The Herb Merchant is a New Camp task that hands you a stash of unsold swampweed and asks you to turn it into ore. It starts after you reach Lares and talk to Baal Kagan, who points you at Baal Isidro, a Brotherhood dealer who is sitting on stock he cannot move. Your job is to take that stock off him, sell it around the New Camp, and bring the money back to prove you can handle profitable work. Completing it is one of the cleanest ways to build trust toward joining the New Camp.
Quick answer: Get into Silas’s lake tavern, buy Baal Isidro rice schnapps from Silas, take his swampweed, sell it to New Camp buyers until you reach 400 ore, then give the full 400 ore to Lares. The quest closes and you earn 500 XP.
Start the quest with Baal Kagan
After your first visit to Lares, head to the dwelling cave and speak with Baal Kagan. He explains that Baal Isidro has been slow to sell the Brotherhood’s swampweed and is holed up in Silas’s tavern out on the lake. Kagan wants someone with a sharper edge to take over the sale, which is where you come in.
Note: Talking to Baal Kagan first also opens the swampweed-selling task near the lake cave, and his reward pool can include a Charm scroll that helps you slip past Roscoe on the way to Lares. Save before picking his reward so you do not lock yourself out of a route you want later.
Three ways into Silas’s tavern
Baal Isidro sits inside Silas’s tavern, and the guards at the door will not just wave you through. You have three reliable ways past them, and any of them works.
| Method | What you do | Cost or risk |
|---|---|---|
| Bribe | Pay the guard at the door | 100 ore |
| Fight | Beat the guards down | Risky for weak early builds |
| Disguise | Wear miner’s garb from Swiney in the Free Mine | Free; tell Swiney you want to mine ore |
The miner’s garb is the cheapest option. Swiney in the Free Mine hands the outfit to anyone who says they want to mine ore, so you can walk into the tavern without spending anything or risking a fight.
Convince Baal Isidro to hand over the swampweed
Inside, Baal Isidro stands just to the left of the entrance. He brushes off your first offer because he plans to sell the weed himself, so you need to soften him up.
Sell the swampweed for 400 ore
Now move the stock through the New Camp. You can sell it stalk by stalk to the bandits and mercenaries around camp, and when a buyer runs out of dialogue options, sleep one night and talk to the same men again the next day to keep selling. The faster route is to dump the whole stack on a single merchant who has enough ore.
Reliable buyers with deep pockets include Sharky, Cronos, Malon, and Silas, alongside individual mercenaries and bandits. Keep selling until you hit the 400 ore target.
Decide where the money goes
Once the weed is sold, you choose who gets the proceeds. This choice matters depending on whether you are chasing New Camp membership or just clearing the task.
| Choice | Result |
|---|---|
| All to Lares | Counts toward joining the New Camp; do not spend the money first |
| All to Baal Isidro | Gives Isidro his full share and closes the quest |
| Satisfy both | Possible, but it can cost you up to 200 ore out of your own pocket |
If your goal is the New Camp route, return the full 400 ore to Lares. That proves you can handle valuable work without pocketing the cash, which is the whole point of the test. The ore is for Lares, not your shopping budget.
How to confirm the quest is complete
The Herb Merchant closes once Baal Isidro has received his share, or once you hand the money to Lares on the New Camp path. You will see the quest marked complete and earn 500 XP. If the task is not closing, the usual reason is that you spent the swampweed money before delivering it, or you have not yet reached the 400 ore the deal requires.
Finishing this errand is one of the major tasks that builds favor with Lares. Pair it with steps like Mordrag’s Ring and Diego’s List, reach Level 5, and you will have the proof needed to formally join the New Camp and pick up the Bandit’s Dress.
