Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon doesn’t hesitate to have you choose sides, and one of the more difficult moral choices comes in the side quest Playing with Fire. Located in the city of Cuanacht, this quest puts you in the middle of a battle between Firkel, a crazed inventor who has a penchant for volatile chemicals, and Commander Denholm, representing the military order of Camelot.
The lives of Cuanacht’s people are at stake, and your decision about how you approach this quest has the power to make life easier—or a lot worse—for all parties involved. Here’s everything you need to know to initiate the quest, learn the truth, and make the optimal decision.
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon – Playing with Fire Walkthrough
Starting the Quest
To get started, head to Cuanacht—it’s in the center of the second region. When you’re within the city, go to the north of the lower district. You’ll see guards hammering at the door of a house. Go there to initiate a brief cutscene.
Prompted, select the conversation option “I’m just curious about what’s going on”, and follow it up with “I’ll investigate for you.” You will then be led to talk to Legate Denholm, the Camelotian garrison commander.
You’ll see Denholm in the upper city, over by the bridge that overlooks Firkel’s house. Volunteer to take the investigation from him, and Denholm—suspicious though not yet entirely sure of Firkel’s guilt—will allow you to take over from here.
Investigating Firkel
Return to Firkel’s home to listen to his version of the tale. This zany inventor does not necessarily admit to anything exploding—something just mysteriously wasn’t his fault. He declares that Camelotian soldiers were responsible for stealing a stabilizer that kept his unstable experiments under control. Without it, things blew up.
Be cautious when you talk to Firkel. Don’t be quick to accuse him of putting people’s lives at risk, or else he’ll shut up and you’ll miss out on quest advancement. Instead, express curiosity about his study, especially the one he’s conducting on Pyrolusite, and he’ll begin sharing the truth.
Soon enough, Firkel will request that you stand up for him. Select the dialogue choice “They shouldn’t have stolen from you. Something must be done.” That returns you to Denholm for the final choice.
Firkel or Denholm – Who Should You Side With?
You now have three choices, each leading to a different result:
Side With Denholm
If you align with Denholm and call Firkel a threat to society, Denholm will sentence him to death. You’ll be instructed to break the news, which Firkel takes with a kind of somber peace. He’ll allow you to plunder his home before he passes away. There’s a significant downer in this, however: you’ll forego acquiring one of the best combat items in the game, the Thundercall Crystal.
Pick the Middle Ground
If you attempt to play it safe and claim Firkel “meant well, but didn’t know what he was doing,” Denholm will choose to exile him. Firkel lives, but you’ll no longer have his special shop—and again, no Thundercall Crystal.
Side With Firkel
The optimal result? Defend Firkel and blame Denholm’s too-aggressive soldiers. Inform the Legate his soldiers opened fire and Firkel was not the actual danger. Denholm will grudgingly pardon the inventor.
When you return to Firkel with the news, he’s overjoyed—and invites you into his store as a thank you. Not only do you have access to his special items, but you can also purchase the Thundercall Crystal, a forceful projectile that can blow enemies to smithereens.
Playing with Fire may appear to be nothing more than another side quest, but its effects spread throughout the city and your quest. Make the time to listen to both sides of the issue, and if you desire access to some of the higher-end equipment and a well-wrapped-up ending, Firkel’s certainly the one to support.
