Destiny 2‘s Season of Plunder is all about digging up gold, treasure, and riches, and the Cryptic Quatrains quest line takes that to the max. The three-part mission is full of riddles and the prospect of riches and buried treasure, with each quest leading players on a scavenger hunt throughout the playable destinations.
Cryptic Quatrains III is the big payoff to the quest line, and the most elusive of the bunch. Some of its clues can make you scratch your head to fathom exactly what the stream that joins its mother is, or where the vessel that points to the sea is located. Cryptic Quatrains III also comes with slightly more annoying requirements to complete—like finishing Exodus Crash without dying—though it comes with a big payoff in the form of treasure and the Charge of Light sparrow. Here’s what you need to complete it.
How to complete Cryptic Quatrains III in Destiny 2
Step one: Head to The Quarry
- Still not dead, as I dreamed: Points towards the European Dead Zone.
- Me treasure not sunken, not lost in the deep?: Sunken Isles, on the northern part of the map. “Lost” indicates it’s a Lost Sector.
- They’d caught not their quarry, I would be redeemed: The Quarry Lost Sector on Sunken Isles.
- And bury me knife in their chests while they sleep: The chest at the end of the Lost Sector.
For this one, you’ll have to go to the Quarry Lost Sector on the Sunken Isles. Loot the chest at the end of the Lost Sector to obtain the next clue.
Step two: Exodus Crash, minus the crashing
- I waded ashore after crashin’ their ship
- Me takin’ their treasure they’d never forgive
- Me exodus doubtless curled many a lip: The Exodus Crash strike in Nessus
- I’d make them forget I had one life to live: Complete the Strike flawlessly
For this step, you need to complete the Exodus Crash Strike in Nessus without dying. You can launch the Exodus Crash Strike directly from the Nessus node in your map, and it counts even if you join a Strike that’s in progress.
Step three: Ketchcrash, with a catch
- They cursed as their catch crashed away through the trees: Complete a Ketchcrash activity
- I moved as if lightnin’ did arc through me bones: Use an Arc subclass
- I felt like the maker had answered my pleas
- While handy with cannons, they left ’em back home: Equip a hand cannon
For this step, you’ll need to finish a Ketchcrash mission using both an Arc subclass and a hand cannon. You can finish either the Master or regular version of it, though keep in mind the Master version locks your equipment. You’ll get the next riddle as soon as you complete the activity and fulfill the requirements.
Step four: Use the Crude Ciphers and the Captain’s Atlas
- Alone with me atlas and treasure at last: Use the Captain’s Atlas
- I use me crude dagger to cut out a code
- This cipher I’ll place where it’s held safe and fast
- Two beacons will guide you if treasure you’re owed: Use the Crude Ciphers you’ve obtained from Cryptic Quatrains I and II
To solve this riddle, you’ll need to open up the Captain’s Atlas and slot in the Crude Ciphers from Cryptic Quatrains. This will open up a secret compartment and provide you with another clue, which involves organizing three ciphers from three Eliksni Ciphers. Hover over each of them to know their meaning, then slot them in the correct order:
- I crept out at dusk, left me treasure behind: The House of Dusk glyph goes on the left
- And found me old crew and the captain as well
- I’m light with a blade and me right hand’s unkind: The House of Light sigil goes on the right
- They’ll find their salvation dead-center in hell: The House Salvation symbol goes in the middle
Doing so will open up another hint, this time leading you to the Cosmodrome.
Step seven: Forgotten Shore in the Cosmodrome
- The cosmo had set me ashore, I was free: A shore in the Cosmodrome
- Forgotten at last, me heart empty of hate: The Cosmodrome’s Forgotten Shore
- On the deck of the vessel that pointed to sea: A ship that beached towards the shore
- I leaned on the mast and awaited me fate
The beached ship in question is the one leading to the Veles Labyrinth Lost Sector. Head to the Forgotten Shore on the east side of the Cosmodrome, then look for the ship with the Lost Sector icon on it. Head towards the mast and spot the treasure to unlock the final clue.
Final step and treasure location
The final riddle is easily the most cryptic step in all of the Cryptic Quatrains quests.
- I took all I had, placed it safe in a cave: One of the many caves in the Cosmodrome
- Where stream joins its mother by pillars of three: A river that flows into another in the Cosmodrome
- It’s yours if you like, for you’re clever and brave
- You may find me treasure… but never find me
The stream in question is the elusive stream that flows from the Steppes into the Forgotten Shore, where it joins another river. The easiest way to get there is just by landing on The Steppes and following the path that leads to the Forgotten Shore, which will lead you straight into where the stream joins its mother by pillars of three—a reference to the three pillars that stand in front of the entrance to the cave.
If you’ve been going from the Steppes, you’ll find the three pillars shortly after entering the Forgotten Shore. If you’ve done an Expedition in the Cosmodrome, you’ll also notice this is the area with the second Mining Lander, which may help direct you.
After you’ve found the cave, hop inside and dig the treasure to unlock the Charge of Light sparrow, as well as a few seasonal drops for your trouble. This is the end of the Cryptic Quatrains quest line, so there doesn’t seem to be another Exotic outside of Delicate Tomb and Touch of Malice.
