Heart of the Deadfire

Upon arrival in Neketaka, you will unlock the Heart of the Deadfire trophy. The harbormaster will approach you; respond as you wish. Berath will then interrupt, suggesting you demonstrate your abilities by concentrating on folding the edge of the In-Between (a dimensional space) to summon your accompanying spirits.

After the harbormaster and her guards flee, Aloth will wish to speak with you about his time with Benessa and other animancers, and his search for remnants of the Leaden Key, specifically one sect he is tracking.

You can change your crew via Ship Management. Dismissing your entire crew while in port will stop their payment.

Head east in Queen's Berth. Depending on your actions in the previous game, you may encounter Pallegina, though you cannot recruit her at this time.

Nearby, Rebero's Fine Fashion sells mundane clothing. To its left and up is Osa, a fishmonger selling Tahiwa Snapper (used for Razor Hot Skewers). The adjacent Hunter sells Spices.

Continue northwest towards the Shipwright and look for Levin, a dog you can adopt.

Speak to Zamar, the shipwright, who sells ships and upgrades. To see his full inventory, access the city map and click the "Supply" button. You can purchase a dhow here, for example.

Ask Zamar about client troubles, and he will mention Captain Radora's unpaid work. Offer to hunt her down to initiate the Shipwright's Plight quest.

Return to Robaro's and head north up the alley. Enter the building marked "Queen's Berth District Home" to find a poodle named Xopn'aua.

Back outside, Serafen might announce spotting a boat belonging to another ship hunter, Malnaj. Respond as you see fit.

Continue into the alley and speak with Wanika, a weapons and armour merchant. If you express interest in better gear, she will direct you to Marihi in Periki's Overlook and Uto in the Brass Citadel district.

Return to the alley entrance and head east. Bypass the Valera Estate for now and speak to Nera Bardatto at the bottom of the nearby steps.

Offer to look for her missing brother, Larro, to initiate Salt in the Wound. Nera suggests Larro might be at the tavern, the falls above the adra mill, or the southwestern bridge.

Follow Nera up the stairs, past the Bardatto Estate. Continue up more steps and follow the path south. You will find Larro Bardatto preparing for a duel against Orso Valera.

Inquire about the duel's cause. You can attempt to de-escalate the situation with Resolve (16), Bluff (5), or Might (18). Alternatively, suggest a duel to first blood to satisfy honor (Diplomacy 3).

Warning: If the duel proceeds, a scripted interaction will occur. If you intervene, you will lose VTC (Vailian Trading Company) reputation, and one combatant may die. Observe as Orso disarms Larro. You must then intervene (distract or shout) to prevent a lethal outcome. Larro will leave, muttering threats, initiating Family Pride (540 XP).

Return along the path and enter the Bardatto Estate. Find Nera at the top of the hallway. Claim your reward: 800cp, or 1000cp if you select the "I didn't do it for charity" dialogue option.

Proceed to Ezzali Bardatto's office to meet her. When she mentions the duel, ask about the families' relations. After some non-committal conversation, she will reveal knowledge of a Valera plot and ask you to discreetly question Zili Valera about it, initiating A Sinking Feeling.

Go to the Valera Estate. If it is daytime, speak to Atello Valera in his office. His son Martino has a job for you concerning the Royal Deadfire Company encroaching on pirate hunting. Sailors are at the Wild Mare; agree to speak with them to initiate A Bigger Fish.

If it is nighttime, use a stealthy character to sneak into the adjacent office and steal the Valera Captain's Report from the level 6 chest, avoiding the patrolling Valera Guard. Return in the morning to accept the A Bigger Fish sidequest.

Continue down the street to Sanza's Map Emporium.

Sanza offers interesting items. The Snakeskin Grimoire (for a Wizard with 4th-level spells) is valuable for Nannsin's Cobra Strike, which summons a powerful weapon. A Spyglass is also useful if you haven't found one.

Examining the _Pitfalls of the Deadfire..._ volumes in Sanza's inventory reveals the locations of the game's four mega bosses.

Ask Sanza about his work. He needs an explorer to chart nearby seas and islands. Offer your services to initiate Mapping the Archipelago: Port Maje.

Enter the Luminous Adra Mill next door. While there is nothing to do inside currently, the rooftop balcony contains a black labrador named Abraham.

Head south towards the waterfront to find the Vailian Trading Company Headquarters.

The VTC HQ is closed between 19:00 and 07:00. Use L2 / Rest or Wait to advance time if necessary. Speak to Aenia, standing outside.