Defeat Dervahl in Horizon Zero Dawn

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Alright, let's wrap up this Dervahl situation. First things first, fast travel to the Campfire in Meridian and head north to the Royal Palace. You're looking for Avad, and when you talk to him, the name Aelund Forgeman will pop up, giving you your next lead. Before you chase that down, though, Marad's gonna make a pretty awkward request of Erend, and you'll get to make a quick, inconsequential choice with Avad.

Once all that's settled, it's time to head south to a warehouse. It's pretty close to the Hunters Lodge on the southwestern edge of Meridian. As you get close, Erend's going to try some Oseram-style subtlety, but someone inside stops him. Go up to the entrance and check out the Blaze (that green goo on the ground) and the bomb. Then, head upstairs and let Erend and Aloy have their chat. After that, examine the double doors near the barrels of Blaze, and then the barrels themselves. Aloy will open the doors, and then she and Erend will have to use a bit of brute force to sort things out.

So, you think you've saved the day, right? Erend certainly does, but Aloy, ever the cautious one, isn't so sure. Erend heads back to the palace just in case, while Aloy decides to do some more digging around the warehouse. Use your Focus to scan to the northeast – you'll find some tracks. Follow them to a house on the northwestern edge of the city. Head downstairs and you'll find a breach in the wall. Go through it and follow the walkway north. You'll spot some Oseram mercenaries, led by Dervahl himself.

Walkthrough

1
Take out the Oseram Mercenaries: Jump onto the ledge nearby and climb down. Head east, then up a series of hand-holds to reach the bridge Dervahl was crossing. Once you're on the bridge, turn north. Use your Focus to scan and tag the two Oseram Mercenaries. Your Sharpshot Bow is perfect for taking them down from a distance.
2
Reach the Palace Grounds: After the mercenaries are dealt with, enter the circular room they were in and go up the stairs. Follow the linear path ahead until you reach the palace grounds.
3
Destroy the Sonic Device: You'll find Dervahl giving a speech to Avad, who's been incapacitated by Dervahl's sonic device. It's unclear if Avad can even hear him! When Dervahl's bomb doesn't do what he expected, he'll run off. This is your chance to destroy the Sonic Device.
4
Confront Dervahl: After destroying the device, head through the nearby gate to confront Dervahl. He'll have some choice words for you before the fight begins.

Dervahl Boss Fight:

Dervahl is armed with a Firespitter and has a decent amount of health, but he's not insurmountable. If you have the Oseram Arrow Breaker Heavy armor, equip it. Use a few Triple Shots to take him down.
He'll be joined by two Mercenary Warriors with bows. You can largely ignore them until Dervahl is down, then dispatch them as you see fit.
Once Dervahl is defeated, he'll try a new tactic. He'll use a signal device to call in Glinthawks. If you have the Banuk Ice Hunter Heavy armor, switch to it. Use a combination of Fire Arrows and impact damage to take down the Glinthawks. There will be two in the first group, and then four in the second.

Tips

After the fight, Erend will show some restraint. You'll have three objectives: talk to Dervahl (optional, and honestly, not really worth your time), Avad, and Erend.
Avad will make a rather unusual proposal, but Aloy has too much going on to consider taking Ersa's place.

6,000 XP +1 Skill Point

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