Spirits of Curiosity are, generally, benign in their interactions with mortals, seeking to sake their namesake curiosity. In the hands of a responsible caretaker you’ll get a creature like Manfred - sassy, but no real threat to anybody. Of course, the human condition doesn’t often live up to the standards set by Emmrich, and when exposed to the darker aspects of mortality a spirit of Curiosity can turn into Malice, a more malevolent entity. When one such creature finds itself in the Necropolis, the Mourn Watch seeks an exorcist. This page will provide a walkthrough for the side quest Hauntings: Deathy Curiosity in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Page Breakdown¶
Starting Hauntings: Deathly Curiosity¶
Complete the main quest [Where Dead Must Go] to recruit Emmrich, then talk to him at The Lighthouse to unlock the side quest Unwelcome Guests and, more importantly, the Necropolis Halls as an exploration location. Fast travel to the Necropolis and talk to Myrna in the Hollow Belfry, Lower area, and she’ll give you the quests Restless Spirits and 
Hauntings: Deathly Curiosity.
Recruit Emmrich, talk to him at The Lighthouse, then return to the Necropolis and talk to Myrna to start this quest.
Defeat Burgeoning Malice¶
In an ideal world you could just head south from the Hollow Belfry, Lower, to reach The Spectral Court, where this target resides, Alas, the door south is sealed from this side, so you’ll have to head northeast to the Path of Sighs, then work your way southeast, southwest and west, dispatching the first group of Venatori (part of the aforementioned quest 
Unwelcome Guests) and tearing down their barriers to reach your destination.
(1 of 2) Defeat some Venatori,
Defeat some Venatori, (left), and take down their barriers to reach your target. (right)
Reach The Spectral Court, however, and you’ll find your foe waiting for you - a skeletal mage named Burgeoning Malice. This enemy would be a proper miniboss, save for the noticeable lack of adds. While isolated, Burgeoning Malice tries to make up for this somewhat with sheer offensive volume: Burgeoning Malice can store and shoot two types of magical bolts - up to five blue bolts and three red bolts, and it can store, replenish and shoot these simultaneously. They deal little damage and can be avoided just by walking sideways, but their constant threat might keep you honest and mitigate Burgeoning Malice’s lack of minions.
If those aren’t enough, Burgeoning Malice can create arcane lances that spin on the ground, a field of red crystals around itself (a counter to opponents who are pressuring it in melee) as well as smaller AoE red spikes at range. In addition it can conjure a T-shaped line of spikes on the ground. All these attacks should be familiar if you’ve fought any elite Venatori mages, and this, perhaps, suggests the source of this spirit’s… well, burgeoning malice. Spirit see, spirit do. Burgeoning Malice has a barrier and is fairly hardy, but not overwhelmingly so. Like most undead it is weak to necrotic damage and resistant to cold.
(1 of 2) In lieu of minions, Burgeoning Malice has ample firepower, including two types of bolts and an arcane orb.
In lieu of minions, Burgeoning Malice has ample firepower, including two types of bolts and an arcane orb. (left), Burgeoning Malice can also shoot spikes in a T-shaped area and in two AoE bursts. (right)
Defeat Burgeoning Malice and it’ll drop a chest (for our mage it yielded a 
Researcher’s Coat) and you’ll get 350 EXP when your foe dies. Return to Myrna and she’ll give you an additional 400 gold and +250 Mourn Watch Strength before mentioning another haunting - this starts the quest [
Hauntings: Restless Dreams].
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