Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree: How to Start It and Reach Every Hidden Area
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Short answer: To enter Shadow of the Erdtree, defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, then touch the withered arm on the cocoon in Mohg’s throne room. In the Land of Shadow, several areas are hidden: the Abyssal Woods (through an illusory wall and coffin from the Specimen Storehouse), the Hinterland (use the “O Mother” gesture at a Marika statue), Jagged Peak, Charo’s Hidden Grave and the Stone Coffin Fissure.
How to start the DLC
- Defeat Starscourge Radahn. To start his festival, unlock any Site of Grace on the Altus Plateau, or advance Ranni’s quest to the right point, then use the portal on the beach at Redmane Castle.
- Reach Mohgwyn Palace (the teleporter in the west of the Consecrated Snowfield, or the Pureblood Knight’s Medal from White Mask Varré’s quest) and defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood.
- Touch the withered arm hanging from the cocoon on Mohg’s throne. If you cannot, rest at the nearby Site of Grace to reload; Needle Knight Leda appears next to it.
FromSoftware recommends a character level between 120 and 150.
Hidden areas in the Land of Shadow
| Area | How to reach it |
|---|---|
| Abyssal Woods | From the Specimen Storehouse First Floor grace, take the lift down, head east to a ladder through a gap, go west under the falling water to a room with a painting. Break the illusory wall to its right and enter the coffin. Continue through the Ruins of Unte and the Darklight Catacombs and defeat Jori, Elder Inquisitor. |
| Hinterland | Pick up the “O Mother” gesture in the grass north of the Bonny Village grace, then perform it at the Statue of Marika near the Back Gate grace. |
| Jagged Peak | Defeat the Ancient Dragon-Man at the end of Dragon’s Pit in the Gravesite Plain, then head north past the lake of sleeping dragons. |
| Charo’s Hidden Grave | From the dragon lake, head south to the giant stone dragon, jump onto its wings with Torrent and cross to the east side. |
| Stone Coffin Fissure | Drop into the large hole on the southwest coast of Charo’s Hidden Grave (it opens after you visit Shadow Keep). Bring a light source. |
| Ancient Ruins of Rauh | From the Specimen Storehouse First Floor grace, take the lift down, use the small wooden door beside the big iron door, cross the bridge and ride the lift past the Fire Knight. |
Base game guides: Ranni’s quest and Deeproot Depths. More guides: all Elden Ring guides.
Sources
- GGRecon: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, all areas and how to reach them
- KeenGamer: How to access the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree area
Last checked against sources: 10 November 2026.
