In Avowed's "Fires in the Mine" side quest, the choice of stopping or supporting Darle impacts rewards significantly. While both options offer XP, preventing Darle's mine explosion yields superior overall rewards.
Supporting Darle: This results in 1026 XP. However, you forfeit any monetary reward and further strain relations between the Aedyrans and Thirdborn.
Stopping Darle: This is the superior choice. You receive 1091 XP (212 XP for the kill + 879 XP for debriefing), 900 gold coins from Seynon and Kada, and loot from Darle's corpse: a Blackwood Branch (a valuable upgrade material), Wild Mushroom Stew, and two Beetle Pies. The additional gold and upgrade material significantly outweigh the slightly higher XP gained from supporting Darle. Furthermore, this choice maintains a positive relationship between the Aedyrans and Thirdborn.
In conclusion, from a gameplay perspective, stopping and killing Darle provides the best combination of XP, gold, loot, and narrative benefits in Avowed's "Fires in the Mine" quest.
