The Cauldron erupted way before the Calamity happened. It now lies somewhat dormant, with Wild creatures turning the crater into their home.
You’ll encounter two new enemy variants here. The first is a red Stinkweed, which hurls orbs of concentrated gas at you. The other is a bigger Stinkeye that has more health than the regular ones.
Don’t worry too much though, since you’ll also get a new weapon that can bypass their armor.
As the level begins, the camera teases you with the Shard’s location. It’s on a block on the opposite end of the crater. There’s no direct path to it, so you’ll have to go around the Cauldron to get it.
Section 1: Clockwise ‘round the Crater
Step 1: You start next to the Skyway. Remember this, because you need to go back here after getting the Shard.
That said, head north. It leads to a small area with six burrowed Stinkeyes and an explosive yellow vineapple.
When you get there, the Stinkeyes will emerge one by one.
After half of them are up, more yellow vineapples plus Peckers will crowd the block. A red Stinkweed will also drop down on a detached rock above the area.
Defeat them to open the east path.
Step 2: There’s a green Wallflower watching over the road. If you kill it, a red Stinkweed will replace it.
The first two burrowed Stinkeyes will also rise after you pass them. The other ones will remain asleep.
Defeat them and the black Wallflower near the end of the path. Continue east you’ve made sure it’s safe.
Step 3: The next area’s choked with dead trees. Those can damage you if you touch them.
Luckily, you’ll find a new weapon here — the Fire Bellows.
Weapon: Fire Bellows
The Bellows blow a stream of flames straight in front of you. This ignores armor, which makes it perfect against many Wild creatures.
However, its range is limited, and you can only walk while using it. The fire may also make it hard to see your enemies’ actions. You may not be able to react when they attack.
Right after you pick it up, some Peckers will land behind you. A Bootlicker will also appear on the top-right clearing. Burn them with your Bellows, and then burn away all the debris.
If you keep burning east through the trees, you’ll reveal a ledge. You can find a Something Heavy for your Hammer at the end of it.
Just beware of the red Stinkweed and a green Wallflower guarding it.
After picking it up, go back to where you found the Bellows and head south.
Step 4: As you make your way down the road, you’ll see a big Pecker sitting in the middle of the path. A squadron of smaller ones are also flying nearby.
Defeat them before you proceed.
After you take a few steps forward from them, a Bootlicker and a red Stinkweed will appear at your front and back.
Focus on the Stinkweed first, and then approach the Bootlicker. There are Stinkeyes lying buried around it. The Bellows can erase them in one stream despite their armor. Burn them all.
Step 5: The path west has a swampweed infestation.
You can walk around a few of them, but you’ll have to burn the rest to pass. As you follow the road, you’ll reach an oval area with four Pincushions and a pink Wallflower.
The four will appear one by one as you defeat them. For the Wallflower, your flames can cook through its metal petals.
Once you’ve gotten past them, the “Pecker Nest” memento will drop near where the Wallflower was.
Go back and pick it up before you proceed south.
Step 6: At the south end of the oval, there will be dead trees along the right edge. Burn them away to reveal another ledge.
This leads to an Arsenal and a Something Pointy. There’s only a big Pecker guarding them.
After you kill it, enter the building if you need to rearrange your gear. Keep the Bellows equipped as you need it to clear your path.
When you’re done, grab the material and head west.
Step 7: Keep going west from the oval and burn the pink Wallflower that’ll block your path. A few steps ahead of it, you’ll be ambushed by two Bootlickers.
They’ll hold you in place while multiple Peckers harass you.
Hold fast, kill the birds, and then burn the Bootlickers.
Continue up the path while burning every Wallflower and dead trees that are in your way.
Step 8: You’ll come upon a multitude of Stinkeyes all burrowed along the trail. They’re deep in slumber.
You only have to worry about the Wallflowers.
Burn them and continue following the path. You’ll soon get to the Shard. Take it, and you’ll wake up all Stinkeyes on the entire level.
Good thing you still have your Bellows to incinerate them. Do that, then start retracing your steps back.
Section 2: The Skybridge Shortcut
Step 1: You’ll discover that the road where the dead trees were has collapsed. But there’s a new path to the right of that gap.
Follow it and you’ll encounter a red Stinkweed and a Pincushion. Get past them to find a Skybridge.
As you approach it, a big Pecker will perch beside it. Another Stinkweed’s also on a separate rock to your north. Kill them and use the Skybridge.
Step 2: You’ll land in the same area where you found the Bellows. There are more Stinkeyes here, plus the new bigger variant. That one still won’t stand a chance against your Bellows.
Melt through its armor and burn the rest.
After that, head west while burning through any dead tree or Stinkeye blocking your path.
Step 3: On the next block, several Peckers will assault you. Two black Wallflowers, two vineapples, a big Stinkeye, and a red Stinkweed are also present.
That last one’s taking cover behind a cluster of dead trees.
Take care of the Peckers first before you burn the others. Once it’s safe, head south to return to the now opened Skyway. Use it to get back home.
Home: The Bastion
With your new Shard in tow, go install that to the Monument. You’ll be able to enhance another building to its true form.
You have three options left; pick one that suits your needs.
Aside from that, go talk to Zia about the Pecker Nest. Its egg will hatch into a baby Pecker, your fourth and final pet in the main story.
If you speak to Rucks about it, he’ll comment on how you’ve managed to tame the Wilds.
This discovery also completes “The Culture” Vigil. This means that you’ve found the required 15 mementos for it. Claim its bounty from the Memorial to get 1500 fragments. If this didn’t trigger for you, then you may have missed a couple. You can buy the ones you lack from the Lost-and-Found.
As for your preparations, you can keep the Bellows equipped.
The next story level has lots of Lunkheads. If you’ve had trouble fighting them before, then the Bellows can help you deal with them. Its flames can bypass their front armor.
When you’re ready, head to the Skyway and choose between these two new levels:
- Grady Incinerator
- Mount Zand
The Incinerator serves as the proving ground for the Bellows.
Your goal there is to burn as many Peckers as you can in under 30 seconds. You’ll want the Bellows’s fuel generation upgrade for this.
But if you’re not interested in doing that yet (or after you finish it), then let’s go to Mount Zand for the next part of the story.
Guide Navigation
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Bastion
- Colford Cauldron: Bastion Walkthrough Part 12
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