Vagrus – The Riven Realms Party Companion Guide

The description of each companion also includes potential roles as a deputy or in crew combat. So in case you’re looking to fill a specific role asap, you would know who to go for.

There are of course spoilers related to the companions and how to get them, but not beyond that.

Without further ado: Braxius in the Merchant district of Tor’Zag’s Shelter offers you one random companion (Harvek, Renkailon or Criftaa) and you then get to choose one (between Gor’Goro and Garrik).

Regardless of what companions you get from Braxius, you can eventually hire all the Companions:

[This guide is up to date with the 1.0 full release]

Potential Random from Braxius.

Alternatively: Build up rep with Velarias (wraith Town just NE of Tor’Zag’s Shelter). I found the best way is to sell them 2-3 horses (mounts).
Once they like you enough the option in town dialogue will appear, telling you about a bounty hunter to the NE of Velarias. A very short distance from town (3 nodes to the NE) you get to help her fighting an orc and recruit her.

Alternatively, a rumor about a Bounty Hunter can lead you to her.

NB: You need to take her back to the Tor’Zag’s Shelter authorities relatively quickly so she can claim the bounty of the orc she was fighting. Failing that she’ll leave.

NB2: It is possible to recruit Finndurarth and Criftaa on the same trip and still make it back to the respective destinations they want to go in time.

• Pick up Criftaa.
• Pick up Finndurarth.
• Tor’Zags’Shelter (For Criftaa to claim bounty)
• Karnak Waystation (For Finndurarth’s event)

It all depends on how mobile your comitatus is, so you should probably do a manual save after picking up Criftaa to be safe… or just get them one by one on different trips.

• Venatoris (Free)
• Chief Handler
• Scout master

Backline Single target Ranged DPS / poison damage. She can manage decently from front line.

She can be recruited from Tectum Carvos. A camp a few days west of Larnak.

Be prepared for a relatively hard Companion Combat to enter Tectum Carvos. You should ideally have 4 other companions by the time you head there to recruit her.
(I wouldn’t leave getting her too late either, because the whole area starts swarming with a certain type of enemy at some point.)

For her to agree to join you, you only need to agree to start a quest in the same settlement.

• Chief Handler (Free)
• Scout Master

Frontline. Tank. Single target stun

You will stumble on an event involving her on your way to Deven from the south. Same as with Criftaa you will need to take her quickly somewhere otherwise she leaves (in her case Karnak Waystation). Once in Karnak be ready for a couple of companion fights.

Note: A part from Finndurarth the event involving her also rewards with a few valuable trade goods. Have a few open spots in the inventory to not lose out on that.

• Spellweaver (Free)

Backline. Lightning-based spellcaster. Best AoE.

See screenshot for the location where Finndurarth’s event triggers. If you’re heading north to Deven for a trade trip better go off road and circumvent it, and take it on the way back South.

You may choose him instead of Gor’Goro from Braxus.

If you don’t you need to build up rep with the Loader’s Guild to Tier 1. They do offer a lot of delivery tasks from and around Tor’Zag’s Shelter so it is easy enough to build up. Once you have enough rep you can pay his debt (20 Bross) with the Loader guild: The option will appear in Undercity/Bath house.

• Supercargo (Free)
• Marauder Prime

Backline. Pistol DPS. Mediocre AoE/debuff with grenades

He can be chosen from Braxius.

A rumor appears in Tor’Zag’s Shelter a few months later if you chose Garrik.

Regardless, getting him involves an Arena fight with Gor’Goro + 2 companions vs 3 opponents.

If you don’t have 2 companions (or choose not to use then) then you can get 2 NPCs to fight on Gor’Goro’s side.

• Guard Captain
• Marauder Prime

Frontline Tank. Cleave. Armorbreaker.

Random from Braxius. Otherwise Recruitable from the Lumen Bar.

• Guard Captain
• Slavedriver

Frontline melee dps. Bleed.

She can be recruited at a Bar in Larnak.

Prequisite just seems to be having 3 Renown or hearing about her in the Venari HQ in the same town, specifically when you look at what Mercenaries they have to offer. (You will need to have enough house Venari reputation to allowed access to their HQ)

Another way to hear about her is to ask Incanus, a mage in Avernum, about recruitable mages.

• Spellweaver (Free)
• Slavedriver

Backline. Fire-spellcaster, single target. Demon summoner.

Random from Braxius
Otherwise, become friends with the Dark Elf Prince in Deven (Rep required 6). You can do that by offering him the goods he likes (Obsidian, metal, tools, Luxury wine), you can also get a boost to the rep with him if you dedicate the victory in the Arena of Deven to him. Once the rep is high enough with the Prince, Renkailon becomes available.

Renkailon is arguably the hardest one to get. So if you get him from Braxius, you’re lucky.

• Scout Master (Free)
• Venatoris

Single target DPS. Mark target.

Available in Avernum. You will need high rep with the Prefectus there. One way to get high rep is to help him when you first interact with him during the Pandemenum Arena event.

If you did help him Prefectus invites you to his place and you can get to buy Skornar of him when your rep is high enough (4)

If the Prefectus was not saved by you at the arena event involving Skornar, the only way to draw his attention is to have high Renown (9 to be exact). From then on, you can raise your reputation with him and eventually press him for Skornar.

• Guard Captain
• Marauder Prime

Sword and board frontline tank.

House Venari (Larnak) offer mercenaries (temporary companions that can participate in Companion Combat) and House Oquo (Drusian Quarry) offer hirelings that can join the comitatus but do not join in Companion Combat.

Depending on the hireling, they can also be assigned different deputy roles, if for whatever reason you don’t have the Companion for a given role.

House Venari

• Man-at-arms/Mercenary 5 Bross (Tier 0 Rep)
• Master-at-arms/Mercernay Captain 15 Bross (Tier 3 Rep)

House Oquo

• Taskmaster/Quartermaster/Beast Handler 4 Bross (Tier 0 Rep)
• Slavemaster/Supercargo/Beast Master 12 Bross (Tier 3 Rep)

(Prices can be reduced if you want to invest rep points)

1 month after hiring them, the contract can be renewed for a second month.
The contract can also be renewed for a third month in the field for an additional cost.
After that they leave, and will need to be re-hired in the respective settlements.

It is safe to equip them with 2 items: They do not leave with the equipped items.

The guide lists the Companions alphabetically.

Here is one good order of getting them asap as a walkthrough.

• During character creation grab the background that gives Loader Guild Rep. (This will help with getting Garrik ASAP, prioritize loader guild rep trade tasks at every opportunity from Karnak onwards)
• Get Renkailon from Braxius.
• Harvek in Lumen (with some luck you got a trade quest from TGZ to Larnak with the loaders)
• Back to TGZ. Get Gor’Goro (I like using my own companions in the arena fight)
• Make sure you have 3 horses. Leave TGZ for a trade trip to Arken. Stock up on supplies in Arken
• From Arken head to Velarias. Sell them 3 horses. They will tell you about Criftaa.
• Grab Criftaa. Head back to the road and head North until you get Finndurarth.
• Head to TGZ then Karnak for Criftaa and Finn’s quests.
• Head to Deven, then Avernum, grabbing trade quests that take you the same way… again preferebly with the Loaders.
• In Avernum do the Skornar Pandemonium Arena event. Talk to the prefectus. You can’t get Skornar yet, but that’s a start.
• Check the mage Incantus in Avernum (for rumor about mages) go to Larnak (Trade tasks along the way,…)
• In Larnak you should be able to recruit Nedir. If you cant see her in the tavern. go to the Venari HQ as mentioned in the guide. Also in larnak there is a an event that allows you to harvest Brightkelp and possibly give all of it to the Loader’s for 12 rep.
• From Larnak take as many supplies as you can and head to TC to get Eylani.
• Head back to TGZ, preferably through Larnak, Avernum (sell news to the Prefect again on your way) then Deven for more profits. Check your Loader Guild Rep.. you might or might not already have the rep to get Garrik by the time you’re back in TGZ (If you don’t you should be close)
• Head back to Avernum, hopefully the news you have for the prefectus will get you Skornar or will open up a quest that will definitely get you enough

(If you didn’t get Renkailon from Braxius, this would be slightly different. Be ready to give the Prince in Deven something he likes every time you go there even the first time. As soon as you have 6 companions try doing the Arena event in Deven, and dedicate the victory to the Prince)