Entering Fellhollow
Fellhollow is the first major step beyond Ashenfall’s safer regions, and arriving unprepared can turn a short expedition into an expensive recovery run. This area introduces undead enemies, hazardous Withering, spectral travel routes, and the progression materials needed for stronger gear.
To unlock the region, finish the Dragon Slayer quest and defeat Velgar. Speak with the Wise Old Man afterward to begin Withering Heights. He can appear near the base of Velgar’s Rise immediately after the fight, or at ruins in Bramblemead Valley if you completed the quest earlier.
Follow the new northeastern objective in the Fractured Plains. At the sealed gate, continue through the nearby archway and along the path until you reach the large wooden door. Choose the correct incantation:
“Mors, Introitum Quaero!”
The door transports you to the Forgotten Temple, where Death introduces the region’s soul-focused systems. Speak to Postie Pete after the conversation, then use the newly available spectral door to reach Fellhollow itself.
| Requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Dragon Slayer completed | Unlocks the Fellhollow progression path |
| Withering Heights started | Provides the gate objective and story direction |
| Repaired equipment | Undead encounters quickly wear down weak setups |
| Food, drinks, and potions | Reduces the risk of losing progress far from a Lodestone |
| Law runes | Teleport costs can become high across long distances |
Before crossing the spectral door, clear unnecessary weight from your inventory. Heavy ore and materials increase the cost of teleporting, so carrying everything back to a distant home base is rarely efficient.
Your First Hour in the Region
Your first priority is establishing reliable travel. Fellhollow is wide, layered, and full of routes that are inconvenient to repeat on foot. Place a Lodestone inside the region rather than relying only on the entrance location.
A useful early placement is near the standing stones in Bleakfields Valley. It provides relatively safe access to several routes, including Vannaka’s camp, the Lake of Lost Souls, and nearby resource areas. Add more Lodestones near important spectral doors, mining locations, and vault entrances as you unlock them.
Follow this early-game checklist:
- Speak with Death and Postie Pete before wandering too far.
- Place a Lodestone near a central crossroads.
- Visit Vannaka and accept The Wild Hunt.
- Start collecting Soul Fragments from ordinary undead enemies.
- Gather iron and coal for steel production.
- Watch for purification wells before exploring dangerous ground.
- Store heavy resources in Personal Chests before teleporting.
| Early objective | Location or source | Reward or benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Meet Death | Forgotten Temple | Soul Fragment vendor and Fellhollow introduction |
| Meet Postie Pete | Near the temple exit | Starts or supports regional quest progression |
| The Wild Hunt | Vannaka | Leads toward unlocking a mount |
| Seeking Salvation | Doric | Enables progress toward the Salve Amulet |
| Coal gathering | Cliffside nodes in Fellhollow | Required for steel bars |
| Corpse cotton | Lake of Lost Souls | Produces fine thread and fine cloth |
Do not feel compelled to build a permanent base immediately. A small storehouse, a Personal Chest, and a Lodestone are usually more practical than hauling full construction supplies into an undead-heavy zone. Build your main crafting area where you can safely refine materials and recover after a difficult vault.
Surviving the Withering and Undead
The defining danger in Fellhollow is the Withering. Withered ground and much of the region’s water can inflict soul rifting if you remain in them too long. Once soul rifted, a timer begins and spectral enemies may join the fight. Let the timer reach zero, and Imaru can kill you instantly.
When you become soul rifted, stop treating the current fight as your main objective. Find a purification well instead. Your compass can help direct you toward nearby purification points. Wells are often blocked by spectral thorns; destroy the thorns, then interact with the well to clear the effect.
| Threat | What to do | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Withered ground | Cross quickly and plan an exit route | Fighting while the soul-rift timer drains |
| Withered water | Avoid unless a route requires it | Assuming all water is safe |
| Spectral thorns | Attack them to access a purification well | Running past a usable well |
| Pink-glowing zombies | Create distance after defeating them | Remaining beside the corpse |
| Fellhollow dogs | Use crush damage where possible | Relying on fire damage |
| Zogres | Attack carefully and avoid predictable spins | Standing directly in front too long |
Keep your soul-rift timer comfortably high while you learn the map. Some routes intentionally require exposure to hazardous terrain, but they are much less stressful once you know the closest purification well and the surrounding enemy spawns.
Combat choices matter more here than in earlier areas. Skeletons respond well to air attacks, while zombies are vulnerable to fire. Ranged combat is a dependable option for safely triggering explosive corpse cotton and controlling groups. Crossbows are particularly helpful when critical hits stagger targets.
For melee players, a steel warhammer is valuable against enemies that dislike crush damage. The Shadow Sword is also worth pursuing as your Fellhollow progression develops, especially for spectral encounters. Whatever your style, aim for steel tools and armor early instead of trying to force low-tier equipment through the entire region.
Steel Gear, Soul Fragments, and Regional Progress
Fellhollow provides the coal that turns iron into steel. Collect both materials early, then craft a Blast Furnace. Steel bars require coal, fuel pellets, and iron ore or iron bars. Fuel pellets are made at a Blacksmith Bench from charcoal, adhesive, and coarse animal fur.
A good crafting order minimizes wasted trips. Start with a steel logging axe, which lets you harvest dead trees for hollow bark. Follow it with a steel pickaxe for faster mining, then make armor pieces for the survivability boost.
| Upgrade | Priority | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Steel logging axe | High | Harvests dead trees and hollow bark |
| Steel pickaxe | High | Speeds up iron, coal, and stone gathering |
| Steel plate body and legs | High | Strong general defense for every combat style |
| Blast Furnace | Essential | Produces steel bars |
| Stone Cutter | Medium | Makes stone blocks for durable buildings |
| Fine thread | High | Needed in several steel and cloth recipes |
Corpse cotton is one of the most useful early plants. It grows around the Lake of Lost Souls and can explode when approached, so hit it from range before collecting it. Save seeds when possible; growing corpse cotton at home prevents repeated dangerous gathering trips.
Soul Fragments drop from most Fellhollow enemies and can be exchanged with Death. Prioritize useful trinkets and progression-oriented purchases before cosmetics. The Salve Amulet is especially attractive because Fellhollow is packed with undead, but you must progress Doric’s Seeking Salvation quest before using it.
Vannaka’s The Wild Hunt is another excellent early detour. It asks for three rime hearts from spectral terrorbirds and leads to mount access. A mount noticeably improves repeated runs through the region, especially after a death or when traveling between purification wells, quests, and resource nodes.
FAQ
How do I unlock Fellhollow in RuneScape: Dragonwilds?
Complete Dragon Slayer, defeat Velgar, speak with the Wise Old Man, and begin Withering Heights. Travel to the sealed gate in the Fractured Plains and choose “Mors, Introitum Quaero!” at the wooden door.
What should I do first in Fellhollow?
Place a central Lodestone, speak with Death and Postie Pete, accept Vannaka’s quests, collect Soul Fragments, and start gathering coal and iron for steel equipment.
How do I remove soul rifting?
Reach a purification well before the timer expires. Destroy any spectral thorns blocking the well, then interact with it to clear soul rifting and dismiss the immediate spectral threat.
Is it worth building a base in Fellhollow?
A small travel outpost is useful, but a full base is optional. A Lodestone and Personal Chest near key routes usually provide more value than hauling extensive building supplies into the area.
What is the best early reward to target?
For most players, the mount from The Wild Hunt and the Salve Amulet path are strong early goals. The mount improves travel, while the amulet helps against the region’s undead enemies.
Does this runescape dragonwilds fellhollow walkthrough cover the Imaru fight?
This walkthrough prepares you for Imaru by covering entry, survival systems, steel progression, travel, and key quests. Complete Withering Heights and collect its three Curse Fragments—Rage, Despair, and Grief—to advance toward the boss encounter.