The Black Emporium – Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The Black Emporium is an exclusive area in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and its owner Xenon the Antiquarian runs a special shop. However, you cannot access him until later in the game. In this guide, we will go over how to unlock the Black Emporium, as long as some of the stuff he sells.

How to Unlock the Black Emporium

In order to unlock the Black Emporium, you will first need to make some progress in the story. Not long after completing the quest The Siege of Weisshaupt and After the Storm (where you talk to various companions and Solas), you’ll be given the quest Davrin’s The Cauldron in the Hossberg Wetlands, as well as Neve’s The Cobbled Swan Case in Dock Town and Lucanis’s Bloodbath in Treviso (you may need to leave and re-enter the Lighthouse to receive all three).

In order to unlock The Black Emporium quest, which leads to the shop itself, you will need to complete either The Cauldron or the quest of whichever companion whose city you did not save from the Blighted Dragon attack (Bloodbath if you saved Minrathous, The Cobbled Swan Case if you saved Treviso). You can tell which two quests you have the option of completing to unlock the Black Emporium because they will both be labelled as “Story Quests” in your Journal.

After completing either The Cauldron or the other Story Quest, head to the Lighthouse and speak to The Caretaker, who will now give you the quest “The Black Emporium,” revealing that someone in Dock Town has been looking for you.

Once you’ve received the quest, you can complete it and unlock Xenon the Antiquarian by making your way to Dock Town, and then fast-traveling to the Central Market area. The quest marker and shop are just east of the Beacon, and you can identify the shop on the outside by its bright neon light. This will be the Black Emporium, and entering it will immediately complete the quest and give you access to Xenon the Antiquarian and his wares!

Xenon the Antiquarian Vendor

Within the Black Emporium, Xenon the Antiquarian acts as a combination of all three other types of merchants in the game. He has much better items than street vendors, including some in each category (similar to Faction Merchants). But, unlike Faction Merchants, Xenon is not tied to a faction, and all of his items are available for purchase right away. In addition, rather than costing gold, everything in Xenon’s shop will cost Etheric Remnants to purchase — the only exception to this is the Etheric Remnants he sells himself in exchange for other materials.

The most noteworthy piece of equipment that Xenon sells is the Unique Helm “Crow’s Armet”. This Unique Helm causes Gold drops to give you more Gold, and gives you Deflect every time an enemy drops Gold.

In addition, you will be able to find one of the seven candlehops in Dock Town within the Black Emporium. Finding all seven is a prerequisite for a class-specific Unique Weapon.

Lastly, the Black Emporium offers more loot in a single spot than any other Vendor will (including the largest amount of purchasable Mementos), so be sure to take a look at this special store when you’re able to!