How to Join the Old Camp in Gothic 1 Remake (Full Shadow Guide)

How to join the Old Camp in Gothic 1 Remake is not a simple one-step process. You cannot walk up to Gomez and ask for membership. The Old Camp runs on trust, and you have to earn it from several key characters before the castle gate ever opens for you. This guide walks you through every quest, every vote, and the exact dialogue choices you need when you finally stand in front of Gomez.

• Joining the Old Camp requires completing two linked quests: Admission to the Old Camp and Casting Shadows
• You need enough Shadow votes and must reach at least Level 5
• The core quests are: Whistler’s Sword, The Vanished Warder, A Ring for Fingers, The Cult’s Recipe, Out of Sight, Scatty’s arena fight, and Diego’s Test of Faith
• Complete the Test of Faith in the Old Mine, then speak to Thorus, then Raven, then Gomez
• Do not tell Gomez you serve Y’Berion — he kills you instantly
• Reward for joining: Shadow armor, XP bonus, and ore

How Joining the Old Camp Works

When you first arrive at the Old Camp castle gate, Thorus blocks your way. He tells you that if you want inside, you need someone to vouch for you. That person is Diego, the Shadow who found you at the start of the game.

Speak to Diego at his shack next to the castle gate. He gives you the Casting Shadows quest. From this point, your job is to earn the recommendation of the Shadows living in the outer ring of the camp. Each Shadow has a task. Completing it earns their backing. Diego checks your reputation and once you have enough votes and hit Level 5, he unlocks his own final test before you can meet Gomez.

You do not need every vote — but doing all the quests gives the most XP and the smoothest path. If you are just arriving at the camp for the first time, our beginner’s guide for Gothic 1 Remake covers your first steps.

All Shadow Quests to Earn Votes

Whistler’s Sword

Whistler is one of the easiest votes to get. Find him in the outer ring and he asks you to retrieve his sword. He gives you 100 Ore Nuggets and asks you to buy the sword from Fisk, a merchant near the fire camp. The sword costs 110 Nuggets, so you need to either cover the extra 10 yourself or return to Whistler to get more. Buy the sword from Fisk and hand it to Whistler to complete this one. Simple and fast.

The Vanished Warder

Find Sly near the north gate. He asks you to track down a missing guard named Nek. Nek is dead inside a cave southwest of the Old Camp south gate, guarded by Molerats. Loot his body for the Amulet of the Dead Guard, return it to Sly, and earn his vote. Giving the amulet is always the right call here. Full directions in our guide on where to find Nek in Gothic 1 Remake.

A Ring for Fingers

Fingers lives in an elevated hut on the inner wall of the Old Camp. He wants you to steal Scatty’s ring from a locked chest in Scatty’s house, which sits just to the left of Fingers’ hut. This quest doubles as a lockpicking tutorial. If you have not learned lockpicking yet, our guide on lockpicking in Gothic 1 Remake covers the basics. Crack the chest, grab the ring, return it to Fingers for his recommendation. Full chest details are in our guide to opening Scatty’s chest in Gothic 1 Remake.

The Cult’s Recipe

Dexter is found at the market in the outer ring. He asks you to steal a recipe from Cor Kalom, a cultist in the Swamp Camp. Talk to Baal Parvez — he will escort you there safely. Bring a few lockpicks because the recipe is locked in a chest. This quest requires a trip outside the Old Camp but Dexter’s vote is worth it. See our full guide on how to complete The Cult’s Recipe in Gothic 1 Remake.

Out of Sight

This comes from Thorus himself. Push through his dialogue chain at the castle entrance until he gives you a job. He asks you to remove Mordrag, a New Camp merchant operating near the south gate. The best approach is to let Mordrag escort you to the New Camp — you get 200 XP, Mordrag’s Ring, and the New Camp added to your map. Then report back to Thorus for 250 XP and his support. Full details in our Out of Sight quest guide for Gothic 1 Remake.

Scatty’s Arena Fight

To earn Scatty’s vote, you do not complete a traditional quest. Instead, you need to beat a fighter in the arena. The easiest opponent is Kirgo. Before challenging him, make sure you have a decent weapon. If you picked up the Sting Mace or Rider’s Bow from Mordrag during the Out of Sight escort, those help. Win the arena fight and Scatty gives you his backing. Our best early weapons guide for Gothic 1 Remake covers what to use heading into the arena.

Diego’s Test of Faith

Once you have enough Shadow votes and have reached Level 5, return to Diego at the castle gate shack and ask about your reputation. He will unlock the Test of Faith — his own personal task before he vouches for you.

Diego sends you to the Old Mine, located northwest of the Old Camp. He gives you the countersign phrase: “The crawlers look mighty hungry.” Do not forget this.

How to find Ian inside the mine:

• Enter the Old Mine through the main entrance
• Head east of Santino and find a ladder going down
• Follow the path and stairs deeper, taking another ladder at the bottom
• Keep going until you see Ian talking with Alberto
• Speak to Ian and give him the countersign phrase
• He hands you the supply list

If you need a map to navigate there, you can buy one from the cartographer Graham for 20 Nuggets. You can also threaten him for it for free — this does not affect your Old Camp admission either way.

Once you have the list, you have a choice. You can take it directly to Diego, or first make a detour to Lares at the New Camp and show it to him. Giving it to Lares first earns extra XP and starts New Camp quest progress, and Diego still accepts the document afterward. You do not lose your Old Camp path by doing this. Return the list to Diego for 750 XP and his formal support.

Entering the Castle and Meeting Gomez

With Diego’s approval in hand, go back to Thorus at the castle gate. He will now let you through. Once inside, find Raven near the entrance area. Speak to him and he escorts you to Gomez.

The Gomez Dialogue — What Not to Say

The conversation with Gomez has a few options. Most are safe. Two will get you killed on the spot:

• Never say you serve Y’Berion. Gomez sees through it instantly and kills you.
• Never threaten Gomez. Any aggressive or threatening answer triggers a fight you cannot survive at this stage.

Stick to the cooperative dialogue options. Work through the conversation and Gomez accepts you into the Old Camp.

Rewards for Joining the Old Camp

Once Gomez approves your membership, you officially become a Shadow. Your rewards include:

• Shadow armor — a significant upgrade on what you have been wearing
• Large XP bonus
• Ore Nuggets
• Full access to the castle and its interior areas

Tips Before You Start the Process

A few things worth sorting out before you dive into the quest chain:

• Get a map early. Navigation around the Old Camp and to the Old Mine is much easier with one. Here is how to get a map in Gothic 1 Remake.
• Stock up on ore before doing Whistler’s Sword — you need at least 110 Nuggets and Dexter’s quest may require more for bribes or supplies. Our guide on how to get ore nuggets fast in Gothic 1 Remake helps here.
• Bring lockpicks for Fingers’ quest and The Cult’s Recipe. You will need them.
• Unlock the dodge roll before the arena fight with Kirgo if possible. Our guide on how to unlock the dodge roll in Gothic 1 Remake shows you how to get it from Buster at the New Camp.
• You can visit the New Camp while running these quests without locking yourself out of the Old Camp. Use the opportunity — it opens extra XP and quest options.

Frequently Asked Questions