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Also learn how to reach the Hinterlands and unlock the O Mother gesture
Ready to explore the Scaduview Hinterlands in Elden Ring but don’t know how to reach the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate? We’ve got you covered. This crucial Site of Grace is the only way into the Hinterlands. You'll need to traverse the Church District and make your way through the Shadow Keep Storehouse. Follow this detailed walkthrough to access the Back Gate, find valuable items, and discover what’s waiting beyond.
Quick Guide
- Begin at the Church District Entrance, leaping across rooftops to the cathedral.
- Drop through a rooftop hole into the hallway, then enter the third door on your left.
- Ride the lift to the Storehouse, Back Section, and climb the western ladder.
- Ascend the stairs and move through a hidden tunnel behind a bookshelf to the Storehouse Loft.
- Take the lift up to the rafters and navigate them to reach a platform with a balcony.
- Use the balcony lift to descend, then proceed along the path to another lift going down.
- At the bottom, activate the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace.
Step-by-Step
How to Access the Shadow Keep’s Rear Gate
Head to the Church District Entrance Site of Grace. Begin your journey at the Moorth Ruins Site of Grace in Scadu Altus. Move southeast toward a crumbling structure with a turret. There’s a chasm to the northeast—descend into it and follow the tunnel to find a ladder. Climb to reach Bonny Village, head east to the Bridge Leading to the Village Site of Grace, then continue north.
- Follow the northern road to reach the Church District Entrance Site of Grace and activate it.
- If you’ve previously unlocked this Site of Grace, you can just fast travel there to save time.
Leap onto the rooftop ahead of the Site of Grace. From the Church District Entrance Site of Grace, jump to the roof right in front, then sprint to the opposite side. Next, jump onto the wall ahead and run across to its far end.
- If the jump to the wall feels tricky, try using one of the rooftop spikes for a better launch point.
Locate and ascend the ramp at the far wall. Built from rubble and stones, the ramp lets you reach a ledge directly ahead. Climb it, then turn left and hop over to the next roof. Watch out for enemies that may appear here—you can choose to evade or engage them.
Make your way to the buttress on the rooftop’s far end. Turn left and dash forward until you spot a buttress arch on the next structure. Jump onto it and use it as a ramp to ascend onto the roof. Near the top, you’ll find a hole—your next destination.
- Before reaching the buttress, you may encounter a Fire Knight on the roof. You can fight or bypass the foe as you see fit.
Unlock the Storehouse, Back Section Site of Grace. Drop into the hole, land on the stone arch, dash across, and fall into another gap to reach a hallway. Head down and take the third door on your left to find a lift that leads to the Specimen Storehouse. Turn left to discover and activate the Storehouse, Back Section Site of Grace.
- Watch out for patrolling Fire Knights in the corridor before the lift—you can fight or rush past them.
Ascend to the Storehouse Loft and activate its Site of Grace. From the Back Section Site of Grace, go west to a ladder and climb it. Head east up the stairs and check behind a bookshelf for a hidden passage leading to a wooden path. This wraps around the outer wall to the Storehouse Loft Site of Grace.
- A Fire Knight stands with its back to you at the ladder's top—sneak or strike!
- Along the way, loot 6 Shadow Sunflowers and 1 Blessed Bone Shard from corpses.
Take the lift nearby to access the Storehouse rafters. Use the lift next to the Storehouse Loft Site of Grace. Once up top, cross the beams: go left, left, right, right until you hit a ladder. Climb it, then continue forward, right, right to another ladder and descend.
- The last right turn requires a sprinting jump!
- Find 7 Thin Beast Bones around the corner before the first ladder.
- Loot 4 Smithing Stones after your first left at the top.
- Pick up 4 Rada Fruit from a corpse below the second ladder.
Optional: Grab the Wrath From Afar spell in the rafters. While traversing the rafters, spot a large cog below—drop onto it to collect the Wrath From Afar spell (added in Shadow of the Erdtree). Then jump north to a wooden platform and climb the ladder to rejoin the main path.
- Be cautious—there’s a Fire Knight atop the ladder that may blast you with a wind spell.
- If you fall, look for a lift beneath and ride it back up. It returns you to the Fire Knight’s area.
- While down there, you can also loot 1 Rune of the Unsung Hero from a corpse.
Find and activate the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace. From the second ladder, follow the left-hand path until you're above a platform with circular tables. Drop down and head toward the exit to reach a balcony with a small lift. Ride it down, continue along wooden platforms to a larger lift, and take it straight to the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace!
How to Enter the Hinterlands in Elden Ring
Approach the Statue of Marika and use the sacred gesture. Begin at the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace, then turn right and follow the hallway into a chamber housing a towering Statue of Marika. Stand before it and perform the “O Mother” gesture. The statue will shift, unveiling the path to the Hinterlands!
- Inside the Hinterlands, you’ll progress Ymir’s storyline by visiting the second spot marked on the Ruins Map he handed you at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr.
- Alternatively, head straight from the Site of Grace to battle Commander Gaius. Defeating this Remembrance Boss grants access to 5 Scadutree Fragments near the Scaduview Chalice.
Where to Find the O Mother Gesture in Elden Ring
Obtain the O Mother gesture at a statue near Bonny Village. Still need the O Mother gesture? From Bonny Village (see earlier instructions to reach it), ride eastward on Torrent and perform a double-jump across the ravine. Head north afterward to find a lone tree with a headless statue at its base. Interact with it to acquire O Mother!
