Pioneering

Overview

Pioneering is the third and final quest in Chapter 3: Howling Hill. It follows The Face Behind the Mask and is a transitional quest that concludes the chapter and introduces Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge. The quest centers on checking on the wounded Andrew, investigating rumors at Unicorn Cliff, and expanding the Howling Hill camp.

Chapter Context

In the previous quest, the Greymanes fought the Reed Devil, who injured Andrew. Pioneering picks up with the aftermath: Andrew needs time to recover, and Marius devises a plan to keep the group busy while they wait. The quest introduces the Freesword dispatch system and concludes with the Greymanes fully reunited at camp.

Objectives

Hope After Drought

1. Travel to the Howling Hill camp.

2. Enter the main tent and check on Andrew's condition. A cutscene triggers showing Andrew recovering and Yann arriving at camp.

Scattered Comrades

1. Speak with Marius after the cutscene to plan the next course of action.

Rumors From the Sawmill

1. Travel to Unicorn Cliff to investigate rumors.

2. Speak with Luke and Ronald to confirm the information Marius received.

A Gentle Touch

1. Return to the Howling Hill camp.

2. Examine the Dragon Head Totem at the camp shrine.

3. Read the letter found in the totem's mouth. This unlocks the camp expansion feature.

Bustling Hill

1. Open the map and navigate to the Mission List tab.

2. Dispatch Freeswords on the Howling Hill Expansion Mission.

3. Wait for the mission to complete. You can rest at camp to accelerate progress or complete side quests in the meantime.

Greymanes Reunited

1. Return to camp after the expansion mission finishes.

2. A reunion cutscene plays, concluding Chapter 3 and beginning Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge.

Rewards

• Abyss Artifact x1

• Fine Timber x5

• Thick Hides x6

• Iron Ore x5

Tips

• This quest includes significant downtime while waiting for the Freesword mission to complete. Use this window to explore, gather materials, or tackle side quests.

• Resting at the camp bed advances time and speeds up the Bustling Hill dispatch mission.

• The Dragon Head Totem letter permanently unlocks camp expansion, which lets you add facilities like a blacksmith and merchant stalls to Howling Hill.

• Make sure to stock up on supplies before Chapter 4 begins, as the difficulty curve increases.