Etuwa’s Fire (Part 1) unlocks after the Burning Mountains quest, once Etuwa has been rescued and brought back to the Highmost Seat camp. At this point, So’lek has also completed A Blessing and has a better read on RDA and Mangkwan activity in the forest.
The quest opens at base camp, where Ka’nat explains that Etuwa has pulled away from the others. She is scouting a Sky People camp downriver, consumed by grief and a need for revenge after losing her Ikran, Taloo. The objective is simple on paper: track her down before that anger gets her killed.
Step 1: Ask Ka’nat about Etuwa
Step 1: Speak to Ka’nat at the Highmost Seat camp. He tells you Etuwa is no longer with the clan and has gone to observe a Sky People encampment downstream, choosing distance and rage over mourning alongside her people.
Step 2: After the conversation, a quest marker appears pointing to Etuwa’s new location. The game flags that she is currently at Support Depot Charlie, an RDA outpost used for logistics and resupply. Your next objective is to reach that depot and talk to her.
Step 2: Reach Support Depot Charlie and find Etuwa
Step 1: Call your Ikran and take off toward the marker for Support Depot Charlie. You can fly directly between waypoints, but be mindful of anti-air coverage in the region from previous quests; stay high or skirt the edges of RDA-controlled airspace if you want to avoid unnecessary combat on the way in.
Step 2: As you approach the depot, slow down and look for the final highlighted Ikran waypoint above or near the facility. Land just outside the marked area to avoid dropping straight into a firefight. Crossing the final trigger zone starts a cutscene automatically, so you do not need to manually interact with anything to find Etuwa.
In the cutscene, So’lek finally confronts Etuwa. She is watching the depot from a vantage point, still raw from Taloo’s death. Etuwa believes a Mangkwan responsible for her pain may be hiding somewhere inside Support Depot Charlie. Driven by that single goal, she pushes So’lek to help her tear the camp apart until they find him.
Step 3: Secure Support Depot Charlie
Once the cutscene ends, your objective shifts to clearing the RDA presence from the depot.
Step 1: Drop down into the base exterior and start working through the RDA forces. Use your assault rifle as your primary tool here; its sustained damage output lets you cut down standard infantry before they can stack fire on you. Etuwa fights alongside you during this section, drawing some aggro and helping to thin out enemies.
Step 2: Prioritize armored targets and Hellhounds. Armored soldiers can absorb more damage, so target weak points and use automatic fire to break armor quickly. Hellhounds close the distance fast and can disrupt your positioning, so deal with them early, before they force you into the open.
Step 3: Sweep the entire depot until the “secure” objective updates. If you still hear combat music or minimap pings, there is at least one more enemy alive somewhere in the complex. Do a full loop through catwalks, interior rooms, and ground level until the objective confirms the area is clear.
When the last RDA soldier drops, Etuwa realizes the Mangkwan she is hunting is not present at Support Depot Charlie. That failure keeps her on edge and sets up the investigative part of the quest.
Step 4: Investigate Support Depot Charlie with Etuwa
With the depot secure, the focus moves from combat to intel gathering.
Step 1: Return to the central area of the depot. Look for an RDA radio unit set up in the middle of the base – this is a standing radio, not a handheld device. The quest marker should now point you toward it once the combat objective is complete.
Step 2: Approach the radio and interact with it. So’lek activates the channel, and an RDA voice cuts in, unaware that the base has already fallen. Listen to the audio; it provides the key location you need.
The transmission confirms that the Mangkwan Etuwa is chasing has already moved on. He has landed at another RDA site in Sector 12, and the call sign “Ash” is used in the confirmation. This is the lead Etuwa has been desperate for.
Step 3: After the radio exchange, a cutscene plays. So’lek contacts Teylan and asks him to track a Mangkwan in Sector 12. Teylan agrees to dig into the RDA chatter and positioning data to pin down the new location.
Story beats and emotional fallout
Once the gameplay objectives are complete, Etuwa’s Fire (Part 1) resolves through dialogue between So’lek, Etuwa, and Teylan.
Teylan promises to investigate the Mangkwan presence in Sector 12 and report back when he has something concrete. That promise gives Etuwa the first tangible lead since Taloo’s death. Her anger is still burning, but now it has a direction.
Etuwa presses So’lek to keep her informed when the Mangkwan is located. She wants to stand in the same place as the one who held her back while Taloo was killed. So’lek, who understands grief as well as anyone in this expansion, warns her directly: pain is like fire, and if it is not controlled, it can consume everything around it.
She challenges him, pointing out that he often seems to operate under a different set of rules when it comes to his own rage. Even so, she hears him enough to ask for only one thing in return – that he does not abandon her as the hunt for the Mangkwan continues.
With that, Etuwa leaves So’lek at the ruins of Support Depot Charlie. The quest formally ends here, and Etuwa’s Fire (Part 2) begins the chase into Sector 12 and the deeper confrontation with the Mangkwan responsible for Taloo’s death.
