Surf's Up

Surf's Up
Quest-giver:	Mercurio
Location:	Santa Monica
Reward:	3-4 EXP (Conditional) $250
Type:	Main Quest
Prerequisite:	Wherefore Art Thou, Mercurio?
Next quest:	Explosive Beginning

Surf's Up is a quest available in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.

Walkthrough

Brief

1. Leave Mercurio's apartment
2. Go to the Santa Monica beach
3. Speak with Rosa
4. Find a way inside the house atop the cliff
5. Grab the Astrolite ^{( 2 EXP)}
6. Leave the house and the beach
7. Head back to Mercurio ^{( 1 EXP)}
8. Quest complete

Detailed

Beach access.

Once this quest is obtained through the Wherefore Art Thou, Mercurio? quest, leave Mercurio's apartment and head into the parking ramp off to the right. Not far in, take another right toward the Beach Access area, then descend some stairs before crossing the loading screen out onto the beach.

As soon as the player reaches the beach, a woman will approach the fledgling and tell them where to find the thugs that hurt Mercurio with no preamble. She claims she's a psychic, and will impart cryptic advice detailing the game's events if spoken to further. A man named E will give the fledgling directions to the thugs' whereabouts as well, and will be surprised the fledgling is not there to evict him and his friends. Speaking with him further will prompt him to explain that he and the others are "Thin Bloods", which will trigger the side quest Thinned Blood. Also, speaking to Copper will trigger the side quest Daydream Believer. (Plus patch only)

Once finished conversing, head through the chain link fence to the right and up the flight of stairs to the beach house on the cliff. There are three routes the player may use:

• Sneak through a hole in the fence, bypass the guard out front, switch off the power using a junction box on the side of the house, and enter the house. Snag the Astrolite ^{( 2 EXP)}, a Car Stereo on a table for money, and Mercurio's cash hidden in a vent inside the laundry room. Leave without further incident.
• Use Seduction or Persuasion to convince the guard to grant access to the house. Any theft of items, with the exception of Mercurio's money if sneaking, will result in the residents becoming hostile. Speak with Dennis, feed on him, take the Astrolite^{( 2 EXP)}, and leave. If the player is quick enough, the enemies should not be hostile as of yet.
• Kill the guard out front, along with everyone else inside. Take the Astrolite^{( 2 EXP)}, Car Stereo, and Mercurio's money. Leave.

Regardless of how the player goes about securing the Astrolite, return to Mercurio.^{( 1 EXP)} If the fledgling also brought back his money and didn't lie about it so they could keep it themselves, the player will earn another point of experience.^{( 1 EXP)} Upon completing the quest, Mercurio will tell the fledgling they must destroy a warehouse controlled by the Sabbat, triggering the Explosive Beginning quest.

Alternatively, depending on the dialogue choices made during the first conversation with Mercurio, he may turn hostile (to protect himself from being reported to the prince). In this case he will need to be killed and his journal collected to get the information he would normally provide.

Quest Log

Log Entry
Update: Upon receiving quest: Mercurio has asked you to retrieve the Astrolite he was supposed to get for you from a group of "junkie pricks" who live in a dump on the beach. Additionally, Mercurio would also like it if you could get his money back.
Update: Upon successfully securing the Astrolite (if Mercurio wasn't threatened): You retrieved the Astrolite for Mercurio. You should return to him and find out what your next step should be.
Update: Upon successfully securing the Astrolite (if threatened to report Mercurio to the prince): You retrieved the Astrolite and need to return to Mercurio for further instructions. Judging from the mood he was in when you left him, he probably won't be happy to see you.
Update: If Mercurio turns hostile and is killed: You retrieved the Astrolite, but Mercurio wasn't too happy to see you. You had to put him down like the dog he was. You need to find information on what you're supposed to do next.
Update: Upon completion (Mercurio alive): You retrieved the Astrolite and returned to Mercurio for further instructions. Quest Complete
Update: Upon completion (Mercurio dead): After killing Mercurio you found his journal with details on what you're supposed to do next. Quest Complete

Items

• Astrolite
• Car Stereo
• Mercurio's money clip

Notes

• With enough points in Intimidate, the player can try extorting $50 from E, but he will refuse to give you anything. Antagonizing him further will result in him becoming hostile (along with the rest of his group if you attack him).