"The Caged Magistrate" is a quest you can unlock in Dragon's Dogma 2 and complete by proving the innocence of a character who would your role as an Arisen. This mission doesn't have different outcomes based on your choices, but it can be easily missed. You also don't have a limited amount of time to tackle this quest, making it easier to prepare for compared to other missions.

Thankfully, there are no prerequisite quests you need to have finished before you start pursuing "The Caged Magistrate." This adventure will take you around different parts of the Vernworth region, so make sure you have taken the time to study some of the area's hidden mechanics in Dragon's Dogma 2. With well-rested Pawn allies, you should be able to handle any enemies that attack during this mission.

How To Unlock "The Caged Magistrate" Quest

Speak To Captain Brant

To unlock "The Caged Magistrate" quest, speak to Captain Brant at the Stardrop Inn, where your character can talk to him about how others perceive you as an Arisen. You can only speak to Brant privately at night, so wait until he is done with his duties for the day before talking to him. Out of the dialogue options that appear with Brant in Dragon's Dogma 2, accept the "Tell me of the Magistrate" prompt.

Choosing this will start the quest, where Brant will tell you about Magistrate Waldhar, a character who would be able to prove your legitimacy as an Arisen. Unfortunately, it seems like the Magistrate has been imprisoned and cannot help you until his criminal charges have been absolved. You can start this quest in Dragon's Dogma 2 as soon as you finish your conversation with Brant and leave the Inn.

Where To Find The Magistrate

Infiltrate The Palace Prison

Brant will give you an item called the Gaol Key, which can open the door to Magistrate Waldhar's cell in the Gaol Tower of Vernworth Castle. This palace can be found in the southern region of Vernworth, but it is listed as a "Restricted Area" within Dragon's Dogma 2. Places like the Gaol Tower have guards patrolling them that prevent you from entering certain areas without permission first.

Thankfully, you can speak to the guard Otto and tell him you're at Gaol Tower on orders from Captain Brant. Similar to the "A Beggar's Tale" quest in Dragon's Dogma 2, you'll have to make sure you aren't trying to go into places without permission, as doing so will land you in prison alongside the Magistrate. Go underground once you've been allowed in the Tower to find the Magistrate within one of the cells.

You may need to sneak past some guards to reach the Magistrate, especially if you're wanted for criminal activities in Vernworth. If you do get arrested, there are multiple ways you can try to break out, like speaking to a nearby jailer or smashing the wall behind your cell.

When you speak to the Magistrate, let him know right away that you are an Arisen looking for his help. After urging the Magistrate to escape, the prisoner will say that he does not want to leave until he has a suitable place to conduct his research somewhere in Vernworth. This begins the next task in the quest where you have to uncover a location with "tons of tomes" to satisfy the Magistrate's request.

How To Complete "The Heel of History" Quest

Find The Magistrate A New Home

Return to Captain Brant at the Stardrop Inn and ask him about the Magistrate again to start "The Heel of History" quest, which will help you find the location Waldhar spoke about at Gaol Tower. While this quest doesn't get your character a free house in Dragon's Dogma 2, it needs to be finished for "The Caged Magistrate." Brant will direct you to travel to the Venworth Slums and speak to a man named Kendrick.

Kendrick of the Gracious Hand can be seen near the Church in the Slums southeast of Stardrop Inn. This character is begging for donations, which you should provide by giving Kendrick 1,000 Gold to start the quest in earnest. You might have to give Kendrick some food as well in a second donation before he trusts you enough to give you more details about the mission in Dragon's Dogma 2.

This quest asks you to find a lost boy named Malcolm who discovered an area full of books in a Vault dedicated to the Gracious Hand group. Talk to Harvey, Rick, and Aimee, three other children in the Slums, who can direct you toward a hole Malcolm used to go into the Vault. This area acts like a dungeon that you can explore to find Malcolm and bring him back to Kendrick safely.

As you can see in the above video by YouTube creator Maka91Productions, Kendrick and the other children will follow you into the Vaults while pursuing Malcolm, so make sure you and your Pawns keep them safe.

How To Complete "The Caged Magistrate" Quest

Report What You've Found To Waldhar

The Gracious Hand Valut that Malcolm found contains more than enough knowledge for Waldhar's research, so now the only thing left to do is break the Magistrate out of prison. From the right of Waldhar's cell, head to the end of the hallway and use the Gaol Key Brant gave you to unlock a gate leading outside. The Magistrate will follow you to freedom, but only if you manage to keep him out of sight of any guards.

The Magistrate will immediately thank you and travel to the Vault, leaving you to report back to Captain Brant one last time. You'll have to speak to him in the same Inn where you had spoken about the Magistrate in Dragon's Dogma 2 before to tell him about Waldhar's escape. When this conversation starts, you give the Gaol Key back to Brant, so to use it in every way you can before the quest concludes.

Turning over the Key finishes your last objective, rewarding you with 1,200 XP and a Ferrystone as rewards. Ferrystones can be consumed to help your party travel between Portcrystal points set up within the world, like those located in major settlements. Those who unlock and complete "The Caged Magistrate" quest in Dragon's Dogma 2 will have a far better way to move around the map than just using an Oxcart.

Source: Maka91Productions/YouTube