Scadu Altus (West) Essential Path Walkthrough - Elden Ring Guide - IGN (2024)

The Scadu Altus is the first main region you’ll likely enter in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. This page contains an essential path walkthrough and guide to the western half of Scadu Altus after completing Castle Ensis, including important character questlines, powerful blessings, items, and weapons - and the path to the next major Legacy Dungeon, the Shadow Keep.

Scadu Altus (West) Walkthrough

With the Scadu Altus region being as dense as it is, there’s plenty to do on the western side of another large chasm and river that splits the area — as each side holds their own entrance to different sections of Shadow of the Erdtree’s second Legacy Dungeon, as well as a few smaller dungeons. Our essential path guide will lead you to each of these while finding important items and meeting special characters along the way.

Exiting Castle Ensis after defeating Rellana, you’ll find some of Miquella’s faithful have gathered nearby. Be sure to grab the new Scadutree Fragment by the Cross of Miquella, as well as a Monk’s Missive, along with the May the Best Win Emote.

You can learn more about the group by talking to Leda, and also talk to the Hornsent again to get a New Cross Map, which depicts many more of Miquella’s Crosses in the Scadu Altus. Since they all have more Scadutree Fragments, it’s in your best interest to seek them out before the next Legacy Dungeon.

There’s a lot to find in this region, but it’s best to start by grabbing a new Map Fragment, which you can find by taking the main road a little to the north, where you’ll find one of several patrolling Black Knights on horseback near a Messmer Soldier Camp.

The camp to the north has its own statue of Marika with another Scadutree Fragment on the right of the road, but it’s best to grab it quickly and retreat, unless you want to face down a Furnace Golem.

If you’re looking for a good challenge as well as a rematch of a previous encounter, try heading west up the hill from the camp toward a massive Church of the Crusade. Inside, you’ll be invaded once again by Fire Knight Queelign (the first place you can encounter him is the large plaza in Belurat). He should be a bit tougher than the last time you faced off, using his flaming spear to deal incredible damage.

Defeat him a second time, and he’ll drop his Ash of War - Flame Skewer, as well as a Prayer Room Key which will be important for part of the Legacy Dungeon later on. You can also help yourself to two Scadutree Fragments in the church, and a Rune Arc.

While you’re up on this large hill, note that just to the south is a Scadu Altus West Site of Grace overlooking the otherwise impenetrable Fog Rift Fort, and a path to drop down onto one of the towers. You can clear out the fort to gain a few worthwhile items, including a Greater Potentate’s Cookbook 3, Serpent Flail, Arrow’s Soaring Sting Talisman, and Black Steel Greatshield from the named Black Knight Garrew.

If you looted the Imbued Sword Key while inside Castle Ensis, you’ll be able to use it not too far away. Look for a spot of land between the two falls over Castle Ensis, and you can find a sending gate sealed by an imp statue.

With the Imbued Sword Key, you’ll be whisked away to an isolated spot of the Rauh Ruins far in the northwest, and by besting a Horned Warrior, you can claim the Verdigris Discus Talisman before returning to the region.

Before making your way further north to the next legacy dungeon, consider heading south instead to find the owner of the missive you gained at the Cross of Miquella. Take the main road leading south, and you’ll come upon the large Moorth Ruins, with a small Messmer Soldier Camp that holds a Scadutree Fragment and the Fire Knight’s Cookbook 1.

The entrance to the Moorth Ruins has its own Cross of Miqeulla and another Scadutree Fragment, as well as the mysterious martial artist known as Dryleaf Dane. A man of few (or no) words, you’ll need to use the emote contained in the missive to communicate with Dane, which will lock you into a friendly bout (friendly in that you can defeat him without actually killing him for real, but don’t expect him to go easy).

Best him in combat, and he’ll confer upon you a unique Hand-to-hand weapon style known as the Dryleaf Arts (and Dane’s Hat).

The Moorth Ruins themselves hide a big secret - a large hole in the ruins that allows access to the eastern half of the region (don’t try to jump down the big hole, but instead look for a small hole to the east). We’ll be heading that way a bit later, but if you look around the large sinkhole, you can spot a Shadow Undead holding a pot that will drop another Scadutree Fragment (just beware of another Curseblade Ascetic hiding nearby.

If you climb up from the ruins a little farther to the east on the outskirts, you can also find a large headless body just past a tall draped building fragment holding Revered Spirit Ashes as well!

Venturing to the southwest of Moorth Ruins, you can find the entrance to the Ruined Forge of Starfall Past surrounded by Misbegotten enemies. The mini dungeon is well worth checking out, if not only for the large amounts of smithing stones, but also for an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, Smithing Talisman, and three weapons: the Smithscript Spear, Smithscript Cirque, and Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword!

Further south along the main road, you’ll likely stumble upon a large fight between Messmer’s forces and a Ghostflame Dragon. There’s a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone in it for you if you’re brave enough to take the dragon down, but it might be worth letting both sides tear each other apart before you swoop in for the kill.

While they battle it out, be sure to look around the side of the road leading south to find a body that holds the Repeating Crossbow!

Past the dragon is a small tunnel leading to the southern tip of the region, and the Fort of Reprimand. This small fortified area is full of deadly Omenkillers, but has a few interesting items to grab, including a Furnace Visage, Flamedrake Talisman +3, Messmer Soldier Ashes, Battlefield Priest’s Cookbook 2, and the Ash of War - Aspects of the Crucible: Wings from defeating the named Black Knight Edredd.

From the Ghostflame Dragon, be sure to check along the cliffs to the east, as you can find a sealed Spiritspring, whose unlocking cairn is found just around the cliff corner guarded by some Vampire Bats.

Unsealing the Spiritspring will allow you to leap up to the peak above the Fort of Reprimand, where you’ll find one more of Miquella’s Crosses, alongside a Scadutree Fragment to claim.

Heading back to the north, there’s a secret path worth checking out before moving too far north, as it will help you uncover more of the map. From the Moorth Ruins, head directly north to find a small pool of water with a few friendly worm creatures. On the pond’s northern edge by the cliffs, you’ll find a tunnel entrance with a statue of Marika that has - you guessed it - one more Scadutree Fragment.

Head inside the tunnel to find it filled with poison plants and Perfumer enemies guarding a small golden tree with a Heal from Afar Incantation at its base.

Exiting the tunnel will lead to a vast poison field full of Deathbirds, including several that guard the Gravebird Anklets. You’ll find a much larger tunnel leading west here, taking you to the base of the Rauh Ruins far above.

The Rauh Base Map Fragment is actually located down in this valley, but you’ll need to travel a bit to the southwest past two Guardian Golems to find it.

Back in Scadu Altus, you’ll find a large Messmer Soldier camp to the north, teeming with knights, soldiers, and a large Furnace Golem that can be a pain to fight this early. If you’re feeling bold, try to hit its legs while avoiding the fiery stomps (double jump with Torrent) until you can stagger the legs enough to get the giant monstrosity to fall down.

Whether you bypass it or not, you can explore the camps for a few items - the most notable being a specific Black Knight on a hilltop to the northwest, who will drop a Black Twinblade upon defeat.

As you draw close to the foreboding Shadow Keep, a huge shattering noise will echo across the Realm of Shadow. It can only mean that Miquella has shattered their Great Rune, and with it, the charm that was placed upon his (formerly) faithful adherents.

This is a good time to return to speak to all of Miquella’s followers that you’ve met so far, as many of them have interesting things to say now that they’re no longer under Miquella’s charm:

• Leda’s faith has not wavered in the slightest, and will now commit herself to rooting out dissidents - which you can suggest to her.
• The Hornsent seems unconcerned with the latest development, as he is wholly concerned with his revenge against Messmer.
• Thioller is torn over his infatuation with Miquella’s other half - Saint Trina, and seems more interested in finding Saint Trina.
• Redmane Freyja appears despondent with the charm gone, and declares that she will set forth alone, not wishing to get in anyone else’s way.
• Ansbach will realize the full terrible power of Miquella’s charm, and will become wary of pursuing the demigod further.
• Moore comes depressed that he can no longer hear Miquella’s sway, and is confused at what he and his forager brood should do without Miqeulla’s guiding light.

How you choose to act and influence these characters is up to you, but be aware that certain choices may result in some characters leaving their posts, or even possibly turning against you later. Leda in particular will soon become wary of the Hornsent and plan to take him out, and it will be up to you whether you want to assist either party as you make your way into the next major Legacy Dungeon: The Shadow Keep.