The Alchemist’s Rumors in Enshrouded (Full Walkthrough)

The Alchemist’s Rumors is a quest in Enshrouded handed to you by Balthazar the Alchemist. He asks you to deal with a group of Scavengers abusing the Elixir at the Hill of Scavengers in the Springlands. Finishing it unlocks the Improved Grappling Hook, a tool that drains less stamina than the basic version.

Quick answer: Travel to the Hill of Scavengers, kill the Scavenger Gorger Matron, then return to base and craft the Improved Grappling Hook with the Carpenter to complete the quest.

Requirements to start The Alchemist’s Rumors

Balthazar only offers this quest once a few conditions are met. Make sure the following are in place before you look for the dialogue option.

Reach level 7.
Complete the earlier Alchemist quest, Powerful Alchemy.
Have the base Grappling Hook crafted from the Blacksmith.
Rescue the Carpenter and summon him to your base, since he crafts the reward.
Talk to Balthazar and accept the objective “Investigate The Troubling Rumors.”

Reach the Hill of Scavengers and defeat the Matron

The Scavenger camp is marked on your map once you accept the quest. The fastest approach is to glide in from the nearest spire rather than crossing the Shroud on foot.

Open your map and fast travel to the Ancient Spire – Springlands. This drops you close to the marked camp and saves a long overland trip.

Glide northeast toward the quest marker at the Hill of Scavengers. The Advanced Glider helps you cross the shrouded gap safely without taking fall damage or running out of breath.

Breach the barricade and clear the camp. Pick off the ranged enemies on the raised platforms first, then use that high ground as a safe spot while you thin out the rest.

Kill the Scavenger Gorger Matron, a Level 5 boss in the middle of the camp. The objective completes the moment she falls, and she drops her loot where she dies.

Entering Hill of Scavengers and boss fight — Fighting the Scavenger Gorger Matron inside the barricade at the Hill of Scavengers; her death completes the objective. Shown at 00:50 in WoW Quests’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

Check the cave beneath the Matron’s position for a silver chest and the “The Gorger!” lore page before you leave.

Defeating her also unlocks the Scavenger Matron Trophy recipe at the Hunter. Her drops include the following.

Scavenger Matron Helmet
Shepherd’s Staff (Legendary Magic Weapon)
Legendary Bones
Metal Scraps

Craft the Improved Grappling Hook

Killing the Matron unlocks the recipe, but crafting the tool is a separate objective. Head back to your base and speak with Cade Hawthorn the Carpenter. The Improved Grappling Hook is a Rare equippable tool that uses less stamina than the basic one, and it needs these materials.

Material	Amount	Where to get it
Shroud Core	1	Elite Shroud enemies, or crafted by the Alchemist (10 Shroud Spores + 10 Shroud Liquid)
Shroud Liquid	2	Chopping Shroud plants
Shroud Spores	3	Enemies killed inside the Shroud
Grappling Hook	1	Base version from the Workbench

Open the Carpenter’s crafting menu, select the Improved Grappling Hook, and craft it once you have the materials.

Crafting Improved Grappling Hook — The Improved Grappling Hook recipe in Cade Hawthorn's crafting menu; crafting it finishes the quest. Shown at 01:03 in WoW Quests’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

How to confirm the quest is complete

You know it worked when a “QUEST COMPLETED! The Alchemist’s Rumors” banner appears right after the Improved Grappling Hook is crafted. The quest then leaves your active tracker, and the tool is ready to equip. Alongside the XP reward, you keep the Scavenger Matron Helmet and the new tool, so you can start grappling across the Springlands with far less stamina drain.