You probably remember the trauma. Breath of the Wild fans still have nightmares about stepping onto that sandy shore and hearing that ominous chime as every piece of armor, every weapon, and every single cooked radish vanished from their inventory. It was a "naked and afraid" survival challenge that defined the first game. So, when you see that familiar crescent shape on the horizon while paragliding in Tears of the Kingdom, your heart rate naturally spikes. You expect the worst. But the Eventide Island shrine TotK experience is a different beast entirely, and honestly, if you go in expecting a carbon copy of the first game, you’re going to get overwhelmed by a literal underground war zone.
It’s not just a survival island anymore. It’s a multi-layered military stronghold.
The Marari-in Shrine—that's the official name of the shrine tied to this rock—is actually a "Rauru’s Blessing." That sounds easy, right? Walk in, open the chest, grab the Light of Blessing, and leave. The catch is that getting the shrine to even appear requires clearing out three distinct monster pirate camps and then venturing into a literal cave of horrors. It’s a gauntlet. If you don't have a plan for the Boss Bokoblin squads, you're going to burn through your food supply before you even see a loading screen.
The Island Has Changed: Forget Everything from 2017
In the previous game, the challenge was about scavenging. In Tears of the Kingdom, it’s about tactical demolition. The island is currently occupied by "Monster Forces," a group of pirates working for the Demon King. You’ll meet an NPC named Sesami on the north beach who looks absolutely miserable. He’s the one who triggers the "Seeking Out Pirate Hideouts" quest.
Don't ignore him.
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The island is split into three main tactical points: the North Camp, the South Camp, and the Research Cliff Camp. You can’t just sneak past them. To unlock the Eventide Island shrine TotK location, every single red health bar at the top of your screen has to hit zero. The geography is more vertical now. You have more options, but so do the monsters. They have reinforcements, better AI, and they will absolutely flank you if you try to just "button mash" your way through the beach camp.
The Three Camps Strategy
The North Camp: This is your warm-up. It's mostly Bokoblins. Use the terrain. Since you have your gear this time—thank Hylia for that—you can just rain bomb arrows from the sky. But honestly? Save your resources. There are plenty of explosive barrels around. Use Ultrahand to drop them right in the middle of their dinner party.
The Research Cliff: This one is higher up. If you have the Zora Armor and it’s raining, you can sometimes find ways to catapult yourself up, but usually, you're just climbing. There are Aerocudas here. They are annoying. One well-placed arrow to the eye drops them instantly. Focus on the archers first or they will knock you off the cliff side, and the fall damage is a silent killer on Eventide.
The South Camp: This is the meat of the challenge. There's a Boss Bokoblin here. He’s fat, he’s slow, but he hits like a freight train. If you have Muddle Buds, this is the time to use them. Hit the Boss Bokoblin with a Muddle Bud and watch him clear out his own subordinates for you. It’s hilarious and saves your weapon durability.
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Finding the Backside of the Island
Once you clear those three spots, you’d think the shrine would just pop out of the ground. Nope. Nintendo got clever. Sesami mentions a ship or a "hidden place" behind the island. If you head to the southeast side of the island (the back of the large mountain), you’ll see a massive pirate ship anchored in a cave. This is the Eventide Island Cave.
Getting inside is the real trick. You can paraglide from the top of the cliff, but if you miss, you're swimming in shark-infested waters (okay, no sharks, but the stamina drain is real). Inside this cave is a literal pirate ship. It’s packed. You’re looking at Blue and Black Bokoblins, and they have the high ground on the ship’s deck.
This is where the Eventide Island shrine TotK quest gets its reputation. It’s a confined space. You can't just run away. If you have a Ruby or Topaz fused to a magic staff, one shot will create an elemental explosion that clears the deck. Just watch your own health. The water in the cave is shallow in some parts but deep in others; don't get stuck in a swimming animation while a Black Moblin is winding up a spear throw.
The Marari-in Shrine: A Reward for the Chaos
After the ship is cleared, look behind the vessel. There’s a small opening in the cave wall. This is where the Marari-in Shrine is tucked away. Because you've gone through a literal war to get here, the developers decided to give you a break. No puzzle inside. Just a chest containing a Rubin (usually) or a high-level weapon, and your Light of Blessing.
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Why people struggle with this
The biggest mistake is coming here too early. Yes, you have your gear, unlike in Breath of the Wild. But the enemy scaling in TotK is aggressive. If you’ve completed two or three temples, the enemies on Eventide will likely be "Black" tier. They have high HP. If you show up with a bunch of 12-damage traveler swords, you’re going to be there all day.
Also, the weather. Eventide loves to storm. If you’re wearing metal armor and carrying a metal shield, you’re a walking lightning rod. I’ve seen so many players get the pirate ship down to the last enemy only to get struck by lightning because they forgot to unequip their Knight’s Broadsword. Keep a wooden set of gear or some Zonai weapons handy for the rain.
Expert Tips for the Eventide Gauntlet
- Ultrahand is your best friend: Don't waste your best swords. Pick up the spiked iron balls scattered around the camps and just swing them around with Ultrahand. It deals massive damage and doesn't cost a single point of durability.
- The Wings of the Pirate: Once you clear the cave, check the crates on the ship. There are often high-tier fusion materials like Black Bokoblin Horns or even Boss Bokoblin Guts.
- The Sages: If you have Tulin or Yunobo, keep them active. Tulin’s headshots are a godsend when you’re being swarmed by five enemies at once. Yunobo can break the wooden fortifications at the South Camp instantly.
- Check the Depths: There is actually a chasm on Eventide Island. It’s hidden under a rock that you can move or break. This leads to the Lone Island Coliseum. If you think the surface was hard, the Coliseum forces you to fight waves of Saw-fisted Hinoxes and worse. Maybe save that for when you have the Phantom Armor set.
The beauty of the Eventide Island shrine TotK is that it rewards creativity over raw power. You can be a level-one scrub with three hearts, but if you're smart with your Zonai devices—maybe you build a quick flame-thrower turret—you can cheese the entire island.
It feels earned. Unlike some of the Rauru’s Blessing shrines that you just stumble upon in a forest, Marari-in feels like a trophy at the end of a marathon. You conquered the island. You evicted the pirates. You survived the storm.
Actionable Next Steps for Success
To make sure you don't end up a permanent resident of the Eventide graveyard, follow this specific order of operations. First, cook at least five "Hearty" meals using Hearty Truffles or Radishes to overfill your health bar. Second, ensure you have at least 20 Bomb Flowers; the pirate ship battle is significantly easier if you can destroy the lookout towers from a distance. Third, travel to the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower and launch yourself high enough to glide toward the island from the north, as this gives you a bird's eye view of the enemy placements before you commit to the fight. Once the shrine is activated, don't forget to use the nearby Zonai Wing to fly back to the mainland—it's a long swim otherwise.