TL;DR
- The A Severed Mindseal quest is started by talking to the Shadow Warden at the Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit Bell in Weeping Creek Valley — do this before leaving the region as it may become unavailable.
- There are three Primal Stones to find across three different regions: Weeping Creek Valley, Pangzhen, and Crimson Forest.
- Primal Stone 1 — Inside the Valley Sha-Chi Tower, 1st Floor. Use the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank (found after descending the long ladder and defeating the enemy) on the furnace mechanism. Pick the crank back up afterwards — you need it again.
- Primal Stone 2 — In Pangzhen at the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower. Follow the path around the tower exterior to the lower platform and pick it up near the crank there.
- Primal Stone 3 — In the snowed-over Crimson Forest (accessible after the Mirage Estate). At the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Base, swing across to the furnace area to find it.
- Return to the Shadow Warden (or Spectral Blade) each time with the stone. The final handoff completes the quest and unlocks the Spectral Blade trophy/achievement.
What Is the A Severed Mindseal Quest in Phantom Blade Zero?
A Severed Mindseal is a multi-region side quest in Phantom Blade Zero that follows a character known as the Shadow Warden — a member of The Order who has managed to break free from the Mindseal, the mental binding The Order uses to control its members. He is holding the Mindseal barrier at the Sha-Chi Tower in Weeping Creek Valley and needs Primal Stones — the power source of the Sha-Chi Towers — to sustain himself and his freedom.
The quest spans the first, fourth, and second regions of the game (in the order you encounter each objective), making it one of the longer-running side quests in Phantom Blade Zero. Each Primal Stone is inside a different Sha-Chi Tower in a different region. The quest ends with the Shadow Warden fully transformed into the Spectral Blade — an identity he takes on after collecting all three stones.
This quest is tied to a missable trophy (Spectral Blade), which makes it critical to start correctly during your first visit to Weeping Creek Valley. For a broader picture of how all the regions connect, our full chapter list is useful context.
How to Start A Severed Mindseal — Shadow Warden Location
To start the quest, you need to reach the top of the Valley Sha-Chi Tower in Weeping Creek Valley. Work your way up the tower as part of normal story progression — the tower is part of the main path through the region. When you reach the summit, you will find the Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit Bell.
Near this bell, a cutscene triggers introducing the Watchful Shadow Warden. Talk to him and exhaust all his dialogue. He will explain his situation — he is holding back the Mindseal and needs a Primal Stone found within the tower to keep doing so. Accepting this conversation unlocks the tale A Severed Mindseal in your quest log.
⚠️ Important — Do Not Leave Without Starting the Quest
This tale is flagged as potentially missable. The exact trigger that causes it to fail is not fully confirmed, but it is strongly recommended to complete the first objective of A Severed Mindseal before exiting the Weeping Creek Valley region. That means not just accepting the quest from the Shadow Warden, but also getting the first Primal Stone and handing it to him. Do all of this before moving on to the Crimson Forest. If you miss the initial trigger, you risk losing the trophy/achievement permanently.
Primal Stone 1 — Weeping Creek Valley (Valley Sha-Chi Tower)
The first Primal Stone is inside the same tower where you met the Shadow Warden — you just need to go back down to the first floor to get it.
Step 1 — Get the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank
After meeting the Shadow Warden at the summit, continue along the main story path. You will eventually reach a very long ladder — descend it all the way to the bottom. At the bottom, there is a lone enemy waiting. Defeat this enemy and it will drop the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank.
This crank is needed not just for the first Primal Stone, but also later in the quest. Do not discard it after using it — keep it in your inventory.
Step 2 — Use the Crank on the Furnace (1st Floor)
Fast travel or make your way to the Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor Bell. Head into the tower and find the central furnace mechanism. Insert the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank into it and activate it. The furnace opens and inside is the Primal Stone.
Crucially — remove the crank from the mechanism after collecting the stone. You will need the crank again later. If you forget to take it with you, you will have a problem when the second furnace puzzle comes up.
Step 3 — Return to the Shadow Warden
Fast travel to the Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit Bell and hand the Primal Stone to the Shadow Warden. Talk through all the dialogue. This completes the first objective of the quest and is the step you must do before leaving Weeping Creek Valley to avoid the quest becoming missable.
Primal Stone 2 — Pangzhen (Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower)
The second Primal Stone is found much later in the game when you reach Pangzhen, the fourth major region of Phantom Blade Zero. You cannot get this stone on your first visit to Weeping Creek Valley — you have to progress through the story until you arrive in Pangzhen.
Find the Shadow Warden at the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower Summit
When you arrive in Pangzhen, locate the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower. Climb to the summit and you will find the Shadow Warden waiting there again. Speak to him to get the updated quest objective — he needs another Primal Stone, this time hidden somewhere within this tower.
Find the Primal Stone on the Lower Exterior Platform
Do not waste time searching the upper floors of the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower. The Primal Stone is below. Head to the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower Lower Exterior and follow the path around the outside of the tower. You will reach a platform with a crank mechanism. The Primal Stone is sitting right there on the platform, near the crank. Pick it up.
Return to the Shadow Warden at the Summit
Go back up to the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower Summit and hand the second Primal Stone to the Shadow Warden. Talk through his dialogue fully again. This completes the second objective of A Severed Mindseal.
Primal Stone 3 — Crimson Forest (Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower)
The third and final Primal Stone is in the Crimson Forest — but not the same Crimson Forest you explored early in the game. This version of Crimson Forest is snowed over, accessible only after completing the Mirage Estate (Region 8) and progressing far enough through the late game. The snow covers the southeast section of Crimson Forest and freezes water, opening paths that were blocked earlier.
You will also notice that the quest contact has changed — instead of the Shadow Warden, you will now be dealing with the Spectral Blade, the identity he takes on after the second stone exchange.
Find the Spectral Blade at the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower 6th Floor
Reach the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower in the snowed-over southeast section of the region. Climb to the 6th Floor Bell — at the very top of the tower, directly beside the bell, you will find the Spectral Blade waiting. Speak to him to trigger the final quest objective.
Get the Third Primal Stone at the Tower Base
Head back down to the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Base Bell. From there, use the Hunter’s Chain Sickle to swing across toward the furnace area on the side of the tower. The Primal Stone is sitting in the open door of the furnace. Pick it up. At this same location, you can also collect the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Key which opens further areas nearby.
If you need the Hunter’s Chain Sickle and do not have it yet, our Hunter’s Chain Sickle guide covers where to get it and how traversal with it works.
Return to the Spectral Blade and Complete the Quest
Go back up to the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower 6th Floor and interact with the Spectral Blade. Hand over the final Primal Stone and exhaust all his dialogue. This completes A Severed Mindseal and unlocks the Spectral Blade trophy/achievement on PS5 and PC.
What Do You Get for Completing A Severed Mindseal?
The direct reward for finishing this quest is the Spectral Blade bronze trophy/achievement. The quest also contributes to the broader lore of the game and adds context to the nature of The Order’s Mindseal — how it works, what breaking it costs, and what freedom looks like for someone inside The Order’s structure.
Beyond the trophy, completing the quest contributes to overall side quest completion, which is relevant if you are pursuing the true ending of Phantom Blade Zero, where your side quest progress and connections to key NPCs across regions matter.
Common Mistakes to Avoid With This Quest
- Not completing the first objective before leaving Weeping Creek Valley. This is the big one. Talk to the Shadow Warden, get the crank, open the furnace, pick up the stone, return it — all of this needs to happen before you move to the Crimson Forest. Do not risk skipping it.
- Leaving the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank behind. After you use it on the furnace to get the first stone, walk back to the mechanism and pick the crank up. You need it later. It is easy to forget in the moment after grabbing the stone.
- Looking for the second stone on the upper floors of the Pangzhen tower. It is not up there. Go down to the lower exterior platform and look near the crank mechanism.
- Trying to get the third stone before the Mirage Estate. The snowed-over Crimson Forest section is gated. You cannot access the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower in the southeast until you have progressed far enough into the late game.
Other Missable and Important Quests in Weeping Creek Valley
Since A Severed Mindseal is one of the missable quests, it is worth checking what else you need to do in Weeping Creek Valley before pushing on. A few other things to handle:
- The Whence the Weeping quest is triggered automatically on entry — track its objectives alongside A Severed Mindseal.
- Our guide on how to unlock the western Outpost explains that section of the region which only opens after the Crimson Forest.
- The Crimson Manor is also in Weeping Creek Valley — but that is locked until very late in the game.
- Pick up the Cell Key and the Rusted Loong Key while in the region to avoid missing those collectibles.
- Our guide on the Deep in the Valley quest covers the side content in the lower valley section.
For the Crimson Forest section of the game, our walkthroughs on the Preservation Talisman Fragments, the Crimson Forest Tunnel Crank, and the Forest Outpost Courtyard Key are all worth reading before you leave that region. And our Four Fierce Axes quest walkthrough and Festering Secret walkthrough cover the major side quests there.
You can get Phantom Blade Zero now on Steam, the PlayStation Store, and the Epic Games Store. Our PC requirements guide covers system requirements, and our full review gives the complete picture if you are still deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the first Primal Stone in Phantom Blade Zero?
The first Primal Stone is inside the Valley Sha-Chi Tower in Weeping Creek Valley, on the first floor. To get it, descend the long ladder to the bottom and defeat the lone enemy to receive the Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank. Then go to the 1st Floor, insert the crank into the central furnace mechanism, and collect the stone. Remember to retrieve the crank afterward.
Is A Severed Mindseal missable in Phantom Blade Zero?
Yes — at least the first step is flagged as missable. You must accept the quest from the Shadow Warden at the Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit and complete the first Primal Stone handoff before leaving Weeping Creek Valley. The exact fail condition is unclear, but do not take risks — complete the first objective before moving on to the Crimson Forest.
Where is the second Primal Stone in Phantom Blade Zero?
The second Primal Stone is in Pangzhen, at the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower. Head to the lower exterior platform of the tower (not the upper floors) and look for it near the crank mechanism on the platform outside the tower’s lower section.
Where is the third Primal Stone in Phantom Blade Zero?
The third Primal Stone is in the snowed-over section of Crimson Forest, accessible after completing the Mirage Estate region. Go to the Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Base and use the Hunter’s Chain Sickle to swing across to the furnace area on the side of the tower. The stone is in the open door of the furnace.
What do you get for completing A Severed Mindseal in Phantom Blade Zero?
Completing the quest earns you the Spectral Blade bronze trophy/achievement. It also adds significant lore about the Shadow Warden’s transformation and contributes to overall side quest completion, which matters for the true ending.
