Mortal Shell 2: How to Enter the Citadel of Penance

The Citadel of Penance sits behind sealed gates in the northwestern stretch of Fainweald, and walking up to it does nothing. The mechanism that raises the gate is missing its lever, and a note posted at the entrance points you toward the thief who took it. There is also a second, sneakier way in that skips the whole errand — at the cost of dropping you into a cell.

Quick answer: Kill the Bloodcursed Lithopod in the ravine southeast of the Citadel to get the Citadel Gate Lever, then slot it into the mechanism beside the main gate to open it permanently. To skip that fight, head south from the One-Legged Wolf Beacon to the ruins and touch the candle on the wall — you’ll be teleported straight into the Citadel’s prison cells.

Two ways into the Citadel of Penance

Both routes get you to the same place. The difference is whether you want a permanent front door or a fast, one-way drop into the deepest part of the fortress.

Route	Requirement	Where you end up
Main gate	Citadel Gate Lever from the Bloodcursed Lithopod	Front entrance, open permanently
Candle teleport	None — just reach the ruins near the One-Legged Wolf Beacon	Locked prison cell in the lower levels

Note: the teleport is quick but awkward to leave. You have to fight up through the fortress, and your only way out is a narrow gap near the ramparts. Grabbing the beacon inside solves that.

Citadel Gate Lever location: the Bloodcursed Lithopod fight

Fast travel to the Gloomshade Grove Beacon and head southeast, toward the patch of water marked on your map. If you’re starting from the gate instead, just follow the sloping paths downhill — they lead to the same ravine.

Armored warrior moving through a wooded stretch of Fainweald with two enemies ahead — Cold Symmetry

Keep descending until you reach a waterfall and the pool of water beside it. You’ll see a large rocky outcropping covered in corrupted growths, along with several worm-like enemies patrolling nearby.

Player running down a rocky path toward enemies gathered near the ravine below — Cold Symmetry

Clear the smaller enemies before touching the outcropping. The poison enemies and worms chew through your health if you leave them alive during the boss fight, and the Troubadour’s Lute can confuse them if you already have it.

Approach the outcropping to summon the Bloodcursed Lithopod, a large stone crab that hurls itself at you. Watch for the wind-up where it hunches backward before leaping — that one is easy to Parry or Deflect with your Seal, and it opens the boss up for a counter.

Kill it and pick up the Citadel Gate Lever from its remains. A “New Item Acquired” popup confirms it, and the Ravaged Hideout dungeon nearby becomes accessible if you feel like detouring.

If you want to double-check before hiking back, open your inventory. The lever appears with a short description telling you to unlock the Citadel’s gate.

Inventory screen showing the Citadel gate item selected with its unlock description — Cold Symmetry

Where to use the Citadel Gate Lever

Return to the Gloomshade Grove Beacon and travel west. Stay on the path and it eventually runs alongside the Citadel’s outer walls, with a location card appearing as you cross toward the fortress.

Follow the wall until you reach the barred main gate. There’s an armored enemy standing watch here, so deal with it before you start fiddling with the mechanism.

Barred castle gate with an armored guard blocking the approach — Cold Symmetry

Interact with the empty mechanism set into the wall beside the gate. A “Put Lever?” prompt appears with the Citadel Gate Lever selected — confirm it, and the gate opens for good.

Put Lever prompt open at the gate mechanism with the Citadel Gate Lever selected — Cold Symmetry

Coming in through the front means you can walk forward toward the cells and drop down from there, arriving at the same point the teleport route dumps you.

Skip the lever: the candle teleport near the One-Legged Wolf Beacon

Start at the One-Legged Wolf Beacon in the southeastern part of Fainweald and head south past the Tavern, following the rope bridges toward the ruins.

Player following a torch-lit forest path toward a wooden bridge south of the tavern — Cold Symmetry

Turn left just before the bridge and move into the ruins. Look along the wall for the glowing candle. The prompt reads “touch” rather than “pick up,” which is the tell that it isn’t a normal item.

Touch it. You’re immediately transported into a prison cell in the lower level of the Citadel. Hit the cell door with a normal attack to break out.

If you triggered this by accident, don’t panic. Fight your way up, activate the beacon inside, and you can fast travel back out.

What you can find inside the Citadel of Penance

Whichever door you used, the interior holds the same rewards. Take the lift up from the cells and work your way toward the center.

Reward	Where it is
Beacon (fast travel)	Southeast corner of the interior
Revered Gland	Behind a breakable wall at the back of the market stalls; upgrades your Mether’s Pulse healing flask
Eredrim Shell	Center of the fortress, after defeating the Warden

The Warden isn’t waiting for you — you summon it. Head to the middle of the arena and interact with the coin pouch on the ground to start the fight. Beat it and the Eredrim Shell is yours, a heavy option with two active abilities that’s worth switching to before you clear out the rest of the fortress.

If the gate mechanism refuses to accept anything, you simply don’t have the lever yet — the Lithopod has to die first, and the item goes straight into your inventory when it does. And once the gate is open, it stays open, so there’s no reason to keep using the cell teleport afterward.