Of Wolves and Men is one of the few quests in Vale Sangora that costs you nothing. It triggers on its own when Coen walks near a fresh blood trail in the forest south of the river, and it takes zero time segments off the 30-day clock, so there is no reason to skip it. What it does demand is thoroughness — the difference between a full resolution and a dead end comes down to three ordinary-looking items you have to pick up before you talk to a corpse.
Quick answer: Follow the blood trail to the hidden cave, kill the wolf pack, and loot Blank Parchment, Stitched-Up Clothing, and Herbs from inside. Then use Compel Soul on the Cave Dweller’s body during daytime and spend all three items as catalysts. Completing every memory ends the quest with 47 XP and 1 Skill Point.
Of Wolves and Men start location and time cost
There is no quest giver. The quest appears in your journal automatically as you approach the blood-spattered dirt path in the forest, at roughly X: 11950, Y: 18235 on the Vale Sangora map. The journal entry logs it as a hunt gone wrong, which is only half true.
The time cost is 0 segments. Picking it up does not push the day forward, and it does not eat into the deadline hanging over Coen’s family. The one real scheduling constraint is that the payoff depends on Compel Soul, a Witchcraft ability Coen can only use in his human form during daylight — the runes have to be carved into skin, and the vampiric side heals those scars at night. Start this one in the afternoon rather than after dark.
Follow the blood trail to the wolf cave
Clear the wolf pack and search the cave interior
Stepping inside triggers an immediate ambush from a pack of wolves. There is no stealth option here and no way to investigate while they are alive, so fight them off with sword and magic before touching anything. Once the pack is down, the cave switches back to a search objective and Focus Mode will pick out everything worth taking.
The bodies and containers inside hold the quest’s material reward as well as the three items you actually need later. The Wolven Bracers are the standout pickup — a legendary armor piece granting +10 armor along with claw-related combat bonuses, which pairs directly with Coen’s night form.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Wolven Bracers | Legendary armor, +10 armor and claw combat bonuses |
| Recipe for Beast’s Bane Brew | Unlocks a new craftable brew |
| Blank Parchment | Required Compel Soul catalyst |
| Stitched-Up Clothing | Required Compel Soul catalyst |
| Herbs | Required Compel Soul catalyst, found at the altar |
| Bakir’s Call | Quest item tied to the hunting party |
| Letter Found in a Wolf Cave | Readable note from the cave’s occupant |
| Potent Vitality Balm, Strong Spirits, Denarius, Blood-Knee Trousers, Vial of Human Blood | General consumables, coin, and gear |
Toward the back of the cave sits a pagan altar built around a tree trunk, decorated with a ram skull, burning candles, and bowls of herbs. Inspecting it briefly throws Coen into a vision of a monstrous, desiccated figure. The herbs from those bowls are the third catalyst, so do not walk away from the altar without them.
Compel Soul catalysts for the Cave Dweller
The badly maimed body near the back of the cave is labelled Cave Dweller. Interact with it and select Compel Soul to open a dialogue with the spirit. Rather than a normal conversation, the menu offers catalyst slots — each item you burn unlocks one distinct memory, and the spirit will not volunteer anything without them.
Use all three in any order. Leaving early closes the conversation and locks out the remaining memories.
| Catalyst | Memory revealed |
|---|---|
| Blank Parchment | He stayed behind while the others left, gathering food for the group |
| Stitched-Up Clothing | He travelled to Oghasti dressed to pass as a “civilised man” |
| Herbs | He treated a “pup” with a stinging balm and voiced open hatred for a “leech” huntsman |
Together the three memories identify the cave’s occupants as a clan of shapeshifters who lived alongside wolves, moved among people when it suited them, and held a deep hatred for the vrakhiri. That explains the paw prints turning into footprints on the trail outside. The spirit issues a final challenge to Coen before it fades.
Rewards and how to confirm the full ending
When the spirit fades, Coen reflects on the shapeshifting clan and the on-screen banner reads “Quest Ended: Of Wolves and Men.” The payout is 47 XP and 1 Skill Point, and the Skill Point is the reason to bother — it feeds straight into any of the three skill trees.
Check the journal entry to confirm which ending you got. The successful version records that Coen found a secluded cave once home to a wolf pack and a man, that Bakir killed him, and that Coen wants to know more about his true nature. The failed version simply states he could not work out what happened in the wolf cave.
Why the quest can close without answers
There are only a handful of ways to land on the weaker outcome, and all of them happen inside the cave.
- Reaching the body without one or more of Blank Parchment, Stitched-Up Clothing, or Herbs in your inventory.
- Skipping the altar, which is where the Herbs are.
- Ending the Compel Soul conversation before every catalyst has been spent.
- Arriving at night, when Compel Soul is unavailable to Coen.
Sweep the cave with Focus Mode until the search objective clears, keep all three catalysts, and the quest resolves properly on the first attempt. For a side encounter that costs no time at all, a legendary bracer set and a free Skill Point make it one of the better detours in the early forest.
