Smoke And Ashes Walkthrough – Blood of Dawnwalker

1 – Go to Laslea with Anca

Mission Text:
“What happened? I’m alive – but how? Did Brencis turn me or not? And where’s my family? I need to find them, and soon. – I need to find out what happened to my family, where to look for them.”

Before leaving, loot the containers in Anca’s Hut. It does not count as stealing, so take everything. Then exit and follow her toward the empty village.

Laslea is deserted now and the Prologue quests are no longer on the map, so Smoke and Ashes is the only quest available. Partway along the road Coen and Anca split up: she stays behind while he goes on to his former home alone.

2 – Search Your Family Home

Mission Text:
“Laslea is sacked, but my house is still standing. Maybe there’s someone there – hiding?”

Return to Coen’s home. A couple of aggressive dogs prowl the approach and have to be fought off before you can get inside.

Enter the house and investigate Lunka’s doll in the kitchen, and the kitchen table.

There is a piece of Lunka’s dress caught on the window frame, which suggests she got out.

Keep searching. There is blood on the floor in the room opposite the kitchen, the inner courtyard is covered in footprints, and Coen’s bedroom has a bed that can be inspected.

3 – Return to Anca

Mission Text:
“No sign of my family. What am I supposed to do now? I’d better consult with Anca.”

The family home is empty. Finish looting and leave the house, and Anca will be waiting outside. She then admits to a horrid, gruesome secret of her own: she can make the dead speak. She marks Coen’s left hand and arm, and the ability is yours.

How to Use Compel Soul

Compel Soul is a new core ability and you will keep using it well past this quest, so it is worth understanding properly here.

Enter Focus Mode, look at the dead soldier, and select Compel Soul. On its own it only gets you a few broken words. To get anything useful, the dead need prompting with objects they owned or were looking at in the moment they died, which is exactly what step 4 is about. Anything you find has to be used on the body through Compel Soul, not simply picked up.

4 – Find Items of Importance to the Dead Soldier

Mission Text:
“The dead soldier spoke – but briefly, haltingly. Anca says I need to find objects the deceased man either owned or was looking at as he passed.”

Sweep the area around the body in Focus Mode. There are two objects to find:
Brencis’ Banner, which the soldier carried.
Trampled Apple, which Lunka dropped as she ran.

Return to the body and use Compel Soul again with each item in turn. The banner confirms who sacked Laslea, and the apple puts Lunka at the scene alive.

5 – Go to the Village Gate

Mission Text:
“I won’t find anything more in Laslea – I need to get out of here.”

Head down to the Village Gate and clear the rubble blocking it.

This costs 7 time slots, by far the largest single expense of the game so far, so do not start it with plans you still need daylight for.

As night falls, Coen turns, and Anca is standing right there to see it. Both of them work out that this is not a one-off and that it will happen every night from now on. Anca packs her things and leaves for St. Tyna’s, telling Coen to come and find her there when he is ready.

Completing Smoke and Ashes unlocks the Character Perk trees for Witchcraft and Vampirism, which is the first point in the game where you can start shaping Coen’s build. It also leaves you with Compel Soul permanently and the nightly transformation as a standing mechanic.