Hell is Us includes 45 Research items that are required to be collected and turned in for the following trophies/achievements:
War Correspondent- Historian
- Conspiracy Theorist
- Gentleman Scholar
- Demonologist
- Sworn to Secrecy
Well-Read
Research Items are collectibles that can be picked up around the game world, generally hidden or in out of the way locations. Once Tania joins you in the APC in Act 1 of the story you can turn in Research Items to her which will unlock the real name of the item and more information about it. As you turn in more items Tania will provide information on the Vaults of Forbidden Knowledge. Once you turn in an entire set of items you will earn the associated trophy/achievement, along with a writeup Tania has done that provides info on the game world.
None of the Research Items are missable, so can all be cleaned up after the story.
If you want to collect all Research Items as you progress you can follow the Hell is Us Collectible Walkthrough and you’ll get all trophies in 1 playthrough. It includes all trophies, collectibles, missables, and explains how to advance the story objectives.
Research Items
Research Items are listed under the section where they appear in the Research – Research Log menu under their associated category. They will be listed with the proper name, then the original pick up name in brackets. In this menu they are added to the list in the order you turn them in, so your menu order isn’t guaranteed to be the same as below.
Ancient Hadea
#1 – Unification Censer (Ancient Censer)
Location: Acasa Marshes
In the entrance to the town near where the man was playing violin on the truck, look between the truck and the tent to pick up this item.
#2 – Bronze Eye Headpiece (Bronze Eye)
Location: Acasa Marshes
Go east of Jova to the side entrance of Pathem Abbey. Go past the entrance and near the fence at the end of the path on the right you can pick up this research item.
#3 – Lost Temple Bell of Palon (Scorched Bell)
Location: Senedra Forest
From Ernest Caddel’s house, go through the gate and stick to the left until you encounter some stone ruins. Inside a doorway on the left you can find a chest that contains this item.
#4 – Light of Sethyris (Terracotta Oil Lamp)
Location: Acasa Marshes – Pathem Abbey
In the bottom of Pathem Abbey after closing the Timeloop you can pick up this item.
#5 – Pottery Fragment – Eye of God (Pottery Fragment)
Location: Lethe – National Library
Complete Mystery #33: Suspicious Activity to receive this research item.
#6 – Vase of the Eighth Tribe (Clay Vase)
Location: Vyssa Hills – Francis’ Church
Go through the stone tunnels you opened during the story all the way to the top, then into the final one to the church room. Take an immediate right into a side room where you can pick up this research item from a chest.
#7 – Sabin’s Teshis (Ancient Scroll)
Complete Mystery #3: Lymbic Door – Senedra, Hilltop and then you can pick this up on the right beside the Timeloop.
Order of the Eye
#8 – “Eminis Shroud” Blueprints (Faded Blueprints)
Location: Acasa Marshes
Complete Mystery #12: Enlightenment, then pick this up in the room you open by completing the mystery.
#9 – Guild of Lucidity Sketchbook (Old Sketchbook)
Location: Lake Cynon
In the Lymbic Forge area go back to the room where you interacted with the torches and opened the door with the Owl key. Go through that door and then up the stairs on the right. At the back of the room on the shelf you can pick up this item.
#10 – Amine Inversion Cast (Lymbic Core)
Location: Marastan
From the APC go down the path right into the forest, then go left across the bridge and up the stairs. Go northwest toward the enemies, then northeast to where a single Hollow is standing by a cliff. Look down and you can drop to the cliff slightly below you. Go to the end of the tunnel where you can pick up this item.
#11 – Order of the Eye Medallion (Gold Medallion)
Location: Senedra Forest
Go back to Ernest Caddel’s house, then back up the hill to where you started the game. On the left just before the spot with the ON armor there is a river on the left. Walk up the river to the waterfall where you can pick up this Research Item from the statue.
#12 – Timeloop Map (Marked Map of Hadea)
Location: Senedra Forest – Arcas Spire
In Arcas Spire, follow the main path until you reach the room with the levers in cages that you needed to interact with to progress. Go up the stairs and up the set on the right to the next level. At the front of the room step on plate D4, then run back and pull the Fire lever. This opens the room at the top of the central stairs where you can pick up this item.
#13 – Token of Truce (Wooden Horse Figurine)
Location: Marastan
Complete Mystery #29: Ill-Gotten Gains and pick this up from the room that you open.
#14 – Bowl of Spent Lymbic Slivers (Bowl of Ash)
Location: Lake Cynon
Complete Mystery #34: Blackmailed and pick this up from the room that you open.
#15 – Carnival Mask (Wooden Mask)
Location: Lethe – National Library
Complete Mystery #27: History Lesson to receive this research item.
Lymbic Invasions
#16 – Harvor Reveta’s Storybook (Children’s Book)
Location: Marastan
Go up to the town area, then to the northwest corner where you can enter then house, going through the basement to the path in the backyard. Go up the path and then drop into the tunnel. Follow the path through the tunnel, turning to the right when you reach the lights. When you reach the spot in the cave with the chains between the stones left where there is a side path. By the ledge you can pick up this research item.
#17 – Harvor Raveta’s Crown (Crown of Bones)
Location: Senedra Forest – Arcas Spire
Follow the main path to the top of the tower where you closed the Timeloop. Go into the building at the back of the area and up the stairs on the balcony you can pick up this item.
#18 – Order of Inquisition (Faded Parchment)
Location: Senedra Forest – Arcas Spire
In Arcas Spire follow the main path until you ride the elevator up from the underground room. At the top turn left at the save point to enter some side rooms. In the eastern one you can pick up this from the shelf full of scrolls on the right.
#19 – Lady Marguerith’s Dagger (Jewelled Dagger)
Location: Senedra Forest – Arcas Spire
In Arcas Spire follow the main path until you reach the lower area down the scaffolding to the third save point. Follow the path toward the elevator, then instead of going up the stairs to the elevator go to the right where there is a ladder leading to an upper platform. Drop down onto the middle platform where you can pick this up off a barrel.
#20 – Idol of the Protomartyr (Bronze Figurine)
Location: Vyssa Hills – Francis’ Church
Close Timeloop: Francis’ Church and pick this up off the ground after it is closed.
#21 – Gauntlet of the 7th Talon (Rusted Gauntlet)
Location: Plains of Mist
From the APC go toward the northeast of the area where there is a hole in a wooden floor you can drop into. Climb up the next ladder, then drop down onto the wooden platform halfway up where you can find this item.
#22 – Sophia Morton’s Skull (Skull in Box)
Location: Plains of Mist
Complete Mystery #37: Ascetic Vows and pick this up from the room you open.
#23 – Heraldic Key of House Umbra (Ceremonial Key)
Location: Auriga Museum
Complete Mystery #40: Great Responsibility then pick this up from the room you open.
The Vigil
#24 – Adder’s Tear Oathstone (Flower Medallion)
Location: Vyssa Hills
Complete Mystery #17: Lucky Break to receive this research item.
#25 – OMSIF Poison Syringe (Syringe)
Location: Vyssa Hills
From the APC go east back toward where you first entered the area, then follow the fence on your right to the right to find a body a body where you can pick this item up.
#26 – Vigil Trial Candle (Wrapped Candle)
Location: Acasa Marshes
Complete Mystery #10: Martial Lineage, then pick this up in the room you open by completing the mystery.
#27 – Orunwe’s Journal (Worn Journal)
Location: Talju
From the Town Hall go south, then east around the two houses where there is a ramp in front of the second one that allows you to reach a ladder (and a gate you can open back to the street). Go up the ladder and pick this up from the drawer.
#28 – Pento’s Poisoned Cup (Bronze Cup)
Location: Lake Cynon
Close Timeloop: Lymbic Forge and pick this up off the table after it disappears.
The Conspiracy
#29 – Vial of Lymbic Material (Vial of Strange Substance)
Location: Senedra Forest
From the APC go back up the hill to the OMSIF camp in the woods. Inside the tent where you picked up the other items you can pick up this item.
#30 – Geryon Yankel’s Pistol (9mm Pistol)
Location: Lake Cynon
From the APC follow the path down toward the picnic table area. On one of the tables you can pick up this research item.
#31 – Operation Appleseed Candidate File (Citizen’s File)
Location: Marastan
Go up to the town area past the church, then north down the road to the house past the intersection. In the covered garage you can find this research item.
#32 – Vanderlyn Cufflinks (Cufflinks)
Location: Senedra Forest
Complete Good Deed #2: Forlorn Fate and pick this up from the room under the table.
#33 – Ambedo Mask Case (High-Tech Case)
Location: Acasa Marshes
Complete Mystery #9: Observation Outpost 08 to access the locked camp. Continue down the path past the cave behind the camp and you can pick up this off a body of a man wearing a suit.
#34 – Zurich Summit Photograph (Polaroid)
Location: Lethe – National Library
Enter the building and go upstairs to the computer room where the helicopter is in the ceiling where you can pick this up in the room.
#35 – Ziel Countdown Watch (Pocket Watch)
Location: Jeljin
From the APC go south past the man with the lantern where you can go down a set of stairs, and you can pick this up off a bench.
#36 – Lymbic-Tipped Ammunition (Box of Bullets)
Location: Auriga Museum
On level B3 where the lab is located, go into the Drone Workshop (BLUE grid door) then go into the middle vault in this room where you can find a body with this research item.
The Civil War
#37 – Box of Bronze Acorns (Box of Bronze Acorns)
Location: Acasa Marshes
From where you enter the area with the APC the first time (go south of Jova if you are starting from in town) go to the excavator and then left of the pit where you can pick up this item.
#38 – Yvel Massacre Ribbon (Memorial Ribbon)
Location: Acasa Marshes
Go east of Jova toward the location of the Timeloop, then further to the broken bridge. Drop down in between and pick this up off the body under the bridge.
#39 – Jehanian Referendum Ballot (Ballot)
Location: Talju
From the APC go up the stairs to the tracks, then walk all the way to the end and go left onto the path between the two houses. Turn to the right and look down the stairs where this is sitting on a body.
#40 – Pamphlet of Banned Celebrations (Pamphlet)
Location: Talju
From the town hall go south, then into the stone walls on the left toward the burned house. In the corner of the walls you can pick this up off a body.
#41 – Sabinian Relocation Lottery (Marked Door Polaroid)
Location: Jeljin
On the west side of the area near the crane, go west to the mausoleum building and down the stairs leading to a lower part of the building. On the left wall you can pick up this research item.
#42 – Silleni Prison Manifest (Prison Manifest)
Location: Acasa Marshes
Complete Mystery #8: The Captain’s Office then pick this up from the room you open.
#43 – Pheneas Bizima’s Speed (Burnt Notes)
Location: Lethe – Ministry of Cultural Primacy
Follow the path upstairs to the first room with the man dead on the desk with the white phones. Just below the phones you can pick up this item.
#44 – Operation Bastion Map (Hadean Border Map)
Location: Lethe – National Library
Enter the building and go immediately left toward the boxes. Sitting on the wood box on the cart you can pick up this research item.
#45 – Operation Parallel Map (Provincial Border Map)
Location: Lethe – Ministry of Cultural Primacy
Follow the main path until you drop down to the lower level. Go into the room with the map projected on the wall and look behind the desk on the right to find this item.
For all other Collectible Types refer to Hell Is Us Collectible Guide.
