Overview
Secrets Hidden in the Dark is one of four investigation quests in Chapter 2: Golden Greed, unlocked by reading the "Strange Noises from the Cave" poster during Where Misery Gathers. Kliff finds a drunk man named Boris at Bloomwood Ranch who claims to be a Greymane. Boris leads Kliff to a cave called Specter's Hideout, where a memory fragment reveals the identity of the criminal mastermind behind the region's problems: Kailok the Hornsplitter. This quest is the narrative bridge connecting the four investigation missions to the larger Goldleaf Merchant Guild conspiracy.
Quest Details
Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Chapter | Chapter 2: Golden Greed |
Sub-Chapter | Hernand in Chaos |
Previous Quest | |
Next Quest | The Dark Veil (after all four investigation quests) |
Location | Bloomwood Ranch, Specter's Hideout (Nas Riverside) |
Region | |
Key NPCs | Boris (Greymane drunkard), Kailok the Hornsplitter (revealed) |
Rewards | Standard Inventory Expansion Tool, Grilled Meat x5, Grilled Fruit x5, +100 Hernandian Contribution XP |
Walkthrough
Find Boris
Travel to the quest marker near Bloomwood Ranch. You will find two people harassing a drunk man slumped against a wall. This is Boris, who claims to be a former Greymane. Talk to him to hear his story.
Follow Boris
Boris agrees to lead you to a suspicious location. Summon your horse and follow him as he rides toward Specter's Hideout, a cave on the Nas Riverside. A cutscene triggers when you arrive.
Clear the Cave Entrance
Bandits are stationed outside the cave. Defeat them before heading inside. There are about five or six enemies here, nothing too difficult at this point in the chapter.
Investigate the Cave
Enter the cave and pull out your lantern. Locate the blue ghost silhouettes deeper inside and use the Visione helmet to read the memory fragment titled "Lair of the Animal Thieves." The memory reveals that Kailok the Hornsplitter has been orchestrating the livestock thefts, cave disturbances, and general chaos across the Hernand countryside. He is connected to the Goldleaf Merchant Guild.
While in the cave, check for a cage containing a Palmar Pill. These are useful healing items, so grab it before leaving.
Exit and Report
Leave the cave. A cutscene plays outside. Then head northeast to the quest marker where guards are stationed. Tell them what you found about the Goldleaf Merchant Guild and their Hernand branch. This information connects directly to the next stage of the main story.
Notes
This quest is the most story-heavy of the four investigation missions. The Kailok reveal ties together all the loose threads from Trial After Trial, The Man Trapped in the Mire, and Missing Companion.
Boris being a former Greymane is an interesting detail for lore purposes, though the game does not expand much on his backstory beyond this quest.
Completing this quest alongside the other three investigation missions unlocks The Dark Veil, which sends Kliff to confront the Goldleaf Merchant Guild directly.