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Horizon Forbidden West

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Shadow from the Past

By
Nathan Garvin

Walkthrough for the Side Quest Shadow from the Past in Horizon Forbidden West.

Talk to a prisoner named Conover to start this quest.

How to Start Shadow from the Past

After completing the main quest [To the Brink] you’ll need to travel to Barren Light, which can be found in the southwestern corner of the Daunt, southwest of Chainscrape. Head inside the keep and turn left, ascend some scaffolding, and talk to a prisoner named Conover to enter into a conversation with him and Ybril. This will start the quest.

Quest Giver Starting Location Prerequisite Level Rewards
Conover/Ybril Barren Light Complete [To the Brink] 7 XP_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png Skill_Point_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png

(1 of 2) You’ll find the clearing at the indicated location.

You’ll find the clearing at the indicated location. (left), When you arrive, search the blood, which leads to several consecutive search and scan sequences. (right)

Search the Clearing

After hearing Conover’s story (and Ybril’s comments on it), travel to the site indicated to the east of Barren Light, just southwest of the Hunting Ground: The Daunt map marker. Just follow the road out the northern gate, turn right at the first opportunity and cross a bridge over the river, then when you reach a fork immediately across the bridge, head down the southeastern road. As you go down this road, keep an eye out for some blood stains to the left, just southwest of a crane tower in the aforementioned Hunting Grounds (check out the provided map screenshot to find out exactly where this clearing is).

(1 of 4) Follow some tracks,

How to Track the Eclipse

When you arrive, examine the blood, then use your Focus to find some footprints and examine them. You can then use your focus to spot another point of interest uphill to the southeast and follow up by examining some broken branches. Scan an examine a third point of interest - more footprints - to the southwest, then you’ll finally be able to tag the tracks and follow them until the trail goes cold near some Burrowers.

Take out the Burrowers (there’s plenty of grass to hide in, if you have the patience for stealth), then continue southeast until you find a destroyed Burrower on the remains of an asphalt road. Examine it (or rather, the blood near it) then tag another trail, follow it uphill, across a bridge, then down to a lookout post alongside the bridge where you’ll find some bandages. Examine them, then tag yet another trail and follow it up into the mountains to the southeast. When it ends, climb the cliff to the south and enter the cave above where the trail ended.

(1 of 4) You can thin the ranks of the Eclipse quite easily with Silent Strikes,

How to Defeat the Eclipse Lieutenant

Once inside the cave, search around for some loot in the form of caches (many of which are hidden in cars) as you head east, southeast towards some voices. When you advance far enough you’ll see a squad of Eclipse Cultists, and after a short cutscene you’ll find yourself tasked with putting them down.

Fortunately you’ll start out in cover, and these cultists clearly are graduates of the dummy school of video game guards, as many of them will conveniently patrol simple routes that expose their backs to you for shameful lengths of time. They absolutely want to be ganked, and it’d be rude if you didn’t comply. Indulge them and take out however many you can via stealth. If the enemy catch you, spot one of their murdered comrades, or you just get tired of Silent Striking them you can always resort to arrows.

Ideally you’ll at least thin the herd a bit before engaging in all-out combat, but even if you don’t the only potential threat is the Eclipse Lieutenant, whose mask protects against headshots and who possesses a fair amount of health. Isolate him, then dispose of him by whatever means you find convenient.

With the cultists dead, take the opportunity to loot more cars and caches in the second section of the car tunnel and scan a datapoint at the southeastern end of the car tunnel to get the Darkened Sun entry. You can also loot some caches in the eastern corner of the clearing the Eclipse Lieutenant occupied. Finally, examine the body of the cultist you tracked up here, which can be found in an alcove north of the electrical tower. Aloy will intercept a hologram that reveals the Eclipse threat isn’t limited to this cell, and will take an Eclipse Mask to prove Conover’s innocence.

Speaking of which, return to Barren Light at your leisure and talk to Conover to exonerate him. Doing so will end this quest and begin its follow up quest, [Shadow in the West].

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Sony Interactive Entertainment
  • Platforms,
    PS4, PS5
  • Genre
    Action RPG
  • Guide Release
    16 February 2022
  • Last Updated
    31 March 2022
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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This guide for Horizon Forbidden West includes the following:

  • A Walkthrough for Main Quest
  • A Guide for all Errands, Side Quests and Cauldrons
  • An in depth analysis for Weapons and Armor.
  • Information on all new and returning Machines
  • How to find and complete all four Melee Pits
  • How to unlock and complete all stages of the Arena
  • How to find and override all five Tallnecks
  • Locations on all Collectibles
    • Ornaments
    • War Totems
    • Vista Points
    • Survey Drones
    • Signal Towers
    • Black Boxe

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