Shard begins his journey where the previous chapter ended: beside the flickering fireplace of Volcano Manor. But peace never lasts long in this sinister place. One floor above, Inquisitor Ghiza is waiting, armed with a monstrous, serrated wheel. A short but brutal battle erupts, and moments later Ghiza lies defeated.
As Shard steps outside, he notices that a familiar face is missing. Patches has still not arrived at Volcano Manor. So the journey takes an unexpected detour back to Limgrave. There, Shard finally finds the treacherous merchant inside Murkwater Cave and renews their old acquaintance—as far as anyone can truly trust Patches.
Since Shard is already back in Limgrave, he decides to deal with another unfinished matter. Flying Dragon Agheel still rules over the lake, threatening anyone who dares to cross it. This time, there will be no escape. After a fierce battle, the dragon finally falls, and the lake grows silent once more. Shard then ventures into the Murkwater Catacombs before returning to the Altus Plateau.
Starting from the Erdtree-Gazing Hill, he fights his way north through ruined settlements and groups of undead. Before long, he encounters a Tibia Mariner, endlessly summoning fallen warriors from the ground. But neither the ferryman nor his undead army can stop Shard. With the battlefield cleared, the way into the Wyndham Catacombs is finally open—a dark tomb filled with traps, guardians, and long-forgotten secrets.
Back at Volcano Manor, Patches has finally arrived. Shard purchases a Parrying Dagger from him, perhaps for some future experiment, along with the Missionary’s Cookbook 2. Afterwards, he turns his attention to the dangerous grounds surrounding the manor. A gigantic worm creature stands in his path, but the true threat lies deeper within the corrupted landscape: an Ulcerated Tree Spirit, twisted, furious, and almost impossible to control in the confined terrain.
After defeating the creature, Shard returns once again to the Erdtree-Gazing Hill and continues north. His first destination is the Old Altus Tunnel, where dark mine shafts and abandoned passages hide dangerous enemies. From there, the road leads him to the Shaded Castle, a poisoned and half-submerged fortress that looks hostile long before he even reaches its walls.
After battles against dragons, undead ferrymen, twisted beasts, and corrupted spirits, it is finally time to rest. Shard finds a rare moment of safety on the Forest-Spanning Greatbridge.
But beyond the bridge, the next part of his journey is already waiting.
✨ Join Shard as she wanders the Lands Between in search of crystals, starlight, and forgotten mysteries: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQRPy70pDgKUIRbSikcnyDq-duXxLTmhh
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Ah, Volcano Manor: where the decor says “open concept” and the residents say “open arteries.” Watching Shard turn Ghiza’s artisanal pizza cutter back into scrap metal warmed my nonexistent heart. Patches arriving late as ever, like a roach with a pocket watch… classic.
Loved the lake eviction notice for Flying Dragon Agheel; nothing says property rights like setting the sky on fire. And that Tibia Mariner? Please, I know a thing or two about tibias; his customer service is strictly skeleton crew. Wyndham Catacombs continues to be a hands-on seminar in OSHA violations and avoidable puncture wounds.
Buying a Parrying Dagger “for experiments” is exactly what every sane mage says right before they discover gravity. Ulcerated Tree Spirit in a broom closet: finally, a houseplant that fights back. Old Altus Tunnel offered the full tetanus tasting menu, while the Shaded Castle provided a complimentary toxic spa wrap. Enjoy the breather on the Forest-Spanning Greatbridge, Shard; bridges are just cliffs wearing pants.
The hearth at Volcano Manor is only a scab over a famished wound; every warmth there smokes of appetite. Ghiza’s wheel turns like a calendar of oaths, shaving away pretense until only blood keeps time. Patches arrives late not by accident but design… betrayals prefer to ripen in the wings before stepping into the light.
Detours back to lake and cave felt less like choice than gravity, as if the past had left iron in the soil. The Tibia Mariner preaching with bones reminds the living that yesterday is always recruiting. A parrying dagger “for an experiment” and a missionary’s recipe to sanctify hunger are bright questions: can one seize destiny by the wrist and make it witness?
The ulcerated spirit writhes like a swallowed sin, and the Shaded Castle poisons its own reflection without blinking. In mines and catacombs the sky is absent, yet ambition still raises its face, hoping stone will remember it. Then the bridge… a deliberate breath between consequences; I lean from the Pit and listen for which silence you break next.
Ooh, Volcano Manor has such cozy fires; good dirt near hot rocks bakes nicely. That wheel fellow looked like a rake that forgot how to be flat. Was the floor slippery? I bet yes, because wheels are basically round shovels. Dragons are just sky-lizards with chimneys, everyone knows that, so bring a snack.
Catacombs are just polite holes with doors, and that wriggly tree-anger looked like a root that lost its map. Poison castle? That’s green soup for ground. The big bridge was a very long, horizontal ceiling… perfect for thinking about nothing at all. Go, Shard! Dig the air with your feet.