This guide will show you how to complete Into the Borderlands, a main quest in Horizon Zero Dawn. Read on to learn the objectives, strategies, location, and rewards for the Into the Borderlands main quest.

Into the Borderlands Quest Information

General Info

Into the Borderlands Walkthrough

How to Complete

	Objectives
1	Meet Erend at the Palace of the Sun. Erend has secured you an audience with the Sun King. Head over to the palace in Meridian to speak to him.
2	Talk to Marad and follow him to the Sun King. Marad will receive you in Erend's stead. Speak to him and he will lead you to the Sun King and Erend.
3	Go to Pitchcliff. With news of Ersa's survival delivered, begin your investigation on her whereabouts by heading to Pitchcliff - an Oseram settlement to the north.
3.5	Death from the Skies. If this is your first time visiting Pitchcliff with the side quest Death from the Skies accepted, you'll find the settlement attacked by Glinthawks. Help kill the Machines before proceeding with the main quest.
4	Meet Marad's Operative. Marad's Operative is supposed to meet you at the market. Head over to the only merchant in Pitchcliff to trigger a cutscene.
5	Find Marad's Operative. The operative is missing. Hit R3 and use your Focus to scan for tracks. Once found, highlight them and follow the trail. The operative can be found behind one of the large smelters, next to a well.
6	Examine Marad's Operative. The operative managed to draw a map with his blood. Examine it to determine the location of Dervahl's Camp.
7	Go to Dervahl's Camp. Head north to find Dervahl's camp. The path leading up to it will be lit by torches beside a stream of water.
8	Kill the Outlanders and Machines. Machines and Outlanders will be guarding the camp. Kill them to forge a path to Dervahl's workshop.
9	Find Ersa. With the humans and machines dealt with, follow the waypoints to the entrance of Dervahl's workshop.
10	Defeat and Loot Dervahl's Champion. Dervahl's Champion will be a Human Elite equipped with a Fire Starter. Keep your distance and aim for headshots to quickly take him down.
11	Disable the Sonic Barrier. Before Erend can enter, Aloy will need to disable the Sonic trap. Flip the red switch right next to the stairway to disable the system.
12	Investigate Dervahl's Workshop. Enter Dervahl's workshop to know the fate of Ersa. Once the cutscene ends, scan Dervahl's Journal on the right side of the cell door.
13	Talk to Erend. Talk to Erend about the plot to set Meridian alight with Blaze. This triggers the final quest of the Oseram questline, The Sun Shall Fall.

Tips and Strategies

Free the Machines One at a Time

If machines are alerted to Aloy's presence while being freed, they will alert the camp and attack you, instead. Make sure to free machines one at a time if you plan to have them attack Dervahl's men.

Additionally, once detected, Erend and his men will surge in and help fight the Outlanders. Players will no longer be able to return to a stealth approach once this happens.

Team Up with Erend's Freeze Shots

During the assault on Dervahl's Camp, Erend will back up Aloy using Freeze shots. Pay attention to the cultists or machines he Freezes to exploit the elemental weakness.

Frozen opponents will be slowed and take increased damage from normal arrows. Use the Hunter Bow or Sharpshot Bow to quickly put them down.

Kill the Restrained Machines Outside the Workshop

Before making your way to the entrance of Dervahl's workshop, make sure to deal with the tied-up Ravager and Longleg just outside it.

If you do not, there is a chance they'll break free and attack you during the showdown with Dervahl's Champion.

Horizon Zero Dawn Quests

List of Main Quest Guides

Main Quest Guides

Frozen Wild Main Quest Guides