Horizon Zero Dawn: Mother’s Heart - Old Friend, Blessing Ceremony
Complete story walkthrough plus guides, tips, and tricks for Horizon Zero Dawn.
Mother's Heart continues on from The Point of the Spear in Horizon: Zero Dawn, taking you to the settlement of the same name and the final words with Rost ahead of the Proving.
Mother's Heart is essentially a walk-n-talk quest set in the town, which will see you trotting back and forth for a series of somewhat enlightening conversations.
That being said, it's also where the game begins to find it's groove in terms of quest structure, so from now on this walkthrough will take a bit more of a structured approach.
If you're after help for other parts of the game, consult our complete Horizon Zero Dawn walkthrough and guide.
Talk to your Old Friend in Mother's Heart
First up, you need to meet Rost at the settlement, who'll give you a bit of advice and fill in a few story details in a conversation outside, before bidding you an emotional farewell.
Inside, you're welcomed by an elder known as Teersa, who's one of the few outcast-sympathisers around. Talking with her will set off a series of go-and-talk quests, which are:
- Talk to Your "Old Friend" - this is Teb (that bloke you saved from the Striders once upon a time) who's waiting nearby. Follow the waypoint to him and have a chat, where he gives you a new outfit, Nora Brave. It actually provides exactly zero additional protection to your own one, but can at least be modified once, providing you have any that will fit it.
- Go to the Matriarch's Lodge - follow the waypoint up the hill, stopping to take in the sights along the way if you light. You'll discover Karst as you head up there, who'll trade and chat with you if you like (it's worth stocking up for what's ahead if you're low on anything), and there are a few minor points of interest in the town to take in. At the Matriarch's Lodge you'll find Teersa and Jezza introducing members of the Carja tribe. Watch that fiasco unfold, and then you've got your next task.
- Scan with your Focus and talk to the man - with that speech still unfolding, your Focus alerts you to something: another man wearing one. Go and talk to him nearby. You'll find the man, called Olin, rather elusive, but his pal Erend, who gave a speech up on stage, is much more forthcoming. Natter with them for a bit and then head over to your next point of interest.
Go to the Blessing Ceremony
- Go to the Blessing Ceremony - follow the waypoint back down the hill to another spot, where Teersa's giving a Blessing Ceremony for the people taking on the Proving the next day.
- Enter the Hunters' Lodge - there's an option to talk to Olin again here who's nearby, which we recommend for some added narrative colour, before you follow the waypoint again. You'll find a sassy guard, Resh, and snotty brat Proving entrant, Bast, there at the lodge, who you can bicker with how you like before a more humane chat with the semi-friendly Vala, and hitting the hay.
For more tips, explainers and advice on Horizon be sure to check out our main Horizon Zero Dawn guide and walkthrough hub, which includes advice for things like Horizon Zero Dawn's override Cauldrons and which machines they let you control, getting hold of the Golden Fast Travel Pack for unlimited fast travel, finding and unlocking the very powerful Horizon Zero Dawn Shield Weave Armour and Power Cell locations, and then for DLC players there's our main Horizon Zero Dawn Frozen Wilds walkthrough and guide, a page on how to earn Bluegleam quickly, and finally, a page on the handy A Secret Shared quest and how to upgrade your spear in Horizon Frozen Wilds.
After that spot of walking and talking in the settlement's all said and done, it's finally time for your next quest, the one you've been looking forward to: The Proving. Good luck!
