Dawnwalker Ends and Means: Poison or Destroy the Distillery?
How to unlock Bakir's Distilleries: Ends and Means, clear the yard, enter the barn, choose the poison outcome and avoid the quest's failure state.
For the cleanest result, refuse to poison the alcohol and destroy the distillery equipment. Accepting the poison also completes the Court Activity, but leaves the operation physically intact and records a different journal outcome. Do not leave the site unfinished and then advance to the Brencis finale: the activity can fail. The full route costs three time segments and awards 250 XP plus one skill point.
Quest spoilers and best outcome
This guide reveals the final choice inside Bakir's distillery but avoids later Court-story spoilers. Make a manual save before entering the barn if you want to compare the two journal outcomes.
Both completed branches damage Bakir's operation. Refusing the poison and breaking the equipment is the clearest permanent shutdown; allowing the poisoned batch is the alternative sabotage result. Neither route is required to collect a unique named weapon or armor piece.
| Choice | Immediate result | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Refuse the poison | Fight the saboteur, then destroy the equipment | A clean physical shutdown |
| Allow the poison | The batch is poisoned and the operation remains intact | Players role-playing covert sabotage |
| Walk away unfinished | No completed sabotage result | Not recommended; the activity can fail at the finale |
How to unlock Ends and Means
Travel to Bakir's distillery near Parlita and entering the operation area can start the Court Activity directly. You can also unlock it by looting the Letter of Reprimand from Bakir's soldiers at the pillory; that document points Coen toward this operation and another Bakir activity.
The quest is listed under Bakir's Distilleries: Ends and Means. If the marker is missing after reading the letter, open the Court journal, track the activity manually and approach the distillery perimeter.
- Direct trigger: enter the distillery operation area near Parlita
- Document trigger: read the Letter of Reprimand from the pillory soldiers
- Journal group: Bakir's Distilleries
- Time cost: three segments
- Recommended save: before entering the barn
Clear the yard and enter the barn
Approach the fenced distillery and remove the soldiers guarding the yard. Use the outer structures to keep ranged enemies from surrounding Coen, then check the yard before entering the main barn or production building.
Inside, follow the objective toward the brewing equipment. The decisive conversation occurs before the final sabotage, so stop and create the branch save as soon as the encounter begins.
| Stage | Action | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Perimeter | Approach the distillery near Parlita | Searching the city instead of the rural operation |
| Yard | Clear the guards before entering | Pulling the entire group into open ground |
| Barn | Follow the production equipment objective | Leaving before the conversation resolves |
| Decision | Choose poison or physical destruction | Overwriting the pre-choice save |
Poison or destroy the distillery?
Refuse the poisoning proposal if you want the clean shutdown. The saboteur turns hostile; defeat them, then interact with the marked equipment to disable the operation. The journal records that the distillery was shut down without distributing a poisoned batch.
Accept the proposal if your Coen prefers indirect sabotage. The alcohol is poisoned and the activity completes with a different journal entry, but the production site is not physically destroyed. Published walkthroughs report the same core completion rewards for the activity, so choose by desired consequence rather than loot.
| Outcome | Fight required | Distillery status | Core reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refuse poison | Yes, against the saboteur | Equipment destroyed | 250 XP + 1 skill point |
| Accept poison | No equivalent final fight reported | Poisoned batch; site intact | 250 XP + 1 skill point |
Failure state and time management
Completing the activity consumes three time segments. Enter with enough remaining day-night budget to finish the yard, conversation and sabotage in one visit instead of treating the location as free exploration.
The journal includes an abandonment outcome if Coen leaves the operation unresolved and continues to the final Brencis sequence. Finish one of the two sabotage branches before advancing the main story if you are raising Bakir's anger or aiming for a complete Court route.
- Budget three time segments before entering
- Finish either sabotage branch before the finale
- Keep the pre-barn save for both outcomes
- Check Bakir's anger after completion
- Continue with other Bakir activities if The Lunar Game has not unlocked
What to do next
Ends and Means contributes to the pressure on Bakir. Return to the Court screen after completion and check whether his next confrontation has unlocked; if not, clear another Bakir operation rather than spending time on unrelated regions.
When Bakir's anger is full, prepare for The Lunar Game. The dedicated Bakir guide covers the left-opening riddle answer, the disguise route, the solo treasure-room fight and the ring decision.
Frequently asked questions
Should you poison or destroy the distillery in Ends and Means?
Destroy the equipment for the cleanest shutdown. Poisoning also completes the activity, but leaves the site intact and records a different journal outcome.
How do you start Bakir's Distilleries: Ends and Means?
Enter the distillery operation near Parlita or read the Letter of Reprimand looted from Bakir's soldiers at the pillory, then track the Court Activity.
How much time does Ends and Means cost?
The completed Court Activity costs three time segments.
What are the Ends and Means rewards?
Published walkthroughs report 250 XP and one skill point for completing the activity.
Can Ends and Means fail?
Yes. Leaving the operation unresolved and advancing to the final Brencis sequence can produce the abandonment outcome, so finish one sabotage branch first.
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