Early in Chained Echoes Robb will run into a Thoma, a former vassal of his father, and will have to drive him off. This storyline will dangle until you reach the end of the game, and this side quest, No Place for Happy Endings, will pick it up again. Robb's daddy issues need to be resolved.
Head to Flandern, the western village in the Kortara Mountain Range, once you've completed the main quest Chained Echoes. Approach the Fast Travel Crystal and you'll catch a cut scene between Robb and Lord Gustaf, who is none too happy to see his son. You'll then be directed to a house in the east of Rockbottom, where Robb's former maid from Tormund is living. This leads to a confrontation with Thoma...
... and, surprisingly, the former vassal will offer to join the Crimson Wings. The catch is that Robb and his friends need to help bring down Robb's father. You can begin the operation by speaking to Thoma in the northwest of Flandern.
Thoma will send in Sky Armor to distract Lord Gustaf's forces, allowing you to slip onto the grounds of Rymeier Castle, the northwestern section of the Kortara Mountain Range that has heretofore always been locked away from you.
Rymeier Castle
Enemies
- Flandern Mage - Drops
- Flandern Soldier - Drops
As soon as you enter the grounds of Rymeier Castle you'll run into a Flandern Mage and a Flandern Soldier. The Mage has less health and can cause more trouble, so take it out first. Look west of the entrance to find a chest containing a Devil's Head before charging across the bridge, then check the right side of the bridge before entering the castle. A thin path here will take you into a cave where you'll find a red chest containing a Silver Bolero. The ledge near the chest will take you into the courtyard.
There are a large number of doors in the castle's courtyard, as well as stairs. Let's ignore the stairs for a moment and check out the doors. We'll go through them from west to east:
- The western-most door leads up onto the ramparts, where you'll eventually find a chest containing three Titan Leathers.
- The door to the left of the main stairs leads to a grassy area guarded by three Soldiers and a Mage. Behind them is a ladder up to the ramparts. Go right and you'll find a door and a pathway east. The door leads into the castle, allowing you to bypass a squad of enemies. The pathway leads to a ledge, and jumping down it will bring you to a golden box containing a Soul of Farnese. Also here is a cave that will take you back to the castle entrance.
- The door to the right of the main stairs is a one-way path back from the golden box.
- The eastern-most door, in the southeast of the courtyard, leads to a fight with three Soldiers and a Mage. You can slink past them to the north, though if you take the time to defeat the squad you'll find a chest containing Adamantite on the other side. Going up the stairs past the enemies will put you on the roof, and eventually lead you to a red chest containing a Rhongomiant. The ledge to the east of the chest will take you back to the courtyard.
Now that you've grabbed all the items, head up the main stairs. You'll enter the hold and face off against two Soldiers and two Mages on your trip north. Head up the stairs in the next room to the north, then cross the ramparts to the east. You'll find a drop down to a door. This will bring you to Gustaf's throne room, and the lord and Robb will, uh, hash things out. Apparently this isn't enough to satisfy Thoma, and the treacherous vassal attacks the party.
Thoma and Bandit
Strength: None
Weakness: None
Steal: Nothing
Your second battle with Thoma and his Bandit buddy is virtually identical to the first. The pair use melee attacks most of the time, with Thoma tossing out the occasional bomb that both sides of the battle can push back and forth across the field. The difference here is that you now have four party members and far better Skills than before. Swiftly wipe out the Bandit, then debuff Thoma's Agility so he can't swipe any Bombs at you that you can't swipe back. Honestly, given all you've been through, these chumps are a piece of cake.
You'll earn a Grimoire Shard for defeating Thoma and the Bandit. Things will end more happily than the title of the quest implies, and you'll receive a Rusty Bow for your trouble, as well.