Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Start Expansion Guide

How to Start Dark Arisen: Find Brant at Night

Norgan can punish a well-equipped character before the adventure even gets moving. Your Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion checklist begins with Captain Brant in Vernworth, where two dialogue choices unlock different parts of the DLC. The crucial Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion decision is when to leave: reaching the entrance is straightforward, but surviving the northern region takes preparation and new equipment.

To unlock the expansion quests, advance the main story to Seat of the Sovran, then visit The Stardrop Inn in Vernworth at nighttime. Speak with Captain Brant and look for these options:

Brant’s dialogue option	Quest unlocked	Content accessed	Recommended starting level
“About the new Arisen…”	Chilling Tidings	Norgan’s story campaign	40
“About the uncovered ruins…”	Lost Rites	12 challenge dungeons	20 for the introductory dungeon

You can accept both quests and decide which to pursue afterward. Accepting Lost Rites does not mean you need to clear every dungeon immediately, and accepting Chilling Tidings lets you begin the route toward Norgan.

If you arrive during the day, rest until nightfall before returning to Brant. Keep the location straight: The Stardrop Inn is where the nighttime conversation happens.

After choosing “About the new Arisen…,” track Chilling Tidings and follow its objectives. The route takes you toward an entry point north of Vernworth. Waldhar can provide additional background along the way, but follow the quest markers for your next destination.

Before departing, decide whether you still want to tackle unfinished adventures in Vermund and Battahl with your current equipment. Norgan’s gear is substantially stronger, and bringing it back changes the difficulty of the base game.

Official page: Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen (dragonsdogma.com)

When to Enter: Levels, Story Progress, and New Game+

For your Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion plan, separate quest availability from combat readiness. You can unlock the quests relatively early, but Norgan’s recommended level is 40, and the region immediately demands more than basic equipment.

Image: Steam / CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Level 40 is a recommendation, not a guarantee of comfortable fights. Even level 60 characters carrying Unmoored World equipment can struggle against the opening encounters. Increasing your level helps, but obtaining Norgan equipment is central to making progress.

Your current situation	Expansion access	Next step
New character before Seat of the Sovran	Brant’s DLC options require further story progress	Advance to Seat of the Sovran
Level 20 with Brant’s options available	Introductory Lost Rites dungeon is within its recommended range	Try the opening dungeon; leave harder challenges for later
Level 40 before the Unmoored World	Norgan matches the recommended starting level	Start Chilling Tidings and prioritize local gear
Late-game character before the Unmoored World	Norgan remains accessible	Finish any base-game challenges you want before upgrading
Character already in the Unmoored World	Expansion access requires New Game+	Complete the current run or use the new-playthrough option

What happens if you are already in the Unmoored World?

Once you enter the Unmoored World, you cannot begin the expansion until New Game+.

You can finish your current playthrough and start New Game+ normally. There is also a shortcut through Change save slot: hold X on a controller or Shift on a keyboard to create a new playthrough from your existing character.

Read the on-screen warning before confirming. This starts New Game+ with your character’s level, equipment, and items, while resetting quest progress and quest items. Your current save becomes inaccessible.

Make that Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion choice around unfinished quests. Finish your current run first if you want to resolve its remaining objectives before resetting progression.

Norgan or Lost Rites: Choose Your Opening Route

Dark Arisen has two parallel paths: the Norgan campaign and the Lost Rites dungeons. Both begin with Brant, but their progression requirements differ.

Image: Steam / CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

Norgan introduces the expansion’s snowy wilderness, settlement, characters, and equipment loop. Lost Rites offers 12 dungeons with individual restrictions and challenges. Some require particular vocations or prevent your party from using enchantments.

The introductory dungeon has no entry restriction and carries a level 20 recommendation. That makes it an earlier opportunity to explore the expansion, but it is still a demanding fight. Do not apply that level recommendation to the entire dungeon lineup.

Clearing all Lost Rites content requires substantial base-game progress. Later dungeon doors and chests require the Empowered Godsbane Blade, which you obtain near the end of the main story.

Build your Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion route around those requirements:

• At level 20: Try the introductory Lost Rites dungeon if you want an early challenge.
• Around level 40: Begin Norgan’s campaign to develop your equipment and explore its systems.
• Before entering restricted dungeons: Check the required vocation and party conditions.
• Before attempting full dungeon completion: Obtain the Empowered Godsbane Blade.

For a campaign-focused run, start with Norgan and return to the tougher Lost Rites challenges after strengthening your party. You can still accept the dungeon quest early to reveal its locations.

Set aside time for Norgan’s main campaign and allow 25 hours or more for broader completion, including side quests and dungeon exploration. Leave yourself time to work through individual Lost Rites dungeons and their restrictions rather than squeezing them between story objectives.

Survive Your Arrival by Replacing Base-Game Gear

The toughest part of your Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion route can be the opening equipment gap. Enemies are strong enough to overwhelm characters who handled Vermund and Battahl comfortably.

Image: Steam / CAPCOM Co., Ltd.

If the first encounter is beyond your party, retreat and reach the nearby settlement. You can get into the hub even after your pawns fall. Treat arrival as an opportunity to regroup and begin collecting regional equipment.

Norgan’s progression revolves around collecting spoils and relics, then having them appraised for equipment. Those rewards can make encounters manageable before you have gained many additional levels.

Step	Action	Purpose
Reach the settlement	Retreat from an opening fight if necessary	Gain access to the hub’s services
Visit the Riftstone	Hire pawns carrying Norgan equipment	Add stronger combat support
Gather spoils	Fight manageable bandits and direwolves; search rubble	Collect items for appraisal
Appraise your finds	Bring spoils back to town	Obtain regional weapons and armor
Reassess your loadout	Equip upgrades on your Arisen and main pawn	Prepare for the next story encounter

Inspect hired pawns’ equipment as well as their levels. A pawn already using Norgan gear can help your party through fights that would otherwise block your access to early spoils.

Start with manageable enemies instead of forcing repeated attempts against a fight that wipes the party. Search rubble piles during exploration, but check the surrounding area before stopping to loot. Enemies often guard these opportunities.

Appraisal has a higher chance of producing equipment suited to your Arisen and main pawn. Upgrade both characters as rewards arrive. Leaving your main pawn in weaker equipment limits how much help they can provide during the next difficult encounter.

Use Freki to find more treasure

In the settlement, speak with Ilsa and complete In for a Hare, in for a Hound. The quest involves hunting rabbits for her wolf, Freki.

Freki can help you locate treasure chests and rubble piles during nearby exploration. Follow that assistance while building your initial equipment collection.

Once you have a couple of Norgan upgrades, head northeast of the settlement toward Old Village Worth Path. Its back area contains a ruin with a small number of enemies and numerous treasure opportunities. Collect the spoils, return for appraisal, and reassess your party before continuing the campaign.

When progress stalls again, look for level two equipment spoils. The expansion’s loop keeps asking you to explore, appraise, upgrade, and return to harder encounters.

Prepare for Snowstorms and Plan Your Quest Time

Your Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion preparation extends beyond weapons. Norgan’s blinding snowstorms make navigation difficult, and its side quests connect you with useful exploration tools.

At the settlement’s inn, purchase the Orientier’s home for three Norgan duckets. It gives your pawn the ability to guide you toward campfires during snowstorms. Pick it up before pushing farther into the region.

Keep healing supplies stocked as you advance. Norgan’s bosses can consume a substantial inventory of recovery items, while ordinary enemy groups can force another trip back to town. Use those returns to appraise new finds and replace equipment before trying the next objective.

Several settlement quests fit naturally into that routine:

Side quest	Starting condition or location	Experience reward
Relics of the Past	Norgandian Settlement after Chilling Tidings	3,000 XP
Hammer and Tongs	Speak with Hal in the settlement	6,000 XP
In for a Hare, in for a Hound	Speak with Ilsa in the settlement	10,000 XP
A Direwolf Delicacy	Complete In for a Hare, in for a Hound	20,000 XP
Reaching the Far Shore	Speak with Jiera during Soul Searching	50,000 XP

For A Direwolf Delicacy, bring back a Snowdeer Bone. Snowdeer inhabit Norgan, including an area north of the settlement along the river’s southern end. Collect the bone from a defeated Snowdeer and deliver it to finish the request.

Continue the wolf-related quest chain before the campaign’s final stretch. Reaching the Far Shore becomes available during Soul Searching and provides a substantial experience reward.

You can return to Vermund and Battahl after entering Norgan. However, expansion equipment makes base-game combat much easier, and the northern adventure also brings rapid leveling. Finish encounters you want to experience at their original difficulty before committing to extensive relic farming.

Keep your Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion priorities simple: unlock Brant’s quests, enter with the right story progress, reach the settlement, and replace your equipment before pushing through the campaign.

FAQ

Where does the Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen start expansion quest begin?

Speak with Captain Brant at The Stardrop Inn in Vernworth at night, after progressing to Seat of the Sovran. Choose “About the new Arisen…” to start Chilling Tidings, the quest that leads toward Norgan.

What level should you be before entering Norgan?

The recommended level is 40. Higher levels help, but Norgan equipment remains important even for characters with late-game gear. Hire suitably equipped pawns and begin collecting spoils for appraisal after reaching the settlement.

Can you start Dark Arisen from the Unmoored World?

You must enter New Game+ first. Finish your playthrough normally or use the new-playthrough option under Change save slot. The shortcut resets quest progress and makes your current save inaccessible.

Do you need the Empowered Godsbane Blade to start the expansion?

You do not need it to begin Norgan’s campaign or attempt the introductory Lost Rites dungeon. You do need the Empowered Godsbane Blade for doors and chests within later Lost Rites content, so full dungeon completion requires further base-game progression.