Revision 1

Overview

The Bitter Pill is a Doctor Galen side quest that surfaces after I Need a Bigger Boat. Galen suspects a traitor inside the Governor's inner circle is leaking information to Blackbeard. The quest asks the player to gather evidence from pirate-held sites and confront the traitor, Francois Arnaud, at Tortuga.

How to Start

After completing I Need a Bigger Boat, speak to Doctor Galen at the base and choose the dialogue option "Is something troubling you, Doctor?" to trigger the quest.

Walkthrough

1. Talk to Galen. He explains his suspicion and directs the player toward Thomas Richards as the starting thread.

2. Follow markers from the Revenge Is Best Served Cold quest and collect Black Marks from four chests scattered across the Coastal Jungle.

3. Return to Galen with Francois Arnaud's letter addressed to Blackbeard. Galen asks for a final confirmation.

4. Sail to the Blackbeard Ruins Excavation Site (southwest of Richards' camp). At the northwest end of the ruins, find the Gunpowder Crates tucked against a steel cage.

5. Return to Galen one more time, then travel to Tortuga.

6. Dock at Tortuga and take the right branch at the first intersection. Confront Francois Arnaud with the evidence.

7. Francois reveals that Blackbeard has kidnapped his son Jacques, forcing him to spy. The quest concludes with the confrontation.

Rewards

The Bitter Pill's rewards are story progression and additional dialogue with Galen that unlocks later threads. Loot from the intervening Black Mark and Excavation Site steps contributes to the Revenge Is Best Served Cold payoff (Galen Sword, faction XP, etc.).

Tips

• Because The Bitter Pill overlaps with Revenge Is Best Served Cold, complete both in parallel to avoid re-sailing the same routes.

• Bring a full loadout: the Black Mark chests are defended by Blackbeard patrols.

• Do not attack Francois. The quest resolves through dialogue, not combat.

See Also

• Doctor Galen

• Revenge Is Best Served Cold

• Thomas Richards

• Tortuga

• Blackbeard

• Quests (overview)

Extended Walkthrough Steps

The Bitter Pill overlaps partially with Revenge Is Best Served Cold because both converge on Richards' Camp. The key extension beyond the main-quest boss fight is a chain of investigation steps that follow the Thomas Richards encounter:

1. After killing Thomas Richards, loot Francois Arnaud's Letter from the chests in the boss room.

2. Return to Doctor Galen and show the letter. He asks for corroborating evidence before moving against Arnaud.

3. Sail to the Blackbeard Ruins Excavation Site southwest of Richards' Camp and look for Gunpowder Crates stamped with the Arnaud Trading Company insignia. The crates sit in the northwest corner of the ruins next to a steel cage.

4. Travel to Tortuga (southeast of the excavation site). Francois Arnaud is at the first intersection past the port, on the right.

5. Francois reveals that Blackbeard is holding his son Jacques hostage aboard the Grim Reaper.

6. Sail out and attack the Grim Reaper. It is escorted by two Blackbeard Raider ships. Bring the Grim Reaper to low health and board it.

7. In the lower deck, talk to Jacques Arnaud. Jacques reveals that he staged his own kidnapping to earn Blackbeard's trust, then dies of his wounds.

8. Return to Tortuga and report to Francois. The lie-or-truth dialogue choice does not change quest completion.

9. Walk into the tavern across from Francois and speak with Doctor Galen to close the quest.

Rewards