The current Early Access route runs from the opening Lost Caverns and Earlwood Village into Wildwood, through the goblin storyline and Goblin King, then across the Throne Path and Forest Path to Forest King Aelwynor. This walkthrough organizes the named progression signals and the optional systems that can distract from them.

Official Early Access structure plus dated third-party walkthrough observations reviewed September 16, 2026. Named route signals are attributed to their sources and can change during Early Access.

Dimraeth flooded ruins with twisting roots, blue crystals and a large golden statue.
Flooded ruins from the Steam screenshot gallery; scenery rather than a labeled navigation map. View full image ↗
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The current story spine

Steam confirms the Early Access adventure loop: explore Mirkea, complete quests, recruit allies, gather resources and return home to craft, cook and improve the stronghold. The route details below add the named Wildwood transitions reported by dated third-party Early Access guides.

[1][2][3]
Story stageProgression signal or destination
OpeningThe Lost Caverns → Earlwood Village → Wildwood Forest.
Wildwood entrySearch for the Northern Crossing helps solve the Lost Child approach.
Goblin chainFind the Goblin Hideout changes to Clear the Raid once the hideout has been reached.
Goblin finaleHoard King’s Fall leads to collecting Tamsin’s explosive, then the Goblin King.
Throne routeOpening the Throne Path tracks Clear the Way, Keys of Bark and Stone, and Light the Wayfinder Line.
Final Wildwood pushCrown of Thorns leads to Unlock the Door and Confront the Forest King, followed by Forest Path.
Current story endpointForest King Aelwynor; afterward the emphasis shifts to Deeds, companions, Sanctum, relationships and build work.
[2][3][4][5]

Start in the Lost Caverns, Earlwood and Wildwood

  1. Follow the opening objectives from The Lost Caverns to Earlwood Village, then use the official story markers to enter Wildwood Forest.
  2. Treat Earlwood as a preparation and quest hub: restock, use available facilities and finish a nearby task when it solves a clear progression or resource problem.
  3. Once Wildwood opens, track the named story transition rather than trying to clear every event, bounty or NPC request on the map.
[6][1][2]

The official material describes a loop of adventure, return-home preparation and stronger facilities, but it does not publish a complete opening quest transcript. The exact Wildwood signals in this page come from the dated route guide and should be read alongside the in-game tracker.

[1][3]

Use Northern Crossing to reach the Lost Child

The third-party Wildwood guide reports that Find the Lost Child of the Forest can look close on the map while the surrounding terrain blocks a direct approach. Search for the Northern Crossing is the useful navigation clue: it provides the route into the enclosed section.

[3]
  1. If the Lost Child marker is nearby but walls, ridges or closed terrain keep turning you away, stop searching for an extra combat trigger.
  2. Follow the approach indicated by Northern Crossing and enter the enclosed area from that side.
  3. Speak to the Lost Boy and complete the local interaction, then return to the wider forest objectives.
[3]

This is a route observation from a third-party Early Access guide, not a coordinate map or an official universal path. Terrain and objective wording may change.

[3]

Separate story objectives from useful detours

ActivityHow to treat it while the story is moving
Main questFollow the named objective when it controls access to the next region or story transition.
Side quest or NPC requestDo it when it provides a useful relationship, facility, recipe or reward; it is not automatically a story prerequisite.
Dynamic eventUse it for XP, materials or a build breakpoint when the detour has a clear purpose.
Bounty or DeedUse it for a targeted material, repeat encounter or power check; it does not replace an unresolved story gate.
[2][3][7]

The practical test is simple: if the quest log is busy but a named story objective is available, follow that objective until the route changes. If ordinary enemies are draining healing, change the build or preparation; if only the destination is unclear, more farming will not solve the navigation problem.

[3][2][7]

Find the Goblin Hideout and read the state change

Find the Goblin Hideout is a navigation step inside Wildwood. The route guide points to Wildwood Center and warns that the Wildwood Caverns turn can look like the right entrance. The important confirmation is the quest state: when the objective changes to Clear the Raid, the hideout has already been found.

[3]
  • Use the Wildwood Center approach instead of assuming the nearest cave marker is the entrance.
  • Treat Wildwood Caverns as a possible false lead when the terrain keeps sending you back.
  • Once the tracker reads Clear the Raid, stop retracing the search route and complete the raid stage.
  • Continue the goblin chain toward the explosives objective and the Goblin King.
[3][4]

Finish the goblin chain, then return to the forest route

Hoard King’s Fall is the clearest signal that the Goblin King encounter is close. The dated boss guide reports the next objective as collecting Tamsin’s explosive from the camp. After the fight, return to Corin; the campaign continues deeper into Wildwood.

[4]

The Goblin King is a regional transition, not the end of the current Early Access story. Deeds and Bounties may become available around this point, but the next mandatory direction remains the forest progression.

[4][2]

Open the Throne Path with three named requirements

Opening the Throne Path is easier to diagnose because its tracker names three requirements rather than asking for general map completion: Clear the Way, Keys of Bark and Stone, and Light the Wayfinder Line. Focus on whichever of those remains incomplete.

[3]
  1. Read the three objective names in the tracker and identify the unresolved one.
  2. Follow that objective’s route and finish its interaction or combat step before clearing unrelated Wildwood icons.
  3. If all three appear complete but the route has not advanced, revisit the corresponding quest handoff instead of assuming another level or bounty is required.
[3]

The captured route source gives the objective names and progression role, but not a coordinate-by-coordinate map or a complete UI transcript for every handoff.

[3]

Crown of Thorns, Forest Path and the Forest King

After the Throne Path requirements, Crown of Thorns marks the final Wildwood push. The reported immediate objective is Unlock the Door — Unlock the path to the Forest King, followed by Confront the Forest King. Forest Path is the sustained approach to Aelwynor rather than another optional map-clearing phase.

[3][5]
  1. Complete the Crown of Thorns requirements and confirm that the objective points to the Forest King.
  2. Return to the Sanctum once for a deliberate reset: restore healing, check Nourishment, make affordable upgrades and clear unnecessary inventory weight.
  3. Use the Forest Path as a readiness test. If ordinary enemies consume most of the available healing before the arena, address the build or return to prepare again.
  4. Enter the Forest King encounter when the route is solved and use the boss-specific preparation and combat guidance on the Boss Guide page.
[3][5][1][8]

The Brawler Agility 20 observation in the captured guide belongs to that author’s build and is not a universal level or attribute requirement.

[3][5]

What to do after Forest King

The Forest King guide reports that defeating Aelwynor ends the current linear Early Access story route. The character can continue with side quests, NPC relationships, Sanctum improvements, build refinement, companion development and repeatable Deeds. There is no need to search Wildwood for another hidden mandatory marker in that current route.

[5][2]
  • Use Deeds and Bounties for repeat encounters or targeted boss materials.
  • Improve the Sanctum and recruited allies when a facility solves a real supply or progression problem.
  • Level or change a pet when its ability supports the build’s next weakness.
  • Return to unfinished relationship and side-quest content after the linear route no longer dictates one destination.
[2][7][9]

When a focused route page is more useful

TopicWhy it deserves a focused answer
Goblin HideoutThe main failure is route direction and the Find the Goblin Hideout → Clear the Raid state change.
Goblin KingUnlock cue, arena pressure, attack windows, adds and the Corin handoff need more combat detail.
Forest KingPoison, floor hazards, the Fey add, recovery decisions and final rewards are encounter-specific.
Deeds and BountiesRepeatable levels and material farming belong after the main route, rather than inside every story step.
[3][4][5][7]

This page keeps those topics connected to the campaign. A separate page should answer the player’s immediate problem with its own evidence instead of duplicating the whole progression route.

[2][3]