The Boatman Questline
The Boatman is a recurring, enigmatic NPC in WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers whose questline spans nearly the entire game. Following his journey provides crucial narrative insights, access to a key location, and several unique rewards, including a powerful Axe and items tied to the game’s multiple endings.
Questline at a Glance
Section titled “Questline at a Glance”This table provides a quick summary of every encounter with the Boatman, including his location, the required action, and any rewards.
| Step | Location (Chapter) | Action Required | Reward(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Reverent Temple (1) | Speak with him at the bottom of the temple stairs. | Optional boss fight trial. |
| 2 |  Lotus Pond (2) | (Optional) Answer a Riddle Door incorrectly to be teleported to his area. | Dialogue. |
| 3 | Overlook Ferry (3) | Speak with him at the ferry in Mt. Zhenwu. | Access to  Bai Mansion. |
| 4 | Overlook Ferry (3) | Return and speak to him after defeating the boss at Bai Mansion. |  Li Jiao’s Fang (Axe). |
| 5 |  Palace Pass (4) | Defeat the area boss, then find him at the  Palace Entrance. |  Blood of Changhong. |
| 6 |  Depths of the Capital (5) | Find the Riddle Door near the shrine and choose “Grand Dream Fades.” |  Lustrous Red Feather or  Ren - Blood Vigor Benediction. |
Detailed Quest Walkthrough
Section titled “Detailed Quest Walkthrough”Follow these steps chronologically to complete the Boatman’s quest.
Encounter 1: Reverent Temple
Section titled “Encounter 1: Reverent Temple”- Chapter: 1
- Location: At the bottom of the main stairs after exiting the Reverent Temple for the first time. He will be sitting on the right.
- Action: Speak with him. He will offer you a one-time opportunity to test your skills against a boss. This fight has no significant rewards and is purely for practice.
Encounter 2 (Optional): Lotus Pond
Section titled “Encounter 2 (Optional): Lotus Pond”- Chapter: 2
- Location: An isolated area accessible via a Riddle Door found on scaffolding in the Palace area (entered from
Doomwillow Beach). - Action: To reach him, you must intentionally answer the Riddle Door’s question incorrectly by choosing “Feathered Transcendence.” This will teleport you to his location.
- Note: This encounter is confirmed to be optional and can be skipped without breaking the questline.
Encounter 3: Overlook Ferry (Part 1)
Section titled “Encounter 3: Overlook Ferry (Part 1)”- Chapter: 3
- Location: At the Overlook Ferry in the Mt. Zhenwu area. This is an optional part of the map.
- Action: Speak with him. He will reveal important story information and offer you passage on his boat, which is required to access the Bai Mansion.
Encounter 4: Overlook Ferry (Part 2)
Section titled “Encounter 4: Overlook Ferry (Part 2)”- Chapter: 3
- Location: The same spot at the Overlook Ferry.
- Action: After defeating the boss
Bai Kru in the Bai Mansion, you must return to the Boatman and speak with him again. - Reward: He will provide more lore about Wuchang and give you the powerful Axe, Li Jiao’s Fang.
Encounter 5: Palace Pass
Section titled “Encounter 5: Palace Pass”- Chapter: 4
- Location: At the Palace Entrance, after the boss battle in the Palace Pass area.
- Action: You must first jump from a cliff onto a Hurricane Circle, which triggers the boss fight against
Vermilion Feathers - Honglan. After defeating her, interact with the door to be transported to the Palace Entrance where the Boatman awaits. - Reward: Impressed by your victory, he will give you a Blood of Changhong.
Encounter 6: Depths of the Capital (Final Meeting)
Section titled “Encounter 6: Depths of the Capital (Final Meeting)”- Chapter: 5
- Location: A hidden area accessible via a Riddle Door next to the Depths of the Capital shrine.
- Action: To meet him for the last time, you must choose the “Grand Dream Fades” answer at the Riddle Door.
- Rewards: The final reward depends on your performance with the Riddle Doors throughout the game.
- Lustrous Red Feather: Awarded if you answered all Riddle Doors correctly.
- Ren - Blood Vigor Benediction: Awarded if you followed his questline but did not answer all riddles correctly.
Quest Rewards
Section titled “Quest Rewards”Completing the Boatman’s full questline provides the following key items:
- Li Jiao’s Fang: A powerful Axe obtained in Chapter 3.
- Blood of Changhong: A special item obtained in Chapter 4.
- Lustrous Red Feather OR Ren - Blood Vigor Benediction: One of two valuable final rewards obtained in Chapter 5, depending on your Riddle Door answers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Section titled “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)”I missed the Boatman at
No, the second encounter at Lotus Pond. Is the quest broken? Lotus Pond is entirely optional. You can proceed directly to the Overlook Ferry in Chapter 3 and the quest will continue normally.
The Boatman didn’t give me the axe after I beat the
You must physically return to the Overlook Ferry from the Bai Mansion boss. Bai Mansion and speak to the Boatman a second time at that location. The reward is not given automatically.
Why did I get the Benediction instead of the
The Lustrous Red Feather? Lustrous Red Feather is a special reward for players who not only completed the Boatman’s quest but also answered all of the game’s Riddle Doors correctly. The Ren - Blood Vigor Benediction is the standard reward for completing just his questline.