Silent Hill f Shrine Vault
The shrine vault puzzle appears thrice in Silent Hill f and evolves each time. This walkthrough dissects scent clues, sigil rotations, and weight balancing logic so you can clear Story, Hard, and Lost in Fog variants without guessing. Reference the puzzle index for other riddles and the collectibles guide to track Omamori rewards.
Puzzle Setup
The shrine vault comprises three concentric rings, a scent altar, and weight scales. Runes correspond to flower sigils—Plum, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, and Sakura—while incense burners emit scents tied to each rune. Inspecting murals around the shrine reveals orientation hints. Use the camera's zoom to read faint kanji.
Story Variant (Chapter 3)
- Inspect all three incense burners. Identify the scent order: Sweet, Earthy, Bitter.
- Rotate the outer ring so the Plum sigil faces the glowing mural.
- Rotate the middle ring until Lotus aligns with the Plum petal pattern.
- Place Sweet incense on the altar, add Fungus Sample #05 to the left scale, then confirm.
Order: Plum (outer) → Lotus (middle) → Sakura (inner). Incense: Sweet. Weight: 2 units left, 1 unit right.
Hard Variant (Chapter 7)
Hard mode randomizes scent order. Use our quick reference:
| Scent Sequence | Outer Ring | Middle Ring | Inner Ring | Weights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet, Earthy, Spicy | Plum | Chrysanthemum | Lotus | 3 left / 2 right |
| Earthy, Bitter, Sweet | Lotus | Sakura | Plum | 2 left / 1 right |
If randomization yields an unknown pattern, cross-reference the rune glow: brighter runes indicate correct orientation. Use the UV lamp from Chapter 5 to reveal hidden arrows.
Lost in Fog Variant (Chapter 12)
The Lost in Fog challenge adds time pressure and enemy waves. Follow this optimized route:
- Eliminate the first wave with alkali grenades before touching the puzzle.
- Place incense sticks in the order displayed on the shrine mural (rotates every attempt).
- Rotate rings in reverse order—start with inner ring to match the hidden glyph, then middle, then outer.
- Balance weights using the heavy fungus sample from the altar crate.
If the timer dips below 30 seconds, abandon the puzzle, clear enemies, and restart. Completion rewards Omamori #52, listed in the Omamori section.
Troubleshooting
Incense won't ignite
Check if the incense holder is clean. If not, use the cleaning cloth located on the altar shelf. This resets the puzzle.
Weights won't balance
Remember each fungus sample weighs differently. Listen for the scale's chime—two chimes mean you're close, three chimes mean overweight.
Enemies respawn
You're taking too long between steps. Practice in safe mode (available after finishing the campaign) to memorize rotations.
Video Reference
We will upload a full walkthrough to our YouTube channel before launch. For now, the Chapter 3 walkthrough includes animated GIFs demonstrating rotations.