Enshrouded: How to Reach and Rescue the Alchemist From the Ancient Vault

Balthazar, the Alchemist in Enshrouded, sleeps in a glowing pod at the top of an Ancient Vault. Reaching him takes a short walk outside and a longer climb inside. Scavengers guard most of the way, so arrive ready to fight.

Quick answer: Climb the east stairs, cross the courtyard’s south side to the lit front door, then climb north and west through the vault to the purple-lit ritual chamber. Press E at the central pod.

Ancient Vault approach: From the road to the front door

Come at the vault from the road on its east side. The red watchtower in the courtyard works as your landmark. Stay along the south edge of the courtyard instead of cutting through the middle.

Locate the old stone staircase climbing from the road beside the vault’s eastern side. Tall wooden posts border the steps, with carved masks and round shields hanging from them. Climb all the way up.

Enshrouded character climbing stairs on the vault's east side beside posts with carved masks and shields — Climb the ancient stone stairs on the east side of the vault.

Cross the wide stone terrace at the top of the stairs, past the broken stone blocks. Looking west from here, you can see the vault’s courtyard.

Enshrouded character on a wide stone terrace among broken blocks, the vault courtyard to the west — The wide stone terrace at the top, with the courtyard ahead to the west.

From the terrace, ascend the broken stone steps into the courtyard. A lava channel circles the base of the red wooden watchtower at its center, so stay near the edge.

Enshrouded vault courtyard reached by broken stone steps, with a red wooden watchtower ahead — Take the broken stone steps into the courtyard, with the red watchtower ahead.

Head west along the courtyard’s south side. Low carved stone ledges step down westward, and you can jump across them. Barrels, crates and a fire sit on the level above, with the vault door in view ahead. A Scavenger Hound attacks along this stretch.

Enshrouded carved stone ledges stepping down west along the south side toward the vault door — Step down the low stone ledges along the south side toward the vault door.

Pass the shallow walled dip and climb over the rubble beside the wooden palisade. The stone columns of the vault’s front stand right next to it.

Enshrouded character climbing over rubble beside a wooden palisade and the vault's stone columns — Climb over the rubble beside the wooden palisade at the vault front.

Enter the stone yard before the vault and head for its open front entrance, lit and hung with lanterns. Scavengers occupy the yard, while crossbow bolts fly in from behind as you approach the door.

Ancient Vault stone yard with the open front door lit by lanterns ahead — Cross the stone yard to the open, lantern-lit front door.

Inside the Ancient Vault: The climb to the ritual chamber

Beyond the front door lies a pillared hall, lit by lanterns, with rubble piled against its rear wall. Illuminated exits branch north and south. Choose the northern one.

Enshrouded first hall of the Ancient Vault with pillars, lanterns and rubble against the back wall — The first hall inside the vault, with rubble heaped against the back wall.

Pass through the illuminated north-side exit from the first hall. It leads into a side room containing stacks of planks and a pile of rubble. Cross the room to the lit exit opposite.

Enshrouded side room north of the first hall with stacked planks, rubble and a lit doorway — Go north into the side room and head for the lit doorway.

Pass through that doorway and turn west into a storage room full of crates and a cart. Scavengers attack here.

Enshrouded storage room in the Ancient Vault with crates and a cart, heading west — Continue west through the storage room past the crates and cart.

At the far end of the storage room, ascend the short wooden staircase. It brings you into a large room, where red grated spike traps are embedded in the floor.

The red grates hurt badly when you step on them. Stick to the plain stone floor between them.

Enshrouded character standing on a red grated spike trap in a large vault room — The floor of the big room has red grated spike traps.

Cross to the west side of the spike-trap room and take the stone steps up to a landing.

Enshrouded stone steps going up on the west side of the spike trap room — Take the stone steps up on the west side of the room.

From the landing, climb the long staircase that runs south. At the top, follow the lit corridor east.

Enshrouded lit corridor in the Ancient Vault with stairs climbing up at its end — Follow the lit corridor to the stairs at its end.

Climb the stairs at the end of that corridor. At the top, turn north along the next corridor.

Enshrouded upper corridor of the Ancient Vault heading north — At the top, follow the upper corridor north.

Watch the west wall of the north corridor for a doorway into a purple-lit chamber. Go through it.

Enshrouded doorway on the west side of the corridor opening into a purple-lit chamber — Turn west through the doorway into the purple-lit chamber.

Clear the Scavengers guarding the ritual chamber. Brass pods line its walls, and a glowing pod sits in the middle.

Enshrouded purple-lit ritual chamber with brass pods along the walls and a glowing central pod — The ritual chamber, with brass pods along the walls and a glowing one in the middle.

Waking Balthazar and what the rescue unlocks

Approach the glowing pod at the center until the “E Awaken Survivor” prompt appears. Press E once; holding the key has no effect.

Enshrouded glowing central pod in the ritual chamber showing the 'E Awaken Survivor' prompt — Approach the glowing pod and use the ‘E Awaken Survivor’ prompt.

You’ll know the rescue worked when “SOUL DISCOVERED! BALTHAZAR” appears with his portrait. Two recipe banners follow it.

Enshrouded 'SOUL DISCOVERED! BALTHAZAR' banner with his portrait and the Bonemeal recipe unlock — The ‘SOUL DISCOVERED! BALTHAZAR’ banner appears with ‘RECIPE UNLOCKED! Bonemeal at Grinding Stones’.

“SOUL DISCOVERED! BALTHAZAR” adds Balthazar the Alchemist as a discovered soul.
“RECIPE UNLOCKED! Bonemeal at Grinding Stones” unlocks Bonemeal at the Grinding Stones.
“RECIPE UNLOCKED! Shroud Survival Flask (+12 more) at Alchemist” unlocks the Shroud Survival Flask and more recipes at the Alchemist.

Enshrouded 'RECIPE UNLOCKED! Shroud Survival Flask (+12 more) at Alchemist' banner beside the pod — The banner reads ‘RECIPE UNLOCKED! Shroud Survival Flask (+12 more) at Alchemist’.

The full Ancient Vault walkthrough covers the rest of the vault interior, how to summon Balthazar at your base, and every recipe he brings with him.