The Blood of Dawnwalker: "A Dubious Gift" Walkthrough - Find Radu, Unlock the Almshouse, and Claim the Library Key

Quick Answer

Talk to the Deacon inside Svartrau Cathedral during the daytime while the main quest "A Monk and a Saint" is active to start "A Dubious Gift." Head to the Almshouse in the Cathedral Complex, pay the Asylum Resident 100 Denorius, have Patient Stefan's foot wound dressed to learn about the hidden plague wing, then push the bookcase aside (costs 1 Time Segment) to reach the basement. Kill the Almshouse Monstrosity, who is actually the missing caretaker Radu, transformed, loot the Caretaker's Key, use Compel Soul on the corpse, and return to the Deacon to receive the Library Key and 150 XP.

This quest is missable. It vanishes the moment you finish "A Monk and a Saint."

What You Need Before You Start

• The main quest "A Monk and a Saint" must be active. "A Dubious Gift" is a subquest and disappears permanently once the main quest is completed.
• Access to Svartrau Cathedral and its Cathedral Complex.
• 100 Denorius in currency to pay the Asylum Resident.
• 1 Time Segment free. Pushing the bookcase aside advances the clock. Time works like a currency in this game, so budget accordingly.
• Compel Soul ability unlocked. You will use it on Radu's corpse to trigger the lore reveal.
• Ideally, have completed "Under Watchful Eyes" and saved Mert. Doing so makes Mert and Renna appear as temporary Almshouse residents, though this is optional flavor and not required.
• Platform note: The Blood of Dawnwalker is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Quest steps below are platform-agnostic.
• Attribution note: No official Bandai Namco or Rebel Wolves page names "A Dubious Gift" directly. All step-by-step specifics come from secondary walkthrough sites.

Start the Quest by Talking to the Deacon

Enter Svartrau Cathedral and speak to the Deacon during the daytime. This is the trigger for "A Dubious Gift."

The Deacon asks you to find Radu, the missing cathedral caretaker, in exchange for access to the Library.

Confirm the quest is in your journal before leaving. If "A Monk and a Saint" has already been completed, this quest will not appear.

Reach the Almshouse in the Cathedral Complex

1. From the Cathedral Complex courtyard, take the stone staircase on the north side. The staircase is located past the cathedral's resident clergy NPCs who gather near the courtyard's northern edge.
2. Open the metal gate at the top of the stairs.
3. Enter the wooden door to reach the Almshouse.

Inside, pay the Asylum Resident 100 Denorius to advance the objective to the abandoned wing. The Resident claims the building is haunted.

If you saved Mert earlier, expect Mert and Renna to appear here as temporary residents. Stefan was responsible for Mert's capture.

Get Patient Stefan to Reveal the Hidden Wing

Find Patient Stefan inside the Almshouse and dress his foot wound when prompted.

In exchange, Stefan reveals the secret/abandoned plague wing, formerly used for plague patients.

The Asylum Resident payment is the step that advances the quest objective to the abandoned wing. Stefan's information provides the context and location, but paying the Resident is what flags the objective as complete. Both steps are required to progress cleanly. You can speak to Stefan before or after paying the Resident; the quest updates when both conditions are met.

Push the Bookcase to Open the Abandoned Wing

Switch to focus mode and inspect the drag marks near the bookcase.

Push the bookcase aside. This costs 1 Time Segment, so make sure you have budgeted for it.

Descend into the abandoned wing and pick up the catalysts as you go:

• Empty Bottle (middle floor)
• Precious Brooch (middle floor)
• Blood Vial (bottom floor)

You will need all three later for the Compel Soul step. Do not skip them.

Defeat the Almshouse Monstrosity and Loot the Caretaker's Key

In the basement, fight the mini-boss Almshouse Monstrosity. It behaves like a Murohn.

The Monstrosity is Radu, transformed. Xanthe promised to turn him into a vrakhiri but instead turned him into a monstrosity after he helped her convert the sick and poor at the Almshouse into Blood Guards.

Loot the Caretaker's Key from the corpse.

Additional drops reported by secondary walkthrough sources, unconfirmed:

Use Compel Soul to Learn What Happened to Radu

Return to the central room and target the corpse with Compel Soul.

Use the Empty Bottle, Precious Brooch, and Blood Vial as the required catalysts.

This unlocks the lore reveal explaining Radu's fate and Xanthe's betrayal.

Return to the Deacon and Claim the Library Key

Head back to the Deacon in Svartrau Cathedral.

You are offered three dialogue options:

• Deny knowledge
• Give a partial truth
• Blame Xanthe

All three options yield the same reward: the Library Key and 150 XP. Choose the response that fits your Coen roleplay. The choice appears to affect flavor and reputation only. No source confirms a mechanical consequence.

The quest also grants added infamy on completion.

Use the Library Key to unlock the Library wing of Svartrau Cathedral and continue "A Monk and a Saint."

Recovery: If Something Goes Wrong

Quest won't trigger at night. The Deacon only offers "A Dubious Gift" during daytime. If you arrive at night and the dialogue option does not appear, you need to advance time to day. Rest at an inn or use the game's wait function; resting consumes a Time Segment. Budget for this, since the game's 30-day limit to rescue Coen's family is a hard constraint. If you are already tight on Time Segments, consider whether the quest is worth the cost on this playthrough.

Missed a catalyst in the abandoned wing. The abandoned wing remains accessible after defeating the Almshouse Monstrosity. The bookcase does not re-close behind you. If you missed the Empty Bottle, Precious Brooch, or Blood Vial, return to the wing and collect it before using Compel Soul. The corpse will remain in the central room until you interact with it.

Common Mistakes

• Finishing "A Monk and a Saint" first. This permanently removes "A Dubious Gift" from the game. Do the side quest before completing the main quest.
• Talking to the Deacon at night. The quest trigger requires the daytime. If nothing happens, rest or wait until day. Note that resting costs a Time Segment.
• Skipping the Asylum Resident payment. Paying the 100 Denorius is what advances the objective to the abandoned wing. Without it, Stefan's info alone may not progress the quest cleanly.
• Skipping the catalysts while descending. The Empty Bottle, Precious Brooch, and Blood Vial are required for Compel Soul. If you miss one, backtrack before leaving the wing. The wing remains accessible after the boss fight.
• Pushing the bookcase with no Time Segment to spare. The push costs 1 Time Segment. If you are tight on time, resolve other timed actions first.
• Expecting a better reward from a specific dialogue choice. All three Deacon responses give the same Library Key and 150 XP. Do not reload to fish for a different outcome.

What Comes After the Library Key

Take the Library Key to the Library wing of Svartrau Cathedral to advance the "A Monk and a Saint" main quest.

Expect to encounter Xanthe, the ancient Greek vampire and Brencis' most powerful ally, as that questline continues.

If you have not yet done "Under Watchful Eyes," consider finishing it on a future playthrough to see the Mert and Renna Almshouse cameo.

Keep an eye on your Time Segment budget. The bookcase push is one of several actions that advance the clock, and the game's 30-day limit to rescue Coen's family is a hard constraint.