On what seems like a random morning in the world of Stardew Valley, the player character will awaken with this ominous message: “There was an earthquake during the night”.
While this might seem like something terrible has happened, there is no reason to fret at all.
The Stardew Valley earthquake is a scripted event that occurs in every character playthrough. Instead of causing the havoc and destruction associated with earthquakes, this one has no bad consequences and opens up more areas and opportunities for the player to explore.
Here you will find all of the information you need about the Stardew Valley earthquake and its effects in order to get the most out of your playthrough and enjoy your time as the newest citizen of Pelican Town!
When Does the Earthquake Event in Stardew Valley Occur?
Everyone who plays through Stardew Valley will experience the earthquake event on the same calendar day — the third day of the summer season.
On the morning of that day, the player will wake up with the message, “There was an earthquake during the night”.
The actual earthquake happens while the player is sleeping, so there is not an extra cut scene, unlike the random events such as the witch or the crop fairy.
This is the one and only earthquake event of the game, so there is no need to worry about watching out for this message after the initial event.
Earthquakes must be pretty rare in the world of Stardew Valley!
Read more: Stardew Valley Favorite Thing Explained (with Easter Eggs, Ideas and Gifts)
What Does the Stardew Valley Earthquake Do?
Fortunately, the Stardew Valley earthquake does not cause any damage to the player’s crops, animals, or buildings.
Instead, the earthquake breaks down the boulder in the mountains that had been obstructing a staircase. This leads to an entirely new area containing a train station, spa, and a host of new secrets to explore.
Opens Access to the Stardew Valley Spa
Being able to go into the spa after a long day of farming, mining, and fishing will be a huge game-changer since the pool inside will actually recuperate the player’s stamina.
By using the spa, you will be able to do a lot more work around the map without having to go through your stores of precious Fiddlehead Risotto!
After the earthquake event, you can find the spa to the immediate left upon entering the new location.
From there, just enter the front door, find the correct changing room for your character, and then continue on to soak in the pool. You will see from your character’s relaxed facial expression that the water feels great.
The character will automatically change into their swimsuit, so there is no need to carry an extra item and lose that backpack space.
Allows Player to Gather Loot From the Train
Once the earthquake event has occurred, you will randomly and periodically see a message on the top of your screen that says, “A train is passing through Stardew Valley”. If you hurry up there, you can see the train on the railroad passing through the station!
The train will drop loot such as stones, coal, wood, ores, geodes, and Leprechaun Shoes.
The loot will stay there until the player retires for the night, so you don’t need to be there when the train actually passes through.
Everything will disappear overnight, so just make it to the railroad sometime before bedtime (or passing out on the deck at 2 am).
Starts an Important Quest Line with the Wizard
There are a few cutscenes and questlines that occur in the area, one of which is with the Wizard.
This quest line is one of the major beats of the storyline and will trigger at some point when the player walks up into the spa/train area.
The player will enter a cutscene with the Wizard, who is standing in front of the strange statue in the right corner.
The Wizard proceeds to explain what lies behind the statue and proceeds to instruct the player on how to unlock the area behind the statue.
Hints at the Summit Area
In the left top corner of the area, there is a staircase that is blocked by a boulder. Instead of another earthquake, this boulder is removed after achieving 100% completion of the game with a character.
Come back here when you have seen and done it all for bonus endgame content!
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