You're wandering through the Crossroads, minding your own business, when you stumble upon a glowing red barrier. It looks like a literal scab on the world. This is the start of The Heart of Corruption Veilguard questline, and honestly, it’s one of those tasks that will either satisfy your inner completionist or make you want to throw your controller across the room. It’s long. It’s tedious. But if you want the best gear for Rook and your companions, you sort of have to do it.
Don't expect a quick fix here.
This isn't just a "go here, kill that" type of mission. It is a multi-stage scavenger hunt that spans almost the entire length of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. You’ll be hunting down Revenants—those annoying, heavy-hitting undead warriors—across various maps like the Arlathan Forest, Hossberg Wetlands, and the Dock Town slums.
What Most Players Get Wrong About The Heart of Corruption Veilguard
Most people see the quest pop up early and think they can power through it in an hour. You can't. The game basically gates your progress behind your regional strength and how much of the main story you’ve cleared. If you try to rush the Revenants, you’ll find yourself staring at locked doors or environmental hazards that you don't have the Lyrium dagger upgrades to bypass yet.
The quest is centered on the Gate of Deep Sorrows.
To open it, you need power crystals. To get the crystals, you have to kill the Revenants. Each Revenant is tucked away in a corner of the world that usually requires a specific companion ability to reach. For example, you might need Taash’s dragonfire to melt specific barriers or Lucanis’s ability to stabilize ethereal platforms.
💡 You might also like: The Combat Hatchet Helldivers 2 Dilemma: Is It Actually Better Than the G-50?
If you're looking for the Revenants, here is the general breakdown of where these jerks are hiding. In the Hossberg Wetlands, you'll find one near the sheltered glade—look for the blight-choked trees. In Arlathan Forest, there's one tucked behind a series of magic floating ruins that require some platforming. The one in Dock Town is arguably the most annoying because of the cramped quarters.
Why the Revenant Fights are Such a Pain
These aren't your standard darkspawn. Revenants in The Veilguard have a specific rhythm. They love to pull you in with a magical grab, and if you aren't specced for high stagger or quick dodges, they will delete your health bar in two hits.
The trick?
Focus on their guard bar first. If you’re playing as a Warrior, use Shield Bash or any ability with high physical pressure. Mages should stick to cold damage—ironic, considering the "Heart of Corruption" theme, but slowing them down is the only way to stop their relentless forward momentum.
One thing the game doesn't explicitly tell you: the Revenants scale. If you come back at level 40, they aren't going to be the level 20 pushovers you hoped for. They stay relevant. They stay mean.
📖 Related: What Can You Get From Fishing Minecraft: Why It Is More Than Just Cod
Solving the Gate of Deep Sorrows Puzzle
Once you’ve actually managed to kill the three main Revenants and collected their "Essences," you head back to the Crossroads. This is where The Heart of Corruption Veilguard quest moves into its final phase. You place the essences into the pedestals near the Gate of Deep Sorrows.
It feels epic. The music swells. The gate creaks open.
Inside, you aren't just getting a chest of gold. You're facing the "Heart" itself. Without spoiling the narrative beats, let’s just say that the encounter inside tests your ability to manage adds (smaller enemies) while staying mobile. If you stand still for more than three seconds, the environmental corruption will chip away at your health faster than a healing potion can keep up with.
Loot and Rewards: Is it Worth the Hassle?
Honestly, yeah.
The rewards for completing The Heart of Corruption Veilguard include top-tier unique weapons that often have specific modifiers for Blight damage or Cooldown reduction. For many builds, the gear found behind the Gate of Deep Sorrows is "Best in Slot" (BiS) until you hit the literal end-game credits.
👉 See also: Free games free online: Why we're still obsessed with browser gaming in 2026
Plus, there is a massive amount of Caretaker Power to be gained here. If you're trying to max out your gear upgrades at the workshop, you need every bit of power you can find, and this quest provides a huge chunk of it.
Practical Steps to Finishing the Quest Without Losing Your Mind
Don't make this your primary focus. It’s a marathon.
- Check your map markers frequently. The Revenants only appear once you’ve cleared specific regional side quests. If a location looks empty, you probably haven't progressed the local faction plot enough.
- Bring a balanced party. You need a tank to hold the Revenant's attention and a healer or support (like Emmrich or Neve) to keep the debuffs off you.
- Upgrade your traversal abilities. You cannot finish this quest if your Lyrium Dagger isn't leveled up. If you hit a wall, go back to the main quest for a bit.
- Save your ultimates. Don't blow your strongest attacks on the Revenant’s initial phase. Wait until they hit 50% health, as they usually become more aggressive and gain new AoE attacks.
The most effective way to handle the corruption is to stay aggressive. In The Veilguard, the combat rewards momentum. Parrying a Revenant’s sword strike doesn't just protect you; it builds the resource you need to end the fight faster.
If you’re struggling with the Hossberg Wetlands section specifically, look for the high ground. There are often explosive jars or environmental traps you can use to shave off a portion of the boss’s health before the "real" fight even starts. Use the environment. It’s there for a reason.
Once the final boss of the quest is down, make sure you scour the room. There are often hidden lore entries tucked behind the main chest that explain exactly how this corruption started in the first place, linking back to the wider Dragon Age lore involving the Evanuris. It’s a nice payoff for players who actually care about the "why" and not just the "how."
Stop treating this like a chore and start treating it like a gear farm. The Revenants drop high-quality crafting materials even before you finish the quest. By the time you reach the final gate, Rook should be a walking powerhouse.
Next Steps for Completionists
Go to the Hossberg Wetlands first. It’s usually the easiest Revenant to track down and serves as a good litmus test for whether your level is high enough. If that fight feels impossible, go finish two more main story missions and come back. Your sanity will thank you. After that, prioritize the Arlathan Forest encounter, as the verticality of that map makes it the most time-consuming to navigate. Clear those two, and the rest of the quest will fall into place as you naturally explore the remaining hubs.