The Almanac is a Chapter 2 main quest in the Brotherhood line of Gothic 1 Remake. Y’berion wants a book about the Focus Stones that the Fire Mages hold, and the novice he sent, Talas, never reported back. The book itself was lost to Black Goblins, so finishing the quest means clearing their cave and bringing it home.
Quick answer: Talk to Talas at the Old Camp gate, speak to Milten inside the temple, then enter the Black Goblin Cave near the waterfall bridge east of the South Gate. Take the first right, follow the glowing blue mistcap patches down, and open the grated door in the bonfire room to loot the chest with the Almanac. Return it to Y’berion at the Swamp Camp, pick a reward, then report to Cor Kalom to earn 2,500 XP and start The Minecrawler Nest.
How the Almanac quest starts
The quest unlocks automatically after you finish The Focus Stone. Visit Y’berion in his temple at the Swamp Camp and he explains that he needs a book on the use of artifacts. Because Talas was already sent ahead and has gone quiet, your job is to check on him and recover the book.
Travel to the Old Camp and find Talas waiting at the castle gate, near Thorus. He cannot get past Thorus himself and asks for your help. Agree to assist, and in the dialogue choose the option to make it worth your time so he pays you up to 50 Ore Nuggets. He then points you toward Milten.
Getting inside the Old Camp castle
If you joined the Old Camp, you can walk past Thorus without trouble. Milten stands near the central interior, in front of the Fire Mages’ temple just left of the gate. Speak with him and he reveals that Black Goblins ambushed his group on the way to the Swamp Camp, and the book was dropped near the bridge over the gorge. He agrees to let you deliver the Almanac to Y’berion as long as you bring it back to him afterward.
If you are not an Old Camp member and have not done the admission until Thorus lets you in, you need one of the following to get past the gate.
| Method | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water Mages errand | Become a messenger for the Water Mages (New Camp) |
| Herb Delivery side quest | Complete it for the Sign of the Brotherhood item (Swamp Camp) |
| Pay the toll | Give Thorus 1,000 Ore Nuggets to enter |
Finding the Black Goblin Cave
Leave the castle and return to Talas. If you accepted his help earlier, he offers to lead you to the spot Milten described, which saves you from getting lost. Without his escort, head along the road toward the South Gate and cross the bridge next to the waterfall. The first Black Goblins appear there, and the cave entrance sits just beyond them.
Talas stays outside, so every fight in the cave is yours alone. Treat the outdoor encounter as a difficulty check. If two or three goblins already overwhelm you, the interior will be worse.
Note: Bring a Torch. The cave is dark, and while there are some lights and one goblin carries a Torch you can grab, navigating and fighting without your own light is far harder.
Black Goblin combat tactics
Black Goblins are dangerous for two reasons. They throw stones at range, which is almost impossible to block, so dodge or duck around a corner to avoid the hits. In melee their swings are readable. If you block their first swing, expect a second, and counterattack after that one lands. If their opening blow misses, they do not chain into a combo, so you can strike back immediately.
Go in prepared with decent armor (at least light camp armor), a real weapon rather than a starting stick, and a supply of healing potions or food. Loot the bodies as you go. The Morning Star they drop sells for a good amount, making the cleanup worthwhile.
Cave route to the Almanac chest
Two chests are worth opening on this route. The Almanac chest holds the most important rewards, while a side chest gives extra gear and crafting material.
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Side chest (right path) | Battlesword, Lockpick x2, Beer x2, Arrow x5, Ore Nugget x8 |
| Almanac chest (behind grated door) | Almanac, Ring of Greater Life, Lockpick x4, Beer x2, Torch |
Tip: To leave quickly, retrace your steps along the same route. If you have learned wall climbing, a ledge just behind the campfire lets you climb out faster than winding back through the tunnels.
Y’berion’s reward choices
Exit the cave and reunite with Talas if he is still outside, then head back to the Swamp Camp. He moves slowly, so you can travel ahead and let him catch up. Speak to Y’berion, report on how Talas performed, and hand over the book. He lets you claim one of three rewards.
| Dialogue choice | Reward |
|---|---|
| Those scrolls will do nicely | 3 Sleep Scrolls |
| I’ll take the ore | 150 Ore Nuggets |
| These potions look good | 5 Extract of Magic Energy |
The Ore Nuggets are the most flexible pick, since you can spend them on weapons or training. The Sleep Scrolls and Extracts of Magic Energy mainly help a mage or hybrid build, so a pure melee character gets less value from them.
Finish with Cor Kalom and confirm completion
After you collect your reward, Y’berion directs you to Cor Kalom about the ritual. Go to the Alchemy Laboratory in the Swamp Camp and speak with him, then ask how you can help. Selecting the first two dialogue options closes out the quest and awards 2,500 XP. Cor Kalom also hands you 5 Light Scrolls and 5 Extract of Healing.
You know the quest is done when the 2,500 XP lands and The Minecrawler Nest immediately becomes your next objective. That follow-up has you gather material from the crawler eggs that Cor Kalom needs for the ritual, so the chapter continues straight on from here.
