Windrose The Bitter Pill Guide: Exposing The Arnaud Conspiracy
Political backstabbing is annoying enough without having to fight a pirate boss just to read someone's mail.
Some side quests are simple fetch errands. Then there is The Bitter Pill. This is a multi-step investigation that pulls you deep into the inner circle of the Governor and forces you to confront a fairly massive conspiracy. It is highly recommended that you are at least level 9 before taking this on. You can try it earlier if you are stubborn, but do not blame me when the naval combat sends you straight to the bottom of the ocean.
I actually recommend running this quest parallel to the 'Revenge is Best Served Cold' main story mission. They overlap significantly in the beginning, and knocking them both out in the same trip saves you a lot of pointless sailing.
Kicking Off The Investigation
You cannot even start this mess until you finish the main story quest called 'I Need a Bigger Boat'. Once you have that checked off your list, you need to track down Doctor Galen. When you speak to him, look for the specific dialogue prompt asking "Is something troubling you, Doctor?"
Galen suspects there is a rat in the Governor's circle. He points you toward Richards' Camp, which kicks off the actual legwork.
Breaching Richards' Camp
Your first major hurdle is gaining access to the camp itself. You cannot just knock on the front gates. You need to collect four Black Marks.
These are hidden inside chests scattered across the Coastal Jungle, which is located southwest of Galen. Follow your quest markers to pinpoint each chest. The real frustration here is not the jungle itself, but the sail over. Blackbeard Gunboats are aggressively patrolling the waters blocking your path. If your ship is currently under-equipped, I feel your pain. Try to kite them one by one rather than sailing straight into a crossfire.
Once you secure all four Black Marks, sail further southwest to the hideout. Interact with the main entrance and select "Show Black Marks" to get inside.
The Thomas Richards Boss Fight
Listen to me very carefully here. Do not sprint through the interior doors of the camp. The absolute second you open those doors, you are thrown into a boss fight with Thomas Richards.
I have watched plenty of people get put six feet under immediately because they forgot to heal or check their ammo before pushing that door open. Get your consumables sorted. Richards hits hard, but his attack patterns are predictable once you survive the initial ambush.
After you clear the room, start tearing through the chests past his location. You are looking for a specific item called Francois Arnaud's Letter. It is addressed directly to Blackbeard. Grab the letter and fast-travel back to Doctor Galen.
Digging Up The Gunpowder
Galen is terrified by what the letter implies, but he is a man of science. He needs hard proof before he starts throwing accusations at powerful people. He tasks you with finding the physical gunpowder shipments mentioned in the text.
You need to head to the Blackbeard Ruins Excavation Site. This area is situated even further southwest of Richards' Camp. Once you arrive, push through to the northwest corner of the ruins. You will spot a large steel cage. Right next to it are the Gunpowder Crates you are looking for.
Inspect them. You will find the Arnaud Trading Company insignia stamped right on the wood. That is the smoking gun.
While you are poking around the excavation site, make sure you look for three ancient chests hidden in the immediate area. They are not part of the quest, but passing up free loot in a survival game is a terrible habit.
The Confrontation On Tortuga
With the evidence secured, report back to Galen. He tells you it is time to confront Francois Arnaud face to face.
Set a course for the port of Tortuga, which is located southeast of the excavation site. When you step off the docks, take a right at the very first intersection. Francois is standing right there.
When you show him the evidence, the tough facade drops. Francois admits he is working with Blackbeard, but only because the pirate lord kidnapped his son, Jacques. Edward Teach is using the boy as leverage. Francois promises to cooperate and give you everything you need, but only if you rescue his son first.
If you are burnt out on heavy combat and just want to relax before the upcoming naval battle, taking a detour with my Windrose Fishing Guide is a great way to kill some time and stock up on food buffs. Or, if you need a reliable distraction during fights, my Windrose Boar Companion Whistle Guide will help you secure an aggressive little buddy.
Boarding The Grim Reaper
You need to track down a pirate ship called the Grim Reaper. It is prowling the waters near Tortuga. The problem is that it is flanked by two Blackbeard Raider escort ships.
Do not try to board immediately. You need to engage in naval combat and whittle the Grim Reaper's health down to the boarding threshold. Focus your fire on the escorts first if they are chewing through your hull, or just isolate the main target and brace for impact.
Once the Grim Reaper is crippled, initiate the boarding sequence. Clear the upper deck and head down into the lower bowels of the ship to find Jacques Arnaud.
The Truth About Jacques
This is where the story takes a sharp turn. Jacques is not a hostage.
When you find him, he openly admits that he staged his own kidnapping. He wanted to earn Blackbeard's favor and completely destroy his father's reputation in the process. Your sudden arrival actually ruined his entire scheme.
During the conversation, Jacques succumbs to injuries he sustained during the naval battle. You cannot save him. Do not waste time trying to reload your save to pick different dialogue options. His fate is hardcoded into the quest.
Wrapping Up And Collecting Your Pay
Sail back to Tortuga and find Francois at the port. You have a choice to make here. You can tell him the brutal truth about his son being a traitor, or you can lie and simply say he died in captivity.
Honestly, your choice here does not change the mechanical outcome of the quest or your payout. I usually tell him the truth, but handle it however you see fit.
Walk into the tavern directly across from Francois to meet Doctor Galen one last time. Handing in the final report nets you:
100 XP
300 Silver Coins
15 Gold Coins
Decoration: Books and Scrolls III
The experience bump and the gold make this whole ordeal highly worth your time. If you are pushing toward the endgame and need to start maximizing your gear stats next, I highly recommend checking out my Windrose Enchanting Guide: Tainted Bile Quagmire to get ahead of the curve.
Now go spend that silver on something useful. You earned it.
