‘Buried Past’ quest walkthrough in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Spoiler warning: This guide covers the major choices and outcomes in The Blood of Dawnwalker’s “Buried Past” quest.

After the prologue, Coen can meet Volk, his father Pieter’s old friend. Volk is a blind former mercenary living in a ruined hut, and helping him means taking time away from Coen’s family responsibilities. The quest’s outcome depends on whether you train with Volk, search for Pieter’s treasure and complete Volk’s optional requests.

As a time-sensitive RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker makes each choice meaningful. If you are planning your route through the game, our arcade gaming news and guides provide more reading, while the Arcade Machine Buying Guide can help when choosing a gaming setup.

How to begin ‘Buried Past’

The quest becomes available after completing the prologue, although you may not find it immediately. One optional starting point is the grocer at Maragir Crossroads. He explains that Pieter used to buy alcohol from him before travelling to St. Tyna’s Grove.

You can also bypass the grocer and travel directly to Volk’s home, a ruined hut northeast of Svartrau City. Enter the shed and use focus mode to inspect it. Volk will attack Coen in a fist fight; the result does not matter. Whether you win or lose, tell him that you are Pieter’s son and he will become friendly.

“Buried Past” unfolds over several in-game days because you must wait one day between conversations. Its main decisions are:

1. Choose whether to train with Volk.
2. Choose whether to look for Pieter’s treasure.
3. Complete Volk’s optional tasks or leave them unfinished.

Should you train with Volk?

During your third visit, Volk offers to train Coen in sword fighting. Accepting or refusing does not alter the story’s final outcome, but agreeing to the session rewards you with the Artery Strike Manual, a sword mastery skill.

Your dialogue choices around the training session do not affect the result, and neither does winning or losing the fight. Volk is a formidable opponent, however, so prepare your equipment before the third conversation if you want to defeat him.

How to find Pieter’s treasure

After the third conversation, Volk raises the subject of Pieter’s fortune. Coen says that his family never had much money, prompting Volk to suggest that Pieter may have hidden a treasure. You can agree to investigate or refuse.

If you agree to search

Continue speaking with Volk until Coen mentions the glade where his family used to visit. Then travel to the quest area just north of Parlita, a village northwest of Svartrau City. Follow the trail south-west into the forest.

The treasure is buried beside a tree at a forest lookout point. Pick up the shovel near the old campfire, then dig up the chest.

Inspect the contents to receive Pieter’s Garb, a legendary light chest armour. The quest then directs you to Maragir Monastery in the north-east during the day. Speak with the monk near the font entrance to discover what happened to Pieter’s treasure. Choosing an angry or proud response does not change the story.

Return to Volk and explain what you learned. He will be disappointed and ask you to come back the following day. The next stage depends on whether you completed his optional tasks.

If you refuse the treasure hunt

Declining to search for Pieter’s “blood money” sends you away until the next day. When you return, soldiers will attack Coen. Defeat them and Volk will emerge, admitting that he betrayed you.

You must then decide whether to fight Volk or spare him. Fighting means killing him. If you spare him and return at least one day later, you will find Volk’s corpse inside the hut.

How to help Volk

Volk’s optional objectives are unlocked through conversation. Select every white dialogue line before choosing a yellow response, otherwise you may miss requests that affect the quest outcome.

These are all of Volk’s optional tasks and their time costs:

• Drive away the wolves: available on the first visit and costs two time segments in total.
• Chop wood: available on the first visit and costs one time segment.
• Give Volk slivovitz: available on the second visit and costs no time, but you must buy or loot the alcohol.
• Collect feverfew by the riverbank: available on the second visit and costs two time segments. Preparing the ointment costs one additional segment.
• Board up the bedroom window: available on the third visit and costs one time segment.
• Find Volk’s knife: available on the third visit and costs no time. It is on the roof. To unlock this task, inspect the pile of vomit outside the door and ask Volk about it.

To receive the outcome for helping Volk, complete every optional objective. Leaving out even tasks such as chopping wood or bringing slivovitz can prevent that result.

What happens if you help Volk?

On the final visit, Coen finds two dead soldiers outside and a note explaining that Volk has left. The note says that Brencis wanted Volk to trap Coen, but Volk refused. Volk’s Sword is inside the hut.

The note does not reveal everything. If you visit during the day, use witchcraft to compel the corpse in the garden. It reveals that Volk originally contacted the soldiers to sell Coen out, but changed his mind after Coen helped him.

What happens if you do not help Volk?

Failing to complete Volk’s optional objectives leads to the same outcome as refusing to search for Pieter’s treasure. When Coen returns the following day, Brencis’ soldiers attack. After defeating them, Volk appears and Coen must decide whether to kill him.

If you spare Volk, he shouts at Coen as he leaves. Return at least one day later and Volk’s corpse will be inside the hut. You receive no quest rewards.

If you fight and kill Volk, you can loot Volk’s Sword and 200 denari from his body. For players who enjoy narrative RPGs on a large screen, browse RETROCADE’s arcade machines or consider a compact bartop arcade for a smaller games room.

‘Buried Past’ choice summary

• Training with Volk is optional, but accepting it grants the Artery Strike Manual.
• Agreeing to find Pieter’s treasure rewards Pieter’s Garb.
• Refusing the treasure hunt triggers an ambush and a later choice about Volk’s fate.
• Completing every optional task produces the outcome where Volk changes his mind and leaves his sword behind.
• Ignoring the optional tasks results in a confrontation with Volk. Killing him awards Volk’s Sword and 200 denari; sparing him provides no rewards.