You're running around the Valley, minding your own business, and suddenly the game asks you to find a Dreamlight Valley curious villager. It sounds simple. It’s actually annoying.
If you’ve hit the "The Great Blizzard" quest or you're trying to wrap up Olaf’s friendship track, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The game doesn't give you a waypoint. It doesn't put a glowing icon over someone's head. It just expects you to know who’s been acting weird lately. Honestly, in a village where a literal skeleton lives next to a giant blue genie, "curious" is a pretty high bar to clear.
But there is a specific answer.
The Dreamlight Valley curious villager you are looking for is almost always Olaf. Or, depending on where you are in the story, it might be someone who saw something they shouldn't have. Usually, this refers to the "The Great Blizzard" questline where you’re trying to restore the Frosted Heights.
Why the Game Calls Them a Curious Villager
Disney Dreamlight Valley loves to use vague descriptions to make you feel like a detective. It’s a design choice. Sometimes it works; sometimes it just leads to everyone googling the answer five minutes later because they don't want to talk to twenty different characters.
During the blizzard quest, the "curious" tag is a narrative hint. You are looking for someone who has information about the strange happenings in the Frosted Heights. You need to talk to Merlin.
Wait, why Merlin?
Because he’s the one who actually understands the ley lines and the magical "oddities" of the Valley. If the quest prompt tells you to find a villager who might know about the blizzard, Merlin is your guy. He's the resident expert on everything that goes "thump" in the night. However, if you are specifically looking for the person who was near the secret door or the person who seems out of place, the game is nudging you toward the snowman himself.
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The Olaf Connection
Most players get stuck on this during the introduction of Olaf. You find a note, or you see a shadow, and the quest log updates. It tells you to find a curious villager.
Here’s the breakdown of what’s actually happening:
- The Blizzard Starts: You head into the Frosted Heights and realize you can't see anything.
- The Quest Update: The game tells you to find a villager who might have clues.
- The Interaction: You talk to Merlin. He tells you about a secret room.
- The Discovery: You find Olaf inside that room, but he’s missing his nose and buttons.
The term "curious" here is double-edged. It refers to the villager's personality—someone inquisitive—but also to the "curious" circumstances of their disappearance or behavior. It’s a bit of a wordplay that the developers, Gameloft, use frequently.
Dealing with Other "Curious" Quests
It’s not just Olaf. Occasionally, Daily Dreamlight Duties or Star Path missions will use similar phrasing. They might ask you to give a gift to a "smart" villager or a "grumpy" one.
When the game says "curious," and it isn't related to the main blizzard story, it usually points to the seekers. Characters like Belle or Wall-E often fit this personality profile in the game’s internal tagging system. But for 90% of players, this search is strictly about the main story progression in the Frosted Heights.
Don't overthink it. If the quest tracker isn't helping, look at your map. If Merlin has a purple quest icon, he is the "curious" expert you need. If you’ve already talked to him and you’re looking for someone else, check the secret cave behind the waterfall area in the Heights.
The Ghostly Figures
During this specific questline, you’ll also see "curious" shadows. These aren't villagers you can talk to in the traditional sense. They are memories.
To interact with them, you’ll need the Dreamlight Lens or a specific quest item provided by Merlin. I’ve seen people spend thirty minutes chasing these shadows around the blizzard, trying to "talk" to them. You can't. You have to follow the footprints. The footprints lead to the cliffside, which leads to the door, which leads to... you guessed it, the actual Dreamlight Valley curious villager (Olaf).
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Troubleshooting the Quest Bug
Sometimes, the "curious villager" won't talk to you. This is a known issue.
If you are standing in front of Merlin or Olaf and the prompt won't trigger, it’s usually because of a tracking error. The game thinks you haven't "discovered" the trigger point yet. Walk back out of the cave or away from the blizzard area until the music changes, then walk back in.
Also, check your inventory. If your pockets are full, some quest-specific dialogues won't trigger because the NPC is supposed to give you an item (like a button or a book). Clear some space. Eat a berry.
Does it Change Based on Friendship Level?
No. The identity of the Dreamlight Valley curious villager in the blizzard quest is fixed. It doesn't matter if you have a Level 10 friendship with everyone or if you just started. The story beat remains the same.
What does change is how easy they are to find. If you have moved Merlin’s house to the far corner of the Forgotten Lands, you’re going to have a long walk. I always recommend keeping Merlin near the Plaza until you’ve finished the main "Pillars" story arcs. It saves a massive amount of back-and-forth travel time.
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Actionable Steps to Finish the Quest
If you are currently staring at your screen wondering what to do next, follow this exact sequence:
- Check the Frosted Heights: Go to the very back of the biome, near the river's source. Look for a stone wall that looks slightly "off."
- Talk to Merlin: If you haven't already, go find the wizard. He is almost always wandering near the Library or his own house.
- Investigate the Cave: Once Merlin gives you the go-ahead, enter the secret room in the Frosted Heights.
- Talk to Olaf: He is the "curious" one you've been looking for. He will ask you to find his missing parts.
- Find the Squirrels: You’ll need to chase down some dark, smoky squirrels in the Frosted Heights to get Olaf’s buttons back. They are fast. Don't try to sneak; just run at them.
- Use the Crafting Station: You will eventually need to craft or repair items to finish the "Curious Villager" arc. Make sure you have some Iron Ingots and Glass stashed away. You'll need them.
Once Olaf is fully assembled and back in the Valley, the "curious" phase of the quest ends. You’ll then transition into more standard friendship tasks, like picking flowers or cooking meals.
The trick to Dreamlight Valley is recognizing that the game uses these descriptors to flavor the world. A "curious" villager isn't just an NPC; they are a plot point. By identifying Merlin as your guide and Olaf as your objective, you can stop wandering aimlessly through the snow and actually get back to decorating your house.
Make sure you have your camera ready when you finally find him. The cutscene where the blizzard clears is one of the better visual moments in the game, and it permanently changes the look of the Frosted Heights, making it much easier to navigate for future resource gathering.
No more squinting through the whiteout. Just a clear view of the ice and a very talkative snowman.