Gaining entrance to the inner castle of the Old Camp is one of the primary goals in the early chapters of the Gothic 1 Remake. Under normal progression, Thorus blockades the gate, demanding that you first prove your worth and officially choose a faction, such as completing the prerequisites to join the Old Camp.
However, community members have discovered an exploit in the Old Mine that allows you to bypass Thorus entirely. By letting local monsters do the heavy lifting, you can secure the necessary credentials to enter the castle within the first few hours of play.
The Old Mine Exploitation
The trick lies deep within the Old Mine. Near the lower shafts, two templars—including the named NPC Gor Na Bar—guard the entrance to the minecrawler-infested caverns. These templars are far too powerful to fight directly at a low level, but the local fauna can easily overwhelm them.
To pull this off:
- Locate the nearby minecrawlers roaming in the adjacent tunnels.
- Attack or approach a minecrawler to draw its attention, then lead it directly to the templars’ guard post.
- Step back and let the minecrawlers engage the guards.
In the Gothic 1 Remake, guards attacked by monsters will eventually be knocked unconscious rather than killed. While they are down on the ground, you can interact with them to loot their inventory without turning the entire camp hostile.
Looting the Brotherhood Amulet
Once Gor Na Bar or his fellow templar is incapacitated, search their bodies. You are looking for a specific item called the Sign of the Brotherhood (also referred to by players as The Brotherhood Amulet).
After looting the amulet, leave the Old Mine and return to the surface, making your way back to the Old Camp.
Bypassing Thorus
Walk up to Thorus at the castle gate. With the amulet in your inventory, a new dialogue option will appear. You can show him the Sign of the Brotherhood and claim that you are carrying out an urgent mission for Master Y’Berion from the Swamp Camp.
Recognizing the artifact, Thorus will step aside and allow you passage into the castle.
Why Enter the Castle Early?
Gaining early entry to the castle provides several major advantages for character progression:
- Early Magic Access: You can interact with the Fire Mages and start pathing towards rune magic much earlier than normal.
- High-tier Trainers: The castle houses some of the best combat and stat trainers in the Colony, allowing you to invest your learning points into powerful abilities ahead of schedule.
- Stealing and Loot: The inner castle contains valuable chests and equipment that can boost your progression, though you will still need to avoid getting caught by the internal guards.
Using this trick lets you explore the castle and purchase its benefits before deciding whether you want to join the New Camp or stick with the other factions.