The Prison Key in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is something you need to grab during the Claiming What’s Due main quest. Edward has to rescue the Sage from Torres’ estate in Havana, but the cell is locked. You need to take the key from the estate’s Warden first. This guide covers exactly where to find the key, how to reach the Warden, and the cleanest way to take him out — with or without stealth.
TL;DR — Prison Key Quick Guide
- The Prison Key is part of the Claiming What’s Due main quest
- The key is held by Warden Sotelo inside Torres’ estate in Havana
- Enter through the fence gap on the left for a stealth approach, or double-assassinate the front guards
- Head to the western stone staircase to reach the upper courtyard
- Wait for the Warden to finish his speech, then assassinate him when he’s alone
- Loot the key from his body and head west to the Sage’s prison cell
- Unlock the cell, watch the cutscene, quest complete
What Is the Prison Key in AC Black Flag Resynced?
The Prison Key is a quest item in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced that unlocks the Sage’s cell inside Torres’ estate. The Sage is someone both the Templars and Edward want — he knows the location of the Observatory. During Claiming What’s Due, your goal is to break him out. But before you can open his cell, you need the key. And the key is on a named guard called Warden Sotelo.
This is an early-game stealth mission and one of the better-designed ones in the game. If you’re also looking for other things to collect inside Havana, check out our guide on the Havana Scarecrows Treasure while you’re in the area.
How to Start the Claiming What’s Due Quest
You unlock this quest as part of the main story. After your conversation with Stede Bonnet, you’ll get a waypoint directing you to Torres’ estate on the northern edge of Havana. Head there on foot or use fast travel if you’ve already unlocked it — check out our fast travel guide for Black Flag Resynced if you’re not sure how that works.
How to Enter Torres’ Estate
When you arrive at the estate, the main gate has two Spanish soldiers standing guard. You’ve got two choices right off the bat:
- Combat entry: Perform a double assassination on both guards at the same time to clear the entrance fast.
- Stealth entry: Slip through the gap in the wooden fence to the left of the main gate. This keeps you undetected and is the cleaner option for a full stealth run.
Once you’re inside, don’t rush. The estate is full of Spanish guards. Use Eagle Vision (R3 on PlayStation / RS on Xbox) to tag guards and keep track of their patrol routes before you move.
How to Reach the Warden in Torres’ Estate
Once inside, head toward the western side of the compound. There’s a stone staircase on that side — climb it to reach the upper section of the estate. This is where the real action is.
Use the sugar cane fields and low bushes as cover while moving north. There are guards patrolling along the wall, so stay in the stalking zones and take out any guards near the edges with silent assassinations. Watch for snipers on rooftops as well — they have good sightlines.
If you want to eavesdrop on a conversation, there are guards near a gate who talk about the Warden assembling all the troops. You can tail them to the villa if you want a natural lead-in, but it’s not required.
Where to Find Warden Sotelo and the Prison Key
The Prison Key is on Warden Sotelo, who starts in the central villa courtyard at map coordinates 207, 573. When you first reach him, he’s in the middle of giving a speech to a group of guards assembled in the courtyard below.
At this point, you have two options:
- Aggressive drop: Jump down from the rooftop and aerial-assassinate the Warden right now. You’ll grab the key, but the nearby guards will immediately turn hostile. Be ready for a fight or a fast escape.
- Patient stealth: Wait on the roof while the Warden finishes his speech. Once he’s done, he’ll walk away from the courtyard and start patrolling the villa area alone. Follow him from the rooftops and drop down for a clean aerial assassination when no other guards can see you. This lets you loot the key without triggering the whole estate.
The patient stealth option is the recommended one. There are no alarm bells in this area, so even if you get spotted, you won’t have the entire compound called down on you at once. But staying quiet makes this much simpler. Smoke bombs and whistling to lure isolated guards are your best tools here.
If you want to get better at navigating tricky areas like this, our advanced parkour guide for Black Flag Resynced has some useful movement tips.
Where Is the Sage’s Prison Cell?
Once you have the Prison Key, head west of the courtyard. The Sage’s cell is inside the large square building in the northwest corner of Torres’ estate. The entrance to the building is at map coordinates 204, 575. Walk up, interact with the cell door to unlock it with the key, and a cutscene will play. That’s the quest done.
Synchronize the Viewpoint Before You Leave
There’s a Viewpoint inside Torres’ estate that you can synchronize while you’re here. Do it before or after you deal with the Warden — it unlocks a fast travel point at the estate in Havana, which is useful for returning to the area later. Don’t skip it.
Stealth Tips for Torres’ Estate
This mission is designed as a stealth tutorial of sorts. Here are a few things that will help:
- Eagle Vision (R3/RS) lets you spot and tag guards through walls. Use it constantly.
- Aiming (L2/LT) also highlights nearby enemies. Tag as many as you can before moving.
- Whistle to pull isolated guards toward you for a quiet takedown.
- Bushes and low walls are your main cover. Move between them slowly.
- Smoke bombs are great for covering a fast escape if things go wrong.
- There are no alarm bells in this area, so even if one guard spots you, it won’t instantly trigger a full estate-wide alert.
If you’re struggling with the stealth side of things and want to approach it differently, check out how to handle some of the tougher encounters in our beginner’s tips guide.
What Happens After You Free the Sage?
Freeing the Sage completes Claiming What’s Due and moves the main story forward. The story from here involves Edward escaping with the Sage while under pressure from the Templars. It’s a solid story beat and sets up some of the better missions later in the game.
As you continue through the game, you’ll need to upgrade your ship and gather resources. Our ship upgrade and customisation guide and crafting guide will help you stay on top of that. If you’re also tracking down side content, our full missions list is a good reference.
Where to Buy Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
If you haven’t picked up the game yet or want to grab it on another platform, here are the official store links:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the Prison Key in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced?
The Prison Key is carried by Warden Sotelo, the estate warden inside Torres’ compound in Havana. He’s found in the central courtyard of the upper villa area. Assassinate him and loot the key from his body.
Where is the Prison Key in the Claiming What’s Due quest?
The Prison Key is in the upper villa section of Torres’ estate, at approximately map coordinates 207, 573. That’s where Warden Sotelo is patrolling. Head there via the western stone staircase inside the compound.
Can you get the Prison Key without being detected?
Yes. The cleanest method is to wait on the villa rooftop for the Warden to finish his speech and patrol away from the guards. Once he’s isolated, drop down and assassinate him. You get the key without alerting anyone else.
Where is the Sage’s cell after you get the Prison Key?
The Sage’s prison cell is in the northwest corner of Torres’ estate, in a large square building at coordinates 204, 575. Head west from the courtyard after grabbing the key and look for the cell door to interact with.
Does failing to stay stealthy in Claiming What’s Due cause a mission fail?
No. There are no alarm bells inside Torres’ estate in Black Flag Resynced, so getting spotted won’t trigger a full compound lockdown. You can still complete the mission through combat if needed, it’ll just be messier.
What happens after you rescue the Sage in AC Black Flag Resynced?
Rescuing the Sage completes the Claiming What’s Due mission and advances the main story. Edward and the Sage escape together, which sets up the next chapter involving the Templars and the Observatory.
