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The Citadel of Penance is one of the more imposing landmarks in Mortal Shell 2, a large walled fortress sitting in the northwest part of the map that becomes visible once you unlock that region. Getting inside is not as straightforward as simply walking through the front gate, and the game makes sure you know it the moment you arrive. There are three distinct routes into the Citadel, each requiring different levels of preparation, and knowing all of them gives you options depending on where you are in the game.
Route 1: Find the Citadel Gate Lever in the ravine
When you reach the main gate of the Citadel of Penance, interacting with the notice board reveals that the gate lever has been stolen by an unnamed thief last seen fleeing into the ravine to the south. That's your first clue about where to go.
The location where the lever is held is directly south of the gate. From the gate itself, take the path that branches to the left and simply keep heading downward. The route is a single path with no significant branching, so follow it all the way down until you emerge into a wider open area overlooking the ocean, scattered with large stones across the ground. As soon as you enter this area, a miniboss encounter begins. The enemy is a spider-like cube creature, larger than the standard version of the same enemy type and equipped with more aggressive, advanced moves. Defeat it and it drops the Citadel Gate Lever as loot. With the lever in hand, return to the gate and use it to open the way in.
Route 2: Approach through Gloomshade Grove
If you have the Gloomshade Grove beacon already unlocked, you can reach the same ravine area from a completely different direction without backtracking from the gate. Fast travel to Gloomshade Grove and follow the bridges leading downward from that beacon. The path eventually brings you to the same open area above the ocean from the opposite side. The miniboss encounter triggers the same way regardless of which direction you approach from, and the outcome is identical. This route is simply more convenient if Gloomshade Grove is already on your fast travel list.
Route 3: Enter the Citadel directly without the lever
The third way into the Citadel of Penance bypasses the main gate and the lever entirely. Travel to the One Legged Wolf beacon on the far eastern side of the map and head north from there, moving toward the walled area there. Before you reach it, you will cross a bridge. On the railing of that bridge is an item you can interact with. This is a teleport item, and using it sends you directly into one of the Citadel's prison cells inside the fortress walls. From there, destroy the lock on the cell to break out and begin exploring the Citadel from within. This route lets you access the area ahead of recovering the lever, though you will need to find your own way to the main gate mechanism from inside if you want to open it properly for future access.
Inside the Citadel of Penance is a boss called The Warden. Defeating him rewards you with a new shell: Eredrim.
Quick tip: If you plan to explore the Citadel thoroughly, it is worth recovering the lever before entering so that the main gate is open for easy re-entry. The teleport item on the bridge sends you inside, but having the gate open gives you a much more convenient exit and return route.
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