The Death Howl ox heart quest refers to the "Uninvited Sorrows" side quest found in the Moors of Withered Memories within the Realm of Hostile Plains. In this challenge, Ro must defeat every overworld spirit encounter across the map in a single continuous sweep without resting at a Sacred Grove to heal. To help survive the marathon, the quest giver grants a temporary quest card called Ox Heart, which heals Ro for 5 HP once per battle.
Completing this quest rewards you with the Crystallized Ox Heart totem and unlocks the "Uninvited Sorrows" achievement.
| Quest Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official Quest Name | Uninvited Sorrows |
| Zone & Realm | Moors of Withered Memories (Realm of Hostile Plains) |
| Quest Giver | Thorned creature (strange seed NPC) |
| Quest Card | Ox Heart (Free, restores 5 HP once per battle, Moors only) |
| Quest Requirement | Clear all overworld spirit encounters without resting at a Sacred Grove |
| Main Reward | Crystallized Ox Heart Totem |
| Achievement | Uninvited Sorrows |
Where to Find the Ox Heart Quest Giver
To begin the quest, enter the Moors of Withered Memories, which is the eastern region of the southern Realm of Hostile Plains:
- Travel to the middle Sacred Grove of the Moors of Withered Memories.
- Walk northeast into the narrow dead end lined with thorns.
- Speak to the thorned creature (also described as a strange seed NPC).
The creature explains that uninvited spirits have brought gloom to the moors. It asks you to silence the entire region and places the Ox Heart card directly into your deck.
Quest Rules and How to Complete It
The objective requires eliminating the hostile spirits in the area so that all overworld encounter markers on the map turn gray.
- Do not rest at a Sacred Grove: Resting at an altar to recover your health resets the spirits and fails your run. However, player testing on Steam confirms that interacting with a Sacred Grove simply to uncover the map is permitted as long as you do not heal at it.
- Defeat all overworld encounters: The Death Howl Wiki notes there are 10 overworld spirit encounters scattered across the Moors of Withered Memories that must be cleared.
- Skip optional caves and secret bosses: You do not need to fight the cave spirits (such as the Infected Molar and Elder Crawling Terror), nor do you need to solve the egg symbol puzzle to fight the mini-boss Eggle. Only overworld encounters count toward the quest.
- Return to the thorned creature: Once every overworld encounter marker on your map has turned gray, head back to the dead end in the northeast and talk to the creature to conclude the quest.
How the Ox Heart Card Works
The Ox Heart card functions as a free healing tool while the quest remains active:
- Cost and Activation: Costs 0 mana and restores 5 HP once per battle.
- Regional Lock: The card is bound to the Moors of Withered Memories and cannot be used in other zones.
- Fast Travel Lock: Holding quest cards in your deck naturally disables fast travel. As confirmed by developer 11 bit studios on the Steam forums, this prevents skipping travel routes during challenges. If you find yourself in danger or need to leave the area, you can open your card crafting and deck screen, click the Ox Heart card to remove it from your active deck list, and restore fast travel.
Combat Strategy for the Moors
Because you cannot rely on Sacred Grove healing, avoiding attrition across the 10 encounters is vital:
- Stall for Heals: When only one weak spirit remains on the board, intentionally delay finishing the encounter by one or two turns if needed so you can draw and play Ox Heart.
- Leverage Movement and Backstabbing: The Realm of Hostile Plains introduces strong mobility and backstab mechanics. Utilizing cards like Backstab, Hunter's Leap, Momentum, Swift Strike, and Friction allows Ro to reposition behind targets, deal amplified damage, and end fights before enemies can retaliate.
- Trigger Explosions from Range: Certain enemies in the region explode; keep a range card ready to trigger those explosives.
Quest Rewards
Turning in the quest to the thorned creature grants two rewards:
- Crystallized Ox Heart (Totem): A permanent totem that heals up to 2 to 3 HP lost during a battle once that combat concludes.
- Uninvited Sorrows Achievement: Automatically unlocks upon completing the dialogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to defeat Eggle or the cave enemies for Uninvited Sorrows?
No. Overworld encounters are the only fights required to turn the map markers gray. The cave encounter and the secret Eggle boss fight inside the giant egg do not count toward this quest.
Why can't I fast travel while doing the ox heart quest?
Death Howl prevents fast travel whenever an active quest card or item is in your deck. To re-enable fast travel, open your deck menu and click on the Ox Heart card to remove it from your current deck.
What happens if I rest at a Sacred Grove?
Resting at a Sacred Grove to restore your health revives the defeated spirits in the region, forcing you to start clearing all 10 overworld encounters from the beginning.
