Disney Dreamlight Valley has just released its newest expansion, The Storybook Vale, which introduces a fresh world to explore, new characters to unlock, and a wealth of quests for players to immerse themselves in. One of the exciting new characters joining the roster is Merida, alongside four other new faces in Storybook Vale.
Fans have eagerly anticipated Merida’s arrival, and she is finally here. But before you can welcome the spirited Scottish princess into your community, you’ll need to unlock her by completing a series of quests.
Unlocking Merida
Visit Storybook Vale through the Stardust Port
To unlock Merida in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you must first travel to Storybook Vale. However, there are certain prerequisites you need to fulfill before gaining access to this new realm and unleashing the Brave hero, including:
- Having both expansion packs (A Rift in Time and Storybook Vale) installed.
- Completing Merlin’s quest titled “A Port of Many Worlds.”
- Proceeding to Storybook Vale through the Stardust Port.
Upon arriving in Storybook Vale from the Stardust Port, ascend the stairs before you until you reach a platform where you will find a redheaded woman encircled by Inkies. This woman is Merida herself. Engage with the Inkies to free her, and thus, commence the initial quests of Storybook Vale.
How to Start Merida’s Friendship Quests
After the introductions, Merida will ask you to follow her into the Library of Lore. Ascend the stairs with her and enter the library. Talk to Merida again; she will insist you speak to The Lorekeeper. However, when you get there, you’ll discover that the only being present is a gigantic book. Approach it and strike up a conversation.
You’ll learn that the giant book is the Lorekeeper of Storybook Vale. She will inform you that you need to locate a net, a fresh tool within Disney Dreamlight Valley.
Unfortunately, the Lorekeeper won’t be able to direct you towards it as she becomes too weak and starts releasing Snippets—these are flying creatures that represent the remnants of her magic. Merida tells you that you must gather all the Snippets and return them to the Lorekeeper, for which you will need the Royal Net.
To obtain the Royal Net, you must first upgrade your pickaxe. Thankfully, Merida has a potion in her bag that can facilitate this upgrade. Now, it’s your task to locate her bag. Once found, open it to retrieve the contents: the Pickaxe Potion, a Sour Berry Pie, and Scottish Porridge.
Open your inventory and use the Pickaxe Potion to upgrade your pickaxe. With your enhanced tool, it’s time to find the Royal Net. Inside the Library of Lore, there is a puzzle to solve, which requires you to interact with two mechanisms to align the puzzle pieces correctly.
As soon as the pieces are fitting, the center will rise to reveal Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Royal Net. Take it and learn how to catch Snippets from the on-screen instructions. If you’re on PC, it’s as easy as hitting the space bar near the Snippets.
Note: You cannot catch Snippets that are flying too high.
Next, equip the Royal Net and use it to catch four Snippets in the Library of Lore’s main hall. Once you’ve captured them, return to Merida, who will inform you that you need to collect even more Snippets to restore The Lorekeeper. To facilitate this, you’ll have to unlock two doors.
You can choose to enter either the door to the right or the left. I opted for the right one first. Approach the wheel next to the door and use your Royal Net to unlock it. Proceed into the area and ascend the stairs, getting rid of any Inkies obstructing your way.
Gather the Snippets from this wing, then head to the opposite wing for the same task. Each wing contains three Snippets. After you collect all the necessary items, return to Merida.
Next, engage with The Lorekeeper to unlock the story "Once Upon a Time in the Storybook Vale" to advance. You will need to rearrange the stories. Upon finishing the story, The Lorekeeper will reveal its details. Afterward, have another chat with Merida, who will encourage you to explore more and instruct you to find her when you’re ready.
A New Chapter
When you’ve wrapped up your exploration, exit the library and make your way to the Well where Merida is waiting. Speak with her again, and you’ll discover that you need to collect some Storybook Magic to eliminate the more formidable Inkies. Check your Dreamlight Storybook Duties to see how you can gather this magic. Once you collect 500, you can unlock the area called the Bind.
The Bind is where your Storybook Vale home awaits in Disney Dreamlight Valley. Descend the steps and have another conversation with Merida. You will now need to gather five Snippets and remove 15 Inkies. Once you’ve accomplished this, return to Merida.
She will ask you to speak with Scrooge McDuck and Goofy. Complete their challenges by mining 10 gems and minerals and catching three fish. After you finish, talk to Scrooge and Goofy, and then interact with their respective signs to restore their shops, where you can purchase clothing and furniture from Scrooge or crops from Goofy.
Once that’s done, you’ll speak to Merida again about a quest to discover a hidden chamber beneath a nearby bridge. Follow Merida’s lead, open the door beneath the bridge, search for clues, and reveal a secret bookcase door. This will restore the fountains and finally grant you the ability to place Merida’s home, fully unlocking her character so you can continue her friendship quests in Disney Dreamlight Valley.
