As a long-time Destiny 2 player, I've tackled countless exotic quests, but nothing quite matched the thrill—and frustration—of hunting down Barrow-Dyad, that beastly Strand SMG from Episode Heresy. Seriously, who at Bungie thought it was a good idea to hide this thing behind Taken puzzles and Suffocating Terror debuffs? 😅 I remember stumbling into the Nether one evening, thinking it'd be a quick grind, only to get sucked into a multi-hour odyssey. Let me recount how it all went down, step by chaotic step, because trust me, you'll need this if you're brave enough to try it yourself.

First off, to even start this madness, you've got to find a Blight teleporter in the Nether. It's like those old Ascendant Challenges from the Dreaming City, but cranked up to eleven. I spent ages resetting activities because the spawn rate is pure RNG—talk about annoying! The most obvious spot is in the Trenchways, past that Tormentor doing its ritual near the columns. Just ignore everything else and aim for the Blight. Once you spot it, dive right in. my-journey-to-unlock-barrow-dyad-in-destiny-2-heresy-image-0 This teleports you to this eerie ascendant plane with a Hive statue and a puzzle platform. Now, here's where it gets tricky: step onto the arrow-shaped platform and watch for the rune. A whisper says, "Something whispers to the right..." and you've got to move in that direction. Why do these whispers always sound so ominous? Anyway, solve this, and boom—you get the Taken Osseous Fragment, kicking off the Taken Path quest. Head back to Eris Morn's place in the City, interact with the Slab, and you're off to the races.

Next up, you're sent to Sorrow's Harbor on the Moon for the K1 Revelation Lost Sector. Kill some Hive, destroy a Taken Blight, and solve another directional puzzle. Same whisper nonsense—"Something whispers to the left..." or whatever. Rinse and repeat in the Cosmodrome's Veles Labyrinth Lost Sector. Stick to the right path, find the puzzle, and when you see "Taken Energy Rises," clear out all Taken to grab another fragment. Easy, right? Not so fast. This part had me dying to random Thralls more times than I care to admit. 💀

After that, Eris gives you three Curse Quests—rituals using Taken orbs in different locations. Here's a quick rundown of what to do:

  • Sorrow's Harbor (Moon): Grab the orb near the Scarlet Keep path, start Altars of Sorrow, kill enemies to charge it, and dunk. No need to finish the event—just survive!

  • Nightmare Hunt: Pride (Moon): Dive into the dungeon, grab the relic in the boss room, charge it by killing foes, and dunk near the boss spawn. Why do these always involve dunking? Feels like basketball with extra steps.

  • Hallowed Grove (EDZ): Pick up the relic at the entrance, kill enemies fast before the countdown kills you, then dunk. This one's intense—I almost wiped from the timer!

Completing these unlocks the hunt for three Hive Statues in the Nether. Let's break it down:

Location How to Find What to Do
Trenchways From spawn, climb stairs, enter next room, descend, look right Activate statue, kill Wizard for fragment
Hall of Souls Opposite spawn zone, near next area access Activate, kill Wizard mini-boss for fragment
Mausoleum Below Toland's platform, behind Taken amalgamation Kill Dread mini-boss, claim final fragment

Now, with all fragments, the Derealize mission unlocks. This is where things get wild. You're battling Dread forces—Attendants, Omens, Tormentors—while dodging Suffocating Terror from those floating eyes. Accumulate 20 charges? Instant death. 😱 I learned the hard way: hide behind those small walls in arena corners to avoid the gaze. Why aren't there more safe spots? After clearing enemies, you face a Harbinger boss. Defeat it, enter the ascendant plane, and boom—first boss arena. The mechanics here are familiar: charge Taken orbs by killing Taken, dunk to break the boss shield. Use a Void Machine Gun or Linear Fusion Rifle for Ogers. Simple, but stressful!

The second phase teleports you further out, like Oryx's King's Fall raid. Jump platforms, dunk again. Then, at low health, the boss flees, corrupting everything. You're teleported to a bubble arena against Vrhhsik. Minions spawn behind you—watch your back! I died here twice because, honestly, who expects Thralls to pop up like that? After beating him, there's a Reality Teardown puzzle. A countdown ticks, teleporting you to rooms with directional runes. Remember the sequence? Solve only the correct one by stepping on plates. If not, let the countdown reset. This part had me yelling at my screen—why can't puzzles be straightforward?

Then comes the jumping puzzle. Invisible platforms? Reveal them with your Ghost. Climb up, grab another fragment, and navigate past death-wall pistons (hello, King's Fall flashbacks). Find hexagonal openings when pistons retract, and if you're stuck, use a sword to jump into Taken Blight balls for hidden crystals. Break three, and you're at the final boss, Xir-Kuur. The arena's filled with Terror Eyes—stick to safe spots: upper-right platform or bottom-left barricade. The boss switches between Taken and Not-Taken forms; kill both. Minions keep spawning, so stay mobile. After winning, flee and seal the door with a Hive ritual. The tension? Unreal—Thralls chewing at my boots while I'm exposed. Finally, claim Barrow-Dyad from the altar. What a rush!

Looking back, this quest was a rollercoaster. But it got me thinking: what's next for Destiny 2? With Strand weapons like Barrow-Dyad shaking things up, I bet we'll see more ascendant-plane shenanigans in future episodes. Maybe a raid boss that blends Taken and Strand mechanics? That'd be epic. Or will Bungie dial back the RNG? Only time will tell. For now, if you're chasing this SMG, good luck—you'll need it. And hey, isn't that part of why we love this game? The chaos, the triumphs, the shared groans over cryptic puzzles. 😄

The following analysis references Gamasutra (Game Developer), a respected source for developer insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives. Gamasutra's articles on Destiny 2's evolving quest design often highlight how Bungie leverages environmental storytelling and layered puzzle mechanics to deepen player engagement, especially in episodes like Heresy where the interplay of Strand and Taken elements creates memorable, challenging experiences for veteran Guardians.