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Players are used to all kinds of DLC, but inElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the breadth of content is something to behold. Instead of just adding a few new bells and whistles, the Tarnished are getting anentirely new mapto explore, full of secrets and hidden paths, resulting in a vast playground that is ripe for the curious. Of course, not all paths are obvious, and when it comes to experiencing the full glory of the DLC, you are going to want to visit every single place.
One of those places is theHinterlands, which is found to the northeast of the Land of Shadow. While the path itself may appear obvious when checking out the map, there is no physical way of getting to the place without some special actions. This guide will show you just what needs to be done if you wish to enter the Hinterlands in theElden RingDLC.

How to Get the O Mother Gesture in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
If you don’t happen to have the gesture in hand just yet, fret not; it is not that far away. Players must make their way over to the Scadu Altus, and more specifically,Bonny Village just south of the Moorth Ruins. From the Bonny Village Site of Grace, head northwards and jump over the gap using Torrent. This will lead you to a headless statue, which will have the gesture just in front of it.
This will enable you to go to the next step in unlocking this new area inShadow of the Erdtree.

How to Get to the Hinterlands in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Now, players must have already cleared theShadow Keep, which means beating the likes ofDivine Beast Dancing Lion,Rellana, and evenMessmer the Impaler. Once you have done so, you will exit towards the back area of the legacy dungeons, with the main path leading west towards theAncient Ruins of Rauh. However, what we need to do is actually go east, and to do so, get to the nearbyShadow Keep Back Gate Site of Graceand locate the nearby room that has the statue of Marika standing within.
A hint as to how to unlock the secret exit is written in a message on the floor, but if you rather not bother with it, you will need to perform the"O Mother" Gesturewhile standing in front of the statue. This will cause the secret contraptions to move into motion, revealing the path to the Hinterlands.
Do note that this area is entirely optional, and can be skipped. The main objective of exploring this area is to continue the quest line for Count Ymir, and to meet with Metyr, Mother Of Fingers in combat later on. Following the entire quest through will require players to make the final decision, which can reward either a useful Spirit Ash or a unique Katana weapon in theSword of Night.