10 Secrets Of The Shadow Keep In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

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The Shadow Keep in is home to a surprising number of secrets, hidden areas, and difficult-to-find items, some of which are critical to some NPC quest lines, such as Hornsent. And while it may be the location of one of the DLC's main legendary bosses, Messmer the Impaler, the Tarnished will want to explore the area thoroughly to unveil 's best-kept secrets.

Some of these secrets require players to obtain unique quest items or piece together clues from across the Shadow Realm. The Shadow Keep also contains a hidden entrance to one of the DLC's most difficult-to-find areas. Keeping an eye out for the secrets of the Shadow Keep isn't always easy, but it can make for a more rewarding experience in .

Many players' first introduction to the Shadow Keep happens in the Church District, a flooded area with structures deep underwater that, on first appearance, seem to be inaccessible. However, after exploring the area thoroughly, a mechanism can be found to drain this water, opening up access to the Sunken Chapel, where players will find a very powerful Tree Spirits and some angry giant crabs as well as some crucial loot.

The Shadow Keep is a dungeon in the Elden DLC that players must ascend, culminating in two boss fights, with one against Messmer, The Impaler.

There are two Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirits in the now-accessible Sunken Chapel, the second of which drops an item that will come in handy when talking with Fire Knight Queelign later on — the Iris of Occultation. Other noteworthy items found in the Sunken Chapel include the Fire Knight's Seal, the Battlefield Priest's Cookbook [1], and a Scadutree Fragment.

As players search for the above mechanism to drain the flooded Church District, they will come upon a locked door to the Prayer Room that requires the Prayer Room Key to open. The key can only be obtained after defeating the NPC invader version of the challenging Fire Knight Queelign when he invades earlier in the Tarnished's journey, assuming they passed through