Prisoner’s Way Walkthrough: Mortal Shell

The Prisoner’s Way is a short but dangerous area in Mortal Shell, connecting the Fallen Temple to the Crypt of Martyrs. This walkthrough gives you the safest route, every key item, and how to beat the area’s mini-boss, the Unchained, so you can leave with the Martyr’s Blade and the Martyr’s Seal.

Area Overview and Prerequisites

Prisoner’s Way is the second of the three major dungeons you must complete to unlock the final confrontation with the game’s last boss, the Unchained. You can enter it as soon as you have the Gland from the Fallen Temple, but you do not need to have completed the other dungeons (Seat of Infinity or Shrine of Ash) to clear it. The area is a linear, vertical descent through a flooded prison, filled with large groups of enemies, narrow ledges, and a few traps.

Before you go, make sure you have at least one Resolve point (preferably two) and a weapon you are comfortable using. The enemies here are resistant to fire but weak to poison, so if you have a weapon with poison-inflicting abilities (like the Smoldering Mace’s special attack or a Poison-summoning item), it will help. But you can clear the area with any weapon if you are careful.

Starting Route: From the Fallen Temple

From the Fallen Temple’s exit (the one that leads to a cave with a Grisha mini-boss), you will drop down into a flooded corridor. Follow the only path forward until you reach a large open courtyard with a broken bridge. On the far side, you will see a door with a glowing red light – that is the entrance to Prisoner’s Way.

Once inside, you are in a long, narrow hallway with a few enemies. The first thing you will notice is a locked door on your right – you cannot open it from this side. Continue straight, kill the two prisoners (the basic melee enemies), and you will come to a lever. Pull it to open the gate ahead, but be careful: pulling the lever also spawns two more enemies behind you. Turn around and deal with them, then proceed through the gate.

Item Locations: What You Can Find

Prisoner’s Way has a few valuable items, but the two most important are the Martyr’s Blade and the Martyr’s Seal. The Martyr’s Blade is a greatsword that you get from the mini-boss, and the Martyr’s Seal is a consumable that you can find in a secret area.

• Martyr’s Seal – Located in a hidden room behind a breakable wall. After you cross the first large water-filled pit (the one with the two archers on the far side), look for a wall on your left that looks slightly different. Roll into it to break it, and you will find the seal inside a small alcove.
• Tar and Glimpses – There are several piles of Tar (currency) scattered around, and a few Glimpses (used to upgrade skills). The most notable one is a Glimpse behind a locked door that requires a Cell Key. The Cell Key is found on a corpse near the end of the area, just before the mini-boss.
• Weapon Upgrade Materials – You will find a few Acid and a Quenching Acid (the material used to upgrade weapons) in the area. The Quenching Acid is in a chest near the bottom of the area, guarded by a large enemy.

Navigating the Flooded Lower Levels

After you descend the first set of stairs, you will enter a large flooded room. The water slows your movement, making you an easy target for the archers on the ledges above. The safest way is to take out the archers first with a ranged attack (if you have a bow or a throwing item) or by using a Hardened (dodge) to close the distance. Once the archers are dead, you can wade through the water to the far side.

In the next room, you will face a new enemy type: the Gutter (a large, bloated creature that explodes when killed). The Gutter is slow, but its explosion can be deadly. Lure it away from the narrow walkway, kill it from a distance, and then proceed. You will find the Cell Key on a corpse near the edge of this room, on a small island of dry ground.

From there, you will go up a ramp, across a stone bridge, and then down a long spiral staircase. At the bottom, you will find the area’s boss arena.

Boss Fight: The Unchained

The Unchained is a large, humanoid boss with a flaming sword. It is not a particularly hard boss if you know its pattern, but it hits hard. The arena is a large circular room with pillars you can use to block its line of sight.

Its moves are:

• Horizontal slash – A quick, wide swing. You can dodge through it or block it (if you have enough stamina).
• Overhead slam – A heavy attack that leaves a small fire trail. This is your best opening – dodge to the side, then get two or three hits in.
• Fire wave – It slams the ground and sends a wave of fire along the ground. You can jump over it or dodge sideways.
• Grab – A slow telegraphed grab that does massive damage. Just back away when you see it raise its hand.

After you reduce its health to about half, it will start to enrage, adding a second hit to its horizontal slash and a faster fire wave. Stay patient, use the pillars to break its line of sight, and you will eventually win. After the fight, you will receive the Martyr’s Blade and the Martyr’s Gland (the key item you need to progress).

After the Boss: Exiting and the Martyr’s Blade

After the fight, you can pick up the Martyr’s Gland from the altar in the back of the arena. This is the item you need to bring back to the Fallen Temple to open the final area. You also get the Martyr’s Blade automatically – it is a greatsword that scales with Strength and has a unique heavy attack that deals extra damage to enemies that are on fire.

To exit, take the elevator that is now activated behind the altar. It will take you back up to the entrance of the area, but you will come out on the other side of that locked door you saw at the beginning. From there, you can return to the Fallen Temple and progress the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to beat Prisoner’s Way? It takes about 30-45 minutes if you know where you are going, but it can take 1-2 hours on a first playthrough because of the maze-like layout and the mini-boss.

What is the best weapon to use in Prisoner’s Way? The Martyr’s Blade is excellent, but you only get it at the end. Before that, the Hammer and Chisel is a good choice because it is fast and allows you to dodge quickly. The Smoldering Mace is also good because its heavy attack can stagger enemies, but it is slow.

Is there a shortcut in Prisoner’s Way? Yes, there is a shortcut that you can open by pulling a lever near the end of the area. It opens a door that leads back to the beginning of the area, making it easier to return to the Fallen Temple or to farm items.

What is the Cell Key used for? The Cell Key opens a locked door in the area that contains a Glimpse and a large amount of Tar. It is worth getting, but it is not required to progress.

Can I skip the Unchained mini-boss? No, you must defeat the Unchained to get the Martyr’s Gland, which is required to progress the main story. There is no way around it.

What happens if I die to the Unchained? You will respawn at the last checkpoint (the Sester’s bell) and can try again. The boss does not respawn, so you can keep trying until you win.

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