The Prisoners' Domain, the second legacy dungeon in Mortal Shell 2, presents a labyrinthine challenge filled with sewers, Brigands, and formidable Gloom Seekers. This guide details the steps needed to conquer its intricacies, including the formidable boss, the Nameless Captive, and secure all collectibles.
Navigating the Prisoner's Way
Begin by passing through the gateway behind the Nochtean Gate Beacon to enter the Prisoners' Domain. Upon entering, defeat the three Wretches ahead and proceed to confront a Foul Knight. Further on, a Headsman will be engaged with a Gloom Seeker. While the Gloom Seeker is more dangerous, the Headsman's attacks can incapacitate her, allowing you to dispatch him easily. Afterward, use the lever beside the locked gate to enter the Prisoner's Way.
Clearing the Town Square and Activating Beacons
Turn left after the gate to find a Foul Knight. Destroy the crates behind it and proceed down the alley indicated by a dagger symbol. Head to the opposite end of the area, defeat another Foul Knight, and ascend steps to a Resolve Tentacle. Continue upwards to reach the town square. Here, eliminate the Foul Knight in the corner building and the three Nocteserpers nearby, being mindful of their unblockable leap attack. Ride the air current next to them to a higher platform, defeat the two Brigands and Armed Knave guarding it, and collect the coin pouches before dropping down. Continue around the building, defeat the Gloom Seeker that ambushes you, and then face another Gloom Seeker alongside two Sublime Sesters near a large statue. Utilize explosive barrels to topple the statue, creating a ramp to a wall.
The Hangman's Scaffold and Gloombound Legion
Loot the Ventrium by the door at the top of the statue ramp. Proceed through a room filled with iron maidens, where a Foul Knight will emerge. Continue, opening the maidens one by one, and collect the Revered Gland at the end. Turn the corner to find a new Beacon. After defeating two Brigands, activate the Hangman's Scaffold Beacon. Cleanse it and collect the Common Moonshine. Press the button on the wall to lift a gate, revealing an arena. Here, you will face the Gloombound Legion, which consists of five Foul Knights and a patrolling Gloom Seeker. Engage these enemies slowly, kiting them to separate and defeat them safely. Afterward, cleanse the corruption at the arena's end to acquire an Ovum and Glimpse.
Reaching the Executioner's Pulpit
Ascend the stairs beside the cleansed Hangman's Scaffold Beacon. Ignore the Sublime Sester firing from the left as you cross a wooden platform. Circumnavigate a cylindrical stone pillar, destroying barrels to find a Ventrium. Destroy a wooden wall on the next platform to reveal a Gloom Tentacle and collect a Common Moonshine from nearby crates. Defeat the Foul Knight and a Gloom Seeker. Shoot the rope of a vertical wooden plank to create a ramp across a gap. On the subsequent platform, eliminate a Sublime Sester and two Shield Brigands. Loot a Ventrium from the center and cross the bridge. A Sublime Sester on an upper ledge can be baited to your level for an easier fight. After ascending stairs and an elevator, confront a Knight Of Mammon, baiting its roll attack to avoid it before defeating it. Collect another Ventrium from the wall and proceed to drop onto a lower ledge to activate the Executioner's Pulpit Beacon.
The Central Sewers and Slumwater Drain
Descend via the elevator inside the Executioner's Pulpit Beacon into the Central Sewers. Defeat the Foul Knight and the Nocteserper within the first jail cell to the left. Strike the stone button on the cell wall to reveal a secret passage leading to a room with three Sublime Sesters and explosive barrels. A Knight Of Mammon also awakens; lure it near the explosive barrels to push it into a hole. Proceed through the next doorway, defeat the Foul Knights and Nocteserpers, and then the Wraiths that emerge from the iron maidens. Locate the Squall Stone in a chest in the back-right side room. Press the button in the opposite side room. This action lifts the main gate; head through to cleanse the corruption and obtain an Ovum and Glimpse.
To activate the Slumwater Drain Beacon, fast travel back to the Hangman's Scaffold Beacon. Return through the iron maiden room and town square to the wooden platform side door. Destroy the wooden pavise and enter the dark room, where three Brigands will drop from the ceiling. Destroy the crates in the corner to reveal a fake wall; proceed through it and interact with a grate to enter the Sewers. Defeat the Leechtongue, Headsman, and Mycellian Skulks. Squeeze through another grate to find the Slumwater Drain Beacon.
Further Exploration and Tishina's Confessor
From the Slumwater Drain Beacon, return through the grate to the town square. Head to the far side of the hut where three Nocteserpers guard an air current. Defeat them and attack the wall behind them to reveal a secret passage. Drop down to re-enter the Sewers near the Slumwater Drain Beacon. Head up the steps behind the Leechtongue and Skulks. On the balcony, find a Dorsalite atop a throne. Shoot the round target above a stone slab to open a gate. Beyond, defeat a Leechtongue, then an Armed Knave flanked by Crossbowmen. Traverse a Bone Gate to a round elevator. Before ascending, destroy a Bone Statue for another Dorsalite. At the elevator's top, face the miniboss Tishina's Confessor. This boss is vulnerable to parries due to its telegraphed scythe attacks. Defeating it yields the Confessor's Keepsake Tarstone.
The Nameless Captive and Captive's End
After defeating Tishina's Confessor, take the path leading to a Bone Gate that returns you near the Executioner's Pulpit Beacon. Rest there before returning to the arena and taking the other path. Cross the Bone Gate and speak with Ruk on the edge of a large hole. Open the chest on the far side to obtain the Rupturing Stone, then drop into the hole. You will land without taking damage, triggering a cutscene that introduces the Nameless Captive, the major boss of the Prisoners' Domain.
The key to defeating the Nameless Captive lies in learning its attack patterns. Its first combo involves four strikes with specific pauses: strike, strike, pause, strike, pause, strike. The second combo begins with a downward stab. Observe if the Captive raises its leg as it recovers; if so, it will perform two more attacks. If it staggers back, the combo ends early, offering a punishment opportunity. Patience is crucial due to the boss's large health pool. At half health, the Captive gains a new spinning sword attack, best avoided by backing away. It also gains a leaping unblockable attack, with the crucial detail that the sword's retraction from the ground is also an attack.
Upon defeating the Nameless Captive, you will receive the Captive's Scabstone Tarstone and a significant amount of Gloom. Finally, activate the Captive's End Beacon that appears in the arena. Inside, cleanse the corruption to obtain 26 Ova, which will transport you back to the Marrow Keep, concluding your journey through the Prisoners' Domain.