After speaking with a mysterious woman named Tassyn, the Freelancer is tasked with finding an Arcanist called Matthias Sumner outside the Fort Tarsis walls.
If this mission goes well, tides could change for the Freelancer and Cypher Owen.
Quest Chain
Objectives
- Locate Matthias Sumner
- Travel to Last Known Location
- Investigate the Campsite
- Follow Signal
- Find Arcanist Equipment
- Use Arcanist Equipment to Pinpoint Matthias’ Location
- Activate Arcanist Equipment
- Destroy Scar Hives
- Defeat Scars
- Destroy Scar Hives (2)
- Eliminate All Scars
- Continue the Search for Matthias
- Defeat Scars (2)
- Activate Signal Booster
- Follow Signal (2)
- Defeat Scars (3)
- Repair Radio
- Defeat Scars (4)
- Defeat Scar Leader
- Eliminate All Scars (2)
- Repair Radio, Again
- Reach Matthias
- Enter Ruins
- Follow Matthias’ Trail
- Clear Threat for Matthias
- Defeat Scars (5)
- Destroy Scar Hives (3)
- Eliminate All Scars (3)
- Rescue Matthias
- Follow Matthias’ Trail (2)
- Defeat Scars
- Defeat Scar Enforcer
- Defeat Rust Reaver and Enforcer
- Eliminate All Scars (4)
- Speak with Matthias
- Meet with Tassyn, Yarrow, and Matthias
- Find Tassyn
Script and Walkthrough
Briefing
Owen obtains additional information about this Arcanist and informs the Freelancer. Whenever the Freelancer is ready, they can start the mission by going outside the Fort.
In Mission
Outside the Fort’s safety, the Freelancer waits for Owen’s messages.
Locate Matthias Sumner
- Owen: "Here we are Freelancer. You ready to jump in?"
- Freelancer: "Yes, I am."
- Owen: "Well then, let’s not keep that big, bad world waiting. Our contract is to locate an Arcanist named Matthias Sumner. Tassyn has given us the last location where he made contact."
Travel to Last Known Location
The Freelancer flies towards the last known location of the Arcanist. When around the location
- Owen: "The location Tassys gave us must be close. I’m detecting the camp’s short-wave radio."
When the Freelancer reaches the camp
Investigate the Campsite
- Freelancer: "I’m not seeing anyone. Owen, anything?"
- Owen: "Lots of broken equipment. Obviously Arcanist-made. Otherwise, no, nothing but the radio. And no Matthias."
When the Freelancer interacts with the camp radio
- Owen: "Hang on, detecting another radio. Same frequency."
- Freelancer: "Must be more than one camp. "
- Owen: "Let’s follow that signal."
Follow Signal
The Freelancer follows the signal. Owen has created cypher projections to help the Freelancer to navigate correctly
- Owen: "Okay, I’ve got anew trail. We’ll need to get to the location I’ve marked for better reception."
- Freelancer: "Anything else I should know?"
- Owen: "Besides that Arcanists get themselves in trouble by being out here?"
- Freelancer: "About Matthias."
- Owen: "Brilliant and reckless. He has a reputation among Arcanists. Not a good one."
- Freelancer: "Having a bad reputation is chapter one of the Freelancer’s handbook."
When the Freelancer is near the second camp
- Owen: "The radio signal is getting stronger. Clearly, Matthias established more than one camp."
When the Freelancer reaches the Arcanist camp in First Refuge
- Owen: "Oh no."
- Freelancer: "Arcanists?"
- Owen: "Yes."
- Freelancer: "Matthias?"
- Owen: "He’s not here."
It turns out every Arcanist who was in Matthias’ research camp had been murdered. Their corpses can be found everywhere around the camp. There are several text pop-ups which give information about the dead Arcanists and their works.
- Owen: "Look for anything that can help track him down."
Find Arcanist Equipment
When the Freelancer finds a radio transmitter
- Owen: "That’s where the signal is coming from. We can use it help search for another camp. It’ll take time."
- Freelancer: "Okay. Get started."
Use Arcanist Equipment to Pinpoint Matthias’ Location
Activate Arcanist Equipment
The Freelancer interacts with the equipment to activate the equipment
- Owen: "Seema quiet out here?"
- Freelancer: "Maybe?"
Scar hives start showing up as soon as the equipment is activated
Destroy Scar Hives
- Freelancer: "What the hell? An ambush!"
Defeat Scars
- Owen: "It’s the Scars. Damn scavengers. Multiple signals—they are everywhere!"
After the freelancer destroys the hive
- Freelancer: "Are you done with the radio?"
- Owen: "No! Still working on it! Clear out those remaining Scars"
- Freelancer: "Radio signal?"
- Owen: "Still working on it!"
After the Freelancer defeats all the Scars
- Owen: "Just fiddling with the radio signals for the next location. "
- Freelancer: "I understand. Just hurry up."
- Owen: "Of course. Lots at stake, I know."
More Scar hives show up
- Owen: "More hives."
- Freelancer: "I noticed!"
Destroy Scar Hives
After the Freelancer destroys the two new hives
- Owen: "That’s the last of the horrible things. Now, finish off the remaining Scars."
Eliminate All Scars
After the Freelancer defeats the final Scar
- Owen: "Finally. And… done!"
- Matthias [Radio]: "This is Arcanist Matthias Sumner. Scars have attacked my camp. Need immediate assistance. "
- Freelancer: "Matthias, where are you?"
- Owen: "He Didn’t hear you. But I think I found another camp."
- Freelancer: "Okay. Let’s go."
Continue the Search for Matthias
Follow Signal
Owen creates new cypher projections to help the Freelancer reach the next camp
- Freelancer: "Hear anything else out of Matthias?"
- Owen: "Nothing, and just lost the radio signal. We need a signal booster. Wait—I found one."
When the Freelancer reaches near the Signal Booster
- Owen: "Got a bunch of Scars."
More scars show up using gates
Defeat Scars
- Owen: "I’ve never seen this much Scar activity. What is going on?"
- Freelancer: "I don’t know, but it’s not a good sign."
After the first wave of Scars is defeated
- Owen: " More Scars incoming. Looks like they’re using gates! I hate those. Very unfair."
After all the Scars are defeated
- Freelancer: "Okay. I’m looking for a signal booster, right? "
- Owen: "Yes. Should be close. All you need to do is turn it on."
Activate Signal Booster
The Freelancer activates the Signal Booster by interacting with it
- Owen: "Signal Booster is Working"
- Matthias: "I’m heading up the stairs hoping to find refuge. Scars in pursuit."
- Freelancer: "Matthias? He still can’t hear us."
- Owen: "I’ve got a location."
Follow Signal
Owen creates more cypher projections for the freelancer to reach the next camp in Darkwood Barrens. When the Freelancer reaches the location, there are Scars in the process of scavenging from the campsite
- Freelancer: "I’m not seeing our Arcanist. Owen, help me out?"
- Owen: "He’s not here… wait."
Defeat Scars
- Owen: "That’s the Radio we were following. The Scars were taking it apart. We fix that, I bet we reach Matthias. "
As the combat against the Scars continues
- Owen: "What’s happening with the Scars? Something has them enraged."
After the Scars are defeated
- Owen: "That seems to be the last of the Scars. Let’s fix that radio."
- Freelancer: "What needs to happen?"
- Owen: "Get me to the access panel, I’ll do the rest."
Repair Radio
The Freelancer can read a few text pop-ups about arcanist equipment and cargo mules. The Freelancer interacts with the radio for Owen to start the repairs
- Freelancer: "Ok, done."
- Owen: "Starting repairs."
There is a moment to wait while Owen works on the repair. But the radio sparks out for an instant
- Freelancer: "Owen, that doesn’t look like a repair!"
- Owen: "Would you just let me…ugh, damnit. Hang on we’ve got company."
- Freelancer: "Can it be fixed?"
- Owen: "Yes, of course. Just deal with the Scars—I’ll figure it out."
Defeat Scars
More Scars begin to gate in while the radio is being repaired. The Freelancer fights the Scar.
Defeat Scar Leader
A large Scar with a gates in. the Freelancer must defeat it to proceed further
- Freelancer: "This looks serious!"
- Owen: "Very serious. Focus on the big buy. Watch out for the Flamethrower!"
After the Scar Leader is defeated
- Owen: "The gates are closing. Looks like we scared them off. Let’s take care of the rest and get back to the radio"
Eliminate All Scars
After all the Scars are defeated, Owen is excited about fixing the radio
- Owen: "Ha-ha! Ok, I think I got it."
- Freelancer: "Are you sure?"
- Owen: "Mostly sure."
Repair Radio, Again
The Freelancer interacts with the radio to repair it again
Reach Matthias
- Owen: "It’s working. I’ve got allocation."
- Freelancer: "Patching Matthias through."
- Matthias: "I’m calling anyone in the area. I need help. There are Scars everywhere."
- Freelancer: "It works. Matthias, can you hear me?"
- Matthias: "There’s no time. I’m hiding, but the Scars are searching. I… I can see them. You must hurry."
- Freelancer: "Just hang on, we’re coming."
Enter Ruins
The Freelancer flies towards The Dungeon to reach Matthias
- Owen: "Matthias managed all these stairs to get up here. With an army of Scars at your heels, great things are possible, I guess."
The Freelancer enters the ruins
- Freelancer: "Matthias, can you hear me?"
- Matthias: "Yes! I’m here. "
- Owen: "Gettign a read on its radio signal."
- Matthias: "A little banged up, but fine. You see that ramp up ahead, the one with the statue? Head up there."
Follow Matthias’ Trail
As the Freelancer goes near the large effigy
- Freelancer: "What about the Scars near you? See anything?"
- Matthias: "Had a few spots of trouble. Near missies. They’re quite relentless. Wait, what’s this? I found some canisters. Hm, could prove useful."
- Freelancer: "Don’t try anything dangerous."
- Matthias: "Not to worry—It’ll be a contained explosion."
- Owen: "I think you better hurry."
As the Freelancer does further inside the ruins, more Scars show up.
- Freelancer: "Got a swarm here. "
- Owen: "Less for Matthias to deal with."
Clear Threat for Matthias
More Scars show up through gates
Defeat Scars
While the Freelancer is busy dealing with the Scars
- Matthias: "There. All set. Time for a Field Test."
- Freelancer: "What’s happening? Matthias."
- Matthias: "It worked! Small trap. The Scars walked right into it. I have to keep moving."
- Owen: "More incoming. Watch those hives."
Destroy Scar Hives
The Freelancer now fights Scars while destroying a couple of Scar Hives. When the hives are destroyed
- Owen: "Hives taken care of. Now let’s see to those Scars."
- Freelancer: "You got it!"
Eliminate All Scars
The Freelancer fights the remaining Scars and defeats them
- Freelancer: "Matthias, gimme an update."
- Matthias: "I think I see them. Just a minute— (Heavy Breath.) I’m okay. Haven’t been this far into the ruins."
- Freelancer: "Just stay ahead of them. I’m nearly there."
Rescue Matthias
The Freelancer goes deep inside The Dungeon in search of Matthias
Follow Matthias’ Trail
- Freelancer: "Matthias, I’m in the tunnel."
- Matthias: "You’re close. Main Chamber just ahead. It’s incredible!"
- Owen: "I’m seeing some damage. Matthias has been busy."
When the Freelancer enters the main chamber, they can see a swarm of Scars on a bridge. As they enter the chamber, explosions are set off, dealing with those Scars, but keeping the bridge intact.
- Matthias: "Last hurrah! I’m out of surprises, Freelancer."
- Freelancer: "Stay put. I’ll keep them off you. "
- Matthias: "Much appreciated. "
Defeat Scars
The Freelancer fights Scar enemies in the chamber. More gates spawn new Scars
- Freelancer: "Where are they all coming from?"
- Owen: "Scars have too many ways to add to their numbers if needed."
When more Scars spawn
- Owen: "Be careful."
- Freelancer: "I’m trying. How did you make them so mad, Matthias?"
- Matthias: "I don’t know. Never seen them like this."
A Scar Enforcer shows up
Defeat Scar Enforcer
Once the Freelancer defeats the Scar Enforcer, more show up. At the same time, another touch Scar shows up
- Owen: "Look out! I don’t know what it is, but it looks dangerous."
- Matthias: "Rust Reaver! That thing’s name is Rust Reaver! "
- Freelancer: "I don’t care what its name is!"
Defeat Rust Reaver and Enforcer
Rust Reaver is an Elite enemy, but still a Scar Enforcer. The Freelancer fights the enemy
- Freelancer: "That thing just isn’t dying. What the hell? I really made them mad. I'm trying to focus on weak areas. Taking some hits out here. I need to get this under control. That thing just isn't giving up. I have to finish this thing off."
When the Freelancer defeats Rust Reaver
- Owen: "I think he’s done. Yes he’s done. Let’s clean up the rest of them now, shall we?"
Eliminate All Scars
The Freelancer defeats all the remaining Scars and looks for Matthias
- Owen: "Okay, no active signals. I’ll keep monitoring. You should check on Matthias."
Speak with Matthias
The Freelancer looks for a cowering Matthias in Arcanists’ clothes, but wearing a mask
- Freelancer: "Matthias?"
- Matthias: "Here! Right here!"
- Freelancer: "These Scars. I don’t know what to think. Arcanists and Scars often clash over Shaper sites, but nothing like this. I must tell Tassyn. Please, I need to return to Fort Tarsis."
Post Mission
The Freelancer returns to Fort Tarsis with Matthias. Back in the fort, their new Javelin is being serviced at the Forge. But Tassyn, and two others are waiting for the Freelancer by the Market.
Meet with Tassyn, Yarrow, and Matthias
Find Tassyn
- Tassys: "Freelancer"
- Matthias: "Thanks for the save. That trouble was unexpected."
- Freelancer: "You often hang around outside the walls like that?"
- Matthias: "Occupational hazard. But this was different—something is making the Scars more violent."
- Tassyn: "I think it’s the Dominion. We think they’re back. I’m sure you must know of Freelancer Yarrow."
- Yarrow: "I think Tassyn’s right. This feels like before the attack on [{Freemark]]"
- Freelancer: "The one that set off the Heart of Rage?"
- Matthias: "I don’t really know the whole story."
- Yarrow: "I do…"
Yarrow recalls the story of the destruction of Freemark. Freemark was a large walled city, surrounded by thick green forests. Its iconic design of the spires is what inspired the tall spires of Fort Tarsis. Unlike the white walls of the fort, Freemark was covered in colorful stones.
- Yarrow: "Much of what I’m about to tell you is not well known. My ward, Jani, was there ten years ago. She saw it with her own eyes. What you will already know is that Freemark was one of the great cities of Bastion. Ancient, proud, prosperous."
Markets bustling, children playing, people everywhere, in fact, there was so much space that striders could walk in its courtyards. Their sentinels had their own special paint jobs on their javelins. The Freelancer enclave was always filled with contracts.
- Yarrow: "But most important, it held the largest and the greatest enclave of Freelancers anywhere. The Freelancers, along with the Sentinels, guardians of the walls, protected Freemark and its people from the chaos of our world. Until one day, the Dominion arrived on their doorstep: cruel conquerors from the North."
An army of Dominion soldiers march towards Freemark with weaponized striders. The city’s defensive turrets don’t hold up against the striders. The weaponized striders fire missiles at the city walls.
- Yarrow: "The Dominion, the Sentinels, and the Freelancers would make their claim for Freemark that day."
Pilots suit up into their javelins, preparing themselves to fight against the invading army. The javelins fly one by one to wage against the Dominion.
- Yarrow: "Each group, heirs in their own right to the legendary General Tarsis and her Legion of Dawn."
The Freelancers, Dominion, and Sentinels clash in a spectacular battle royale!
- Yarrow: "One of our best, Freelancer Adams, led the charge, as the enclave leapt to meet the Dominion forces head on."
Several Javelins fight the Dominion shock troopers, while Freelancer Jani flies to the top of a tower to get a view of what was coming.
- Yarrow: "My Jani says the army was massive."
Jani notices the two leaders and a handful of Valkyries marching towards the walls, ahead of a missile-launching weaponized strider. Behind these leaders is an unknown creature, emanating an ominous glow.
- Yarrow: "The Dominion was led by Doctor Harken: a man never seen before—or after—that day. He came to take the city, at any cost."
The Freelancers flew to reach a better vantage point and get to the weaponized striders closing towards the city walls.
- Yarrow: "So they fought. Outnumbered, out-flanked, and out-gunned, Freelancers fought."
They were able to stop the striders. Jani shot her javelin’s multi-missiles at a strider to stop it.
- Yarrow: "They did well for a time."
But the strider collapsed on a wall, bringing it down. As Jani flew to safety, the strider collided with her, making her fall down. Jani’s helmet was damaged. But she got on her feet.
- Yarrow: "But the great Freemark did not hold. The Dominion poured in. Adams, with many Freelancers, made their last stand outside the city walls."
As the Dominion marched inside the city, the people of Freemark—children and adult—tried fleeing to safety. Harken proudly looked at his achievement, standing beside an operative inside an unknown javelin.
- Yarrow: "While some, like Jani, stayed to help who she could."
The unknown creature furiously thrashed the city structures, causing heavy casualties. Jani fired at the creature, drawing its attention. But in he way was a helpless child. While shooting at the creature, Jani picked up the child in her arms.
- Yarrow: "When, without warning, the doomed sentinels fell back."
Until this point, there was a reason why no Sentinel had joined the fight. They moved away barricaded to escape underground. As the creature chased Jani, she flew and fought valiantly.
- Yarrow: "But now I tell you, deep in the city, Jani discovered what the Sentinels already knew."
The creature flailed at Jani, making her fall and roll down a staircase and into a hole formed dur to the destruction. As the creature continued to follow Freelancer Jani, she nimbly got o and saw what the Sentinels were up to.
- Yarrow: "The Dominion didn’t want to destroy Freemark. They wanted to capture an ancient Shaper relic that was protected deep inside the city."
As the Sentinels were closing the doors which hid the entrance to this relic, Jani flew through it, while still protecting the child. The door was shut. The Sentinels, along with Jani prepared to fire at anything that tried to enter this chamber.
- Yarrow: "The Cenotaph"
The creature following Jani burst through the door with another companion. It flung its long arm at a few Sentinels, throwing them off a narrow bridge between the relic and the door to their demise. Valkyries poured in, while more Sentinels and Jani took aim at them. The Sentinels could not survive the Dominion, as every single one of them fell down into the chasm to die. The operative, along with Harken calmly entered the chamber. When Jani took her aim at Harken, the operative shielded him against the bullets. Jani flew, knowing she could not tackle all these enemies. Two Valkyries carried a container and followed the operative and Harken towards the Cenotaph in the center of the chamber.
- Yarrow: "It seems this Doctor Harken believed he had created a way for the Dominion to use the Cenotaph to control the Anthem of Creation itself."
The Valkyries opened the container. Harken took its contents—a strange device. Jani who had escaped through the hole on the roof saw Harken insert this device into the Cenotaph.
- Yarrow: "Arrogance."
The device began to emanate Shaper energy thrummed.
- Yarrow: "The Anthem will not be controlled."
As Harken let go of the device to see what happened, it unleased so much energy that a beam of light and a ripple of sound shook the place, throwing every person in the chamber to their likely deaths. Harken was pulled towards the Cenotaph by the relic’s overflow of energy, along with the operative.
- Yarrow: "The terrible cataclysm, which was unleashed that day destroyed Freemark, destroyed the Dominion, destroyed everything."
Freemark was engulfed in a blinding light as Jani escaped the formation of a cataclysm. Adams helplessly stood watching the destruction of the proud city. As Yarrow finishes his story, he is deeply saddened by the events.
- Yarrow: "That cataclysm became the Heart of Rage. Some survived to tell the story of Freemark… but not many."
- Matthias: "Dominion must be back for a reason."
- Tassyn: "I clearly have more intel to hunt down. Come and find me later."
Tassyn walks away
- Matthias: "Yeah, me too. I’ll contact you when I have something."
Matthias walk away
- Yarrow: "I’ll be in the enclave."
Trivia (May Contain Spoilers)
- Bodies of dead Arcanists can be found everywhere in the camp in the First refuge. Their names are: Ines Aloova, Aima Damarcus, Enoban Solvan, Jade Amseth, Kel Orion, Dak Emil, Hawke Rendor, and Wyla Kassal.
- Ines Aloova was the Expedition leader of this research.
- The text pop-up near the signal booster indicates that there are many more Shaper rings like the ones found near Velathra
- A text pop-up talks about how Cargo Mules are based off Strider technology.
- This is the first time Scar Scrappers, Scouts, Destroyers, Hunters, and Enforcers are encountered.
- The final boss encounter is a Scar Enforcer called Rust Reaver.
- This mission uses the following Hidden Place to progress: The Dungeon
- When Matthias is met, he is wearing a mask.
- The Pilot Level will increase to at least 3 at the end of this mission. This is guaranteed.
- The faction system is unlocked after the chat with Tassyn, Matthias, and Yarrow ends.
- The Cuts scene of Freemark’s Destruction:
- This is the first time Grandmaster Adams is shown.
- The Sentinels wear a different uniform from those found in Fort Tarsis or theo ne who guarded Tassyn.
- Only Rangers and colossi are used during the whole cut scene
- This is the first time Harken, The Monitor, and furies were shown.
- This is also the only time the Cenotaph is seen intact.
- The real perspective of Jani is seen in the comic Anthem: A New Verse.
- The child rescued by Jani is wearing a head scarf in the cut scene but doesn’t wear any in the comic.