“The Imprisoned Judge” is one of several quests you receive from Captain Brant in the early stages Dragon’s Dogma 2. Brant tells you about a Magistrate Waldahr, someone who stood up to Disa and refused to change the Code of Vermund in her favor when asked, resulting in him now being in a cell in Vernworth Prison sits – um, Jail.
So Captain Brant has a very simple request for you: release Magistrate Waldahr. He will give you one Prison key so you can break into his cell, but you’ll find that Waldahr needs some convincing at first.
In this Dragon’s Dogma 2 In this guide we will go through the entire Caged Magistrate quest, including Where can I find Magistrate Waldahr? And how to free him
Where to find the Magistrate in Dragon’s Dogma 2?
Enter the palace grounds and head to the destination marked on your map. This is the entrance to Vernworth Castle Gaol Tower. Otto will greet you and let you through. So head down the stairs and aside from a few rooms to explore and loot, the main area here is the long corridor with pillars in the middle and cells on each side, for a total of eight.
As soon as you enter, Magistrate Waldahr is in the first cell on the right. Wait until the two guards are facing away from you, then use the prison key given to you by Captain Brant to unlock the cell.
Go in and talk to Waldahr. Then, when the opportunity presents itself, urge him to flee. He explains that he is perfectly happy in the cell because he can spend his days “reading the codex and deciphering ancient texts.” However, if you find “a place with a mountain of books,” Waldahr will reconsider escaping. Leave the prison and return to Captain Brant.
Where can I find “a place with a mountain of tomes” in The Caged Magistrate?
Brant suggests talking to a guy named Kendrick who The Gracious Hand found in the slums. He is a balding fellow in a blue robe who wanders among the tents and run-down houses on the outskirts of Vernworth. He’ll ask you for a charitable donation of gold, so you pay and he’ll explain that a local boy named Malcolm has gone missing.
This starts a completely separate quest called “The Heel of History,” in which you must find Malcolm by talking to the children of the slums. Look for a girl named Aimee who will be somewhere nearby and she will tell you that Malcolm went into the vaults under the slums. Return to Kendrick and the two of you will enter the vaults to find the runaway child.
Explore the vaults in their entirety and you will find Malcolm, followed by a massive underground library. Kendrick makes Malcolm promise to keep quiet about the discovery, but you can return to Waldahr in prison and tell him about this wonderful place where he can study in peace. Escort Waldahr out of his cell and into the slums, then return to Captain Brant to receive your reward: 7,000 gold and a Fährstein.
Make sure you also return to Waldahr in the vaults a few days later, as he has another task for you: “A Masterful Amenity,” which involves finding his confiscated glasses.
For more Dragon’s Dogma 2 Walkthroughs, here’s who you should give the Jadeite Orb to, whether you should buy the Decorated Box, how to buy a house in Vernworth, where to find Rodge, and the best way to complete Captain Brant’s quests.