Ghost of Tsushima: The Warrior’s Code
Ghost of Tsushima's The Warrior’s Code is the first major quest of the game where Jin helps Yuna to search for her brother Taka who has been taken captive by the Mongols.
It is the first step in Jin's transformation to the Ghost as he gradually accepts he must do unconventional means to defeat his enemies and rescue Lord Shimura. This is the first time he will do assassination, with Yuna's encouragement.
Tale
Yuna is searching for her brother, a blacksmith named Taka who has been captured by the Mongols. She's checking on a lead near Kechi Fishing Village. I should join her before she runs into trouble.
Rewards
It is important that this is the first quest you complete as it rewards you with:
- Major Legend Increase
- Assassination
- Focused Hearing
Beginning the Quest
As this is the first quest, you are currently located in the field of grass where the cutscene of the prologue ends.
If you observe the locations near you, you will see a smokestack nearby. In fact, it was placed there to arouse your curiosity. This is a Mongol camp.
However, do not visit this location yet, get first your assassination skills by completing this first quest. The world of Tsushima is filled with enemy camps like this, and you can visit them in any order later.
Now that we're ready to start the quest, ensure that you track the tale, instead of a location. This will help you automatically track all the locations of the quest.
And to proceed with the quest, just swipe up for the Guiding Wind, and it will show you the direction of Yuna.
Your adventure begins!
Find Yuna south of Kechi fishing village
It's time to search for Yuna. Use the Guiding Wind to show you the direction and start riding towards the direction. You can do this as many time as you want until you reach the destination.
The name of the quest you are currently doing shows up in the top left side of the screen. And just below that is your current objective.
You can also notice the distance to your quest location, currently showing 420m. This number will change as you approach your destination.
Galloping Horse
To travel at full speed, gallop with the horse. You do this by the control L3, pressing the left analog stick.
Gathering Materials
While traveling to your destination, you will be able to gather materials you find in the world. Most of these items will be flowers or bamboo or wood.
They will be useful for upgrading armor and weapons. Just naturally gather them as you see them so never have to farm for any item.
Satchel
Now that you have gathered a number of materials, the game will show you the tutorial for the Satchel.
The Satchel contains all the crafting materials you find in the world. You access it from the Collections menu.
The items and resources you collect are stored in the Collections menu.
At this early stage of the game, you will only find Satchel inside the Collections, but later on, it will contain Artifacts and the Exploration Collections.
These materials will be useful later when start upgrading your weapons and your armor.
Resources you collect are stored in your satchel.
Mongol Territories
As shared earlier, you will find a lot of Mongol Territories scattered in the world. There is one placed exactly in the path before you reach Yuna.
This territory is Traveller's Rest Inn.
You can come back to this later, as Yuna is just a few meters away.
Speak with Yuna
Once you reach the destination, you will find Yuna killing a Mongol soldier.
Yuna: Jin! You found me.
Jin: You handled that well.
Yuna: I should've heard him coming. Let myself get distracted... These people saw Mongols marching prisoners upriver. They had a blacksmith with them.
Jin: Your brother?
Yuna: Sounds like it. They were taking him to a camp. Near the Kaneda inlet.
Jin: I know the place.
Reach an overlook by the Mongol prison camp
After your conversation, the quest objective will change. The best thing with tracking a Tale is that the location for the new objective is automatically tracked.
You can just easily swipe up and the Guiding Wind will show you the direction for the new quest objective
Yuna: Did you find any samurai to free your uncle?
Jin: Not yet. But I'm still searching.
Yuna: I'm sure you'll find someone soon.
Traveling with Companion
Ride your horse and travel with Yuna. When traveling with a companion, you can set the speed of your travel, they will adjust to you. So if you gallop with your horse, they will do the same.
Yuna: Take can help you. After we save him. Hard to believe I might see him soon...
Jin: He's lucky to have you.
Yuna: He might disagree.
Jin: That's what siblings are for.
Yuna: What about you? Any brothers or sisters?
Jin: Lord Shimura is my only family.
Yuna: What will you do when he's free?
Jin: Take a breath. Because then I'll know there's hope for our island.
Yuna: You feel that strongly?
Jin: I've watched him win victory against impossible odds. And after your brother is free? What then?
Yuna: Honestly... I haven't had time to think about it.
Yuna: You're riding well. How are your wounds?
Jin: Mostly healed. Your bandages did the trick.
Yuna: You don't share much about how you feel, do you?
Jin: I suppose you're right... My uncle taught me that a samurai masters his emotions. Like you master a horse. Or a blade.
Yuna: That's a hard way to live.
Jin: It's not supposed to be easy.
Continue riding, your destination is just on a straight path.
While riding to your destination, you will pass by a Mongol camp. That is your target enemy camp. But do not stray from your quest path, just continue riding to your destination.
Jin: There's a spot up ahead that overlooks the river.
Yuna: Should give us a good view of the Mongol camp.
Target Indicator
When you are near your destination, you will notice an icon similar to below. It shows you the exact place of your quest location. By standing next to it, you will progress the quest objectives.
Yuna: There's the camp. Tough to get inside.
Jin: The Mongols threw that place together in days. There has to be a way in. Let's look.
Survey the Mongol prison camp
Now that you have reached your destination, it's time to strategize with Yuna how to infiltrate it.
Survey Mechanic
The game will now introduce you to the Survey Mechanic. You will have lots of this as you progress the game, so it's best to be familiar with how it works.
When you get the objective to survey the enemy, you have to do it with the game, that is, look for the exact location that it tells you to do it. And then initiate it by pressing R2. It's not enough to just observe the enemy, you have to do it with the game so your quest objectives will progress.
Yuna: We need to reach Taka. Without putting him in danger.
Jin: We'll find a safe approach...
Part of this Survey Mechanic is the Survey Circle. It is the game's way to immerse yourself in strategic observation. All you have to do is move the cursor to one of the circles, and then it will become focused.
Once in a focused state, you can click the Circle button, and the characters will share their observations on that area being surveyed.
There are currently two Survey Circles, so you will have two observations from Jin and Yuna.
First Path: Through the Rocks
Jin: We could scale the rocks on that side.
Yuna: If they're loose, they might give way. Alert the guards.
Second Path: Through the Front Wall
Jin: Defenses in the back are formidable. The front wall is still under construction.
Yuna: Could be a way in. We can look for a gap in the front wall. Slip inside...
Jin: And cut down the Mongols where they stand.
Bend Your Code
What follows next is the dialogue that made Jin think about using an alternative approach in fighting the enemies.
Yuna: If something goes wrong... They'll kill the prisoners. I've seen them do it. We have to go in quietly.
Jin: Live thieves...
Yuna: What's wrong with that?
Jin: Before the samurai... This island was ruled by criminals. We changed that by creating order... And delivering justice in the open. We live by a code of honor. And sometimes, we die by it. Warriors like my father who just wanted to give us a safer home.
Yuna: I want the same thing. But we have to fight back.
Jin: I promised my uncle I'd never break our code.
Yuna: Then bend it. To save my family... And what's left of yours.
Jin: Let's get a closer look. See what we're up against.
Yuna: We should wait until it gets darker.
Find the gap near the camp’s gate
The game will transition into the night and you will be able to start the approach to the camp.
You can use the Guiding Wind even for this, and it will point you to the exact location on the wall where you can progress the quest.
Jin: Let's move.
Yuna: Taka... He's been through a lot. Even before the invasion.
Jin: But you took care of him.
Yuna: Someone had to. He hated it when I stole, but it was that or starve. I didn't have a choice.
Jin: I didn't choose to be a samurai either. But going against my instincts...My code...
Yuna: It's better than getting wiped out by the Mongols. We have to fight back. Any way we can.
Squeeze through the fence gap
Approach the gap and you will be able to get inside.
Jin: Through here... If they see us, they'll kill the prisoners.
Yuna: Then we'd better stay quiet... and open their throats.
At this stage, there are no more doubts in Jin's mind to do things he deemed dishonorable before, like assassination and sneak attacks.
Stab the Mongol in the back
Approach the target while crouching and the Assassinate action will show up. Press the Square button and a cut scene will follow.
This will become a common combat mechanic as you do more raids of Mongol camps.
Follow the bear tracks with your uncle
After killing the target, Jin will have a reminiscence of a hunting event he had with his uncle. They were hunting a bear in a field.
Tracking Footsteps
The game will introduce next to the Tracking Mechanic. In several quests of the game, you will be asked to track an enemy. You will use their footsteps and the marks they have left on the ground, mud, or snow to determine their direction.
Guiding Wind will not be able to help you with this.
Shimura: What do you think, Jin?
Jin: The bear's running with a limp. Your arrow wounded him.
Shimura: This is when a beast is most dangerous. Remain alert. Keep after him.
Jin: I didn't think bears lived here.
Shimura: They don't. But the fighting in Yarikawa drove some this way.
Jin: So it's the rebel's fault! We should feed them to this bear as punishment.
Shimura: We are not barbarians, Jin.
Jin: The bear stumbled here. Is it dying?
Shimura: No. But we're getting closer. Stay ready, Jin.
Jin: Yes, uncle. If it's still alive...Can I take the shot?
Shimura: Prove you can control your emotions. Then...Perhaps.
Help your uncle inspect the carcass
You will find out that the bear is already dead.
Jin: We got him!
Shimura: Careful! He could still be alive. This arrow should not have killed him.
Jin: Look, Uncle. There's a gash in his side. Not from an arrow.
While doing the inspection, an assassin will do a sneak attack and wound Shimura's arm. Shimura is so fast he was able to counter and dismember the man's arm.
Shimura: An assassin! From Yarikawa.
Jin: Traitor! You would stab the Jito in the back?
Shimura: Lord Sakai! Control yourself. We are not criminals like this man here. We are samurai.
Jin: He tried to kill you. He must answer for this crime with his life.
Shimura: Look him in the eye. And teach him a samurai never acts out of anger or fear. And take his life. With honor.
Jin executes the assassin.
Shimura: When we fight, we face our enemy head-on. And when we take their life, we look them in the eye. With courage and respect.
Shimura: This is what makes us samurai. Only cowards strike from the shadows.
After this memory, Jin will sit for a few seconds staring at the enemy he killed, breaking everything his uncle has instilled in him all these years. What he has done counters everything his uncle has practiced and believed.
Yuna: Jin... What's wrong?
Jin: *sighs* Let's find your brother.
This is the point of no return for him. He might have killed the first target with doubts, but his next action after this will reflect his final decision.
And he decided. There is no turning back to being samurai.
Use Focused Hearing to sense the Mongol guards.
With that character-building beautifully laid out, we can proceed in dispatching the enemies in the camp with our newly found skills and beliefs.
The game gives you the tutorial for Focused Hearing. You initiate by pressing the touchpad. This changes the color of your surroundings. It will make you move slowly, in exchange for being able to see the outline of all nearby enemies, even if they are blocked by buildings or Mongol camps.
It's good for scouting enemies and for searching Leaders of Mongol territories.
When you do an assassination, you are taken out of Focused Hearing.
Find Taka
Slowly explore the camp and eliminate any of the remaining enemies using stealth and assassination.
Utilize the outlines of Focused Hearing so you can detect the positions of enemies.
Open the cage
You will soon come near a cage containing a living prisoner. Eliminate the soldiers guarding it and approach the cage.
Yuna: There. A prisoner!
Jin: Taka?
Yuna: Let's find out. No... It's not Taka.
Speak with the prisoner
Release the prisoner and talk to him.
Straw Hat: How'd you get in here?
Jin: We need to go. We'll talk when it's safe.
Yuna: Come on.
Regroup with Yuna outside the camp
Do not leave the area yet though. Whenever you raid a Mongol territory, whether it's in a large camp or an occupied village, always loot the place.
You will find Supplies, Wood, Bamboo, Iron, Steel, Linen, and all other crafting materials.
And if you are lucky, you will even find rare Artifacts. In the current camp you are in, enter the Mongol Hut and loot the items inside.
At the center of the Hut, you will find a rare Record.
This record contains the first Conversation with Khotun Khan.
Record: What can a simple monk like me hope to accomplish by recording my conversations with Khotun Khan? My aim is to document his words and deeds, in order to counter the natural suspicions of the people of Tsushima, foster mutual understanding, and thereby prevent more bloodshed.
The Khan has been most receptive to these talks, and surprisingly frank on a range of matters, though I am a mere translator, and Japanese to boot. His ambition is boundless as any shogun's, and he has a keen sense of history and his place in it. At the same time, he is eager to learn more about our culture and history.
Such an intriguing man.
Artifacts
There is also a Mongol Artifact just at the side of the Record that you found.
Artifacts are collective items that are of Mongolian nature. Collect them to learn more about the Mongols.
The artifact you just found is called the Aaruul.
Artifact: Aaruul is a staple of the Mongol's nomadic diet. Made of curds build in fresh milk, the resulting mixture is combined with sugar and fruits before being dried and sliced into various shapes and patterns.
Now that you have looted the camp, proceed to regroup with Yuna outside the camp. You can use the guiding wind to find the exact spot where you need to go so it will trigger the quest progression.
Travel with Yuna to leave the camp
You will find Yuna and the Straw Hat outside the spot. Walk towards the new objective location. Jin will try to hire the Straw Hat as an extra swordsman.
Jin: Let's get to the river. We'll be safe there. Are you with the Straw Hat ronin?
Straw Hat: I was. Cut ties with them after they started running low on rations.
Jin: Lord Shimura's been captured. I could use some extra swords to free him. Are you looking for work?
Straw Hat: No, but the other Straw Hats may be. Last I heard, they were hunting Mongols in Tsutsu prefecture. By the coast near the Kishi Grasslands.
Finally, you will reach the edge of the river and the Straw Hat will give more info about Taka.
Yuna: We're looking for my brother. A blacksmith named Taka.
Straw Hat: Don't know him, but a lot of prisoners move through here.
Yuna: You said they were moving the slaves. Where?
Straw Hat: They mentioned Azamo Bay. And there was a blacksmith in the last group. A young man with a beard. From Yarikawa, maybe.
Yuna: You'd better be right.
Straw Hat: I hope you find your blacksmith.
The Adventure Continues
That completes the first major quest of the game. It established major plot points - the decision of Jin to bend the samurai ways, hence initiating his transformation to Ghost, and the hope that Taka is alive.
Yuna: Taka's alive in Azamo Bay.
Jin: The town is surround by walls. Rushing in without a plan will only put him in more danger.
Yuna: I have a friend who might be able to get us inside.
Jin: Find him. The sooner we rescue Taka, the sooner we save my uncle.
Yuna: Jin... Taka will forge whatever tool you need as soon as he's free. But after that... We're leaving the island.
Jin: You've seen what the Mongols are doing here. Lord Shimura can stop them. Stay. Help us fight for our home.
Yuna: Home...is where Taka and I go. My friend lives in Azamo prefecture. On the border with Tsutsu.
Jin: I'll find you there.
Yuna: I know this wasn't easy. Going against your code.
Jin: I did what I had to.
Yuna: Thank you.
The Broken Blacksmith
The Journal will get updated and a new quest will get unlocked that continues the search of Yuna for Taka. The title of this new quest is The Broken Blacksmith.
However, we highly recommend that you do not proceed with this quest yet. There are two major quests you need to do before continuing with Yuna's quest so that you can unlock and acquire additional skills and weapons like Archery and the Half Bow before progressing further.
Khotun Khan Tempts Lord Shimura
After the conversation of Jin and Yuna, there will be a cutscene showing how Khotun Khan tries to tempt Lord Shimura into surrendering and joining the Mongol army.
Lord Shimura is in a cell where Khotun Khan entreats him to reconsider his decision
Khotun Khan: Lord Shimura. You deserve better than this. Convince your people to stop resisting, and you can walk free.
Shimura: Stop wasting my time. Kill me.
Khotun Khan: You think you've lost everything. But your nephew is still alive.
Shimura: Jin...
Khotun Khan: My men control the roads. They build war camps near your towns. They see everything. And they will find him.
Shimura: Lord Sakai will fight until his last breath. As will I.
Khotun Khan: You love him. Just as you love your people. You are a father to them. Will you abandon your children?
Shimura: I won't make them your slaves.
Visit The Tale of Sensei Ishikawa to continue reading Jin's adventure.
