You’re riding through Ravensthorpe, minding your own business, when suddenly the animals start acting like they’ve seen a ghost. That’s usually the first sign that you’ve stumbled into the Tombs of the Fallen DLC. Specifically, you’re looking for Manius Sanctum. It’s the gateway to one of the weirdest, most lore-heavy side quests in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Honestly? It’s not that hard once you know the trick. But if you're standing there staring at a giant stone door with glowing blue runes, feeling a bit lost, don't sweat it. Most players do.
Finding the Entrance to Manius Sanctum
First things first. You can’t just fly a crow around and hope to see it. You actually have to go to the south side of the river Nene, right across from your settlement in Ravensthorpe. Look for a group of NPCs gathered by the water's edge. They’re freaking out because their sheep are acting erratic.
Talk to them. Or don't. You can actually just use Synin to spot the massive blue swirl of energy on the hillside.
Once you get to the cliffside, you’ll see a giant rock face etched with a glowing white symbol. This is the entrance. Eivor will give some brief dialogue, and then you just interact with the symbol to break the illusion. It’s very Lord of the Rings, very "Speak friend and enter," except you just smash your way through the magic.
The First Puzzle: Weight and Pressure
Inside, the atmosphere shifts immediately. It’s damp. It’s quiet. It feels much older than the Viking age structures you're used to. That’s because these are Roman-era engineering marvels mixed with Isu technology.
Walk down the main path. You’ll find a massive pressure plate on the floor. To your left and right, there are elevated platforms. This is the core mechanic of the Manius Sanctum puzzle. You need to find weights to hold down these plates to unlock the central door.
Go up the stairs to the left. You'll see a wooden scaffolding area. There’s a small, heavy object—basically a rectangular stone block—that you can pick up. Carry it back down and toss it onto the small square pressure plate.
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Now, the right side. It’s slightly more annoying. You have to climb up and find a lever. Pulling the lever spawns another one of those stone blocks. The catch? You have to carry it through a small obstacle course of jumping and sliding. If you drop it in the water, it resets. Just take your time. Once you place that second block, the massive door in the center of the room will groan open.
The Map and the Lore Deep Dive
This is where it gets interesting for the lore nerds.
Once you’re inside the inner chamber, you aren’t just looking at a tomb; you’re looking at a command center. There’s a giant map on the floor. If you interact with it, Eivor will realize that there are several other tombs scattered across England. This acts as your "hub" for the rest of the Tombs of the Fallen questline.
You’ll see giant holographic pillars of light shooting up from the map. These represent:
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- Boudicca Tomb (East Anglia)
- Cassivellaunus Tomb (Sciropescire)
- Venutius Tomb (Eurvicscire)
- Verica's Tomb (Hamtunscire)
- Togodumnus Tomb (Suthsexe)
Don't ignore the table in the back. There’s a letter from Manius himself. He was a Roman architect who clearly knew way more about the Isu (the "Ones Who Came Before") than your average Roman citizen. He mentions a "Great Catastrophe." It’s a nice tie-in to the broader Assassin's Creed universe, specifically the solar flare narrative from the earlier games.
Why Manius Sanctum Actually Matters
Most people do this tomb, see the map, and leave. Big mistake.
You need to loot the chest at the end. This gives you the first piece of the Fallen Hero Armor Set—the cape. This armor set is arguably one of the most broken (in a good way) sets in the entire game. When you take damage, it drops a pulse of energy that explodes after a few seconds, dealing massive AoE damage and knocking enemies back.
It’s basically a "get out of jail free" card for when you get swamped by Saxon soldiers.
Also, look for the Manius Sanctum Key. It’s tucked away on a desk near the back of the chamber. You’ll need this later. There's a massive, locked circular door deep underground in this same tomb that won't open until you've cleared all the other tombs in England and collected their artifacts.
Technical Tips for the Tomb
If the pressure plates aren't triggering, it's usually because the stone block isn't centered. Pick it up and drop it again. Sometimes the physics engine in Valhalla gets a bit "floaty," and the game doesn't register the weight.
Also, watch your breath. There are underwater sections in the later tombs, but Manius is mostly dry. If you’re playing on a higher difficulty, the fall damage inside these tombs is surprisingly unforgiving. Use the "Dive of the Valkyries" ability if you’re about to hit the ground too hard; it can sometimes cancel the fall animation.
Your Next Steps in the Tombs
Solving Manius Sanctum is just the beginning. To fully finish this saga and get the Blazing Sword (the ultimate reward for this DLC), follow this specific order:
- Mark your map. Use the map in the Sanctum to pinpoint the locations of the other four main tombs. They won't appear as gold icons on your main world map until you get close to them.
- Head to East Anglia first. The Boudicca Tomb is generally considered the "next step" in terms of difficulty and puzzle complexity.
- Collect the Artifacts. Every tomb has a hidden artifact. Don't just grab the armor piece and run. You need those artifacts to unlock the final "final" door back here in the Sanctum.
- Check the walls. The Tombs of the Fallen use a lot of breakable walls. If you see a pile of rocks or a wooden crate blocking a hole, smash it. Usually, there’s a hidden note or a chest behind it.
Go get that Fallen Hero armor. It makes the late-game grind significantly more manageable, and the explosions are just plain fun to watch.
Actionable Next Steps
- Travel to Ravensthorpe: Cross the river to the south to trigger the "Tombs of the Fallen" quest marker.
- Equip the Cape: As soon as you finish Manius Sanctum, equip the Fallen Hero cape to start building the set bonus.
- Search for "The Blazing Sword": After clearing all tombs, return to the Sanctum's locked floor plate to initiate the final boss encounter.