Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen – The Castle in the Ice Walkthrough and Gagana Summon

The Castle in the Ice becomes your priority quest once Sealed History ends. Its first objective reads “Find a path leading east through the stronghold.” What follows is a long chain of tasks. You escort Eir across the Norgan Snowfield, summon and kill a gagana for its fat, shoot a burning ballista bolt into a wall of ice, and then descend to a castle buried under the mountain, where a decision about a corpse decides whether the story continues.

Quick answer: Burn one dead snow saurian in each of the three braziers in Gagana’s Grotto, kill the gagana for Firebird Tallow, then load it into the Mountain Stronghold ballista and shoot the ice wall.

What to carry before leaving Mountain Stronghold

The snowfield drains you with cold, and a whiteout knocks out map navigation for roughly half the walk to the grotto. Pack for that before you take the elevator down.

Eir uses her gagana feather with the spirit compass you obtained during Seeking the Sage to find the bird.
At least one Climbing Hook for a tether post on the grotto route. A spare sits on the elevator’s winch frame (“Pick Up”).
Heatstones or thermal armor to hold off the cold.
Ice damage for the gagana. Fire barely hurts it.

Back up your save before you start. The throne room near the end has a choice that can end the game outright.

Mountain Stronghold elevator to the Norgan Snowfield

Fast travel to Mountain Stronghold, south of North Valgrian Frostgrove, and go to the ruined chamber where you fought the Fallen Dragon. The rubble that blocked the doorway is now gone. A soldier named Wash talks to you as you pass through.

Mountain Stronghold Map Location — Mountain Stronghold on the map. The quest begins back at the Fallen Dragon chamber. Shown at 00:04 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Head east through the large double wooden doors, then take the stairs up to the open snowy area outside. Ghouls and wildlife attack along the way, so clear them as you climb.

Stronghold Ascent — The climb through the stronghold's gates toward the upper ramparts and the elevator. Shown at 00:39 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Follow the snow path to the wooden winch house on the east side and use Examine on the winch post. The game shows “You found an elevator,” and a wave of ghouls climbs in while the lift rises. Hold the landing until “The elevator arrived” appears.

Stronghold Elevator Mechanism — The winch that calls the lift. Expect a ghoul ambush while it comes up. Shown at 02:09 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Get onto the platform, then Examine the red-handled crank beside the railing to descend. If you don’t see the prompt, an enemy is still close by. Clear out all the ghouls near the winch house.

Riding the Elevator — Riding the cage elevator down to the stronghold's east landing. Shown at 02:44 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

At the bottom you get “You arrived east of the stronghold.” A notice board warns that the route leads into the snowfield, and a chest nearby holds a Heatstone. Examine the carved stone lever on the left wall to raise the portcullis, then walk out into the Norgan Snowfield.

Rescue Eir and reach the ice wall

A cutscene shows a worn-out knight, Eir, fighting off monsters beside a wooden shack. The objective becomes “Aid Eir in repelling her assailants.” Kill everything, talk to her, then follow her up the snow road, through an arched stone gateway, and up ruined stairs. A second group ambushes the party on the way.

Following Eir Across the Snowfield — Following Eir east across the snowfield toward the wall of ice. Shown at 04:45 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

The road ends at a sheer wall of dark blue ice that blocks the way to Lorade Castle. Eir explains that only the fat of a gagana, a firebird, can melt it. She has a feather, and your spirit compass can follow it. When she asks “Are you ready now, Arisen?”, pick “I am ready.” to begin the hunt. The objective changes to “Locate a gagana with the spirit compass,” and Eir comes with you.

Drop a Norgan Portcrystal by the ice wall before you leave. You come back here after the ballista shot, and the portcrystal saves you the walk.

Route to Gagana’s Grotto

The grotto lies far to the east and southeast of the snowfield. The map shows three entrances, and the southern one is the easiest to reach. When the whiteout hides the map, follow the compass’s yellow line.

Leave the ice wall going right, and follow the ridge to a carved tether post at the cliff edge. Interact with it, pick a Climbing Hook from the Items window, and rappel down to the bottom of the cliff.

Keep to the cliff’s foot as you enter Icefall Tunnels. Beyond the cave entrance, a club-wielding goreminotaur occupies a stone hall. Its head is much more vulnerable to slash and strike attacks than its body. As a Fighter, climb onto its back and stab it while your pawns cast spells.

Take the eastern tunnel out, then follow the ledges along the cliff until you reach a broken stone bridge. Your compass indicates the route over it, but crossing isn’t possible. Use the tunnel on your side of the gap.

Fight past two groups of small monsters, then climb the carved steps to the timber-framed entrance. The “Gagana’s Grotto” banner appears, and there’s a campfire a few steps inside.

Hooded armored man in a fur collar speaks beside a stone forge while a pale figure works at a grindstone nearby. — Aymond asks the player, “Might you know where I can find a gagana?” beside a stone forge in a village.

Activate the portcrystal in the grotto’s open arena. From there you can fast travel to the Norgandian Settlement, rest at the inn until morning, and cook at its campfire (Aged Beast-Steak works) for fresh food buffs. Then return. Eir stays where you left her.

Gagana’s Grotto brazier puzzle: Summoning the gagana

Go into the ruined courtyard beneath the frozen waterfall, then get onto the circular stone platform. Your objective changes to “Find a way to summon a gagana.” Three big iron braziers are set across the platform, with rib bones lying among them. Behind the braziers, a red image painted on the rock is called the Gagana’s Grotto Mural. Its instructions say to burn the snow-dwelling scaled beasts at the altar, sending smoke up to the gagana’s nest.

Stand at each brazier and use “Light fire.” As soon as the flames catch, snow saurians (nokken) charge the platform. Kill them.

Stand above a dead saurian and press Grab (R2 on PlayStation) to pick it up. The controls then display R2 Release and R1 Throw.

Carry the body onto a lit brazier and drop or throw it in. The flames flare up and the corpse burns.

Slaying Saurians & Puzzle Solving — Carrying a saurian body to a lit brazier. Each of the three needs one. Shown at 11:10 in Ghosts of Reykjavik’s video. Image: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Keep doing this until each of the three braziers has a burning body. There are usually two saurians on the main platform. If you need another, look for more roaming down the wide stairs and up the ramp. Alternatively, carry a living saurian up and kill it beside the altar.

You’ll know it worked when black smoke rises toward the peaks, the mural glows, and a cutscene shows the gagana flying down. The game shows “You summoned a gagana,” and the objective becomes “Defeat the gagana and obtain some firebird tallow.”

Gagana boss fight and Firebird Tallow

The gagana is a huge feathered firebird with a glowing red sac in its throat. It sprays long streams of fire that leave the ground burning. It also stomps with talons that pawns warn are poisonous, swipes with a tail that ends in a blade-like point, stabs with its beak, beats its wings, and makes short hopping flights. Its fire breath can also melt ice lumps in the cave and uncover hidden loot.

Ice does full damage, and even more against the head.
Slash, strike, lightning, and holy are reduced on the body but do full damage on the head.
Fire does almost nothing.
It is unaffected by Blighted, Caught Fire, or Tarred.

As the gagana prepares to breathe fire, its flame sac swells; aim your attacks there. Fighters can reach it from the front with jumping sword strikes, while repeated skills like Skull Splitter work well too. Destroying the sac drops the gagana onto its side for about twenty seconds, exposing its head and neck. When it stands, attack its legs and belly from behind, staying clear of the burning ground.

After it dies, Eir removes the Firebird Tallow. Examine the body to collect additional loot: Smoldering Hide, Glacial Ore, and Lv 3 spoils are among the drops, with Norgan Ducat, Aged Scrag of Beast, Saurian Tail, Rotten Scrag of Beast, and Abandoned Supplies (Rare) also possible. The valuable tallow cannot be sold, and its fierce heat can melt ice of considerable thickness. Your next objective is “Use the stronghold’s ballista to destroy the wall.”

Firing the Mountain Stronghold ballista at the ice wall

The tallow goes into the ballista, not onto the wall. You fire it across the gorge from the stronghold battlements.

Return to Mountain Stronghold and retrace your route to the elevator area. Cross the chasm using the wooden cable lift if you like. Fight through the ghouls, pass under the arched gateway, and climb up to the open battlements. A timber deck there holds a large wooden ballista.

Stand behind the ballista and use Examine. The Items window opens with the message “Select an item to use.” Choose Firebird Tallow, then use the new “Use” prompt to take the seat.

The view may start out pointed at the sky. Lower your aim over the parapet into the gorge. In daylight the ice wall is easy to see. At night it’s only a small, faint blue glow.

Put the crosshair on the wall, hold Draw Bowstring until the bolt glows yellow, then let go. That’s R1 on PlayStation. On PC it’s F to Examine and Use, hold and release the left mouse button to fire, and X to stop.

View from behind a shield and ballista aiming at a blue frost dragon with spread wings above a snowy lake. — Aiming a ballista at a winged ice dragon hovering over a snowy lake, with the Draw Bowstring prompt shown.

A cutscene shows the burning bolt blowing the wall apart, with Eir running straight in. You get “You destroyed the ice wall,” and the objective becomes “Seek Lorade Castle within the snowfield cavity.” As with the elevator, the ballista won’t respond while enemies are close, so kill any ghouls on the battlements first.

Snowfall Valley Cavity to Lorade Castle

Take the east elevator down once more, or travel to your crystal by the wall, then pass through the gap. Follow the stone steps beside the waterfall to an icicle-covered cave entrance named Snowfall Valley Cavity.

Travel southeast, descending through each level of the cave. Clear blue ice plugs block some side routes; strike them with your weapon to crack and destroy them. The pale, packed-snow walls cannot be broken. One passage above leads to a ledge with a chest and bone pile, but continue onward by dropping into the vertical pit.

Rappel down the pit from the tether post at the lowest level, then head northeast to the underground lake. A cutscene shows Eir breaking open an ice-sealed archway above the turquoise water. Follow her path closely, because the footing is tricky and the water is deep.

The cavern opens onto Lorade Castle, sunk beneath the mountain. Follow the ruined walkway. A few steps up on the right is a riftstone covered in purple crystal, which you can restore with Examine. Activate Norgan Portcrystal: Lorade Castle too.

Map screen with a confirmation dialog asking whether to use the Eternal Ferrystone to travel to Norgan Portcrystal, Yes highlighted. — A Map prompt asks “Use Eternal Ferrystone to travel to Norgan Portcrystal?” with Yes and No options.

Fight past the armored undead, climb the wide steps to the great double doors, and Examine them to enter the throne room.

Lorade Castle throne room: Spare the corpse

An armored corpse sits on the frozen throne with Eir kneeling in front of it. She reveals it’s the body of her master, Ser Rovall, and refuses to let it be destroyed. You receive two Abandoned Supplies (Rare), and the objective becomes “Decide whether or not to destroy the corpse.”

Walk toward the throne and Eir steps in to tell you to lower your weapon. Hold “Hail (Hold to Talk)” to speak with her and choose “Agree not to harm the corpse” over “Do nothing.” She thanks you and asks you to seek the sage’s advice on ending the Fallen Dragon without destroying the body. The objective updates to “Ask the sphinx for a means of saving Rovall,” and Eir stays to guard the throne.

Dark cave with iron cage bars and silhouetted people standing behind them, with a Hail (Hold to Talk) prompt. — Several figures stand behind iron prison bars in a dim cave, with a “Hail (Hold to Talk)” prompt showing.

Continuing to strike the corpse provokes Eir into fighting you, and the result is a bad ending that simply stops the game. To keep the story going, agree to leave the body unharmed.

Finishing at the Shrine of Wisdom

Use a Ferrystone to travel to Norgan Portcrystal: Shrine of Wisdom, then climb the paved steps to the Sphinx. Her talk prompt only shows up while you stand on the octagonal dais in front of her, and only with your weapon sheathed. You have to hold the button.

After her first answer, hold the prompt again and pick both “Ask about the soul” and “Ask about the will.” She explains how Rovall’s will and soul are tied to the Fallen Dragon and gives you a clue about the dragon’s token. “That is all” only appears after you’ve heard both answers. Choose it, and “Completed: The Castle in the Ice” appears on screen. No reward screen follows. Two quests start right away: Soul Searching (“Consult with someone who knows Norgan’s history.”), which is set as your priority automatically, and Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way (“Speak with Eir.”).

Map screen with a quest list on the left and a highlighted quest description, with a snowy map region on the right. — The Map quest list is open with “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” selected, describing Eir’s request to seal the portal used by monsters assailing the castle.

The Castle in the Ice rewards and quests it unlocks

The Castle in the Ice gives no completion reward itself. Finishing it does open three Forsaken Dominion side quests, and the main story continues through Soul Searching.

Quests menu with the Current tab open, showing the quest Gaoled Awakening and its objective Heed the overseer with No Destination. — The Quests menu lists the current quest Gaoled Awakening, with the objective “Heed the overseer.” and the note “Follow the overseer’s commands.”

Quest	Type	Requires	Rewards
Quilt Me Down with a Feather	Side (Aymond)	The Castle in the Ice	50,000 XP, 20,000 G, Firebird Cloak
Hal’s Treasure Hunt	Side (Hal)	The Castle in the Ice	35,000 XP, 20,000 G
No Spoils Get Left Behind	Side (Chrona)	The Castle in the Ice	Up to 80,000 XP, 50,000 G
Reunion	Main	Soul Searching	450,000 XP, 100,000 G, 10,000 RC
Into Rancor	Main (post-game)	Soul Searching	500,000 XP, 100,000 G, 15,000 RC

Quilt Me Down with a Feather sends you back to Gagana’s Grotto to find firebird’s plumes in a nest that’s hard to reach. A completed Reunion can also award a Norgan Portcrystal, and it leads into Beyond Ruin-Night and A Keepsake, for Your Sake. Reunion is also where you finally fight the Fallen Dragon that Eir wants defeated without harming Rovall’s body.

Goreminotaur stats for the Icefall Tunnels fight

The goreminotaur on the grotto route is the toughest regular fight in the quest before the gagana. Here is how much damage each damage type does to its body and head.

A hooded man in fur-collared armor stands near a stone forge in a village while subtitles show him asking about a gagana. — Aymond, a hooded traveller laden with gear beside a village forge, asks whether the player knows where he can find a gagana.

Damage type	Body multiplier	Head multiplier
Slash	0.4	1.5
Strike	0.5	1.5
Fire	0.8	0.8
Ice	0.3	0.5
Lightning	0.3	0.5
Holy	0.3	0.5

Its standard version has 55,000 health and gives 5,500 experience. The Dark Arisen variant has 240,000 health, 800 defense, and gives 95,000 experience. Weapon hits to the head do three to four times the damage of body hits, which is why climbing onto it works so well. Fire is its listed weakness, and the same fire that does nothing to the gagana does solid damage here. It needs only 500 buildup to be Silenced and 1,000 to be Blighted or Petrified. Its drops include Brinebeast Ore, Wakestone Shard, Ring of Brawn, and Abandoned Supplies (Rare).