A First-Person Walkthrough for 'Searching for Answers' in Dune: Awakening (2026)

As a dedicated player of Dune: Awakening, I recently undertook the thrilling and perilous final steps of the Epilogue Quest, 'Searching for Answers.' This infiltration mission, set in the desolate ruins of Old Carthag alongside the enigmatic rebel leader Zantara, promised not just substantial rewards but crucial truths about my own mysterious past on Arrakis. The journey was a masterclass in tension, blending environmental puzzles with frantic combat against truly sinister foes. Let me recount my experience navigating this complex operation, from the initial rendezvous to the heart-pounding escape.

The adventure commenced for me at Harko Village. Following the distinct purple quest marker, I found Zantara, a figure shrouded in rebellion and secrecy. After confirming my readiness, a cinematic sequence transported us via Ornithopter to the foreboding landscape of Old Carthag. The descent was abrupt, leaving us amidst ancient rock formations. The path forward was clear: a leftward trail leading into a gaping cavern mouth, the entrance to the unknown. The atmosphere immediately shifted from the open desert to claustrophobic, echoing tunnels.

My first major obstacle appeared swiftly: a massive ventilation shaft blocked by a colossal, whirring fan. Zantara waited patiently near a bridge, but the solution lay at my feet—a corpse yielded a Makeshift Cutteray and a Makeshift Battery, essential tools for the challenges ahead. Using the fan's central axis as a precarious platform, I leaped across, leaving my companion momentarily behind. Around the corner, a console glowed with an orange Fan Hologram. A press of a button silenced the roaring blades, deactivating the system and allowing us to drop into the depths below.

After a brief, tense exchange with Zantara, we were forcibly separated. I was now alone, tasked with carving a path deeper using the Cutteray to breach reinforced blast doors. As I progressed, Zantara's intermittent communications via comms grew more alarming. His revelations were chilling: this was no ordinary Harkonnen outpost. The facility's true nature was far more malevolent. My exploration led me through irradiated chambers, where scavenging was crucial. I secured Iodine Pills from a storage container and, most importantly, a Keykard Wristband. This device was my only means to bypass the lethal Pentashield barriers blocking the way forward.

A jarring cutscene then revealed the facility's horrifying inhabitants: a Tlielaxu aberration. From that moment, the mission transformed into a desperate fight for survival. I encountered two distinct types of these creatures:

• Agile Stalkers: Smaller, faster Gholas that swarmed from the shadows.

• Brute Enforcers: Hulking, resilient abominations that could absorb tremendous punishment.

These Tlielaxu Gholas were relentless, attacking on sight without mercy. The hallways of the laboratory became a gauntlet. While I found occasional Healing Kits and Darts, the real intrigue lay in scattered Communinet recorders. Activating these provided haunting audio logs, piecing together the dark experiments conducted in this accursed place. However, looting was a luxury; my primary focus was navigating the labyrinth while fending off ambushes at every turn.

The tension crescendoed in a large, circular chamber. As I approached another Pentashield, alarms blared, and a veritable horde of Tlielaxu Gholas poured into the arena. This was the mission's pivotal combat encounter. My strategy evolved on the fly:

1. Crowd Control First: I utilized area-of-effect abilities, like the Trooper's Assault Seeker, to weaken the numerous smaller foes.

2. Priority Targeting: For the bulky Enforcers, precise headshots were non-negotiable to conserve ammunition.

3. Environmental Exploitation: I discovered a useful, if cheeky, tactic. By jumping onto the catwalks and climbing back up, I could momentarily break the creatures' pathfinding, as they were forced to take longer routes around the room's perimeter.

The challenge intensified with each wave. During the second, third, and fourth assaults, enemies spawned from both flanks, threatening to surround and overwhelm me. It was a relentless battle of attrition. The moment of relief came only when Zantara's voice crackled over the comms, announcing his side was 'clear.' The enemy spawns ceased, the Pentashield deactivated, and I could finally proceed, battered but victorious.

The path beyond was more direct but no less eerie. I continued using the Cutteray to open my way, dispatching the remaining isolated Gholas, until I was finally reunited with Zantara. Together, we entered the facility's core for the mission's final, revelatory stage. The answers I sought about my purpose on Arrakis were unveiled, and the truth was more staggering than I had imagined.

This revelation, however, triggered the base's self-destruct sequence. A final cutscene played, and a new, urgent objective flashed: EVACUATE. I had a mere 90 seconds to escape the collapsing complex. There was no time for combat. I sprinted, heart pounding, through the familiar tunnels, weaving past the pursuing Ghola horde. The sight of the waiting Ornithopter was a beacon of hope. I dashed toward it, interacted with the hatch, and boarded just as the world behind me erupted in chaos.

Mission Rewards & Aftermath

Emerging from the ruins, the mission's substantial rewards were granted:

• Zantara's Crysknife: A beautifully crafted, exceptionally fast melee weapon, now a trophy of my survival.

• Massive Experience Points: A significant boost that accelerated my progression.

• Questline Advancement: Unlocking the next narrative chapter upon returning to my own base.

This mission, 'Searching for Answers,' was more than a simple quest finale. It was a dense, atmospheric journey that tested every skill I'd honed on Arrakis—from puzzle-solving and exploration to tactical combat and sheer survival instinct. The revelations gained and the prize earned made the harrowing experience within the Tlielaxu laboratories utterly worthwhile, setting the stage for whatever challenges lie ahead in the shifting sands of Dune: Awakening.