Mortal Shell 2: How to Get the Forgotten Crossbow in the Flooded Village

The Forgotten Crossbow is a long-range sidearm hidden inside the Flooded Village, a dungeon tucked away in the Fainweald region of Mortal Shell 2. Reaching it takes two things: getting past an illusion gate to enter the dungeon, and finding the Damp Key that opens the door where the crossbow sits.

Quick answer: Travel northwest of the Blackridge Pass beacon, break the wooden boards on the stone arch to expose the illusion gate, and walk through it into the Flooded Village. Grab the Damp Key from the porch of the elevated house in the back-left corner, then use it on the locked door at the top of the scaffolding structure to claim the Forgotten Crossbow.

Where the Forgotten Crossbow is located

The crossbow sits behind a locked door inside the Flooded Village dungeon. The dungeon entrance is northwest of the Blackridge Pass beacon. If you are still early in Fainweald, you can reach the same area by following the sloping path down from the Widow’s Overlook beacon and crossing the rope bridges to the lower crags.

Detail	Info
Item type	Sidearm (ranged)
Region	Fainweald
Dungeon	Flooded Village
Nearest beacon	Blackridge Pass (dungeon lies northwest)
Key required	Damp Key

Enter the Flooded Village through the illusion gate

Start at the Blackridge Pass beacon and follow the path heading northwest until you reach the enemy encampment at the end.

Clear the enemies in this area, including the Spear Maidens and Toxic Cultists that patrol the crags. Watch your poison meter, since some of these foes apply it on contact.

Armored player holding a greatsword in a ruined courtyard as Coin and Gloom rewards pop up after a fight

Look for a stone arch covered by wooden boards on the stone platform. Hit the boards to destroy them and reveal the illusion gate behind them.

Stand on the west side of the gate and look through it toward the stone building. Framing the building through the gate removes the barrier blocking its entrance.

Walk through the gate, enter the stone building, and head down the steps to descend into the dungeon.

When a metal gate blocks your path, destroy the crates on the left side of the room to expose a square plate on the wall. Press the plate to raise the gate, then ride the elevator down to the Flooded Village.

A yellow arrow points to a wooden crate against the wall as the player approaches to break it

Note: The elevator collapses partway down, so expect a fight as soon as you land. Toxic Stalkers roam this area and will poison you, so deal with them before exploring.

Find the Damp Key on the elevated house

The Damp Key sits on the porch of an elevated house in the back-left corner of the dungeon. You need it before you can reach the crossbow, so head there first.

After leaving the lift, follow the wooden slat path to the right until you reach the structure with wooden scaffolding. Take its wooden stairs down toward the bottom of the dungeon.

The scaffolding structure and wooden stairs leading down into the flooded lower level of the dungeon

Just before the first flight of wooden stairs, glance right to spot a locked door. That is the door the Damp Key opens, with the Forgotten Crossbow behind it, so remember its position.

At the bottom of the stairs, go right to work your way around the long wooden structure in front of you.

Use the rooftops and wooden slat bridges to climb across to the elevated house in the corner. The house has torches out front, which helps you confirm you have the right building.

On the porch, take the Damp Key from the top of the metal crate.

Player approaching a yellow-highlighted crate holding the Damp Key beside a wooden shelter

Unlock the door and claim the crossbow

With the Damp Key in hand, head back to the scaffolding structure you came down when you first entered the Flooded Village.

Climb the two flights of wooden stairs and use the key on the locked door at the top.

Armored character crossing a wooden platform toward a candlelit archway with sword drawn

Enter the room beyond the door and pick up the Forgotten Crossbow.

You will know it worked when the crossbow enters your inventory and a portal appears in the room. That portal sends you back to the entrance of the Flooded Village, so you do not have to retrace the whole dungeon on foot.

Before you leave the dungeon

The return portal is optional. If you have the health for it, spend more time in the Flooded Village before using it. In particular, track down the Grisha here. Defeating it rewards a Grisha Remnant, a permanent pickup you keep for the rest of the run.

The Forgotten Crossbow excels at picking off enemies from a distance, rewarding precise aim on distant headshots. Once you reach the Tarforge in Marrow Keep, it pairs strongly with the Splitting Stone for multi-shot volleys and the Deadeye Stone for extra critical damage, making it a dependable early ranged option.