The Hive and Seek side quest sends Coen and Lacra into a Kobold-infested cave to find Isbrand, Brencis’s maker. Partway through, a talking group known as the Hive stops you and offers to guide you to Isbrand if you deal with the rest of the corrupted Kobolds. That is where the “Help the Hive or refuse” decision appears.
Quick answer: Neither choice changes the story or the quest’s ending. Helping the Hive gives you an escorted, shorter path to Isbrand. Refusing makes Lacra praise Coen, which is a positive point for her romance route, but forces you to find a longer path alone.
How to reach the Hive’s offer
You must finish the Song of the Mountain quest first, which unlocks Hive and Seek automatically. Lacra then waits at the cliff edge in Uriash Village. Speak to her and pick the “Time to go” line to begin.
Help or refuse: what each option changes
| Choice | Route to Isbrand | Lacra romance | Story impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help the Hive | Escorted by Kobold through a secret tunnel (shorter) | No effect | None |
| Refuse the Hive | Find the way yourself (longer) | Positive point | None |
The mission plays out the same either way. You still fight your way to Isbrand, still face Chonk, and still reach the same ending. The only practical differences are the path you take and whether Lacra reacts warmly to Coen’s reasoning.
Dialog to accept the Hive’s help
To agree, choose these lines in order:
- You will show us where Isbrand is?
- We can help.
- Could be stupid to not get help.
A Kobold then leads Coen and Lacra through a hidden tunnel straight to Isbrand’s chamber. Dropping in starts a combat encounter against regular Kobolds and the Chonk, the Insatiable mini-boss. Chonk fights like the other corrupted Kobolds but has far more health.
Dialog to refuse the Hive
To turn the offer down, pick these lines:
- We’re fine on our own, as you can see.
- This is a trap.
- I stand by what I said, no deal.
Lacra praises Coen’s caution, which is what registers the positive point on her romance tracker. From here you handle the navigation yourself.
The second choice: calm the Hive or fight it
After Chonk and the last Kobolds are dead, the surviving Hive gathers in the shadows to feed on Isbrand, Coen, and Lacra. This happens whether or not you accepted their earlier offer, and it presents a second decision.
Calm the Hive down (recommended)
To avoid another fight, choose these lines in order:
- Calm down, and think for a moment.
- You can’t all eat at once.
- You will lose your bond if you eat it.
The Hive backs off and leaves the chamber, letting you finish the quest with no further combat.
Antagonize the Hive
Picking “One step, and you’re just as dead” starts a fight against more than 15 Hive Kobolds at once. They are weak individually, but the numbers can wear you down if you are low on healing. This does not change the story, though Lacra notes the conflict could have been avoided, a slight negative for her romance.
Grab Isbrand’s Plate before you finish
Before you speak to Isbrand, loot the chest on the right side of the chamber to claim Isbrand’s Plate, a Legendary Medium chestpiece and a strong pick for vampire builds. It is easy to miss if you go straight to Isbrand, so open the chest first.
Then approach Isbrand, who is chained to the wall and too weakened from two years of captivity to explain Brencis’s weaknesses right away. Confirm with Lacra to free him and move to the next area. The quest completes at that point, awarding 1,000 XP and 1 Skill Point, and continues Lacra’s questline with Our Rotten Roots.
