In Bethesda's grand space RPG Starfield, the main campaign forces players to make emotional and game-changing decisions. One of the most pivotal story moments occurs during the High Price to Pay mission, where players must choose whether to defend The Lodge in New Atlantis or head up to The Eye space station. This crucial choice carries permanent narrative consequences, directly deciding which of your companion characters will survive the encounter with the formidable Hunter.
The Core Dilemma of High Price to Pay
The mission presents an immediate crisis as the Hunter launches a simultaneous assault on both Constellation locations. Players are stationed at The Lodge when news arrives that allies aboard The Eye are severely injured and in urgent need of aid. Leaving New Atlantis means abandoning the teammates guarding the Artifacts, while staying leaves the wounded crew in orbit without immediate support.
Understanding companion affinity is vital prior to triggering this event. Starfield dynamically assigns companion locations based on your relationship levels, placing your highest-affinity companion at one location and the second highest at the other. Checking daily gaming news and guides can help players manage companion affinity beforehand if they wish to influence the final outcome.
Choosing to Stay and Defend The Lodge
If you decide to remain at The Lodge, your goal is to hold back the Hunter while barricading the building and securing the collected Artifacts. You will engage in intense close-quarters combat inside Constellation's headquarters, buying time to pack up the collection before fleeing through the city sewers to reach your ship. This path ensures the safety of the companions stationed on the ground with you.
However, choosing to stay means you cannot reach The Eye in time to prevent a tragedy. The companion with whom you share the highest or second-highest affinity who is aboard the station will succumb to their injuries. Upon finally arriving at the station later, your crew will mourn the fallen companion, permanently removing them from your active roster for the rest of the campaign.
Choosing to Travel to The Eye
Opting to leave The Lodge immediately forces you to sprint to your starship and travel into orbit around Jemison. Upon docking with The Eye, you must locate and stabilize your injured companions, ensuring that everyone aboard survives the initial onslaught. This action saves the companion located on the station who otherwise would have perished.
The consequence of this choice falls back on The Lodge, where the Hunter breaches the defenses in your absence. The companion left behind to hold the line will be killed during the battle, leaving the remaining crew members traumatized when you return to gather the Artifacts. The overall emotional weight remains equally heavy regardless of which destination you prioritize.
Long-Term Consequences for Your Campaign
Beyond the immediate loss of a major companion, your decision reshapes future dialogue and character interactions across Constellation. The deceased character's equipment and personal inventory are safely moved to a storage chest, but their companion abilities and personal questlines become permanently unavailable. The surviving crew members will hold a formal memorial service, allowing you to pay your final respects and process the tragic turn of events.
Ultimately, neither option grants a perfect outcome where everyone survives the Hunter's attack. Players should weigh their personal attachment to specific companions when deciding which location to protect. This unyielding story outcome highlights the narrative weight built into Starfield's main storyline, forcing players to live with difficult choices throughout their journey across the settled systems.
