In Gothic 1 Remake, there are enough quests that don’t lead by the hand — the Almanac is just one of them. Find a book about the Focus Stones in the cave of the Black Goblins. But finding this cave and surviving inside is not a beginner’s task. Let’s warn you right away: it’s better not to go there without preparation.
Below is the full route: from the first conversation with I’Berion to the chest with the treasured Almanac. Ore from Talas can be cut down at the start.
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How do I start the Almanac quest in Gothic 1 Remake?
It all starts in a Swamp camp. After completing the Focus Stone quest, go to I’Berion’s temple. The NPC will say that he needs a book on the use of artifacts, and that the novice Talas has already gone to the Fire Magicians to get it. Your task is to check how Talas is doing.
Actually, the quest itself will drop out automatically. Next, look for Talas.
Where to find Talas’s novice and how to get the ore?
Talas is waiting at the castle gate in the Old Camp. Come on, let’s talk. It turns out that he tried to get the book from Thoros, but to no avail. Offer to help and select the option “make it worth my time” in the dialog. Talas will pay 50 ore. It’s a small thing, but it feels good.
After that, he will ask you to talk to Milten.
Dialogue with Milten and the search for the lost Goblin Book
Milten stands at the entrance to the temple of the Old Camp (to the left of the castle gate). He will tell you that he had the almanac, but on the way back the group was attacked by black goblins. The book was lost somewhere near the bridge over the gorge – if you go east, towards the Swamp camp. A note will appear in the magazine: goblins near the bridge at the waterfall.
Important: don’t rush to run right away. Milten doesn’t warn about the complexity, but we will.
Prepare for battle and use the best equipment to clean up
Black goblins are not the little things that lurk by the roads. They throw stones, attack quickly in close combat, and there are a lot of them inside the cave. Make sure that you have:
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decent armor (at least light from the camp)
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normal weapon is not a stick with a nail
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a supply of medicinal items (potions, food)
If you rush in a leather jacket with a rusty sword, they’ll roll you out. Fact.
Where is the cave of the black goblins on the map?
After talking to Milten, return to Talas. He will offer to take you to the bridge — agree if you do not want to wander. Have you lost sight of him? Follow the map (screenshot above). When you reach the bridge, cross it and turn left. The first black goblins will be there already.
Immediately behind them is the entrance to the cave. By the way, an outdoor encounter is a test of strength. If you can barely fend off two or three goblins, it’s better not to go inside. There are noticeably more of them there.
How to defeat the black goblins battle tactics?
These creatures are unpleasant for two reasons. Stones are thrown at a distance — it’s almost impossible to block damage, so dodge or hide around the corner. In close combat, their attacks are predictable: if you block the first swing, they usually hit again, and it’s better to counterattack after the second blow. If the first blow missed, they do not continue the series — feel free to hit back.
The secret route to the Almanac chest in the cave
They came in. Follow the tunnel until you come to a hall with two passageways. You need the left tunnel. Follow the path until you see the cart wheel on the floor. Turn right from the wheel and go down the ledges. Keep moving forward until you get to the bonfire room.
And that’s where the fun comes in. In the bonfire room, look to the left — there is a wooden lattice door. It opens. There’s a treasure trove behind it, and the Almanac is in the chest. The book is yours.
Do not leave immediately: you will find a lot of iron on the floor. It is useful for crafting or selling.
How to get out of the black goblin cave quickly?
The Almanac was taken away — now the question is: how to leave here? The most effective way is to turn around and walk back along the same route. Boring, but reliable.
However, there is a faster way. If you have already learned the skill of climbing walls, find a ledge right behind the campfire. Climb on it, and then use climbing on top. You’ll get out much faster than winding through tunnels.
Snaruzhi cross the bridge outside and talk to Talas. He will suggest that we return to the Swamp Camp together. It is not necessary to burn it — it moves, let’s say, slowly. Go on your own, he’ll catch up (or not, it’s not a big loss).
What reward should I take from Berion, ore or scrolls?
After returning to the temple of the Swamp Camp, find I’Berion and tell him about the book. In the dialog, he will offer you to choose one of three options:
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Scrolls — 3 Sleep Scrolls
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Ore — 150 units
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Potions — 5 extracts of magical energy
What should I take? Depends on your build. Ore is the most versatile option. You can spend it on anything from buying weapons to training. If you already have your own ways to farm ore, you can take something else.
Sleep scrolls and extracts are situational things. For a warrior who cuts everything with an axe, they are almost useless. But they will be useful for a magician or a hybrid.
How do I complete the quest at Kor Kalom and gain experience?
After handing over the book and receiving the reward, I’Berion will send you to Kor Kalom. His alchemy laboratory is located there, in the Swamp Camp — you’ve already been there during the Cult Recipe quest. Get up and talk to him.
All. The quest is closed. The reward is 2,500 experience points.
And yes, after talking with Kor Kalom, the next quest will automatically start — “The Nest of the rubacomysh”. So don’t relax.
The significance of the Almanac quest for the plot of the Gothic game
It only seems at first glance that the Almanac is a trivial assignment for the sake of leveling up. In fact, this is the most important plot trigger that determines the entire logic of the development of the Swamp Camp. The book that the hero has to rescue from the clutches of the black goblins in the cave holds the secrets of activating the Units. Without this information, Kor Kalom simply would not have been able to launch preparations for the summoning of the Sleeper, so the Nameless One literally hands the cultists a ready-made guide to action.
The bundle of events here is seamless: as soon as Kor Kalom picks up the folio, you are immediately redirected to the task “Nest of crawlers” (in the original — “Nest of the slashmen”). The guru instantly compares the facts from the book and sends the player to get a new piece of the puzzle. The secretion contained in the eggs of the Queen of crawlers is needed by the alchemist to enhance the mental decoction. The result is a clear scenario framework for the second chapter.:
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Almanac Search: Getting a theoretical base on the magic of Focus Stones;
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Mine cleaning: moving to the practical part and collecting biomaterial;
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Egg transfer to Kor Kalom: the final chord before the main ritual of the Brotherhood.
The test is to complete a quest for a New camp or an Old camp
Dropping this quest while playing for other factions is not such an idea. For closing a branch, they get a solid 2,500 experience points, which gives a powerful boost at the start of the game. In addition, Kor Calom then begins to actively interact with the hero. Keep in mind that this eccentric guru remains the top seller of alchemical recipes in the Ministry, and it is not profitable to ignore his assortment.
There is a great contrast in the plans of the factions, which many miss when they first get to know the game. The Water Magicians and Saturas from the New Camp intend to use the Focus Stones to undermine the Barrier. At the same time, the Swamp Camp sees the artifacts as a source of energy to connect with its dark deity. The Almanac links these polar goals into a single node, turning from an ordinary quest into a key point of no return.
