It's 2026, and like many of you, I still find myself lost in the sprawling, breathtaking world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Every trail, every campfire, every eerie nighttime howl hides a detail I missed on my previous five playthroughs. Just last week, I stumbled upon a mystery that has baffled players for years—a one-of-a-kind item called the Old Brass Compass. You might think a compass helps you find your way across the map, but this little trinket has nothing to do with navigation. Instead, it unlocks a powerful piece of gear that can change the way your weapons handle. If you've ever wondered about the cryptic rock carvings scattered across the frontier, or if you just want to reduce weapon degradation by 20 percent, this guide is for you.

The quest chain begins with a stranger named Francis Sinclair, a man whose appearance and mannerisms feel wildly out of place in 1899. You can start this mission as early as Chapter 2, once you reach Horseshoe Overlook. Francis holed up in a small cabin northwest of Strawberry and northeast of the Owanjila Dam, right in West Elizabeth. Knocking on his door triggers the “Geology for Beginners” mission, and the man himself—wild red hair, strange birthmark, a baby alligator skull on the mantel—promptly sends you on a scavenger hunt for ten ancient carvings. I vividly remember my first time: I rode out thinking this would be a quick errand. I was so wrong. This mission is a sprawling journey that forces you to crisscross the entire map, scaling cliffs, fording rivers, and staring at rocks until your eyes ache. Let me walk you through the locations I visited so you don't have to wander blind.

First Carving – Owanjila Lake

My first stop was west of Strawberry, on the western shore of Owanjila. There, a massive boulder juts out from the ground right at the water’s edge. The carving sits low on the rock face, easy to miss if you’re galloping past at full speed. I actually circled the lake twice before I spotted it.

Second Carving – North of Strawberry

Next, I rode north from town until I hit the spot on the map roughly where the “T” in “West Elizabeth” appears. There, on a cliff face, I found the second carving. I had to dismount, climb a small ledge, and squint in the morning sunlight to make it out.

Third Carving – Flatneck Station

This one took me to New Hanover. Northwest of Flatneck Station, between the station and the Dakota River, there’s a patch of rugged terrain littered with fallen timber. The carving hides on a small southern cliff face, partially obscured by bushes.

Fourth Carving – Mount Hagen

Heading into the snow, I aimed slightly southwest of the “A” in “Ambarino” on the map, right where Mount Hagen dominates the landscape. I simply followed the winding trail upward and kept my eyes glued to the mountainside near the peak. The carving was clear as day once I got close.

Fifth Carving – Window Rock

Straight south, between the “B” and “A” in Ambarino, I went to the very top of the river that cuts beneath Window Rock and Granite Pass. On the western side, I looked up and left—there it was, etched into the rocks high above the water.

Sixth Carving – South of Widow Rock

Just across the Dakota River from the previous spot, I found this carving south of Widow Rock and northwest of the “C” in Cumberland Forest. Riding up the hill, I spotted it dug into the side of a large stone outcropping.

Seventh Carving – Bacchus Station

West of Bacchus Station, above Fort Wallace, I had to scale another mountain. I approached from the river-facing side, scrambling up onto a narrow ledge where the carving waited.

Eighth Carving – Moonstone Pond

For this one, I followed the train tracks north until I was above the “N” in “New Hanover” and just below Moonstone Pond. Coming from the north gave me the easiest climb. Near the peak, the carving faced north, almost invisible from the other side.

Ninth Carving – Elysian Pool

I rode almost to the extreme northeastern edge of the map, to Elysian Pool. On the northeast bank, right off the main path, a gigantic rock juts above the ground. The carving there is huge—hard to miss once you’re looking in the right direction.

Tenth Carving – Deer Cottage

The final carving sits above Annesburg, west of the “N” in “Roanoke.” I took the path west toward Deer Cottage, and not far off the road, near the ridge top, I found the last ancient glyph. A wave of relief washed over me—but the mission was far from over.

After collecting all ten coordinates, I headed to the nearest post office and mailed them off. The waiting game begins. You need to let a full in-game day pass by sleeping, hunting, or just playing poker until the sun rises again. Then, a notification pops up telling you to collect mail. Among the envelopes is an invitation from Francis Sinclair himself. This is the part where so many players slip up. I rode back to his cabin, triggered a surreal cutscene that left me standing outside empty-handed. Anxious, I immediately turned around, walked back inside, and spotted the Old Brass Compass sitting on the table. If you leave without grabbing it, you lose it forever. Don’t make that mistake.

So, after all that, what does the Compass actually do? It’s not for direction—it’s a rare crafting ingredient. Take it to any Fence, spend $29, and you’ll create the Raven Claw Talisman. Once this trinket sits in your inventory, all your weapons degrade 20 percent slower. That means less frantic Gunsmith visits and more time enjoying the gunplay. For someone like me who loves keeping my Cattleman Revolver in pristine condition but also gets into a lot of spontaneous shootouts, this talisman is an absolute godsend.

Even in 2026, I’m still blown away by how Rockstar hid these little secrets. The Francis Sinclair questline hints at time travel, ancient aliens, and deeper mysteries that the community still discusses. Finding the Old Brass Compass feels less like a simple fetch quest and more like peeling back another layer of West Elizabeth’s weird, wonderful soul. So grab your horse, pack some canned vegetables, and go stare at some rocks. It’s worth the ride.