Investigate the Masterwork Weapon

Key takeaways

The quest is a short chain of investigation, material gathering, and crafting.

• Start in the Blighted Village Search the basement of a house in the Blighted Village for Highcliff's Journal or the blueprints. Starting the quest
• The rare ingredient is in the Underdark Sussur Tree Bark is found on the Sussur Tree, whose approach is guarded by enemies such as Hook Horrors. Finding the bark
• Bring a compatible weapon The forge accepts a common white dagger, sickle, or greatsword as the weapon base. Choosing a weapon
• The reward disables spellcasting The finished Sussur weapon can silence enemies on hit, stopping them from casting spells. Sussur weapon effect

Overview

Investigate the Masterwork Weapon is an Act One side quest about completing an unfinished magical forging process in the Blighted Village.

The quest begins when you find Highcliff's Journal or the blueprints in the basement of a house in the Blighted Village. These documents establish that an unusual weapon can be forged, but they do not provide every material needed to finish the work. The basement is therefore the starting point for the objective rather than the final destination.

The missing ingredient is Sussur Tree Bark, a unique material found in the Underdark. The Sussur Tree is guarded by enemies including Hook Horrors, so obtaining the bark requires more than simply following the crafting instructions. Prepare for a hostile expedition before leaving the Blighted Village, and keep the material available after you collect it.

Return to the forge in the Blighted Village with the bark and a common, white dagger, sickle, or greatsword. Applying the bark to the forge fire turns the flames blue and enables the final enchantment. The completed Sussur weapon is rare and can silence enemies when it hits them, preventing those enemies from casting spells.

Where this sits

Requirements

You need to uncover the forging instructions, reach the Sussur Tree in the Underdark, and carry a compatible common weapon back to the Blighted Village forge.

• RequiredHighcliff's Journal or the blueprintsLocate either document in the basement of a house in the Blighted Village to uncover the quest's forging instructions.
• RequiredAccess to the UnderdarkThe required Sussur Tree Bark is not in the Blighted Village; it must be obtained from the Underdark.
• RequiredSussur Tree BarkCollect the unique ingredient from the Sussur Tree before attempting the final crafting step.
• RequiredA common white weaponBring a dagger, sickle, or greatsword of common white rarity to use as the weapon base.

Objectives

1. Find Highcliff's Journal or the blueprintsSearch the basement of a house in the Blighted Village for either set of instructions.
2. Travel to the UnderdarkReach the underground region where the Sussur Tree grows.
3. Obtain Sussur Tree BarkCollect the unique bark from the Sussur Tree while dealing with its guarding enemies.
4. Return to the Blighted Village forgeBring the bark and a common dagger, sickle, or greatsword to the forge.
5. Forge the Sussur weaponUse the bark on the forge fire, then complete the enchantment with the compatible weapon base.

Walkthrough

1. 01

   Find the forging instructions

   Search the basement in the Blighted Village

   Enter the basement of a house in the Blighted Village and search for Highcliff's Journal or the blueprints. Either document provides the lead for the unfinished masterwork rather than requiring both documents.

   Location: Blighted Village basement

   TipInspect containers and readable objects carefully; the quest can begin through either document.

2. 02

   Learn what the forge requires

   Read the instructions and identify the missing material

   Examine the journal or blueprints to learn that the weapon cannot be completed with ordinary forge materials. The next task is to obtain Sussur Tree Bark from the Underdark.

   Location: Blighted Village basement

   Watch outDo not return to the forge expecting to finish the weapon before collecting the bark.

3. 03

   Bring a valid weapon to the forge

   Prepare a compatible weapon base

   Before or during the trip, acquire a common white dagger, sickle, or greatsword. The weapon must match one of these categories because the forging step uses the item as the base for the Sussur weapon.

   Location: Blighted Village and surrounding Act One areas

   TipKeep the weapon in your inventory rather than selling or discarding it before returning.

4. 04

   Find the Sussur Tree

   Reach the Underdark

   Travel from the surface region into the Underdark using a route available to your party. Once underground, look for the Sussur Tree rather than treating the first Underdark location you reach as the quest destination.

   Location: Underdark

   Watch outThe source material does not identify a single required entrance, so the exact route depends on how your party reaches the Underdark.

5. 05

   Secure the tree area

   Approach the Sussur Tree carefully

   The Sussur Tree is guarded by enemies such as Hook Horrors. Scout the area before committing to the fight, because the enemies can make collecting the bark unsafe if approached without a plan.

   Location: Sussur Tree, Underdark

   TipUse the terrain and your party's preferred combat range to avoid being surrounded while moving toward the tree.

6. 06

   Obtain Sussur Tree Bark

   Collect Sussur Tree Bark

   After reaching the Sussur Tree, obtain the unique Sussur Tree Bark needed for the forge. Confirm that the ingredient is in the party inventory before leaving the Underdark.

   Location: Sussur Tree, Underdark

   Watch outThe quest cannot be completed with a substitute material; the required ingredient is specifically Sussur Tree Bark.

7. 07

   Reach the masterwork forge

   Return to the Blighted Village

   Take the bark and the common weapon base back to the Blighted Village. The final crafting interaction takes place at the forge associated with the masterwork instructions.

   Location: Blighted Village

   Checkpoint
8. 08

   Activate the special forge fire

   Place the bark in the forge fire

   Use Sussur Tree Bark on the forge fire. The flames turn blue when the material has been applied correctly, signalling that the forge is ready for the finishing step.

   Location: Blighted Village forge

   TipIf the fire does not change, check that you selected the bark rather than the weapon base first.

9. 09

   Forge the Sussur weapon

   Complete the enchantment

   With the blue forge fire active, combine it with the common white dagger, sickle, or greatsword. The process converts the selected weapon into a rare Sussur weapon.

   Location: Blighted Village forge

   Watch outThe compatible weapon is the base item for the reward, so choose the dagger, sickle, or greatsword you actually want transformed.

10. 10

    Use the completed reward

    Test the completed weapon

    Equip the resulting Sussur weapon and use it against an enemy when appropriate. Its defining effect is the ability to silence enemies on hit, preventing them from casting spells.

    Location: Blighted Village forge and later encounters

Mission mechanics

This quest combines environmental investigation with a fixed crafting sequence. The journal or blueprints provide the lead, Sussur Tree Bark supplies the unusual material, and the forge in the Blighted Village performs the transformation. The order matters in practical terms: the bark must be collected from the Underdark before the forge can be prepared.

The forge interaction has a visible confirmation state. Applying the bark changes the flames to blue, after which a common white dagger, sickle, or greatsword can be used to complete the enchantment. The result is not a general upgrade for any item; the source material identifies these three weapon categories as the valid bases.

The finished weapon's utility is situational rather than purely offensive. A hit can silence an enemy, which prevents spellcasting and makes the weapon particularly relevant when a target's threat comes from magical abilities. Exact attack bonuses, damage values, duration, and other numerical properties are not included in the supplied facts and should not be inferred here.

What works and what does not

Encounters on the route

1. 1

   Sussur Tree approach

   Starts: Approaching the Sussur Tree in the Underdark

   The tree is guarded by enemies such as Hook Horrors, so the material objective is tied to a hostile area.

   • Hook Horror assaultTell The guarding enemies are encountered around the Sussur Tree.Answer Scout the area and use the party's preferred positioning before attempting to collect the bark.
   • Secure a safe approach before interacting with the tree.
   • Do not assume the ingredient can be collected without dealing with the nearby threat.

Completion checklist

• Locate Highcliff's Journal or the blueprints in the Blighted Village basementEither document can provide the starting lead.
• Reach the Sussur Tree in the UnderdarkThe tree is the source of the required bark.
• Collect Sussur Tree BarkThis is the unique ingredient for the forge.
• Carry a common white dagger, sickle, or greatswordThe weapon becomes the Sussur weapon base.
• Return to the Blighted Village forgeThe final crafting step occurs here.
• Apply the bark to the forge fireThe flames should turn blue.
• Complete the enchantment with the compatible weaponThe result is a rare Sussur weapon.
• Confirm the silence effect in combatThe weapon can prevent enemies from casting spells when it hits them.Optional

Failure conditions

• Attempting the forge without Sussur Tree BarkThe special enchantment requires the unique bark from the Sussur Tree; an ordinary ingredient cannot replace it.
• Bringing an incompatible weaponThe documented weapon bases are a common white dagger, sickle, or greatsword. Other weapon categories are not supported by the supplied quest instructions.
• Leaving the Sussur Tree area unsecuredHook Horrors and other guarding enemies can threaten the party while the bark is being collected.

Rewards and drops

• Sussur weapon
  A rare weapon forged by combining Sussur Tree Bark with a common white dagger, sickle, or greatsword.
• Silence on hit
  The completed weapon can silence enemies when it hits them, preventing those enemies from casting spells.

Aftermath

Trivia

• The quest can be initiated through either Highcliff's Journal or the blueprints found in the Blighted Village basement.
• The forge fire visibly changes to blue after Sussur Tree Bark is applied.
• The weapon base is not unrestricted: the documented choices are a common dagger, sickle, or greatsword.
• The reward's defining utility is silence on hit rather than a passive effect that universally prevents all enemy actions.

Sources

• Quest walkthrough reference — youtube.com
• Investigate the Masterwork Weapon reference — bg3.wiki
• Masterwork weapon guide reference — gamespot.com

Relationships