Enshrouded 1.0: Where to Find the Bard (Valory)

Valory, the Bard, is the survivor at the end of the main quest “Follow The Melody”. She lies sleeping deep below the Sunken Ancient City in the Blackmire, and you reach her by pushing past the Revelwood, igniting the region‘s Ancient Spire, and working your way into the city’s ruins.

The “Follow The Melody” quest stages

Valory is tied to a single questline that walks you out of the Revelwood and into the Blackmire. Each stage updates in your journal as you progress:

Forge A Path Through The Wild: “The Flame has alerted you to a newly opened path into a desolate part of the Revelwood. Visit the area marked on your map to discover a widely untamed wilderness!”
Master The Ancient Blackmire Spire: “You’ve reached a mysterious new land named the Blackmire. The Flame’s grasp is weak here, so you must strengthen its presence by igniting the Ancient Spire — Blackmire. Afterward, the Flame will be able to guide you more.”
Reach The Sunken Ancient City: “You awoke the Flame atop the Ancient Spire — Blackmire! It senses a presence below a nearby Ancient City that was swallowed by mud and soil. Discover the ruins and find the sleeping survivor to proceed!”
Explore The Sunken Ancient City: “There’s a large central building in the Sunken Ancient City. Explore the area and find a way inside to discover the survivor within!”
Summon The Bard: “You’ve found a survivor slumbering deep below the Sunken Ancient City. Awaken them with a Summoning Staff!”

How to reach and awaken Valory

Cross into the Blackmire using the route from Revelwood. The Flame opens this way after directing you to the newly accessible wilderness along Revelwood’s edge.

Ascend the Ancient Spire — Blackmire and kindle the Flame at its summit. This bolsters the Flame’s influence in the area, allowing it to point you toward the city below.

Make your way to the Sunken Ancient City, located in the Blackmire.

Sunken Ancient City charted — Arriving over the Sunken Ancient City charts the location, your cue that you are in the right place. Shown at 04:18 in ZaFrostPet’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

Locate an entrance to the sizable structure at the center, then descend to the sleeping survivor.

journal Explore The Sunken Ancient City — While the "Explore The Sunken Ancient City" objective is active, you are looking for the way into the large central building. Shown at 04:30 in ZaFrostPet’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

Rouse the slumbering survivor with your Summoning Staff to awaken Valory, then speak with her at your base.

Valory talking at the base — Valory talking at your base confirms she is awake and her crafting is available. Shown at 09:50 in ZaFrostPet’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

What Valory crafts

Valory offers 99 recipes, chiefly decorative items such as wall banners, flags, tapestries, pillows, paintings, and skull trophies, along with instruments: the Lute, Flute, Harp, Handpan, and Hand Drum.

Her crafting options include the Explorer armor set: Explorer Helmet, Coat, Gloves, Pants, and Boots.

She crafts the Medium Backpack and Large Backpack. The Medium Backpack is “An extension to your backpack that enlarges your inventory by two rows.” The Large Backpack is “An extension to your backpack that enlarges your inventory by three rows.”

Valory’s follow-up quests

After she joins you, Valory hands out a short run of quests that expand what she can make and where you travel next.

Bard Needs Shelter: “The Bard Valory requires shelter. Provide her with a nice, warm room to unlock more crafting possibilities. Build a home for the Bard and grant her access to a nearby sheltered bed if you haven’t already!”
Daggers For The Bard: recover her missing dagger from the Tar Pits.
Hand Drum For The Bard: retrieve the drum she lost from the Vukah settlement beside the giant tree.
Finding A Bard Assistant: locate a bard assistant’s soul at Cromville in the Veilwater Basin.