Up to His Neck in Gothic 1 Remake: Find Bran and Crack Silas’s Chest

Up to His Neck is the second job the Rice Lord hands you in Gothic 1 Remake, and it kicks off right after you wrap up A Few Drops Too Much. The setup is simple on paper. His foreman, Bran, has gone missing, and every thread you pull leads back to Silas’s lakeside tavern. The reality is messier, with a dangerous bandit fight, a flooded cellar, and a locked chest standing between you and the proof you need. Finishing it cleanly also earns the Rice Lord’s backing, which matters a lot if you plan to join the New Camp.

Quick answer: Talk to Malon politely to learn Bran went to the cave by the pond, beat Jacko there to find out Bran was sent to rob Silas, swim into the cellar under the tavern, loot Bran’s body and his axe from the locked chest, then confront Silas and report back to the Rice Lord for 300 XP.

What you need before starting Up to His Neck

Two things make this quest go smoothly. First, bring a few lockpicks if you want to open the chest the normal way instead of relying on the underwater route. Second, get a decent weapon and some armor, because the bandit guarding the cave clue hits hard for an early character.

The free Digger’s Dress from the Free Mine is a good baseline. If you can afford it, buy a stronger one-handed weapon from Fisk in the Old Camp market, and consider leveling your one-handed skill with Cord by the training dummies overlooking the lake tavern. None of this is required, but it keeps the fight survivable.

Find out where Bran went

The Rice Lord tells you Bran has been gone for days and suggests asking the farmers. Most workers say nothing useful. The one who actually has a lead is Malon, and the tone of your dialogue matters here, so speak to him kindly.

Find Malon working the rice field behind the Rice Lord’s platform. Approach him politely and ask about Bran.

Malon explains he last saw Bran heading toward a cave by the pond, the spot where Jacko and his crew hang around. That cave is your next stop.

Tip: If Malon is short with you, a friendly approach unlocks the location. You can also smooth things over by helping Lefty deliver water to the farmers first, which puts the named workers in a more talkative mood.

Reach Jacko’s cave and win the fight

The cave sits just outside the New Camp near the abandoned settlement by the pond. It is easy to get lost since there are several bodies of water nearby, so follow the route below exactly.

Leave the New Camp through the main southern gate and head toward the small settlement by the pond.

Move right along the huts until you reach a large cave mouth guarded by Renyu. This is a good spot to save your game.

Tell Renyu you are looking for Bran and he lets you pass. Head inside and up the stairs to find Jacko at the back.

Jacko attacks the moment you reach him. He swings a mace that can shred your health in three hits, so use the narrow cave hallways to control the fight. Beat him down but do not kill him.

Once he is back on his feet, ask about Bran. He admits he sent Bran to rob Silas’s stash to clear a debt and has not seen him since. Loot his body to claim the “Hornet Sting” one-handed mace, also called Bloodfly Sting.

If Jacko beats you, he steals your gear and you lose this lead. If you genuinely cannot win, you can skip the fight and head straight to the tavern, but you will miss the mace and the direct confirmation of where Bran went.

Get into Silas’s basement

Silas’s stash sits behind a locked door right behind the bar. Forcing it in front of the innkeeper is a bad idea. You have two ways in. You can lockpick the door, or you can swim under the building through a flooded cave, which skips the lockpicking entirely and is the cleaner option.

Rayk can point you to the underwater entrance if you talk to him, but only if you did not beat him up during A Few Drops Too Much. You can dive in without that conversation regardless, so it is optional.

Walk to the lake tavern up the hill in the New Camp, near the main cave entrance, then go around to the deck behind the building close to the fishing pier and the chimney.

Jump into the water and dive deep by holding the dive key (press “C” on default controls). Just below the wooden platform you will see a strong current running under the foundation.

Follow the current inward through the flooded cellar until you reach the stone steps. There are air pockets along the way if your breath runs low, so surface when you need to.

Climb the stairs into the locked storage room behind the bar. Bran’s body lies on the floor to the left of the door, and it is very dark, so look carefully. Loot it for the “Note from Corpse in Tavern Storage” to confirm it is him.

Tip: Better diving training helps a lot here. Homer near the dam can teach it for 5 Learning Points and 30 nuggets, which extends how long you can stay underwater.

Open the chest with Bran’s axe

The proof you need is Bran’s axe, locked inside a chest next to his body. That axe is what lets you pin the murder on Silas. The lock uses six sliders numbered from the one closest to you (1) to the one furthest away (6). You move each slider until the locking pin in the center pops out, following the exact order below.

The chest opens in 24 moves. Each line lists the slider number, then how far and which way to move it.

#3 -> 3 right
#4 -> 4 left
#6 -> 1 right
#1 -> 1 left
#3 -> 1 right
#4 -> 1 left
#6 -> 1 right
#1 -> 1 left
#3 -> 1 right
#4 -> 1 left
#6 -> 1 right
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#4 -> 1 left
#5 -> 1 left
#3 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#5 -> 1 left
#3 -> 1 right
#6 -> 3 right

If you have lockpicking training, the lock is easy and you can skip the manual sequence. With the axe in hand, you have everything needed to break Silas down.

Optional: Unlock the cellar door

The exit door from the room is also locked. You do not need to open it since you can swim back out the way you came, but if you have lockpicks left, it opens in 27 moves.

#4 -> 2 left
#6 -> 1 right
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#2 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#5 -> 1 left
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#5 -> 1 left
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#5 -> 1 left
#2 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#6 -> 1 right
#3 -> 1 right
#6 -> 3 right

Confront Silas and report to the Rice Lord

Swim back out, return to the bar, and confront Silas. Present the axe and he confesses to killing Bran, then tries to talk you out of telling the Rice Lord, usually by offering a bribe.

You get to choose what happens next. If you accuse the innkeeper and confirm it with Bran’s axe, you earn the larger payout. If you accept his deal and spare him, you still finish the quest, just with the standard reward. If you want the New Camp on your side, do not take the bribe.

Head back to the Rice Lord and tell him what happened. The quest closes in your journal once the conversation ends, and you walk away with his backing.

Up to His Neck rewards

Outcome	Reward
Completing the quest	300 experience points
Telling the full truth and presenting Bran’s axe	An extra 50 ore
Quest standing	The Rice Lord’s backing toward joining the New Camp

The 300 XP is a meaningful chunk this early in the game. More importantly, this quest does not lock you into the New Camp on its own. You still make the faction decision later with Lares, so finishing Up to His Neck simply keeps that door open while securing one of the camp’s key figures in your corner.