Dark Souls III's HundoDex

Smouldering Lake

An optional ash lake and demon ruins beneath the catacombs, watched over by a giant ballista.

  • Suggested level: 45–55

Bosses

  • Demon: A lone demon reached by a ladder off the rope bridge near Wolnir; it drops a boss soul.
  • Old Demon King: A slow fire demon. Stay under him and watch for the meteor shower and fire sweeps.

Bonfires

  • Abandoned Tomb
  • Demon Ruins
  • Old King's Antechamber
  • Old Demon King

Items found here

  • Black Knight Sword: Behind an illusory wall at the bend of the tunnel past the fire-orb casters in the Demon Ruins; a Black Knight guards it.
  • Fume Ultra Greatsword: Deep in the tunnels below the Demon Ruins, along the route past the basilisk room.
  • Black Blade: Dropped by the mimic on the highest ledge of the Demon boss arena.
  • Dragonrider Bow: Under the Demon Ruins, in the tunnels past the basilisk room, the Black Knight bridge and two ladders, near the ballista.
  • Izalith Staff: In the tunnels under the Demon Ruins, along the large rat hallway past the illusory wall in the Old King's Antechamber.
  • White Hair Talisman: In the Demon Ruins tunnels past the second illusory wall in the rat room, near the Quelana Pyromancy Tome.
  • Llewellyn Shield: Dropped by Horace the Hushed, found in a tunnel right of the ballista view at the lake.
  • Shield of Want: In the lake, the item closest to the Carthus Sandworm.
  • Black Iron Greatshield: Deep in the tunnels below the Demon Ruins, past the basilisk room and Black Knight bridge.
  • Old Sage's Blindfold: Lies in the last room you pass on the way to the Abandoned Tomb bonfire.
  • Speckled Stoneplate Ring: Behind a brick wall left of the ballista view; bait a ballista bolt to break it.
  • Witch's Ring: Lies in the last room you pass on the way to the Abandoned Tomb bonfire.
  • Bloodbite Ring+1: NG+: near the ballista in the tunnels under the Demon Ruins, past the basilisk room and Black Knight bridge.
  • Flame Stoneplate Ring+2: NG++: in the Black Knight room behind the illusory wall in the Demon Ruins tunnel.
  • Sacred Flame: Smouldering Lake: in the lava-filled Demon Ruins area where Knight Slayer Tsorig can show up.
  • Toxic Mist: Smouldering Lake: on a corpse in the lava section of the Demon Ruins.
  • Lightning Stake: Smouldering Lake: dropped by the Carthus Sandworm near the Old Demon King; let the ballista kill it.
  • Izalith Pyromancy Tome: Smouldering Lake: straight ahead from the Old King's Antechamber bonfire in the Demon Ruins.
  • Quelana Pyromancy Tome: Smouldering Lake: behind a second illusory wall deep in the Demon Ruins.
  • Soul of the Old Demon King: Dropped by the Old Demon King.
  • Estus Shard: Smouldering Lake: on a corpse at the end of the hidden hallway behind an illusory wall at the Old King's Antechamber.
  • Undead Bone Shard: Smouldering Lake: dropped by the Carthus Sandworm; lure it into the ballista fire near the Old Demon King.
  • Undead Bone Shard: Smouldering Lake: at the back left of the long hall full of fire-throwing demons below the Demon Ruins bonfire.

Walkthrough: Smouldering Lake

  • From the Wolnir bonfire go back to the rope bridge and hit the supports to drop a ladder.
  • Climb down and kill the Demon for the Soul of a Demon.
  • A Mimic on the upper level of the same room has the Black Blade.
  • Down the stairs are a Large Titanite Shard and a Large Soul of a Nameless Soldier.
  • Further down lie the Old Sage's Blindfold and the Witch's Ring.
  • Light the Abandoned Tomb bonfire.
  • Near the boss fog a Carthus Sandworm surfaces. Let the ballista kill it while you hide for Lightning Stake and an Undead Bone Shard.
  • Around the front of the lake grab the Shield of Want and five separate Large Titanite Shard pickups.
  • Let the ballista smash the brick wall along the left side to reach the Speckled Stoneplate Ring.
  • Further along the left wall is a Chaos Gem. In mid-lake, stand on the brick floor until the ballista breaks it open; do not drop in yet.
  • Up the slope right of the fog is a Large Titanite Shard, and the Demon Ruins bonfire down the stairs.
  • On the top floor, the left corner holds an Ember.
  • Go right past the demons for an Ember. An Estus Shard is visible across a gap; collect it later from the safe side.
  • In the first room, go downstairs to the back left for another Undead Bone Shard.
  • Take the left hallway (not the rat one), hit the wall at its end and take the Black Knight Sword.
  • NG++ only: the Flame Stoneplate Ring+2 is in a corner here.
  • Go out, right and on to a room with stairs; left then right before them is an Ember. Climb up to the Old King's Antechamber bonfire.
  • From that bonfire take the near hallway and keep right; a Crystal Lizard drops a Chaos Gem.
  • Straight ahead from the bonfire, the Izalith Pyromancy Tome lies on the floor.
  • In the antechamber, an illusory wall right of the stairs leads to a hallway of ceiling flesh; the Estus Shard is on a body at the end.
  • Back in the main room, take the hallway in the left corner where the rat is.
  • Turn right before the rat and hit the wall ahead; go left for the Quelana Pyromancy Tome (for Karla).
  • The lava room next to it has Toxic Mist and the White Hair Talisman.
  • Keep turning right to a lower hallway with a big rat; a hidden wall on the left hides a chest with Large Titanite Shard x3.
  • Another hidden wall behind the chest leads down to the Izalith Staff.
  • The Basilisk room holds a Titanite Scale.
  • Turn left at the foot of the stairs to meet Knight Slayer Tsorig. You get the My Thanks! gesture either way; he drops the Fume Ultra Greatsword and Black Iron Greatshield.
  • A first kill of Tsorig also gives the Knight Slayer's Ring, and the Shrine Handmaid then sells the Black Iron Set.
  • In this lava room take Sacred Flame and an Ember.
  • Return to the stairs and walk over the bridge; a Soul of a Crestfallen Knight is on the far end.
  • Climb two ladders and drop right for the Dragonrider Bow.
  • Exit at the top onto the lake and drop left for Homeward Bone x2 by the wall.
  • NG+ only: the Bloodbite Ring+1 is near the ballista.
  • With the ballista off, drop down the cliffs to a cave you have not explored; two Crystal Lizards drop a Twinkling Titanite and a Titanite Chunk.
  • Horace has gone hollow in this cave. Kill him for the Llewellyn Shield; the Shrine Handmaid then sells the Executioner Set.
  • The cave also holds Yellow Bug Pellet x2 and two Large Titanite Shard pickups.
  • If Wolnir is still alive, tell Anri in the catacombs about Smouldering Lake for the Ring of the Evil Eye; otherwise she gives it in Irithyll.
  • For the Old Demon King you can summon Knight Slayer Tsorig (if you beat him in the catacombs) and Great Swamp Cuculus. If Cuculus survives, return to Cornyx's old cage for the Spotted Whip and Cornyx's Set.
  • Defeat the Old Demon King for the Soul of the Old Demon King.