A Monk And A Saint Quest Guide In The Blood Of Dawnwalker

TL;DR

• A Monk And A Saint is a main quest in The Blood Of Dawnwalker that unlocks after completing Night Terrors or the Between the Worlds questline.
• It starts with tracking down a half-mad monk named Albertus in the plague-ridden Middens district west of Svartrau City.
• The quest leads you to Svartrau Cathedral, where you must find St. Mihai’s symbol, locate his crypt, and wake the sleeping saint.
• The quest ends with a boss fight against Mihai himself inside the crypt.
• Completing it rewards you with the Broken Sword of St. Mihai, 1000 XP, and 1 Skill Point, and unlocks the follow-up quest Forge It Anew.

A Monk And A Saint is one of the most story-rich quests in The Blood Of Dawnwalker. It sends Coen on a chase across Svartrau City — from a crumbling plague district to the depths of a cathedral crypt — all in search of a sword said to be powerful enough to bring down Brencis himself. The quest blends exploration, investigation, time-of-day choices, and a boss fight against a long-dead saint. This guide covers how to unlock it, how to find Albertus in the Middens, how to navigate the cathedral, and how to beat Mihai. If you are looking for help with other major boss-related quests in the game, check out our Cycle Of Love quest guide in The Blood Of Dawnwalker for a similar walkthrough covering Xanthe’s quest chain.

A Monk And A Saint Quest Guide In The Blood Of Dawnwalker

A Monk And A Saint Quest — Basic Info

• Quest Type: Main Quest (Part of Act 1)
• Starting Location: Svartrau City — automatically starts after completing Night Terrors or Between the Worlds (provided Echoes of Silenced Bells is done)
• Quest Giver: Automatically triggered as part of questline
• Fail State: None
• Time Cost: 1 segment (plus optional time spent on side objectives)
• Reward: Broken Sword of St. Mihai, 1000 XP, 1 Skill Point
• Unlocks: Follow-up quest — Forge It Anew
• Quest Description: St. Mihai’s crypt is not marked on the cathedral plans. Perhaps you should search the courtyard.

How To Unlock A Monk And A Saint

A Monk And A Saint does not have a manual trigger. It starts automatically once a specific condition is met. The main unlock path is completing the Night Terrors quest, which is a side quest tied to the Cathedral area. Once Night Terrors is done, A Monk And A Saint picks up immediately from that point, dropping you right back in the world with new objectives. An alternate path is through the main story thread — if you complete Between the Worlds and already have Echoes of Silenced Bells done, the quest will activate automatically through that route too.

The context for the quest is that Anca and Coen discover a lead from books found at St. Tyna’s Convent. They learn about Saint Mihai’s silver sword — a weapon powerful enough to potentially stop Brencis. The only person who might know where the sword ended up is an old monk named Albertus, rumored to be living in the Middens on the outskirts of Svartrau City. That is where you head first. You can also read our guide to the Svartrau Cathedral Treasury location in Blood Of Dawnwalker since that area connects directly to this quest.

Step 1 — Find Albertus In The Middens

Once the quest begins, a map marker points you toward The Middens, a ruined slum district on the western edge of Svartrau City. The plague has emptied this place almost completely. Most buildings are abandoned, and packs of hellhounds roam the streets. But someone is still here.

Turn on Focus Mode (L2 on PlayStation, LT on Xbox) as you walk through the district. You will start to notice scribbles and wall writings highlighted in yellow. These markings are actually part of the quest trail. You need to follow them from one to the next. Do not skip past them without inspecting — the game requires Coen to actually read each one before the next marker appears. If you rush past the writings, the quest stalls.

Midway through the trail, expect an ambush from hostile enemies. Deal with them and keep following the written trail. Eventually it leads to a house absolutely covered in scribbles on its walls. Head inside. This is where you will find Albertus, the old monk who has clearly lost his mind from years of isolation in this plague district.

How To Talk To Albertus

Albertus is not going to give you a clear answer straight away. He is confused and rambling. But if you pick the right dialogue options, you can pull the information you need out of him. The key thing is to communicate with him by picking up a piece of charcoal and writing rather than just speaking. Here are the dialogue choices that work:

• I’m looking for Saint Mihai’s Sword
• Pick up piece of Charcoal
• 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

If you pick these options in order, Albertus will slowly confirm that the sword is buried somewhere beneath the cathedral. That narrows it down. Now head to Svartrau Cathedral in the eastern part of Svartrau City.

Step 2 — Go To Svartrau Cathedral

Svartrau Cathedral is the large building in the eastern part of Svartrau City. It is hard to miss — the tower is one of the tallest structures in the area. How you enter and what you do inside changes depending on whether it is daytime or nighttime when you arrive. Both paths lead to the same result, but the route and optional activities differ.

Entering The Cathedral During The Day

During the day, the cathedral front doors are open. You can walk straight in and interact with the people inside. There are a few things worth doing here before moving on.

First, talk to the young acolyte and offer to help him move boxes. He will thank you by letting you into the Belltower. At the top, you will find the key to the treasury. Hold onto this.

Second, speak to the Deacon. He will offer you access to the cathedral library if you can find out what happened to Radu, the missing caretaker. This is part of an embedded side objective called A Dubious Gift. Completing it gives you library access and some extra Infamy.

After those conversations, head into the courtyard. The Treasury building is straight ahead. Go inside and push the bookcase to one side — it hides a secret passage. Follow it through and you will find the Golden Chalice bearing Saint Mihai’s symbol. This is a huge help for identifying his grave later.

Now go to the Almshouse and head upstairs. Talk to Stefan. Take the time to help treat his wound. He will reveal that a wing of the Almshouse was sealed off during the plague outbreak. He thinks it is connected to the disappearances happening there. Move the bookcase in the small upstairs room to find the blocked-off wing, then head downstairs. Inside you will find an Almshouse Monstrosity — a mini boss that behaves like a Murohn-type enemy. It is not especially difficult, but do not underestimate it. Defeat it and loot the area to get the Caretaker’s Key, plus some bonus items including Murohn Blood, the Noctis Scapulare, and the Ring of Relentless Blows.

Go back to the Deacon and tell him what happened to Radu. He will hand over the Library Key. Head into the Library through the courtyard entrance. Loot the bookshelves first — there are several manuals available. Then go upstairs and find the specific book you need. Read it to learn that St. Mihai’s crypt is located in the side courtyard.

Entering The Cathedral At Night

At night, the cathedral doors are locked. You need to approach it differently. Use the scaffolding near the front of the building to climb up the exterior. At the top, there is an opening you can slip through to enter the cathedral high up in the rafters. A blood ritual is happening below, so stay quiet and use your Shadowstep ability to move across the platforms without dropping down.

Your target is the fresco murals. Cross the platforms until you reach the fresco on the left side, closest to the ritual below. Inspect it and you will see Saint Mihai’s symbol on his armor in the painting. You now know what to look for. If you need to exit cleanly, look for the Cathedral Roof Key on a nearby platform — it lets you leave without backtracking through the whole building.

To find the crypt entrance at night, go to the area outside the Almshouse where you will see wooden planks on the ground. Move them aside to reveal a hidden passage going underground. Climb down and you will find a dead thief who was apparently trying to dig his way into the same catacombs you are after. His notes confirm the crypt is under the side courtyard. Fight your way past the Kobold enemies in this tunnel, then use Focus Mode to find a large highlighted stone you can push aside. This opens the exit back to the surface and the courtyard.

Step 3 — Learn St. Mihai’s Symbol

Before you can open the right grave in the courtyard, Coen must actually know what Mihai’s symbol looks like. There are three ways to learn it, and they each cost a different amount of in-game time.

• Inspect the ceiling murals inside the Cathedral Complex — Free, costs no time segments. This is the recommended option.
• Read The Annals of Svartrau Cathedral in the Cathedral Library — Costs 1 time segment.
• Read the Thief’s Note during Night Terrors — Costs 1 time segment.

If you came through the night route and inspected the fresco, you have already done this step. If you went through the daytime path and got the Golden Chalice from the treasury, the chalice also shows Mihai’s symbol, so that also counts. Either way, make sure Coen has learned the symbol before you go to the graves, or the correct one will not be interactable.

Step 4 — Find St. Mihai’s Crypt In The Courtyard

Head to the courtyard on the north side of the cathedral. With Focus Mode active you will see five graves. Without knowing the symbol, none of them will open. But once Coen has learned it, one of them will be highlighted for interaction.

The correct grave is the second from the right (or fourth from the left, depending on how you count). Interact with it to clear away the leaves and reveal the symbol carved into the stone. Coen will automatically open the grave and uncover an underground entrance to the crypt. Drop down inside.

As you move through the underground area, take time to loot the coffins you pass. There are extra items available before you reach the main chamber.

Also note — if you cleared guards during Night Terrors already, the courtyard area may already be clear of enemies. If not, deal with the guards first before searching the graves, especially at night when they are more active.

Step 5 — Explore The Crypt And Wake Mihai

Once inside the crypt, the quest tracker updates to prompt you to explore the area. Head through the entrance and into the first doorway on the left. Make your way to the central room. It will feel empty at first, but you will hear strange sounds, like moaning, coming from somewhere inside the walls.

Turn on Focus Mode. The interactive object is not obvious without it. A section of the left wall will highlight in yellow — this is where the sound is coming from. Inspect the broken brick in the wall. Note that this action costs one hour of in-game time, so factor that into your planning. Once you interact with it, Coen pulls the wall apart and reveals Saint Mihai, who has been trapped inside in a state of Torpor for what seems like a very long time. He is not in a good state of mind, and he immediately attacks Coen. The boss fight begins.

Step 6 — How To Beat Saint Mihai (Boss Fight)

Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral, is the boss at the end of this quest. He is a skilled swordsman and fights in a way that is more grounded than the magic-heavy bosses you may have faced elsewhere in the game. He uses regular sword attacks and has a lot of health, so patience is important. Level 25 or above is recommended before attempting this fight.

Mihai’s Main Attacks

• Standard Sword Combos — He chains melee attacks together with good reach. Block or dodge each swing and look for gaps to counter.
• Disappear Into Smoke — His main gimmick. He vanishes into a cloud of smoke and reappears for a sneak attack from an unexpected direction. When he disappears, watch carefully for movement cues and use directional blocks to defend against the incoming strike. Timing is everything here.

The fight is considered one of the more straightforward boss encounters in the game, partly because Mihai has been weakened by his long imprisonment. He does not have the health orbs or multi-phase tricks of bosses like Xanthe. Just keep your blocks tight, read the smoke vanish carefully, and whittle his health down steadily.

After you defeat Mihai, the fight ends and dialogue begins. He tells Coen that a man named Tobias betrayed him, that the Kohboldin took the other half of his sword, and that Coen should seek out the Augurs to learn more about his Dawnwalker abilities. These details feed directly into the follow-up quest, Forge It Anew.

Make sure to also loot the boss room before leaving. In Focus Mode, two highlighted quest items will appear — Broken Chains and a Worn Sheath. Pick both up. They are relevant to the questline that follows. You can learn more about what comes next in our dedicated Forge It Anew quest guide in Blood Of Dawnwalker.

A Monk And A Saint Quest Rewards

• Broken Sword of St. Mihai (Great Sword — Superior quality, can be reforged into a legendary weapon)
• 1000 XP
• 1 Skill Point
• Unlocks: Forge It Anew (follow-up quest)
• Trophy/Achievement: Completing the full questline through Forge It Anew earns you the Arbiter’s Blade trophy on PlayStation and achievement on Xbox/PC

Daytime Vs Nighttime — Which Is Better?

Both approaches get you to the same ending, but they play out quite differently and offer different optional rewards along the way.

The daytime route gives you more to do inside the cathedral. You can speak to the congregation, earn the treasury key from the acolyte, get library access from the Deacon, find the Golden Chalice, beat the Almshouse Monstrosity for extra loot, and complete the embedded A Dubious Gift objective for bonus Infamy. It takes more steps but rewards more items and progression.

The nighttime route is faster and more direct. You scale the building, inspect the fresco for the symbol, drop into the underground tunnel via the Almshouse boards, and go straight to the graves. It skips a lot of the optional content but costs less time overall. If you are short on in-game time segments and need to push through the quest efficiently, nighttime is the quicker choice.

If you have the time, the daytime path is worth doing for the extra loot and story content. But if you are mid-campaign and running tight on the clock, nighttime still gets you everything you need to complete the quest.

Tips For A Monk And A Saint Quest

• Follow every piece of writing in the Middens. Do not skip past the wall scribbles. Inspect each one in order or the trail will not progress and Albertus will not appear on your map.
• Learn the symbol before going to the graves. If the crypt entrance does not respond when you interact with the graves, it almost certainly means Coen has not learned Mihai’s symbol yet. Go inspect the ceiling murals first — it is free and takes no time.
• Use Focus Mode constantly. The hidden trapdoor, the key in the dog room, the broken brick in the crypt wall — all of these are only visible in Focus Mode. If you feel stuck, turn it on and look around.
• Loot the crypt rooms as you go. There are collectibles and items available in the coffins before you reach Mihai. Do not rush past them.
• Grab the Broken Chains and Worn Sheath after the fight. Both are quest items for the follow-up. They are highlighted in Focus Mode inside the boss room.
• Be at least level 25 before the boss fight. Mihai has a large health pool and hits consistently. Going in underleveled makes the fight longer than it needs to be.
• Do not sell or discard anything unusual from the cathedral area. Items picked up during this questline feed into Forge It Anew. Keep your inventory intact until the full chain is complete.

What Comes After A Monk And A Saint?

The moment A Monk And A Saint completes, a new quest called Forge It Anew appears in your journal. This is the direct continuation of the Saint Mihai storyline. The Broken Sword you earned is damaged and split into pieces. Forge It Anew tasks you with tracking down the missing sword shards — the Kohboldin took them — and finding a way to reforge the blade into its legendary form. Completing the full chain through Forge It Anew is what eventually earns you the Arbiter’s Blade trophy or achievement. We have a full guide on the Forge It Anew quest in Blood Of Dawnwalker that walks through each step.

This quest is also connected to the broader mystery of the Dawnwalker abilities. Mihai’s parting words point Coen toward the Augurs, which feeds into the larger main story arc running through Act 1 and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions