Journal art for The Deserter

The Deserter Side quest · Vale of Wrath

Side questAchievement
Journal steps
5
Endings
1
Items & letters
7
Methodology
Data Methodology
Author
Dakota Chinnick

The Deserter is a Valor Mortis side quest that starts in Vale of Wrath. It has 5 journal steps, involves 6 quest items and 1 letter, and rewards no item or Catalyst reward.

Starts in
Vale of WrathChapter V Crime
Journal steps
5
Reward
None in data
Nearest Lantern
Wolfsbane Field~158 m from Beekeeper's Note
Items & letters
71 letter
Achievement
Hand in the Jar1% of Steam players
Related guideValor Mortis Side Quests: All 24 Rewards & Choices

How to complete The Deserter

Game data

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

  1. The Wanted Notice for Private Henri Dufour, an Eternal Guard deserter, is about 71 m from the Under the Bridge Lantern — it starts the quest.
  2. Learn why he fled (step 2); the trail leads to the beehives. The Beekeeper's Note (about 158 m from Wolfsbane Field) says the dangerous hives are marked, and a drawing near the hives confirms it (step 3).
  3. The game's key list includes the Beekeeper's Hut Key — 'the beekeeper's hut which became a deserter's hideout' — and a Deserter's Stash Key.
  4. The figurine Dufour stole is broken into three Anubis Figurine Parts: search the apiaries for all three (step 4). The last is in the very last apiary (step 5).
  5. Reward: no item or Catalysts, but finishing it unlocks Hand in the Jar.

Where The Deserter starts

Calculated

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

  • Starts in: Vale of Wrath · Chapter V Crime
  • Clue: Beekeeper's Note · about 158 m from the Wolfsbane Field Lantern (Vale of Wrath)
  • The nearest-Lantern distance is a straight line from our placement data, not a walking route.

The Deserter steps

Game data

Every journal step in order. They reveal the story, so they stay hidden until you open them.

SpoilerShow all 5 steps
  1. 1

    One of the Eternal Guards, deserter Private Henri Dufour, is accused of fleeing his post and stealing something of value. Command calls it cowardice and offers a reward for his capture, threatening punishment for anyone who helps him. Yet I cannot help but wonder what could drive a man to risk everything to escape. What item could he have taken that was worth jeopardising his whole life?

  2. 2

    It seems Dufour fled because he refused to share the fate of the other Eternal Guards — turned into mindless monsters for the sake of battle. I cannot say I blame him; who would want such a destiny? Whatever he stole was supposed to grant him safe passage home, but the question remains: where did he hide it, and what do the bees have to do with it?

  3. 3

    The drawing I found near the hives seems to point out that some of the bees are more dangerous than others.

  4. 4

    The figurine Dufour had stolen appears to be broken. Once I find all three missing pieces, I should be able to put it back together again.

  5. 5
    Final entry

    Finally, in the very last apiary, I found the last piece of treasure Dufour had stolen: an Egyptian artefact, some kind of figurine.

The Deserter reward

Game data

The quest data lists no Amber, item or Catalyst reward.

Achievement

Items and letters in The Deserter

Game data

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

Items and letters in The Deserter
ItemPlaced in
Anubis FigurineNo fixed world placement in the data
Broken FigurineNo fixed world placement in the data
Anubis Figurine PartNo fixed world placement in the data
Anubis Figurine PartNo fixed world placement in the data
Anubis Figurine PartNo fixed world placement in the data
Anubis FigurineNo fixed world placement in the data

Letters (1)

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

Vale of Wrath map

Game data

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

Vale of Wrath
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 Vale of Wrath

Ability altars: 3

Bosses: 2 (Slaughtermill)

Boss arenas: 1

Chests: 19 (Butcher's Carnage, Pure Blade Material, Lucky Shot, Exquisite Firearm Parts, Perfectionism, Distilled Transmutation Material, Superior Firearm Parts, Empty Ferrofluid Flask, Wound that Heals, Distilled Blade Material, Pure Transmutation Material, Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade, Dilated Moment)

Keys: 1 (Basement Key)

Lanterns: 5 (Ship Graveyard, Under the Bridge, Poisoned Camp, Old Windmill, Wolfsbane Field)

Letters: 23 (Mirek's Note, Shrike's Appeal — Join the Resistance, Deserter's Friend Diary, Wolf's Note — Poison, Cryptic Note — Wolf, Wanted Notice, Shrike's Appeal, Medic's Letter, Shrike's Order — Cargo, Painter's Final Letter, Headquarters' Orders — New Troops, Beekeeper's Note, Captain Lefèvre's Letter — New Troops, Shrike's Appeal — Informants, Thief's Note — Loot, Thief's Note — Warning, Emissary's Letter, Headquarters' Orders — Poisoned Troops, Shrike's Orders — Cargo, Rebel's Note — Mistake, Cargo Manifest, Toothless Jack's Journal, Deserter's Diary)

More side quests in Vale of Wrath

Other quests that begin in the same region.

More side quests in Vale of Wrath
Side questJournal stepsReward
In the Name of Art4—
The King of Smugglers5—
The Lost Boy4—

The Deserter is side quest 2 of 4 in Vale of Wrath and runs over 5 journal steps. The quest data lists no Amber, item or Catalyst reward for it; its payoff is the story and the letters you find. You will handle Anubis Figurine, Broken Figurine, Anubis Figurine Part, Anubis Figurine Part, Anubis Figurine Part, Anubis Figurine along the way. Completing it unlocks the Hand in the Jar achievement. Other quests in Vale of Wrath: In the Name of Art, The King of Smugglers, The Lost Boy.

See Also

Side QuestsVale of WrathChapter V CrimeIn the Name of ArtThe King of SmugglersThe Lost BoyWalkthroughAchievements
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The Deserter FAQ

How do you complete The Deserter in Valor Mortis?

The Deserter starts in Vale of Wrath and has 5 journal steps; the full journal is on this page behind a spoiler tag. Items involved: Anubis Figurine, Broken Figurine, Anubis Figurine Part, Anubis Figurine Part, Anubis Figurine Part, Anubis Figurine. Letters tied to it: Beekeeper's Note.

What is the reward for The Deserter?

The quest data lists no Amber, item or Catalyst reward for The Deserter.

Where does The Deserter start?

In Vale of Wrath. Beekeeper's Note, which is tied to the quest, lies about 158 m from the Wolfsbane Field Lantern.

How many steps does The Deserter have?

5 journal steps.

Which achievement does The Deserter unlock?

Hand in the Jar, which 1% of Steam players have.

How do you complete The Deserter in Valor Mortis?

The Wanted Notice for Private Henri Dufour, an Eternal Guard deserter, is about 71 m from the Under the Bridge Lantern — it starts the quest. Learn why he fled (step 2); the trail leads to the beehives. The Beekeeper's Note (about 158 m from Wolfsbane Field) says the dangerous hives are marked, and a drawing near the hives confirms it (step 3). The game's key list includes the Beekeeper's Hut Key — 'the beekeeper's hut which became a deserter's hideout' — and a Deserter's Stash Key.

What other side quests are in Vale of Wrath?

In the Name of Art, The King of Smugglers, The Lost Boy.