You're standing in the middle of a thick, suffocating fog, and honestly, the game doesn't give you much to go on. If you’ve been playing Enshrouded, you know exactly which moment I’m talking about. The "Finding the Bard" questline is easily one of the most atmospheric yet deeply frustrating segments in Keen Games’ survival ARPG. It’s not just about combat. It’s about listening. Most players charge in, swords swinging, only to realize that the quest objective follow the melody enshrouded requires a bit more finesse than just smashing skeletons.
Let's be real. The Shroud is already annoying enough to navigate without having to play "musical hot-and-cold" with a ghostly flute.
The Bard, or Athalan Skree, is one of the essential survivors you need to wake from Cinder Halls. Getting him back to your base unlocks the ability to craft instruments, which provides some of the best rested buffs in the game. But getting to him? That’s where things get tricky. You're headed to the Kindlewastes, a biome that doesn’t play nice with low-level gear. If you aren't prepared for the heat and the high-level Vultures, you’re going to have a bad time before the music even starts.
The Frustration of the Kindlewastes Cinder Halls
The Cinder Halls are a massive, sprawling dungeon complex located in the far eastern reaches of the map. Unlike the early-game vaults where the path is basically a straight line, the Halls are designed like a vertical labyrinth. You’ll spend half your time looking for grappling hook points and the other half wondering if you missed a doorway behind a breakable wall.
The quest step follow the melody enshrouded triggers once you are deep inside the vault. Suddenly, the game stops giving you a clear waypoint. The marker on your map becomes vague. You’ll hear a faint, ethereal woodwind tune drifting through the stone corridors.
Listen closely.
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If you have your game volume turned down to listen to a podcast or Spotify, turn it off. You need the directional audio here. The melody isn't just background music; it’s a literal breadcrumb trail. It grows louder as you approach the correct doorway or staircase. If the music fades, you’ve taken a wrong turn into a dead end or a trap-filled side room.
How to Actually Follow the Melody Enshrouded Without Losing Your Mind
Most people get stuck because they expect a visual cue. There isn't one. You have to rely on your ears, which is a bold move by the developers, but it can be janky if your audio settings aren't dialed in.
- Check your Surround Sound: If you’re using stereo speakers, it’s much harder to pinpoint the source. Headphones are almost mandatory for this specific part of the quest.
- Clear the Room First: There are Hollow skeletons and traps everywhere. You can't listen to a flute if three archers are peppering you with arrows. Kill everything in the immediate vicinity before trying to track the sound.
- The "Echo" Trap: Sometimes the music reflects off the stone walls. If you think it’s coming from a wall, look up. Enshrouded loves verticality. There is almost always a hole in the ceiling or a balcony you missed.
The melody will eventually lead you to a series of pressure plates and a final gate. This isn't just about finding the Bard; it's about proving you can navigate the Shroud's mental tricks. Athalan Skree isn't just sitting in a chair waiting for you. He’s tucked away behind a sequence that requires you to be observant.
Why the Bard Matters for Your Endgame Base
You might be wondering if it's even worth the headache. It is. Once you successfully follow the melody enshrouded and summon the Bard to your base, the game's buff system changes. He allows you to craft the Lute, the Flute, and eventually the Drums.
Why care? Because playing music at your base extends your "Rested" timer. In the late-game areas like the Nomad Highlands or the Kindlewastes, having an extra 10 or 15 minutes of stamina regeneration and maximum stamina can be the difference between making it back to a flame altar or dying in the red Shroud.
Plus, the Bard provides quests that lead to the "Handheld Mortar," which is a game-changer for Alchemist builds. He’s the bridge between mid-game survival and late-game dominance.
Common Bugs and Fixes
Sometimes, the music just... stops. It’s a known issue that has popped up in various Steam community threads and the official Enshrouded Discord. If you are supposed to follow the melody enshrouded but the silence is deafening, try these steps:
- Relogging: It sounds basic, but exiting to the main menu and reloading your world often resets the audio triggers for the Cinder Halls.
- The Quest Log Check: Make sure you actually interacted with the lore note at the entrance of the Halls. If the quest hasn't officially updated to the "follow the melody" stage, the audio won't trigger.
- Volume Sliders: Go into your settings and ensure "Effects" or "Ambient" volume isn't muted. The melody is often tied to the ambient track rather than the main music slider.
Navigating the Final Stretch
Once you find the source of the music, you’ll encounter a mini-boss of sorts—usually a surge of high-level Hollows. Don’t let the music distract you from the fact that the Kindlewastes enemies hit like a truck. Bring plenty of health potions and make sure your Flame Strength is at least Level 4, ideally Level 5. If your Flame Strength is too low, the Shroud in the Cinder Halls will kill you in seconds, regardless of how well you follow the tune.
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The Bard is located in a sarcophagus at the very end of the musical trail. Interact with it, and you'll receive his Summoning Staff essence.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
Stop wandering aimlessly. To finish this quest efficiently, follow this checklist:
- Upgrade your Grappling Hook: You need the "Improved" or "Snakeskin" version. The vertical jumps in the Cinder Halls are unforgiving with the basic hook.
- Bring Fire Protection: The Kindlewastes are hot. Use armor with heat resistance or consume items that buff your endurance in high temperatures.
- Follow the Right-Hand Rule: If you get genuinely lost despite the music, use the classic dungeon-crawling tactic of keeping your right hand on the wall. It’ll eventually lead you through the loop, and you can listen for the volume spikes in the melody as you pass doors.
- Craft the Bard's Tools Immediately: As soon as you get him back to base, build the Kiln and the Carpenter's station if you haven't already. He needs specific furniture to unlock his full crafting menu, including the high-tier instruments.
Following the melody isn't just a quest objective; it's a test of whether you're paying attention to the world Keen Games built. It's easy to get distracted by loot, but in the Shroud, your ears are often more reliable than your eyes. Get to the Cinder Halls, keep your headphones on, and bring the Bard home.