Norgan, the snowy northern region added in the Forsaken Dominion story, opens with a clear number attached to it. When you take the dialogue option that sends you north, the game marks it as a high-difficulty quest for level 40 and above. That figure gets you in the door, but it does not promise an easy first hour, and it badly understates how quickly you climb once the Norgan quests start paying out.
Quick answer: Head to Norgan at level 40. It is a recommended minimum, not a lock.
What the game tells you about the level
The first time Captain Brant’s new options appear in the tavern in Vernworth, a box titled “Quests from Brant” names two high-difficulty quests and the levels suggested for each:
- “About the new Arisen…” (Recommend Lv 40 and above)
- “About the uncovered ruins…” is listed for (Recommended Lv 20 and above).
Picking “About the new Arisen…” starts the quest Chilling Tidings, which is the one that takes you to Norgan. The level is worded as a minimum, not a requirement, so you can take the trip earlier if you want a harder fight. The other option, “About the uncovered ruins…”, leads to the lower-level content at 20 and above.
Why 40 gets you in, not through
Getting to Norgan is straightforward, though the reward is modest. Chilling Tidings wraps up in the Norgandian Settlement and grants 5,000 XP, 10,000 G and a Norgan Portcrystal. The real challenge begins when you leave the settlement and enter Valgr Ravine for the first time.
On the first rocky hill, beorcans attack, followed almost immediately by direwolves—big white wolves that hold you down and bite. Around the recommended level, all three pawns can fall during this stretch, leaving only the Arisen standing.
Revive downed pawns with the hold prompt before the next pack reaches you, and if the fight collapses, break off and return to the settlement to hire fresh pawns at its riftstone.
You can get through the first dragon encounter without killing it: this happens at the Mountain Stronghold during Rumbles in the North. You only need to hold out until a scene ends the fight; keep a Wakestone ready in case it turns bad.
Quest XP in Norgan
The completion rewards for the main Norgan quests are listed here in XP. Rumbles in the North gives twenty times as much as Chilling Tidings. Across the final four main quests, the combined reward is 1,410,000 XP.
| Quest | XP | Also paid |
|---|---|---|
| Chilling Tidings | 5,000 | 10,000 G, Norgan Portcrystal |
| Relics of the Past | 3,000 | — |
| Rumbles in the North | 100,000 | 2,000 RC |
| Sage’s Wisdom – Riddle of the Body | 25,000 | 20,000 G |
| Sage’s Wisdom – Riddle of the Will | 25,000 | 20,000 G |
| Sage’s Wisdom – Riddle of the Soul | 25,000 | 20,000 G |
| The Snatching-Beast | 40,000 | Abandoned Supplies (Rare) x3 |
| Village Defense | 90,000 | Ring of Toppling, 5,000 RC |
| Soul Searching | 240,000 | 35,000 G, 3,000 RC |
| Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way | 220,000 | 35,000 G, 3,000 RC |
| Reunion | 450,000 | Norgan Portcrystal, 100,000 G, 10,000 RC |
| Into Rancor | 500,000 | 100,000 G, 15,000 RC |
Side-quest XP you can pick up along the way
Several Forsaken Dominion side quests add their own experience on top of the main path. These rewards are worth folding into your route while you level, especially the larger ones.
| Side quest | XP | Also paid |
|---|---|---|
| Relics of the Past | 3,000 | — |
| Reaching the Far Shore | 50,000 | 10,000 G, 1,000 RC |
| A Howl in the Dark | 55,000 | 30,000 G |
| A Keepsake, for Your Sake | 80,000 | 3,000 RC, plus a choice of reward |
Hard Mode XP
Hard Mode pays more for defeating enemies. In general you earn twice as much XP and Dcp, and inside Norgan specifically the bonus is 1.5 times.
For the intended challenge, head into Norgan at level 40.
