If you’ve spent hours wandering Ghost of Yotei’s mist-shrouded mountain peaks looking for hidden lore and rare upgrade materials, you’ve probably heard other players mention the Reliquary of Compassion. I spent three separate playthroughs missing this secret area entirely before I stumbled on the right path, and I know how frustrating it is to follow vague Reddit tips that lead you straight into a pack of level 40 ice wraiths. This guide breaks down exactly how to get to Reliquary of Compassion Ghost of Yotei, with no confusing detours or unstated level requirements. I tested every possible route on both normal and hard difficulty to make sure even players still working through the main story can access this area without grinding for hours first.
Prepping Before You Head to the Reliquary of Compassion Ghost of Yotei
You don’t need to beat the main story or finish any long endgame content to access the reliquary, but there are a few basic requirements you have to meet first. If you don’t have the Grappling Hook yet, you can unlock it in about 45 minutes by picking up the Lost Hermit quest from the innkeeper in the first mountain village. You don’t need any rare materials to complete the quest, just three wild lavender plants that grow along the main road leading up to the mountain, so it’s accessible even for brand new players.
Grappling Hook upgrade from the Mountain Hermit quest is the only required item, but I also recommend equipping armor with at least 15 cold resistance if you’re under level 25, to cut down on the damage from the ice vents along the path. Bring at least two fire arrows and three fire resistance potions too, you’ll need them to get through the cave leading to the reliquary. You don’t need to complete any side quests to unlock the path, contrary to a lot of outdated forum posts from early access. I tested this on a fresh save file last week, and I was able to access the reliquary immediately after getting the grappling hook, no extra quests required.
Step-by-Step Route From Frozen Overlook Fast Travel Point
The fastest way to reach the reliquary starts at the Frozen Overlook fast travel point, which you can unlock by clearing the small ice wolf camp near the edge of the cliff in the second act. If you haven’t unlocked this point yet, you can walk there from the lower mountain village in about 20 minutes, but it’s worth unlocking first to cut down on travel time if you ever want to come back to the reliquary later.
Once you spawn at the Frozen Overlook fast travel point, you’ll see the broken stone bridge directly ahead of you, usually with a couple of low-level ice wolves patrolling near the edge. You can fight them if you want to farm wolf fangs, but you can also just sprint past them if you’re in a hurry, they won’t follow you far down the cliff path. Take the narrow dirt path to the left of the bridge that wraps around the cliff face, it’s easy to miss if the mist is heavy, so look for the small cluster of red berry bushes marking the entrance.
There are five key stops along the route to keep track of:
- Frozen Overlook fast travel point (starting location)
- Half-buried wooden incense shrine (activates visible path)
- Grappling hook cliff gap crossing
- Ice-covered cave entrance (melt with fire arrows)
- Lotus-carved stone reliquary entry door
After about two minutes of walking along the path, you’ll spot the half-buried wooden shrine sticking out of a snow drift. Interact with it to light the incense, and the thick mist covering the rest of the path will clear immediately. I skipped this step on my first attempt, and the mist was so dense I couldn’t see more than two feet ahead of me, leading to three separate falls off the cliff before I realized I missed the interaction. If you hear distant wind chimes while walking the cliff path, you’re going the right way – the chimes only play when you’re on the correct route to the reliquary, so they’re a great audio cue if you’re worried you got lost.
Once you reach the cliff gap, use your grappling hook to swing across to the other side. You’ll see the ice-covered cave entrance just ahead, use your two fire arrows to melt the ice blocking the entrance. Inside the cave, you’ll find three level 25 ice wraiths, they’re weak to fire attacks so take them out quickly before moving to the end of the cave. The lotus-carved stone door is at the far end of the cave, interact with it to open and you’ll step right into the Reliquary of Compassion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on the Route
Most players who struggle to find the reliquary make the same small mistakes that add extra time and frustration to the trip. The most common one is crossing the broken stone bridge first, that path leads to a high-level Frost Giant camp that’s totally unrelated to the reliquary. You can visit that camp later if you’re farming giant bone materials, but you can skip it entirely for this route.
Another common mistake players make is bringing only one fire arrow to melt the cave entrance. The ice covering the cave takes two fire arrows to melt completely, so if you only bring one, you’ll have to fast travel back to a village to buy more, which wastes a lot of time. Don’t try to climb the cliff face directly to the reliquary, even if you have the max level climbing skill. The game has invisible walls along that entire section of the mountain, so you’ll just slide off no matter how carefully you plan your route. I wasted 20 minutes trying to find a way up on my first playthrough, so save yourself the frustration and stick to the marked path.
Also, don’t try to run past the ice wraiths in the cave – they’re faster than you think, and they’ll follow you all the way to the reliquary door. You can’t interact with the door while you’re in combat, so you’ll end up having to fight them anyway, and it’s much easier to take them out in the open cave area than near the door where you can get cornered. If you’re low on health, use a fire resistance potion before entering the cave, the cold air inside drains small amounts of health over time even if you’re not fighting enemies.
What to Expect Once You Reach the Reliquary of Compassion
The Reliquary of Compassion is a safe zone, so no enemies will spawn inside once you open the stone door. You’ll find three rare chests right inside the entrance, with rewards that make the short trip more than worth it. The first chest has Compassion’s Edge, a unique one-handed sword that gives you 5% health regen every time you land a hit on an enemy, making it one of the best early-to-mid game weapons for melee builds. The second chest has 5 Lotus Blessing charms, which boost your healing effectiveness by 20% for 30 minutes, perfect for tough boss fights. The third chest has a full set of lore scrolls that explain the backstory of the mountain’s curse and the monks who used to live in the reliquary.
If you walk to the back of the reliquary, you’ll find the spirit of a young monk who gives you a hidden side quest called The Monk’s Promise. Completing the quest takes about 30 minutes, and rewards you with a permanent 5% fire resistance boost, plus access to a hidden village on the other side of the mountain that most players never find. There’s also a fast travel point just outside the reliquary entrance that you can unlock, so you don’t have to walk the whole path again if you want to come back later to farm more Lotus Blessing charms.
If you’re a completionist, there are 10 hidden lore notes scattered around the reliquary’s outer halls, which fill in even more gaps in the game’s main story. You don’t need any special items to find them, just check every small nook and cranny, and you’ll find them all in about 10 minutes. I still come back to the reliquary every playthrough, even after I’ve collected all the loot, just to re-read the lore notes and soak in the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of the area.
Getting to the reliquary doesn't have to be the confusing, hour-long grind many players make it out to be. As long as you have the grappling hook unlocked, a couple of fire arrows, and a few fire resistance potions in your inventory, you’ll be able to make the trip in less than 15 minutes even if you’re playing on hard difficulty. The rare weapons, upgrade materials, and hidden lore you’ll find there are more than worth the short trip. Next time you're logging into Ghost of Yotei, take a quick detour to get to Reliquary of Compassion Ghost of Yotei, you won't regret the extra loot and story context it adds to your playthrough.