A stranded horn player, a cliffside crisis, and a trail of musical clues-Link’s rescue mission in “Hornist’s Dramatic Escape” is a mix of quick thinking, clever mechanics, and a touch of humor that turns a simple errand into one of the game’s most memorable side quests.
As you’re making your way through the Great Fairy Fountains questline, you’re bound to stumble upon this side adventure. This page covers an effective method to rescue Eustus from inside the hole and complete “The Hornist’s Dramatic Escape” in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so you can quickly resume your ventures.
“The Hornist’s Dramatic Escape” quest steps
Head to the stables north of New Serenne Stable to meet the hornist, who shares his plight after bandits stole his instrument. Chase the culprits on horseback through Hyrule Ridge, dodging arrows and closing the gap with precise dodges and boosts. Confront them at their camp, defeat the foes, and reclaim the horn to trigger a musical showdown that frees the hornist from his captors.
“The Hornist’s Dramatic Escape” is a side adventure that emerges from “Serenade to Mija,” one of the Great Fairy Fountain quests. The Stable Trotters are searching for Eustus, the troupe’s horn player.
Eustus is stranded in the Tabantha Frontier at the coordinates (-3658, 0760, 0117), as he’s fallen into a hole along with his wagon. If you need a quick reference, the spot is between Nero Hill and the Rayne Highlands.
After you talk to him, you’ll begin the side adventure. The task here is to use the materials inside the cave to lift off the wagon with Eustus on it – Ultrahand will be of help here.
How to rescue Eustus from the hole
Head to the hole in the ground where Eustus is trapped and talk to him to understand the situation. Use the Ultrahand ability to attach a nearby wooden plank or stone slab to create a ramp leading out of the pit. Make sure the structure is stable so Eustus can climb safely. Once the path is secure, speak to him again, and he will make his way up, completing this part of the quest.
Here are the steps to rescue Eustus from the hole in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom:
- Place one of the square-shaped materials above the wagon, so it creates a roof – if you don’t, Eustus will complain that he has “nowhere to sit.”
- Place the air balloon on top of the “roof” you just made, aligned to the center.
- Place a flame emitter looking up (the dragon head that spits fire) inside the air balloon itself.
- Using Ultrahand, move the wagon close to one of the inner walls of the hole.
- Talk to Eustus, and say “Get in the wagon!” when prompted.
- Once he’s on the wagon, hop on the roof, and hit the flame emitter for the balloon to take off.
- Something I did here so Eustus doesn’t fly to outer space was to jump off from the roof, hang onto the wall, and climb outside the hole. Then, once the wagon was just outside the hole, I used Ultrahand to gently place Eustus on safe ground again.
That is all for “The Hornist’s Dramatic Escape” side adventure. Thankfully, you don’t need to take Eustus all the way back to the musical troupe; he’ll complete the trip on his own. For your troubles, he’ll give you three courser bee honey as a reward.
Where exactly is the Hornist’s location on the map
The Hornist, Eustus, is located in a smoking crater along the road northwest from Tabantha Bridge Stable toward Rito Village in the Tabantha Frontier region.
Exact Coordinates
Precise in-game coordinates place the pit at (-3644, 0768, 0117), just east of Piper Ridge, south of Nero Hill, and below the “Tabantha Frontier” map label when zoomed out.
How to Spot It
From Tabantha Bridge Stable, follow the road west/northwest around a sharp eastward turn in the mountains; watch for smoke rising from the hole and faint horn music. The crater sits between Nero Hill and Rayne Highlands, directly on the path to Rito Village.
Show exact map coordinates for Eustus near Piper Ridge
Eustus, the Hornist in “The Hornist’s Dramatic Escape” quest, is located at precise in-game coordinates (-3644, 0768, 0117) near Piper Ridge.
Map Location Details
The crater lies in the Tabantha Frontier, in a valley between Nero Hill (to the north) and Piper Ridge (to the south), directly on the road northwest from Tabantha Bridge Stable toward Rito Village.
Slight variations like (-3649, 0768, 0117) or (-3654, 0766, 0117) pinpoint the same smoking pit spot.
Navigation Tips
Teleport to Makurukis Shrine near Tabantha Bridge Stable (-2931, 0548, 0169), cross the Tabantha Great Bridge westward, then follow the road around the mountain bend while watching for rising smoke and horn music.
