Shadow of the Erdtree: Shadow Keep Complete Walkthrough

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree‘s massive Shadow Keep legacy dungeon provides players with an incredible amount of content. From the moment the trailers for the DLC were first released, there was rampant speculation about whether SotE‘s main dungeon would live up to the hype, and the Shadow Keep delivered in every major way. There are entire sections of the main map that will go unrevealed if players do not thoroughly explore the keep. This guide will ensure players know everything this huge castle has to offer, providing a complete walkthrough to Shadow of the Erdtree‘s Shadow Keep.

Shadow Keep Complete Walkthrough: Overview

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Shadow Keep is a massive structure, with four distinct regions for players to explore. Only two of these regions are tied to the main path, which leads toMessmer the Impaler . The third and fourth regions require players to utilize a secret path that begins at the Moorth Ruins. This walkthrough will cover the entire system of interconnected chambers, paths, and walkways. At the end, you will have access to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, and Scaduview/Hinterlands. The four regions of Shadow Keep are:

• Main Gate Plaza
• Specimen Storehouse
• Church District
• Back Gate

Keep in mind that even approaching the front entrance of the Shadow Keep will cause a serious change in the NPC’s found in the Realm of Shadow. The common thread among each NPC is that they reference Miqeulla’s ‘charm’ being broken. This corresponds to the message you receive when you get close to the front or back entrance to the Shadow Keep. Be aware that, once this happens, it cannot be undone.

How to Reach the Shadow Keep:

While there are no special tricks or complicated steps required to reach the Shadow Keep, players will want to make sure they are ready before taking on the keep’s challenges. Shadow Keep is found at the end of the main path that leads north from Castle Ensis. Completing Castle Ensis, and defeating Rellana , will grant you access to Scadu Altus. There is a shortcut you can take to skip Castle Ensis, but the items and experience gained makes completing that location well worth the effort. Once you have collected the Scadu Altus map piece, you’ll have a clear view of the Shadow Keep on the map.

Shadow Keep NPC Quests:

There are two NPC quests that have major events taking place in the Shadow Keep. Look out for the following:

• Hornsent Summon Signs: On the bridge with multiple fire pits that look like boats, look for the red and gold summon signs right before the large ramp that leads down to the Main Plaza Gate site of grace shortcut. You’ll have to decide whether you want to help the Hornsent , or Needle Knight Leda .
• Sir Ansbach and Redmane Knight Freyja: Both Ansbach and Freyja can be found in the Specimen Storehouse, and their quests are intertwined. More details will be given in the walkthrough section.

Shadow Keep Walkthrough: Part 1 – Main Gate Plaza

Defeat the Golden Hippopotamus:

When you reach the Shadow Keep, ride up the main elevator, and you’ll almost immediately find yourself at the Golden Hippopotamus fight. You’ll be able to summon the Hornsent for this fight, so look for the golden summon sign. The Golden Hippopotamus fight can be pretty tough, as it packs a serious punch. Even with a Scadutree Blessing of more than 10, it will only take a few hits – sometimes less, depending on the attack – to kill just about any Tarnished. If you are having trouble, check out Game Rant’s guide to defeating the Golden Hippopotamus. Defeating the Golden Hippo will get you Aspect of the Crucible: Thorns , two Scadutree Fragments, and 150,000 Runes.

Talisman of Lord’s Bestowal and Shortcut 1:

From the Golden Hippo’s boss arena, there is only one possible path forward. There is also a locked door that serves as a shortcut, which will become available later. Head through the open door, past the kneeling specter, and out to a brick path where you’ll encounter two Messmer Soldiers starting off into the distance. Be careful as you deal with them, as a spear-wielding Messmer Soldier will come down the stairs behind you as you fight. There is a dead body right before the stairs that contains a single Festive Grease .

Use caution as you head up the stairs. About halfway up, a Messmer Soldier will try to ambush you from the right, using their stomp AOE attack. If you move slowly up the stairs, you can trigger the attack while you are well out of range. After dealing with that soldier, enter the small chamber they came from. You’ll see another Messmer Soldier looking out a window, and a dead body that contains Smithing Stone [1] x6. After killing the soldier at the window, you can look out and see a large, golden tree. We’ll get to it, but not quite yet. Return to the stairs and make your way to the top. On the right, you’ll find two Messmer Soldiers. Take them out quickly, then deal with two more soldiers behind you, looking off into space at the edge of the platform you stand on. You’ll find a dead body where they stand that contains Redflesh Mushroom x7.

Head up the stairs to the large chamber where you will find two Black Knights. One wields a Black Steel Greathammer and Black Steel Greatshield , and walks in a circle around the room. The other wields a Black steel Twinblade and a Greatbow . The second Black Knight stands at the opposite end of the chamber from the entrance. After killing them, grab the Shadow Realm Rune [6] from the body on the stage, and a Golden Vow (Consumable) from the body hanging out the hole in the western wall. Now, you’ll make your way to the golden tree.

When you exit the Black Knight chamber, you’ll cross a small bridge. About halfway across, stop and look to your left. Drop to the ground and collect the Smithing Stone [5] x5 from the dead body. Now, turn around and head south, then drop from the ledge to the plaza with the golden tree. There will be several Shadow Undead in the courtyard, but the only real threat is a greathammer-and-shield-wielding Black Knight stationed against a wall on the western edge of the courtyard. Behind the Black Knight you will find a body that contains Golden Vow (Consumable) x3. After killing the knight, head to the golden tree. At its base, you will find the Talisman of Lord’s Bestowal .

There are two ways to exit the courtyard. The first requires you to go south from the tree, then head through the opening leading to a wooden path above a small chamber. Before dropping to the chamber below, collect the Smithing Stone [8] x2 from the body. The chamber below is the same chamber that contains the kneeling specter from the start of the main path. The second option requires you to head northeast from the tree, which leads to another chamber with a Messmer Soldier and a twinblade-wielding Black Knight. Behind the large weapon rack you’ll find a body containing Smithing Stone [1] x4. Head north to find a ladder that leads to a door. This door leads to the large chamber where you encountered two Black Knights. Leave the chamber and cross the small bridge to continue the main path.

At the end of the small bridge, you can turn left to find a body that contains a single Holyproof Pickled Liver . Turn around and head towards the large bridge with several raised fire pits that look like boats. Behind many of the boats, Shadow Militia will be waiting to ambush you. Take it slow as you proceed. When you reach a large staircase on the left, look to the right, and you should find a large ramp that leads down to the first major shortcut. Follow the ramp to the bottom. You will find several more Shadow Militia, but they should pose little challenge. Near the bottom of the ramp, you’ll find a body that contains a single Drawstring Golden Grease , Open the large door at the end, and you’ll be back at the Main Gate Plaza site of grace.

Hornsent Summon, Domain of Dragons Painting, and Hidden Path:

Use the ramp to get back to the bridge with the boat pyres. At the very top of the ramp, if you’ve been following and completing SotE‘s Hornsent Quest, you’ll find two summon signs. The first is golden, and allows you to assist the Hornsent in a fight against Needle Knight Leda. The second summon sign is red, and allows you to assist Leda in a fight against the Hornsent. If you assist the Hornsent, you’ll get the Ash of War: Swift Slash , and Leda’s Rune. If you assist Leda, you’ll get the Lacerating Crossed-Tree Talisman when you return to speak with her at the Highroad Cross site of grace.

If you choose to kill the Hornsent here, you will miss out on his summon sign during the fight with

Messmer the Impaler

. However, it is also the only way to acquire the Lacerating Crossed-Tree. For your first playthrough, it is recommended that you assist the Hornsent, and summon him during the boss fight.

After dealing with Hornsent’s fight, you will return to the same spot on the bridge. The next step will be to make your way down to the fire-pit bridge. At the very end, you will find a body containingSmithing Stone [8] x3. Near the end, on the northeastern side, you will find a ladder that descends to a small path below the bridge. Follow the path along the water, then turn underneath the small waterfall. Take the ladder down and follow the path to a small chamber. First, you’ll notice the Domain of Dragons painting. Next, when facing the painting, turn to your right, and you’ll notice that there is a clear outline of a doorway. Hit the illusory wall to reveal a hidden path. Follow the path to the end and you’ll encounter a coffin. Interacting with this coffin will take you to the lower section of the Scadu Altus, opening up a massive chunk of the map. This is the only way to reach Shadow of the Erdtree‘s Abyssal Woods.

Returning to the bridge, the only path left to take will be the stairway across from the ramp. Follow the path, and you’ll see the first Fire Knight in the distance. You’ll encounter a body containing Bone Dart x8, and another containing Smithing Stone [2] x8. Defeat the Fire Knight, and move ahead to the lift. This will take you to the next major section of the Shadow Keep: the Specimen Storehouse.

Shadow Keep Walkthrough: Part 2 – Specimen Storehouse

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Storehouse, First Floor:

The Specimen Storehouse is a massive labyrinth, filled with Shadow Undead, Shadow Militia, and Fire Knights. Listing every enemy location would be challenging, given the huge number of foes. Expect Shadow Undead and Shadow Militia around just about every corner. Fire Knights, along with any enemy groups of note, will be individually listed.

From the Storehouse, First Floor site of grace, your first goal is to make it up to the fourth floor. You’ll want to stay to the left of the large wood block. As you pass, a Shadow Milita enemy will jump out and try to attack. You’ll notice a chamber on the left, but you’ll want to hold off on that for now. That is the path to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, which we will get to eventually. Continue down the small corridor on the left side of the stone platform. Another Shadow Militia will jump out as you reach the right turn at the end. After the turn, you’ll see the chamber open up slightly. There is a stair set that leads up, and a small path that goes under the stairs into a dead end. At the bottom, you’ll find a body containing Rada Fruit x4. Turn around and head up the stairs.

You’ll notice as you try to go up the stairs, one of the Shadow Undead will be using the Flame Serpent spell. Take the time to learn the timing here, as the entire storehouse is filled with these enemies. At the top of the stairs, you can go straight to collect a Fire Coil from a dead body, then you’ll want to turn left and then right into the sunken chamber. Here, you will find a body containing Hefty Beast Bone x3, as well as the new location of Sir Ansbach. He will be in the back right corner, studying some of the tablets. Exhaust his dialogue, but there is little else you can do for now. Make sure to keep an eye out for the Secret Rite Scroll, which is found on the upper floors. For now, continue along the main path.

After exiting Ansbach’s chamber, make a right until you come to a major fork. Turning right again will take you to a set of stairs and several Shadow Undead and Shadow Militia. The stairs are the main path. However, you can go straight to finding the first Fire Knight on this floor. It is guarding a body with Smithing Stone [8] x5. Now head back to the stairs to reach the second floor.

Revered Spirit Ash 1 and Boltdrake Talisman +3:

Before moving on to the main path, you can take the time to collect two of the first floor’s best items. When you reach the top of the stairs that lead to the second floor, immediately turn right, and you’ll see that you can jump to the top of the bookshelves that line the first floor. Make your way to the beast on the center platform by jumping from shelf to shelf. The final jump will be to a slower bookshelf, which is right up against the center platform. Use the stacks of tablets to reach the back of the beast. Climb to the top of its head where you’ll find a Revered Spirit Ash . Now make your way back to the top of the second floor stairs.

At the top of the stairs, stick to the right and follow it past the first set of small stairs that appear on the left. Continue down the path until a Shadow Undead begins firing Flame Serpent at you from across the chamber. It will be coming from an inaccessible platform to the east. When this occurs, jump over the railing to the chamber below. You’ll find a dead body at the end of one of the two large wooden blocks. The body is holding Boltdrake Talisman +3 . After collecting the talisman, head to the northwestern wall of the chamber to find a lever. Pull the lever to lower the wall ahead, leading back into the main chamber. Make your way back to the top of the second floor stairs to continue the main path.

Reaching Storehouse, Fourth Floor:

From the top of the stairs to the second floor, there are two paths you can take to get to the third floor. You can either make an immediate left up the stairs to find a large staircase straight ahead, and Black Pyrefly x4 to the left against the wall. Or, continue right along the path and take a left up the small stairs to end up at the opposite end of the platform, with another stair set heading up to the third floor. In the center section of the staircases, you’ll find a Fire Knight guarding Beast Horn x4.

Head up either side of the staircase to reach the third floor. If you turn right, you’ll see a Fire Knight standing against a railing, looking out into the center of the open chamber. If you head west, through the chamber opening, you’ll find several Shadow Undead and a Fire Knight guarding a single Beast Horn. Head back out and head east along the main path. You’ll find a Blessed Bone Shard on a dead body at the end. Now you can head to the center area where the Fire Knight was located. It seems it will turn around, no matter how you approach, so it’s better to charge in aggressively.

Once the Fire Knight is dealt with, look to the center of the chamber. You’ll see several hanging objects, including one that looks like a human. If you look carefully, you’ll see an item marker under the human’s face. You can’t get that now, but keep that in mind. You’ll come back later to get the Pearldrake Talisman +3. For now, collect the Furlcalling Finger Remedy from the dead body on the path, then continue southwest past the human feet. Later, you will jump to those feet and climb the statue to reach the fourth floor. Those looking to explore everything should continue past them.

You’ll eventually find a chamber at the end of the path. There will be multiple Shadow Undead and Shadow Militia along the way. The first item you’ll find is Lump of Flesh x2 on a dead body. At the very end of the chamber, you’ll find a Fire Knight and another Beast Horn x4. Now you can return to the feet of the statue. Before heading to the next floor, turn around from the feet and look for a small concrete ledge on the other side of the railing. Jump to the small ledge and head down to the platform it leads to. On the right side of the platform, you find the Dueling Shield on a dead body against the wall.

Now, head back to the hanging statue. Carefully jump to the feet, climb up the legs and the body, then very carefully jump from the head to the platform at the top. There is a small gap between the head and the railing, so do not try to just walk across. You will fall and die. As soon as you land, you’ll see Miquella’s Cross, and the Storehouse, Fourth Floor site of grace.

At this point, we are going to add the path to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, as they are technically part of the First Floor. There are several useful items along the way, so there is nothing wrong with completing the path now, allowing you to have access to Rauh when you need it later.

Path to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh:

There is a path that leads out to the Ancient Ruins of Rauh from the first floor of the Specimen Storehouse. You can complete this before or after the rest of the storehouse. Eventually, you will have to follow this path for the main story, so it’s up to you if you want to wait. From the Storehouse, First Floor site of grace, head northwest around the left side of the fossil/remains of the massive, horned beast. There will still be a single Shadow Militia enemy hiding behind the wooden block as you pass it. This time, you’ll want to turn left into the open chamber. There will be 3 Shadow Undead in the chamber, and a dead body containing a single Rune Arc . To the west, you’ll see another chamber entrance, which leads to a descending elevator.

As you exit the elevator, you’ll see that you can either go straight, or make a right turn. Turning right will continue the main path. Going straight, you’ll see a dead body with an item at the end of the hall. The item is a Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot . Be careful as you enter the small room, as a large Warrior Jar will ambush you from behind. Now return to the main path.

Along the main path, you’ll come to a door on the left. As you approach, a single Jar Innards enemy will jump out from the door, attempting to attack. After you defeat it, you can turn left and grab Ash of War: Wall of Sparks from the dead body on the railing. You can jump to the level below here, but you will miss an important item. Head back to the main hallway and turn left. At the end of the hall, you’ll enter a new chamber. To the left, there will be two paths: a descending stair set, and what appears to be a dead end. A Jar Innards will come up the stairs when you enter the chamber. Take it out, then head to the dead end. The western wall is actually an Illusory Wall. Hit it to reveal Battlefield Priest’s Cookbook [4] on a dead body. Return to the stairs and head to the level below.

At the bottom of the stairs, you see two Jar Innards emerge from pots. Take them out, then turn left into the large chamber. To the left, you’ll encounter a powerful version of a Jar Innard guarding the first Iris of Grace . It is flanked by two Living Jars. You’ll also find a Hefty Cracked Pot on a bed just off to the side of the wooden altar. Head west to reach the opposite end of the chamber. You’ll encounter several Living Jars, and another jar Innard. Head through the chamber opening to the next section. There will be another Jar Innard to the right that tries to grab you as soon as you pass through the opening. Descend either side of the staircase to reach another large chamber. You’ll find only four small Living Jars in this room, and if you look west, you’ll see the West Rampart site of grace.

After resting at the site of grace, continue west until you reach a large door. At first, it will seem like you cannot pass. Then you’ll realize there is a much smaller door to the right of the large door. Outside, you’ll find you are on a large bridge. Follow it west and you’ll begin to encounter Giant Bats. The first pair will be guarding a body that has Beast Liver x3. You then come across another body containing Beast Blood x3. After this body, you’ll begin to experience fire that appears to be falling from the sky like rain. This is an attack by Salza, a Fire Knight miniboss at the end of the bridge. Skip the rest of the items and Giant Bats and ride straight for the end. Killing Salza will grant you Salza’s Hood and the Rain of Fire incantation. You can now return to the bodies on the bridge, which hold Thin Beast Bones x8, Somber Smithing Stone [2] x1, Redflesh Mushroom x5, and Smithing Stone [4] x2.

Enter the chamber after Salza, and you’ll find a single Somber Smithing Stone. Take the elevator up to the top of the tower, and you’ll find the Viaduct Minor Tower site of grace. Return here anytime to access the Ancient Ruins of Rauh.

Storehouse, Fourth Floor:

When you reach the fourth floor, make sure to grab the ‘Storehouse Cross Note,’ and the Scadutree Fragment, which are both found near the Storehouse Cross. The note informs you of an entire section of the Shadow Keep that cannot be accessed from your current path. Regarding the main path to Messmer, this note is of no consequence. However, the flooded Church District is a vital part of the game, and will be covered later in this guide.

After collecting the items and unlocking the Storehouse, Fourth Floor site of grace, you’ll want to head outside through the only exit. To the right, you’ll find Stormhawk Feather x3 on a dead body. Head back in the other direction, and you’ll encounter a Fire Knight in the distance. This Fire Knight will use a new ranged attack, sending a blast that can knock you backwards. You can roll straight through this attack. Deal with the knight, and then collect the Black Pyrefly x4 from the dead body at the bottom of the stairs the knight was descending. Head back up the stairs and head east. You’ll quickly encounter several Giant Bats, and a stair set on the left. Head down the stairs to find a small, isolated chamber. This is where you’ll find the Secret Rite Scroll you’ll need to continue Ansbach and Freyja’s quests. It is found on a small desk right on the edge, near the end of the floor.

Do not return to give Ansbach the Secret Rite Scroll until you’ve found Freyja on the higher floors of the Specimen Storehouse. In our playthrough, we did just that, and were unable to complete Freyja’s quest.

As you exit the chamber, head to the right of the stairs to find a Shadow Realm Rune [5] on a dead body. Head back up and continue on the path. You’ll see another door on the left that leads to the main path. Just past that is more Giant Bats and two dead bodies. The first body contains Redflesh Mushroom x6, and the second contains Ember of Messmer x3. Turn around and head into the new door.

Freyja and Revered Spirit Ash 2:

Inside the new chamber, you can make a left and collect Smithing Stone [6] x2 from a dead body against the wall. After that, turn around and make your way northwest along the corridor. The first item you can collect is Fire Coil x2 from a dead body on the right side, against a wall. Keep going and you’ll encounter a Fire Knight. If you turn around after defeating the Fire Knight, you’ll see a dead body containing Smithing Stone [7] x3. Continue northwest, and you’ll come to the first set of stairs. Head to the top, collecting the Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot from the dead body at the end of the stairs. At the top of the stairs, you’ll have three options:

• Go straight into the chamber ahead. You’ll encounter a Fire Knight and three pesky Shadow Undead that use Fire Serpent. You’ll first begin to hear Freyja’s voice here, but she is found on a higher floor. Near the Fire Knight, you’ll find a rare Spirit Calculus crafting material.
• Go up the stairs: At the top of the stairs, you’ll find Redmane Freyja’s chamber to the southwest. Speak with her, and exhaust her dialog. There is a site of grace right in front of her that you can use to return to after traveling back to Ansbach and giving him the Secret Rite Scroll. It’s better to do this after you complete the final step listed in the next bullet point, as you’ll want to return to the first floor for another reason. If you do everything correctly, Ansbach will give you a letter to return to Freyja. After speaking with Freyja, exit the chamber, and you’ll see a dead body with Sliver of Meat x2. Continue east along the same path, and you’ll see a large horse-like statue hanging from the ceiling. You can jump onto the back of the statue, where you’ll find a Revered Spirit Ash . Once done, you can drop from the statue to be further along on the third path.
• Head to the Right of the Stairs: This is the main path. Head to the right of the stairs that lead up to Freyja, or drop to the path from the horse-like statue. Head south to the end of the path where you’ll find a lever. Pull the lever and the entire group of hanging statues in the center of the chamber will move, creating a path forward.

Pearldrake Talisman +3:

With the statues in the center shifted, you can now get the item that was floating beneath the human statue’s head. Fast-Travel back to the first floor site of grace. Head to the third floor, the same location where the Fire Knight was starting blankly into the center chamber. Take out the Fire Knight again, then head west past the large stack of stone tablets. You’ll see the statue has shifted in such a way that the item is now accessible. Collect the item to get Pearldrake Talisman +3 .

Reaching Messmer the Impaler:

Now fast-travel back to the site of grace near Freyja. As you exit, look over the railing, and you’ll see where the long platform is that you need to reach. Head down one level and jump to the platform extending from the center. Follow the platforms, until you reach the final horse-like statue. Walk up its back and jump to the platform at the end. Head west out the door. You’ll notice a Statue of Marika as you exit. Turn right and head up the stairs. Turn left at the top, and you’ll see a bridge that leads out to a tower on the left, and a door that leads back into the storehouse on the right. If you go through the door, you’ll find some Shadow Undead, and a dead body with Ember of Messmer x3. Head back out the door and across the bridge.

You’ll encounter one final Fire Knight before you open the door to Messmer’s tower. Defeating this knight will earn you the Winged Serpent Helm and Ash of War: Flame Spear . Inside, you’ll find a Scadutree Fragment in front of a headless statue of Marika. The only thing left to do is open the final door into Messmer’s Chamber.

Shadow Keep Walkthrough: Messmer the Impaler

The fight with Messmer is one of those special moments in Shadow of the Erdtree. As much a set piece as a boss fight, facing Messmer is a truly incredible experience. His fight is broken down into two stages. The first stage sees him fighting almost entirely with his spear. He can be relentless, especially if you face him solo. If you follow his quest, you’ll be able to summon the Hornsent for this fight. However, his summon sign is found inside the arena, not before entering. The Hornsent will help take the brunt of Messmer’s aggression. If you also summon the Mimic Tear, or other high-level spirit ashes, the fight becomes much easier.

Messmer’s second stage is much more chaotic, with a massive serpent entering the fight. Messmer seems to be fairly weak to bleed builds, so using the new Great Katana weapons is a good option. If you struggle with the Shadow Keep’s main boss, check out Game Rant’s guide to defeating Messmer the Impaler.

Shadow Keep Walkthrough: Part 3 – Church District

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How to Reach the Shadow Keep Church District:

Just because Messmer has been defeated, does not mean you are done with the Shadow Keep. There is an entire section of the complex that can only be accessed by using the back entrance. To reach this area, you’ll need to take the following path:

• Start at the Moorth Ruins site of grace and ride east. Enter the pit in the ground and follow the main path until you reach Bonny Village.
• From bonny village, take the main path northeast, up past the Cathedral of Manus Metyr. Instead of turning south to the cathedral, continue west to the entrance tunnel.
• Make your way through the entrance tunnel, and you’ll emerge at the Shadow Keep Church District.

Empty the Floodwaters:

The first task you must complete when you enter the Church District is emptying the water that floods the entire lower level. Begin this task by jumping to the roof of the submerged building directly across from the Church District Entrance site of grace. The first dead body you encounter will contain Crab Eggs x2. If you make your way around the entire roof, you will find two more bodies. The second body contains Thin Beast Bones x4, and the third body contains Strip of White Flesh x2.

Before moving on to the main path, head to the southern edge of the roof and look for a floating log that leads to a circular structure. Make your way to the structure, then look for more logs that will lead you to the other side. You’ll awaken an Ulcerated Tree Spirit beneath the water, but it won’t attack you now. Make your way around the ring and collect the Great Grave Glovewort . Now make your way back to the first rooftops, and jump across to the brick structure to the northwest.

You’ll see a dead body that contains a Fireproof Pickled Liver . Be careful as you make your way over to it, as you’ll encounter exploding enemies that will chase you down. After collecting the item, use the bricks in the northeastern corner as steps to get you to the raised ledge. When you reach the ledge, more of the exploding enemies will rise from the ground. Head west past them and jump to the large rooftop directly ahead. As you make your way south/southwest on the roof, a Fire Knight will appear over the peak. After you take it out, take the Ember of Messmer x3 from the body on the roof. Continue south onto the next roof, which has pointed steeples in each corner. Head to the steeple in the northwestern corner to find a dead body with a Slumbering Egg . Now head to the southeast side of the roof and look for large stone pillars and paths connected to a chapel across a small gap. You’ll need to jump across to the pillar, then head up the path to a hole in the chapel roof.

When you reach the hole in the chapel roof, look down into it, and you’ll see beams that you can land on. Once you land on the beam, head to the southern side of the chamber and look for a floor with a large hole in it. You will want to drop through the hole to the ground level. Once you drop through the hole, if you turn around and head north/east around the turn, you’ll reach the Prayer Room. This room is opened with the Prayer Room Key , but it really only applies to the Iris of Grace & Iris of Occultation quests.

Instead, after dropping into the hole, head northwest. You’ll see a dead body on the ground to the right that contains a Lightningproof Pickled Liver . Continue down the path and a Fire Knight will appear. Take it out and then look for the first door on the left after going through the next chamber entrance. This is the main path. If you go just past it, you’ll find Ember of Messmer x2 on a dead body. Continue down the corridor, and you will find another Fire Knight. At the end of the chamber, you’ll find a lift that is submerged and cannot be used yet. If you head back the same way, the first path you pass on the right will lead back to a new path through the Specimen Storehouse, to the back area of the Shadow Keep. For now, go to the second exit on the right.

Head out the exit and follow the path until you can turn left. There will be some Giant Bats in your way. Defeat them and continue up the stairs. There is a break in the ground at the top, make sure to jump over it. There will be two more Giant Bats, with a dead body down a small alcove that contains Hefty Beast Bone x3. You’ll then encounter a small structure at the end of the path. The inside of the structure is flooded, so you want to use the ladder on the right of the entrance to get to the roof of the structure. This is where you’ll find the mechanism to release the water from the area.

Explore the Sunken Church District – Iris of Occultation and Mantle of Thorns:

With the water released, head back down the ladder and look inside the structure. You can now drop onto a wooden platform, then to the ground level. At the bottom you’ll find a dead body with a Somber Smithing Stone [5] . Head outside the chamber and into the church on the right. Here, you’ll find the Sunken Chapel site of grace. There are several items spread around the grounds, but the most important items are found near the giant circular structure with the dead tree in the center.

The first step you can take is to head past the circular structure, to the northeast corner of the area. You’ll find a lift that will take you back to the Church District Entrance site of grace. Take the lift back down and make a right at the exit. Continue past the first structure until you see a couple of dead bodies on the ground with item markers. As you approach them, the ground will begin to shake. The first of two Ulcerated Tree Spirits will emerge from the ground. Killing this enemy will get you one of two Iris of Occultation available in the game.

Next, head to the courtyard with the massive dead tree. The ground will begin to shake and the second Ulcerated Tree Spirit will emerge. Killing this enemy will get you the powerful Mantle of Thorns . Make sure to grab the Somber Smithing Stone [5] from the base of the tree. Now head northwest from the tree and enter the church structure.

Death Mask Helm, Iris of Grace, and Scadutree Fragment:

Inside the church, you’ll see a Fire Knight in the distance. This Fire Knight can summon exploding enemies as you fight it, so be careful. Defeating this Fire Knight will earn you the Death Mask Helm . After killing the knight, turn to the northeast and head down the corridor. You’ll eventually reach a door flanked by two stairways. Head to the top of the stairs first to find the Battlefield Priest’s Cookbook [1] . Return down to the door and use the lift it leads to. Follow the path down, and you’ll find an Iris of Grace in front of a headless Marilka Statue. Beyond the statue, you’ll find the Scadutree Avatar, a special boss that awards an extremely useful item for the DLC’s final fight.

Make your way back to the chamber where you fought the Fire Knight. From the stage, head towards the exit and make a left about halfway down to find a lift that will take you back up to the upper level. This will get you to the previously mentioned flooded chamber at the end of the first path you dropped to from the church roof. The same Fire Knights will be lining the hall. After defeating them, look for the doors to the southwest, and you’ll see a massive statue that is no-longer submerged. You can jump to the statue’s arms and grab the Scadutree Fragment . You’ll likely notice there is an item on the lower level behind the statue. You can drop from here and pick up the Fire Knight’s Seal , then take the same lift back to the top.

Shadow Keep Walkthrough: Part 4 – Back Gate

Reach the Storehouse, Loft:

The final location within the Shadow Keep is the Back Gate. From the same corridor you dropped into from the chapel roof with two Fire Knights, take the second path on the left, heading to the north. You’ll find a lift that takes you back to the Specimen Storehouse. You will end up on a previously inaccessible platform on the second floor. You’ll immediately find a Somber Smithing Stone [9] , then head southwest to find a site of grace. Follow the path as it turns to the northwest, and you’ll pass a ladder on the right, which continues the main path. You can head past it to find Glintslab Firefly x3 and the Carian Thrusting Shield on a dead body behind the Fire Knight at the end of the path. You can then head back and take the ladder up.

As you reach the top of the ladder, you’ll find a Fire Knight standing at the edge of the floor. You can sneak up on it and push them off the edge with a critical hit. Head east, then take the stairs to the next level. At the top of the stairs, there will be another Fire Knight coming from behind you. Beyond the Fire Knight is Fire Coil x3 against the wall. Turn around and head northeast all the way to the end of the path where you’ll find Fire Serpent on a dead body. Turn around, and you’ll find a hole in the wall on the left which leads you to a path outside. Right away, you’ll find Shadow Sunflower x6, then a Blessed Bone Shard on dead bodies. Continue along the path, and you’ll re-enter the storehouse.

Storehouse, Loft – Fastest Route:

Wrath from Afar:

Use the Storehouse, Loft site of grace, and then take the elevator up to the ceiling beams. Turn left at the exit, then left again, then a right on the beam going across to the other side. There will be a Giant Bat in the center of this final beam. Make a right after crossing the beam, and you’ll see a ladder up to the next level. You can go past it to get Thin Beast Bones x7 from a dead body. At the top, you can turn southwest along the beams. Look to your right as you go, and you’ll see a dead body against a beam connected to the ceiling. It contains Smithing Stone [7] x4. As you continue southeast, you’ll see an item on a large cog on the lower level. You can drop to it when above and collect the Wrath from Afar incantation.

Exit the Storehouse:

From the cog, face north and jump to the nearest beam. Make the first left, and you’ll see another ladder to the upper level. At the top of the ladder, a Fire Knight will try to fire a blasting projectile at you, make sure to roll straight ahead through it. After killing the Fire Knight, you’ll see another elevator that you can take down and get a Rune of an Unsung Hero on a lower platform. Head back up the elevator and make a left. Deal with the Giant Bats, then make a right and you’ll see another ladder. Take that ladder down and grab the Smithing Stone [8] right next to the bottom. Next, head north along the beam and use the ladder you see on the left. When you land on the platform below, you’ll see the exit to the right. Outside, you’ll find another wooden elevator. Take the elevator down, take the wooden path to yet another lift. At the bottom of this final lift, you will exit on the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate site of grace.

Commander Gaius and the O Mother Hidden Path:

From this final site of grace, you will have two possible paths. First, you can head straight out the exit and face Commander Gaius, one of Shadow of the Erdtree‘s toughest enemies. Defeating him will grant you access to the Scadutree Chalice, and Scadutree Fragment x5. The second option requires you to gather the O Mother gesture from the small statue north of Bonny Village. Instead of going straight out the exit, turn right and enter the small chapel area with the headless Marika statue. If you perform the O Mother gesture in front of the statue, it will move, granting you access to the Hinterland, Shaman Village, and the Finger Ruins of Dheo, which are required to complete Ymir’s quest at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr. These final actions conclude the walkthrough of Shadow Keep. There are likely still items and secrets waiting to be discovered. Let us know any you find in the comments.