Dragon’s Dogma 2: How to Get Your Forfeit Main Pawn Back at a Riftstone

The absence of your main pawn keeps “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” from progressing with Eir. Go to the great doors of Lorade Castle; Eir’s talk starts by itself. The objective then changes to “Speak with Eir when your main pawn is with you,” and you cannot proceed there until the pawn is back. A forfeit main pawn follows one straightforward rule, which resolves this problem.

Quick answer: At a riftstone, hold Examine (Hold) until blue light brings your main pawn back. Once the pawn is in your party, head to Eir at Lorade Castle.

Holding “Examine (Hold)” on the riftstone beside Northwall Campground: the stone bursts into blue light and the main pawn stands beside it.

Why Eir stops the quest

Eir’s talk starts on its own when you reach the castle doors. She explains that the castle is protected by a magickal barrier raised through statues placed around it, and that the sequence to activate it is too complex to lay out. Then she stops herself.

But I have just realized—your loyal pawn is not with you. ‘Tis the Arisen’s duty to protect those who serve them, you know—and I am sure your companion longs to rejoin you.

That is where the conversation stops. The objective shows “Speak with Eir when your main pawn is with you,” and Eir will only proceed after the pawn returns to your party.

Objective Where There's a Will, There's a Way: Speak with Eir when your main pawn is with you, outside the doors of Lorade Castle — “Speak with Eir when your main pawn is with you.”

Nothing is broken, nor are you missing a prompt from Eir; the game blocks progress until then.

Eir's dialogue at Lorade Castle noting the Arisen's missing pawn, with a Next prompt ready — Eir’s conversation stalls the moment she notices your main pawn is absent.

The rule for a forfeit main pawn

The game states the rule in its tutorial on a forfeit main pawn: “If your main pawn becomes forfeit, you need only touch a riftstone to return them to your side. You cannot enter covenants with other pawns while your main pawn is forfeit.”

Riftstones are boulders marked with a spiral and luminous blue runes, set amid circular stone steps.

Wild riftstones can have enemies nearby. A Bugaboo can turn up and attack at the exact moment your pawn materializes, so be ready to fight the instant the summon finishes.

Summon your main pawn at a riftstone

Travel to a riftstone. One such stone is the Mountain Stronghold Riftstone beside Northwall Campground. It is a low, round boulder sitting in the snow under a rock shelf, roughly 40 m east of the campground’s fire, in the area named North Valgrian Frostgrove.

Approaching the glowing rune-covered riftstone in snowy North Valgrian Frostgrove — The riftstone in North Valgrian Frostgrove, a rune-covered stone sitting in the snow near Northwall Campground.

Move close enough for the F Examine (Hold) prompt to appear, then keep the key pressed. A quick press will not work; hold it for roughly two and a half seconds as the Arisen reaches out to touch the stone.

The Arisen stands on the stone steps facing a riftstone in the snow with the prompt F Examine (Hold) — “Examine (Hold)” shows from the steps at the foot of the stone.

Wait for the pawn to return. At the Northwall Campground stone, a single hold is enough. The stone flares, the pawn command hints appear at the lower left straight away, and within eight to twenty seconds your main pawn steps out beside the stone in a burst of blue light, back in the party.

A burst of blue light around the riftstone with the main pawn's name tag and health bar above it and the pawn command hints at the lower left — The blue burst, with the pawn’s name tag above it and the command hints at the lower left.

Nothing is asked of you for this. No item, no gold, and no Rift Crystals are charged at the riftstone that returns your main pawn.

The main pawn stands beside the Arisen at the riftstone and says My humblest thanks for restoring me, Arisen — “My humblest thanks for restoring me, Arisen.”

If a stone lights up and he does not appear, try another riftstone. If no prompt shows at all, sheathe your weapon first (X on PC): with it drawn, holding F does nothing. Then walk round the stone: at this one the prompt appeared only from the steps at its foot, facing it.

The Grand Riftstone of Norgan inside the Norgandian Settlement works the same way: step up to its spiral face, hold “Examine (Hold)”, and the main pawn steps out of a blue burst beside the stone at once, with no menu.

The main pawn stepping out of a blue burst beside the Arisen at the tall spiral-marked Grand Riftstone of Norgan by day, with the Examine (Hold) prompt on screen — At the Grand Riftstone of Norgan the main pawn steps out right after the hold.

Return to Eir and confirm it worked

Once your main pawn is standing in the party again, head back to Eir at the doors of Lorade Castle. You will know the summon worked the moment the pawn appears beside the stone in blue light and the command hints — “Go!”, “To me!”, “Wait!” — show in the lower-left corner. With your loyal companion at your side, talk to Eir again.

While the main pawn is forfeit you cannot enter covenants with other pawns, so it is worth touching a riftstone as soon as it happens.