Dawnwalker Under Watchful Eyes: Free Mert the Easy Way
How to steal the Prison Keychain, keep or replace your weapons, free Mert and use Stoneward Post's rear exit without clearing the whole camp.
Steal the Prison Keychain from Friedo's upstairs room, take the Weathered Longsword downstairs if your gear was confiscated, free Mert, defeat the guards inside the prison tower and leave through the two locked doors on the north side. The rear exit counts even though the objective says to use the main gate.
Quest facts and spoiler warning
Under Watchful Eyes follows The Firebrand and begins only if Mert survives. The quest starts at Stoneward Post in Briar Sloughs, costs three time segments and awards 250 XP.
This guide reveals the escape shortcut and the enemies inside the prison building, but not Mert's later story. Create a quicksave before touching the cell door because releasing him turns the tower hostile.
| Requirement | Confirmed value |
|---|---|
| Previous quest | Mert survives The Firebrand |
| Location | Stoneward Post, Briar Sloughs |
| Time cost | 3 segments |
| Reward | 250 XP |
| Critical item | Prison Keychain |
Best low-combat route
Enter during the day and use the social route if available. Go upstairs to Friedo's office and wait until he is facing away, then take only the Prison Keychain. The theft prompt turns red while somebody can see Coen.
If the gate took your equipment, pick up the Weathered Longsword from the bench in the lower room before opening Mert's cell. Equip it from inventory immediately; otherwise the first guard can force an awkward unarmed fight.
| Step | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reach Friedo's upstairs room | Avoids fighting the entire camp |
| 2 | Steal the Prison Keychain while unseen | Opens the cell and rear route |
| 3 | Take and equip the Weathered Longsword if disarmed | Prepares for the unavoidable tower fight |
| 4 | Open Mert's cell | Commits the three-segment objective |
| 5 | Clear the prison tower | Keeps Mert alive for the escape |
| 6 | Use the north-side rear doors | Skips the main-camp battle |
Where the rear exit is
After the interior fight, do not walk into the main camp. From the overseer's tower, move around its north side and look for a lit recessed doorway. The Prison Keychain opens this door and the second locked door behind it.
Crossing the second door takes Coen and Mert outside the walls and completes the escort. The journal's wording about the main gate is misleading; multiple retail walkthroughs confirm the rear exit is accepted.
Night route and optional loot
A nighttime infiltration lets Coen use Shadowstep, Planeshift and Voracious Bite, but a front-door assault adds many soldiers, a dog and the miniboss Cerbus before the prison-tower encounters. It is a loot route, not the safest rescue route.
With Shadow Dweller and Dimension Reach, you can climb to the battlements and approach the overseer's room from behind. Open the rear route before releasing Mert so the escape is already prepared.
- Front assault: highest combat load
- Battlement infiltration: fewer encounters but needs vampire mobility
- Daytime theft: safest first-playthrough route
- Quicksave after each cleared combat group; Mert must remain alive
If you are already trapped inside
The Prison Keychain can also be taken from the wall in the overseer's room or obtained after defeating the jailer, depending on your route. Search the lower bench for the spare sword and use healing items before opening the cell.
If the whole camp has alerted, reload the last autosave before the cell, obtain the keys first and prepare the rear doors. Fighting every soldier is possible, but it is unnecessary for completion.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Prison Keychain?
The cleanest location is Friedo's upstairs room in the Stoneward Post prison tower. Take it while he is facing away; the key can also be obtained through combat.
Do you really have to escort Mert through the main gate?
No. The locked rear exit on the north side of the prison tower completes the objective and avoids most of the camp.
Where is the Weathered Longsword?
It is on a bench in the lower prison room near Mert. Take and equip it before opening the cell if your normal weapons were confiscated.
Can Mert die?
Yes. Keep him alive during the prison-tower fight and preserve a save before opening his cell.
Facts are linked to first-party publisher, developer, or storefront pages. Launch-watch details remain labeled until an official listing or reproducible retail-build test confirms them.