Pieter’s Garb is a legendary light chestpiece in The Blood of Dawnwalker that you can obtain through the Buried Past side quest. The same questline can also reward you with the Artery Strike Manual, giving you both a powerful armor upgrade and one of the strongest Swordmastery attacks available to Coen.
The catch is that you cannot simply travel to Pieter’s hidden stash at the start of the open world and dig it up. You first need to progress Buried Past far enough, return to Volk across multiple in-game days, and choose the correct dialogue rewards before the treasure becomes available.
This guide covers the fastest route through the important parts of Buried Past, where to start the quest, how to get Artery Strike, and exactly where Pieter’s Garb is buried.
You can find more equipment and collectible guides in our The Blood of Dawnwalker Items hub.
Pieter’s Garb and Artery Strike at a Glance
| Reward | How To Get It | Important Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Pieter’s Garb | Dig up Pieter’s hidden treasure during Buried Past | Legendary light chestpiece with no Medium or Heavy Armor training requirement |
| Artery Strike Manual | Accept Volk’s weapon training reward | Unlocks a powerful Swordmastery attack |
| Quest | Buried Past | Requires several visits to Volk across multiple in-game days |
| Treasure Area | Western Vale Sangora near Giant’s Pawns | The stash cannot be opened before the quest reaches the correct stage |
How To Start the Buried Past Quest
Your first step is traveling to Maragir and speaking with the merchant in town. The merchant recognizes Coen as Pieter’s son and tells him about a secluded place connected to his father’s past.
This conversation begins the trail that eventually leads to Volk and Pieter’s hidden treasure. Follow the new information toward the secluded meeting place outside the city.
Travel to Pieter’s Secret Meeting Spot
After speaking with the merchant, follow the route toward the secret location marked by the quest. You are not heading directly to Pieter’s armor yet. This location introduces the next important character in the questline.
When you reach the secluded area, you will meet Volk, an old mercenary who knew Pieter before Coen discovered the truth about his father’s past.
Return to Volk Across Multiple In-Game Days
Buried Past is not a quest you finish in one visit. Volk needs time between important conversations, so you will need to leave, complete other activities, and return on later in-game days.
If your main goal is Pieter’s Garb and Artery Strike, avoid spending extra Time Segments on optional objectives you do not need. Progress the conversations, leave when Volk needs to rest, and return when the next stage becomes available.
This is especially important because The Blood of Dawnwalker makes time a limited resource. Completing unnecessary chores purely for completion can delay other questlines you may want to prioritize.
How To Get the Artery Strike Manual
After progressing Volk’s conversations far enough, he offers Coen weapon training. Choose to accept the training.
This rewards you with the Artery Strike Manual. Artery Strike is a powerful Swordmastery attack and is worth unlocking if you are building Coen around human sword combat.
The Buried Past quest is therefore valuable even before you reach the legendary armor reward: one questline can improve both your combat ability and your equipment.
Ask Volk About Pieter’s Treasure
During the same phase of the quest, continue the dialogue about Pieter and ask Volk about your father’s treasure.
When the relevant follow-up appears, choose the dialogue that recalls visiting the glade with Pieter. This gives you the information needed to locate the buried stash.
Do not skip this quest progression and run directly to the treasure location. The stash cannot be properly interacted with until Buried Past reaches this stage.
Where To Find Pieter’s Garb
Pieter’s treasure is located on the western side of Vale Sangora near the Giant’s Pawns area.
Follow the path toward the area indicated by Volk’s clues. Near the end of the route, look for a small campsite with a bonfire and a shovel.
The shovel is an important landmark because Pieter’s hidden stash is nearby.
Dig Up Pieter’s Hidden Stash
From the bonfire and shovel, look for the nearby tree and the circle of stones on the ground. Inspect the location once the Buried Past quest has advanced far enough.
Coen can then uncover Pieter’s hidden treasure and obtain Pieter’s Garb.
Why Pieter’s Garb Is Worth Getting
Pieter’s Garb is a legendary light chestpiece, which gives it an immediate advantage over stronger armor classes: you do not need Medium Armor or Heavy Armor proficiency training to use it without the associated armor penalties.
That makes it an excellent reward for players who want a powerful legendary chestpiece without first investing extra time and skill points into armor mastery.
The armor is also directly connected to Coen’s family story, making Buried Past more than a simple equipment hunt.
If you are comparing legendary armor options, see our Isbrand’s Greaves location guide. Players who later move into medium armor can also use our Second Skin Manual guide to reduce medium armor penalties.
Best Buried Past Route for the Two Main Rewards
- Travel to Maragir and speak with the merchant who recognizes Pieter.
- Follow the clue to the secluded meeting location.
- Meet Volk and progress his conversations.
- Leave when Volk needs to rest and return on later in-game days.
- Accept Volk’s weapon training to receive the Artery Strike Manual.
- Ask Volk about Pieter’s treasure.
- Choose the dialogue about remembering the glade.
- Travel toward Giant’s Pawns in western Vale Sangora.
- Find the bonfire, shovel, tree, and stone circle.
- Dig up the stash to obtain Pieter’s Garb.
Should You Get Pieter’s Garb Early?
Yes, especially if you prefer light armor or human sword combat. The combination of a legendary light chestpiece and the Artery Strike Manual makes Buried Past one of the more efficient character-progression questlines once it becomes available.
The main limitation is time: Volk’s quest unfolds across multiple days. Do not sit around waiting for him. Continue exploring Vale Sangora, complete other useful objectives, and return when the next conversation becomes available.
For more weapon, armor, quest, and progression coverage, return to the The Blood of Dawnwalker game hub.
