The conversation becomes an annoying obstacle for you.

[zjazd]

Had same issue. Fixed it by reseting whole zone, similar to Raedric Keep. Just edit your save and delete both .fog and .lvl files related to Od Nua level 1. All next quest steps updated automatically.

[Aarik D]

Hello everyone,

 

I apologize for the inconvenience, could someone please upload a save file and an output log via dropbox? If possible, please upload a save before the conversation and a save where the quest log did not update. 

 

Thanks a bunch!

[wih]

Output log:

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/fw41e157bngzquv/output_log.txt?dl=0

 

A save before the conversation:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r9grt61153iru1n/c827c05a2114439796196cb2ab402ef8%208685884%20EndlessPathsofOdNuaLevel1.savegame?dl=0

 

Quicksave, just before the battle: 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8qn7bb2yj1twd1/c827c05a-2114-4397-9619-6cb2ab402ef8%20quicksave.savegame?dl=0

 

A save after the battle:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w9i4ampojy51azs/c827c05a2114439796196cb2ab402ef8%208688352%20EndlessPathsofOdNuaLevel1.savegame?dl=0

 

In the final save Maerwald is dead, but the Old Watcher quest stays unfinished. I killed the Flame Blight before Maerwald this time, but the outcome was the same. No choices dialog, no Never Far from the Queen quest.

[Aarik D]

Hello wih,

 

I loaded up your quicksave and saw the issue, but how did you manage to get quicksave during combat? As soon as the dialogue ends, combat should initiate. The game doesn't allow the user to save during the conversation or during combat. Are you using IE mod by any chance? 

 

Thanks!

[wih]

Hi, Aarik.

 

I don't use any mods. I have autopause on enemy sighted. Very useful. It saves me from having to replay conversations many times in order to get to the battle

 

Please, don't remove that feature

[Aarik D]

Hello wih,

 

I have gone ahead and entered the bug into our database. 

 

Thank you for the help! 

[loco]

Solution is here