The Desolate Keep in Mortal Shell 2, while appearing as a standard dungeon, serves as a deliberate homage to the iconic E1M1: Hangar level from the original Doom. This guide details its location, secrets, and rewards, including a vital Blackmarrow Key.
Entering the Desolate Keep
The Desolate Keep is accessible directly from the Marrow Keep hub. Players should locate Sester Genessa's area and examine the cavern walls for a chalk glyph. Interacting with this illusory wall reveals a passage. Beyond this, a chained chalice awaits; breaking the chains and using the "Commune with Chaos" prompt will initiate the transfer.
Before communing with the chalice, players must acquire the Slayer Seal. This item is found in the cliffside area beyond Merrick the vendor. It is crucial not to equip the Slayer Seal, as doing so will disable achievements, but its presence in the inventory is required to access the Desolate Keep. Once the seal is obtained, interacting with the chalice again will transport the player.
Courtyard Secrets and Rewards
The Desolate Keep's layout directly references Doom's E1M1: Hangar, influencing how its secrets are discovered. From the starting area, proceed left into a large room. A lever, located behind a pillar on the right, opens a path. Up the stone ramp nearby, players can find Coins, 1x Common Moonshine, and 1x Burnt Effigy.
Past the trebuchet in the courtyard, a passage leads to a wall that parts upon approach. After defeating the Giant Roach enemy, a hidden trigger can be found by moving to the right wall in the subsequent corridor. This reveals a long passage with multiple Ballista Heads and Stalkers.
The Hidden Nook
Within the corridor featuring three pairs of torches, a specific secret is activated by walking past the second pair. This hidden trigger opens a small nook in the area with fetid water and Slug Serpents. The nook, situated below scaffolding with a Rock-Throwing Ogre, contains 3x Ventrium.
The Elevator
Returning to the chamber with Slug Serpents and heading to the opposite side triggers another hidden threshold halfway through the corridor. This activates an elevator back in the previously discovered small nook. Riding this elevator to the top rewards the player with a Dorsalite.
The Blackmarrow Key
To complete the Desolate Keep, proceed to the end of the first long corridor with the Ballista Head. The wall will open, revealing the Blackmarrow Key. This key is essential for unlocking new Shell skins. After acquiring it, interacting with the orb will return the player to Marrow Keep. The Desolate Keep can be revisited at any time.
