Story items vs quest items
Story items are persistent collectibles. They survive death, they fill the Encore wall, and they unlock side encounters or cosmetic gates. Quest items are tied to a specific side quest — once you turn one in to its giver NPC, it leaves your inventory and is replaced by the reward.
The table below lists every story and quest item in the v0.1.x Early Access build, including the heavily-searched Mini Paradise Blossom, Sparkle / Spatial Speakers and Scratch Notes.
All story items & quest items (by chapter)
| Item | Type | Chapter | Location | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Paradise Blossom | Story Item | Ch.1 — Arora’s Stage | Behind the central LED pillar after Phase 1 ends. Backtrack before the encore door closes. | Unlocks the “Paradise” side encounter in The Encore hub; required for Arora’s alternate ending dialogue. |
| Sparkle Speakers (×2) | Story Item | Ch.2 — Hemlock Underground | Stage right after the second fan-rush wave, and stage left of Hemlock’s P2 amplifier wall. | Both must be destroyed in the same run to spawn the Hemlock Quest Giver NPC. |
| Spatial Speaker (rare drop) | Story Item | Ch.5 — Blood’s Garage | Hidden on the second-floor balcony reached via the launchpad after P2. Same room as Speed Metal LP. | Plugs into the Encore radio for a remix of Pedal to the Floor. |
| Scratch Notes | Quest Item | Ch.3 — Prophet’s Pulpit | On the lectern after Prophet’s Verse Lock trap room. Cannot be picked up before completing the first Verse Lock. | Required for the Prophet Quest. Turn in to the Bartender in The Encore. |
| Manager Contract | Quest Item | Ch.7 — Harmony Corp Tower | Destructible filing cabinet in the executive elevator. | Triggers the Founder’s Signature side quest on the rooftop helipad. |
| Hemlock Tour Setlist | Quest Item | Ch.1 — Arora’s Stage | Behind the central LED pillar after P1. Missable if you trigger the encore door. | Hand to the Roadie NPC in The Encore to start the Hemlock side quest. |
| Composer’s Score | Quest Item | Ch.6 — Strings Cathedral | Awarded for parrying every Pizzicato attack in P1 without a miss. | Unlocks Cadenza practice mode in Free Play. Required for the Conductor side quest. |
| Broken Drumstick | Quest Item | Ch.2 — Dex’s Stage warm-up | Drops from the first guitar tech enemy in Dex’s opening corridor. | Give to Charlie’s bandmate NPC in the Encore for the Drumkit Restoration side quest. |
| Spray Paint Can | Quest Item | Ch.2 — Hemlock Underground | Smash the third fan’s loot drop in the pre-fight corridor. | Tags the Encore wall and unlocks one of three customisable graffiti slots. See the /spray-paint guide. |
| Founder’s Signature | Side Quest Reward | Ch.7 — Harmony Corp Tower | Drops from the optional “Suit” miniboss on the rooftop helipad. | Adds +1 Encore capacity. Required for the “Roadie” trophy. |
| Reunion Photo | Side Quest Reward | Final — The Encore | Auto-awarded on Story Mode completion. | Final plaque on the Encore wall; completes the memorabilia set if you have 12+ items. |
| Gold Record | Story Item | Ch.3 — Prophet’s Pulpit | On the chandelier — knock it down with a Special at the third Verse Lock. | Encore capacity +1. Required for the “Gold Status” trophy. |
All side quests
| Quest | Giver | Unlocks after | Objective | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemlock Quest | Roadie NPC (Encore bar) | Available after Ch.1 | Bring the Hemlock Tour Setlist + destroy both Sparkle Speakers in Hemlock Underground in a single run. | Punk Leather outfit (1 of 3 progression items). |
| Prophet Quest | Bartender (Encore) | Available after Ch.3 Prophet | Deliver Scratch Notes after S-ranking Prophet P3. | Off-Beat Bonus accessory. |
| Dex Quest — Guitar Soldiers | Charlie’s bandmate (Encore) | Available after Ch.3 Dex | Clear 30 Guitar Soldier enemies in Free Play with the Broken Drumstick equipped. | Air Guitar dance move. |
| Dancer Quest — Mirrorball Shards | Disco hostess (Ch.4 stage) | Available after Ch.4 | Collect 3 Mirrorball Shards across replays of Dancer’s Disco. | Mirrorball Mic skin. |
| Conductor Quest | Cathedral usher (Ch.6) | Available after Ch.6 | Hand in the Composer’s Score and S-rank Strings P3 in Free Play. | Cathedral Mic skin. |
| Drumkit Restoration | Charlie’s bandmate (Encore) | Available after Ch.2 | Collect 12 memorabilia items. | Charlie Drumkit outfit. |
| Founder’s Trail | Self-initiated | Available after Ch.7 | Beat the rooftop Suit miniboss + deliver Manager Contract. | Founder’s Signature memorabilia + Encore capacity. |
| Paradise Side Encounter | Mini Paradise Blossom (auto-trigger) | Available after Ch.1 | Find Mini Paradise Blossom, then defeat Arora a second time in Hard Mode. | Arora’s alternate ending dialogue + Synth Streetwear outfit. |
Hemlock Quest — full walkthrough
- In Chapter 1 (Arora’s Stage), pick up the Hemlock Tour Setlist behind the central LED pillar after Phase 1. Backtrack before the encore door closes — this is the only missable step.
- Return to The Encore. Speak to the Roadie NPC at the bar. He marks Hemlock Underground.
- Enter Chapter 2. Destroy the two Sparkle Speakers — stage right after the second fan rush, stage left of the P2 amplifier wall — in a single run.
- Beat Hemlock. The Roadie now sells the Punk Leather outfit progress at the Encore.
- Repeat on Hard for the alternate red-leather variant.
FAQ
What are story items in Dead as Disco?
Story items are persistent collectibles tied to lore — they fill the Encore wall, unlock side encounters and gate cosmetics. Examples include Mini Paradise Blossom (Ch.1), the Sparkle / Spatial Speakers (Ch.2 and Ch.5) and Gold Record (Ch.3).
What is the difference between story items and quest items?
Story items are persistent collectibles you keep on death and that count toward the Encore wall. Quest items are tied to a specific side quest, can be turned in to a giver NPC, and disappear from your inventory once the quest closes (the reward replaces them).
Where is Mini Paradise Blossom?
Chapter 1, Arora’s Stage. Behind the central LED pillar after Phase 1 ends. You must backtrack before the encore door closes — otherwise you lock yourself out for that run and need Chapter Select to retry.
Where are the Sparkle Speakers?
Chapter 2, Hemlock Underground. There are two — stage right after the second fan-rush wave, and stage left of Hemlock’s P2 amplifier wall. Both must be destroyed in the same run to spawn the Hemlock Quest Giver in The Encore.
Where are the Scratch Notes?
Chapter 3, Prophet’s Pulpit. They sit on the lectern after Prophet’s Verse Lock trap room. They cannot be picked up before completing the first Verse Lock — the game spawns them on-screen only after the trap closes.
How many side quests are there in Dead as Disco?
Eight tracked side quests in the v0.1.x EA build (full table above). Each one is tied to an Idol chapter and rewards a cosmetic, accessory or Encore upgrade.
Does Dead as Disco have a Hemlock quest?
Yes — start it by delivering the Hemlock Tour Setlist (Ch.1, missable) to the Roadie NPC in The Encore, then destroying both Sparkle Speakers in Hemlock Underground in a single run. Reward: Punk Leather outfit progress.
Are side quests missable?
Only the Hemlock Quest is permanently missable in a single playthrough — the Hemlock Tour Setlist closes off if you trigger Arora’s encore door without backtracking. Chapter Select (unlocked after the first clear) lets you re-run that chapter to recover it.
See also: full unlock list · cosmetics & skins · challenges & 5-star · Harmony, abilities & skill tree.