The Runeseeker Poe2 is the central quest introduced in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5 (Return of the Ancients). It serves as the main story thread for the Runes of Aldur league mechanic, guiding players through all four acts to collect runestones, clear runic vaults, and unlock Runeforging, one of the most powerful crafting systems added to the game.
The Runeseeker quest is gated behind meeting Farrow, the NPC who introduces the Runes of Aldur mechanic in Act 1. Speaking to Farrow triggers the quest and begins a chain of objectives spread across the entire campaign. Each act has its own set of runestone locations and a vault that must be cleared to progress.
Completing The Runeseeker Poe2 fully unlocks Runeforging and access to Verisium, the new resource used to craft Runic Ward onto armor items. Skipping or rushing the quest means missing significant crafting power in the endgame.
The Runeseeker Quest Progression: Complete Order
The full quest follows this sequence. Do not skip any step, as each one unlocks the next:
- Speak to Farrow in Act 1
- Collect 2 Act 1 Runestones (Grim Tangle, Ogham Farmlands)
- Return to Grelwood and find the secret passage
- Clear the Runic Vault in Grelwood
- Collect 3 Act 2 Runestones (The Bone Pits, Keth, Valley of the Titans)
- Clear the Skull of the Titan Vault
- Collect 2 Act 3 Runestones (Jungle Ruins, Venom Crypts)
- Clear the Mystic Refuge Vault
- Gather 4 Act 4 Torn Map Pieces (Shrike Island, Whakapanu Island, Isle of Kin, Kedge Bay)
- Deliver the map pieces to Makoru (ship captain)
- Complete Plunderer’s Point expedition
- Clear the Deserted Post
Act 1 Runestone Locations
Act 1 has two runestone locations that you must visit before the Runic Vault becomes accessible.
| Location | Zone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Runestone 1 | Grim Tangle | Fixed zone, visible on map as a glowing marker |
| Runestone 2 | Ogham Farmlands | Fixed zone, near the main path through the area |
After collecting both, return to the Grelwood area and look for the hidden passage. The passage leads to the Runic Vault, which contains a moderate combat encounter followed by a Rune crafting reward.
What Is the Runic Vault?
Runic Vaults are special instances connected to The Runeseeker questline. Each vault contains:
- A group of Ezomyte Remnant enemies empowered by Runes
- A unique chest that drops Runeforging materials
- A fixed amount of Verisium as quest reward
Act 2 Runestone Locations
Act 2 has three runestone locations:
- The Bone Pits: Located in the western section of the zone near a large skeletal structure
- Keth: In the ruins area, look for the glowing runestone marker on elevated terrain
- Valley of the Titans: The Azak Bog becomes accessible through Maltan Waterways in Patch 0.5; travel along the edge of the zone to find this runestone
The Skull of the Titan Vault unlocks after all three Act 2 runestones are collected. This vault contains stronger enemies than the Act 1 version and rewards higher-tier Runeforging materials.
Act 3 Runestone Locations
Act 3 has two runestone locations in the jungle-themed zones:
- Jungle Ruins: The runestone is located in a stone courtyard area in the northern portion of the zone
- Venom Crypts: Hidden within the crypt interior, accessible through the main dungeon path
The Mystic Refuge Vault is the most challenging vault in the questline before Act 4. Prepare with capped resistances and strong single-target damage.
Act 4 Torn Map Pieces
Act 4 replaces the runestone mechanic with Torn Map Pieces. These four pieces combine into a map that Makoru uses to direct you to Plunderer’s Point.
| Piece | Zone |
|---|---|
| Map Piece 1 | Shrike Island |
| Map Piece 2 | Whakapanu Island |
| Map Piece 3 | Isle of Kin |
| Map Piece 4 | Kedge Bay |
After delivering all four to Makoru on the ship, travel to Plunderer’s Point. Complete the full expedition there, then clear the Deserted Post to finish the questline.
Runeforging: What Do You Unlock?
Completing The Runeseeker PoE2 fully unlocks access to:
- Runeforging: The ability to apply Runic Ward crafting to armor items using Verisium
- Runic Knowledge: Passive bonuses based on the number of Runes you have used in the league
- Verisium Access: The new resource drops from Ezomyte Remnants throughout the endgame, funding your ongoing Runeforging crafts
- Rune Recipes: Over 150 Rune types become craftable or discoverable through the Runes of Aldur endgame content
Pro Tips: The Runeseeker Poe2
- Complete the questline on your first character, not on a reroll: The Runeseeker unlocks early access to Runeforging, which accelerates your entire crafting progression. Delaying the questline delays your access to Verisium crafting by entire acts.
- Clear each vault fully before moving to the next act: Partially clearing a vault does not count as completion. The objective tracker requires the full vault boss to be defeated before the next runestone set becomes trackable.
- Track the Azak Bog runestone via Maltan Waterways: Post-Patch 0.5, the Azak Bog access path changed. Do not look for the old entrance. Enter through Maltan Waterways and travel along the zone edge to find the new runestone position.
- Save the Torn Map Pieces until all four are collected: Delivering incomplete sets to Makoru does not trigger progress and wastes travel time. Collect all four before visiting the ship.
Common Mistakes The Runeseeker Quest Players Make
- Skipping the Grelwood secret passage: Many players collect the Act 1 runestones and proceed to Act 2 without clearing the Runic Vault, assuming the quest auto-progresses. Fix: after both Act 1 runestones are collected, look for a breakable wall or hidden passage in Grelwood before leaving the act.
- Hunting for runestones in incorrect zones: The runestone zones are fixed per act, not random. Players who search the wrong zones waste significant time. Fix: use the quest tracker to confirm which specific zone each runestone is located in before exploring.
- Underleveling the Mystic Refuge Vault in Act 3: Act 3’s vault is significantly harder than Act 2’s. Players who rush in at the minimum suggested level encounter mechanics they cannot sustain through. Fix: clear at least two levels above the vault zone’s recommended level and confirm your resistances are fully capped before entering.
Optimize Your PoE2 Experience With ExitLag
Path of Exile 2’s Runeseeker questline takes you through all four acts and into the endgame, which means hours of continuous play. A stable connection throughout the entire campaign is critical because disconnecting during a vault boss fight resets your progress in the instance.
ExitLag is a game connection optimizer that routes your PoE2 traffic through the fastest, most stable path to Grinding Gear Games’ servers. It is not a VPN and does not modify game files.
Download ExitLag for PC at exitlag.com/download and try it free.
All game images used in this blog post belong to Grinding Gear Games. They are used for informational and educational purposes only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation with the rights holders.
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