Imagine — you’re visiting Pilgrim’s Passage in Cult of the Lamb. It’s nighttime, and all of your followers have gone to sleep. In all fairness, you’re here primarily to catch a lobster, but you’re not having much luck in that regard. So, you turn to the exit, but … you suddenly get a compulsion to walk down the pier.
It’s then that you see a new interaction: Peer Into the Darkness. What this could be, you haven’t a clue. But, against your best interest, you decide to interact with it, and a new, mysterious character appears.
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This is the beginning of the most interesting and missable side-quests in the entire game. It requires the player to traverse the map and meet with this mysterious, hooded fox at various locations, all at night. Here’s how to accomplish this task — it might be missable, but it’s not difficult by any means.
Peer Into the Darkness
As stated, you can initiate this quest by visiting the Pilgrim’s Passage pier — at night. After interacting with the hooded fox, they’ll ask for a fish in exchange for a Holy Talisman shard. It’s best to make the exchange — after all, chances are you’re overflowing with fish, so what’s one less going to do?
In the second phase of this quest, you’ll want to head for the Spore Grotto. Check the top-left, by the shop, and you’ll once again be given the option to Peer Into the Darkness. But, this time, the fox isn’t satisfied with taking a single, lonesome fish. No, this time … they want a follower. Ideally, you’ll have enough followers that giving one up to this reprehensible Reynard won’t be a huge loss. Plus, you’ll get yet another Holy Talisman shard, so … you can decide if it’s worth it.
Next Stop: Smuggler’s Sanctuary. If you wander off to the right, you’ll encounter an area where the pier juts out just a bit, and you’ll also be given the option to Peer Into the Darkness. Like in the Spore Grotto, this time the fox demands a sacrifice of TWO followers. I don’t know if you’re seeing a pattern here, but I most certainly am. OK — pick two followers to satiate their craving and accept the Holy Talisman shard.
Finally, you’ll want to head for Midas’s Cave. If you thought sacrificing three followers to this dirtbag was bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Head for the back-right of the area and you’ll — once again — be given the option to Peer Into the Darkness. In order to finish this quest and claim the fourth Holy Talisman shard, the fox will ask you to sacrifice your mentor and the one who taught you everything you needed to know: Ratau. It’s important to note that sacrificing Ratau before you’ve beaten him in Knucklebones will make it so you can never challenge him again — what with him being dead and all. Betray your confidant and you’ll not only win the fourth Holy Talisman shard, but also a new follower form.
