The Crimson Manor is a mysterious location in Phantom Blade Zero that you discover after riding a suspicious elevator in the Weeping Creek Valley. Although you can visit it in the first few hours of the game, the doors to the somber building won’t budge until you have a unique key that fits the puppet-shaped lock. Unlocking the manor is a secondary mission, but one that helps you learn more about a central character and achieve the game’s true ending.
If you plan on learning the hidden secrets of this abandoned place, here’s how to open the Crimson Manor in Phantom Blade Zero.
How to open the Crimson Manor in Phantom Blade Zero
To open the Crimson Manor, you need to obtain the Puppet’s Tongue, a unique item that you acquire by completing “The Heralds Illusion” side quest, which requires you to visit the Three-Eyed Puppet three times.
You can only visit this entity through Spectral Gates, specific portals located in three different areas. When you visit it, check if another blue eye is open, then you can leave using the same portal.
Spectral Gate #1 location (Village of Lu)
You will find the first portal in the Village of Lu, the third region you explore in the game. To access the portal, you must first complete the “Heartless Remnants” main quest, which will unlock the well. Jump into it to enter a new area, then move forward to reach the Puppet Testing Grounds, where you encounter the Yuzan, No. 3 Musician Puppet boss.
After defeating it, face the door to Pangzhen with the puppet lock on it, and look to your left to see an opening that leads to a gate with the portal behind it. Interact with it to visit the Three-Eyed Puppet and open its first eye.
Spectral Gate #2 location (Mandate’s Encampment)
The second portal is inside the building in the Mandate’s Encampment’s final boss arena. You can access the Mandate’s Encampment area through the Village of Lu, but you must first defeat Gu Wanyue in Pangzhen and explore the area beneath the well to find the key that opens the gate to the encampment.
Once you have access to the Mandate’s Encampment, defeat its final boss, Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet. After the fight, enter the large building near the bell to find the portal.
Spectral Gate #3 location (Mountain of Imprisonment)
Like with the other two portals, you must defeat the Mountain of Imprisonment’s final boss to reach the third Spectral Gate. To enter the Mountain of Imprisonment, head to the northeastern side of the Meigu Lake and look for the Weeping Mistgate. However, there are a few prerequisites for you to access the area.
First, you must unlock access to the Meigu Lake in Pangzhen, which requires you to defeat Flame, the Mask-Bound Lion Dance Grandmaster in Pangzhen. You will earn the “Dormant Flaming Mane” as a reward for defeating the boss. Take the item to Jingyang Hall to have it fixed and turned into the Flame Mane phantom edge. This weapon allows you to burn the roots blocking the way to the docks, which lead to Meigu lake on the southeastern side of the map.
The second prerequisite is to complete the “Illusory Pipa” side quest. Through this secondary mission, you obtain the Illusory Pipa phantom edge. Without it, you can’t disperse the mist preventing you from entering the Mountain Imprisonment from the Weeping Mistgate.
After getting access to the area, find your way to the final boss arena where you will face Huangxing, the Kunlun Renegade. Then, use the Flying Guillotine phantom edge that you receive from winning this fight to open the path underneath the ground.
Reach the bottom where you find Chord, and a sequence of dialogues will begin. When you regain control of Soul, return to the room where you found Chord and enter the portal behind the chair. You will find the Three-Eyed Pupper there. Open its third eye and complete the “The Herald’s Illusion” side quest. As a reward, you will receive the Puppet’s Tongue and the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yin].
Return to the Crimson Manor and place the Puppet’s Tongue to open the doors.
What is inside the Crimson Manor in Phantom Blade Zero?
As soon as you enter the Crimson Manor, you will find multiple documents about the Herald. These will give you a better understanding of the character. However, the real prizes lie deeper inside the manor.
As you descend the stairs and jump down the platforms to reach the bottom of the arena beneath the manor, you will find the secret boss, the Puppet Scavenger. During the fight, another boss, the Acolyte Hansui, will join.
Defeating them rewards you with the Alloyed Scythe Blade item, which you use to Soul Temper the Hunter’s Chain Sickle, the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang], and the Hansui’s Frost Mask. You need the last two items to unlock Phantom Blade Zero‘s true ending.