Shadow Keep | Elden Ring Wiki

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Shadow Keep, Church District

The main entrance of the Church District of the Shadow Keep is located on the east side of the Shadow Keep. The direct path to finding it is to travel from the Church District High Road Site of Grace . You'll know you'll arrive when you enter a large doorway and pass through a long hallway. At the end of the hallway is where you'll formally arrive at the church district and discover the Church District Entrance Site of Grace .

The Church District is a flooded area, and the goal is to traverse the area by using high ground and finding a mechanism that drains the water. Please take note that falling into the water will result in death. Ignore the path on the left since you won't be able to use the lift until you drain the flood. Instead, jump across (using a running jump) to land on the roof of a building, then check the right side to find a small Crab and a body next to it that can be looted to acquire x2 Crab Eggs. Continue walking around the roof to find another body that's being eaten by a Crab. Loot the body to obtain x4 Thin Beast Bones. Continue south and you'll find another body being eaten by a Crab, check the body to find x2 Strip of White Flesh.

Next, jump on the floating log to reach a large broken-up circular platform. The path here is fairly straightforward, try to reach the opposite end by using the floating logs and wooden platforms, and make sure to loot the body on the circular platform to find x1 Great Grave Glovewort. Retrace your steps to the rooftop of the building where you looted bodies and killed the small Crabs, and this time, head west where you can jump across to progress (see the second image above for reference).

Once you're across, walk around the sides to reach the platform and loot the body that is guarded by Ignited Putrid Corpse enemies to obtain x1 Fireproof Pickled Liver. Jump back onto the sides of this building so you can walk to the top and proceed west where you'll have to do a running jump to safely land on top of another roof of a building. On the roof of the building, you should encounter a Fire Knight enemy walking around. Kill it and then loot the body that's near the spot where the Fire Knight enemy was walking to obtain x3 Ember of Messmer. Keep going straight until you reach a wall, then turn around to find a body sitting against one of the roof's structures. Loot it to acquire x1 Slumbering Egg .

The Prayer Room: Fire Knight Queelign

Next, face the east side of the compass and you should see a narrow ramp structure of one of the churches. Do a running jump to land on it safely, then walk to the top where you'll find two large openings or holes on the big roof. Slowly drop down onto the narrow structure that's on the right side, then you can walk down so you can safely run onto the other structure that is on the left so you can loot the body that holds x3 Stormhawk Feathers . Go back and then drop down onto the opening of a ceiling (see the third image above for reference).

Below, you should immediately see yet another corpse next to a small Crab. Loot the body to find x1 Lightningproof Pickled Liver. Go around, northeast, and you'll locate a locked door, this is the Prayer Room that requires the Prayer Room Key, a key that drops upon defeating the NPC Invader Fire Knight Queelign, encountered for the second time at the Church of the Crusade . If you have the key, you can unlock the door and find Fire Knight Queelign (NPC) in the flesh. Now, if you have an item called the Iris of Occultation, you can give it to the NPC, and after Queelign's dialogue, the NPC will drop a weapon you can loot. This weapon is Queelign's Greatsword. NOTE: If you give the Iris of Grace to Queelign, you'll receive the Spirit Ash "Fire Knight Queelign". The Iris of Occultation can be acquired in many ways, one way is by obtaining it as an item drop from defeating a Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirit located in this area after you drain the flood.

The Flooded Church District: Draining the Flood

Exit the prayer room and proceed to the northwest doorway, but before proceeding further, be sure to enter the armory room on the left to find a body sitting against the wall. Loot the body to find x1 Rune of an Unsung Hero
. Enter the hallway and kill the first Fire Knight enemy that you see, on the left side of the hallway, loot the body resting against the wall to find x2 Furlcalling Finger Remedy, and continue straight down the hallway where you'll encounter another Fire Knight. The room ahead is not accessible at the moment and the doorway to the right where you'll notice Marika's statue that has a glowing item in its hand is unreachable, so exit through the first doorway on the left side of the hallway.

NOTE: In the same hallway, there are two doorways on the left, the far most or second doorway will lead you to a lift that takes you to the Specimen Storehouse section of the Shadow Keep. You're free to roam here, but we highly recommend returning to the Specimen Storehouse after clearing the Main Plaza and Church District of the Shadow Keep. What you can do is enter the Specimen Storehouse, and activate the nearby Site of Grace (Storehouse, Back Section) so you can just fast travel here after exploring the Church District.

Cross the pathway where you'll encounter two Giant Bat enemies, then walk up to the short steps where you'll encounter another Giant Bat ahead. Jump over the gap, and kill the creature. Now before going straight, walk up a bit and you'll find a corner on the right. It's a dead end but there's a body that you can loot that's being protected by another Giant Bat hanging from the ceiling. Kill the enemy and loot the body to acquire x3 Hefty Beast Bone . Next, climb the ladder next to a doorway to find the mechanism that drains the water.

You can also return to the hallway to get the item sitting on the hand of Marika's statue. You can get the item by jumping on the hand, it may require a few tries as the platform that you need to stand on is quite narrow. Loot the item to acquire x1 Scadutree Fragment, then prepare to fight a group of Ignited Putrid Corpse as you jump down. Behind the same statue, you can find the Fire Knight's Seal weapon 

Exploring the Sunken Chapel

Kill the Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirit by the Large Tree

For some clarity, we recommend that you start by fast-traveling to the Church District Entrance checkpoint  since you can now use the lift near the Site of Grace. From the checkpoint, go left, use the lever to call the lift, then step on the center to ride it down. You'll now be able to explore the open area of the Sunken Chapel. At the center, you will see a large tree, only approach the tree if you're prepared to fight because a Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirit will emerge beneath the ground. Killing it will drop the Mantle of Thorns, and resting against the tree is a corpse holding x1 Somber Smithing Stone [5]. If you missed the Great Grave Glovewort earlier, it will have dropped to this area when the water drained.

Defeat the Second Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirit

The second Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirit is located around the east area of the sunken chapel (see the images above for reference). Defeating it will drop x1 Iris of Occultation which (if you don't have it yet) you can give to Fire Knight Queelign (see here) in the Prayer Room to obtain Queelign's Greatsword. Also in the east area, you can find open buildings. One building houses two bodies that you can loot to find x4 Smithing Stone [4] and x6 Kukri .

There is also building another where you'll find a pack of Crabs and Giant Crab enemies, one roaming around, and the other next to another body that you can loot to find x1 Shadow Realm Rune [5]. If you continue to go around this area, you'll reach the west side where you'll find the Sunken Chapel Site of Grace 

Find the Tree-Worship Site of Grace

Head north towards the entrance of the main church then immediately turn left to find a corpse by a corner. Loot the body to find x3 Shadow Sunflower. Clear out the enemies then approach the small room that has Marika's statue (the same statue where you got the Scadutree Fragment and the Fire Knight's Seal weapon. Make a right and you'll enter a large room. Straight ahead, you'll see some stairs on both ends, walk up to the upper platform and investigate the railings to discover a body hanging on top of it.

Loot the body to obtain the Battlefield Priest's Cookbook [1]. Walk back down the stairs and check under the upper platform to find a door. Open that door and you'll find another lift that takes you underground. Ride it to find and activate the Tree-Worship Passage Site of Grace

See Shadow of the Erdtree Map.

Scadutree Avatar

After activating the Tree-Worship Passage Site of Grace, follow the path going down, then cross the bridge. Enter the structure through the archway, and you'll find the Iris of Grace (you can give this to Fire Knight Queelign, see here) if you still haven't obtained it. Go down the stairs on either side, and you can activate the Tree-Worship Sanctum Site of Grace

See Elden Ring Map. South of the Site of Grace, you can find x1 Marika's Rune on a corpse sitting against the wall.

North of the Tree-Worship Sanctum Site of Grace, you can go through the boss fog to fight the Scadutree Avatar at the Scadutree Base. The Scadutree Avatar uses its tree trunk-like arms to attack. It has different attacks, such as uprooting thorns over an area. There is a dedicated page here containing information on how to defeat the Scadutree Avatar.

After defeating the Scadutree Avatar, you will receive the Remembrance of the Shadow Sunflower along with Miquella's Great Rune. From here, (if you followed the tip earlier by activating the Storehouse, Back Section checkpoint in the Specimen Storehouse) you can fast travel to the Storehouse, Back Section Site of Grace to start exploring the Back Section of the Specimen Storehouse.

Storehouse, Back Section

Upon entering, look to the right immediately to see a noble corpse against the wall. Loot it to obtain x1 Somber Smithing Stone [9]. Proceed to the left side, through the doorway, where you'll find the Storehouse, Back Section checkpoint. Continue moving straight until you walk past a ladder. Do not climb the ladder first, instead, keep going straight to find some items. First, look to your left to see, another noble corpse sitting against a desk, loot it to obtain x3 Glintslab Firefly. Then at the end, you'll see a Fire Knight and three Shadow Undead standing next to another corpse, kill the enemies then loot the body to acquire x1 Carian Thrusting Shield.

If you look over the railings from the Back Section Site of Grace, you can safely jump onto the bookcases and drop to the First Floor Site of Grace. This lets you explore the rest of Shadow Keep without the need to fight the Golden Hippopotamus that guards the Main Plaza.

Go back and climb the ladder to the top where you'll encounter another Fire Knight and two Shadow Undead reading a book. You can sneak behind the enemies to backstab them. Continue to the right side and walk carefully up the stairs to avoid aggravating the Fire Knight, roaming the floor above. At the top of the stairs, turn to the corner on the right to find a corpse to loot x3 Fire Coil. Kill the enemies on this floor, then continue moving straight. You'll discover another noble corpse sitting against a small table, loot it to obtain x4 Rada Fruit, and go straight towards the balcony to find another noble corpse that holds the Fire Serpent incantation. Go back, and look behind the bookcase to find an opening on the wall.

Through the opening, turn right and you'll find another noble corpse sitting by the edge of the narrow scaffolding. Loot the body to acquire x6 Shadow Sunflower. Continue going up, and by the ramp, you should find another noble corpse that you can loot to obtain x1 Blessed Bone Shard. Continue going up and you'll arrive at the loft section of the storehouse. Activate the Storehouse, Loft Site of Grace before you proceed to explore.

Storehouse, Loft

Once you have activated the Storehouse, Loft Site of Grace, proceed to the lift north of the Site of Grace to go up. You will end up on beams above the Specimen Storehouse. This level will be filled with Giant Bats roaming the area. The only path you can follow will be the one going west, so keep following it. There will be a lot of ways you can walk on the beams, but the only way you can progress through this area is through the ladder. Pick up x7 Thin Beast Bones from a body at the edge of a beam, then go up the ladder that you walk past through just before picking up the loot.

After climbing the ladder, you will arrive in a new level. If you go to the southeast section of the level, you can find x4 Smithing Stone [7] from a dead body. Following the path from the south side will lead you to a pillar blocking your way. If you look down, you can find a platform that you can jump off of, and it will contain the Wrath from Afar incantation. Next, jump on the beam to the north, then climb up the nearby ladder to the west of where you landed. You will end up on the beam that a pillar was blocking earlier. You can aggro the bats here, so be careful when attacking as you might fall off of the beams.

You can find a lift in the middle of the beam going west with an item above it, along with a Fire Knight on a nearby beam which will be hostile if you approach the lift.

If you use the lift to go down, you will end up in an area with a Fire Knight facing the other way around. You can easily dispose of the Fire Knight by backstabbing it and staggering it continuously. After dealing with the Fire Knight, you can pick up x1 Rune of an Unsung Hero on the southwestern corner of the area. The area will be clear, and you can head back up the beams using the lift. If you want to get the item above, you can ride the lift, then exit it before going down. A second lift will arrive just beside it, then do it again. Jump on the roof of the first lift just as it is arriving, and you will be able to reach the item, which is a Fire Knight Hilde summon.

If you walk across the beam going west, you can climb down a ladder. On your left, just around the corner, you can loot a body for x4 Rada Fruit. Directly northeast of the ladder you descended on, you will find another ladder you can use to descend. You will reach an area similar to the Site of Grace.

If you head outside the archway on the northwestern side of the area, you will find a lift directly on your right. Take the lift going down, then keep following the scaffolding until you reach an area with a door and a lift. You cannot open the door yet, so use the lift nearby to go down. The lift will then lead you to the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace See Elden Ring Map.

This area leads you into two areas. There is a room on the east, just beside the Site of Grace. In this room, you can pick up x1 Scadutree Fragment. After that, you will see an archway heading outside on the north-northeast side of the room. This is a boss area in which you will be fighting Commander Gaius. For a more detailed guide on how to defeat Commander Gaius, you may go to this page.

Defeating Commander Gaius will give you the Remembrance of the Wild Boar Rider. It will also give access to Scaduview region.

Shadow Keep: Main Plaza Entrance

The Main Entrance of Shadow Keep

The main entrance of the Shadow Keep is pretty linear, as you can follow the path directly from Castle Ensis leading to the main entrance of the Shadow Keep. Along the path, you will encounter Messmer Soldiers in encampments, so tread carefully. By the eastern section of the keep's outer walls, you can loot a fallen Furnace Golem for x1 Furnace Visage. Nearby, you can find a tent containing a corpse with x1 Furnace Keeper's Note. Return to the path, and you will find a big archway to a room containing a lift. This will take you to the Shadow Keep Main Gate Site of Grace .

When you arrive at the top of the lift, activate the Site of Grace. The area ahead of it is a boss room. Once you are ready to fight it, enter the room and you will encounter the Golden Hippopotamus. Its attacks have a deceptively big hit box, using mostly its head to attack. For more guides and strategies on how to defeat the boss, you can visit this page. After defeating the Golden Hippopotamus, it will drop x2 Scadutree Fragment and the Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns incantation. Defeating the Golden Hippopotamus will give you access to the Main Plaza of the Shadow Keep, allowing you to explore the whole area. The Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace  will be unlocked after the boss fight, so you can activate it now.

The Main Plaza

After defeating the Golden Hippopotamus, you can head to the western archway to continue heading deeper into the Shadow Keep. Follow the path, and you will encounter two Messmer Soldiers overlooking the ledge on your left. After defeating them, pick up the Festive Grease from a corpse, and you'll encounter another Messmer Soldier going down the stairs.

In the middle of the stairs, you can find a room with two more Messmer Soldiers along with a corpse that you can loot for x6 Smithing Stone [1]. You can find another room connected to this room on the right side, which contains two more Messmer Soldiers along with a Black Knight. On the dead body by the south side of the room, you can pick up the dagger Main-gauche. Afterwards, head back out the stairs on the west, then keep going up.

You will encounter two Messmer Soldiers looking over the ledge on the left with a corpse that you can loot for x7 Redflesh Mushrooms, and two more Messmer Soldiers on the right. After defeating the Messmer Soldiers, head up the stairs again to find another room. There will be three Black Knights inside the room; one wielding a hammer and greatshield, the second one using a greatbow, and the third one wielding a twinblade. You can deal with the first Black Knight by dragging him outside of the room to where you came from, then you can deal with the other two easily inside the room. On the opening on the south wall of the room, you can pick up x1 Golden Vow from corpse hanging by the ledge and x1 Shadow Realm Rune [6] from a body near the archway on the east.

Exploring The Plaza (Loot Detour)

As you head out of the room, you can drop down from the bridge on the left side, and you'll find x5 Smithing Stone [5] from a dead body. Continue heading south, and you will see a golden tree. Directly beside it, you can pick up the Talisman of Lord's Bestowal. On the room south of the tree, you can pick up x2 Smithing Stone [8] from a dead body on the ledge northwest of the room. Northwest of the plaza, you can find a Black Knight facing a dead body with an item. Defeat the Black Knight, then pick up the x3 Golden Vow on the dead body. You can get back up by entering the room east of the corpse, which will contain a Messmer Soldier and a Black Knight. A ladder room will be on the eastern side, which leads you back to the room with the three Black Knights that you just fought.

Shortcut Access

After opening the door back to the room, head east again through the archway to continue progressing through the Shadow Keep. On the northeastern side, which is a dead-end, you can loot a body for x1 Holyproof Pickled Liver. Keep following the path going to the southeast, and you'll encounter Shadow Militiamen by the boats. By the stairs heading up, you can pick up x1 Messmerfire Grease from the dead body lying on the stairs. South of it, you can find a ramp going down, in which you will encounter more Shadow Militiamen. Open the double door, which leads you back to the Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace.

Summon Signs

Head back up the ramp, and you'll notice two summon signs on the right side. NOTE: You can only interact with one summon sign, so choose which reward you want to receive.

If you interact with the red sign, you will be summoned to assist Needle Knight Leda in defeating Hornsent - This will reward you with the Hornsent Set along with the curved sword Falx. If you interact with the yellow sign, you will be summoned to assist Hornsent in defeating Needle Knight Leda - This will reward you with the Ash of War: Swift Slash and Leda's Rune.

You can also opt to ignore both summon signs, and Leda's sidequest will only advance after you've defeated Messmer at the top of Shadow Keep.

More Loot Detour

After doing the summon signs, you can head east to explore the area. You'll find x1 Rada Fruit on a dead body sitting against a boat right next to the summon signs. You can also pick up the Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot from a body nearby. Lastly, on the southeastern wall, you'll find another corpse which has x3 Smithing Stone [8]. Go back to the body where you picked up the Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot, then climb down the stairs by the opening of the railing nearby.

After you have arrived at the bottom of the ladder, follow the path going northwest until you come across with a dead body that has x1 Somber Smithing Stone [8]. Go back to the waterfall you passed through earlier, then go inside of the passageway behind it. Follow the path, then go down the ladder. Once you are at the bottom, go east to find a room with a painting. Pick it up, and you will receive the Domain of Dragons Painting.

Southwest of the room, hit the wall between the two torches to reveal a hidden passageway. Go down the stairs and ramp, and you will see a coffin. If you rest in the coffin, you will be transported near the Castle Watering Hole Site of Grace

See Elden Ring Map which will be used after clearing the Shadow Keep. Locations that can be accessed through this are: Ruins of Unte, Darklight Catacombs, and the Eastern Nameless Mausoleum. Go back to the Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace to continue exploring the Shadow Keep.

Main Plaza Continuation

After arriving in the Main Gate Plaza, use the shortcut you just opened then go up the ramp, in which you'll be surrounded by four Shadow Militiamen. After arriving at the top of the ramp, you can head up the stairs. You can pick up x8 Bone Dart from a corpse by the stairs. A Fire Knight will be waiting across the bridge. As you are walking to the Fire Knight, pick up the x8 Smithing Stone [2] from the dead body. The Fire Knight uses slow wide swings when attacking, so you can attack or even stagger it after dodging one attack.

After defeating the Fire Knight, you can go through the big archway it was previously patrolling, which leads to a lift. Use the lift to go up, and you will end up in the Storehouse, First Floor Site of Grace.

Shadow Keep: Specimen Storehouse

Storehouse, First Floor (Detour)

On the west side of the First Floor Site of Grace, you'll find a room filled with Shadow Undead, along with a dead body sitting against the stone tablets containing x1 Rune Arc. Head inside the room, and you will find a lift which you can ride going down.

After arriving at the bottom of the lift, you will be in a room connecting two other rooms. In the room west, you will find a corpse that you can loot for x1 Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot along with a Living Jar hiding by the entrance of the room. The second room is a hallway, which also connects two more rooms. The room on the left will have a Living Jar by the door along with a corpse sitting by the railing containing the Ash of War: Wall of Sparks.

In the northern room, you'll find a Living Jar running up the stairs. Defeat the Living Jar, but don't go down the stairs yet. Go to the hallway beside the stairs, then hit the Ilusory Wall to reveal a hidden room. You can obtain x1 Battlefield Priest's Cookbook (4). After obtaining the cookbook, you can now head down the stairs.

You will find yourself in a room filled with Living Jars. After dealing with the Living Jars, go west to find a corpse containing x5 Hefty Beast Bone behind a jar. Head south to get into another room filled with more Living Jars. On the eastern side, you'll find a Living Jar standing in front of an item. Defeat the Living Jar and two more small Living Jars, then loot the item to receive the Iris of Grace - an item you can hand over to an NPC later. You'll also find a dead corpse lying on a bed southwest of the Iris of Grace which contains x1 Hefty Cracked Pot.

After clearing the room, head west to enter a room. Be cautious as you are entering the room, as a Living Jar will attack you on the right side. Head down either staircase, as they both lead to the same area. This room leads outside to the West Rampart Site of Grace , which is another entrance to the Shadow Keep. Travel back to the Storehouse, First Floor Site of Grace to resume exploring the Shadow Keep.

Exploring the Specimen Storehouse, First Floor

As soon as you arrive on the first floor, head east to find a dead corpse containing x1 Fireproof Pickled Liver. Afterwards, head west, passing by the archway instead of going inside the room. You'll find a path by the base of the specimen in the middle of the room going northeast. You will encounter numerous Shadow Undead and Shadow Militiamen on the first floor of the Specimen Storehouse. Keep following the path, and you'll a staircase going to the left, along with an Undead Shadow in the middle of it.

Go up the stairs, and you'll find yourself in a big room filled with bookcases. The northern side will be a dead-end, but it will have a corpse that you can loot for x1 Fire Coil.

Head northwest of it, and you will find a room that has x3 Hefty Beast Bone on a corpse lying against a table with a specimen. In this room, you will find Ansbach on the northeastern corner of the room reading a scripture. Talk to him, and exhaust all of Ansbach's dialogues. Head back out of the room, then follow the path going northwest. Turn right on the first one, and you'll find two Shadow Undead reading books, along with a hostile Shadow Undead and a Vulgar Militiaman at the base of a staircase.

After dealing with the enemies, you can keep exploring the west side of the first floor wherein you'll find a Fire Knight patrolling around a big bookcase. You can get a jump on the Fire Knight as you can easily backstab it. On the southern side of the bookcase, you'll find a corpse containing x5 Smithing Stone [8]. After looting the corpse, you can now head up the stairs.

Specimen Storehouse, Second Floor

After getting on top of the stairs, go up the smaller set of steps on the left side. On the west side, you'll find a corpse containing x4 Black Pyrefly sitting against a table. Head down the small set of steps, then follow the path. Once the path forks out, follow the path on the right. At the end of the path, you can find x3 Smithing Stone [5] on a dead body by the railing on the right.

Once you have picked up the smithing stone, you can drop down the railing opposite of it. You'll be in a room with a corpse containing the Boltdrake Talisman +3. On the northwestern wall, you can pull a lever that opens a hidden path back to the first floor near the Site of Grace. You'll find x2 Ember of Messmer on the dead body you'll find immediately after the path opens. Backtrack your way to the stairs going up, then head left again.

Before going up the stairs going to the third floor, you can find a Fire Knight on the section underneath it. Defeat the Fire Knight, then pick up x4 Beast Horn on the dead body next to it. You can then head up the stairs going to the third floor.

Specimen Storehouse, Third Floor

Once you go up the stairs, you'll find a Fire Knight by the southwestern side looking over the ledge. Defeat the Fire Knight first to make it easier to explore the third floor. NOTE: Take note of this location, as you'll have to backtrack to this location after a certain event. Afterwards, you are free to explore the floor as it is only filled with numerous Shadow Undead. On the south side of the third floor, you can loot x1 Blessed Bone Shard on a dead body sitting against books.

On the western side of the third floor, you'll find a room filled with Shadow Undead reading scriptures. You'll also find a Fire Knight on the southwestern side of the room. After defeating the Fire Knight, you can loot a corpse near the Fire Knight's position for x1 Beast Horn.

Head back out of the room, then go up the area with railings. Cross the bridge on the south side. Along the bridge, you can loot a dead body for x1 Furlcalling Finger Remedy. Two Shadow Militiamen will attack you as you approach the end of the bridge. Look east near the end of the bridge, and you will find an area you can jump onto from the railings. On the southern wall, you'll find x1 Dueling Shield on a dead body by the wall. Return to the path, then go southwest.

You'll find a room containing more Shadow Undead. In the first room, you'll find x2 Lump of Flesh on a dead body by the wall on the northern side. Head to the second room, and you'll find another Fire Knight patrolling around a bookcase. Backstab the Fire Knight, then finish it off. On the eastern side of the room, you can find a dead body containing x4 Beast Horn sitting against the railing.

Return to the bridge, then jump up to the feet of the hanging specimen. If you want to find more loot, you can jump down to the specimen below to get x1 Revered Spirit Ash. If you jumped down, make your way back up to the bridge, then jump up again on the feet of the hanging specimen. This time, make your way up to the head of the specimen, then jump to the fourth floor.

Specimen Storehouse, Fourth Floor

After jumping onto the fourth floor, you can loot x1 Scadutree Fragment and a Storehouse Cross Message in the middle of the room. Activate the Storehouse, Fourth Floor Site of Grace

See Elden Ring Map, then you can resume your exploration of the Shadow Keep.

After activating the Site of Grace, head west to go outside. On the right side, you can find x3 Stormhawk Feather on a dead body near the ledge. Afterwards, head south, then go up the stairs. On the next set of stairs, a Fire Knight will be aggressive towards you, casting spells from afar. Before going up the stairs, you can loot a corpse on the right side of the stairs for x4 Black Pyrefly. After defeating the Fire Knight, follow the path until you find a staircase going down. Defeat the Giant Bats near the top of the stairs, then go down the stairs. On the ledge by the stairs, you can find a corpse with x1 Shadow Realm Rune [5].

After looting the dead body, head inside the room, which is another section of the fourth floor. On the northeastern side, behind the bookshelf, you can find x1 Secret Rite Scroll - an item that you need for a quest later involving Ansbach and Redmane Freyja. On the south side of the room near the entrance, you can loot a corpse for x1 Holyproof Pickled Liver. Head back out of the room, then continue following the path. Near the end of the path, you'll find a room on the left side. Before entering it, defeat the Giant Bat at the end of the path, then loot the dead body by the ledge for x3 Ember of Messmer. After looting the corpse, you can head inside the room, which will be the fifth floor of the Specimen Storehouse.

Specimen Storehouse, Fifth Floor

On the western partition of the fifth floor, you will encounter three Shadow Undead in the area. Defeat the enemies, then loot the body on the western wall for x2 Smithing Stone [6].

Afterwards, keep going in the northeast direction, clearing the path of the Shadow Undead that you encounter. You can find x2 Fire Coil on a corpse by a lectern between a bookshelf along the way. Keep following the path, eventually going north, and you will encounter another Fire Knight. Near the Fire Knight, you can find x3 Smithing Stone [7] on a corpse resting by the wall on the right. Continue following the path, and you will eventually get to the stairs leading to the sixth floor. Head up the stairs, and you'll find x1 Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot on a corpse near the top of the stairs.

Specimen Storehouse, Sixth Floor

After arriving at the sixth floor, go to the room on the south. In this room, you will encounter three Shadow Undead along with a Fire Knight with its back turned against you. After defeating the enemies, you can loot a dead body near the Fire Knight for x1 Spirit Calculus. Head back out of the room, and another Fire Knight patrolling the area will approach you. Deal with the Fire Knight, then head up the stairs to get to the seventh floor.

Specimen Storehouse, Seventh Floor

On the seventh floor, you can find a corpse containing x2 Sliver of Meat sitting by the rail near the stairs. Go to the room on the southwest, then activate the Storehouse, Seventh Floor Site of Grace. In this room, you can find Redmane Freyja on the other end reading a stone tablet. Talk to her, and exhaust all of her dialogues - this is part of a quest. After talking to Redmane Freyja, go back to the Storehouse, First Floor Site of Grace.

Ansbach and Freyja

After arriving at the first floor, backtrack your way to Ansbach. Talk to him, then hand over the Secret Rite Scroll you found earlier to him. Keep talking to him until you get the prompt to tell him about Freyja's decision. Click on it, then Ansbach will give you the Letter for Freyja after talking to him. Go to the seventh floor, then give the Letter for Freyja to Redmane Freyja. She will then give you the Golden Lion Shield after talking to her one more time.

Shadow Keep Exploration

Head out of the room, then head to the northeastern section of the seventh floor. Defeat the Fire Knight in this section, then head southeast to find a specimen that you can jump on to by the railing. You can find x1 Revered Spirit Ash on the back of the specimen.

Afterwards, head to the eastern room on the sixth floor. You will encounter numerous Shadow Undead in this area, along with a corpse that you can loot for x1 Shadow Realm Rune [5]. On the southern wall, you can find a lever on a platform. Pull the lever, and the mechanism in the middle will move up, also moving up the specimens hanging on it.

Obtaining the Pearldrake Talisman

After the specimens have moved, make your way back to the area with the Fire Knight on the third floor (See note here). On the western side of the railing, you can find the Pearldrake Talisman +3 on a specimen that has moved up.

Heading Deeper into the Shadow Keep

Go back to the Storehouse, Seventh Floor Site of Grace, then go down to the sixth floor. Go to the lever room on the east, then jump on to the beam in the middle. Make your way up the specimens, climbing onto the one with the horn. Cross it, then jump to a balcony across the horn on the west side. You will be in a room full of creatures and Shadow Undead.

Head out the room by going through the archway west of the room, then follow the path going north. Head up the stairs, and you'll find a room on the right, and a Fire Knight on the left guarding a door. Head inside the room first. In the room, you will encounter three Shadow Undead here, along with a corpse that you can loot for x3 Ember of Messmer. After clearing the room, head out then defeat the Fire Knight across the bridge. This Fire Knight is different than the rest of the Fire Knights you have found throughout exploring the Shadow Keep, as its attacks are more aggressive compared to the normal Fire Knights. Defeating this Fire Knight will give you the Winged Serpent Helm and Ash of War: Flame Spear.

Open the door across the bridge, then pick up the Scadutree Fragment directly in front of you. Head up the stairs, then activate the Dark Chamber Entrance Site of Grace  at the top. Be prepared for a boss fight, as opening the door next to the Site of Grace will lead you to the boss of the Shadow Keep.

Obtaining the Impenetrable Thorns

After activating the Dark Chamber Entrance Site of Grace, you'll want to retrace your steps as to obtain the Impenetrable Thorns sorcery. Return to the bridge where you fought Kood, Captain of the Fire Knights, then cross it to the other side. Head down the first set of staircases, where you will encounter two Shadow Undead patrolling as you explore the area. You will then find a Shadow Undead overlooking the ledge. Defeat the Shadow Undead, then look down the ledge to see a platform wherein you can safely drop. After you drop to the platform, defeat the Giant Bat that you will encounter immediately after dropping. You will then see a dead body sitting against the wall nearby which you can then loot for the Impenetrable Thorns sorcery. You can then return to the Dark Chamber Entrance Site of Grace to progress through the Shadow Keep.

The Dark Chamber

IMPORTANT: Starting Messmer the Impaler's boss fight for the first time will make the summon signs for aiding/invading Hornsent disappear (through the shortcut door, at the top of the ramp from the Main Gate Plaza grace) so make sure to complete that if you desire to complete Hornsent/Needle Knight Leda's questline. If you choose to invade Hornsent and help Needle Knight Leda, you should also go back to Sir Ansbach's location near the Storehouse, First Floor grace and choose to aid/invade him as well (The Sir Ansbach fight will not be available if you aid Hornsent). Read up on their questlines on their respective pages for more information.

Near the Dark Chamber Entrance Site of Grace will be a door. Opening it will lead you to the boss, who is then revealed to be Messmer the Impaler. Messmer the Impaler uses a spear as a weapon, so be mindful of the range of his attacks. His spear and attacks will be imbued with fire, so having fire resistance would be a good idea for this boss fight. For a more in-depth guide on how to defeat Messmer the Impaler, you can go to this page for more information.

After defeating Messmer the Impaler, you will receive Messmer's Kindling along with the Remembrance of the Impaler. Messmer's Kindling will be used to gain access to a legacy dungeon, Enir-Ilim See Elden Ring Map.