Separated is a short Horizon side quest that sends you to a lonely spot above the settlement to find two audio recordings tied to a withdrawn man named Liam. The whole thing can be done in one trip, and it fits neatly alongside the climb and the run toward Bone Cave if you plan the route.
Quick answer: Robyn offers Separated after you finish Horizon’s Kitchen. Climb the crag just outside Horizon’s gate, play both recordings on the plateau, then report Liam’s death to Robyn for +25 Bucks.
How to start the Separated quest
Separated unlocks straight after Horizon’s Kitchen. Cook a meal, return to report “Dinner is ready.”, and Robyn will steer the conversation toward Liam, a man who has cut himself off from the rest of Horizon. When she asks you to look in on him, choose “I will check on Liam.” to take the quest.
The objectives appear in this order: “Get to Liam’s favorite spot”, “Listen to the first recording”, “Listen to the second recording”, and “Return to Robyn”. The map tooltip displays “QUESTS: Separated – Objectives: Track down Liam’s favorite spot”.
Where Liam’s favorite spot is and how to climb to it
A few minutes from Horizon’s main gate, Liam’s favorite place is a small, flat shelf atop a rocky outcrop. No established route leads up, so hop between ledges on the snowy rock to climb there.
Both recording locations on the plateau
Both recordings are located on the plateau, with each one next to a separate object. You’ll also see a “SURVIVAL HINT”: “The recordings start automatically upon collection. If you want to play it again, press TAB, select the recording, and click Play.”
First recording (and the Wooden Chest recipe)
Find the first tape on the cooler beside the tent. Approach and use it (“Recording – Press E to interact”); it plays automatically. The speaker mourns someone named Connie. A Recipe note is next to the tape; pick it up to unlock the Wooden Chest blueprint.
Second recording at the wooden crate
At the cliff-side edge of the plateau, the second tape is beside a cassette recorder on the Wooden crate. Interact with it (“New recording”) to start playback. The speaker says they have no right to mourn or to keep living as though nothing had happened.
If either listening objective is still incomplete, you have triggered just one. Return and use both tapes: the one by the cooler and the one by the crate. It is easy to leave after the first tape and leave the quest unfinished.
While you are up here, the Frozen body holds some Bucks and the Wooden crate holds Bandages, so clear both out before you head down.
Report to Robyn and claim the reward
After you play both recordings, the objective becomes “Return to Robyn”. Go back to her cabin in Horizon and choose “Liam is dead.” She explains that the voice in the second recording isn’t Liam’s, that she has never heard it before, and that she needs to share the news with the others.
The screen then shows “SEPARATED – QUEST COMPLETED” with +25 Bucks added. That confirmation is how you know it worked. Ask “Anything else I can help with?” and Robyn offers her next favour, Return to Hunter’s Glade, which asks you to fetch a recording she left at the top of the Hunter’s Glade tower.
The game does not label the frozen body as Liam, and the owner of the second voice is not revealed in this part of the story. Picking “I’ll think about it.” when Robyn offers the follow-up simply declines it for now.
Replaying the tapes and what is nearby
To hear either recording again, press TAB and open JOURNAL, then MEMOS, then RECORDINGS. They are listed as “First Recording from Liam” and “Second Recording from Liam”, each with Play, Pause and Stop controls.
To get down, slide and jump from the plateau’s far side into a small canyon. If your health is low, take the ledges back on foot instead. A Coal Boulder is along the cliff path. In the canyon below, a wooden lean-to contains a locked Suitcase that you can open with a shiv, alongside a barrel brazier. From there, follow the frozen river past the wrecked cars toward Bone Cave, letting you do Separated and Dog Days in one outing.
Permafrost is in early access, so quest steps, rewards and values here can shift with later updates.
