The side quests in Diablo IV help bring the world of Sanctuary to life. Well, considering all the bloodthirsty demons, life might be the wrong word, but they certainly add more depth and flair. The further you dive into Diablo IV, the more you’ll start to find quests that require extra steps, like a string of related missions or even a stronghold. So, if you’re trying to finish the Sight to Madness quest but the “stronghold must be conquered first” prompt is in your way, here’s how to get that cleared up.
How to find the Sight to Madness quest in Diablo IV?
To kick off the Sight to Madness quest, head to the Stocks in Kyovashad. The stocks are North of the Kyovashad waypoint, near the Northwest entrance to the city. Here, you’ll find a madman spewing crazed ravings about a cultist witch. However, if you talk to him, he’ll tell you that a cultist witch really did steal his eyes and he begs you to get them back for him.
This will add Sight to Madness to your side quests tab. The quest will either say “Slay Theya and retrieve the Necklace of Eyes” or, if you haven’t cleared the Nostrava stronghold, “stronghold must be conquered first”. Either way, the quest will lead you to Nostrava, a village West of Kyovashad.
What does “stronghold must be conquered first” mean in Diablo IV?
Many Diablo IV side quests can be found in the wilds or dungeons. In this case, the Sight to Madness dungeon is in the waypoint city of Nostrava. However, Nostrava doesn’t turn into a city until you defeat the Nostrava stronghold, one of the three strongholds in Fractured Peaks.
At the beginning of the game, Nostrava starts off as a stronghold run by the succubus Negala. To purge Nostrava, you must destroy the Lilith effigies around town, clear out the demonic underlings, and then defeat Negala herself. Only then can you release the village from Lilith’s influence. Once you do, Nostrava will transform from a fiery wasteland to a habitable town. Also, the Cultist Refuge dungeon will appear in the village chapel, where you can continue the Sight to Madness quest.
There are several strongholds like this throughout Diablo IV, so while defeating strongholds isn’t necessary for the main story, clearing them is necessary if you want to complete all side quests.
How to find Theya in Nostrava’s Cultist Refuge dungeon in Diablo IV
Once inside the Cultist Refuge, the quest and mini-map make it pretty easy to find Theya. Just explore the dungeon until a blue circle appears on your map, and she’ll be there conducting a ritual with some of her followers.
As far as elites go, Theya isn’t too frightening. Just be careful of her explosive constructs and you’ll be alright. When you defeat Theya, she will drop the Necklace of Eyes, which you can bring back to the man in the stocks.
Warning to the wise: even if Theya is pretty simple to find, don’t walk around any dungeon like it’s a breeze. There’s always a risk that The Butcher could appear and wreck your day.
After defeating Theya – and possibly clearing the rest of the dungeon for the Flamewalker’s Aspect – return to the Kyovashad man. He’ll be able to pop his eyes back into the place and free himself from the stocks. However, be warned: cultist-touched eyes aren’t always all that friendly. For your questionably good deed, the man will reward you with renown, EXP, and gold.
