There are three forgotten shrines (Wind Shrines) on Iki Island: Blood Stained Shrine, Shrine of Ash, and Shrine in Shadow. Iki island was introduced in the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut DLC expansion, which was released on 20th August 2021.
At all the three Shrine you will find a riddle in the form of a poem. To solve the riddle you will have to wear a specific armor and perform the task hinted in the poem. Solve the riddle to complete the shrine and get Armor as a reward. The rewards from the three shrines are easter eggs referencing famous PlayStation games– Bloodborne, God of War, Shadow of the Colossus. See the picture below showcasing the three Armors.
This article shows the location of all the Shrines, how to solve the puzzle at the shrines, and the reward for completing the shrines.
Blood-Stained Shrine
Blood-Stained Shrine Location
Blood Stained Shrine is in the southwest portion of Iki Island at Conoura Cape, as shown in the picture below.
Blood-Stained Shrine Poem Puzzle/ Riddle
Go to the front of the shrine and read the scroll kept on the bench. The scroll contains the following Poem Riddle giving you a hint about what you need to do in the shrine:
The first green of spring
sickens to black, decaying,
plagued by blood and beast.
Hunter, reject death’s allure.
Prepare to duel man’s frailty.
Blood-Stained Shrine Riddle Solution
First, to embody the hunter, you will need to wear the Kensei Armor. You can earn the Kensei Armor by completing the ‘The Six Blades of Kojiro‘ Mythic Tale.
The next thing you need to do is to “Reject Death’s Allure“. The hint is telling you to stop yourself from dying, otherwise known as healing yourself. Simply inflict injury on yourself by jumping from the tall rocks and then stand in front of the shrine and heal yourself by pressing down on the D-Pad. You don’t have to bring your HP down to a very low level for the healing to count. Even a small injury is enough.
Blood-Stained Shrine Reward: Bloodborne Armor
As you heal yourself in front of the shrine, a cutscene will trigger and you will be automatically equipped with the Bloodborne Hunter Armor. The reward from the Shrine is an easter egg referencing the ‘Bloodborne’ game. When the cutscene finishes you will earn two Bloodborne Themed items: The Yarnham Helm and The Yarnham Vestment, which is a cosmetic for the Kensei Armor made to look like Eileen the crow from the Bloodborne game.
Shrine of Ash
Shrine of Ash Location
Shrine of Ash is at the north side of Yahata Forest, which is at the east portion of Iki Island, as shown in the picture below.
Shrine of Ash Poem Puzzle/ Riddle
Go to the front of the shrine and read the scroll kept on the bench. The scroll contains the following Poem Riddle giving you a hint about what you need to do in the shrine:
The first green of spring
In fall, a tree fruits
which grows from seed to sapling,
a stranger and son.
Boy, honor your father’s fight.
Show him the strength of your blade.
Shrine of Ash Riddle Solution
First, you will need to wear the Sakai Clan Armor. You will get the Sakai Clan Armor automatically during Act 2: Main Quest – Ghosts from the past.
The next clue the poem gives is to “Show him the strength of your blade“. This one is pretty simple. Just swipe to the right on your controller’s touchpad to draw your sword while standing in front of the shrine.
Shrine of Ash Reward: God of War Armor
As you draw the sword in front of the shrine, a cutscene will trigger and you will be automatically equipped with the God of War Armor. The reward from the Shrine is an easter egg referencing the ‘God of War’ game. When the cutscene finishes you will earn three God of War Themed items: Helm of War, Spartan Face Mask, and Ghost of Sparta cosmetic for the Sakai Clan Armor. Wearing the items make you look like Kratos from the ‘God of War’ game. See the picture below with the three items equipped.
Shrine in Shadow
Shrine in Shadow Location
Shrine in Shadow is at the southern portion of Iki Island at Buddha’s Footprints, as shown in the picture below.
Shrine in Shadow Poem Puzzle/ Riddle
Go to the front of the shrine and read the scroll kept on the bench. The scroll contains the following Poem Riddle giving you a hint about what you need to do in the shrine:
Stone knows no season,
nor the colossus that was
felled to save one soul.
Wanderer, come like through mist,
a ghost casting no shadow.
Shrine in Shadow Riddle Solution
Follow the first hint, “A ghost casting no shadow“, and equip the Ghost Armor. You will automatically obtain the Ghost Armor during Act 2 – Main Quest: From the Darkness.
The next hint is “Come like through mist“. To fulfill the requirement of the poem, stand in front of the shrine and drop a smoke bomb.
Shrine in Shadow Reward: Shadow of the Colossus Armor
If you correctly drop the smoke bomb, a cutscene will trigger and you will be automatically equipped with the Shadow of the Colossus Armor. The reward from the Shrine is an easter egg referencing the ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ game. When the cutscene finishes you will earn two ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ Themed items: The Mask of the Colossus and The Armor of the Colossus, which is a cosmetic for the Ghost Armor made to look like Wanderer from the ‘ Shadow of the Colossus’ game.
