Valor Mortis fills its regions with 24 optional side quests, each started by something you find or someone you meet. They sit alongside the 11 main quest chapters and stretch from the opening Battlefield all the way to Napoleon’s Prison. Six of them hand out an achievement, and one runs across several regions at once.
Regions in story order
The game numbers its regions in story order, from I The Battlefield to X Fortress. Side quests belong to whichever region you find them in, so knowing the order tells you roughly when each one becomes reachable.
- The Battlefield
- Valley of Ashes
- Fallen Village
- Caverns
- Vale of Wrath
- Cursed Hollow
- The Outskirts
- City of Orphans
- University
- Fortress
- Napoleon’s Prison
All 24 side quests by region
The table below lists every side quest with its home region, the number of journal steps it tracks, and the achievement it grants where one applies.
| Region | Side quest | Steps | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Battlefield | Guard Eternal | 3 | — |
| Valley of Ashes | An Unheard Farewell | 6 | Aggressive Reconnaissance |
| Valley of Ashes | The Emissary | 6 | — |
| Fallen Village | Lullaby | 2 | — |
| Fallen Village | The Scarecrow | 6 | — |
| Caverns | Homesick | 3 | — |
| Vale of Wrath | In the Name of Art | 4 | — |
| Vale of Wrath | The Deserter | 5 | Hand in the Jar |
| Vale of Wrath | The King of Smugglers | 5 | — |
| Vale of Wrath | The Lost Boy | 4 | — |
| Cursed Hollow | Sleeping Beauty | 6 | — |
| Cursed Hollow | The Curious Case of Seamus Diggory | 6 | Blood and Wine |
| Cursed Hollow | Till Death | 4 | — |
| The Outskirts | Laudanum | 9 | The Bitter Cure |
| The Outskirts | The Shrike’s Anthem | 5 | — |
| City of Orphans | Afraid of the Dark | 2 | — |
| City of Orphans | Bedtime Stories | 4 | — |
| City of Orphans | Misericorde | 3 | — |
| City of Orphans | Monster Hunt | 19 | The Book of Beasts |
| City of Orphans | Mummy and Daddy | 6 | — |
| Fortress | Two Towers | 2 | — |
| Napoleon’s Prison | The Choir | 6 | — |
| Napoleon’s Prison | The Forgotten Fortune | 4 | — |
| Several regions | The Oathbound | 9 | We Wear the Same Colors |
How each side quest begins, by region
Each quest opens when you find the object or person described below. Use these as your cue for what to look for in each area.
The Battlefield
- Guard Eternal — its opening letter says the Eternal Guard ordered its troops to safeguard the cargo from enemy capture, accepting death rather than let it be taken.
Valley of Ashes
- An Unheard Farewell — an adjutant who hid in a wagon while his unit entered the cave needs to learn what became of his comrades.
- The Emissary — infestation makes the route impassable, and an Emissary’s seal is found at an abandoned camp near the bridge Nephtoglobin destroyed.
Fallen Village
- Lullaby — a baby’s wail comes from a cradle inside one of the huts; the spirit behind the cries must be quieted.
- The Scarecrow — a body has been propped up as a scarecrow, missing a medallion from its neck and an item from a ripped-out pocket.
Caverns
- Homesick — the remains of a family wait in the cold caves for a father who never returned.
Vale of Wrath
- In the Name of Art — a painter took his own life in his house, and his unfinished picture points toward a small grave on the nearby cliff.
- The Deserter — Command offers a reward for capturing Private Henri Dufour, accused of abandoning his post and taking something valuable.
- The King of Smugglers — the cargo manifest at the village port lists Napoleon’s chest in the ship’s hold.
- The Lost Boy — a note from a local young man says he is joining the resistance and promises to return the next day.
Cursed Hollow
- Sleeping Beauty — the headman’s daughter seemed afraid of her father, then pricked herself on a spinning needle and fell into slumber.
- The Curious Case of Seamus Diggory — Seamus, hiding in a shed and claiming a sunlight allergy, asks for samples of untainted blood from the nearby grove.
- Till Death — a dead bride’s wilted wreath is missing a ribbon, with the chapel grounds where she prayed as the place to search.
The Outskirts
- Laudanum — an old woman running a sick house for children needs laudanum for typhus, and a drunk named Barnaby has bottles. His recently buried dog, Scruffy, is a clue to his house.
- The Shrike’s Anthem — a torn song page honoring the Shrike is missing four verses to track down.
City of Orphans
- Afraid of the Dark — the Mice are frightened by the sewers’ pitch-black depths, and lighting the torches helps them.
- Bedtime Stories — two Mice need their storybook from the old wine cellar under the stairs, marked with a shrike symbol by the door.
- Misericorde — a soldier cries in agony while crossing the city, raising the question of whether to end his suffering.
- Monster Hunt — an eerie drawing of a monster hints that more may be out there.
- Mummy and Daddy — the Mice ask for cheese to be brought to their parents.
Fortress
- Two Towers — a note explains the garrison’s safety system, where lighting pyres should open the gate.
Napoleon’s Prison
- The Choir — the warden’s diary, found in his quarters, describes his wish to create a symphony in Napoleon’s honor.
- The Forgotten Fortune — an item sits in a locked cell, and something in the other cells works as the key.
Several regions
- The Oathbound — a hidden emblem on a defeated Eternal Guard, worn beneath his shirt, points toward finding the same markings on others.
Side quests that grant an achievement
Prioritize these if you are chasing completion.
- Aggressive Reconnaissance — An Unheard Farewell (Valley of Ashes)
- Hand in the Jar — The Deserter (Vale of Wrath)
- Blood and Wine — The Curious Case of Seamus Diggory (Cursed Hollow)
- The Bitter Cure — Laudanum (The Outskirts)
- The Book of Beasts — Monster Hunt (City of Orphans)
An Unheard Farewell also gives the Amber Sleight of Hand on top of its achievement, making it one of the more rewarding early side quests to clear.
