The Cauldron

The oppressive heat of the Cauldron washes over Death as he enters this foreboding place. Corruption has taken hold in this once-sacred temple, and it must be confronted to restore the Fire of the Mountain.

The Cauldron Maps

Area 1: Cauldron Entry

Destroy the debris in the Cauldron’s first room to discover minor items, and then push the handle on the wall to unbar the west door.

Area 2: Cauldron Chamber

This wide chamber houses the Cauldron, but the massive device has been sealed so the Fire of the Mountain does not flow from the temple as it should. Slay the Construct Warriors to the west, and then open the chest they were guarding. Afterward, head north to discover a curious object called a Shadowbomb pod.

Press the Action button to collect a Shadowbomb from the pod, and then press the Aim button to take aim at the switch on the north wall. Press the Special Item trigger to hurl the Shadowbomb at the switch. The bomb sticks to the switch, then quickly explodes. This activates the switch and unbars the north door.

Before advancing through the north door, collect another Shadowbomb and run west, circling around the Cauldron itself to locate some yellow Corruption crystals. Stand back and toss the bomb at the crystals—it obliterates them when it explodes, exposing a hidden chest! Proceed through the north door after claiming your valuables.

Area 3: Statue Room

A giant statue of a proud Maker dominates the east side of this room, and a locked door lies to the west. Cut down more Construct Warriors here. Advance through the north door afterward.

Area 4: Broken Floor Chamber

Beware of accidentally falling into boiling lava in this hazardous room. Carefully collect the Boatman Coin from the sloped floor near the lava, then run up the west wall and grab the long hand hold. Shimmy across and perform a 180 leap to reach solid ground. Jump over the next small gap in the floor, and then move to explore the chamber's north half.

Boatman Coin 8

Run up the small south wall and grab a hand hold. Run up the wall again and jump to grab the hanging post behind you.

Circle around the post and perform a 180 leap to reach a series of beams.

Leap across the beams to reach a wall with a hand hold, and then wall-run to reach another hand hold.

Shimmy around the second hand hold and wall-run to reach some growth. Climb down and press the Action button to drop to solid ground.

The growth leads down to a Shadowbomb pod. Collect a bomb and toss it at the distant switch to activate it and unbar the east door.

Area 5: Statue Room 2

Beware: Construct Warriors ambush you in this wide chamber, along with new enemies called Construct Adjuncts. Take advantage of the ample space and Evade often to avoid damage. Proceed through the north door after the battle.

Area 6: Crumbling Corridor

Cut straight across this ruined corridor to discover an ornate chest that contains the Dungeon Map. Now you can see the whole of the Cauldron by consulting your map. Rooms you’ve yet to explore appear as a darker shade of gray.

Dungeon Map

Area 7: Stalker Arena

The crumbling corridor leads to a wide, circular room. Death witnesses a curious sight here: a monstrous beast known as a Stalker is being attacked by a relentless torrent of Construct Warriors. Pause and watch the battle, for the Constructs are doing you a favor in weakening the Stalker.

When the Stalker is near death, storm forward and join the fray. Cut down the remaining Constructs, then land the killing blow against the Stalker to advance Muria’s side quest.

Destroy the arena’s outlying clutter to potentially score healing potions, along with a Boatman Coin.

Boatman Coin 9

Open the ornate chest in the room’s west alcove to obtain a special item called a Skeleton Key.

Skeleton Key

With the Skeleton Key in hand, wall-run across the south pit to return to Area 4. Continue moving south to reach Area 3, where more Construct Warriors guard the locked door you noticed before. Dispatch the Constructs and open the door with the Skeleton Key, which vanishes after use.

If you ever feel lost, press and hold the Movement Stick to summon Dust and send the crow flying toward Death’s next objective. Dust can help show his master the way forward at any time, so keep this in mind.

Area 8: Orb Room 1

Approach the unusual blue orb in this small room and press the Action button to grab it.

Roll the orb over the indentation on the ground to cause a section of nearby wall to rotate, revealing a peg.

Run up the wall and vault from the peg to reach a high hand hold.

Shimmy to the right and perform a 180 leap to grab a floating Boatman Coin.

Boatman Coin 10

Return to the hand hold and wall-run to the right to reach a balcony. Check behind the large statue here to discover a chest.

Return to the hand hold and wall-run to the left to reach some growth. Climb up to visit the Cauldron’s second floor.

Area 9: Cauldron Chamber—West Balcony

You’re now on the second floor, overlooking the Cauldron chamber. Raid the chest on the east landing and smash the surrounding jars and debris for minor valuables.

Run up the wall in the south alcove and vault from the peg to reach a hand hold. Before shimmying around the corner, perform a 180 leap to reach a small nook behind you, where a large chest is cleverly hidden.

Return to the hand hold and shimmy around the corner, then run over to some growth. Climb down and drop to solid ground before heading through the hole in the wall.

Area 10: Lava Corridor

Push the switch on the wall beyond the hole. This lowers a gate to the south. Advance and slay the Construct Warriors you encounter farther down the corridor. The south door is locked, so proceed through the west door instead.

Area 11: Orb Room 2

Cut down more Constructs in this area, including a few bothersome Adjuncts. Collect a Shadowbomb from a pod in the northern nook afterward, then use it to destroy the nearby Corruption crystals, exposing another blue orb.

Roll the orb south, past the first indentation on the ground, and fit it into the southern-most indentation. This lowers a gate, exposing a second orb. Collect the Book of the Dead Page found near the second orb.

Book of the Dead 3

Grab the second orb and roll it onto either of the two slots near the west stairs. Use a Shadowbomb to dislodge the first orb, and then roll it onto the remaining slot near the stairs. With both orbs in place, the west gate lowers, exposing a chest that contains a Skeleton Key.

Skeleton Key

Well done! Now return to the outer hall and use the Skeleton Key to unlock the chained door to the south.

Area 12: Smelter

First thing’s first: smash the debris in this large room’s northeast corner to discover a hidden Boatman Coin.

Boatman Coin 11

Next, push the nearby switch to raise the central cauldron. You must use the cauldron to cross the room, but it lowers after a brief time, so make haste.

Immediately after raising the cauldron, run up the west wall and grab the hand hold.

Wall-run across the gap in the hand hold, then drop from the end to reach solid ground below.

Make a daring jump and grab the hand hold at the base of the raised cauldron.

Shimmy to the left and jump up to grab the cauldron’s higher hand hold. Shimmy around and perform a 180 leap to reach the east ledge.

You made it! Now, simply wall-run between the east wall’s hand holds to work your way around to the south ledge. Use the south alcove’s pegs to reach a high hand hold, and then wall-run to the left. Jump from another peg to reach a higher hand hold, and then shimmy to the left and drop down to the balcony below.

shadowbomb action

Next, grab a Shadowbomb from the balcony’s pod and take aim. Toss it down at the Corruption crystals in the west alcove below. This clears out a nook that contains a large chest. Carefully drop down to the ground floor and explore the nook to claim your prize.

Return to the upper balcony with the Shadowbomb pod. This time, throw a bomb at the far switch near the north stairs. This raises the central cauldron once more, and you can simply sprint across it to reach the north balcony.

Area 13: Gharn Showdown

A gate rises behind Death as he struts into this circular chamber, trapping the Rider inside. Within moments, a monstrous Construct named Gharn smashes through the far wall. Prepare for battle!