After you reach Emerald Stair in Avowed, you’ll find yourself assisting numerous characters, as the region is heavily afflicted by the Dreamscourge. One such character is Sielo Piannini, a farmer struggling to care for his sick wife after the Paradisan rebels stole his crops. Desperate for help, he turns to you.
During the Food Theft side quest, you will come face-to-face with one of the Paradisan rebel captains, and past decisions may come back to impact the encounter. Ultimately, as the Envoy, you will have several choices to consider, and if you wish to satisfy both sides, you’ll need to choose wisely. This guide will detail how to initiate the quest, locate the culprits, and decide their fate.
How to Start the Food Theft Quest
While exploring the area north of Fior mes Iverno, you will unlock a fast-travel beacon, near which you’ll find Sielo Piannini. Speaking with him reveals that a group of rebels has stolen his crops, and he asks you to track them down, initiating the Food Theft side quest. If you engage him in further conversation, he will mention that his wife is seriously ill and urgently needs Rose Draught.
How to Find the Bandits
After speaking with Sielo, make your way to the Riverside Cave Beacon, located north of Fior mes Iverno. Be prepared for a few enemies between the farmer’s market and the bandits’ hideout. Once you spot the cave, climb onto the nearby rocks and jump across to reach the entrance.
Inside, you’ll have two paths to choose from—left or right. The left path leads to two Paradisan rebels engaged in an argument and is the correct route to find the bandits. Although the entrance is blocked, you can clear the obstacles to proceed.
Following this path will bring you to Erlinn Matishell, the stolen crops, and the other bandits. Avowed encourages players to resolve conflicts through diplomacy, but combat is always an option. When confronting Erlinn, you have several ways to handle the situation, each leading to different outcomes:
- Allow them to keep what they took.
- Engage in a direct fight.
- Demand the stolen food back from the bandits.
- Negotiate for the medical supplies in exchange for the stolen food.
What Happens if You Allow the Bandits to Keep What They Took
You can choose to let Erlinn keep the stolen food and return to Sielo empty-handed. Before leaving the cave, the bandits will reward you with money as a gesture of appreciation for not betraying them or reclaiming the stolen goods. However, Sielo will be understandably furious with your decision. The quest will then conclude, granting you XP.
What Happens if You Engage in a Direct Fight With the Bandits
If diplomacy isn’t your strength, it’s best to have a solid loadout and a good grasp of Avowed’s combat mechanics before engaging in battle. If you choose to eliminate all the bandits, you can then return to Sielo, who will express his gratitude and reward you with the same items as in the other outcomes.
What Happens if You Demand the Stolen Food Back from the Bandits.
This option is only available if you spared Ygwulf during the main quest An Untimely End. You can use this as leverage to get your way, and while Erlinn will comply, not everyone in her group will be pleased. This results in a brief fight where most of the bandits turn against you. After emerging victorious, Erlinn will express disappointment in how things played out but acknowledges that you’ve helped “trim the fat” from her group.
With the stolen food in hand, you can leave the camp and return to Sielo. Grateful for your help, he will offer you money as a reward. You have the option to refuse his gratitude, in which case he will instead gift you the Forager’s Friend Ring.
What Happens if You Negotiate for Medical Supplies in Exchange for the Stolen Food.
If you manage to gather more information about Sielo, you can use it to persuade Erlinn to return the medical supplies for his wife. She will reveal that she has Rose Draught, a medicine that could aid in her recovery. In exchange for the stolen food, Erlinn will hand over the medicine and even offer you money as a token of gratitude. Once you have the Rose Draught, you can bring it back to Sielo.
Although Sielo won’t be pleased with your decision, he will ultimately acknowledge that the medicine could help his wife recover. You can also attempt to ease the tension by reassuring him that he can regain the lost food through hard work. The quest will then conclude, rewarding you with XP and granting you the same rewards as if you had reclaimed the stolen food.
