The text on Grim Foothills (The Three Trials) reads: "While Grim Foothills is in the staging area, progress must be placed on Grim Foothills before it can be placed on the active location." (I would post a picture of the card, but I'm a bit of techno-dolt and don't know how to embed card images in these posts. )

I find it curious that the card specifies "active location" rather than "quest."

What happens if Grim Foothills is in the staging area and you quest successfully but there is no active location? Is the correct answer:

a) Progress still gets placed on Grim Foothills?

or

b) No progress is placed at all, whether on Grim Foothills or on the quest, because there is no active location.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I would think the answer is: c) progress goes on the quest, since there is nothing to stop it, or make it go anywhere else.

Grim Foothills certainly doesn't seem to prevent progress going there.

Yeah Grim Foothills will only absorb progress if there is an active location. If there is no active location you will place progress straight on the quest and avoid Grim Foothills effect.

Thanks for your thoughts, gentlemen.