Shadows of the Past is a main quest in Avowed. Read on for a complete walkthrough of Shadows of the Past, the choices you can make, as well as the rewards for completing the quest.

Shadows of the Past Bug Solution

Reload to Save Prior Entering Naku Kubel

There is a bug with the Shadows of the Past quest where the quest objective doesn't progress past the Complete the trials of the Tebaru Sanakis with Yatzli objective.

The walkthrough team has confirmed that to fix the bug, you have to reload into a save prior entering Naku Kubel. Reloading into saves later in the quest/dungeon did not result in the quest objective getting fixed.

Shadows of the Past Walkthrough

Journey to Naku Kubel

#	Step-by-step Walkthrough
1	From Shark’s Teeth, head northwest until you reach a desolate plaza with a broken statue. Be careful of Dreamthralls and Xaurips patrolling the area.
2	Enter the archway to the north and follow the trail. As you progress, you will unlock the Naku Kubel Beacon. Be sure to loot any chests or treasures along the way for valuable items.
3	Continue along the trail, and as you descend, you’ll notice a large magical green barrier in the distance to your right. Be prepared to face more Dreamthralls!
4	Push forward, traversing obstacles and jumping across platforms until you reach a structure with scaffolding. Climb the ladder to reach the top, then jump across to the other side.
5	Once you arrive at the barrier, interact with it to have Yatzli tear it down, allowing you to enter Naku Kubel. Make sure to stock up on heals/consumables and get settled with a good loadout before entering.

Investigate Naku Kubel

#	Step-by-step Walkthrough
1	Inside Naku Kubel, proceed forward while battling enemies along the way. Open the door to enter a hall with a large Adra stone at its center.
2	To the right, an Ekidan spirit named Numena will appear. Speak with her to begin your trial.

Complete the Trial of Strength

Open the door behind Numena to start the Trial of Strength. You'll face waves of enemies across three main areas, with each battle increasing in difficulty.

In the final area, defeat all enemies and open the door to return to the hall.

Complete the Trial of Wisdom

#	Step-by-step Walkthrough
1	On the left side, approach the door covered in vines. Wait for the vines to disappear and talk to Tanusa to start your next trial.
2	Enter the room filled with murky red water. Note that standing in the water will cause damage. To cross, jump onto the ledge on the right and use it to reach the other side. Proceed through the door to exit outside.
3	Once outside, you will encounter a corridor of pendulum blades. For the first set of blades, wait until both blades have swung through the gap, and jump immediately to cross. You can then skip the rest of these vertical blades by burning the roots blocking a hidden tunnel to the left. Go through this tunnel to find the last set of blades. There is a brief moment when the path will be completely clear, and you can run past these horizontal blades.
4	After crossing, climb up the ledges and unbar the door next to a chest to move forward to the next area.
5	Head up to a hallway and avoid the pressure plates on the floor to prevent triggering swinging logs. You can also bait the traps by stepping on a plate and quickly stepping back, allowing the logs to swing before safely crossing.
6	On the right, destroy the breakable wall and interact with the switch to disable the fire trap above. Then, crouch and jump over the horizontal fire traps to proceed.
7	Take the stairs to a trap room. Run through the swinging blades when they're down, and jump and crouch to avoid the arrow traps in the corridor.
8	Enter the door to return to Naku Kubel. Once you're inside, open the door to the balcony and jump down, bringing you back to the hall.

Complete the Third and Final Trial

#	Step-by-step Walkthrough
1	Head to the last unopened door to the north in the hall and speak with Kutenrus to begin your third and final trial.
2	Enter the door and jump down into the water below.
3	Swim forward and climb onto the ledge on the left. Be prepared for a tough battle in the next room!
4	When you're ready, open the door to confront the three Ekidan spirits. Defeat them to continue.
5	After the battle, interact with the blue Ekidan device and this will open a new path on the left side of the room.
6	Follow the path and interact with the Adra stone to speak with Sapadal.

Escape Naku Kubel

After speaking with Sapadal, the floor will ascend, returning you to the hall. From there, escape Naku Kubel from where you came in and make your way back to the Naku Kubel Beacon.

Naku Kubel XP Farm Method

While escaping Naku Kubel, enemies will spawn infinitely in the hall. You can use this opportunity to farm XP by continuously defeating them.

However, it’s best to do this after completing this quest, as you’ll still be able to return to the hall later. Make sure to bring plenty of healing items and your best gear, as these enemies can be tough.

Speak with Ryngrim and Lodwyn

Once you arrive, speak with Ryngrim and Lodwyn. You then must choose whether to destroy Naku Kubel or sever the Adra from the Dreamscourge. No matter which decision you make, talk to Ryngrim again afterward.

Should You Destroy the Ruins or Sever the Adra?

Destroy the Ruins

At the end of your conversation, choose the dialogue option, “Destroy the ruins, Inquisitor,” and Lodwyn and the Steel Garote will blow up Naku Kubel. If you previously accepted Sapadal’s offer, you will receive the Scion of the Immortal Land ability.

Sever the Adra

If you choose the dialogue option, “Sever the adra, Ryngrim,” she will sever the Adra from the Dreamscourge but at the cost of innocent lives. If you previously accepted Sapadal’s offer, you will receive the Severed Branch ability.

Speak to Temertri in Thirdborn

Return to Thirdborn and speak with Temertri at the Loading Docks to complete the quest.

Shadows of the Past Rewards

Gain a Godlike Ability

Depending on your choices regarding Sapadal during the Ancient Soil main quest, you will gain a Godlike Ability after speaking with Ryngrim and Lodwyn.

Should You Accept or Reject Sapadal's Offer?

Shadows of the Past Overview

Location and Mission Info

Shadows of the Past Quest Info
Quest Type	Main Quest
Starting Location	Shark's Teeth, Shatterscarp
Mission Description
Ryngrim gave Yatzli a grimoire that will dispell an arcane barrier the archmage conjured - one that blocks entry into Naku Kubel, an ancient Godless site in Shatterscarp. The path is now clear for you to enter the ruins, where Yatzli believes you will find clues to the location of the Garden - and perhaps the origins of the Dreamscourge.

Avowed Related Guides

List of All Main Quests

All Main Quests