How to get the east Map Fragment in ER Shadow of the Erdtree

So, you’re looking to reveal the east portion of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree’s map, and while I’d - jokingly - suggest saving yourself the trouble of visiting the place, which is very eerie and very creepy, the Abyssal Woods is an area well worth checking out.

There’s lots of resources here - from Runes to Cookbooks - and some really bizarre happenings to experience, making it one of the more interesting regions of the DLC to explore. But before we get started, there are spoilers ahead for the area you’re going to and what points of interest it contains; I will not be naming any bosses or enemies here.

Without further ado, here’s how to unlock the eastern Map Fragment in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree.

How to get the eastern Map Fragment in Shadow of the Erdtree

The eastern Map Fragment in Shadow of the Erdtree reveals the portion of the map between Scadu Altus and the Cerulean Coast/Jagged Peak, and once revealed, it looks like the stuff of nightmares: a swamp.

Well, the good news is that the Abyssal Woods - which is the region the eastern Map Fragment reveals - is not actually a poison or rot swamp. Though, the bad news is that those you encounter in this region inflict something much more damning: madness.

Being consumed by madness is easy enough to avoid for the most part, though, so don’t worry too much. Anyways, your path to the Map Fragment - and the area in general - is quite a long one, so strap in.

First things first, you’ll want to have ventured to and gone inside Shadow Keep. You can do this by defeating the boss at the Main Gate, or by taking the path northwest of the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, which spits you out at the Church District behind the Keep.

Once inside the Keep, you want to go to the main plaza with the stairs and multiple burning boats. Where the boats are, there’ll be a ladder leading downwards (likely marked with a helpful message from another player, if you’re playing online).

Go down the ladder and follow it around to retrieve the Domain of Dragons Painting, and you’ll eventually come to a stone coffin. You know where this is going… Ride the coffin down the waterfall and collect the Castle Watering Hole Site of Grace.

Now, explore the Ruins of Unte all you please, and head south, platforming along the rocks that are in front of the waterfall here. You’ll soon reach Recluse’s River Upstream and want to continue carefully riding south, minding any gaps in the terrain (there’s a few!), until you arrive at Recluse’s River Upstream.

Here, you can go back on yourself to access the Dryleaf Seal and Eastern Nameless Mausoleum, but to reach the Abyssal Woods, you want to continue south and platform downwards using the headstones.

Keep platforming down and at the very bottom, on your left, you’ll be able to enter Darklight Catacombs. I recommend exploring the place at your own pace and grabbing all the loot there is to find, but if you want to beeline for the Map Fragment, here’s how to reach the boss and get out of here as soon as possible.

• Equip a lantern, it’s dark in here!
• Go straight, and then right.
• Go down the stairs. A gargoyle with a cannon will be on your right.
• Go down the stairs on your left and down the ladder. There’ll be another gargoyle on your right in the following room.
• Go down the following ladder: there is another gargoyle ahead, and a brutal sorcerer to your right. I recommended taking the sorcerer out before they start slinging spells.
• Go down the ramp past the sorcerer and take the elevator. At the bottom, there’ll be a Stake of Marika, so don’t worry about having to trek all the way back here again if you die.
• After the elevator, go down the stairs in the following room. Head left, down more stairs, and into a room with a ladder.
• After going down the ladder, anticipate two more gargoyles. Go down the stairs east and ignore the sorcerer.
• Go down the following elevator, and press ahead. There is a huge cannon-wielding gargoyle here but his attacks are dodged easily enough.
• If you go north of the gargoyle, you can access a lever that turns the lights on in this area first.
• Once that’s done, head south of the gargoyle and down the stairs. Then, go into the room on your right and down the elevator.
• The boss for the cave is just up ahead.

After you defeat the boss for Darklight Catacombs, you’ll be able to exit their arena - which is now home to the Forsaken Graveyard Site of Grace - and enter Abyssal Woods.

You’ll want to head south until you reach the Woodland Trail Site of Grace, and then keep heading south of here. You’ll likely run into a human enemy along the way that can be particularly brutal, but beat them, press ahead, and you’ll eventually see the Abandoned Church in the distance, with the eastern Map Fragment just in front of it.

Be sure to grab the Church Ruins Site of Grace and the Frenzyflame Perfume Bottle in the ruins while you’re here as well.

For more on Shadow of the Erdtree, take a look at how to get the south Map Fragment and how to get the north-west Map Fragment while you're at it. Additionally, here's where you'll find Scadutree Fragments.