In Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the elusive “O Mother” gesture is more than just a simple emote-it’s your key to unlocking the mysterious Hinterlands, a hidden area packed with lore and challenges. To claim this coveted gesture, you’ll need to venture north of Bonny Village, navigating perilous ruins and secret underground paths. Once obtained, using the “O Mother” gesture at the statue of Queen Marika in the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate reveals a secret passage that opens up an entirely new realm to explore. This guide will lead you step-by-step to find and use the “O Mother” gesture, ensuring you don’t miss out on one of the DLC’s most intriguing secrets.
In this Elden Ring guide, we’ll show you where to find the “O Mother” gesture and where you need to use it.
O Mother gesture location in Elden Ring DLC
The O Mother gesture in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is found just north of Bonny Village in the Scadu Altus region. To reach it, players should fast-travel to the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace, then head east to a large underground opening. After carefully dropping down and navigating through tunnels, they will arrive at Bonny Village. From there, traveling northeast past a ravine and using Torrent’s double jump, players will find a withered tree beside a headless statue. Interacting with this statue grants the O Mother gesture, which is essential for progressing certain questlines and unlocking hidden paths in the DLC.
To learn the O Mother gesture, you’ll need access to Bonny Village, which lies west of Scadu Altus and southeast of Moorth Ruins. The O Mother gesture is located directly north of the Bonny Village map icon, at the far north end of the village’s landmass.
Once you’ve reached Bonny Village, head east and, while riding Torrent, double-jump over the small ravine that bisects the village. Then ride north until you see a lone tree at the north end of the village.
Just underneath that tree is a headless statue. Interact with it and you’ll acquire the O Mother gesture.
How to get to Bonny Village in Elden Ring
To get to Bonny Village in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, start by progressing through the DLC until you defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, at Castle Ensis to unlock access to the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace. From there, head southeast past enemies to a slanted house with an open doorway. Enter the house and descend the stairs into a large depression in the ground. Carefully navigate the drops using your mount, Torrent, to avoid fatal falls, then ride through the cave and climb the ladder at the end to emerge at Bonny Village. Activate the Bonny Village Site of Grace once inside to save your progress.
Bonny Village is accessible through an underground tunnel that can be reached from Moorth Ruins. A hole in the ground east of the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace is your entry point, but be mindful which way you enter the underground area.
The best, and safest, way to reach that underground area is from a ledge in the broken remains of Moorth Ruins, seen below.
From here, the journey through the underground of Moorth Ruins toward Bonny Village is pretty straightforward. You’ll encounter a few Shadow Undead and candelabra mages, and can acquire the Shattered Stone talisman and Golden Arcs incantation along the way.
You’ll know when you’ve found Bonny Village when you reach the rope ladder seen below.
Where to use the O Mother gesture
The “O Mother” gesture in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is used at the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace, specifically in front of a statue of Queen Marika. Performing the gesture there causes the statue to move aside, revealing a secret passage that grants access to the Hinterland area. This area is crucial for progressing in the DLC, including advancing Count Ymir’s questline and exploring new regions like the Shaman Village and the Finger Ruins of Dheo. It is recommended to activate the nearby Hinterland Site of Grace before proceeding, as two Tree Sentinel bosses guard the path beyond.
To access the Hinterland and the Ruins Map (2nd) area, you’ll need to go through Shadow Keep. From the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace, walk north, where you’ll see a side passage to the east that leads to a headless statue of Marika. At this altar, you’ll need to use the “O Mother” gesture to open a secret passageway leading to the Hinterland site of grace.
From here, you will face a pair of Tree Sentinels, have access to the Shaman Village and Fingerstone Hill, which is home to the Finger Ruins of Dheo.
How does the “O Mother” gesture unlock new areas in Elden Ring DLC
The “O Mother” gesture in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC unlocks new areas by acting as a key to a secret passage. After acquiring the gesture north of Bonny Village, players must use it in front of the Queen Marika statue located at the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace. Performing the gesture there causes the statue to move aside, revealing a hidden path that grants access to the Hinterland, a previously inaccessible region in the northeastern part of the Shadow Realm map. This area includes important locations like the Shaman Village and Finger Ruins of Dheo, and is essential for progressing certain quests such as Count Ymir’s storyline. It is recommended to activate the nearby Hinterland Site of Grace before proceeding, as powerful Tree Sentinel bosses guard the new area.
How does performing the “O Mother” gesture activate hidden pathways in Elden Ring DLC
Performing the “O Mother” gesture in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC activates hidden pathways by interacting with a specific statue to trigger a secret mechanism. After obtaining the gesture north of Bonny Village, players must travel to the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace, where a headless statue of Queen Marika stands. Using the “O Mother” gesture in front of this statue causes it to move aside, revealing a concealed passage that grants access to the Hinterland, a previously inaccessible region in the Shadow Realm. This action effectively unlocks new areas by physically opening a hidden path, allowing players to explore further locations essential for quest progression and exploration.
