Fallout 76 is now out, and players are raiding the West Virginia wasteland in search of secrets to uncover, loot to raid, and Power Armor to stomp about in. One of the best ways to accomplish all three is by undertaking one of the various faction quests around the map, such as the Enclave or Order of Mysteries. One of the most rewarding missions is actually for the Raider faction, and it’s the Fallout 76 Key to the Past quest.
It’s quite a tough quest, but it’s worth it, since it’ll complete the initial Raider faction questline and nets you a set of special Raider Power Armor. But how do you get the Key to the Past quest? How do you complete it, and what enemies will you face? We’ve got a full walkthrough for you. You wouldn’t want to let Rose down, would you?
Where to Get the Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest
The Key to the Past quest is the third part of the Raider faction questline, although you won’t know it as such just yet. To start the questline you have to approach the Top of the World building, which is directly east of the town of Flathills. It’s on the map above, and it’s so tall you can’t really miss it. When you get close, you’ll hear a woman named Rose talk to you through the intercom.
Rose is one of the more interesting characters in the game, so we wanted to help her immediately. Before you can get to Key to the Past, however, you’ll have to complete her first two missions: “Signal Strength” and “Flavors of Mayhem.” Neither are particularly difficult, and we’ll assume you’ve finished both of them by yourself. After you’ve completed Flavors of Mayhem, return to Rose and she’ll give you the Key to the Past quest.
Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest – Blackwater Bandits’ Key Fragment
Rose tells you about a special Raider treasure cache. The key to this cache was split into 5 passcodes, recorded on separate holotapes. You’ll have to get all five holotapes to piece the Master Key together, get access to the treasure, and complete the first major Raider faction questline. The first thing you’ll need to do is track down clues to where to find the Blackwater Bandits’ key fragment.
Follow the objective marker south of Top of the World to find the Blackwater Mine, in the Savage Divide region. You’ll be pointed to a terminal just inside the mine. Access it, and search Freddie Lang’s logs. The first entry should update the quest, as apparently Freddie has the first key fragment. Head deeper into the mine, watching out for Mole Miners and Ghouls, and you should find Freddie Lang, who’s become a Glowing One. Kill him, raid his irradiated corpse, and grab the key fragment.
Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest – Trappers’ Key Fragment
Leave the mine, and Rose will tell you the next part of the key is with the Trappers. Head to the Trappers Camp, which is on the Devil’s Backbone to the southeast of Blackwater Mine. When you get there, you’ll find that a Super Mutant group hit the camp and took the Trappers’ leader to the town of Huntersville, which is just a little to the west. Head there, and be prepared to fight with a lot of Super Mutants. Go to roughly the center of town, and you’ll find the Trappers’ key fragment on the corpse of Walter Griswold.
Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest – Diehards’ Key Fragment
The next key fragment is with Margie McClintock, the leader of the Diehards. According to Rose, her last known location was at Sunnytop Ski Lanes. This is located far to the north, way past Top of the World and directly north of the Sons of Dane compound. When you reach here (you’ll probably have to climb), you’ll find it surrounded by enemies and covered in explosive traps, so watch your step.
Go through the main door, head left, and clear the rooms of Super Mutants. When you get to your objective, you’ll find that Margie destroyed the holotape with her key fragment on it. Your only hope is someone called Vincent, who may have a backup. His terminal is located across the lodge and downstairs. Log in, select “Inbox” then “Admin Password.” Apparently the Palace of the Winding Path has a way of retrieving the holotape. It’s the big building just to the north-west, so head there and you’ll find the Palace Admin Password in a dresser in one of the rooms. Head to the Holotape Duplication Terminal and copy the Diehards’ key fragment.
Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest – Goumands’ Key Fragment
The next part of the Key to the Past mission directs you to Bolton Greens, to the south of your previous location (and north of the Top of the World). You can’t miss it, since on the map it’s just a big sign with “Bolton Greens” written on it. Upon getting there, head to the top floor. You’ll find the Goumands’ note, which tells you that the key fragment is located in a place called Wendigo Cave. It’s just to the east and a little south (see the map above).
As you might guess, the cave is filled with Wendigos, and if you’ve been lucky enough not to encounter one previously, they’re some of the toughest enemies in the game. Go well-equipped, take it slow, and be prepared for a tough fight deep inside the cave against a high level Progenitor Wendigo. You’ll find the Goumands’ key fragment on its corpse, if you survived that fight.
Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest – Cutthroats’ Key Fragment
The final part of the Master Key is the Cutthroats’ key fragment, and fortunately it’s the easiest. Rose says that the leader of the Goumands, a man named David, was last seen at Big Fred’s BBQ Shack. This is located to the south, just south-east of Top of the World, right next to the “105” on Route 105. There’s a lot of Feral Ghouls in this area. Put them down, and you’ll be attacked by David Thorpe, who’s become a well-armored Scorched. Kill him, and take his key fragment. Now it’s time to complete the key, and the mission.
Fallout 76 Key to the Past Quest – Complete the Key
Unfortunately you’re not quite done yet. Return to Rose, and she’ll have a couple more things for you to do first. She wants you to recover the body of someone named Rosalynn, which you can find over in Charleston far to the south-west. Specifically, you’ll need to head into the Charleston Capital Building, which is the big building with the golden top. There are a lot of ghouls inside, but they’ll all be at a very low level. Access the terminal you’re directed to in the basement and search for “Doe, J.” You’ll be sent to a jail cell, but instead you’ll find a holotape which explains just who Rose is.
Apparently this whole thing was a wild goose chase, and Rose had the key all along. Go to the Pleasant Valley Ski Resort, which is the green building directly to the east of the Top of the World, and head to the basement. This is the secret Raider faction treasure cache room. It’s locked, but check under the doormat for the key. You can now claim your loot, including some nice Raider Power Armor.
Oh, and make sure you grab the Broken Uplink in the corner of the room for your next quest, “The Missing Link.”
