Valor Mortis: Fallen Village Location and How to Reach It

The Fallen Village sits right next to the Abandoned Church, and you reach it while chasing the Rendezvous main quest in Valor Mortis. James hands you the job of tracking down his missing comrade, Louis, and the only way forward runs through a long road, a cemetery, and a short stretch of enemies before the game drops you into the village proper.

Quick answer: Leave the Abandoned Church through the door beside James, turn right and follow the road to the cemetery, grab the Rapier at the roundabout to open the gate, then cut through the graveyard and the enemy clearing to load into the Fallen Village.

An hourglass Lantern hanging from a post in a muddy Fallen Village street, a barn and wooden watchtower behind — The Marketplace Lantern in the Fallen Village.

Start the Rendezvous quest at the Abandoned Church

Once you arrive at the Abandoned Church, you meet James again. He asks you to visit a nearby village and find Louis, who went there and never came back. That conversation begins Rendezvous, the chapter 3 main quest, and the nearby village he points you toward is the Fallen Village.

The church itself is a safe hub rather than a combat zone. It holds no chests and only Risen Soldier enemies, so there is nothing to clear before you set off.

Quests tab with the Chapter III main quest Rendezvous selected and its journal card — Rendezvous, the Chapter III main quest, in the journal.

Route from the Abandoned Church to the Fallen Village

Exit the Abandoned Church through the door standing next to James. Once you are outside, turn right and keep moving forward along the road.

A cobbled churchyard path in autumn light leading past a hooded stone statue with candles at its foot — The churchyard outside the Abandoned Church, on the way to the cemetery.

Follow the road a long way ahead. It ends at a cemetery. You will know you have arrived when you spot a roundabout just before the gate.

Pick up the Rapier at the roundabout. Grabbing it unlocks the cemetery gate behind it so you can pass through.

Go into the cemetery and take the initial turn to your right. Stay on the path until you veer left into a clearing. Enemies are waiting there; defeat them, then make another left.

Move through the open space. The game loads your character into the Fallen Village map, which confirms you have reached the area.

See the Fallen Village’s Lanterns, chests and Ambers on the Fallen Village map.

What the Fallen Village holds

The Fallen Village opens the game up after the tighter early areas, with new enemy types and a larger space to work through. Two pickups matter most as you explore.

The Blunderbuss, a firearm picked up inside the Fallen Village. At level 1 its Arsenal entry shows 150 Damage, and it holds 2 shots.
The Grappling ability, which lets you cross gaps and reach grapple points by looking at one and pressing the interaction button.

William's gloved hand lifting the Blunderbuss off a blue quilted table — The Blunderbuss, picked up in a house in the Fallen Village.

The Iron Marshall waits at the far end of this area. It is an early boss in the progression beyond General Lothaire, the Eagle-Bearer. Its health is 2,400; its single phase has 800 posture, and defeating it yields 7,000 catalysts. It resists ranged damage by 10 percent and explosive damage by 30 percent. None of its attacks build up Ignite or Stasis. Watch for the rising bash: it deals 90 damage and is unblockable.

A two-storey timber barn at night with a hanging hoist chain and plague growth bursting from its upper floor — The Iron Marshall’s barn at the far end of the Fallen Village.

Where to find Louis in the Fallen Village

Louis is in the far south-west of the Fallen Village, across the stream. On the way, Lucjan at the Fields Lantern points to the thick smoke at the back of the village as Louis’s distress signal; his talk prompt only shows when you face him from the front. From the Marketplace Lantern, walk to the end of the wooden jetty and grapple across the stream to the burning village: the Grapple Point comes into range at the jetty’s end, and you press E at GRAPPLE to use it.

The E GRAPPLE prompt on a blue claw-lamp hanging from a dead tree across the stream, burning village behind — From the end of the Marketplace jetty, grapple across the stream to the burning village.

Rest at the Path of Fire Lantern on the far side. Louis’s shed is about 57 m from it: a small timber shed with a barred door, with a tree hung with bodies just to its north-east. Clear the enemies around it first, since the door does not respond while a Grenadier and riflemen are close, then press E at OPEN on the barred door from outside.

The barred timber door of Louis's shed with the E OPEN prompt — Louis’s shed: open the barred door from outside once the enemies nearby are gone.

A scene plays inside: Louis, in a blood-stained apron, is waiting in a candle-lit study. He set his own roof on fire so the smoke would bring help, and he makes it clear he wanted a helping hand, not a rescue. The conversation follows straight on from the scene. He asks about the power you took from the dead man, and you can tell him about the Nephtis Superioris or tell him nothing.

Louis in a blood-stained apron standing in a candle-lit study lined with bookshelves — Louis waiting inside his shed.

Last, he offers Go together or Stay. Go together loads the Abandoned Church at once, and the journal marks Rendezvous complete. In the church, talk to Louis at his lab bench to open Louis’s Laboratoire, then talk to James to start the next chapter.

Louis in a green waistcoat with the dialogue choices Go together and Stay — Go together loads the Abandoned Church at once.

Where to go after the Fallen Village

The Grapple ability comes from its own altar a short walk west of the Iron Marshall’s barn, and Louis is found at his shed, not by beating the boss. The Caverns are your next destination.

Back in the Abandoned Church, speak with James at his Iron Bench after Louis’s talk. That conversation starts Chapter IV, Dark Descent. James explains that Louis tried to reach a salt mine, that its main entrance is barred, and that you will have to make your way through the cave complex instead.

How to open the Cave Grotto Key door

The iron grille door sits at the mouth of the dark tunnel that runs from the Abandoned Church grounds into the Caverns. It is a set of heavy riveted bars held in a timber frame, and it stays shut until you have the right key.

Talk with James in the Abandoned Church after Louis returns, as above. That conversation starts Chapter IV, “Dark Descent”.

James gives you the Cave Grotto Key. The item says, “Opens the path to a nearby grotto leading to the back entrance of the salt mine.”

Move to within about a metre of the bars to see the prompt “[E] INTERACT”. Keep E pressed for roughly a second to open the gate; a brief press might not register.

The E INTERACT prompt at an iron grille door in a dark tunnel — Stand right at the bars and hold E at INTERACT.

When it opens, the grille swings open and the message “The door was opened with Cave Grotto Key” appears; beyond it lies a daylight path across the church grounds. The tunnel carries on to the Caverns, home to the Old Mine, Mine Cart Route and Ancient Lair Lanterns, along with the Sphinx.

The message The door was opened with Cave Grotto Key as the grille swings open onto daylight — The door was opened with Cave Grotto Key.

The grapple point near the church lets you cross the canyon, but the Fortress is not where that path leads at this stage. The Caverns are your actual next step after the Fallen Village.