Where To Use Iris Of Grace And Iris Of Occultation In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

TL;DR

  • The Iris items unlock a complex quest involving Fire Knight Queelign and Sword Night Jolan
  • Both Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation are found in Shadow Keep after lowering floodwaters
  • Your choice between Queelign or Jolan determines unique weapon and armor rewards
  • This questline remains accessible even after defeating the DLC’s final boss
  • Proper preparation for Queelign invasions is crucial for success


GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Venturing through the Lands of Shadow in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree reveals numerous hidden mysteries, but one particular treasure hunt demands extensive exploration across multiple regions. This comprehensive walkthrough details the acquisition and utilization of both Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation within the expansion. Be advised that this content reveals significant spoilers regarding major narrative elements.

The Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation artifacts in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree constitute components of an elaborate hidden mission intertwining the fates of Fire Knight Queelign and Sword Night Jolan. Additionally, this endeavor culminates in accessing the sealed chamber within Shadow Keep’s ecclesiastical structure. Prepare for an extensive journey as we unravel every intricate detail.

Pro Tip: Unlike many NPC questlines that terminate after specific story milestones, we verified that the Iris objectives remain completable even after conquering the expansion’s ultimate boss encounter, providing flexibility for post-game completionists.

Above, you can see the map pertaining to the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Fire Knight Queelign invasions. You’ll battle him in the Church of the Crusade, which is due northwest of Highroad Cross, and in Belurat Tower Settlement.

Map: Fire Knight Queelign's invasions

Combat Preparation: Fire Knight Queelign employs aggressive fire-based attacks that can quickly overwhelm unprepared Tarnished. We recommend equipping fire-resistant armor like the Fire Prelate set and utilizing spells such as Flame Protect Me. His invasion at Belurat Tower Settlement occurs near the main gate area, while the Church of the Crusade encounter happens after activating the site of grace.

Common Mistake: Many players attempt these invasions without adequate vigor or fire protection, resulting in rapid defeat. Ensure your vigor is at least 40-45 and consider using the Flamedrake Talisman for additional fire damage negation.

Note 1: Our comprehensive completion methodology:

  • We engaged Fire Knight Queelign in combat at both Church of the Crusade and Belurat Tower Settlement locations.
  • We successfully drained the floodwaters within Shadow Keep, enabling access to both Iris artifacts.
  • Subsequently, we unlocked the ecclesiastical door in Shadow Keep, leading to a pivotal encounter with Queelign and consequential decisions involving the Iris items.
  • Alternatively, players may present either Iris artifact to Sword Knight Jolan instead, which yields distinctive rewards. This alternative pathway receives extensive coverage in our Ymir Finger Ruins guide.
The Prayer Room Key
Map: The way to Shadow Keep Church District

Flood Control Strategy: Lowering Shadow Keep’s waters requires activating the Storehouse, Back approach site of grace and navigating through the complex interior. The process typically takes 15-20 minutes for experienced players, but newcomers should allocate 30-45 minutes for this segment. The flooded areas contain valuable items beyond just the Iris artifacts, making thorough exploration worthwhile.

Shadow Keep map: Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation
Iris of Grace location
Iris of Occultation location

Iris of Grace Acquisition: Located in the western section of Shadow Keep’s flooded areas, this item requires navigating through submerged corridors and defeating several Lesser Redmane Soldiers. The optimal path involves entering from the Storehouse, Back site of grace and following the leftmost passage.

Iris of Occultation Location: Found in the eastern flooded chambers, accessible after defeating the Fire Knight patrol. We recommend using ranged attacks to eliminate enemies from safe positions before collecting the artifact.

Advanced Technique: Speedrunners have discovered that using the Quickstep ash of war significantly improves mobility through the watery environments, reducing traversal time by approximately 40%.

Note 2: While other NPC quests end abruptly upon a certain important action related to Belurat Tower of Shadow (major spoilers), we can confirm that we were able to complete the objectives for Queelign and/or Jolan even after we defeated the final boss.

Should you give the Iris of Grace or the Iris of Occultation to Fire Knight Queelign?
Should you give the Iris of Grace or Iris of Occultation to Sword Night Jolan?

Queelign Path Rewards: Presenting Iris of Grace to Fire Knight Queelign grants his complete armor set and the Queelign’s Greatsword, while Iris of Occultation yields additional sorcery-related items. His questline conclusion provides unique dialogue revealing background lore about the Fire Knights.

Jolan Alternative: Sword Night Jolan offers different rewards including the Sword Night armor set and Jolan’s Rapier, making this choice ideal for dexterity-focused builds. For comprehensive class optimization, consult our BF6 Class Selection Guide to understand how different playstyles benefit from specific reward selections.

Strategic Consideration: Since both Iris items can be obtained in a single playthrough, but you can only choose one NPC to reward, we recommend assessing your build requirements beforehand. Strength builds typically benefit more from Queelign’s offerings, while magic and dexterity builds may prefer Jolan’s rewards. This decision-making process resembles weapon selection strategies detailed in our BF6 Weapons Unlock Guide.

Optimization Tip: Advanced players can utilize backup saves before making the final decision to experience both reward sets, though this requires exiting the game before the choice is finalized.

Action Checklist

  • Defeat Fire Knight Queelign at Church of Crusade and Belurat Tower
  • Lower Shadow Keep floodwaters via Storehouse, Back site of grace
  • Collect Iris of Grace from western flooded chambers
  • Obtain Iris of Occultation from eastern flooded areas
  • Unlock Shadow Keep church door and make final NPC choice

No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Where To Use Iris Of Grace And Iris Of Occultation In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Complete guide to finding and using Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation in Elden Ring's DLC