The Secret World Beginner’s Guide
Welcome to The Secret World, where nothing is as it seems. Join us as we walk you through the beginnings of this conspiratorial online adventure, featuring three secret societies spread across the globe fighting paranormal creatures from beyond time and space. We’ll show you through the early stories of each faction, give you an idea for where to get started, and provide tips for building your character up the way you want to play.
In The Secret World, three factions are vying for domination while working together to fend off supernatural threats. Creating your character isn’t about choosing a class, instead you’ll have to option to upgrade your abilities in a free-form system where you’ll have the option to change later. Customization is a huge part of The Secret World, from customized clothing to customized character builds and skills.
Check out the tips below, and get started with The Secret World. Or, find more in-depth articles on The Secret World’s cheats page.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Joining the Templars
After designing your own character, and picking a nickname, you’ll begin the game proper after a few cutscenes. With the Templars, you’ll begin in London.
London is your hub, it’s where the Templar base is located, and where you’ll do most of your faction-related business. There won’t be many actual missions here though, those are reserved for other areas around the world, as you’ll see.
Infact, it’ll be awhile before you even get a gun. It’s time to get into the game. You’ll start with nothing, but as you progress, more will become available to you. There’s a lot to learn in The Secret World, so take your first steps here.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
London Calling
This is your first quest. To access your quest window, press [J] default on your keyboard, this will show you all your active quests. The mission journal will become more important later in the game when you have multiple jobs going at once, but for now you only have one.
Bring up your map with [M] default to check out London. It’s a big place, with lots of stores and people to talk to. Ignore all that for now, you’ll need to make money before you spend money.
Ahead, you can talk to a Morninglight rep, but your mission goal is ahead. There’s a big waypoint marker, these will be active for whatever your current chosen active mission is.
Follow it to the destination. To run faster, stop and press [X] to load up your sprint ability. Sprint will get you around faster indefinitely, as long as you are out of combat.
As you near the first waypoint, it’ll switch to point you left down the road. Follow it, and you’ll get a new objective to listen to the Fallen King – a crazy hobo speaking to a crowd. Get close to listen in.
While listening, you’ll immediately be taken away to the next quest.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Ground Zero
While inhabiting a body, you’ll get a glimpse at the events that transpired in Tokyo. Strange black gunk coats the surfaces of the subway station, and apocalyptic events are occurring.
You’ll appear next to three unique Secret Worlders from all three factions. They’ll be your team, and will help you survive here.
This also functions as your combat tutorial, so pay attention to what your allies say, they’ll periodically unlock new combat abilities for you.
Starting off, you’ll need to accept the quest. To accept a quest, click on the float square by a quest-giver’s NPC. The window will expand to give you a description of the quest. Next, click “Accept” on the top right corner of the window.
For our next trick, you’ll learn about clicking objects. One of the biggest parts of every quest is figuring out what you can interact with, especially with Investigation missions down the line.
First, grab the shotgun on the ground. It’s highlighted in bright yellow, as most clickable objects will be throughout The Secret World.
Picking up the Shotgun will auto-equip it on your character, and give you two attack powers in your quickbar. Press [1] and [2] to shoot. After a short scene you’ll need it.
Infected Filth burst through the vents and swarm you. Point yourself at the enemies and fire your shotgun, it’ll do damage to multiple opponents. Your first attack has an instant recharge and hurts enemies in a cone forward of you, so keep shooting. The second attack takes longer to fire and has a recharge of a second or so, but does more damage. Use it to supplement your first attack.
There are lots of things here you won’t need to understand yet. Weapons can cause several status effects, and certain attacks build weapon resources. Those are big words saved for later, just kill off the Infected.
When the Infected are gone, the gate will open. Follow your team deeper inside the station. Taking a right, you’ll fight more of the monsters on the stairs, then you’ll stop at the gate.
At the gate, the Secret Worlders will ask you to take point down on the train platform. You’ll unlock a new ability default [3] that fires a slowing flame in an arc ahead of you.
The tricky part of the platform is that you don’t want too many of the Filth attacking you at once. Rush in, and try to catch as many as you can in each of your shots to damage multiples. If you start taking too much damage, and your health goes into red, retreat or hide behind one of the pillars of news stands.
If the Filth attack you while you’re still hiding, they’ll be close and easy pickings for your shotgun. When they’re all clear, continue to follow your team.
On the other side of the platform, you’ll unlock a fourth shotgun ability. This is a consumer ability, it consumes weapon resources. Next to every enemy, you’ll see five gray symbols. Each attack you land will add to the counter, filling up at five. Those are called weapon resources.
Weapon resources are used by powerful abilities. You’ll need at least one to use your new ability, but it will be most effective if you build up five weapon resources, then fire.
You’ll get your chance to test theory ahead, follow the waypoint to the gate and a giant brute will burst through. Retreat back to the platform, you’ll notice a white cone on the ground before it attacks. Most enemies will give you a short warning, with white outlines showing you where the danger will land.
In situations where you can see an attack coming, use your dodge roll to escape the area of effect. Just double-tap the direction key to move out of the way. Your dodge has a cooldown, so make it count.
Take out the hulk, then continue through the now open gate. Run to the tracks, and use the rubble to enter the subway train car. Run right down, and a new character will appear.
This guy, Zuberi, gives you a healing power. In The Secret World, you have an Offensive Target and a Defensive Target. Offensive Targets are attacked, but Defensive Targets are buffed or healed.
Make the dead Orochi Soldier’s body your defensive target back clicking him, then use your new healing to save his life and complete another objective.
When you’ve rescued the soldier, your three friends will appear as the train doors open. Run through to the platform, and enter a massive fight against tons of Filth.
This can be a difficult battle, if you don’t heal. Stop targeting the Orochi Soldier, just click on the ground to deselect him. Then, whenever you use the new healing ability, you’ll use it on yourself.
Heal often when you need it to stay alive, and you’ll make it through this fight. Keep running, and don’t let the hulking filth brutes attack you up close.
When the first wave is done, your team will point out the gates are opening out. Ignore all the enemies now, they’ll just keep coming. Run through the newly opened gates and follow your waypoint to the final platform to complete this combat tutorial.
When you wake up, run around a little to get your next quest.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Might Makes Right
A new waypoint will lead the way to your new life in the Templars. Follow it! They’ll take you directly inside the Temple, like the girl said, it literally cannot be missed.
Just as you enter the Temple, turn right and enter the office to meet your new boss. After the cutscene, you can click on the speech bubble near him to discuss a few more topics, if you’re interested.
This is where you’ll get a chance to choose one of nine special weapon disciplines in The Secret World. While you’ll only choose one now, you’ll want to choose a second as soon as possible.
The waypoint will lead you to a new door. As you get close, it’ll light up. Click it to enter the Crucible.
Run ahead, down into the pit to talk with your instructor. After the cutscene, you’ll get a chance to test out all nine weapon types.
Ahead are the guns; pistols, assault rifles, and shotguns. Left are the melee weapons; fists, hammers, and claws. To your right, are the magic focuses; elementalism, blood, and chaos.
Give whatever sounds good to you a try. If you want to pick a specific class, you can check out the decks available to you now – press [N] to bring up the Ability Wheel, then click on the tab on the left labeled “Decks” which are the many basic classes for those afraid of choosing abilities alone.
Selecting a deck will show you what abilities should be your goals, and they’re all for two different weapons. Choose your first by getting close to the weapon you want, clicking the box, choosing accept, then collect the glowing weapon.
When the weapon is collected, open your inventory with [I] and right-click to equip. Your new abilities will automatically show up on your quick bar, so you can begin testing.
Once you have the weapon you want, return to the NPC in the center and he’ll tell you to pick up a phone. Pick up it, it’s on the table near him.
With that done, you’ll unlock SP and AP. Don’t worry about those for now, instead leave the Crucible and return to Sonnac’s office.
When you meet with Sonnac, he’ll send you off to the Solomon Islands. To get there, you’ll need to use a special form of transportation – Agartha.
Follow your waypoints by leaving the Templar Square and heading back to the park. Nearby is a small market, in the back of the market, you’ll find stairs leading down to a strange portal.
Enter the portal to find Agartha.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Joining the Dragons
After designing your own character, and picking a nickname, you’ll begin the game proper after a few cutscenes. With the Dragons, you’ll begin in Seoul.
Seoul is your hub, it’s where the Dragon’s base is located, and where you’ll do most of your faction-related business. There won’t be many actual missions here though, those are reserved for other areas around the world, as you’ll see.
Infact, it’ll be awhile before you even get a gun. It’s time to get into the game. You’ll start with nothing, but as you progress, more will become available to you. There’s a lot to learn in The Secret World, so take your first steps here.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
The Butterfly Effect
This is your first quest. To access your quest window, press [J] default on your keyboard, this will show you all your active quests. The mission journal will become more important later in the game when you have multiple jobs going at once, but for now you only have one.
Follow the butterflies ahead. To run faster, stop and press [X] to load up your sprint ability. Sprint will get you around faster indefinitely, as long as you are out of combat.
The butterflies will show you the way in this unfamiliar environment. You don’t even have a map yet. Each time you run into the fluttering butterflies, you’ll get a new waypoint. Just follow the waypoints for now.
Eventually, the butterflies will lead you into a hotel. Walk inside to begin a cutscene. After it’s over, use the stairs to go up, and look for the open hotel room door on the second floor where the butterflies are waiting. Enter, and you’ll find another cutscene.
When the cutscene ends, you’ll appear in a dream and begin your next quest.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Ground Zero
[This quest is the same for all factions. Reprinted here for reader convenience. ]
While inhabiting a body, you’ll get a glimpse at the events that transpired in Tokyo. Strange black gunk coats the surfaces of the subway station, and apocalyptic events are occurring.
You’ll appear next to three unique Secret Worlders from all three factions. They’ll be your team, and will help you survive here.
This also functions as your combat tutorial, so pay attention to what your allies say, they’ll periodically unlock new combat abilities for you.
Starting off, you’ll need to accept the quest. To accept a quest, click on the float square by a quest-giver’s NPC. The window will expand to give you a description of the quest. Next, click “Accept” on the top right corner of the window.
For our next trick, you’ll learn about clicking objects. One of the biggest parts of every quest is figuring out what you can interact with, especially with Investigation missions down the line.
First, grab the shotgun on the ground. It’s highlighted in bright yellow, as most clickable objects will be throughout The Secret World.
Picking up the Shotgun will auto-equip it on your character, and give you two attack powers in your quickbar. Press [1] and [2] to shoot. After a short scene you’ll need it.
Infected Filth burst through the vents and swarm you. Point yourself at the enemies and fire your shotgun, it’ll do damage to multiple opponents. Your first attack has an instant recharge and hurts enemies in a cone forward of you, so keep shooting. The second attack takes longer to fire and has a recharge of a second or so, but does more damage. Use it to supplement your first attack.
There are lots of things here you won’t need to understand yet. Weapons can cause several status effects, and certain attacks build weapon resources. Those are big words saved for later, just kill off the Infected.
When the Infected are gone, the gate will open. Follow your team deeper inside the station. Taking a right, you’ll fight more of the monsters on the stairs, then you’ll stop at the gate.
At the gate, the Secret Worlders will ask you to take point down on the train platform. You’ll unlock a new ability default [3] that fires a slowing flame in an arc ahead of you.
The tricky part of the platform is that you don’t want too many of the Filth attacking you at once. Rush in, and try to catch as many as you can in each of your shots to damage multiples. If you start taking too much damage, and your health goes into red, retreat or hide behind one of the pillars of news stands.
If the Filth attack you while you’re still hiding, they’ll be close and easy pickings for your shotgun. When they’re all clear, continue to follow your team.
On the other side of the platform, you’ll unlock a fourth shotgun ability. This is a consumer ability, it consumes weapon resources. Next to every enemy, you’ll see five gray symbols. Each attack you land will add to the counter, filling up at five. Those are called weapon resources.
Weapon resources are used by powerful abilities. You’ll need at least one to use your new ability, but it will be most effective if you build up five weapon resources, then fire.
You’ll get your chance to test theory ahead, follow the waypoint to the gate and a giant brute will burst through. Retreat back to the platform, you’ll notice a white cone on the ground before it attacks. Most enemies will give you a short warning, with white outlines showing you where the danger will land.
In situations where you can see an attack coming, use your dodge roll to escape the area of effect. Just double-tap the direction key to move out of the way. Your dodge has a cooldown, so make it count.
Take out the hulk, then continue through the now open gate. Run to the tracks, and use the rubble to enter the subway train car. Run right down, and a new character will appear.
This guy, Zuberi, gives you a healing power. In The Secret World, you have an Offensive Target and a Defensive Target. Offensive Targets are attacked, but Defensive Targets are buffed or healed.
Make the dead Orochi Soldier’s body your defensive target back clicking him, then use your new healing to save his life and complete another objective.
When you’ve rescued the soldier, your three friends will appear as the train doors open. Run through to the platform, and enter a massive fight against tons of Filth.
This can be a difficult battle, if you don’t heal. Stop targeting the Orochi Soldier, just click on the ground to deselect him. Then, whenever you use the new healing ability, you’ll use it on yourself.
Heal often when you need it to stay alive, and you’ll make it through this fight. Keep running, and don’t let the hulking filth brutes attack you up close.
When the first wave is done, your team will point out the gates are opening out. Ignore all the enemies now, they’ll just keep coming. Run through the newly opened gates and follow your waypoint to the final platform to complete this combat tutorial.
When you wake up, run around a little to get your next quest.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Chaos Practice
Now you finally have access to the map of Seoul. Press [M] default to check out a satellite image of the city.
Leave the hotel, and watch for old men to point the way to the Dragon’s secret base. It’s just up ahead, use your waypoint as a guide and you’ll find the Dragon’s Coil in no time.
Cross the courtyard and get close to the doors marked with a waypoint. They’ll point out the Dojang, enter it to begin your weapon’s training.
Run ahead to talk with your instructor. After the cutscene, you’ll get a chance to test out all nine weapon types.
Ahead and slightly left are the guns; pistols, assault rifles, and shotguns. Right are the melee weapons; fists, hammers, and claws. Further to your left, are the magic focuses; elementalism, blood, and chaos.
Give whatever sounds good to you a try. If you want to pick a specific class, you can check out the decks available to you now – press [N] to bring up the Ability Wheel, then click on the tab on the left labeled “Decks” which are the many basic classes for those afraid of choosing abilities alone.
Selecting a deck will show you what abilities should be your goals, and they’re all for two different weapons. Choose your first by getting close to the weapon you want, clicking the box, choosing accept, then collect the glowing weapon.
When the weapon is collected, open your inventory with [I] and right-click to equip. Your new abilities will automatically show up on your quick bar, so you can begin testing.
Once you have the weapon you want, return to the NPC in the center and he’ll tell you to pick up a phone. Pick up it, it’s on the table near him.
With that done, you’ll unlock SP and AP. Don’t worry about those for now, instead leave the Dojang.
The waypoint will lead you right to their door. Click the door handles to get your next instructions.
When you leave, you’ll need to find the entrance to Agartha. Return to the entrance of the Dragon’s Coil, and turn left. Head down the street until you find a bicycle shop. Through the shop and out the back door you’ll find the portal.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Joining the Illuminati
After designing your own character, and picking a nickname, you’ll begin the game proper after a few cutscenes. With the Illuminati, you’ll begin in New York.
New York is your hub, it’s where the Illuminati’s base is located, and where you’ll do most of your faction-related business. There won’t be many actual missions here though, those are reserved for other areas around the world, as you’ll see.
In fact, it’ll be awhile before you even get a gun. It’s time to get into the game. You’ll start with nothing, but as you progress, more will become available to you. There’s a lot to learn in The Secret World, so take your first steps here.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
No Sleep Til Brooklyn
This is your first quest. To access your quest window, press [J] default on your keyboard, this will show you all your active quests. The mission journal will become more important later in the game when you have multiple jobs going at once, but for now you only have one.
Bring up your map with [M] default to check out London. It’s a big place, with lots of stores and people to talk to. Ignore all that for now, you’ll need to make money before you spend money.
Your mission goal is ahead. There’s a big waypoint marker, these will be active for whatever your current chosen active mission is.
Follow it to the destination. To run faster, stop and press [X] to load up your sprint ability. Sprint will get you around faster indefinitely, as long as you are out of combat.
Enter the laundromat and near the waypoint to talk to your first contact. He’ll rant, just listen in to get a better idea of what the Illuminati are all about.
After the cutscene, turn around and look for brightly lit yellow objects you can interact with. Attached to the wall across from the ranting man is a camera. Click it to examine and complete another part of your mission.
Next, exit the laundromat and turn left to find another camera. Inspect it too, which will generate a series of waypoints leading you toward a creepy warehouse. Use the entrance to go downstairs into the sewers below.
In the sewers, you’ll need to find your way to the Illuminati’s secret base. To find your way through the maze, look for a hand holding an eye pointing the way forward.
Down in the sewers, enter the center tunnel, turn right, then enter the next tunnel straight ahead that turns left. The rest of the maze is straight forward, just keep following the hand pointers.
They’ll eventually take you to rusty stairs. Use them to go up, then back down to find a very modern structure in these sewers. Enter and go through security where you’ll be captured.
When the scene ends, your combat training will begin.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Ground Zero
[This quest is the same for all factions. Reprinted here for reader convenience. ]
While inhabiting a body, you’ll get a glimpse at the events that transpired in Tokyo. Strange black gunk coats the surfaces of the subway station, and apocalyptic events are occurring.
You’ll appear next to three unique Secret Worlders from all three factions. They’ll be your team, and will help you survive here.
This also functions as your combat tutorial, so pay attention to what your allies say, they’ll periodically unlock new combat abilities for you.
Starting off, you’ll need to accept the quest. To accept a quest, click on the float square by a quest-giver’s NPC. The window will expand to give you a description of the quest. Next, click “Accept” on the top right corner of the window.
For our next trick, you’ll learn about clicking objects. One of the biggest parts of every quest is figuring out what you can interact with, especially with Investigation missions down the line.
First, grab the shotgun on the ground. It’s highlighted in bright yellow, as most clickable objects will be throughout The Secret World.
Picking up the Shotgun will auto-equip it on your character, and give you two attack powers in your quickbar. Press [1] and [2] to shoot. After a short scene you’ll need it.
Infected Filth burst through the vents and swarm you. Point yourself at the enemies and fire your shotgun, it’ll do damage to multiple opponents. Your first attack has an instant recharge and hurts enemies in a cone forward of you, so keep shooting. The second attack takes longer to fire and has a recharge of a second or so, but does more damage. Use it to supplement your first attack.
There are lots of things here you won’t need to understand yet. Weapons can cause several status effects, and certain attacks build weapon resources. Those are big words saved for later, just kill off the Infected.
When the Infected are gone, the gate will open. Follow your team deeper inside the station. Taking a right, you’ll fight more of the monsters on the stairs, then you’ll stop at the gate.
At the gate, the Secret Worlders will ask you to take point down on the train platform. You’ll unlock a new ability default [3] that fires a slowing flame in an arc ahead of you.
The tricky part of the platform is that you don’t want too many of the Filth attacking you at once. Rush in, and try to catch as many as you can in each of your shots to damage multiples. If you start taking too much damage, and your health goes into red, retreat or hide behind one of the pillars of news stands.
If the Filth attack you while you’re still hiding, they’ll be close and easy pickings for your shotgun. When they’re all clear, continue to follow your team.
On the other side of the platform, you’ll unlock a fourth shotgun ability. This is a consumer ability, it consumes weapon resources. Next to every enemy, you’ll see five gray symbols. Each attack you land will add to the counter, filling up at five. Those are called weapon resources.
Weapon resources are used by powerful abilities. You’ll need at least one to use your new ability, but it will be most effective if you build up five weapon resources, then fire.
You’ll get your chance to test theory ahead, follow the waypoint to the gate and a giant brute will burst through. Retreat back to the platform, you’ll notice a white cone on the ground before it attacks. Most enemies will give you a short warning, with white outlines showing you where the danger will land.
In situations where you can see an attack coming, use your dodge roll to escape the area of effect. Just double-tap the direction key to move out of the way. Your dodge has a cooldown, so make it count.
Take out the hulk, then continue through the now open gate. Run to the tracks, and use the rubble to enter the subway train car. Run right down, and a new character will appear.
This guy, Zuberi, gives you a healing power. In The Secret World, you have an Offensive Target and a Defensive Target. Offensive Targets are attacked, but Defensive Targets are buffed or healed.
Make the dead Orochi Soldier’s body your defensive target back clicking him, then use your new healing to save his life and complete another objective.
When you’ve rescued the soldier, your three friends will appear as the train doors open. Run through to the platform, and enter a massive fight against tons of Filth.
This can be a difficult battle, if you don’t heal. Stop targeting the Orochi Soldier, just click on the ground to deselect him. Then, whenever you use the new healing ability, you’ll use it on yourself.
Heal often when you need it to stay alive, and you’ll make it through this fight. Keep running, and don’t let the hulking filth brutes attack you up close.
When the first wave is done, your team will point out the gates are opening out. Ignore all the enemies now, they’ll just keep coming. Run through the newly opened gates and follow your waypoint to the final platform to complete this combat tutorial.
When you wake up, run around a little to get your next quest.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Training Day
Exit the lab, and take a look around this massive underground base. Follow the waypoints, they’ll lead you through the lobby and to the Test Chamber doors. Just click the doors to enter.
Run ahead to talk with your instructor. After the cutscene, you’ll get a chance to test out all nine weapon types.
Ahead are the guns; pistols, assault rifles, and shotguns. Right are the melee weapons; fists, hammers, and claws. Left, are the magic focuses; elementalism, blood, and chaos.
Give whatever sounds good to you a try. If you want to pick a specific class, you can check out the decks available to you now – press [N] to bring up the Ability Wheel, then click on the tab on the left labeled “Decks” which are the many basic classes for those afraid of choosing abilities alone.
Selecting a deck will show you what abilities should be your goals, and they’re all for two different weapons. Choose your first by getting close to the weapon you want, clicking the box, choosing accept, then collect the glowing weapon.
When the weapon is collected, open your inventory with [I] and right-click to equip. Your new abilities will automatically show up on your quick bar, so you can begin testing.
Once you have the weapon you want, return to the NPC in the center and he’ll tell you to pick up a phone. Pick up it, it’s on the table near him.
With that done, you’ll unlock SP and AP. Don’t worry about those for now, instead leave the Test Chamber.
You’ll need to talk to the leader of the Labyrinth now to get new orders. Their office is just up ahead, use the giant ramp to meet her.
After the scene, it’s time to find that portal to Agartha. Use the main exit of the Labyrinth, and cross through the warehouse to find the entrance underground in a side office. Use the portal, and you’ll be on your way.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Agartha
The realm of Agartha is where you’ll do all your traveling. At the beginning, you’ll find portals to all three hubs if you want to visit.
Just keep running ahead, and you’ll warp to the first deadly area of the game – Kingsmouth Town.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Dawning of an Endless Night
Tier 1: This is your major story mission for Kingsmouth Town. Don’t just push all the way through it, instead you’ll want to take more missions as you go. The quest itself will take you far and have you meet lots of new characters.
Your first stop is Jack Boone, just as you leave the Agartha portal. He’ll point you towards the Sheriff’s office. Go ahead there, or stop to talk to Jack Boone and accept his mission – it can be completed on the way to the Sheriff.
Tier 2: After meeting the Sheriff, your only goal will be to go around town and talk to the local survivors. Eventually you’ll hit a lead as you learn more about the fog that came into town.
If you want to continue your mission straight away, go down to Norma Creed. She’s on Poe Cove, southeast of the Sheriff’s Office.
When you find her, she’ll point you in a new direction.
Tier 3: Travel to the Lady Margaret, a ship at the end of the long pier off of Belmont. Go there to find a new clue into this situation.
At the boat, a unique monster called The Captain will attack. Defeat, and inspect the book it drops.
Tier 4: The book mentions Dr. Bannerman. Return to the Sheriff’s office to discuss his involvement with the ship’s captain.
Click on Dr. Bannerman and choose to discuss the Lady Margaret. He’ll send you to his clinic to find his notes on the subject.
The clinic is just outside the survivor camp on Arkham Avenue. Go to the back room to find his computer, and open it. Then try to check out the case notes.
You can’t get into those case notes without a password. The hint says “music of the seasons” and a broken picture of the floor mentions the Doctor’s favorite composer.
The password is the name of the compose, Vivaldi. Select the Lady Margaret Case Files to complete this tier.
Tier 5: Time to find the Creeds. Your waypoint will point them out, when you’re there, kill the zombie and investigate the body.
Next, you’ll look for Joe Slater. Follow your waypoint, it’ll take you right to his doorstep. Look for the home with green gunk splattered about. Follow the trail into the sewers.
In the sewers, stick to the left wall, and take the left path when you enter the large open room. There are dangerous Feigr inside, so try to fight them one at a time.
Following the left path, you’ll have to deal with two Newformed Seacallers and the ugly Brood Mother. The newformed creatures are much easier than the normal ones, making them a breeze. The Brood Mother you’ll have to take out slowly, but it’s slow speed should give you plenty of time to escape any deadly attacks.
Continue forward, and you’ll find Joe Slater.
Tier 6: Now that you’ve found Joe Slater, he’ll give you a new item – the Siren’s Song. Use it, and follow the notes. They’ll take you back outside, and towards the Blue Ridge Tunnel north of town.
Keep right-clicking the Siren Song every 60 seconds to continue its effect, and follow it.
Use the Siren Song inside the tunnel to find the door into the Maintenance Tunnels. Keep moving forward until you find a line of lasers in your path. Walking through them will set off an explosion.
But, look at the ground. Several of the lasers are sparking. Those sparking lasers will periodically turn off and on. Time it right and run through while the lasers are off.
At the turn right, there is one more laser trap. Jump over and continue until you find a smaller door with more sparking lasers. Wait for them to shut down, then run inside.
Now you’re in a secret safe house. Run into the corner of the room to trigger a cutscene.
Tier 7: After the scene plays out, check out Beaumont’s notes. They’ll give you clues to the Illuminati Archives’ location. The laser traps are now off, allowing you to leave and ponder over these new clues.
Beaumont needs an airplane. You can find the next clue inside westernmost hangar of the airfield. Inside, turn right to find a desk covered in notes. You’ll find a map of the Savage Coast.
Tier 8: Time to check out the house on that map. Follow your waypoint to the southwestern corner of the map where you’ll be able to enter the Savage Coast.
The house isn’t far from the entrance to the Coast. The new area is difficult, so spend plenty of time earning AP and complete as many missions as you can in Kingsmouth.
When you reach the home, fight through the zombies and circle around to find a cellar. Click the glowing cellar doors to enter the Illuminati Underground.
Tier 9: Inside, the door to the tunnels will be locked. You’ll need to find eight items and place them in each of the corresponding insets. Run around the room and collect the eight glowing items, then collect the book on the desk left of the door.
Open your inventory and read the book, it will give you a clue to solving the door lock.
First, click the circle to place Yin & Yang. Next, click the skull inset on the left. Third, place the Phoenix on the right. Fourth, place the pyramid. Last, place the Illuminati eye.
If you place them correctly, the door will open. You’ll have to face a creature called The Guardian. This monster is a good measure of how ready you are for the Savage Coast. If you can beat it, you know you’re probably ready to stay and quest in the second zone of The Secret World.
Fight the monster, once it’s down to half health, you’ll trigger a cutscene.
Tier 10: Next, you’ll need to ask around Innsmouth Academy for further clues. This is another point where you should stop and do plenty of missions to boost your SP and AP numbers.
At the Academy, as you enter the school turn left to find the Administration Offices. Inside, you’ll learn that the Vault can be found in the Old Quarter, but you’ll have to fight your way in. On the way out, two of the faculty will provide you with missions.
The Old Block is at the far end of the school, guarded by familiars and ghosts – so stay on your toes. Click the front entrance, and you’ll enter an instance.
Now you just need to find the Illuminati Vault, how hard could that be? The girl in the adminstration office talked about seeing it under the floorboards.
Turn left as you enter, and run to the far office at the end of the hall. Inside, click the loose floorboards to discover the Vault secret entrance.
Inside, you’ll find yet another puzzle door. Through the Old Block, you can find pieces to insert into each inlay. Search every school room on the second and first floor to find them all, then bring them back.
Place the Star of David first, then the Masonic Symbol, then the Eye, then the Skull, and last the Templar Cross.
The vault is now open, ahead toward the waypoint.
Tier 11: After meeting Beaumont, and watching his escape, you’ll need to investigate what it was he was doing in the archive.
The archives are a big place, and filled with familiars. Run around and continue to the next room straight ahead, you’ll have to take either the left or right path, just keep going down the hall until you run into the Archivist.
This giant lump of flesh is a problem. Kill it, and stay out of range. It’ll summon more Familiars to attack, so bring Area-of-Effect abilities if you want to damage the giant and his minions at the same time.
After defeating the monster, turn right and follow the path into the stone hall. Keep following it, eventually it’ll take you to the lower levels of the archive.
In the lower levels, directly ahead of the steps is a book on a pedestal with dead familiars nearby. That’s your best clue. Examine the book, and you’ll then find some answers.
Now it’s time to escape the vault. From the entrance to the lower floor, turn around and run toward the waypoint.
At the end of the hall, you’ll find four white symbols on the ground. Simply run over all four to open the secret exit to the archive.
Tier 12: Now you’ll need to investigate the mines of Blue Mountain. We suggest finishing up as many quests on the Savage Coast first! When you’re ready, leave for Blue Mountain.
Blue Mountain is a dangerous place. Ahead, you’ll find a bus crash and a side-mission. Avoid the bridge at all costs, it’s covered in dormant zombies that will swarm you as you cross. Run across the river below, instead.
The first contact you’ll meet is at a small National Guard base. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to tell you much about the mines. They are, however, a good source of primary missions to get you started in Blue Mountain.
To find out more, find Eleanor Franklin, inside the Franklin Mansion. Find the mansion by following the main roads east, or check on your map.
She’ll reveal that clues are located somewhere inside the mansion. Run upstairs, and look at each of the paintings. Eventually, you’ll reach a yellow painting. Click on it.
He’ll give you a clue, “the eyes of death” is what you’re looking for next. Find the skull painting, and click on the empty sockets of the skull to hear your next clue.
The ghost will say something about “angels” next. Run downstairs, next to the stairs is a painting with an angel. Click the wings for your next clue, about “redemption.”
Run down the hallway behind you, there’s a strange painting of a demon in the far corner. In the top right corner of the painting is the word “redemptio” which is where you’ll want to click to open a secret door.
Inside the secret room, click on the strongbox to find his note. To leave the secret room, click the misplaced book on the shelf.
Tier 13: It’s time to check out what is going on at the Blue Ridge Mine. When you’re ready, get yourself to the mines.
The Mines are a deadly solo instance, right away you’ll spot a Hate Machine. These are nasty foes, and if you’re not prepared, they’ll tear you apart. Luckily, it can be avoided.
Turn left as you enter the mine and run down the path, avoiding the red sigils. In the left chamber, you’ll see yellow TNT all over the ground. Don’t get close to it or it’ll explode. It won’t kill automatically, so if you have to walk into one, do it at full health.
In the back corner is a glowing TNT bustle. Grab it for later.
To reach the Deep Shaft, take a right from the main entrance and use the elevator at the far end. Now you just need to explore.
In the dark shadows of the Deep Shaft are hidden enemies called Sleeping Shades. Don’t let them surprise you, look carefully or auto-target to spot them.
Follow the lone path until you need to jump into a hole. From there, pick up and equip the glowing miner’s helmet to give you some light, then turn around to find a dark path through the tunnels.
It’s extremely dark, you’ll need the miner’s helmet to light your way. In the dark tunnel, you’ll have to fight more Shades, so stay on your toes, and try to take them on one at a time.
When you reach a large chamber with strange filth vines at the center, turn left to find a large openning leading deeper into the mine.
From there, turn right and continue toward the green glow. Stick to the left wall as you enter a small area with multiple paths, and eventually you’ll find another dead miner laying in the green glow of the bio-luminescent mushrooms.
The battery of your headlamp should go out, you’ll need to rely on the flares now. Right-click the flare gun and select a location to light it up. The path forward is behind the dead miner, to the left. It’s a narrow pathway, so you may need to look closely to spot it.
Follow this path forward, until you enter a very large chamber. At the end, you’ll find another to examine, and a dangerous Fiend of Corruption. Don’t let the monster catch you unaware, lay a flare right at its feet, then attack.
When the guardian is dead, you’ll be free to examine the vine. When you do, it’ll disappear and reveal a path. Run forward, and you’ll trigger a cutscene.
Tier 14: When all that is done, you’ll appear back outside, above the mine. Time to find and speak with Old Joe to find out what needs to be done about all this business.
Old Joseph isn’t hard to find, your waypoint will take you right to him. He’s in the Trailer park, south of the giant pyramid-shaped Casino.
Tier 15: Time for a return trip to Kingsmouth. There are wards that need repairing – take the northern tunnel in Blue Mountain to return to the first zone.
But, the tunnel out is blocked. Near the tunnel is a charred corpse with a side-mission. Accept the mission and complete it to open the tunnel up for permanent use for your character.
When you’re through the tunnel, the wards are located in a field northeast of the skate park. At the site, click the center rock. You’ll have to defend the area, but you’ll have some undead buddies to help you out!
Face off against five waves of bad guys. You might need a friend or two to help you out, as their numbers can easily overwhelm you. Let your undead allies attack first, so you won’t have the mobs breathing down your neck all at once.
At the end, you’ll have to fight a Draug Lord. Kill it, and you’ll have to move on to activate the wards in the Savage Coast.
Same verse, same as the first. You’ll have to defend, it shouldn’t be too difficult as long as you don’t try to attack the enemies yourself first. Wait for them to swarm the sight, then pick out one to attack.
Follow the same pattern for Blue Mountain, and you’ll complete this tier.
Tier 16: Now, it’s time to travel to the native Holy Site. The way up is tricky to find, you’ll need to find a cave, near the entrance to a trench just right of the Blue Ridge Mine symbol on your map.
Your waypoint will lead you into a new solo instance. If you think you’re ready, go ahead inside. Run in, and you’ll trigger a cutscene.
Tier 17: With a new power, you’ll be able to confront Beaumont. Leave the holy ground and return to the mine. You can quickly return to the entrance, just use the cave, turn left and jump down to find the entrance into the mines.
Use the elevator to your left inside the mine to reach the deep shaft. Getting back to the Engine Room is much easier this time around, just prepare yourself for a tough fight.
Beaumont has one trick up his sleeve you’ll need to know about. He’ll summon copies of himself that attack the ground in slowly expanding circles as long as they’re alive. If you let these copies live, their attacks will cover the entire room. Get rid of them right away.
Do enough damage, and Beaumont will summon Hounds of Corruption while randomly dropping AOE-lightning strikes around the arena. This gives you time to defeat the two Hounds, just stay out of the circles as they appear while you fight.
Keep it up and Beaumont will fall.
Tier 18: Appearing in a strange place, get your bearings. Your goal is to escape the caves.
Simply move forward. There are notes all over, and once you enter the temple, look at each of the scenes to find a nearby note.
At the end, you’ll be able to take the gift. Doing so will end the dream, and finally complete the first story mission of The Secret World.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Jack Boone – A Fistful of Zombies
Find Jack Boone right outside the Agartha portal. He’s the Texan at the camp, he’ll stop you just as you arrive in Kingsmouth.
On your first real quest. You’ll see a large red circle ahead, this is where you’ll want to hunt enemies. Enter the area, and start looking for zombies to kill – you’ll need to kill 6.
The first part is simple, the second part is trickier. Follow the waypoint, you’ll find cars – if you jump on the hoods, you’ll set off an alarm that attracts zombies. Go ahead and do it, just remember that the same thing applies when you’re not on this mission. Cars you jump on will make noise, attracting groups of zombies.
One car should be enough to attract 6 zombies. Jump up on a car and fight them off, the zombies here are very easy and won’t be a problem.
Next tier, you’ll need to draw zombies into gas fires. Down the road, you’ll find glowing red gas canisters near the cars. Click one to start a timer – get out of range before the gas explodes! Then, the gas will leave a large burning fire.
While the fire is on the ground, you just need to draw some zombies in. Zombies hang out in groups of 3, so shoot at or attack two groups then lead them into the fire. Run through the fire yourself if you have to, you’re tough enough to easily survive.
Next stage, your waypoint will show you to a dead body. Run over there and as you get close, you’ll see a grey icon near the body. These are minor side-missions, you can take several of these. They tend to be shorter and easier to complete, go ahead and take this one now, or continue.
Fourth tier, you need to examine an eaten corpse inside the red circle on your map. This one is easy, just find zombies eating a corpse. Kill the zombies and examine the body.
When you examine the body, a giant Corpse Gorger will attack! This is a large enemy, but his only dangerous attacks are slow. When he’s about to use a strong attack, a white outline will appear on the ground. Save your dodge for this attack, and you’ll be fine.
Last, you only need to find some survivors in Kingsmouth Town. If you follow the road, you’ll find survivors at the Sheriff’s office, with several new characters to give you missions.
When you complete a mission, you’ll be able to turn it in for several rewards. Just click the cellphone over the mission bar to collect your prize.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Zen and the Art of Weapon Maintenance
Most side misions aren’t required, but some are very important to giving you an understanding of the systems in The Secret World. This side mission, found on the table near “Moose” right of the stairs leading to the Sheriff Dept.’s roof, will teach you how to craft.
The first objective is to pick up the book from the table. Click the yellow glowing book, it’ll show you instructions for crafting. To craft an item, you’ll need to place materials in certain shapes. Take note of the shapes for your chosen weapons, you’ll be asked to craft soon.
To craft, you’ll need materials and Weapon Toolkit. Disassembling items is easier, just place the item you want to break down in the Item Slot, then click the Disassemble button to find raw parts for crafting.
Next, collect the broken shotgun from the table, and a weapon toolkit from the crate on the ground to your right. Grab both, then disassemble the shotgun.
Open the crafting window [Y] and your inventory [I]. Place the broken shotgun in the Item slot, then click the button in the bottom. This will produce the material you’ll need. Collect the raw parts, then you’ll be asked to assemble a new weapon.
You can always look at the book again, just place the materials in the pattern of the weapon you want to build. Split stacks of materials with [Shift+Left Click] and place them, don’t forget to also place the weapon kit in the slot. If everything is correctly placed, a weapon will appear at the bottom in the Item slot.
Mouse over the new weapon to see if this is what you want to craft, then click Assemble in the bottom of the window.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Dirty Laundry
This side mission is found outside, on the road down northeast from the church. Investigate the body to start the mission.
Check out the phone on the ground. Then head over to the church to uncover a secret keypad. Find the keypad under a rock under a tree at the very edge of the mission circle on your map.
The last part is a puzzle. The keypad code is 576. To solve it, you’ll need to know the song numbers given by the church, the numbers are hung up inside the church on plaques.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Helen Bannerman – Supply Run
This should be your first big mission for the Sheriff, and doing it will unlock her second job that requires a lot more investigation.
For now, choose to help find supplies for the survivors. You’ll get a chance to look around the town and get your bearings.
First of all, you’ll need to figure out where all the items you need are. A phonebook should help, there’s one underneath every pay phone in town, and underneath the phones in the corner of the Sheriff’s office.
Interact with the book to complete this tier, and you’ll be given waypoints showing you the way to the next areas you’ll want to explore.
Now you only need to head down to Susie’s Diner. The town itself is full of zombies, so you’ll need to take care while travelling. If you’re going to run, stay away from the marauding hordes of the undead, they’re mostly focused on the bodies they’re eating.
At the Diner, kill the undead waitstaff and pick up three cans of food behind the counter.
The next location is a lot closer. Head up the street to the gun store, and look for the ammo where the metal sheeting has been pulled up. There’s another group of zombies here, so take care of them before grabbing the ammo.
Further up the street is the hardware supply store. Click the door and prepare for a surprise. A giant monster will appear, you only need to stay out of it’s groundslam attack to stay safe. Keep moving – but don’t move too far, you don’t want to back-up into another group of feasting zombies during this fight.
The Jury-Rigged Protector’s area-of-effect attack is much larger than the previous giant zombie you fought, so keep your active dodge ability ready for when it’s about to strike. When you see those white outlines, dodge out.
Next is the pharmacy next door. Interact with the door to find it is locked. You’ll need to find another phonebook for an alternate source of first aid. There’s a phonebook on the street corner’s pay phone north of the pharmacy, you can’t miss it.
Your last stop is the Volunteer Police Department. The zombies there are special, and they’re all armed with axes. Be careful to fight these tough undead one at a time if you can.
Skip the first floor, and use the stairs outside the building to get to the second floor. There you can find one first aid kit in the break room table, one on the wall in the next room, and two with the beds.
Now all you have to do is return to the Sheriff and interact with the storage room doorknob to give up the supplies. Now you can move on to the next mission.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Helen Bannerman – Horror Show
This is a special sabotage mission. These missions don’t require as much fighting as your regular combat missions, but don’t have the same difficult puzzles as investigation missions.
Sheriff Bannerman wants you to find some surveillance equipment. Once again, check out the phonebook to find businesses you can loot.
Your first stop is the gas station down Elm Street. To find this tricky camera, use the dumpsters behind the station to get up on the roof and look down at the camera pointed out by your yellow waypoint. Collect it to move on.
Next location is on your waypoint. This one is simple, you’ll find the camera looking down at the stoop of a blue house. Grab the camera, and turn around. You’re going to the museum.
Stand in front of the museum and look up, you’ll find the camera above the door, but too high up to reach. Circle left around the back of the museum to find a ladder leading up along a building just behind the museum.
Climb the ladder, then jump to the museum roof to collect the camera. But, after you interact, you’ll learn it’s broken. More cameras are located in the basement. Jump down and enter the building, then interact with the basement door to get downstairs.
This is where the mission gets hard. A crazy survivalist has fitted explosive traps all over the basement. You’ll need to avoid the cameras and the lasers to survive.
At the first turn left, you’ll see red lasers along the floor. Jump over them until you hit a solid wall of lasers. You’ll need to use the room to your right to get across.
The room itself is full of more lasers and cameras. If you step into a laser, the explosives will detonate immediately. But, if you’re caught by a camera you still have time.
Find the exit door and run while the cameras beep, you’ll have a few seconds to get out of the room. As long as you’re not in the room when the explosives go off, you’ll be safe.
To shut off the wall of lasers, you’ll need to interact with the red button in the back corner. To get up there without the cameras spotting you – enter and turn right, following the wood pallets up and around, then run across to the opposite corner and use the crates to climb up to the switch.
Hitting the switch will shut down the cameras and the lasers outside, allowing you to continue forward. Next, you’ll reach three walls of lasers. Each one has a hole you can run through – the first is on the right side, then the center, then the left side.
Bam, another wall of impassable lasers. You’ll need to get through another room, this time with moving cameras. Enter the room, and turn right. Stay out of the camera light and wait until you can run through. As long as you are hiding behind the crates as the camera passes by, you won’t be spotted.
Run around the pallets and underneath the camera, then cross the wood bridge quickly when the coast is clear. Run forward and jump down to find the red button. Press it, and the cameras will shut down.
Now the wall of traps is clear. Leave and fight off the survivalist, who’s actually quite a lot more difficult than he appears. Beat him up and grab the brown crate to get your camera.
The fourth tier is easy, you only need to place all four cameras. Your waypoints will show you to each location.
The last tier will introduce you to computers. Run inside the Sheriff’s Office and use the computer on her desk. Type “1” and press enter to open up the Station Security System, then press “1” and enter again to initialize the cameras.
That completes the mission. You can look through the cameras if you want, or just exit out and accept your reward.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Henry Hawthorne – The Kingsmouth Code
Find this priest inside the church. The third mission, marked with a computer, is an Investigation mission. These are purely puzzle based, often with difficult solutions. We’ll walk you through this mission, and any other particularly tricky investigations in Kingsmouth.
Tier 1: Follow the Illuminati symbols. Just down the steps to the church you can find a sewer cover, pointing it’s triangle out to the street ahead. Follow the pointer and you’ll find another Illuminati symbol on the manhole. Follow it.
Follow the symbols down Main Street to Belmont Avenue. The symbols will lead you to the large pier guarded by Feigr. Cross the pier, and look behind the building where lots of pizza boxes are stored, you’ll find a plaque with a new clue. Read it.
Tier 2: Now that you have your clue, you need to find “the seat of power” which is obviously City Hall on Main Street. Get inside, and start looking for your clue.
Inside City Hall, look on the back wall, behind the banister, for a portrait. You’ll get your next clue.
The clue will lead you to the founder’s name: Priest. His home is just right of the Church. Take a look around.
Behind the home is a cellar door with a keypad. If you looked up the verse, it mentions “120 talents”, so your code is 120. Enter the cellar to get to the next part.
Tier 4: You’re inside the cellar, run ahead and turn left to find a computer. Use it.
The computer will ask for a password, you can type “hint” for a hint, that states, “Like conquers all.” Go back to the image of the Illuminati sewer cover. It says, “Lux Omnia Vincit” which is your password.
With the password input, press “1” and enter to open the secure safe.
Tier 5: Collect the artifacts, and you’ll be on your way.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Madame Roget – The Vision
Tier 1: This is a tricky one. Your clue is, “On the tip of the pyramid, your path shall be revealed.”
If you look on your map, you can find an area called “Pyramid Point” at the southern shore. Down there, look for a “tip” jutting out into the water, where you can find the side-mission “Message-in-a-bottle.”
Tier 2: When you stand in the right place, Madame will call you and give another cryptic clue. Just like last time, look at your map – near Norma Creed’s house is the Wisp Wood. Visit there for your next clue.
In the Wisp Wood, look for a pumpkin match amidst a huge old tree. Stand in the tree’s shadow for your next clue.
Tier 3: You’re looking for flowers and the buzzing of bees. This one is simple, just return to the Agartha Portal in Kingsmouth. Don’t actually go through it, just stand near to unlock another clue.
Tier 4: This one is easy, just go to the statue behind the church, in the graveyard.
Tier 5: Head up north to Langmore Bridge and enter from the road. You’ll be instructed to cross.
Tier 6: As you cross, a ghost will attack. Defeat it, and you’ll finish this investigation mission.
Tutorial
Story Mission
Kingsmouth Town Missions
Ellis Hill – Dead Air
Tier 1: Locate the radio mast first, which you’ll find on top of the building west of Ellis Hill, up the runway. Climb the roof using the ladder then to the tower using the transformer.
Examine the mast, then you’ll get to the next tier.
Tier 2: Next, find the serial number. It’s on a tiny stamp at the base of the mast.
Once examined, a green zone will appear asking you to find the items you need to repair the mast.
You’ll need eleven items to repair the mast. They are: a soda can, shovel, duct tape, scrap parts, handheld radio, battery, fuel can, handheld tape recorder, vacuum tube, flare gun, and a wire hanger.
When you have them all, return to the mast. Click it to repair.
Tier 3: Time to listen in for transmissions. Click the mast again. You’ll get morse code. For those without the know-how, the code spells out “Drop Location 712536” meaning you’ll need to go to the coordinate 712,536 on your map.
Those coordinates point to the area south of the scrapyard, in a rocky outcropping. Run down there, and you’ll see a helicopter with a large crate, with Mercenary soldiers! Clear out the mercenaries, and inspect the crate. A deadly monster will appear, you might need friends to fight this guy, he can be tough.
When you’re finished, complete the mission and accept your reward.
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