Revision 9

Overview

Strongboxes are locked containers scattered throughout Pywel that can only be opened by solving the puzzle built into each one. Every strongbox features a unique mechanical puzzle, and the rewards inside range from valuable accessories to rare recipes and crafting materials. Most strongboxes are found inside manor houses and notable buildings in and around the City of Hernand. Because the items inside strongboxes count as stolen goods, you must be wearing a mask to actually take the contents after solving the puzzle. Without a mask, you can still solve the puzzle, but you will not be able to claim the loot.

Masks can be purchased from the Back Alley Shop in Hernand for roughly 10 copper coins, looted from Bleed Bandits, or earned as a reward for capturing the bounty target Jeffrey. The Back Alley Shop is located east of Hernand, past the large model castle on the left side of the road. Turn left down the track and follow it to the goblin vendor.

This guide covers every known strongbox puzzle in the game, organized by location. For each strongbox, you will find the exact location, a breakdown of the puzzle mechanics, a step-by-step solution, and the reward you receive for completing it.

Quick Reference

Northern Bluemont Manor Strongbox

Location

The first strongbox is located inside the northern building of Bluemont Manor, which sits in the Hernand region. This building is the residence of Leon Roberts. To find it, head to the northern portion of Hernand and look south of the jail and guardpost. Two luxurious houses sit behind a walled area. Enter the smaller of the two houses (Leon Roberts' residence) and proceed upstairs to the bedroom where the strongbox is located.

Access to Bluemont Manor may require completing the first two stages of the First Trial of Trust quest, which unlocks during Chapter 2 as part of the Estate in Dismay faction quest for House Roberts. You do not need a key to reach the strongbox room, but you will need a mask to steal its contents.

Puzzle Mechanics

This strongbox features a hexagonal prism with an image of an owl printed across four rotating cylinder sections. Four buttons are positioned along the front of the box, and each button rotates a different combination of cylinders. Pressing a button spins certain cylinders forward by one position. The goal is to align all four cylinder sections so the owl picture is complete and properly oriented.

The four buttons control the following cylinders:

Because each button affects overlapping sets of cylinders, pressing one button can undo progress made by another. The puzzle resets if you back out of it entirely, so there is no penalty for restarting if you lose track of your position.

Solution

If the cylinders have been scrambled or you want a clean solution from a reset state, press the buttons in the following order:

1. Press Button 1 twice

2. Press Button 2 once

3. Press Button 4 once

4. Press Button 3 once

5. Press Button 1 once

6. Press Button 2 twice

7. Press Button 3 three times

8. Press Button 2 once

9. Press Button 1 once

If you have already pressed some buttons and cannot reload a save, you can still solve the puzzle by working through the buttons methodically. Start with Button 4 and rotate its cylinders until the section they control is just below the correct alignment. Then work through Buttons 1, 2, and 3 in order, adjusting each until the image lines up.

Reward

Opening the strongbox grants the Oath of Darkness earring. This non-unique accessory provides +2 Defense and has a sell value of 4 silver and 26 copper. Its in-game description reads: "An earring proving the status of a deacon within Antumbra's followers." The Oath of Darkness is a solid early-game defensive accessory that remains useful through the early chapters.

Southern Bluemont Manor Strongbox

Location

The second strongbox at Bluemont Manor is in the southern building of the estate. After entering the southern structure, look for the strongbox inside one of the rooms on the upper floor. Like the northern strongbox, a mask is required to steal the contents.

Puzzle Mechanics

This puzzle is different from the owl puzzle in the northern building. Instead of aligning a picture on rotating cylinders, you must adjust five segmented wheels that control the height of pistons inside the box. Each wheel can be rotated to raise or lower its corresponding piston. The strongbox displays a reference image on its surface showing the target height for each piston.

Once all five wheels are set to the correct positions, pulling the switch on the right side of the strongbox causes all five pistons to jump. If they align with the reference image, the box opens. If the heights are wrong, the pistons will land at incorrect levels and you need to readjust the wheels.

Each wheel has distinct segment positions. Every two movements of your character's thumb on a wheel equals one segment. Paying close attention to the reference image on the box and counting segments carefully is key to solving this puzzle.

Solution

To solve this puzzle cleanly, first raise all five wheels as far as they will go. This establishes a consistent starting position. Then, working from left to right (Wheel 1 through Wheel 5), lower each wheel by the number of segments needed to match the reference image. Count carefully, remembering that two thumb movements equal one segment. After setting all five wheels, pull the switch on the right. If the pistons match the image, the strongbox opens.

Because the exact segment counts depend on where the reference image lines are positioned (which can be difficult to describe in text), the most reliable approach is to reset all wheels to their maximum height and compare each piston target line visually to determine how many segments to lower each wheel.

Reward

Opening this strongbox grants the Crafted Gold Necklace, an accessory that can be equipped or sold for a decent amount of silver. Solving both Bluemont Manor strongbox puzzles in a single visit is recommended, since the Oath of Darkness earring from the northern building and the Crafted Gold Necklace from the southern building complement each other as early-game gear upgrades.

Hernand Castle Strongbox

Location

The Hernand Castle strongbox is located inside a locked room within the castle itself. Getting to this strongbox requires several preparatory steps before you can even attempt the puzzle.

Prerequisites

To access the Hernand Castle strongbox, you need to complete the following steps:

1. Enter the castle. You must first complete the Actions Speak Louder Than Words quest, which involves helping a tailor near Muckroot Ranch south of the city by cleaning their chimney with a broom (stand on the chimney, hold LB/L1, and press RB/R1). Completing this task rewards you with Hernandian Attire. Equipping the attire allows you to pass through the castle gates without being stopped by guards. You can also purchase Hernandian Attire directly from the Tailor's Shop in Hernand for 3 silver, located east down the road from the tavern next to Turnali's Smithy. Alternatively, owning any piece of the Canta Armor set also grants castle access.

2. Obtain a key. The strongbox is behind a locked door inside the castle. Keys can be purchased from the Back Alley Shop east of Hernand. Head east out of the city, past the large model castle on the left, and turn left down the track to find the goblin vendor.

3. Equip a mask. As with all strongboxes, you need a mask equipped to steal the contents after solving the puzzle. Make sure to equip your mask before entering the room.

Warning: Before attempting to steal, check that no NPCs are sitting in the room behind you. Nobles sometimes enter and sit down without you noticing. If an NPC witnesses you stealing, you will be arrested and sent to the Hernand jail.

Puzzle Mechanics

The Hernand Castle strongbox uses a melody replication puzzle. The box has a crank dial on the right side and a set of keys on the front. The top row contains three keys (numbered 1 through 3 from left to right) and the bottom row contains five keys (numbered 4 through 8 from left to right). The goal is to listen to a melody played by the box and then replicate it by pressing the correct keys in the right order.

Solution

To hear the melody, crank the dial on the right side of the strongbox. Turn it slowly until it starts to resist and catch, then release it. The box will play a short melody. If you did not catch all the notes on the first listen, crank the dial again to replay the melody. You can crank it as many times as you need.

A helpful strategy is to crank the dial and let the melody play while you press the corresponding keys along with it, learning the sequence one note at a time. The melody is not randomized; it is the same sequence every time you interact with this strongbox. Listen carefully, identify each note in the sequence, and press the matching keys on the front of the box to replicate the pattern.

Reward

Successfully opening the Hernand Castle strongbox grants the Lavish Meal Recipe. This cooking recipe allows you to prepare a high-quality meal that provides significant stat buffs. The Lavish Meal is one of the better cooking recipes available in the mid-game and is worth the effort to obtain early.

Mudridge Cabin Strongbox

Location

The Mudridge Cabin is a wooden structure tucked below the Unicorn Cliffs in a dense jungle region. To reach it, descend from the Unicorn Cliffs and look for a cabin partially hidden by foliage and elevation changes. The cabin has two accessible levels, each containing its own painting fragment puzzle. The upper level holds the strongbox, while the lower level conceals a hidden door leading to additional loot.

Puzzle Mechanics

Both puzzles at Mudridge Cabin involve reconstructing fragmented paintings. The painting has been split into several pieces that must be rearranged to recreate the original image. Unlike the mechanical strongboxes in Hernand, these puzzles rely on visual observation rather than button sequences or musical patterns.

The key to solving both painting puzzles is to focus on visual continuity: matching fragment edges, following lines, and tracking color transitions across pieces. Start with corner and edge fragments first, then work inward. Do not try to force pieces randomly; instead, look for distinctive patterns like curved lines, color boundaries, and shape outlines that indicate where each piece belongs.

Upper Level: Strongbox Puzzle

Climb to the upper section of the cabin to find the strongbox. Interact with the painting puzzle attached to it. Reconstruct the image by aligning all fragments based on visual continuity. Once the painting is complete, the strongbox unlocks.

Completing this puzzle rewards the Petal Flower Earring, an accessory that enhances character stats. This earring is a worthwhile pickup for builds that benefit from its stat bonuses.

Lower Level: Hidden Door Puzzle

Navigate to the lower ledge of the cabin to find the second painting puzzle. This one controls a hidden door rather than a strongbox. Align the fragments correctly to restore the image, and the door unlocks, granting access to the hidden interior of the cabin.

Behind the hidden door, you will find Meliara's Lesser Elixir Recipe, an alchemy recipe that should be learned immediately upon discovery. This recipe allows you to craft elixirs that provide useful combat buffs.

Glenbright Manor Strongboxes

Location

Glenbright Manor is located almost directly south of the Emberwind Workshop. The manor is visited during the Traces in the Manor story quest. Upon arrival, a body falls through the main gate and Reed Devils attack, triggering a combat encounter that must be cleared before you can explore the manor interior.

The strongboxes at Glenbright Manor are not standalone puzzle boxes like those at Bluemont Manor or Hernand Castle. Instead, they are found in the manor's secret basement, which is accessed by solving a multi-step environmental puzzle involving a chandelier, daggers, and a hidden passageway.

Accessing the Basement

Reaching the basement strongboxes requires completing several steps inside the manor:

1. Find the handwheel. On the upper floor, locate the crystal statue holding a sphere. Open the cabinet to the left of the statue to discover a handwheel.

2. Align the chandelier light. Use the handwheel to spin the chandelier until its light beam shines directly onto the crystal in the statue's sphere. When the crystal glows, a hidden wall panel to the left of the cabinet opens, revealing the Sapphire-Hilted Golden Dagger.

3. Collect the second dagger. Pick up the Ruby-Hilted Golden Dagger from the weapon stand at the top of the stairs.

4. Find the hidden room and basement key. At the foot of the stairs, look for a painting of two knights fighting on horseback on the right wall. Walk into this painting to reveal a secret room containing the Grace Manor Basement Key and other valuables.

5. Open the basement passage. In the count's office, locate the fireplace with two slots above it. Insert both golden daggers into the slots. This causes the bookcase to the right of the fireplace to slide aside, revealing the passage down to the basement.

Basement Rewards

The Glenbright Manor basement contains several strongboxes with stealable items (a mask is required to take them), red dye, and the Cloudcart Blueprint, a key item. Make sure to open the strongboxes after picking them up to claim their contents. The study room on the upper floor also contains the Grace Manor Iron Door Key on the desk and the crafting book Two-Handed Weapons of the Word, Vol. 1 on a bookshelf in the back corner. Hold your lantern (LB/L1) near the desk to discover a memory fragment as well.

General Tips

• Always carry a mask. You never know when you will stumble upon a strongbox while exploring. Keeping a mask in your inventory at all times saves you from having to backtrack to the Back Alley Shop.

• Stealing costs contribution. Taking items from a strongbox causes an unavoidable -5 Contribution penalty in that region, regardless of whether anyone sees you. Factor this into your plans if you are trying to maintain high reputation with local factions.

• Watch for witnesses. After stealing, a red search area appears on the minimap. If guards or NPCs spot you within this zone, you receive a bounty (typically 5 copper for theft). Either escape the search area quickly or pay your bounty at a Confessional using a Writ of Absolution.

• Puzzles can be reattempted. If you step away from a strongbox puzzle, it resets. This means there is no penalty for experimenting with button presses, wheel rotations, or painting placements. Take your time and do not worry about making mistakes.

• Solve Bluemont Manor puzzles early. The Oath of Darkness earring from the northern strongbox provides +2 Defense, which is meaningful in the early game. Visit Bluemont Manor as soon as it becomes accessible during Chapter 2 to pick up this advantage.

See Also

• Masks and Stealing - Full guide to the crime and stealing system

• Keys - Where to find keys for locked doors and rooms

• Accessories - All earrings, rings, and other accessories

• Recipes - Cooking and crafting recipe list

• City of Hernand - Overview of Hernand and its districts

• Bluemont Manor - Location page for Bluemont Manor

• Hernand Castle - Location page for Hernand Castle

• Glenbright Manor - Location page for Glenbright Manor