“Shadows on the Wall” is a critical juncture in your journey throughout Disney Dreamlight Valley, where you visit the mysterious Skull Rock Island and are confronted by the mysterious shadow that has been taunting you throughout the game. It’s a quest that’s full of enchanted lanterns, cryptic clues, and shadow wrangling.
Beginning the Shadows on the Wall Quest
To trigger the quest, you’ll need to complete “A Forgotten Name” and unlock The Forgotten as a villager. Once that’s done, “Shadows on the Wall” will automatically begin and open access to the elusive Skull Rock.
Tag along with The Forgotten as they take you in. You’ll see a Pixie Dust Orb flying by—and the shadowy figure finally appears. Go up to the second level and talk to The Forgotten, who will let you know about an obstructing locked gate. Right off from there, you’ll see a broken lantern planted on the floor. Dig it up and present it to start the next stage of the quest.
Gathering Materials for the Lanterns
Fixing the lanterns is your top priority now. You’ll need to craft three Pixie Dust Lanterns, and that means hunting down some specific materials scattered across the valley:
- Broken Lanterns (3 total): You’ve already found one. Fish out the other two near the waters close to the ship by Skull Rock’s entrance.
- Gold Ingots (x3): Craft these using Gold Nuggets and Coal Ore at any Crafting Table.
- Glass (x9): Mix Sand and Coal Ore to produce this.
- Vitalys Crystals (x9): Get gem nodes from Vitalys Mines and the Sunlit Plateau.
- Pixie Dust Orbs (x3): Catch these pesky orbs in the Forgotten Lands, Forest of Valour, and Glade of Trust. They’ll give you a small chase before you’re able to pick them up.
After collecting all of that, go to a Crafting Table and craft the three Pixie Dust Lanterns. Next, put them on the Rope Winches within Skull Rock to open the next stage.
Lighting the Way and Trapping the Shadow
Once the lanterns are set, your job is to tilt their angle so that they channel and ultimately capture the shadow. To capture it, turn all three lanterns so that they cast light upon the same middle wall—the one close to a stack of crates and barrels.
Once it gets trapped, the shadow will talk to you and request assistance to travel through the space. This is the catch: it cannot move by itself. You will need to turn the lanterns in such a way that the way is illuminated.
The easiest solution? Go to the left lantern and shine its beam on the wheel below the closed gate. This illuminates the path for the shadow and allows it to go forward.
Solving the Riddles of the Jade Skulls
In order to open the gate, you will first have to solve a few riddles presented by the Jade Skulls. They want to check your knowledge of anything magical and adventurous:
- “I’m used to explore the waters and shores.”
→ Response: A Pirate Ship
- “I’m a winged creature, small and bright.”
→ Response: A Pixie
- “I’m an instrument of wind.”
→ Response: A Pan Flute
Answer all three correctly, and the gate shall open, completing “Shadows on the Wall.” Immediately thereafter, the next chapter, “A Ship of Gold,” will begin.
