In Gothic 1 Remake, the quest “Up to His Neck” is part of the New Camp storyline. It is directly connected to the Rice Lord, the missing Bran, and an investigation that leads the player to the basement of the tavern by the lake.
In this guide, we’ll cover how to start the quest, where to find Bran, how to get to the basement, and which option to choose in the finale.
How to start the quest “Up to the Neck”
To unlock the quest, you must progress through the New Camp quest chain. First, the player travels to the New Camp and finds the Rice Lord. He stands on a tower amidst the rice fields. After speaking with him, he issues the first task—the quest “A Few Drops Too Much.” Further story progression is unlocked only after completing Silas’s quest at the lakeside tavern.
How to complete Silas’s quest in the tavern
The next stage takes place in a tavern on the lake, located opposite a large cave.
To get inside, you can:
- get past security with a bribe;
- or put on a miner’s uniform.
Inside, you need to talk to Silas and deal with Ryke. There are two options:
- defeat him in a fight;
- or buy them a drink and make them leave.
After completing the conversation, return to the Rice Lord.
Where to find Malon and learn about Bran
After completing the task, the Rice Lord gives a new quest, “Up to His Neck.” In it, the player must find Elder Bran.
The clue comes from the merchant Malone, who works among the peasants in the rice fields.
In the dialogue, it is important to choose the option:
- “That’s why I’m asking you politely.”
The player is then given a direction for further investigation.
Where is the Moonshiners’ Cave and Jacko’s Cave?
The next stage leads to the moonshiners’ cave:
- Exit the New Camp.
- At the intersection, take the third road.
- Follow it to the abandoned village.
- Go through the area with scavengers.
- Find the cave to the right of the pond.
- Talk to Ren and go inside.
Before entering the cave’s depths, it’s best to save your game—a fight with Jacko awaits. After a short dialogue, he attacks the hero. He wields a mace and deals high damage, so the fight can be challenging early on.
After defeat, Jako will suggest the next direction – a tavern on the lake and a basement where Bran might be.
How to get to the basement of the tavern on the lake
There are two ways to get to the basement:
The first way is through water
- go to the tavern;
- turn left from the entrance;
- move along the platform;
- dive into the water;
- Swim under the building to the basement entrance.
The second way is through the door
- break down the door behind the innkeeper;
- Avoid drawing unnecessary attention to avoid raising the alarm.
Where to find Bran’s body and the axe
In the basement, the player discovers Bran’s body. After examining it, they must pick up the note and read it.
Next you can:
- talk to Silas;
- then return to the Rice Lord.
If you additionally break into the chest and take Bran’s axe, you will be able to blame Silas and gain more context.
Final dialogue with the Rice Lord
At the end of the quest, the player can choose one of the options if Bran’s axe is found:
- Silas killed him in his basement. I have proof.
- Silas killed him. I told him I had proof, and he tried to bribe me.
- I don’t know. I found it in Silas’s basement, in the lake. Apparently, Bran decided to clean out his stash.
The choice does not affect the plot.
Reward:
- 300 experience
- 50 pieces of ore
- access to the quest “Admission to New Camp”
How to speed up the progress
If you already know the route, you can skip the investigation part and head straight to the tavern’s basement. This allows you to find Bran’s body more quickly and complete the quest chain.
Before the final dialogue, it is recommended to pick up the note and the axe—this will provide the player with more context and additional benefits.