Pillars of Eternity: The Man Who Waits, Caedman Azo, Brackenbury Sanitarium, Uscgrim
Our walkthrough explains how to find Caedman Azo, explore the Brackenbury Sanitarium, and survive the fight after you've tracked down Uscgrim.
Speaking with a Justiciar in Copperlane will update The Man Who Waits quest, which helps you find the “prisoner by choice” described by the Leaden Key Acolyte. To get started, he suggests you visit Brackenbury Sanitarium.
How to complete The Man Who Waits
Travel to Brackenbury from Copperlane and then head to Brackenbury Sanitarium to the south-west. Speak with Head Warden Ethelmoer to update the quest - he's a statue just over to the right as you enter the main hall.
Go down the stairs that are at the back of the hall and then enter the door in the corridor when you reach it. Enter the first door on the right, then speak with Moedred to learn that the sanitarium patients are more agitated than usual. You'll be tipped off to speak with Caedman Azo.
How to find Caedman Azo in Brackenbury Sanitarium
Return to Head Warden Ethelmoer to seek permission to enter the patient ward. After that, return to the lower floor and then go to the back of the room and enter the guarded rear door. Speak to Freyol in the patient ward, then head south-east, then south in order to find Caedman Azo. Talk Azo into giving you the key that grants access to the North Ward.
Go to the back of the map in a north-easterly direction to find the North Ward door. Speak with Gram who you'll find at the third door on your left. Gram tips you off to go to Uscgrim in the cell to the rear of the North Ward. Make sure your party is prepared for battle and ensure you have plenty of quick bar potions and items ready. If you need to camp in order to restore your party to full health, do so now and also save your game while you're at it.
How to beat the Uscgrim battle
The battle is the first major difficulty spike in the main story. You may wish at this point to complete some of the side-quests and tasks that you've picked up along the way, so as to gain experience points and level up your character and other party members.
This will give you higher-level spells and also increase your attributes and skill levels. You'll want to be at least level five - and preferably six - for this battle. Sleeping at an inn or your Stronghold can also offer you some restorative bonuses to your attributes. Every little bit helps when it comes to the battle ahead of you.
Speak with Uscgrim at the door to the back of the room, and be prepared to fight several Flesh Constructs and patients at the same time. Being overwhelmed and flanked are the main threats to your survival here.
Keep your long-range companions - such as your Wizard and Ranger - back from the fray, but keep them close enough that they continue to receive the benefit from healing spells with an area-of-effect bonus - Durance's Holy Radiance, for example.
Spells and scrolls that paralyse or slow down enemies can also keep you from becoming over-run, and Kana's skeleton and Will'O'Wisp summons can distract a few enemies while you pick off creatures closer to you one by one.
When the battle is over, camp immediately so as to restore your party back to full strength. You'll have to fight your way out of the patient ward, and so you need to be ready to carry on doing battle as you travel. If you find yourself in a fight, just move back a little to prevent more enemies from joining in. Take on a few enemies at a time and you should be fine.
Head back upstairs and then speak with Head Warden Ethelmoer to decide Azo's fate.
- The next part of our guide explains how to complete Through Death's Gate.
- Head back to the first page for the rest of our Pillars of Eternity walkthrough.