Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree provides players with one of the most densely packed expansion maps in gaming history. Many full games fail to provide the level of content FromSoftware has created with this DLC. Aside from the main quest – which is as gloriously nebulous as one would hope from this developer – there is a vast network of nether-regions and twisting mountain paths for players to discover as they explore. One of the most difficult to find is the new Abyssal Woods region.

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elden ring southern shores scadutree fragments
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Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - All Scadutree Fragment Locations in Southern Shores

This guide details the location of every Scadutree Fragment in the Southern Shores region of Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

The Abyssal Woods region is found in the eastern portion of the Land of Shadow. Players will have to find a secret path in one of the game's toughest areas to reach this hidden area. This guide will explain the process in full, revealing how to find the Abyssal Woods in the Elden Ring DLC.

How to Get to the Abyssal Woods in Elden RIng: Shadow of the Erdtree

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Begin at the Shadow Keep

To reach SotE's Abyssal Woods, you will need to make it the Scadu Altus. The most common way of reaching this region is by defeating Rellana , Twin Moon Knight at Castle Ensis. Once you have defeated Rellana, there is an exit from the arena that takes you directly to Scadu Altus. The next step is to make your way to the Shadow Keep, which is the large black fortress south of the Scadutree on the map. And though the keep is filled with high-level enemies, you will not have to fight your way through much of it to reach the desired area. Your goal will be a secret chamber that leads to a hidden path.

Follow these steps to reach the secret chamber:

  • First, you will have to defeat the Golden Hippopotamus. This can be a difficult fight, but a bleed build seems to work pretty well. The key here is patience. The hippo will punish you if you stay too close for too long.
  • Continue along the main path until you reach a bridge with several pyres. These firepits look almost like small boats with flames at their center.
  • Head all the way down to the end of the bridge. On the eastern side, you'll see a ladder not long before the end. Use the ladder to reach the small path at the bottom.
  • Follow the path under the waterfall, then take the next ladder down to the chamber with the painting.
  • In the painting chamber, there is an illusory wall. It is pretty obvious where it is located, it stands out as completely bare among other crowded sections.
  • Hit the wall and walk through. The path will lead you to a coffin. Approach the coffin and interact. This will take you to the next section.

Lower Scadu Atlas

The coffin will drop you off deep in the Scadu Altus, near the Castle Watering Hole site of grace. Go straight ahead past all the dead Furnace Golems. As you ride, one will come back to life, but just keep going. There will be a waterfall at the end, with a path you can follow on the left. Continue until you reach the Recluses' River Upstream site of grace.

From that site, continue along the rock path, crossing the crevice when needed. You'll eventually reach the Recluses' River Downstream site of grace. From here, you want to use the tombstones that protrude out from the cliff beneath the site of grace. You'll drop two levels until you reach the level where you find the Darklight Catacombs.

Darklight Catacombs

The catacombs are similar to the many catacombs that exist in the base game and DLC. This dungeon features dark chambers that can be lit using levers found throughout. You'll encounter a giant Big Mouth Gargoyle, and Jori, the Elder Inquisitor. Defeating Jori is the last step to reaching the Abyssal Woods. From the Forsaken Graveyard site of grace, head out into the woods, and you'll see the new region's name showing up on the screen.