‘Thrown to the Dogs’ walkthrough for Assassin’s Creed Shadows

The “Thrown to the Dogs” mission represents one of the earliest side quests available in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, specifically within the Izumi Settsu territory. This engaging narrative appears on your People of Settsu objective board, offering players meaningful character development opportunities alongside valuable rewards.

Quest initiation becomes available only after you’ve progressed sufficiently through the primary campaign to unlock the Hideout location. This progression requirement ensures you have the necessary skills and context to properly engage with the storyline. The quest marker automatically appears on your world map once these conditions are satisfied, eliminating any guesswork about where to begin your canine-assisted adventure.

For optimal navigation, direct your attention to the region situated northeast of Osaka and northwest of Tennoji Temple. This temple area notably contains three collectible Lost Pages, making it worthwhile to explore thoroughly while completing the quest objectives. The starting zone features a distinctive visual treatment with blurred boundaries, indicating an investigation area rather than a precise pin location.

Upon reaching the designated quest area, the precise marker vanishes, replaced by an investigation zone requiring environmental exploration. Begin your search from the eastern perimeter near Tennoji Temple, where you’ll discover a narrow footpath emerging from an ancient cemetery. This trail ascends a modest incline through dense woodland, serving as your primary navigation route.

At the hill’s summit, you’ll encounter the mission-critical canine companion—a visibly distressed stray dog bearing signs of hardship. The essential interaction involves petting the animal to establish trust and initiate dialogue. Through this interaction, you learn the dog previously belonged to a man called Ichiro, establishing the emotional foundation for your subsequent journey.

Pro Tip: Approach the dog slowly and from the front to avoid startling it. The petting animation triggers crucial story progression, so ensure you complete this interaction thoroughly before moving forward. Many players rush this step and miss important narrative context about Ichiro’s background and relationship with the animal.

After establishing rapport with the canine, it will begin leading you along a predetermined route toward its former home. This following sequence requires maintaining reasonable proximity to the animal while remaining alert for environmental threats. The path winds through potentially hostile territory where several samurai patrols operate, necessitating combat readiness.

These warrior encounters typically involve 2-3 opponents utilizing standard melee attacks. Prepare your preferred combat techniques and ensure your equipment is appropriately upgraded for your current level. The dog continues moving during combat sequences, so efficiently dispatching enemies prevents losing track of your furry guide.

Your destination emerges as a traditional Japanese estate where you’ll meet Takako, identified as Ichiro’s sister. She reveals that her brother concealed their family inheritance alongside the necessary access key. Your interaction choices with Takako influence subsequent dialogue but don’t alter the core objective: locating the hidden key to claim the inheritance.

Combat Advice: Utilize stealth takedowns on isolated samurai to thin their numbers before engaging groups. The dog will pause briefly if you fall too far behind, but prolonged combat may require catching up. Consider using ranged attacks to handle enemies from distance while maintaining movement.

The crucial investigation phase begins after conversing with Takako. Activate your Observation mode by holding L2/LT (default control scheme) to scan the environment for interactive elements. This special vision mode highlights three distinct locations with pulsating blue markers, though only one contains your objective.

The correct key location positions itself to the northeast relative to your conversation spot with Takako. This placement often proves confusing, as the estate layout contains multiple structures and vegetation that can obscure visibility. Methodically scan the area while paying particular attention to elevated surfaces and concealed niches where items might be hidden.

Advanced Investigation Technique: Begin scanning from the highest available vantage point near the estate. The elevated perspective makes blue markers more visible through environmental clutter. The key typically rests in a small locked container or hidden compartment rather than lying openly, requiring precise positioning to interact successfully.

Environmental storytelling elements around the key location provide additional context about Ichiro’s character and motivations. These details enrich the narrative experience beyond mere item collection, offering insights into the family’s history and the inheritance’s significance.

Successfully completing “Thrown to the Dogs” typically requires 15-20 minutes for most players, though efficient navigation and combat can reduce this to under 12 minutes. The inheritance reward varies based on your gameplay choices but generally includes currency, crafting materials, and occasionally unique equipment pieces.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid: Many players mistakenly investigate all three blue markers instead of heading directly northeast, wasting 3-5 minutes. Others fail to properly engage with the dog initially, causing progression bugs. Ensure you complete the petting animation fully before expecting the following sequence to trigger.

For players seeking to optimize their experience, this quest provides excellent practice for the observation and investigation mechanics that become increasingly important throughout Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Mastering these skills early significantly enhances your efficiency in later, more complex missions.

After claiming your inheritance, consider exploring the surrounding Tennoji Temple area for the three Lost Pages if you haven’t already collected them. These valuable collectibles provide permanent stat bonuses and contribute to completion percentage.

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