Shadow Keep is the most important location in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and there’s a lot to explore. So you know you haven’t missed anything, here’s a look at everything hiding within this incredible castle.
All Sites of Grace in Shadow Keep
In total, you will find 18 sites of grace in and around Shadow Keep. This might seem like a lot for the smaller space the structure maintains, but given the verticality of the building, there’s a lot to explore.
- Shadow Keep Main Gate
- Main Gate Plaza
- Storehouse, First Floor
- Storehouse, Fourth Floor
- Storehouse, Seventh Floor
- Storehouse, Loft
- Storehouse Back Section
- Shadow Keep Back Gate
- Church District Entrance
- Sunken Chapel
- Dark Chamber Entrance
- Messmer’s Dark Chamber
- West Rampart
- Scaduview
- Tree-Worship Passage
- Tree-Worship Sanctum
- Scadutree Base
- Hinterland
All Bosses in Shadow Keep
Golden Hippopotamus
The first boss that you’ll face in Shadow Keep is Goden Hippopotamus. This beast is right at the front gate, and will likely be the easiest fight as you work through the location.
Commander Gaius
At the back gate, you can find Commander Gaius. This warrior is riding a rhinoceros and can be tricky to take down. He uses a combination of casting attacks with incredibly powerful physical blows, but there are plenty of rewards to claim once you do best him in combat.
Messmer the Impaler
The poster-boy of Shadow of the Erdtree, Messmer the Impaler can be found inside of Shadow Keep. As one might expect, he’s no pushover, but with enough practice, and some good planning you can take out the demi-god with ease.
Scadutree Avatar
While not technically in Shadow Keep, the Scadutree Avatar can only be accessed through the castle and as such we’ve decided to include it on our list. This giant plant won’t need to be killed once, but three times to claim its powerful remembrance.
Secret Paths in Shadow Keep
There are multiple secret paths to find in Shadow Keep that can lead you to a variety of different locations and boss encounters. These are typically located after triggering events.
Hidden Coffin in Shadow Keep
The first secret to find in Shadow Keep is a Hidden Coffin which can be accessed by taking the ladder off the side of the bridge near the burning boats past Main Gate Plaza. If you take this ladder down and follow the water’s edge to a secret room, you’ll be able to attack an invisible wall and access the Hidden Coffin. A full guide on how to do this can be found here at Escapist Magazine.
This coffin will transport you to the Recluses River, providing a whole new section of the Land of Shadows to explore.
Church District Water Level Wheel
If you enter Shadow Keep from the Church District you’ll be able to traverse across roofs and descend into buildings before finally finding the wheel to lower the district’s water level. Once you do this you open up an entirely new section of the castle that includes routes to reach both the Shadow Keep Back Gate and the Tree-Worship Passage. Again, a full guide on how to get this done is available via The Escapist.
O Mother Secret Entrance
There is an entrance to a zone called Hinterland available only via Shadow Keep. Once you have acquired the O Mother emote, head to the Marika statue near the Back Gate Site of Grace and assume the pose. This will provide access to Hinterland. You can find a full guide here.
How Many Scadutree Fragments are in Shadow Keep?
There are nine Scadutree Fragments in total to access through Shadow Keep.
- 2x Defeating Golden Hippopotamus
- 1x Found in front of Marika statue within Shadow Keep Church District
- 1x Found in front of Marika statue near Back Gate Site of Grace
- 5x Found at the peak of Scaduview accessible after defeating Commander Gaius
How Many Revered Spirit Ashes are in Shadow Keep?
There are only two Revered Spirit Ashes to find in Shadow Keep during your time exploring Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
- Hanging statue near Shadow Keep Seventh Floor Site of Grace
- Hidden on a platform below the beast statue in the center of Shadow Keep
Weapons Found in Shadow Keep
There are three weapons available to find in Shadow Keep with each being a different type.
- Main-Gauche is located in a room near the stairs accessible after beating Golden Hippopotamus
- Queelign’s Greatsword can be obtained by using the Iris of Occultation on the hidden NPC in the Church District
- Carian Thrusting Shield is found on a corpse past a Fire Knight near the Storehouse Site of Grace
Armor Found in Shadow Keep
There’s just one piece of armor to find in Shadow Keep.
- Winged Serpent Helm can be found on the Sixth Floor of Shadow Keep by killing the Fire Knight protecting Messmer’s boss room.
Spells Found in Shadow Keep
There is a total of four different Spells in Shadow Keep.
- Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns can be acquired by beating the Golden Hippopotamus
- Mantle of Thorns is acquired by beating the Lesser Ulcerated Spirit in the Shadow Keep Church District
- Fire Serpent is located on the balcony near the Storehouse Site of Grace
- Wrath From Afar is located at the highest level of Shadow Keep by taking the elevator from Storehouse, Loft Site of Grace, and dropping down onto a hanging gear.
Talismans Found in Shadow Keep
There are five Talismans to be found in Shadow Keep.
- The Talisman of Lord’s Bestowal can be found near the golden tree after beating the Golden Hippopotamus.
- Fire Knight’s Seal is located near the Marika statue in the Church District of Shadow Keep
- Boltdrake Talisman +3 is found by starting at the Storehouse Site of Grace and venturing up the stairs and across a wooden platform.
- Pearldrake Talisman +3 can be found on the head of a statue located via Specimen Storehouse floor two.
- Sharpshot Talisman is available to collect inside Albinauric’s Shack after defeating Commander Gaius.
