Find the corpse during the day, before finishing its quest
Use Compel Soul in human form during the day. Red Anachora moths mark a corpse you can speak to and nearby objects associated with it. Enter Focus, speak to the corpse, then search for catalysts: objects that mattered to the deceased and unlock specific memories when shown to them. Return with those items to continue the conversation; finding every nearby object is not the same as asking every useful question.
Quest choices can remove a conversation or leave the person alive, so a single journey need not contain every corpse. Speak to a marked body before handing in its related investigation. Each new soul contributes to Witchcraft cooldown reduction; repeatedly returning to the same corpse is not another new soul. The rank table below shows how upgrading Compel Soul changes that benefit.
Maragir and Briar Sloughs: speak before reporting back
The soldier at the draining camp is on Briar Sloughs’ southwestern river edge. Another soldier lies in the mountains northeast of Maragir during Star-Crossed Lovers. Question him before telling the Maragir blacksmith what happened to his daughter; that report closes the opportunity.
At St. Tyna’s Convent, speak to the nun in the chapel during the daytime before completing Echoes of the Silenced Bells. Mert can be questioned near Stoneward Post’s rear entrance if he has been executed during The Firebrand. Saving him leaves a different outcome, so do not count his living absence as an undiscovered corpse.
Parlita and Rockfalls: the well, the ring and the werewolf
A dead Manumit lies behind a house on Parlita’s outskirts. Speak to him before descending the well and taking his stash. Some related quest items can remain afterward, so their presence alone does not mean the conversation is still available.
Farkas’s brother is inside their Parlita house on the branch where you find the Amethyst Ring and return it to Farkas after The Lunar Game. A separate werewolf corpse lies in a secluded woodland area on the southern edge of Rockfalls.
Oghasti and The Silts: the botanist and ritual sites
In Oghasti, west of Svartrau City in The Silts, enter the burned-out house for The Hedgehog Herb. Collect the Axe on the ground outside and the Watering Can on the house’s right side, then use Compel Soul on the botanist’s corpse inside during the day. Ask about both objects to continue the investigation into Razkovniche.
The Price of Magic leads to a ritual site on the western side of the bog between The Silts and Tantari Woods. The excavator is a separate corpse at Xanthe’s Arimaspian dig, near the small bog east of Tantari.
Don’t Kill the Messenger: horn, arrow and sword
Start at the abandoned camp east of the road just north of Eastridge Outpost in Tantari Woods. Use Focus to investigate and follow the footprints. Collect the Severed Uriash Horn beside the rock wall on the way.
Defeat the uriash soldier at the end of the trail and collect the Arrow and Dead Man’s Sword. Return to the dead messenger in human form during the day and use Compel Soul. Present the objects you found to continue questioning him.
After the conversation, inspect the messenger’s shoe for Note from a Shoe. The Arrow is a catalyst used in the conversation; the note is the separate readable discovered afterward. Search the shoe to finish this investigation.
Svartrau: visit the Asylum before the crypt investigation
Learn about the Murohn from someone in the Almshouse Asylum before learning how to enter St. Mihai’s Crypt. Doing the crypt investigation first can close access to the Asylum quest. The victim you can question is in the sealed plague wing on the second floor. St. Mihai himself is another soul beneath the cathedral; use the underground guide for his route.
The Good Samaritan involves a farmer south of Svartrau. Speak to her before reporting the farmers’ fate to Vicho in A Study in Crimson. At the end of Volk’s questline, check the soldier at Volk’s home across the river east of the city.
Nish is available only if Lacra’s interrogation during A Friend Like This ends in his death. This and the Mert outcome are reasons not to treat a list of all possible souls as a checklist every journey can complete.
Where Loyalty Lies: question the fallen Manumit scout
During Where Loyalty Lies, investigate the missing scouts from the pink-fronted house in Neustadt and follow the blood trail toward the warehouse. If all four scouts have died, use Compel Soul on the scout’s body in the yard during the day.
Mysterious Fragment, Piece of Cloth and St. Benedict Medal are the catalysts for this scout. Present the objects you found to explore his memories. This is a different corpse from the soldier at Volk’s home; the Hacked-Off Hand belongs to Volk’s investigation.
Rank effects and learning costs
Costs are shown for each rank. Totals include this skill’s ranks only.
| Rank | Effects | Skill points | Time segments | Unlock requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
| 0 | 0 |
|
| 2 |
Replaces rank 1. | 1 | 0 | — |
| 3 |
Replaces ranks 1, 2. | 1 | 0 | — |
| 4 |
Replaces ranks 1, 2, 3. | 1 | 0 | — |
| All 4 ranks | 3 | 0 | ||
Which objects work with Compel Soul?
These 48 objects can be used with Compel Soul to speak with restless souls. Their descriptions help identify the person, event or belongings associated with each object.
Showing 48 of 48 objects
Armaya's NotebookArmaya’s Notebook is a catalyst for Xanthe’s dead excavator in the Arimaspian ruins east of Tantari, near the small bog. Bring it to the corpse during the day to explore its memory. The Ritual Dagger is a separate catalyst used in the Ancient Footwear chest sequence.
ArrowCollect the Arrow after defeating the uriash soldier on the trail from the abandoned camp north of Eastridge Outpost. Present it, together with the other objects from this investigation, to the dead messenger using Compel Soul during the day. After questioning him, inspect his shoe for the separate hidden note that concludes Don’t Kill the Messenger.
AxePick up the Axe on the ground outside the burned-out house in Oghasti, west of Svartrau City in The Silts. During the day, take it to the botanist’s corpse inside and use Compel Soul during The Hedgehog Herb.
Blank ParchmentBring the Blank Parchment to the dead werewolf in the secluded forest at the southern edge of Rockfalls. It opens a Compel Soul memory during the day; Herbs and Stitched-Up Clothing are the other catalysts for this corpse.
Blood VialUse the Blood Vial with the Murohn’s victim in the sealed plague wing on the Almshouse Asylum’s second floor, in Svartrau’s Cathedral Complex. Visit during the day for Compel Soul. Precious Brooch and Empty Bottle belong to the same corpse’s investigation.
Bloodied KnifeUse the Bloodied Knife with Farkas’s dead brother in their Parlita house after returning the Amethyst Ring to Farkas at the end of The Lunar Game. Visit during the day for Compel Soul. Farkas’s Short Journal opens a separate memory in the same conversation.
Bloodied PincersBring the Bloodied Pincers to Mert’s corpse near Stoneward Post’s rear entrance if he has been executed. Use Compel Soul during the day to question him. The Wedding Ring and Severed Hand belong to the same conversation.
BookmarkFind De Vocatione et Ligatione to the right of the central pillar at the stone circle southwest of the Swamp Menhirs Shrine during The Price of Magic. Collecting the book gives you the Bookmark catalyst. Use it with Compel Soul on the body in front of the pillar during the day.
Bottle of WinePick up the Bottle of Wine beside the log near the second body during Star-Crossed Lovers, northeast of Maragir. Use it with Compel Soul on the conscript’s corpse during the day, before reporting back to the armourer about his daughter.
Brencis's BannerBrencis’s Banner is one of the catalysts for the dead Brencis soldier in Laslea during the opening investigation. Bring it into the daytime Compel Soul conversation to investigate the raid. The Drinking Gourd and Trampled Apple belong to the same soldier.
Brencis's SealBrencis’s Seal is addressed to Rovin of Maragir and is a catalyst for the dead conscript in Star-Crossed Lovers. Follow the blood trail from the daughter’s body to the second corpse northeast of Maragir, then use Compel Soul during the day to examine this memory.
Broken ChainsThe Broken Chains once shackled Mihai and serve as a catalyst for his soul beneath Svartrau Cathedral. Bring them into the daytime Compel Soul conversation with St. Mihai. The Worn Sheath opens another memory with him.
Broken Uriash HornUse the Broken Uriash Horn with Nish’s corpse on the branch of A Friend Like This where Lacra’s interrogation ends in his death. Return during the day for Compel Soul; Uriash Trinket and Uriash Weapon open separate memories in that conversation.- Commander's LetterThe Commander’s Letter opens a memory with the dead Brencis soldier at Sara’s rendezvous point during Shadows in the Woods. On the branch where you find dead soldiers instead of Sara, use Compel Soul during the day to investigate the orders that sent them into the woods.
Discarded TorchFind the Discarded Torch behind the central pillar, beside the note, at The Price of Magic’s stone circle southwest of the Swamp Menhirs Shrine. Bring it to the body in front of the pillar and use Compel Soul during the day. The ritual’s missing instructions are on the separate Torn Out Page.
Drinking GourdUse the Drinking Gourd with the dead Brencis soldier in Laslea during the opening investigation. It opens a Compel Soul memory during the day, alongside the separate Brencis’s Banner and Trampled Apple topics.- Empty BottleTake the Empty Bottle to the Murohn’s victim in the sealed plague wing on the second floor of the Almshouse Asylum. Use Compel Soul during the day; the Blood Vial and Precious Brooch open other memories with this corpse.
Farmer's SwordBring the Farmer’s Sword to the corpse inside the farmhouse due south of Svartrau during The Good Samaritan. This is separate from the body near two wolves in the field to the south, where you find the note. Use Compel Soul during the day before reporting the farmers’ fate to Vicho in A Study in Crimson, which closes this conversation.
Gift BoxCollect the ordinary Bracelet directly in front of the central pillar at The Price of Magic’s stone circle, southwest of the Swamp Menhirs Shrine. This gives you the Gift Box catalyst for the daytime Compel Soul conversation with the body there. The ordinary Bracelet is separate from the ritual’s Mysterious Bracelet reward.
Golden ChainPick up the Pendant beside the body at The Price of Magic’s stone circle, southwest of the Swamp Menhirs Shrine. Collecting the Pendant gives you its broken Golden Chain as a catalyst. Use the chain with Compel Soul on the body in front of the central pillar during the day.
Hacked-Off HandUse the Hacked-Off Hand as a catalyst when questioning the dead Brencis soldier outside Volk’s home during the later stages of Buried Past. Volk’s home is across the river east of Svartrau; visit during the day to use Compel Soul on the soldier.
Hemp RopeUse Hemp Rope with the dead Brencis soldier at Sara’s rendezvous point during Shadows in the Woods. On the branch where the site contains dead soldiers instead of Sara, visit during the day and present the rope through Compel Soul to uncover his memory of tying her up. The rendezvous is by the broken-down house southeast of the bridge reached after speaking with Mert.
HerbsThis bundle of Herbs is a catalyst for the dead werewolf at the southern edge of Rockfalls. Use Compel Soul on the corpse during the day to ask about it. These quest herbs belong to the same investigation as Blank Parchment and Stitched-Up Clothing.
Instrument of TortureUse the Instrument of Torture with the dead Ambrus soldier at the draining camp on the southwestern edge of Briar Sloughs, beside the river separating Ambrus’s and Bakir’s fiefdoms. Visit during the day and present it through Compel Soul; the Torn Banner belongs to the same corpse’s memories.
Interrogation InstrumentUse the Interrogation Instrument with the dead manumit behind a house on Parlita’s outskirts. Question him during the day before retrieving his stash from the well; recovering the stash ends the opportunity to compel this soul.
Manumit's BandanaThe Manumit’s Bandana opens a memory when questioning the dead manumit behind a house on Parlita’s outskirts. Bring it into the daytime Compel Soul conversation before collecting the stash from the well. The Interrogation Instrument opens another topic with the same corpse.
Manumit's ShawlBring the Manumit’s Shawl to the dead Brencis soldier at Sara’s rendezvous point in Shadows in the Woods. Present it through Compel Soul during the day on the branch where the soldiers are dead and Sara is missing. Its memory points toward the dead oak near Parlita; the rendezvous itself is by the broken-down house southeast of the bridge.
Mysterious FragmentBring the Mysterious Fragment to the dead scout in the yard during Where Loyalty Lies. If all four missing scouts have died, follow the investigation from the pink-fronted house in Neustadt to their bodies and use Compel Soul during the day. Piece of Cloth and St. Benedict Medal belong to the same corpse.
Piece of ClothThe Piece of Cloth is a catalyst for the scout’s corpse in the yard during Where Loyalty Lies, on the branch where all four scouts have died. Use Compel Soul during the day to investigate his memories; the Mysterious Fragment and St. Benedict Medal provide separate topics.
PrayerbookBring the Prayerbook to the dead nun in St. Tyna’s Convent chapel during Echoes of Silenced Bells. Use Compel Soul during the day before finishing the quest, when this conversation is still available. The Rosary is another catalyst for her memories.
Precious BroochThe Precious Brooch is a catalyst for the Murohn’s victim in the Almshouse Asylum’s sealed plague wing, on the second floor in Svartrau’s Cathedral Complex. Present it with Compel Soul during the day, alongside the Blood Vial and Empty Bottle topics.
Ritual DaggerAs ancient as it is unsettling.
RosaryUse the Rosary with the dead nun in the chapel at St. Tyna’s Convent during Echoes of Silenced Bells. Complete the daytime Compel Soul conversation before finishing the quest. The Prayerbook opens a separate memory with the same nun.
Severed HandUse the Severed Hand, still holding a rosary, with Mert’s corpse at Stoneward Post if he has been executed. Find him near the camp’s rear entrance and use Compel Soul during the day. His Wedding Ring and the Bloodied Pincers provide other memory topics.- Severed Uriash HornPick up the Severed Uriash Horn beside the rock wall while following the footprints from the abandoned camp east of the road north of Eastridge Outpost. Keep it for the messenger’s corpse farther along the trail. Use Compel Soul during the day and present the horn alongside the Arrow and Dead Man’s Sword, then follow the lead to the note hidden in the messenger’s shoe.
- Short JournalNotes left by Farkas.
- Small KnifeFind the Small Knife beside the log near the second body in Star-Crossed Lovers, northeast of Maragir. Present it to the dead conscript with Compel Soul during the day. The Bottle of Wine found there opens another memory.
St. Benedict MedalUse the St. Benedict Medal with the scout’s corpse in the yard during Where Loyalty Lies if all four missing scouts have died. This is the investigation that begins at a pink-fronted house in Neustadt. Bring the medal into the daytime soul conversation, alongside any Piece of Cloth or Mysterious Fragment you found.
Stitched-Up ClothingUse Stitched-Up Clothing with the dead werewolf in the secluded forest on Rockfalls’ southern edge. Present it during the daytime Compel Soul conversation; the Blank Parchment and Herbs provide separate memory topics.
Torn BannerBring the Torn Banner to the dead Ambrus soldier at the draining camp on the southwestern edge of Briar Sloughs. Use Compel Soul during the day to explore its memory, alongside the separate Instrument of Torture topic.
Trampled AppleThe Trampled Apple is a Compel Soul catalyst for the dead Brencis soldier in Laslea’s opening investigation. Bring it to his corpse during the day; Brencis’s Banner and the Drinking Gourd are the other objects associated with his memories.
Uriash TrinketThe Uriash Trinket is a catalyst for Nish when he dies during Lacra’s interrogation in A Friend Like This. Bring it into the daytime Compel Soul conversation to pursue his memories, alongside the Broken Uriash Horn and Uriash Weapon.
Uriash WeaponUse the Uriash Weapon as a memory catalyst with Nish’s corpse if he dies during A Friend Like This. Compel Soul is available during the day on that branch; the Broken Uriash Horn and Uriash Trinket are separate topics.
Watering CanFind the Watering Can on the right side of the burned-out house in Oghasti during The Hedgehog Herb. Bring it to the botanist’s corpse inside during the day and use Compel Soul to ask about the object.
Wedding HeadbandThe Wedding Headband is a catalyst for the corpse inside the farmhouse due south of Svartrau during The Good Samaritan, rather than the body near the wolves in the southern field. Present it in the daytime Compel Soul conversation before telling Vicho what happened to the farmers. The Farmer’s Sword opens another memory with the same corpse.
Wedding RingA symbol of Mert's devotion to his wife.
Well-Maintained ScabbardUse the Well-Maintained Scabbard with the dead scout during Don’t Kill the Messenger, near the camp along the main path through Tantari Woods. Return during the day for Compel Soul. The Arrow and Severed Uriash Horn belong to the same investigation.- Worn SheathUse the Worn Sheath with St. Mihai’s soul beneath Svartrau Cathedral during the day. It is a memory catalyst for the same conversation as the Broken Chains.