The route from Fangroot Forest to the Cemetery
Start in Fangroot Forest, enter Hollowgrave Tunnels, and follow the southern route through Orc Fortress for the Silver Key. Use that key at the northwestern tunnel door to reach western Fangroot, gain passage into Underkeep Village, then travel south to Underkeep Cemetery.
This route follows the full game's opening. Treat the northern Rat Nest and Troubles at the Shack as detours; the Orc Fortress visit serves a different purpose, because the Orc Chieftain's chest holds the Silver Key needed for the northwestern exit.
Start in Fangroot Forest
Recognize the revival shrine and breakable crates around the starting area before moving on. Early encounters include undead and worms. Use this opening stretch to get comfortable with your party before following an entrance underground.
- Create your four heroes to begin the full-game opening in Fangroot Forest. Your immediate route leads from the forest into Hollowgrave Tunnels, rather than straight to the village.
- Gather the starting supplies before committing to an underground route. Make the nearby crates part of your initial search, since they are breakable objects you can investigate.
- Choose either the westward pit or the northern Rat Cave as your entrance to Hollowgrave Tunnels. Both belong to the opening route, so the Rat Cave is an alternative entry rather than a required stop after the pit.
Open the way through Hollowgrave Tunnels
- Activate the stone switches at the early gates to open the way forward. When a gate blocks the route, look for the switch interaction before treating it as a missing-key problem.
- Collect the ordinary pickaxe in Hollowgrave Tunnels so you have the tool needed to remove rubble. Keep this obstacle in mind while exploring: the pickaxe is part of progressing through the tunnels.
- Use the pickaxe on tunnel rubble to clear the blocked passageways. This is a tool obstacle, so return to rubble you passed once you have the pickaxe.
- Throw rocks or food onto pressure plates across pits to activate them. To throw a held item, place it at the top of the screen; that interaction matters when trying to reach a plate beyond a hole.
- Defeat the spider as you progress through the early tunnels. After this encounter, keep the southern route through Orc Fortress in mind as your route toward the Silver Key.
Recognize the Rat Nest detour
The northern Rat Nest is an optional detour before you leave the tunnels. Keep its name separate from the northern Rat Cave entrance in Fangroot Forest when deciding where you are going. For the route toward the village, your key objective remains the southern Orc Fortress and its Silver Key.
Get the Silver Key from Orc Fortress
- Take the southern route through Orc Fortress to continue toward the required key. This visit belongs to the route out of Hollowgrave Tunnels, even if you are leaving optional exploration for later.
- Collect the Silver Key from the Orc Chieftain's chest. This is the item required at the northwestern tunnel door, so use the key's name to keep your next objective clear.
- Unlock the northwestern Hollowgrave tunnel door with the Silver Key to reach western Fangroot. Once you have the key, return to this exit rather than continuing to search the tunnel gates for another solution.
Pass the guard and enter Underkeep Village
Western Fangroot offers the Troubles at the Shack side quest before the village. Treat it as a side trip if your immediate goal is the Cemetery. The village guard is the next passage obstacle on the main route.
- Complete the guard's Burrower-clearing task to gain passage toward the village. Paying 30 gold is the alternative route past him, so choose according to whether you want to tackle the task or spend the gold.
- Restock in Underkeep Village before heading to the Cemetery. Use the village stop to prepare for the next area instead of immediately following the southern route.
- Speak to Khelebar while you are in the village. Include this conversation in your village visit before you move on to investigate the Cemetery.
- Collect the shovel before leaving the village for the Cemetery. Make it part of your preparation alongside restocking and speaking to Khelebar.
- Enter the southern village portal to reach Underkeep Cemetery. Reaching the Cemetery completes this opening route from Fangroot Forest through the tunnels and the village.
If the tunnel fights stop your progress
Pull back into the tunnels to limit how many enemies fight you at once. Between encounters, retreat to a corner without enemies so you can rest. These are useful adjustments if you entered Hollowgrave before feeling comfortable with the party.
Check that your back-row characters carry weapons they can use from that position; a quarterstaff has reach. You can also lower the difficulty during play. If combat is blocking your exploration, try these changes before abandoning the route.
At level 1, rely on weapons for most battles because skills are unlikely to contribute much damage. You can also save during battles, so use that option when you need to preserve progress through the tunnel encounters.