An Unheard Farewell Quest — Walkthrough, Steps & Reward (Valor Mortis)

Starts in: Valley of AshesChapter II Regroup
Journal steps: 62 possible endings
Reward: Lucky ShotDepends on your choices
Nearest Lantern: The Climb~73 m from Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry
Items & letters: 11 letter
Achievement: Aggressive Reconnaissance37% of Steam players

How to complete An Unheard Farewell

A step-by-step walkthrough built from the quest's journal entries, clue letters and reward data.

Missable: The reward depends on the ending or choice — read the outcomes before you decide.

Sleight of Hand has no other source in the game files, while Lucky Shot is also in chests in the Caverns, the Vale of Wrath and the Fortress. If you want every Amber (Ambersmith), this quest is your only chance at Sleight of Hand — the files don't label which ending pays which Amber, so note what you receive.

Start it either way round: talk to the adjudant hiding in a stranded wagon in the Valley of Ashes, or find the Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry first (about 73 m from The Climb Lantern) — the journal then sends you back to the soldier in the cart.
When he asks, choose 'Help.' — it sets the quest's Orders.Fetched flag; 'Refuse.' sets nothing.
His unit went into the cave: follow them and search for survivors (steps 2–3). Most were killed; you find the last of his comrades.
Return to the adjudant and decide: tell him the truth (step 4) or spare him and suggest he catch up with his unit (step 5).
Reward: one Amber — Lucky Shot or Sleight of Hand, on separate reward branches — and the Aggressive Reconnaissance achievement.

Choices & outcomes

Every consequential dialogue option in An Unheard Farewell, with what it pays and the story flag it sets in the game files.

SpoilerShow the endings and which choice pays

Choices & outcomes — An Unheard Farewell
Option	Reward	Mice friendship	Story flag (game files)
Refuse.	Nothing	—	No flag
Help.	Nothing	—	`SideQuests.L02.Adjudant.Orders.Fetched=1`

Where An Unheard Farewell starts

Calculated

The region it belongs to and the nearest Lantern to the first clue the data ties to it.

Starts in: Valley of Ashes · Chapter II Regroup
Clue: Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry · about 73 m from the The Climb Lantern (Valley of Ashes)
The nearest-Lantern distance is a straight line from our placement data, not a walking route.

An Unheard Farewell steps

Game data

Every journal step in order, including the 2 alternative endings. Hidden until you open them.

SpoilerShow all 6 steps

1
The adjudant, hiding in a wagon while his unit ventured into the cave, deserves to know what befell his comrades. Perhaps I can discover what truly happened to them.
2
It seems that most of the adjudant's troops were decimated. Hopefully, I can still find at least one living soldier.
3
It's as I feared. He was the last of adjudant's compatriots. It remains for me to decide whether to tell him or spare him this terrible news.
4
Possible ending
I decided to tell the adjudant the truth. I can only pray he can cope with the fact that all his friends are dead, and he is now completely alone.
5
Possible ending
I decided not to tell the adjudant the truth and recommended he try to catch up with his lost compatriots. He should maintain hope, otherwise this war will be his downfall.
6
I found orders that no one will be able to carry out. They remind me of a soldier I passed earlier, in a stranded cart. He might want to know what they say.

An Unheard Farewell reward

Game data

What the quest can grant; the outcome depends on your choices.

Lucky Shot · Amber · GE_Gem_PreserveAmmo
Sleight of Hand · Amber · GE_Gem_QuickHands

Achievement

Aggressive Reconnaissance · Complete the Unheard Farewell quest. · 37% of Steam players

Items and letters in An Unheard Farewell

Game data

The quest items and letters this quest uses, and where the items are placed.

Letters (1)

Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry

Data: Steam build 25907482 (1.0 launch). How we source this

Valley of Ashes map

Game data

The quest's letters and items are ringed; everything else in the region is faded.

Valley of Ashes

Full map

Map drawn from the region's own level geometry in the game files (terrain, buildings, water); every marker sits at the exact position of a placed object.

Everything placed in Valley of Ashes

Ability altars: 1

Chests: 14 (Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade, Potent Concoction, Perfect Copy, Marksman's Bane, Empty Ferrofluid Flask, Superior Firearm Parts, Pure Blade Material, Indestructible Shell, Surplus, Perfectionism, Dominatus)

Lanterns: 6 (Military Camp, The Other Side, Demolished Path, The Climb, Quarry, Guidepost)

Letters: 3 (Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry, James' Letter to a Friend Back Home, Denunciatory Letter)

More side quests in Valley of Ashes
Side quest	Journal steps	Reward
The Emissary	6	—

An Unheard Farewell is side quest 1 of 2 in Valley of Ashes and runs over 6 journal steps. Its reward depends on the choices you make: Lucky Shot (Amber), Sleight of Hand (Amber). Completing it unlocks the Aggressive Reconnaissance achievement. Other quests in Valley of Ashes: The Emissary.

An Unheard Farewell FAQ

How do you complete An Unheard Farewell in Valor Mortis?

An Unheard Farewell starts in Valley of Ashes and has 6 journal steps; the full journal is on this page behind a spoiler tag. Letters tied to it: Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry. It has 2 possible endings, so the outcome depends on your choices.

What is the reward for An Unheard Farewell?

Lucky Shot (Amber), Sleight of Hand (Amber) (depends on your choices).

Where does An Unheard Farewell start?

In Valley of Ashes. Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry, which is tied to the quest, lies about 73 m from the The Climb Lantern.

How many steps does An Unheard Farewell have?

6 journal steps, including 2 alternative endings.

Which achievement does An Unheard Farewell unlock?

Aggressive Reconnaissance, which 37% of Steam players have.

How do you complete An Unheard Farewell in Valor Mortis?

Start it either way round: talk to the adjudant hiding in a stranded wagon in the Valley of Ashes, or find the Letter to all Commanding Officers of the Line Infantry first (about 73 m from The Climb Lantern) — the journal then sends you back to the soldier in the cart. When he asks, choose 'Help.' — it sets the quest's Orders.Fetched flag; 'Refuse.' sets nothing. His unit went into the cave: follow them and search for survivors (steps 2–3). Most were killed; you find the last of his comrades.

Which choice is best in An Unheard Farewell?

'Refuse' pays nothing at the choice. 'Help' pays nothing at the choice.

Is An Unheard Farewell missable?

The reward depends on the ending or choice — read the outcomes before you decide. Sleight of Hand has no other source in the game files, while Lucky Shot is also in chests in the Caverns, the Vale of Wrath and the Fortress. If you want every Amber (Ambersmith), this quest is your only chance at Sleight of Hand — the files don't label which ending pays which Amber, so note what you receive.

What other side quests are in Valley of Ashes?

The Emissary.

An Unheard Farewell Side quest · Valley of Ashes