Maoikes Shrine

Key takeaways

Maoikes Shrine is in Boné Pond East Cave, east of Boné Pond in the Lanayru Wetlands.
The most convenient entrance is the skull entrance on the hilltop, approximately at 2251, 0093, 0128. It lets you descend towards the shrine while avoiding much of the cave’s enemy area.
The shrine’s in-game trial is Rauru’s Blessing Inside, open one chest containing a Diamond, then examine the altar for a Light of Blessing.
Boné Pond East Cave is larger than the shrine route alone It has four recorded entrances, a Bubbulfrog, monster groups, ore and a separate Hino rescue encounter.
The cave’s lower route contains the more substantial exploration content The upper skull route is best for reaching Maoikes Shrine quickly.
Maoikes Shrine has no known quest prerequisite or story-state restriction in the base game. The shrine can be completed whenever Link can safely reach the cave.

About this guide

Spoiler warning: This guide covers the shrine’s cave route, enemies, treasure, Bubbulfrog, Hino encounter and associated rewards.

Overview

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Base game guide

Introduction

Maoikes Shrine is a small Shrine of Light hidden inside Boné Pond East Cave, a multi-entrance cave system in the Lanayru Wetlands. The shrine itself is a Rauru’s Blessing trial, so there is no puzzle or combat challenge inside the shrine chamber. The real test is finding the correct route through the cave, choosing whether to avoid or clear its monster camp, and identifying the shrine’s position above the main cavern.

The quickest approach is from the large monster-skull structure on the hilltop southwest of Upland Zorana Skyview Tower. Drop through the skull’s opening, glide down into the cave and land near the shrine. Players who explore the full cave can also find a Bubbulfrog, ore, materials, a weapon chest and the researcher Hino, whose encounter is separate from the shrine itself.

Maoikes Shrine is the named shrine structure inside Boné Pond East Cave. It is not a surface shrine on the hilltop and it is not a separate location from the cave for access purposes. The shrine sits above or beside the main cave route, which is why a player following the lower passage may pass beneath or around it before finding the correct Ascend point.

The shrine interior is a compact, linear chamber. It contains a central stone chest, a short path and an altar with a Rauru and Sonia statue. There are no terminals to activate, moving platforms, combat rooms or puzzle mechanisms inside the shrine.

Named entries within the shrine

Maoikes Shrine

Maoikes Shrine

Boné Pond East Cave

Boné Pond East Cave is the broader location containing Maoikes Shrine. It lies east of Boné Pond in the Lanayru Wetlands and has several separate openings rather than one simple entrance corridor. Guides identify four entrances, including upper entrances, lower entrances and the opening inside the hilltop skull.

The cave should therefore be treated as a distinct child area rather than merely a synonym for Maoikes Shrine. Reaching the shrine only explores part of the cave. The lower passages contain the Bubbulfrog, monster camp, ore deposits, weapon chest and Hino encounter.

Named entries within the cave

Some of these descriptions are practical subareas rather than formal map labels. They are included to distinguish the cave’s routes and functions, not to suggest that every one is a separate named map location.

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Recommended route: the hilltop skull

The easiest route begins at Upland Zorana Skyview Tower. From the tower, glide southwest towards the hills around Boné Pond East Cave. Look for a large skull-shaped monster structure on top of a mountain. The opening in the skull leads down into the cave system and brings Link close to Maoikes Shrine.

Step-by-step

The cave contains enemies below the skull route. You do not need to defeat them to reach Maoikes Shrine, although a poor landing can place Link directly into the cave’s combat area. Bring a paraglider and leave enough stamina for a controlled descent.

Step-by-step

01
Fast-travel to Upland Zorana Skyview Tower.
02
Launch from the tower and glide southwest.
03
Search the hilltops for the large skull structure.
04
Enter through the opening in the skull.
05
Drop through the hole inside the structure.
06
Glide rather than simply falling if you want to control your landing.
07
Look for the glowing green shrine below or ahead.
08
Land near the shrine and activate it.
09
Enter Maoikes Shrine and complete the Rauru’s Blessing reward sequence.

Lower cave routes

The other entrances are useful if you are exploring the cave rather than rushing to the shrine. One approach lies near a waterfall and leads through Rock Like and Horriblin territory. Another route connects to the cave’s upper or western section, where the Bokoblin group, treasure chest and Hino encounter are located.

The lower route is more hazardous but gives access to the cave’s full set of optional rewards. If you enter from below and cannot see the shrine, inspect the ceiling and nearby rock formations. The shrine route involves reaching a raised section and using the cave geometry to climb or Ascend towards the shrine.

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Rauru’s Blessing

Maoikes Shrine is a reward shrine. The cave route is the practical challenge, while the interior simply awards the completion items.

Walkthrough

There are no enemies or puzzles inside the shrine, and no chest is hidden behind a side passage. The Diamond is the only shrine treasure reported for Maoikes Shrine.

Walkthrough

01
Enter the shrine.
02
Walk forward to the stone chest on the central platform.
03
Open it to receive a Diamond.
04
Continue to the altar.
05
Examine the altar and receive a Light of Blessing.
06
Leave through the shrine exit or use the shrine as a fast-travel point afterwards.

Shrine inventory

The Light of Blessing can be exchanged at a Goddess Statue for a Heart Container or Stamina Vessel once Link has enough blessings for an upgrade. That general progression function is not unique to Maoikes Shrine.

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Shrine inventory

Shrine inventory
Location	Item or reward	Status
Central shrine chest	Diamond	Fixed
Shrine altar	Light of Blessing	Fixed completion reward
Shrine activation	Fast-travel point	Permanent after activation

Cave sections and routes

Boné Pond East Cave is best understood as a connected cave system with upper and lower sections.

Upper skull approach

This is the fastest route to Maoikes Shrine. It begins at the large skull structure and drops into the cave from above. The route is useful for players who only want the shrine, but it does not naturally lead through every cave feature.

Lower waterfall approach

The lower entrance near the waterfall leads into enemy-occupied passages. A Rock Like and Horriblins are associated with this part of the cave. This route is useful for finding the Bubbulfrog and exploring the cave’s materials, but it is less convenient for a first visit if the immediate objective is the shrine.

Bokoblin camp and Ascend route

The cave’s central or western section contains a group of Blue Bokoblins and a Blue Boss Bokoblin. After dealing with this group, Link can investigate the cage holding Hino and search the area for a chest and ore deposits. The nearby bone-shaped rock formation provides an Ascend route towards the shrine area.

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The cave’s enemy layout can vary in strength according to world progression, but the enemy types recorded for Boné Pond East Cave include:

The Rock Like is a particular danger in the lower route because its attacks can punish Link in a confined tunnel. Its exposed core is the useful target once its defensive state is broken. A heavy weapon is helpful for ore deposits, while a bow and elemental materials make the Rock Like and Horriblin sections easier to manage.

The hilltop route creates a different hazard: the vertical drop. If Link lands too far from the shrine, he can fall into the lower cave and trigger several enemies at once. Glide towards the shrine’s glowing entrance rather than dropping directly through the centre of the cave.

Cave enemy directory

The available sources agree on these enemy categories, but they do not establish a fixed level for every individual spawn. Treat exact scaling as progression-dependent rather than a permanent numerical property.

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Diamond

The shrine chest contains one Diamond. This is fixed shrine content rather than a random drop. Open the chest before examining the altar if you want the shrine’s treasure registered during the same visit.

Bubbul Gem

Boné Pond East Cave contains one Bubbulfrog, which drops one Bubbul Gem when defeated. It is not inside the shrine chamber. The Bubbulfrog is associated with the lower cave, around the upper part of the cave wall or ceiling between the lower entrances. One guide places it at approximately 2255, 0102, 0053.

The map records the cave with a check mark once its Bubbul Gem has been collected. The gem can be exchanged with Koltin as part of the Bubbul Gem trading system, but Koltin is not a resident of Boné Pond East Cave.

To find it

01
Enter through a lower cave entrance, particularly the waterfall-side route.
02
Proceed past the Rock Like and Horriblin area.
03
Look up at the wooden-plank ceiling and upper cave surfaces.
04
Use a bow to shoot the Bubbulfrog.
05
Collect the Bubbul Gem before leaving.

Cave materials

The precise distribution of loose materials and ore may depend on which branch of the cave you search. These are cave resources rather than rewards guaranteed by the shrine.

Additional chest

A separate cave chest is associated with the enemy area and can contain a Soldier’s Broadsword, with possible weapon scaling depending on world level. This chest is not the Diamond chest inside Maoikes Shrine. Another guide also records a Ruby in a water chest near one of the cave’s lower entrances, so players pursuing full cave completion should search the water and side passages rather than stopping after the shrine chest.

Because the available sources differ in how they catalogue the cave’s secondary chest contents, treat the following as the safest practical checklist rather than a claim that every item is guaranteed in every save:

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Hino is a named NPC found in the cave’s Bokoblin-controlled section. He is trapped in a cage and becomes available for conversation after Link deals with the surrounding monsters. His presence is separate from Maoikes Shrine and is one reason to explore the cave’s lower route instead of taking the direct skull descent.

The reported reward set for freeing and speaking with Hino includes:

The exact conversation flow and reward presentation should be treated as an NPC encounter rather than a shrine reward. Defeating the monsters first is the important condition recorded by the available guides.

Named character directory

No shrine-specific quest giver, merchant, stable service or faction headquarters is recorded within Maoikes Shrine or Boné Pond East Cave.

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Additional chest

Additional chest
Area	Reported content	Notes
Maoikes Shrine	Diamond	Fixed shrine chest
Lower or central cave	Bubbul Gem	Dropped by the cave’s Bubbulfrog
Bokoblin camp	Soldier’s Broadsword	Chest; weapon scaling may vary
Water near lower entrance	Ruby	Recorded by Zelda Dungeon Wiki
Cave walls and floor	Ore, Amber, Topaz	Resource deposits
Cave floor and walls	Brightbloom materials and lizards	Collectible resources

Shrine-only route

Use this if you want the Light of Blessing with minimal fighting.

Shrine-only route: steps

01
Travel to Upland Zorana Skyview Tower.
02
Glide southwest to the skull structure.
03
Enter through the skull and glide down.
04
Activate Maoikes Shrine.
05
Collect the Diamond.
06
Take the Light of Blessing.
07
Fast-travel out.

Full cave route

Use this if you want the Bubbul Gem, Hino’s rewards and cave materials.

Full cave route: steps

01
Approach through a lower entrance near the waterfall.
02
Mark or defeat the Rock Like and Horriblins.
03
Search the upper cave surfaces for the Bubbulfrog.
04
Collect the Bubbul Gem.
05
Follow the cave towards the Bokoblin camp.
06
Defeat the Blue Bokoblins and Blue Boss Bokoblin.
07
Free and speak to Hino.
08
Open the nearby chest.
09
Break the ore deposits.
10
Use the bone-shaped surface for Ascend.
11
Reach Maoikes Shrine from below.
12
Collect the shrine’s Diamond and Light of Blessing.

Completion checklist

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Upland Zorana Skyview Tower

This is the most useful launch point for the shrine. Maoikes Shrine lies southwest of the tower, and gliding from the tower makes the skull structure easy to identify from above.

Boné Pond

Boné Pond is the principal surface landmark used to describe the cave’s position. Boné Pond East Cave lies east of the pond, with the cave entrances distributed around the surrounding hills and ravines.

Sekioam Lightroot

Maoikes Shrine corresponds to Sekioam Lightroot in the Depths. This is a map relationship rather than a direct tunnel connection that Link must use to reach the shrine. Activating the surface shrine and its Depths counterpart can help with navigation, but the shrine’s physical entrance is through Boné Pond East Cave.

Nearby or connected named locations

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Maoikes Shrine uses the standard Rauru’s Blessing presentation found throughout Tears of the Kingdom. The shrine’s short interior suggests that the journey through the surrounding cave is the intended challenge. Its Rauru and Sonia statue also uses the standard shrine-completion exchange in which Link receives a Light of Blessing after reaching the altar.

The shrine has no separate story scene, dungeon boss, regional-phenomena requirement or known progression transformation. Its appearance and reward remain consistent before and after the major regional quests in the base game.

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Sekioam Lightroot

Is Maoikes Shrine inside a cave?

Yes. It is inside Boné Pond East Cave in the Lanayru Wetlands. The large skull on the hilltop is the easiest entrance to identify.

Does Maoikes Shrine have a puzzle?

No. It is a Rauru’s Blessing shrine. The cave route is the difficult part, while the interior contains a Diamond and the Light of Blessing.

What does Maoikes Shrine reward?

The chest contains a Diamond, and shrine completion grants one Light of Blessing.

Do I have to defeat the cave enemies?

No, not to reach the shrine through the hilltop skull entrance. You may need to fight if you use the lower route or land among the enemies. Defeating the Bokoblin group is required for the useful Hino encounter.

Is there a Bubbulfrog in the shrine?

No. The Bubbulfrog belongs to Boné Pond East Cave and is found in the lower cave area, not inside Maoikes Shrine.

Can I reach the shrine from the Depths?

The shrine corresponds to Sekioam Lightroot, but the practical entrance described by the available guides is through Boné Pond East Cave on the surface. The Lightroot relationship is useful for map comparison and Depths navigation, not a required shrine route.

Are the cave’s chests the same as the shrine chest?

No. Maoikes Shrine’s chest contains a Diamond. The cave’s separate chests may contain a weapon or other treasure and must be searched independently.

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Sources

Maoikes Shrine Location and Walkthrough | Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK)｜Game8 — game8.co
Maoikes Shrine - Zelda Wiki — zeldawiki.wiki
Boné Pond East Cave Bubbulfrog Location | Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK)｜Game8 — game8.co
Boné Pond East Cave - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net