Have you ever passed by the Altar of Yoba and wondered what that is for? Who is this character anyway? Here is everything you need to know.
If you’ve been playing Stardew Valley for a while, you might’ve heard several NPCs reference this character during interactions. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the gameplay, but you’ll repeatedly encounter the name, and you can’t help but wonder if there’s anything you’re missing.
Who is Yoba?
Yoba is an ancient guardian deity and one of the known Easter eggs in Stardew Valley. It’s a non-playable and non-interactable character. Aside from the altar dedicated to this deity in the lower right corner of Pierre’s General Store, where Villagers pay their respects, you’ll also see them reference this character in conversations.
According to the book entitled “Highlights from the Book of Yoba,” the deity was “the endless golden light” that existed before time. The full text explains how the world came to be because of the god. You can find this book in the Gunther’s Museum and Library.
Can You Do Anything with the Altar of Yoba?
You can find the Altar (also called Shrine) when you go inside Pierre’s shop. The Villagers pay respects to the deity by it, but it doesn’t do anything that can help you in-game. However, it was originally intended to be a charging station for a teleportation wand that would become the Return Scepter.
References
You will see its symbol, referred to as “the sign of the vessel,” on many items in the game. It is the Anglo-Saxon rune called “ear” (ᛠ).
Here are the items that carry the symbol:
| Adventurer’s Bundle | The shield in the picture has the sign on it. |
| Shrine | The shrine is inside Pierre’s shop. |
| Backwoods Grave | The monster’s grave in the Backwoods from Abigail’s 14-Heart Event is marked with the symbol. |
| Grandpa’s wall | The sign appears during the cut scene. |
| Grave Stone | Seen at the Spirit’s Eve festival, at the maze entrance and on the playground. It can be purchased and used as a decoration on the farm. |
| Harvey’s Clinic | Found in the top right room. |
| Journey of the Prairie King | Appears throughout the third level. |
| Mayor Lewis’ Bedroom | Above his bed. |
| Ring of Yoba | Grants immunity after getting hit. |
| Sign of the Vessel | A decoration you can purchase. |
| Shirt | Can be tailored with Cloth and Solar Essence. |
| Dwarf Plaque | Appears above the Forge on Ginger Island. |
Different characters also invoke the deity’s name in conversation.
