- Needle in a Haystack begins with your arrival at the monastery and a conversation with Antonius.
- Poisoning scene: Eat in the dining hall, then wait for the scene to progress.
- Escape route: Prepare monastery keys and goat blood if you plan to help Antonius escape.
- Decision point: You can turn Antonius over to the bailiff or honor your agreement.
- Bug workaround: If Antonius disappears after leaving, follow the intended path toward his meeting point.
needle in a haystack beginner guide: Quest Overview
Needle in a Haystack is a monastery infiltration quest built around timing, restricted movement, and a difficult decision involving Antonius. The safest approach is to treat the opening as an information-gathering phase rather than rushing into combat. Speak with the person you are looking for, rest until the next day, and use the monastery routine to reach the next story trigger.
The quest includes major spoilers, including the poisoning sequence and the possible escape from the monastery. Save before entering the monastery if you want to test both outcomes without replaying a large section.
Video Highlights:
- Find and speak with Antonius after entering the monastery.
- Trigger the dining hall poisoning sequence.
- Prepare keys and blood for the more involved escape route.
- Follow Antonius after the evening meeting.
- Choose whether to surrender him or let him leave.
The quest flow is easier to understand when divided into four stages:
| Quest Stage | Main Objective | Key Location | Main Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival | Locate and confront Antonius | Monastery interior | Moving too openly |
| Poisoning | Eat in the dining hall and wait | Dining hall | Missing the scene trigger |
| Preparation | Collect keys and goat blood | Kitchen and back rooms | Overlooking small objects |
| Resolution | Meet Antonius and decide his fate | Dormitory balcony and escape path | Losing track of him |
The route below covers the poisoning, the escape preparation, and both major outcomes. Use it only if you are comfortable revealing the quest's central twists.
Find Antonius and Trigger the Poisoning
The first objective is straightforward: locate Antonius inside the monastery and speak with him. Tell him that you are searching for the person connected to the monastery investigation and that you intend to punish or kill the target. This conversation establishes the next phase of the quest.
After speaking with Antonius, go to your bed and rest until the following day. You can complete duties or wait in a hidden location during the intervening period. The important requirement is reaching the next day without disrupting the monastery's routine.
On the following day, go to the dining hall and eat. After the meal, wait for roughly one or two hours. Your character will become poisoned and eventually collapse, leading into the next cutscene. Do not treat the collapse as a failed objective; it is part of the intended quest progression.
Talk to Antonius
Confirm that you are searching for the monastery's target and establish the confrontation.
Rest Until Morning
Return to your bed and advance time. Duties or hiding are optional during the wait.
Eat and Wait
Visit the dining hall, eat, and allow time to pass until the poisoning scene begins.
| Action | Recommended Timing | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Speak with Antonius | Upon arrival | Starts the quest's central interaction |
| Rest at your bed | Until the next day | Advances the monastery routine |
| Eat in the dining hall | The following day | Triggers the poisoning sequence |
| Wait after eating | About one or two hours | Allows the collapse and cutscene to occur |
The poisoning scene may require time to pass after the meal. If nothing happens immediately, wait rather than leaving the area or restarting the quest.
Choose Between the Fast and Careful Routes
After the poisoning scene, the quest gives you flexibility. The faster route is to kill Antonius. The more involved route is to help him escape from the monastery. Both choices eventually lead to a confrontation about what to do with him, but the escape route requires additional preparation and more precise timing.
The fast route has fewer preparation steps, while the careful route requires you to collect specific items from monastery locations. If your priority is finishing the quest with minimal setup, the direct option is easier. If you want to follow the full escape sequence, plan around the kitchen, back rooms, and evening meeting.
| Route | Required Preparation | Difficulty | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct confrontation | Reach Antonius after the poisoning | Lower | You can kill him or resolve the encounter directly |
| Escape preparation | Obtain monastery keys and goat blood | Higher | Opens the planned escape arrangement |
| Surrender outcome | Knock Antonius out during an unarmed fight | Moderate | Bring him to the bailiff for questioning |
| Let-him-go outcome | Honor the agreement after the escape | Moderate | Antonius leaves instead of being surrendered |
The decision does not need to be made immediately after the poisoning. Use the time to prepare, observe the monastery, and decide whether you want the quick resolution or the more elaborate escape sequence.
Create a manual save before confronting Antonius at the end. This makes it easier to compare the bailiff outcome with the choice to honor your agreement.
Prepare the Monastery Escape
The escape route depends on two important preparations: obtaining monastery keys and collecting goat skin filled with blood. These tasks occur around the kitchen and its connected back rooms, so search carefully instead of relying on a quick pass through the area.
During the night, go to the kitchen and interact with the table that has a paper containing orders. The next day, blood will be ready for collection. The keys are located in a back room beyond another rear room, resting on a shelf. They can be difficult to see, so check the shelf closely and adjust your position if necessary.
After waiting until the following day, return to the kitchen and collect the goat skin filled with blood from the table. Once you have both the keys and the blood, speak with Antonius again to prepare the final escape.
| Item | Location | When to Collect | Search Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monastery keys | Shelf in the back rooms near the kitchen | During the preparation phase | Inspect the shelf closely; the keys are easy to miss |
| Goat skin filled with blood | Kitchen table | The day after placing the order | Return to the same kitchen area after waiting |
| Order paper | Kitchen table | During the night | Use it to arrange the blood needed later |
| Escape meeting | Dormitory balcony | Around 6:00 p.m. | Meet Antonius after the evening timing window |
Visit the Kitchen at Night
Go to the kitchen during the night and use the table with the order paper. This begins the preparation for the blood required by the escape plan.
Search the Back Rooms
Move through the kitchen's rear area and continue into the next back room. Look carefully along the shelf for the monastery keys.
Wait Until the Next Day
Advance time until the following day, then return to the kitchen. The goat skin filled with blood should be waiting on the table.
Speak With Antonius
Once you have the keys and blood, talk to Antonius. This confirms that you are ready to make the escape.
Meet at the Dormitories
Wait until approximately 6:00 p.m., then go to the dormitories where you sleep. Antonius will be waiting at the balcony.
When an item seems invisible, move around the shelf or table and check from a different angle. The keys are particularly easy to overlook in the back room.
Complete the Escape and Resolve Antonius's Fate
After the balcony cutscene, follow Antonius out of the monastery. The escape sequence can behave unpredictably, and Antonius may appear to vanish after the conversation. If that happens, do not immediately abandon the objective. Follow the path shown by the quest route and continue toward the expected meeting area.
Once you catch up with Antonius, decide how you want to resolve the agreement. You can fight him unarmed and knock him out, then take him to the bailiff for questioning. Alternatively, you can honor the deal and allow him to leave. The unarmed requirement matters if you want the surrender outcome, so avoid relying on a weapon during that confrontation.
| Final Choice | Required Action | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Surrender Antonius | Fight unarmed and knock him out | Bring him to the bailiff for questioning |
| Honor the agreement | Allow Antonius to leave | The escape concludes without surrendering him |
| Kill Antonius | Choose the direct hostile resolution | Ends the central confrontation quickly |
| Lost target workaround | Follow the route toward the intended meeting point | Antonius may become reachable again |
Final Quest Checklist:
- Speak with Antonius after arriving at the monastery
- Rest until the following day
- Eat in the dining hall and wait for the poisoning scene
- Collect the monastery keys and goat skin filled with blood
- Meet Antonius at the dormitory balcony around 6:00 p.m.
- Choose whether to surrender him, kill him, or let him go
The quest is progressing correctly when the poisoning scene occurs, Antonius meets you at the dormitory balcony, and the final confrontation becomes available outside the monastery.
Needle in a Haystack Troubleshooting and FAQ
Most problems in this quest come from timing, missed interactable objects, or Antonius moving away after the escape conversation. Use the table below before reloading an earlier save.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The poisoning scene does not start | Not enough time passed after eating | Wait for another hour or two |
| The keys cannot be found | The shelf is easy to overlook | Search the back rooms and inspect the shelf from multiple angles |
| Blood is not available | The order was not completed or the day has not advanced | Use the kitchen order table, then wait until the next day |
| Antonius disappears | The escape sequence has a movement bug | Follow the intended path toward the next meeting point |
| The final outcome is unavailable | The required preparation or timing was missed | Confirm the keys, blood, and 6:00 p.m. dormitory meeting |
Q: What is the easiest way to complete Needle in a Haystack?
The faster route is to proceed toward the direct confrontation after the poisoning sequence. Helping Antonius escape requires extra preparation with the monastery keys and goat blood.
Q: Where are the monastery keys in Needle in a Haystack?
The keys are on a shelf in the back rooms near the kitchen. They are small and can be difficult to spot, so inspect the shelf carefully from different positions.
Q: When should I meet Antonius at the dormitories?
Wait until approximately 6:00 p.m., then go to the dormitories where you sleep. Antonius should be waiting at the balcony for the escape conversation.
Q: What should I do if Antonius disappears after the cutscene?
Continue along the intended escape path instead of immediately restarting. Following the route toward the next meeting point can lead you back to Antonius.
For the most efficient replay, save before entering the monastery and again before the final Antonius decision. This lets you test the direct and escape outcomes with less repetition.