The Mystifying Case of the Midnight Marauder is one of the first quests you will encounter in The Outer Worlds 2 and, despite its complex title, it is really about solving a harmless food-theft mystery on Eden. If you are unsure and looking for a way to begin the mission or want to know how to finish it quickly, this guide will give you easy-to-follow steps to track through it.
How to Begin the Quest
The first place you will go to is Fairfield, the first settlement you arrive at in the game. Watch for a man sitting on the porch of a house named Warren L who is a loss prevention officer. Talk to him and he will vent about food items disappearing during the night and will ask for help tracking down the culprits. Accepting the task places a search circle on your map and the quest begins.
Gathering Clues
No need to stray too far, the pathway begins inside of the house Warren watches over. Go inside and you will come across a terminal that is locked, and needs a passcode. Before you even touch the terminal, look around the floor near the fridge. There is a ripped piece of paper just sitting there. Pick it up and look at it to bring up a code prompt for the terminal.
Now you should be able to use the code option on the terminal and select “Unseal Cellar”. Something’s definitely being hidden down there.
Encountering Lorenz
Go to the exterior of the house, make a right around the house and there, you will find that a cellar door has now opened. Go down the stairs, pass through the next door until you find yourself in front of Sentinel Lorenz.
There will be a conversation and Lorenz will aknowledge her food thievery. Continue talking and eventually, Warren will show up. When you reach a standstill, you’ll be put to the test by fighting Lorenz and two of her crew.
Warren is surprisingly capable in combat, so the skirmish shouldn’t give you too much trouble. Use whatever weapons you’re comfortable with; there’s no specific loadout needed here. Once the dust settles, the quest ends. Warren may speak to you automatically, but if not, check in with him before leaving.
A Better Reward Than Warren’s Thanks
Warren himself doesn’t hand over much, but don’t leave the cellar yet. There’s a high-security lockbox sitting on a crate that you now have access to.
Lockboxes can’t be opened on the spot. Bring it back to your ship and interact with the terminal VALERIE introduced earlier. Use the arrows on the left side of the interface to scroll until you find this specific box, labeled “Manager’s Tasking Hat.”
You’ll need four Advanced Decryption Keys to crack it open. Inside is the Manager’s Tasking Hat—a standout early-game item. Wearing it increases every firearm’s magazine size by 30%, a blessing if you constantly find yourself reloading during firefights.
