You’re wandering through the jagged rocks of the Ancient Battleground, probably just looking for the Sphinx or trying to avoid that Drake-on-Cyclops turf war happening in the valley. Suddenly, you hear a shout. It’s Oskar. He’s being mauled by harpies—or wolves, depending on how your world spawned—and just like that, you’re stuck in Tolled to Rest.
Honestly, this quest is one of the most notorious "Wait, where did he go?" moments in Dragon’s Dogma 2. It's not that the objective is hard. It's that Oskar has the survival instincts of a lemming and the pathfinding of a roomba in a minefield.
Finding Oskar Without Losing Your Mind
To even start this thing, you need to be in the Ancient Battleground, which is northeast of the Checkpoint Rest Town. Most players stumble onto it while following the main road that snakes through the canyon. Look for a guy in red. If you don't see him, he’s probably already dead.
I'm serious.
Oskar is a glass cannon without the cannon part. If you’re playing on the Free tier or just rushing through, you might miss him entirely because a stray monster decided he looked like a snack before you arrived. If the quest triggers but there's no Oskar, check the Vermund Charnel House in Vernworth. You might need to spend a Wakestone just to get the quest-giver back on his feet.
The Escort From Hell
Once you save him, he wants to go to the cenotaph to ring a bell. It’s a short walk, but the area is crawling with skeletons and ghosts.
- Tip: Don’t run too far ahead. If you lose sight of him, he often glitches or just stops moving.
- The Shortcut: You can actually carry him. If he’s moving too slow or getting stuck on a pebble, just pick him up and jog.
- The Monsters: There’s a Drake and a Cyclops nearby. You don't have to fight them. In fact, if you’re low level, just hug the castle walls and keep Oskar moving toward the interior of the ruins.
The Cenotaph and the Bell
Inside the castle, you’ll deal with some skeletons. It’s dark, it’s cramped, and Oskar will keep talking about his "duty." Basically, you’re heading to a specific room with a massive bell.
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When you get there, let him do his thing. He’ll ring the bell, the quest will finish, and you’ll get:
- 3,000 XP
- 9,000 Gold
- The Ancient Battleground Key
That key is the real prize.
Don't Forget the Book!
Right there in the room with the bell is a grimoire called Nation’s Death Knell. Do NOT take it before he rings the bell. Some players have reported that grabbing the book early bugs out his AI. Wait for the quest complete notification, then snatch that book.
Why? Because you need it for two of the most important vocation quests in the game: Spellbound and The Sorcerer's Appraisal. Since there are only two copies of this book in the entire world (the other is in the Waterfall Cave), you really don't want to lose this one.
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Where to Use the Ancient Battleground Key
Most people finish the quest and just walk away. Don't do that. You just got a key; use it.
Exit the bell room and look for a door nearby that's blocked by some crates or barrels. Smash them, use the Ancient Battleground Key, and inside you’ll find two chests. One contains a Ferrystone (always useful) and the other has the Infernal Edge, a fire-enchanted duospear that is an absolute beast for Mystic Spearhands in the early-to-mid game.
Actionable Next Steps for the Arisen
If you're currently staring at an empty map marker where Oskar should be, here is your checklist to fix it:
- Check the Morgue: Travel to Vernworth and visit the Charnel House. Pay the 500 gold to have the attendant look for his body. If he’s there, use a Wakestone.
- The "Wait and See" Method: Sometimes he just gets stuck. Try resting at the nearby campfire for a full day and return to the spot where you first saw the harpies attacking him.
- Handle the Grimoire with Care: If you already have a copy of Nation’s Death Knell from the Waterfall Cave, give it to Ibrahim at the Checkpoint Rest Town to make a forgery. You’ll need multiple copies if you want to satisfy both Maister quests later on.
- Check your Inventory: If you finished the quest but can't find the key, check your storage. It's a "Special Item" and won't be sold by accident, but it's easy to deposit and forget.
The Tolled to Rest quest is essentially a gateway to better gear and endgame magic. Get it done, get the key, and keep that book safe.