Forge the Masterwork Weapon

Key takeaways

Keep the quest’s three-part structure in mind: discover the project, collect Sussur Tree Bark, and use the bark at the Blighted Village forge.

Start below the village Search the basement in the Blighted Village for Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints. Either discovery starts the quest’s investigation. Read more
The bark is in the Underdark The required Sussur Tree Bark is not found at the forge. Travel to the Underdark to obtain the unique material before attempting the final craft. Read more
Choose the weapon form The final craft accepts a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword and produces the matching Sussur weapon, so select the base weapon according to the intended wielder. Read more
Expect a silencing effect Each forged weapon has a +1 enchantment and can silence enemies on a successful hit. Guild Artisan characters can also gain inspiration from completing the work. Read more

Forge the Masterwork Weapon overview

Forge the Masterwork Weapon is an Act One crafting quest that starts beneath the Blighted Village and sends the party into the Underdark for a rare Sussur material.

The quest begins when the party discovers Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints in the basement beneath the Blighted Village. These documents establish the connection between the abandoned forge and the masterwork project, turning an otherwise easy-to-miss basement discovery into a practical crafting objective. The starting documents are therefore important even if the party is not ready to finish the weapon immediately.

Finding the required material

The central material is Sussur Tree Bark, which must be obtained in the Underdark. The bark is unique to this quest’s crafting process, so ordinary materials cannot substitute for it. The trip creates the quest’s main progression break: first identify the forge and its recipe, then travel below ground to secure the ingredient before returning to the Blighted Village.

Completing the forge

Back at the Blighted Village forge, light the furnace and combine it with the Sussur Bark. The flames turn blue when the special material has been incorporated, indicating that the forge is ready for the final weapon step. At that point, use a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword to produce the corresponding rare Sussur weapon.

What the finished weapon doesSpoilers

The completed Sussur weapon carries a +1 enchantment and can silence an enemy when it lands a successful hit. The quest therefore offers a choice between three weapon forms rather than a single fixed reward. Completing the work also provides inspiration for party members with the Guild Artisan background, adding a background-specific benefit to the crafting outcome.

Where this sits

Discover the projectFind Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints

Retrieve the materialObtain Sussur Tree Bark in the Underdark

Use the forgeLight the furnace and combine it with the bark

Select the weaponUse a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword

1Blighted Village basementlocationQuest start
2UnderdarklocationMaterial retrieval
●Blighted Village forgelocationCrafting completion

The quest moves from a document discovery in the Blighted Village to an Underdark material search and back to the village forge.

Requirements

The quest requires access to its starting documents, a trip to the Underdark, Sussur Tree Bark, and a common weapon of the desired type.

RequiredHighcliff’s Journal or the blueprintsFind one of these quest-starting documents in the Blighted Village basement.
RequiredAccess to the UnderdarkThe unique Sussur Tree Bark needed for the forge is located in the Underdark.
RequiredSussur Tree BarkBring the bark back to the Blighted Village forge for the special crafting step.
RequiredA common weaponUse a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword to determine which Sussur weapon is created.

Objectives

Find Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints.Search the basement beneath the Blighted Village to uncover the masterwork project.
Obtain Sussur Tree Bark.Travel to the Underdark and collect the unique material required by the forge.
Light the furnace at the Blighted Village forge.Return to the forge and activate the furnace before adding the bark.
Combine the furnace with Sussur Bark.Add the bark to the lit furnace; the flames turn blue when this stage is complete.
Forge a Sussur weapon.Use a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword to create the matching rare weapon.

WalkthroughSpoilers

01
Find Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints.
Search the Blighted Village basement
Go to the basement beneath the Blighted Village and look for Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints. Finding either document starts the quest and reveals that the nearby forge is tied to a masterwork weapon project.
Location: Blighted Village basement
TipIf you are exploring the village, search the basement before leaving the area so the forge objective is not overlooked.
02
Learn what the masterwork forge requires.
Read the project documents
Examine the journal or blueprints after finding them so the crafting objective is established. The important information is that the forge needs a distinctive material from the Underdark rather than an ordinary crafting component.
Location: Blighted Village basement
Watch outDo not expect the forge to complete a weapon before you have obtained Sussur Tree Bark.
03
Obtain Sussur Tree Bark.
Travel to the Underdark
Leave the village and reach the Underdark through whatever route your campaign has opened. The quest does not provide the required bark in the village; its unique material must be obtained in the Underdark.
Location: Underdark
TipTreat the bark as the quest’s essential material and keep it available when you return to the forge.
04
Prepare the forge for the masterwork process.
Return to the forge
Bring the Sussur Tree Bark back to the forge in the Blighted Village. Use the forge rather than attempting to apply the bark as a normal item, because the special weapon process begins by lighting the furnace.
Location: Blighted Village forge
Checkpoint
05
Turn the forge flames blue.
Light the furnace and add the bark
Light the furnace at the Blighted Village forge, then combine the furnace with the Sussur Bark. The forge flames turn blue after the bark has been incorporated, confirming that the special material has been processed.
Location: Blighted Village forge
Watch outThe blue flames mark the material-processing stage; the weapon itself still requires a suitable common weapon.
06
Provide the base weapon for the craft.
Choose a common weapon
Select a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword when the forge asks for the base weapon. The weapon type you provide determines which Sussur weapon you receive, so make the selection for the party member who will use it.
Location: Blighted Village forge
TipDecide between the Dagger, Sickle, and Greatsword before committing the common weapon, because the reward follows that choice.
07
Finish the masterwork weapon.
Collect the forged Sussur weapon
Complete the forge interaction to create the matching rare Sussur weapon. The finished weapon has a +1 enchantment and can silence an enemy when it hits successfully, while Guild Artisan party members receive inspiration for the completed work.
Location: Blighted Village forge
Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

This quest uses an ingredient-gated crafting sequence. The starting journal or blueprints identify the project, but they do not replace the need to find Sussur Tree Bark in the Underdark. Once the bark is brought to the Blighted Village forge, the furnace must be lit before the bark can be combined with it.

The final input is a common weapon, and its type controls the output: a common Dagger creates a Sussur Dagger, a common Sickle creates a Sussur Sickle, and a common Greatsword creates a Sussur Greatsword. The resulting weapon is rare, has a +1 enchantment, and can silence an enemy on a successful hit.

The quest’s background interaction is separate from the weapon selection. Completing the masterwork provides inspiration for party members with the Guild Artisan background, so the crafting outcome can matter even when the chosen weapon is not intended for the character who receives the inspiration.

What works and what does not

Strengths

The quest gives a clear material-to-crafting loop once its documents have been found: investigate the forge, retrieve Sussur Tree Bark, and return to complete the weapon.
The reward is flexible because the player chooses between a Dagger, Sickle, and Greatsword rather than receiving only one predetermined weapon.
The finished weapons combine a +1 enchantment with a silence effect on a successful hit.

Weaknesses

The quest is split between the Blighted Village and the Underdark, so it cannot be completed from the starting basement alone.
The starting documents and the required bark are in different areas, making the quest easy to pause or overlook during broader Act One exploration.
The reward is constrained by the available common weapon types; the forge does not offer an unrestricted weapon choice.

Best uses

Choose the weapon form that matches the party’s intended wielder.
Use the quest as an early source of a weapon with a silence effect when a successful hit can disrupt an enemy.
Include a Guild Artisan character if gaining inspiration from the crafting accomplishment is useful.

Completion checklist

Find Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints in the Blighted Village basement.Either document can start the quest.
Reach the Underdark.The required material is not found at the village forge.
Obtain Sussur Tree Bark.This is the unique ingredient for the masterwork process.
Return to the Blighted Village forge.The final crafting steps take place there.
Light the furnace.This must happen before the bark is combined with the forge.
Confirm that the flames turn blue.The blue flames indicate that the bark has been processed.
Bring a common Dagger, Sickle, or Greatsword.The base weapon determines the Sussur weapon produced.
Complete the craft and collect the rare Sussur weapon.The result has a +1 enchantment and a silence effect on a successful hit.
Check Guild Artisan party members for inspiration.The quest provides inspiration for this background.

Rewards and dropsSpoilers

Sussur Dagger
Created by using a common Dagger at the prepared forge.
Sussur Sickle
Created by using a common Sickle at the prepared forge.
Sussur Greatsword
Created by using a common Greatsword at the prepared forge.
+1 enchantment
The forged Sussur weapon possesses a +1 enchantment.
Silence effect
The forged weapon can silence an enemy on a successful hit.
Guild Artisan inspiration
Party members with the Guild Artisan background can receive inspiration for completing the quest.

AftermathSpoilers

The forge produces one weapon

Once the Sussur Bark has been processed, the final reward is determined by the common weapon supplied to the forge. Choose carefully between the Dagger, Sickle, and Greatsword, because the completed craft corresponds to that base weapon.

Trivia

The quest’s investigation can begin from either Highcliff’s Journal or the blueprints in the Blighted Village basement.
The forge flames turning blue is the visible sign that Sussur Bark has been combined with the furnace.
The reward’s silence effect is tied to successful hits from the forged Sussur weapon.
The quest recognizes the Guild Artisan background with inspiration when the masterwork is completed.

Sources

bg3.wiki — bg3.wiki

Relationships

Locations

Blighted VillageStarts and ends atThe basement contains the quest-starting documents, and the village forge is used to create the weapon.
UnderdarkMaterial locationSussur Tree Bark, the unique crafting material, is obtained in the Underdark.

Backgrounds

Guild ArtisanInspiration interactionParty members with the Guild Artisan background can receive inspiration from completing the masterwork.