Starfield: All That Money Can Buy walkthrough

Buying a new artifact and meeting the Starborns.

Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

Guide by Sebastian Thor Contributor

Published on Sept. 11, 2023

The main quest 'All That Money Can Buy' in Starfield starts after completing the previous quests The Empty Nest, Into the Unknown and Back to Vectera.

We're supposed to talk to Walter Stroud after we've done some jobs for the Lodge. He is also in the main room and is planning a 'little soiree'. He wants to buy an artifact (most likely stolen) from a freelancer in Neon and looks like he needs our help. Our next target is the Volii system.

Journey to Neon

Walter has a request. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

The quickest way to start the journey is via the quest directory. Go to the current mission and chart a course into the Volii System (costs 46 fuel).

After arrival, open the map again and you can head for the city of Neon on the planet in front of you to land the ship there.

Talk to Walter

After exiting, talk to Walter, who is only a few meters from the landing pad. He has a few introductory words about Neon ready and gives us the next target.

We are to go to Stroud-Eklund's office before meeting the artifact seller.

Report to Stroud-Eklund HQ

Enter the city via the long bridge and watch the scene with Neshar Omani. Then the mission 'Open Questions' starts, which you can follow in due course.

Sophie Jax has a few introductory words on the city's rules, most notably Aurora ownership. Then get in the elevator and go up to the upper platform.

Wandering around town, it doesn't take long before you hear a job ad from Ryujin Industries and receive the Back to the Grind faction quest.

Our destination takes us along to the right after exiting the elevator. Follow the path between the passers-by to the west and you will come to the Astral Lounge:

We'll go to the club later. Take the elevator first. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

To the right of the stairs leading up is an elevator which we use to get to Stroud-Eklund headquarters.

Talk to Issa Eklund

After the brief interview at the entrance, follow Walter into the room behind where we meet Issa Eklund, Walter's wife and co-CEO of the company.

Here we learn that the sale of the artifact is to take place in the Astral Lounge. While Walter and Issa stay here to sort out a few more things, he slips us 1000 credits. We get the next targets.

Take the elevator back down to the lobby and go right to the stairwell towards the Astral Lounge. Enter the club from which the music emanates.

Ask about security

In the back area go to the bar and start a dialogue with Boone Morgan behind the counter. You can ask him a number of questions.

You can also buy a penthouse from him for a whopping 235,000 credits. For the current goal, you need to ask the question 'I have a meeting later and I'm concerned about security'.

After the top three follow-up questions, Boone recommends the VIP Package. This costs 4000 credits, but with a successful persuasion attempt you can reduce the price to 1000 credits (exactly what Walter gave us). Either way, we get the goal of checking the door controller.

Check the door controls

Go to the VIP elevator and go upstairs to the VIP balcony. Turn left here, around the corner and down the hall to 'Booth 3' on the left.

Inside you will find a computer. Unlock it (beginner level) and read the message 'Remote Door Control' to complete this objective.

Find out more about the seller

For the next goal, to find out more about the seller, leave the Astral Lounge and walk back east through Neon. Enter the 'Spaceport Terminal' and walk straight behind it until you see a shop on the left called 'Newill's Goods'.

Enter it and talk to the owner James Newill about his competitor Dietrich Sieghart. This will start the side quest 'All for One'.

Then ask him about meeting Walter Stroud and he'll play dumb. To get the information you can...

... pay 2500 credits.
... convince him to give the language away for free.

Search the seller's sleepcrate

The next destination leads out onto the street and just a few meters further to this small alley next to the yellow sign on the right:

Go through the door and straight ahead until you can turn right into a small alley. Behind it, turn right again to a locked door (level beginners).

In the small closet you will find a Resignation Letter, a GalBank Statement and a computer with the messages Personal Correspondence 1 - 3.

Here you will find the necessary information. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

Talk to Walter Stroud

Once we've gotten this information, it's back to Walter at the company headquarters. He's in the same place you left him earlier.

The preparations are complete, so it's off to the Astral Lounge with Walter. Talk to him again next to the dance floor. The seller is said to be identifiable by his large security briefcase and a Slayton Aerospace pin. The password is 'Ramsay and Travers'.

Find the seller

Now we have to find the seller. He's to the right of the bar and goes by the name Musgrove, recognizable by the huge suitcase next to him:

He's our man. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

Tell him the password and report back to Walter by the elevator. He has final instructions on the deal that's about to go through.

Negotiate the artifact

Take the elevator upstairs and walk left to 'Booth 3' where the negotiating parties are already seated.

Musgrove may be puffing up his pants, but he doesn't get more credit than agreed. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

As expected, the seller suddenly demands twice as much. We have a couple of ways to deal with this:

Choose the top or second answer three times and he settles for the agreed sum.
Grab the artifact and then choose a follow-up answer (attacking doesn't work in dialogue because Walter stops you from doing it).
Lock the door and threaten him, even then he will give you the artefact for the agreed amount.

Go to the entrance

Best get rid of the guy. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

After we have received the Artifact Ny, a Slayton agent approaches us outside the room and demands the return of the 'property of Slayton Aerospace'. You can simply attack him (be careful not to hit anyone else) or persuade him.

Then go to the lounge entrance to find out from Issa that your ship has been impounded. Well, that didn't go as expected, huh?

Leave the club and go left along the foot of the stairs to the well-known elevator. Head upstairs to the Slayton Aerospace Office and speak to the Ryleigh receptionist.

There are several ways to get to the executive floor. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

Find a way to the next floor at Slayton Aerospace HQ

The drastic way would be to attack them and the security guards, but then you'll be left with a lot of enemies and unnecessary trouble. Better try persuasion to get an appointment with Mr. Slayton.

Alternatively, you can pickpocket Ryleigh's management access code behind her back and use the elevator to the executive floor.

If that is not an option either, you can enter the restrooms to the left of reception and take the Slayton Service Key from the shelf:

This opens the maintenance area where you will discover the Elevator Maintenance Control (Apprentice level). Crack them and the elevator will also be ready.

Go to the next floor

Nicolaus Slayton notices our game while we're still in the elevator. After Issa has made her brief appearance, we leave the elevator and open the vent on the right. Issa now provides us with directions until we reach our destination.

Sneaking from here. | Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

Follow the shaft behind the cover up, jump over the elevator you just used and continue through the shaft behind it.

Drop down and follow the passage to the end, where you'll find an opening above you. Follow the path to the next opening and drop down. After Issa opens the door on your right, go through and to the left.

Wait outside the door until the robot behind it is no longer a threat. Then open the door and the one behind it and follow the passage to the end.

Behind the next door, Issa closes the shutters to the next room. Let the robot pass behind the corner and slip into the small room on the right, where the next shaft continues:

After dropping it, go through some doors to the outside. There are guards there too, but shooting them isn't as bad as inside the building.

Climb up the Trade Tower

Now follow the quest marker arrows through the exterior in LB scan mode. They lead down these stairs:

Run through the small alleys with the people, then up the stairs again and always follow the arrows until you reach this dome-like roof:

Walk over it on the right, which takes a while, and look down on the left. The finish lines should go like this:

Follow them down and around the corner to the right to a door that leads back inside the building. The next goal starts there.

Confront Nicolas Slayton

Issa calls the elevator at the end of the corridor. Cross it and you'll be right in front of Nicolaus Slayton and his security guards. Attacking will result in a battle against him and all of his guards. Difficult.

Alternatively, engage in conversation and learn that Mr. Musgrove (the artifact seller) has been captured as a result of his theft. We are to decide his fate.

Talk to Musgrove

The guy's in bad shape in Slayton's office. You can pardon him, kill him or hand him over to the authorities. This makes no difference to the outcome of the quest.

Before you leave, you can grab the Creditstick from the desk and loot this Industry Box in Slayton's office (he doesn't seem to mind):

Go to your ship

The elevator takes you down to the lobby, out of the building, and to the Spaceport Terminal elevator. Take it to the spaceport where your confiscated ship is being held.

Go inside and speak to Walter again to receive 10,000 credits as a reward. Take off with the ship and you will be contacted by a voice referred to as 'Helix'. She is one of the Starborns and demands that the artifact be handed over.