The Russian studio Fire & Frost clearly aimed to capture the spirit of old-school RPGs like Gothic when they made Of Ash and Steel. The game favors non-obvious quests where you rely on dialogue clues and your quest log rather than markers. Large story objectives are often deliberately broad and must be achieved by completing a chain of smaller missions, each with its own complications. In the second-chapter main quest “The Impregnable Fort,” the protagonist Tristan is tasked with evicting members of the Moon Children sect from an abandoned fort without using physical force. To succeed you will need to locate several important items and characters. Below is a full English walkthrough explaining where to find the alchemist Korodelius, how to obtain the crown, where to take it, how to rescue Marta, and how to finish the main quest.
Starting the main quest. Talk to Godrank in the Order headquarters located in the southeast of Greyshaft. He orders Tristan to go to an abandoned fort and evict the Moon Children who have occupied it, but warns that violence is forbidden because the sect members are regarded as blessed on the island. From the city, leave through the southern gate and follow the road to the first large fork, then turn left toward the Greyshaft Hound tavern. Just before the tavern, head right briefly, then immediately turn left and climb the narrow path up the hill until you reach the abandoned fort.
Meeting Karl and finding Marta. Near the fort entrance you will meet a man named Karl who will tell you his daughter Marta is among the sect. She is easy to spot by her red hair. Karl asks you to rescue her. Enter the fort courtyard. During the day the sect members sleep, so you will need to wait until nightfall; you can rest on the bed in the northern annex to advance time quickly.
Quest — Thirst of Lyra. At night, speak with the red‑haired woman in the eastern part of the fort. She now calls herself Lyra and asks Tristan to bring her a “Moon Illusion.” There is a bowl between the eastern buildings where you can collect a liquid. You may give Lyra that liquid, plain water, or a healing elixir — the choice does not significantly affect outcomes. Completing this task grants 750 experience.
Quest — Beasts in the ceremonial spring. Lyra will then ask you to kill the creatures near the ceremonial spring. She gives you a key and you should enter the fort’s main building. In the southern part of the building, go down the stairs into the basement and open the locked door. Eliminate the subterranean enemies in the main chamber. To the north of that room you can crouch through a hole in the wall and find the Ring of the Moon. After clearing the enemies, drop down the waterfall and return to Lyra to complete the task and earn another 750 experience.
Quest — Ingredients for the ceremonial brew. Return to the main building and go up to the second floor to speak with Broyan, the sect leader. At night he stands on the balcony leaning against the railing. If you return the Ring of the Moon to him he will reward you with an interesting potion and 250 experience. Broyan will also ask Tristan to visit the local alchemist to fetch herbs needed for the upcoming ritual.
Finding Korodelius. Exit the fort, travel north, then at the tavern turn east and go to the area called the Expedition. From there head south toward the cemetery, skirt its north side, and look for a ravine on your right. Follow the ravine to find the hut of the alchemist Korodelius.
Quest — The slow courier. Korodelius will tell you he does not have the required herbs because they were supposed to be delivered by another man who has gone missing. Follow the route east toward the Fishing Village. On the bridge you will encounter a courier and three bandits. Defeat the bandits, speak to the courier, and recover the herbs. The courier will refuse to carry them further, so you must return the herbs to Korodelius yourself. With the package in hand, go back to Lyra at the fort; she will prepare the brew and you should then speak to Broyan on the second floor to finish the quest and receive 500 experience.
Quest — Vigor for Pegasus (the crown task). After welcoming Tristan into the sect, Broyan asks him to receive a new name from the Moon itself. To do that Tristan must carry a ‘crown’ to a sacred spot and ‘speak’ with the celestial body. To find this item, go to the first floor and approach the room by the barricades. The guard at the door will only let you in if you hand him the interesting potion you received earlier; if you don’t have the potion you will need to fight the guard. Inside the storage area behind the guard you will discover that the so‑called crown is actually a massive carved stone sculpture in the shape of a crown. Lift the lunar totem (the stone crown) and carry it out of the fort.
Placing the crown. From the fort exit turn left and follow the path to the first fork, then turn left again and continue until you reach a large blue crystal. Place the stone crown beside the crystal — doing so grants 200 experience. As expected, the Moon does not miraculously bestow a new name on Tristan.
How to save Marta. Return to the fort as quickly as possible: Broyan will already have begun the ritual and distributed cups of the brew to the sect members. Approach Lyra and attempt to persuade her not to drink; this requires successful Insight checks. You need an Insight stat of 15 to pass all three skill checks and save Marta. If you pass, Marta survives; most other participants who drink the brew will die. You will then face Broyan in combat. Watch for his teleport attack that puts him behind you — dodge sharply when he disappears to avoid the follow-up strike. After defeating him, loot the body to obtain the item labeled “Letter B.” and the mentor’s key.
Turning the quests in and rewards. Return to Godrank at the Order headquarters in Greyshaft to complete the final quest of chapter two. The reward for that main quest is 4,000 experience, 1,000 coins, and the Order’s blade armor and pants. Additionally, near the fort exit you can turn in Karl’s side quest for rescuing Marta; doing so yields a reward of 1,500 experience and 750 gold.
Notes and tips. Many of these tasks are designed to encourage exploration and careful reading of dialogue rather than following on‑screen markers. You can avoid several fights by using items or persuasion, and some rewards (like the potion from Broyan when returning the ring) unlock alternative ways to proceed. Be prepared for a tough duel with Broyan: keep mobile and be ready to react when he teleports to strike from behind.