The Iris of Occultation is a rare, consumable item in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. While you technically have the option to use it to activate the effects of any Great Rune you might have equipped (making them the same as Rune Arcs, in that sense), you’ll want to save the Iris of Occultation for two Shadow of the Erdtree sidequests you’ll encounter, as giving the Iris of Occultation to particular characters in these quests will reward you with special items.
In this guide, we’ll tell you where to find the Iris of Occultation, and what it’s used for later in the game. So read on below to find out everything you need to know about this important item.
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Where to find the Iris of Occultation
There are three Iris of Occultation items you can find in Shadow of the Erdtree:
Fortunately, you only need two of them to progress certain sidequests in Shadow of the Erdtree, so if you’re having trouble with that Ulcerated Tree Spirit near the Shadow Keep’s Sunken Chapel, fear not. You can safely leave that one alone and come back to it later.
Below, we’ll walk you through the basic steps on how to find each Iris of Occultation at each location.
Inside the Fort of Reprimand in Scadu Altus
The Fort of Reprimand is located in the southern corner of Scadu Altus, and you can get to it by riding south from Moorth Ruins, or via Gravesite Plain using the hidden route to skip Castle Ensis.
Here is the Fort of Reprimand’s precise location on the map screen:
In the courtyard by the fort’s front entrance, you’ll need to drop down into its cess pit using the square opening to the north side of the courtyard:
You’ll find several corpses with items on them down there, but to get the Iris of Occultation, you’ll need to defeat the Horned Warrior that comes rushing round the corner at you with two greatswords.
By a statue before you get to Scadutree Base
The second Iris of Occultation can be found within the Shadow Keep in Scadu Altus, just before you reach the Scadutree Base area where you fight the Scadutree Avatar. You’ll need to have drained the Church District on the east side of the Shadow Keep before you can reach this Iris, though, as it’s only accessible once the water level has been lowered.
Here is the Iris of Occultation’s precise location on the map:
From the Site of Grace ‘Sunken Chapel‘, head west (behind you) and turn right as you come out of the chapel building. Sneak past the Ulcerated Tree Spirit lying dormant in the circular plaza right beside the chapel and enter the church on the left (the one with all the exploding fire monsters inside it).
Run to the end, but before you get to the alcove with the large statue in it, turn right and head down the passageway to the north.
Carry on through the large doors beneath the balcony in the next room and take a long lift ride down to the Scadutree Base area.
When you reach the bottom, activate the Site of Grace ‘Tree-Worship Passage‘ and cross the wooden bridge. On the other side, you’ll find another chapel room, with a large statue at the end of it. The Iris of Occultation lies at the bottom of it.
Defeating the Ulcerated Tree Spirit in the Shadow Keep’s drained Church District
The third Iris of Occultation can be found by defeating an Ulcerated Tree Spirit in the Shadow’s Keep’s drained Church District – and is actually very near to where you found the second one mentioned above.
There are two Ulcerated Tree Spirits in this area, and the Iris of Occultation is your reward for defeating the one to the north of the Church District (not the one inside the circular pillars by the church). Here is its precise location on the map screen:
Start from the Site of Grace ‘Sunken Chapel’ again, and this time head east out of the chapel (straight in front of you), following the back wall round the side of the circular plaza to your left. You’ll pass some crabs on your way up some steps in front of you.
Ignore the tower with the lift inside it and instead go down the left side of the tower to the north, between two large church buildings.
The Ulcerated Tree Spirit will emerge from the ground as you approach, and will drop the Iris of Occultation on defeat.
What is the Iris of Occultation used for?
As mentioned above, the menu description for the Iris of Occultation makes it sound exactly the same as a Rune Arc, in that you can consume it to activate any Great Rune you have equipped. But to get the most out of this rare item, you should not consume the Iris of Occultation under any circumstances.
Instead, you’ll want to save it for two sidequests in Shadow of the Erdtree:
When you progress far enough in each of these characters’ questlines, you’ll get the option to give them either an Iris of Occultation or an Iris of Grace. Depending on which Iris you give them, you’ll get different rewards.
Here’s what you can get from each character depending on which Iris you give them:
| Give them the Iris of Grace: | Give them the Iris of Occultation: | |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Knight Queelign | Fire Knight Queelign Spirit Ash | Queelign’s Greatsword |
| Swordhand of the Night Jolan | Swordhand of the Night Jolan Spirit Ash (with the option to transform it into Jolan and Anna Spirit Ashes later). | Sword of the Night |
It’s important to pick the reward you want from each character here, as you can only give them an Iris once. It’s not possible to get both rewards on a single playthrough here, so choose wisely!
That’s everything you need to know about the Iris of Occultation in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Alternatively, if you fancy getting Queelign and Jolan’s weapons rather than their Spirit Ashes, then read our guide on where to find the Iris of Grace.
Need more help? Improve your stats by finding all of Shadow of the Erdtree’s Scadutree Fragment locations and Revered Spirit Ash locations. Alternatively, see which Erdtree bosses you’ve still got left to beat, and track down some great new early weapons to help you on your adventure.
