If you’re playing ARC Raiders, you’ve probably come across the quest Celeste’s Journals. This quest is a follow-up to Back On Top, and while it’s not particularly difficult, it can be a bit confusing if you don’t know where to look or what to expect. Here’s a practical guide based on what most players encounter while doing this quest.
What is Celeste’s Journals Quest?
In general, this quest is about retrieving two lost journals for a trader named Celeste. The journals are scattered across two outposts: one in the South Swamp and one in the northern outpost overlooking the Red Lakes. Once you collect both journals, you return them to Celeste to complete the quest.
From a gameplay perspective, this is a standard retrieval quest, but the locations and the combat situations around the journals can be tricky if you aren’t prepared.
Where Are the Journals Located?
South Swamp Journal
Most players head straight to the South Swamp Outpost first. The journal is usually in a visible spot but can be near enemies that respawn if you take too long. In practice, players often clear the area before looting the journal to avoid taking unnecessary damage.
North Journal
The northern journal is found at the outpost overlooking the Red Lakes. This location is slightly more open, so you might encounter multiple enemy types at once. Many players recommend moving quickly and using cover to avoid getting overwhelmed, especially if you’re solo.
How to Retrieve the Journals
In general, the journals can be picked up by simply interacting with them. However, the challenge comes from the enemies around the outposts. Most players adopt one of two strategies:
Stealth Approach: Move slowly, use cover, and eliminate enemies quietly. This works well if your loadout is optimized for ranged attacks.
Aggressive Push: Charge in with your heaviest weapons, clear the outpost quickly, and grab the journal before reinforcements arrive.
Both strategies work, but the choice usually depends on your team composition and how confident you are in your gear.
Delivering the Journals
Once both journals are in your inventory, return to Celeste at the Dam Battlegrounds. Delivering the journals is straightforward. Most players notice that the quest is forgiving: you can complete it even if you take damage or lose some resources along the way.
Completing this quest rewards you with useful crafting components like:
1x Magnetic Accelerator
3x Heavy Gun Parts
1x Exodus Module
These materials are especially helpful if you are upgrading your gear or preparing for more difficult raids.
Common Player Tips
Check your map: Both the south and north outposts are marked, but sometimes the exact journal location can be slightly off. Most players watch for environmental cues like crates, tents, or small structures to find the journals faster.
Bring enough ammo and healing items: Even though the enemies aren’t extremely tough, the areas are usually crowded, and you don’t want to run out mid-fight.
Coordinate in teams: If you are playing with others, splitting up to retrieve each journal simultaneously saves a lot of time.
Plan your route: The northern journal often requires crossing open terrain. Most players run straight through while covering each other to avoid getting pinned down.
Why Some Players Skip or Delay This Quest
Interestingly, some players choose to delay Celeste’s Journals until after other quests because it doesn’t offer immediate combat or exploration rewards. The journals are easy to find but can feel repetitive if you’ve already cleared similar outposts. That said, completing this quest helps unlock future content and is worth doing eventually.
Extra Note on Trading
For players looking to make the most of their in-game items, Celeste sometimes interacts with players who want to manage or trade materials. For instance, it’s possible to sell ARC Raiders blueprints quickly on U4N, which can help free up inventory space or generate resources for upgrades. Most players do this only after they have completed several journal-related or crafting quests to maximize efficiency.
What Happens After Completion?
After returning both journals:
Celeste thanks you, and the quest is marked as complete.
There is no penalty for losing the journals again, and you can focus on the next quests in sequence.
The storyline element is light but adds a bit of personality to Celeste as a character. Most players enjoy this because it makes the trader feel more human, rather than just a source of items.
In general, Celeste’s Journals is a low-risk, mid-reward quest that is useful for gathering materials and progressing the storyline. The key points most players focus on are:
Locate the south and north journals using map cues.
Clear outpost enemies efficiently.
Return journals to Celeste at the Dam Battlegrounds.
Consider trading or managing inventory afterward.
For new players, this quest is a good introduction to multi-location retrieval missions. For experienced players, it’s a quick way to get some materials while moving toward larger raid goals.
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