Cloister is one of the most mysterious planets you’ll visit in The Outer Worlds 2. While it may seem calm at first glance, the planet hides plenty of secrets buried in the stronghold of the Order of the Ascendant. Among these are the Excogitation Audio Logs, which are hidden recordings that reveal more about the Order’s beliefs and the people who once served there.
All Excogitation Audio Logs Locations in The Outer Worlds 2
If you’ve spoken to Laureate Beckett in Laplace Garden, he’ll ask for your help in finding these logs scattered across Cloister. He believes that recovering them might bring peace to the Order’s followers, or at least some understanding of their strange detachment from reality.
There are a total of four Excogitation Audio Logs hidden across Cloister. Each one can be found in a different Excogitation Chapel, located in the north, northeast, southeast, and southwest areas of the map. You can technically find these before talking to Beckett, but having the quest makes it easier to keep track of your progress.
Excogitation Chapel #1 – Sojourner’s Log (North)
The first chapel is found on the northern side of Cloister, just past the bridge on the east. There aren’t any major puzzles or enemies guarding the entrance, but you may have to deal with Mantisaurs and areas filled with Zyranium gas. Equip the Gas-Energy Deflector Shield to stay safe.
It also helps to understand the different damage types in The Outer Worlds 2, since Mantisaurs are weak to certain elemental effects that can make these encounters much easier to handle. If you have the Brawny Trait or at least four points in the Engineering Skill, you can break open the front door.
Otherwise, go around the back and climb through the vents to reach the upper level. Inside, you’ll find an Advanced Decryption Key on a lower table and the Sojourner’s Log on a desk above. There’s also a lift you can hack to reach the basement, though it only contains standard Order gear.
Excogitation Chapel #2 – Sojourner’s Log (Northeast)
The next chapel is located in the far northeast, past the previous one and as far east as the map goes. This area is isolated and filled with enemies, including Scrappers and mines. One of your bounty targets, Buckshot Bill, leads the group here, so be prepared for a fight.
Once you’ve taken care of the enemies, check the chapel’s locked door. You can either use a Lockpick Skill of 17 or take the key from Buckshot Bill’s body.
Inside, you’ll find another Advanced Decryption Key on a table and the Sojourner’s Log upstairs near a piece of heavy armor called the Hugging Vest. You can also hack a nearby panel to open a secret room, but it only holds common Order supplies.
Excogitation Chapel #3 – Sojourner’s Log (Southeast)
The third chapel is located in the southeast area of the map, near Winter’s Grasp. This one is the easiest to reach. When you spot the building on a hill, walk around to the right to find some scaffolding you can climb. There are Mantisaurs nearby, so keep your guard up.
Once inside, you’ll find the Sojourner’s Log on a table. Like the other chapels, there’s a hackable panel that opens a secret room. This time, it hides a Tossball Card collectible, so it’s worth checking out before you leave.
Excogitation Chapel #4 – Sojourner’s Log (Southwest)
The final chapel is in the southwest corner of Cloister, and it’s the only one that’s locked behind story progress. You can’t reach it from the surface. To access it, you’ll first need to close the rift on the bridge and complete the negotiations between Auntie Cleo and Ruth Basaar.
Once that’s done, head into the Archive area and make your way to the Underlands. There, you can activate the lifts that lead back to the surface. Take the west elevator to reach the top of a hill where the chapel sits.
Inside, you’ll find another Advanced Decryption Key on a corpse and a panel that lets you bypass a jammed door if your Observation Skill is high enough. You might also come across a Protectorate Armorial ID in this section, which can be useful later when accessing secure terminals or restricted Order facilities.
Turn around and you’ll find the last Sojourner’s Log sitting on a crate. Make sure to grab it before leaving, as this area becomes inaccessible later in the story once certain quests are completed.
Return to Laureate Beckett
After collecting all four Excogitation Audio Logs, return to Laureate Beckett in Laplace Garden. While he’s thankful for your help, he’s not pleased with what’s inside the recordings.
The logs contain details that go against the Order’s teachings, and Beckett decides to destroy them. You won’t have a choice in this, but he still rewards you with a High-Security Lockbox for your effort. Finding all four Excogitation Audio Logs will unlock the “Cloister Excogitation Logs CEL-ebration” achievement or trophy.
Each log adds a bit more context to Cloister’s story, making the planet feel more alive and mysterious. If you’re exploring every corner of The Outer Worlds 2, this is one of those side tasks that’s worth the time and effort.
