Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
Unless you’ve stumbled upon the eastern area of the map early on in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, there’s a good chance this mysterious and lower section has eluded you in Elden Ring. No matter where you go along its perimeter, it’s just sheer cliffs with a thick cloud covering below. Here’s how to reach the lower area on the right side of the map.
The eastern section of the Shadow of the Erdtree map can be accessed via the Darklight Catacombs, which itself is south of the Castle Watering Hole. This is quite a trek, as you’ll need to make your way into the Shadow Keep, through main entrance and into the sewers, out into the lake with the Ruins of Unte, and then follow the canyon south. You’ll want to hit the Recluses’ River Upstream and Recluses’ River Downstream Sites of Grace on your way.
That’s a lot of things to do. For those who would like some more step-by-step directions, let’s dive in. If you haven’t already, make sure you have access to the Shadow Keep, which is the large, black castle to the north.
From the Main Gate Plaza in Shadow Keep, go through the shortcut door on your right (you will need to have unlocked this by going to the left first). Defeat the enemies, ascend the stairs, and go right again. There is a ladder along the railing that leads down to the moat and a waterfall. There is a secret tunnel behind the waterfall, descend the ladder within to find the Domain of Dragons painting.
Follow the path to reach a coffin on the edge of the sewer. Enter the coffin and proceed to the Castle Watering Hole Site of Grace. From here, it’s a rather straightforward path south.
Follow the eastern side of the cliff to reach the Recluses’ River Upstream Site of Grace. Push onwards and you’ll eventually need to jump to the western side. Continue along to find the Recluses’ River Downstream Site of Grace. The path will bend to the west, with several moderately sized drops down a series of ledges. There are also a bunch of bug people, so be careful.
Drop down the ledges to reach a foggy grove with the small, Vulgar Militiamen. There will be some stone coffins leading to the Darklight Catacombs. Unfortunately, the journey doesn’t get any easier.
The next leg of the journey to the eastern area is to get through the Darklight Catacombs. This is a multi-floor dungeon that is completely dark. You’ll need to move through each floor, looking for a lever to turn on the braziers, and then proceed down a ladder to another lift.
The difficulty of this area comes in the form of the imps. There is one type that uses its weapon as a pogo stick and another with a mouth-cannon. On the last floor is a giant, mouth-cannon imp. You’ll need to locate the lever to lower it down to destroy it.
Once you finally get through the Darklight Catacombs, you’ll need to defeat the boss. This is a cleric of sorts that can summon spirits. Deal with it however you please and then proceed into the area you’ve been searching for.
You’ve now arrived in the eastern area of the Shadow of the Erdtree map, the part that is far below everything else and shrouded in fog. This area is known as the Abyssal Woods. Follow the main path to the map fragment and then enjoy traversing this nightmare frontier. Good luck, Tarnished. Be sure to check out our Elden Ring Strategy Guide for more assistance navigating the Shadow Realm.