How to gather intel from Merchant Tamao in Assassin’s Creed Shadows The Iron Hand Guild quest

A dangerous merchant syndicate, the “Iron Hand Guild,” seeks to infiltrate Settsu’s thriving businesses. Among their many targets, the elusive Merchant Tamao proves the most challenging, requiring you to use a unique tactic to uncover his location. Find out how to gather intel from him in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Where to find Merchant Tamao in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

You can find Merchant Tamao east of Honnoji Temple in Yamashiro. The mission hint might confuse you when it mentions “Honpoji Temple.” If you’re like me, you’ve probably unlocked Honnoji Temple first. The names are similar, so be careful not to mix them up.

When approaching this area, you’ll trigger a conversation with some NPCs, hinting that Merchant Tamao is in the nearby warehouse.

Tamao will be locked up inside, and you’ll have to cause a disturbance to lure him outside. Look directly ahead of the warehouse to spot the merchandise. Then, whip out your weapon to start wreaking havoc on the jugs.

You must destroy all merchandise to get Merchant Tamao to come out. If you only hit one or two of these jugs, it won’t convince him enough to unlock the door. Once he does make his grand appearance, he’ll attack you on sight.

Should you kill or spare Merchant Tamao in AC Shadows?

Naoe will suggest you spare him, as “he may be working against his will.” However, I didn’t see any way to spare him, unlike the Butterfly Collector quest, which gives you a dialogue option to do so. I even tried to take him down with a few punches, and the target board still marked him as “Killed,” regardless. Based on my playthroughs, it doesn’t matter if you kill or spare him, considering how both options offer the same rewards.

You’ll always receive the Letter Regarding Kyoto Quest Item, Zashiki Hideout Room, and 280 Mon. As long as you unlock the letter, you’re on the right track for the AC Shadows Iron Hand Guild questline. You’ll have four other targets: Kanta, Ginroku, Kin-nosuke, and the Iron Hand leader. Use your Scouts to mark their locations on the map, and eliminate each target to earn 5,000 XP, Gold, and a Legendary Trinket.