Stuck on 2nd Rana campaign mission - can't find Ethdra and can't unlock barriers. Help anyone please?

[Dunadd]

How do I open the locked barriers or find the Ethdra on the 2nd Rana Campaign mission? I've captured all the settlements I can reach, including a Fortress one, knocked the desert dweller AI out early, and purple necromancers don't seem to be sending wielders at me any more. But there doesn't seem to be any way through to the rest of the map. And no sign of the Ethdra for that quest nor can I work out how you can open the locked barriers. Can anyone help please? (and yes i went through the yellow portal and killed the fae too)

[Rithrin]

I forget the sequence of events, but if you travel through the Fae area, you will meet the Fae Wielder Ethylle, who will fight you to prevent you reaching the Eth'dra. So if you haven't fought her yet, there is more to do. I also recall that the path was blocked until doing something specific when it opened up. I tried to find a save game to see if there was more specific info, but I only had a Turn 1 save, sorry!

[FilipinoMilitiaMan]

AFAIK you have to deactivate the fire west of the desert in the southwest corner of the map. The lock is about 1 screen north of the fire. You have a wielder click on it to disable (or re-enable) the flames. Go into the area behind the flames and it will play a conversation. From there, head to the northwest corner and fight off the fae. Eventually you'll come across one of their wielders. Beat that one and continue heading northwest. You'll reach the end of the map.

You can also find the fae really quicker to fight if you head through the yellow portal west of your original starting location. It's on a ledge that can be accessed from the center of the map. It's quicker to take the portal if you travel to it from the desert than it is to walk all the way north into the fae forest. However, you'll probably want all the loot and the town on the outskirts of the forest.

[Dunadd]

I found out what you need to do from the bugs discussion page - you need one wielder next to the keystone and the other next to the fire barrier, then click on the keystone with the wielder next to it and the barrier opens, and that also opens the way to the fae queen's army.

[akneebreeated]

I beat the fae army but it wont let me path northwest. The barrier is down too.

Update: I reloaded my save and I was no longer barred from the path.