A Monk and a Saint is one of the more confusing side quests in The Blood of Dawnwalker. Coen learns about the legendary silver sword of St. Mihai, but instead of giving you a straightforward map marker, the game sends you after a crazed monk, asks you to decipher old records, investigate Svartrau Cathedral, and work out which grave hides the ancient crypt.The main reward is the Broken Sword of St. Mihai. This is not yet the final version of the legendary weapon. The search continues through Forge It Anew, where you'll need to collect three Sword Shards and restore the blade. Below, we'll cover the entire route to obtaining the weapon's broken base.
How to Start A Monk and a Saint
There are several ways to start the quest. The most natural route is tied to Anca: complete Echoes of Silenced Bells, followed by Between the Words. Coen will then receive a lead on the monk Albertus, who knows the legend of St. Mihai and his silver sword.Image unavailableThere is also a shorter route. At night, head to the courtyard of Svartrau Cathedral and approach the old well north of the main building. This starts Night Terrors, which also leads into A Monk and a Saint. Taking this route lets you skip part of the investigation involving Albertus.Keep in mind that the daytime and nighttime routes differ quite a bit. During the day, the cathedral is open, letting you speak to its residents, investigate the library, and search the Treasury without sneaking around. At night, the doors are locked and the grounds are guarded, but Coen's abilities let you reach the necessary areas using rooftops and scaffolding.
Where to Find Albertus
If you started the quest through Anca's storyline, travel to the Middens west of Svartrau. Activate Focus Mode and look for strange writing on the walls. The markings gradually lead you to a small house almost completely covered in scribbles.Image unavailableAlbertus is inside. You won't get a normal conversation out of him immediately: the monk is clearly not in a good state and keeps writing disjointed phrases on the walls. Ask him about St. Mihai's silver sword, pick up the piece of charcoal from the floor, and help him complete the text.Choose the following lines:
Abelard the Sorrowful;
Svartrau Plaza;
...his penance, the place of his redemption;
...never once set foot inside it;
St. Mihai, a great warrior, arrived at Vale Sangora...
After the final line, Albertus will finally be able to continue the conversation normally and explain that St. Mihai was buried beneath Svartrau Cathedral. If you choose the wrong line, the quest won't fail, so simply try again.
How to Learn St. Mihai's Symbol
Knowing about the crypt isn't enough. There are several old graves in the cathedral courtyard, and Coen won't be able to identify the correct one until he learns St. Mihai's personal symbol. There are several ways to get this clue.
Cathedral Murals - The Fastest Method
At night, make your way to the cathedral and use Shadowstep to climb the scaffolding. Move along the upper levels and inspect the murals. One of the depictions of St. Mihai shows his symbol, which resembles a set of scales. This route is convenient because it avoids the longer chain of conversations inside the cathedral and doesn't require spending additional Time Segments reading documents.Image unavailableYou can also unexpectedly run into Xanthe here at night. If you don't want to interfere with her storyline ahead of time, it's better not to provoke a fight. We cover what changes if you meet her early and whether you should kill the boyar-ess at all in our guide to killing or siding with Xanthe.
Golden Chalice in the Treasury
During the day, you can take a much calmer approach. Inside the cathedral, find the acolyte who has been assigned work in the bell tower. Help him with the crates or pay him to gain further access. In one of the rooms, you can find the Treasury Key. Enter the Treasury and inspect the Golden Chalice. The same symbol of St. Mihai is engraved on it, allowing Coen to recognize the correct grave.
The Annals of Svartrau Cathedral
Another daytime route takes you through the library. To gain legitimate access, you'll need to help the Deacon investigate the disappearance of the caretaker Radu. This route is longer, but it lets you uncover more information about the cathedral's past. In the library, find the chronicle and use the pulpit to study The Annals of Svartrau Cathedral. The records contain the information needed to locate the crypt.Image unavailable
Where to Find St. Mihai's Grave
Once Coen knows the symbol, return to the cathedral courtyard. On the northern side, you'll find a row of five old graves. When facing them, the correct grave is the second from the right, or the fourth from the left.Activate Focus Mode, clear away the leaves, and inspect the symbol. If you've already learned St. Mihai's sigil using one of the methods above, Coen will recognize it and open the hidden passage. If the grave doesn't react, you almost certainly haven't learned the symbol yet. Checking every grave one by one won't help until Coen himself knows which sign he's looking for.
How to Get Through the Crypt
Head underground and explore the crypt. There is loot in the side rooms, so you don't have to rush directly toward the objective. In the central section, activate Focus Mode and inspect the walls. The correct section stands out from the surrounding stonework: it's a cracked wall with someone trapped behind it.Interacting with the wall costs one Time Segment. Once Coen breaks through, he discovers St. Mihai himself, who has remained sealed beneath the cathedral for many years. There is no chance for a peaceful conversation, and the fight begins almost immediately.
How to Defeat St. Mihai
Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral is extremely fast and likes to close the distance without warning. His most dangerous attacks can't simply be absorbed with a block, so don't stand directly in front of him trading blows. Watch for his lunges, dodge to the side, and use the brief opening after he misses to counterattack.Image unavailableDuring the fight, Mihai can also fill the arena with thick fog and attack from an unexpected direction. Don't rush during this phase. Keep moving, watch for him to reappear, and avoid spending all your stamina on a long attack string.You don't need a special item or complicated mechanic to win. The fight mainly tests how comfortable you are with dodging, parrying, and managing distance. Before breaking the wall, restore your health and equip the weapon you want to use, because once Mihai is freed, you won't have much time to prepare.
What to Loot After the Fight
After winning, make sure to search the cell with Focus Mode active. You can find several important items here:
Broken Sword of St. Mihai;
Mihai's Journal;
Worn Sheath;
Broken Chains.
Completing the quest also rewards you with 1,000 XP and 1 Skill Point.Mihai's Journal is especially important for continuing the storyline. Coen learns that the blade's missing shards ended up with kobolds and that only an uriashi blacksmith can restore the weapon. This leads into Forge It Anew.
Can You Use St. Mihai's Sword Immediately?
You can obtain the broken version at the end of A Monk and a Saint, but the weapon only reaches its true potential after being reforged. To restore it, you'll need three more Sword Shards scattered across Vale Sangora.They can be found:
in the Maragir Wealds, not far from Laslea;
in a cave near Shrike's Crag;
near Tantari, where the final shard ultimately ends up in the hands of Xanthe's soldiers.
After collecting all the pieces, find Nareh, the uriash blacksmith at the Uriashi Hermitage, and have her reforge the weapon. You'll then need to complete one final tempering trial. Only after that does Coen receive the fully restored legendary version, the Imbued Sword of St. Mihai.Image unavailableIn other words, A Monk and a Saint is the first major half of the sword's story. The most important thing is not to miss Mihai's Journal after the fight. It points you toward the next stage, while the hunt for one of the strongest blades in The Blood of Dawnwalker continues in Forge It Anew.
