Bard’s missing guitar is one of the first side quests you can tackle in The Forge, and it hides a surprisingly important upgrade for early mining. The trick is that the guitar only appears once the quest is active, and it’s tucked away behind an invisible drop inside the first cave.
How to start Bard’s Guitar quest in The Forge
Step 1: Load into World 1, Stonewake’s Cross, and move toward the eastern side of the island where the main cave entrance sits. As you approach that direction, you’ll pass a potions stall in the northeast.
Step 2: Just beyond the stall, look for a small campfire close to the path leading into the cave. Bard is sitting on the ground near this fire, clearly upset about his lost instrument.
Step 3: Walk up to Bard and press E to interact. Accept his quest for the missing guitar. Until you do this, the guitar will not register as an item you can pick up, even if you stand on the correct spot later.
Tip: If you reach the cave and can’t pick up the guitar, return to Stonewake’s Cross and make sure you have spoken to Bard and started the quest first.
Where Bard’s Guitar is located in Stonewake’s Cross cave
Once the quest is active, the guitar is found inside a secret drop area near the start of the cave on Stonewake’s Cross.
Step 1: From Bard’s campfire, head southeast into The Cave entrance. Follow the sloped path down into the first main room.
Step 2: At the bottom of the slope, turn left. You should see NPCs like Nord and Umut The Brave in this section. Face toward the wall that has a patch of greenery or grass opposite Umut.
Step 3: Walk directly into that grassy corner. There is an invisible hole behind the foliage; as you push forward, you will drop down into a hidden space. There is no prompt—your character simply falls through.
Step 4: In the secret cave below, move toward the skeleton lying on the ground. Bard’s Guitar is on the rocks just to the right of the skeleton. Walk up to it and press E to add it to your inventory.
Note: If pressing E does nothing, you either haven’t started the quest with Bard, or you’re not close enough to the guitar’s interaction hitbox. Adjust your position slightly and try again.
How to return Bard’s Guitar and finish the quest
Step 1: After picking up the guitar, look for the ladder in the secret area. Climb it to get back into the main cave near Nord and Umut The Brave.
Step 2: Leave the cave the way you came in and go back to the campfire in Stonewake’s Cross where Bard is sitting.
Step 3: Interact with Bard using E. Choose the dialogue option along the lines of “Here is your guitar.” This hands over the item and completes the quest.
Once turned in, Bard’s dialogue and rewards change permanently; you cannot repeat the quest for more loot on the same character.
What you get for completing Bard’s Guitar quest
Bringing the guitar back is more than just a feel-good favor. The completion rewards are tuned to give you a strong early-game push:
- Unknown Key: A rare key that opens a locked gate deeper inside the cave on Stonewake’s Cross. Behind that gate is the Fallen Angel’s Cave, where you can obtain the Arcane Pickaxe, one of the strongest early pickaxes in The Forge.
- XP: A chunk of experience that helps you level up quickly in the first hour of play.
- Cash: A stash of gold you can immediately put into better weapons or gear that pair well with your chosen race.
- The Guitar Finder badge: A badge marking that you’ve successfully completed the Lost Guitar quest.
Because the Unknown Key leads directly to the Arcane Pickaxe, Bard’s Guitar is one of the most valuable side quests to do as soon as you reach Stonewake’s Cross.
Common questions about Bard’s Guitar in The Forge
Why can’t I pick up Bard’s Guitar even when I’m standing on it?
The quest must be active before the guitar becomes an interactable item. Talk to Bard at the campfire near the Stonewake’s Cross spawn, accept his request, then return to the hidden cave and try again.
Is the Unknown Key required to progress the main story?
No. The Unknown Key is optional for core progression, but it unlocks the Fallen Angel’s Cave with the Arcane Pickaxe. Skipping it means missing an efficient early mining upgrade.
Can Bard’s Guitar quest be repeated for more XP or cash?
No. Once you hand the guitar back and receive your rewards, the quest is complete and cannot be redone on that character.
Handled early, Bard’s Guitar turns a short detour in Stonewake’s Cross into one of the most useful power spikes in The Forge, opening up better ore routes and faster progression long before later worlds come into play.
