Windrose – Underground Network Smugglers Quest Walkthrough

The Smugglers of Port Royal in Windrose are unlocked through the Underground Network quest. The Smugglers are one of the most important factions to unlock early in Windrose, giving you access to valuable trade routes, faction progression, and useful ship-focused rewards. 

1. Where to Find Smugglers in Windrose

Smugglers Base location

The Smugglers are found at the Smugglers Main Base in Smugglers Waters. The base is a hidden cave on a small island, and the entrance is easy to miss because there is no obvious settlement outside. The reliable way to get there is to start the Underground Network quest in Tortuga, then follow the quest to Marita at the cave base.

How to reach the Smuggler Base

1. Go to Tortuga and start the Underground Network quest.
2. Follow the quest until it sends you to Smugglers Waters.
3. Sail to the marked island in Smugglers Waters.
4. Dock on the island and circle the shoreline until you find the cave entrance.
5. Enter the cave. Marita is inside, and the Buyer is next to her.

2. How to start Underground Network Quest in Windrose

Underground Network starts in Tortuga and immediately points you toward the tavern. The first real quest NPC is Long Ben, who is behind the bar. This conversation is what unlocks the route to the Smuggler base.

Go to the Tortuga Tavern

This first step is short, but it sets up the whole faction route.

1. Sail to Tortuga.
2. Follow the quest marker across the market to the tavern.
3. Go inside and head to the bar.

Talk to Long Ben

Long Ben

Long Ben moves the quest out of Tortuga and toward the Smuggler base.

1. Speak to Long Ben behind the bar.
2. Use the dialogue that advances the sabotage topic.
3. Choose the option about someone wrecking the smugglers’ caches and the letter for Henry.
4. Finish the conversation to unlock the objective to find Marita.

3. How to find Marita at the Smuggler Base

Talking to Marita

After Long Ben, the quest leaves Tortuga and sends you to the faction’s real location. Marita is the key Smuggler NPC and the one who sends you to Hale.

1. Open the map and follow the new quest marker to Smugglers Waters.
2. Sail to the marked island.
3. Do not look for an open camp or dock vendor on the surface. The base is inside a cave.
4. Dock on the island and circle the perimeter until you find the cave entrance (near the main dock).
5. Press the interact key F to enter the cave.
6. Inside the cave, Marita is immediately to your right.
7. Talk to her and choose the dialogue about someone hitting the caches to advance the quest cleanly. This updates the objective to find Hale.

4. How to find Hale 

Hale’s hidden cave

The Hale step is the one most players get stuck on because the entrance is hidden. Hale is in an underground cave southeast of Blackbeard Waters, and the entrance is concealed under a wooden cover that you need to break open. Land on the island and search the ground area instead of cliffs or shoreline caves.

1. Look for a patch of ground covered by wooden planks / a wooden cover.
2. Hit it with your sword to break it open.
3. Drop into the underground passage.
4. Move forward through the cave.
5. Kill the crab enemy blocking the path and continue to Hale.
6. Interact with Hale. He is already dead, and the interaction completes the objective.

5. Return to Marita After Finding Hale

This part is simple but required before the final ship hunt becomes available. You need to go back and report Hale’s death to Marita. 

1. Sail back to Smugglers Waters.
2. Re-enter the Smuggler cave base and talk to Marita again.
3. Use the quest-forward dialogue to report Hale’s death.

6. Talk to Long Ben Again

Talking to Long Ben

After Marita, the quest pivots into the final hunt for Marlowe. You need to talk to Long Ben for the next objective. 

• Go back to Long Ben at the tavern and talk to him again.
• If the dialogue option appears, start with “Who’s Henry?”.
• Finish the conversation to unlock the final target: Marlowe’s ship, the Bony Sue.

7. How to Find and Sink the Bony Sue

Ship battle

The last stage of the Underground Network quest is a naval fight. The target ship is the Bony Sue, and a Blackbeard Gunboat accompanies it. The recommended character level for this stage is 3.

1. Follow the final quest marker northwest.
2. Expect to find the Bony Sue with a Blackbeard Gunboat nearby.
3. Go in with your ship repaired if possible. Use the Wharf to repair the ship. 
4. Target the Blackbeard Gunboat before focusing on the Bony Sue.
5. Clear the escort so the boarding phase is safer.
6. After weakening the Bony Sue, board the ship and kill Marlowe on the ship deck. 

NOTE: Do not finish the fight by only sinking the ship from range. The quest expects the boarding kill.

8. Underground Network Quest Rewards

Underground Network Quest Rewards

Once Marlowe is dead, head back to Long Ben to finish the quest. This is the final turn-in step for the Underground Network quest, and it is also what locks in the full reward bundle. Completing the quest gives you 50 Piastre, 5 Letters of Favor, 2 Brandy, 2 Madeira, and 2 Whiskey.

On top of the item rewards, finishing Underground Network also fully opens the Smuggler base as an active faction hub, letting you use its core services going forward. 

9. Advantages of Smugglers

Once the quest is done, the Smugglers become one of the best money and utility factions in the game. Their biggest advantages are:

• The best payout for Contraband and Luxuries
• Access to heavy armor plans
• Access to Hull Bracing upgrades
• Access to Naval Tactics at higher reputation ranks

10. What to Sell to the Smuggler Buyer

Smuggler NPC

The Smuggler Buyer is the correct place to sell Contraband, Luxuries, and several treasure items. 

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