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QuestmajorMain storyModerate

A Mystery in the Depths

A main quest in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that leads Link through the Depths to the Great Abandoned Central Mine, where he unlocks Autobuild and confronts Master Kohga.

RoleMain-story quest introducing the Autobuild ability and continuing the investigation into the Depths.
Statusavailable
Importancemajor
RewardAutobuild ability
  • Quest typeMain quest
  • Primary regionThe Depths
  • DestinationGreat Abandoned Central Mine
  • Quest giverJosha
  • Signature rewardAutobuild
  • BossMaster Kohga of the Yiga Clan
  • Completion stateReport back to Josha

The source material does not provide a fixed playtime, mission number, or recommended level.

Key takeaways

Keep these points in mind before beginning the journey.

  • Unlock condition Speak with Josha at Lookout Landing after completing Camera Work in the Depths and at least one Regional Phenomena main quest.
  • Follow the statues The underground statues form the quest’s navigation trail. Search for the next statue and use its facing direction to identify the route.
  • Major ability reward The quest unlocks Autobuild, a construction ability that can recreate saved designs using available materials.
  • Prepare for the Depths Bring ways to illuminate dark areas and recover from gloom damage. The route and encounters are much easier to read when the surrounding area is lit.
  • The quest has a boss encounter Master Kohga of the Yiga Clan appears at the Great Abandoned Central Mine, so do not treat the mine as a purely exploratory destination.

A Mystery in the Depths

A Mystery in the Depths sends Link back beneath Hyrule to investigate the statues and ruins leading toward the Great Abandoned Central Mine.

A Mystery in the Depths is a main quest in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It becomes available after Link has completed Camera Work in the Depths and at least one Regional Phenomena main quest, then spoken with Josha at Lookout Landing. Josha’s investigation points toward a deeper mystery beneath Hyrule, giving the player a reason to follow the trail of underground statues rather than simply exploring the Depths at random.

The quest’s central destination is the Great Abandoned Central Mine, a large Zonai ruin in the Depths. The route is designed around visual guidance: statues placed underground point the way forward, allowing Link to make progress by finding the next figure and examining the direction in which it faces. The Depths remain dangerous during this journey because gloom can reduce Link’s maximum health, while darkness makes navigation and enemy encounters harder until the surrounding area is illuminated.

At the mine, Link interacts with a Zonai panel and unlocks Autobuild. This ability records previously created constructions and lets Link rebuild them when the necessary materials are available, making it especially useful for vehicles and other Zonai-device arrangements. The quest then turns into a confrontation with Master Kohga of the Yiga Clan before Link returns to Lookout Landing and reports to Josha, completing this stage of the investigation.

Where this sits

PrerequisitesCamera Work in the Depths and one Regional Phenomena quest
InvestigationSpeak with Josha and enter the Depths
Statue trailUse the underground statues to navigate
Ability unlockInteract with the Zonai panel at the mine
ConfrontationFace Master Kohga
ReportReturn to Josha
  1. 1Camera Work in the Depthsprerequisite
  2. 2Regional Phenomenaprerequisite
  3. ●A Mystery in the Depthscurrent

This quest connects the early Depths investigation to the introduction of Autobuild.

Requirements

A Mystery in the Depths is gated by earlier investigation and story progress rather than by a stated level requirement.

  • RequiredComplete Camera Work in the DepthsThis earlier quest establishes Josha’s investigation into the Depths and is required before A Mystery in the Depths can begin.
  • RequiredComplete at least one Regional Phenomena main questProgress through at least one of the Regional Phenomena objectives before returning to Josha at Lookout Landing.
  • RequiredSpeak with JoshaThe quest is triggered through a conversation with Josha at Lookout Landing after the prerequisites are met.
  • RecommendedLight and gloom suppliesIllumination and gloom recovery are recommended for a safer trip through the underground route.

Objectives

  1. Speak with Josha at Lookout LandingBegin the quest by returning to Josha after the prerequisite quests are complete.
  2. Follow the statues through the DepthsUse the chain of underground statues as navigational landmarks while travelling toward the mine.
  3. Explore the Great Abandoned Central MineReach the Zonai ruins and investigate the panel connected with the ancient construction technology.
  4. Unlock AutobuildInteract with the Zonai panel to obtain the ability to recreate recorded constructions.
  5. Defeat Master KohgaSurvive the Yiga Clan leader’s encounter at the mine.
  6. Report back to JoshaReturn to Lookout Landing and speak with Josha to finish the quest.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Speak with Josha

    Meet Josha at Lookout Landing

    After completing Camera Work in the Depths and at least one Regional Phenomena main quest, return to Lookout Landing and speak with Josha. Her conversation starts A Mystery in the Depths and directs your attention toward the underground statue trail.

    Location: Lookout Landing

    TipIf the quest does not appear, confirm that both prerequisite conditions have been met rather than searching the Depths for the objective first.

  2. 02

    Follow the statue route

    Enter the Depths and begin the investigation

    Travel from Lookout Landing into the Depths and start looking for the statues described by Josha. The underground route can be difficult to read in darkness, so illuminate the area as you advance and avoid spending unnecessary time in gloom.

    Location: The Depths

    Watch outGloom damage can temporarily reduce Link’s maximum health. Restore affected hearts before committing to a difficult fight or a long traversal.

  3. 03

    Follow the statues

    Find each statue landmark

    Use the statues as a chain of visual markers rather than treating the destination as a straight-line journey. When you reach one, inspect the direction it faces and search in that direction for the next statue or the continuation of the route.

    Location: The Depths

    TipIf the path seems lost, return to the last statue you clearly identified and recheck its facing direction. The statues are the quest’s primary guidance system.

  4. 04

    Explore the mine

    Reach the Great Abandoned Central Mine

    Continue through the Depths until the statue trail brings you to the Great Abandoned Central Mine. Explore the mine’s open Zonai structures carefully, since the destination is also the location of the quest’s ability tutorial and its major confrontation.

    Location: Great Abandoned Central Mine

    Checkpoint
  5. 05

    Unlock Autobuild

    Interact with the Zonai panel

    Approach the Zonai panel at the mine and interact with it to unlock Autobuild. The ability expands Link’s construction options by allowing previously made designs to be recreated when the required materials are available.

    Location: Great Abandoned Central Mine

    TipAfter receiving Autobuild, pay attention to the construction interface and material requirements. Autobuild is most useful when you have nearby parts or Zonaite available to supply the reconstruction.

  6. 06

    Face Master Kohga

    Prepare for Master Kohga’s arrival

    The ability unlock leads into a boss encounter with Master Kohga of the Yiga Clan. Before starting the confrontation, make sure Link is healed and that the arena is readable, because the fight follows the mine’s ability demonstration rather than ending with the panel interaction.

    Location: Great Abandoned Central Mine

    Watch outDo not assume that unlocking Autobuild completes the quest. The Master Kohga encounter and the return to Josha are still required.

  7. 07

    Defeat Master Kohga

    Defeat Master Kohga of the Yiga Clan

    Fight Master Kohga while watching his movement and the machinery used in the encounter. Avoid standing directly in the path of his attacks, create openings after his attacks finish, and use the arena’s space to keep the boss from trapping Link against obstacles.

    Location: Great Abandoned Central Mine

    Checkpoint
  8. 08

    Report back to Josha

    Return to Lookout Landing

    Once the confrontation is over, leave the mine and return to Lookout Landing. Speak with Josha to report what happened in the Depths and formally complete A Mystery in the Depths.

    Location: Lookout Landing

    TipThe quest is not fully finished until the post-encounter conversation with Josha has been completed.

Mission mechanics

The quest teaches navigation through landmarks rather than through a conventional sequence of surface objectives. The statues found in the Depths create a directional trail toward the Great Abandoned Central Mine, so the important skill is recognizing which statue is the current reference point and then searching ahead in the direction it indicates. This approach is useful even outside the quest, because the Depths often hide routes and structures in darkness.

Autobuild is the quest’s defining mechanical reward. Once unlocked, it can recreate constructions that Link has made or recorded, provided the necessary materials are available. This makes repeated vehicle and device construction faster than manually attaching every part, but the ability does not remove the need to explore for materials or manage the resources required by a build.

The Depths also add environmental pressure to the journey. Darkness reduces visibility, while gloom can damage Link’s maximum health until it is treated or he returns to a safe area. Lighting the route, maintaining healing options, and avoiding needless exposure to gloom make the statue search more manageable before the boss encounter begins.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • Introduces Autobuild through a story context rather than leaving the ability entirely disconnected from the Depths investigation.
  • Uses statues as environmental navigation cues, giving the underground journey a clear visual purpose.
  • Combines exploration, an ability tutorial, and a boss encounter in one major quest.

Weaknesses

  • The statue trail can be difficult to follow when the surrounding Depths have not been illuminated.
  • Gloom and underground combat can make the route more demanding for players who have not prepared healing or lighting options.
  • The quest’s final report to Josha is easy to overlook after the Master Kohga encounter.

Best uses

  • Use this quest as the point at which to begin relying on Autobuild for repeated vehicles and Zonai-device constructions.
  • Treat the statue route as a practice exercise for reading environmental landmarks in the Depths.
  • Return to Lookout Landing immediately after the boss so the quest state is properly advanced.

PhasesSpoilers

  1. 1

    Arrival at the mine

    Starts: Reach the Great Abandoned Central Mine and interact with the Zonai panel.

    The mine serves as both the location for the Autobuild introduction and the transition into the boss sequence.

    • Heal and organize useful materials before advancing into the confrontation.
  2. 2

    Master Kohga encounter

    Starts: Complete the ability interaction at the mine.

    Master Kohga of the Yiga Clan appears and uses machinery as part of the fight.

    • Vehicle-based assaultTell Watch the boss and his machine rather than focusing only on the surrounding arena.Answer Keep moving, avoid the machine’s attack path, and punish openings after the attack resolves.
    • Use the arena’s space to avoid being cornered.
    • Do not leave immediately after the encounter; the quest still requires a report to Josha.

Master Kohga of the Yiga ClanSpoilers

  • Location
    Great Abandoned Central Mine
  • Health
    Not specified in the source material

Master Kohga’s encounter uses a vehicle and rewards careful positioning more than standing directly in front of the boss. Keep enough distance to read the machine’s movement, circle away from its attack line, and attack during the recovery window after an assault. The mine’s open arena gives Link room to reposition, so avoid fighting with his back against an obstacle. The exact weapon, damage, and health values are not specified here.

Rewards

  • Progress toward completion of A Mystery in the Depths
  • Access to the Autobuild ability after the preceding mine interaction

Checklist

  • Complete Camera Work in the DepthsRequired before the quest can be triggered.
  • Complete at least one Regional Phenomena main questThe second stated story-progress requirement.
  • Speak with Josha at Lookout LandingThis begins the quest after the prerequisites are complete.
  • Bring a way to illuminate the DepthsLighting improves visibility along the statue route.Optional
  • Bring gloom recovery or healing optionsUseful for the underground journey and combat.Optional
  • Follow the statues toward the Great Abandoned Central MineUse each statue’s facing direction as a navigation clue.
  • Interact with the Zonai panelThis unlocks Autobuild.
  • Defeat Master Kohga of the Yiga ClanThe boss encounter takes place at the mine.
  • Return to JoshaComplete the final report at Lookout Landing.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

Autobuild becomes available

Completing the mine sequence gives Link access to Autobuild, an important construction power for the rest of the game. Return to Josha at Lookout Landing after the Master Kohga encounter; the report is the final step needed to complete A Mystery in the Depths.

Trivia

  • The quest uses a chain of statues as an underground navigation system, turning environmental observation into a formal objective.
  • The Great Abandoned Central Mine is both the destination of the investigation and the place where Autobuild is introduced.
  • Autobuild is particularly relevant to vehicles and devices because it reduces the need to manually reconstruct familiar designs each time.
  • A Mystery in the Depths ties Josha’s research to a practical gameplay reward rather than ending with the investigation alone.

Relationships

locations

  • Great Abandoned Central MinePrimary destinationThe Depths ruin where Autobuild is unlocked and Master Kohga is encountered.

factions

  • Yiga ClanOpposing factionThe faction represented by Master Kohga during the encounter.