In Avowed's "Fires in the Mine" side quest, the decision to support or stop Darle significantly impacts rewards. While both choices offer XP, stopping Darle provides superior overall gains.

Supporting Darle: Results in 1026 XP. However, you forfeit any monetary reward and further strain relations between the Aedyrans and Thirdborn.

Stopping Darle: Yields a total of 1091 XP (212 XP for the kill + 879 XP for debriefing), 65 XP more than supporting him. Additionally, you receive 900 coins from Seynon and Kada, and loot from Darle's corpse: a Blackwood Branch (a superb upgrade material), Wild Mushroom Stew, and two Beetle Pies. This choice also maintains a positive relationship between the Aedyrans and Thirdborn.

Therefore, from a gameplay perspective, stopping and killing Darle offers significantly better rewards in XP, gold, and valuable loot. While the narrative consequences are noteworthy, the gameplay advantages make this the optimal choice. After completing this quest, consider exploring the 12 Treasure Map locations or researching the maximum level achievable in Avowed.