You're wandering through the rain-soaked, puppet-infested streets of Krat, and suddenly you find a weird, sealed cylinder. It looks like a thermos from a nightmare. That’s a Cryptic Vessel. Honestly, if you aren't paying close attention to Venigni’s dialogue or the item descriptions, these things basically just sit in your inventory gathering dust. But you shouldn't let them. They are essentially the high-stakes scavenger hunts of Lies of P, and they lead to some of the best gear in the game, including Quartz for your P-Organ and those sweet, sweet outfits that make you look less like a tin man and more like a Victorian aristocrat.
Decoding these isn't just about having the item. You have to take them back to Venigni at Hotel Krat. He’s the only one with the brainpower (and the tools) to crack them open. Once he does, you get a Decryption Request—a cryptic photo and a bit of text that hints at a location. If you’ve played Elden Ring or Dark Souls, you know the drill. It’s "vague hint" territory.
The First Hurdle: The Crafty Cryptic Vessel
Most players stumble upon their first real challenge with the Crafty Cryptic Vessel. You’ll find this one in the Cathedral of St. Frangelico. Specifically, you need to head to the rafters where the giant wooden gears are spinning. There’s a brazier you can kick off a ledge to burn up the pool of decay below. Once that sludge is gone, a hidden staircase is revealed. Down there? That’s your loot.
Venigni will crack it, showing you a picture of a bridge. It’s the Alchemist’s Bridge leading to the Cathedral. There’s a puppet hanging there. You’ve probably walked past it ten times. Hit it with a projectile. Seriously, just throw a thermite or a saw blade at the hanging puppet. A letter drops. It tells you to go to the house on Elysion Boulevard. Specifically, the one near the "Inside the House on Elysion Boulevard" Stargazer. Look for the door next to the 221B sign—a nice little nod to Sherlock Holmes. Inside, you get the Owl Doctor’s Hunting Apparel and a Quartz. It’s a solid power spike early on.
Why Venigni is Your Best Friend
Without Venigni, these vessels are useless lumps of metal. He is the backbone of the entire Lies of P cryptic vessels system. You usually find him at Venigni Works, and after you save his hide and beat Fuoco, he moves back to the Hotel.
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What’s interesting is how the game hides these items. They aren't just sitting in chests in the middle of a hallway. They are tucked behind boss fights or in corners of the map that look like dead ends. For instance, the Jeweled Cryptic Vessel is tucked away in the Estella Opera House. Before you reach the boss, there’s a dark room with two ladders. Go down. There's a chest. Simple, right? But most people are so stressed about the spiders and the flaming chandeliers that they sprint right past it.
Once you get that one decoded, the photo shows a cliffside with a view of the Krat City Hall. You need to head back to the Cerasani Alley Stargazer. Go to the very end where the cliff overlooks the ocean and use the "Check Ground" gesture. If you don't have the gesture, you're out of luck until you find it. This is where Lies of P gets a bit "old school" with its mechanics. It expects you to use the social tools it gives you.
The Old Cryptic Vessel and the Slums
The Old Cryptic Vessel is where things get a bit more combat-heavy. You get this one from a rookie explorer NPC near the Barren Swamp Bridge. He just gives it to you. Easy. But the solution? Not so much. It points you toward a shack in the Malum District.
If you’ve already cleared the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, you might think you’re done with this area. Nope. There’s a gate near the path to the Cathedral that was previously locked. With the decoded vessel, you can talk to the inhabitant. It leads to a whole mini-encounter with a fake "Atoner" and eventually gets you the Life Amulet +1. In a game where every hit takes half your health bar, that extra HP is a godsend.
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The Great Venigni Collection and Late-Game Secrets
As you push into the later chapters, like the Arche Abbey, the rewards get exponentially better. The Mechanical Cryptic Vessel is a prime example. You find it behind a hidden wall in the Arche Abbey Broken Rift.
This one is tricky. It tells you to go to the Abandoned Apartment. But here’s the kicker: you need a specific weapon equipped to trigger the reward. You need the Frozen Feast. This is a boss weapon you get by trading the Reborn Champion’s Ergo (from Victor) with Alidoro. If you consumed that Ergo for levels? You’re locked out of this Cryptic Vessel reward for the rest of the playthrough. It’s a harsh lesson in "don't eat boss souls" that many players learn the hard way. Showing the weapon to the merchant at the Abandoned Apartment gets you the Red Fox’s Hunting Apparel and another Quartz.
Rusty Cryptic Vessel: The Secret Area
This is arguably the most important one. The Rusty Cryptic Vessel isn't just for a costume; it unlocks an entire optional sub-area of the Barren Swamp. You buy this one from Polendina at the Hotel, but only after you’ve expanded his shop with the right functional items.
Once decoded, it opens up the "Hermit’s Cave."
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This place is a nightmare of traps and narrow bridges, but it’s the only way to get the Black Cat’s outfit and the final pieces of the puzzle regarding the identity of the person behind the "Legendary Stalker" rumors. It adds a layer of lore that you totally miss if you just play the main path. Honestly, the Hermit’s Cave feels like a mini-DLC tucked inside the base game. It’s dense, difficult, and incredibly rewarding for those who like the world-building aspects of Neowiz’s masterpiece.
Alidoro’s Cryptic Vessel: A Narrative Gut-Punch
Most Lies of P cryptic vessels are about treasure. This one is about the truth. You get it by killing Alidoro (or after he dies) near the end of the game at the Relic of Trismegistus.
You don't even need a treasure map for this. You just have Venigni read it. It reveals the true identity of Alidoro and his relationship to Eugénie. This is the only way to finish Eugénie’s questline properly. Depending on whether you tell her the truth or lie to her after reading the vessel, you get different rewards (and different Trophies/Achievements). It’s a rare moment where a gameplay mechanic—scavenger hunting—directly impacts the emotional climax of a side character’s story.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sometimes, you’ll have the vessel, you’ll be at the right spot, and nothing happens. Usually, it’s one of three things:
- The Gesture: You aren't using the right gesture. "Check Ground" and "Pray" are frequently used for these.
- The Weapon: Like with the Frozen Feast, you might need a specific item visible.
- The Order: You must talk to Venigni first. You can't just go to the location because you read a guide online. The "trigger" for the loot doesn't exist in the game world until the vessel is officially decoded in your inventory.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To make sure you don't miss out on these, follow this workflow:
- Check Venigni frequently. Every time you beat a major boss, talk to him. He often has new dialogue or can process items you didn't realize were important.
- Hoard your Special Ergo. Never, ever spend a boss Ergo on levels until you've checked what weapon it makes. If that weapon is required for a Cryptic Vessel (like Frozen Feast), you’ll regret the 5,000 extra XP very quickly.
- Read the Decryption Requests. Don't just look at the picture. The text often mentions specific landmarks like "the house with the view of the clock tower" or "the bridge where the puppets hang."
- Buy the Shop Expansions. Polendina and Pulcinella both need specific "boxes" found in the world to upgrade their stock. One of these upgrades contains the Rusty Cryptic Vessel, which is vital for the 100% completion run.
- Revisit "Cleared" Areas. If a Decryption Request looks familiar, it’s because it is. The game loves sending you back to Chapter 1 and 2 locations once you have the tools to unlock their secrets.
Getting all the Lies of P cryptic vessels done in one go is tough, but it's the difference between a standard playthrough and a "true" completion of P’s journey. Keep your eyes on the rafters and your projectiles ready.