Shaded Ruins | Walkthrough Dark Souls II Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Key points of Dark Souls 2 - Shaded Woods/Ruins
Passage to another location
Trap
Shortcut/Passage/Area
Landmark/Switch
Bonfire
NPC (friendly)
Item
Rare opponent/Boss
Passage to another location
SHRINE OF WINTER � Requires the main bosses (The Rotten, Duke's Dear Freja, Lost Sinner, Old Iron King) to be dead.
ALDIA'S KEEP � REquires the King's Ring (Undead Crypt)
Rare opponent/Boss
Flexile Sentry (Titanite Shard) � This opponent is identical with the one that you encounter at the No-Man's Wharf. In this case, you can shoot him with the bow, a a safe distance. Sometimes, it drops the Titanite Shard. Appears once per game.
Boss - Scorpioness Najka
Lion Warrior (Fang Key) � Requires the Fragrant Branch of Yore. The opponent has been turned into stone - you need to lift the spell. After you defeat the opponent, he drops a key.
Basilisk (Petrified Dragon Bone) � This opponent is very easy to take out with the bow. It drops the Petrified Dragon Bone. Appears once per game.
NPC (friendly)
Creighton of Mirrah � He is sitting next to the passage to the forest in fog.
Head of Vengarl � The head (in the red helmet) on the stones.
Manscorpion Tark � Requires the Ring of Whispers (you can buy it in Majula from Sweet Shalquoir). After you have exhausted the available dialogue options, you can summon him during a boss battle. After you defeat him, he gives the Fragrant Branch of Yore to you.
Weaponsmith Ornifex � Requires the Fang Key. You first need to spring the first trap and descend to the cave. Inside, you will find a door that you can open with a key. DO NOT ATTACK THE CHARACTER THAT YOU MEET. Although he looks like an opponent, from Dark Souls 1. Talk to him and exhaust all of the dialogue options. Ornifex will then move to Brightstone Cove Tseldora.
Darkdiver Grandahl � You need to fall into the second trap.
Item
Gower's Ring of Protection � Only during the NG+, or later. You will find it at the corpse lying at the edge of the location.
Chloranthy's Ring +1 � In the chest, You simply need to keep to the right edge of the location.
Old Sun Ring � In the chest, You simply need to keep to the right edge of the location.
Clear Bluestone Ring +1 � from the location, where you found the Old Sun Ring, into the direction of the opened chest. The ring is in the next container,. next to one of the bigger trees.
Black Knight Halberd � You start at the bonfire and climb up the ruins, to the very top. Now, jump over onto the bridge on the left. Turn around, by 180 degrees and jump into the passage (it is in the ruins). The item is in the chest. You leave the location, by jumping towards the escarpment with the Lion Warrior.
Petrified Dragon Bone � After you leave the ruins and defeat the basilisk turn right - you will then be able to climb to the first floor of the location and reach the chest with the item.
Estus Flask Shard � On the corpse, next to Weaponsmith Ornifex
On the corpse, next to Weaponsmith Ornifex � The Lion Mage Armor Set+ Fragrant Branch of Yore. to reach the chest, you need to lift the spell from the nearby Lion Warrior. You can easily use one branch here, because you will get another one in a moment (along with the Lion Mage armor).
Homing Soul Mass � In the chest next to Grandahl
Twinkling Titanite � INside the first trap, in one os the side caves.
Going from the bonfire, go upstairs and use the rightmost passage. You can talk to the lone knight by the wall. Go through the hazy forest. You'll see a corpse next to a tree, you can take a soul and Radiant Lifegem from it. Ghosts of soldiers will attack you on your way.
After you get out of the forest, walk inside the ruins and light the bonfire. Keep going forward and come back to the ruins when you go outside. Defeat the enemies and go back outside.
First, go left. You'll find a Flame Butterfly and a torch in a corpse behind the building. Go inside and break the yellow vases. Be careful about the ones with black smoke because standing near them for too long may result in a curse.
Go downstairs and break the wooden barrels. There's a soul and a Pharros Lockstone behind them.
Go outside and take the Dark Scythe from the chest. Jump down and enter the basement. You'll have to kill another orc. A statue blocks one of the passages, but it will move when you use the Fragrant Branch Of Yore. You'll find here e.g. Black Knight Halberd.
Go back to the main location and open another chest that contains a Human Effigy and Bleeding Serum.
The time has come to fight a giant frog. With a right strategy, this battle can be really easy. Come close to it and move to its side when it goes up. Hit it a few times and move back to a safe distance. Repeat until you win. Search the ruins behind the frog to collect some items.
Another orc is a bit farther. Kill it and destroy the vases on the right. You'll see another urn and a corpse in the corner. Be careful because the boards will break and you'll fall into a hole if you stand on them.
Keep going and defeat the orc. Scour the ruins on the right for items. When you make the statue move, you'll be able to access a chest with Fragrant Branch of yore and Lion mage Set inside.
A bit farther, in the grass, there's a hole that you can jump into. When you get inside, talk to another old man on a chair, empty the chest and go back up. When you enter the tower on the right, you'll be able to take a soul and Skeptic's Spice. Take the passage between two towers and go forward. When you cross the fog, you'll have to fight Scorpioness Najka. After the fight go to Doors Of Pharros.