Black Market

any supported map · side quest.

Mission read

Available on all maps; unlocks its NPC trader. Run it as a side quest prospect on any supported map with a recorded difficulty of 3/4. Time allowance: 7d; payout: 200 Ren

Campaign position

• Prerequisite: Waterfall

Where to go

Objective approach

No per-difficulty item manifest is recorded for this guide. Follow the on-screen tracker, then use the notes below to decide what to stage before committing to the final hand-in.

• Read the objective tracker after every major interaction; many ICARUS prospects reveal the next step only after the current one completes.
• Stage resources at the hand-in or build site before triggering final timers, wildlife waves, or extraction travel.
• If the guide has a manifest above, build the Hard list first when possible; it covers lower-difficulty planning and avoids under-packing.
• Keep the return route open. A finished objective still fails the run if the crew cannot safely reach the dropship or delivery pod.

Preparation

• Start with a bedroll, campfire or shelter kit, oxygen and water storage, bandages, splints, and enough food to cover the full route.
• Assign one player to navigation and one to resource accounting so the crew does not duplicate long hauls or miss a delivery line.
• Use the loadout list below as the minimum kit, then add mission-specific tools before launch.

Hazards and controls

• No special hazard is recorded, so default to storm shelter, wound treatment, spare tools, and enough ammunition for unexpected predators.
• Long travel remains the risk: mark caves, water, and emergency shelter locations as you move.

Execution checklist

• Before drop: confirm prerequisite unlocks, mission timer, loadout, and who carries shared deployables.
• On landing: locate water, set a respawn point, and confirm the first objective marker before building a permanent base.
• Mid-run: consolidate loot and mission items at one marked cache; keep one repair kit and medical stack on each player.
• Before extract: verify every optional delivery, reward unlock, and follow-up objective is complete before leaving orbit-side cargo behind.

Source notes

All maps · side quest.

Available on all maps; unlocks its NPC trader

Briefing

Make contact with Norex's Black Market. A 7-day side quest available on every map; completing it unlocks the Biomass Trader in that Open World.

Notes

• Unlock once per Open World — completing it from the Space-Station board does not carry over.
• The prospect seeds 3–5 exotic deposits (~300–1500 total yield).

Field expansion notes

• Keep the guide open during the run and compare each completed step against the tracker before moving to the next region.
• Prefer one well-marked supply cache over scattered personal stashes; it keeps recovery simple after a death, storm, or route change.
• Write down the first place the plan becomes ambiguous: an unmarked cave, a surprise wave, an unclear build radius, or a missing delivery container.
• When a route crosses biomes, pause at the border and reset food, water, oxygen, temperature buffs, and ammunition before pushing onward.
• If the mission provides equipment, collect it before crafting substitutes; if equipment is lost, check whether the escape menu offers mission resupply.
• For construction or delivery work, overbuild the hardest requirement first, then reuse portable pieces and leftover materials for smaller objectives.
• For scan, hunt, and recovery work, stage a respawn point outside the objective radius so a failed fight does not turn into a full-map corpse run.
• For map and outpost guides, add exact build-site, cave, water, and predator notes after each scouting trip; persistent maps become more valuable every time the crew annotates them.
• For resource routes, note the round-trip time as well as the node itself. A nearby mediocre cave can beat a rich cave that requires a dangerous cross-biome haul.
• For base planning, verify storm exposure with temporary pieces before committing rare materials; rebuilding a roof is cheaper than replacing a full production room after weather damage.
• For multiplayer runs, agree on extraction and rescue rules before the objective starts: who stays with cargo, who retrieves bodies, and when the group abandons optional loot.
• When a marker, quantity, or unlock differs from the live game, update this guide immediately so the next run starts from the corrected plan.