Unlock the secrets of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree by discovering the elusive Shadow Keep’s Back Gate-a hidden exit that leads to the mysterious Hinterlands and crucial questline progress. Navigate treacherous rooftops, secret lifts, and perform the enigmatic ’O Mother’ gesture to reveal this vital passage, unlocking new challenges and treasures beyond the Shadow Keep’s walls.
The back gate will lead you to a few landmarks such as the Scaduview Chalice and the Hinterlands, the elusive top-right of the map in the Realm of Shadow, which is required for the Ruins Map (2nd) in the Count Ymir questline.
Reaching the back gate is a challenge in itself as there is no clear entrance on the map, but you know that it has to be through the Shadow Keep.
Read on to find out how to get to the Shadow Keep Back GateSite of Grace and how to get to the Hinterlands.
How to get to the Shadow Keep Back Gate Site of Grace
To get to the Shadow Keep Back Gate Site of Grace in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, start by teleporting to the Church District Entrance Site of Grace, located northwest of the Cathedral of Manus Metyr. From there, jump onto the building ahead and carefully navigate along the rooftops to the right, using pointed rooftops to make tricky jumps to adjacent buildings. Continue forward until you reach the edge of the platform, then drop down to the area below. Proceed through the northern door and take the elevator down, then follow the path to find another elevator to ride down again. This route will lead you directly to the Shadow Keep Back Gate Site of Grace. Once there, you can access the secret entrance to the Hinterlands by performing the ’O Mother’ gesture at the nearby Statue of Marika.
To start, teleport to the Church District Entrance Site of Grace, which can be found northwest of the Cathedral of Manus Metyr.
Hop over to the building ahead of you and continue along the rooftop to the right towards the next building. Jumping to the next building may seem impossible, but you can make the jump if you use the pointed rooftops. Sprint across the pointed rooftop and jump across to the building to the northwest.
Continue along the edge of the building to the right until you reach the northern corner. Cross over to the platform to your right and quickly jump over to the building northwest of you to avoid the newly-spawned enemies.
On this building, there is a Fire Knight that we recommend to defeat, but you can also sprint past them. Proceed south to the lower half of the roof and look southeast to find a buttress, which is the sloped stone support. Jump onto the buttress and continue to the rooftop, which has a massive hole in it.
Hop into the hole to the arches below and move over to the large hole in the floor to the southwest. Drop in and follow the path to the northwest, which is home to a few Fire Knights. Either defeat them or run past them, and enter the third door on your left. Follow this path and ride the elevator to the top to find yourself at the Specimen Storehouse.
Proceed to your left to find the Storehouse, Backsection Site of Grace and activate it. Head west and climb up the ladder ahead, which will lead you to yet another Fire Knight with its back turned to you.
Avoid the Fire Knight and go up the stairs to the east. Behind the bookshelf, you’ll find a hole in the wall that leads to a wooden path that wraps around the outer wall of the Shadow Keep. Follow the path to find the Storehouse, Loft Site of Grace.
Ride the elevator to the top of the archways and follow the path on your left to find a ladder leading up. Climb up the ladder and follow the path ahead of you towards the large wooden gear. Drop down to the gear and jump over to the wooden platform.
Continue forward until you hit the edge of the platform and drop down to the area below. From here, proceed through the door to the north and take the elevator down. Follow the pathway to find another elevator and ride that down to find the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace.
How to get to the Hinterlands
To get to the Hinterlands in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, you must first reach the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate, which is the only entrance to this elusive area located at the top-right of the Realm of Shadow map. Start from the Church District Entrance Site of Grace inside the Shadow Keep, then navigate rooftops and ledges to reach the Storehouse, Back Section Site of Grace. From there, take the elevator down and follow the linear path to the Back Gate. Outside, near a statue, you need to perform the “O Mother!” gesture to reveal a secret passage that leads into the Hinterlands. If you don’t have this gesture yet, it can be found north of Bonny Village. This route grants access to key landmarks like the Scadutree Chalice and is essential for progressing in the Count Ymir questline.
Starting from the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace, turn into the corridor on your right to find a Statue of Marika. Walk up to the statue and perform the “O Mother” gesture to unlock the secret entrance to the Hinterlands.
You can now continue to find the Ruins Map (2nd) location required to continue the Count Ymir questline.
What secret awaits behind the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate in Elden Ring
Behind the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree lies a secret entrance to the Hinterlands, a mysterious and crucial region in the Realm of Shadow. To unlock this hidden passage, players must perform the ’O Mother’ gesture in front of a Statue of Marika near the Back Gate, which causes the statue to move and reveal a concealed doorway. This secret path leads to important landmarks like the Scaduview Chalice and is essential for progressing the Count Ymir questline by obtaining the Ruins Map (2nd). Additionally, the area beyond the Back Gate features new challenges, valuable Scadutree Fragments, and a major boss battle in the fields outside, making it a pivotal discovery for adventurers exploring the DLC.
What is the hidden secret behind the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate in Elden Ring
The hidden secret behind the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a concealed entrance to the Hinterlands, an important and elusive area in the Realm of Shadow. To reveal this secret passage, players must perform the “O Mother” gesture in front of a Statue of Marika located near the Back Gate Site of Grace inside the Shadow Keep. Upon doing so, the statue moves aside, unveiling a hidden doorway that leads outside to the Hinterlands. This area is crucial for progressing the Count Ymir questline, obtaining the Ruins Map (2nd), and accessing new landmarks such as the Scaduview Chalice. The discovery also unlocks additional challenges, valuable loot like Scadutree Fragments, and a significant boss fight, making it one of the most important and well-guarded secrets in the DLC.
