where does patches go after volcano manor

In the shadowed halls of Volcano Manor, amidst the schemes of the Recusants and the ever-present scent of sulfur, one figure embodies the very essence of duplicity: Patches the Untethered. His presence is a constant, yet his ultimate destination remains one of Elden Ring's most intriguing mysteries. The question "Where does Patches go after Volcano Manor?" is not merely about a location on the map, but a journey into the heart of his character, his role in the narrative, and the philosophical implications of his survival in a world bent on destruction.

The Unreliable Resident of the Manor

Patches' arrival at Volcano Manor is itself a masterstroke of self-preservation. Having survived encounters across the Lands Between, he finds a perfect refuge within the manor's walls. Here, Lady Tanith's rebellion against the Golden Order provides a chaotic backdrop ideal for his brand of opportunistic treachery. He offers contracts, sends the Tarnished on deadly missions, and peddles his wares with the same familiar grin. His role seems settled, a permanent fixture in the manor's ecosystem of betrayal. Yet, to assume Patches is content is to misunderstand him entirely. His nature is not to belong, but to exploit and move on when the advantage fades. The manor is a means, not an end.

The Disappearance and the Trail of Gossip

After the Tarnished fulfills the manor's requests and confronts Rykard, the Great Serpent, the stronghold begins to lose its purpose. It is in this period of decline that Patches vanishes. His departure is not marked by fanfare, but by silence. The key to unlocking his whereabouts lies not in a grand quest marker, but in a fragment of gossip. Speaking with the enigmatic merchant, Kalé, in Limgrave reveals a crucial clue: word of a "cave of treasures" near the scenic shores of the Weeping Peninsula. This deliberate placement of information is classic FromSoftware storytelling. Patches' location is not handed to the player; it is earned through curiosity and engagement with the world's inhabitants.

The Murkwater Legacy: A Return to Form

The trail leads to the Murkwater Cave, a site familiar to those who ventured through Limgrave early in their journey. This is not a new dungeon, but a revisited one, now transformed into the "Murkwater Catacombs." This return is profoundly significant. Patches has, in a sense, come full circle. He has abandoned the grand, fiery politics of Volcano Manor for the simple, familiar grift of a roadside ambush. Inside, he operates his oldest con: playing dead before springing up to attack the intruder. Upon being defeated once more, he surrenders, resumes his merchant persona, and even offers a unique gesture—the "Extreme Repentance"—a performance of remorse that is as hollow and theatrical as the man himself. This location is the answer to the question of where he goes physically, but it reveals a deeper truth about his character.

Why the Murkwater? The Philosophy of Patches

Patches' retreat to the Murkwater Catacombs is a deliberate narrative choice that underscores his core philosophy. Volcano Manor represented a scale of ambition too large, too entangled with demigods and world-altering events. Patches is a survivor of the margins. His domain is the dank cave, the forgotten tunnel, the trap laid for the greedy. By returning to this setting, he reasserts his identity. He is not a lord, a hero, or a revolutionary. He is Patches the Untethered, forever free from allegiance, forever committed to the small, cruel joke at the expense of the avaricious. His journey from the Manor is a rejection of epic narratives in favor of the timeless, base thrill of the trick.

The Final Vanishing Act: Beyond the Catacombs

Even after re-establishing his shop in the Murkwater Catacombs, Patches' story does not find a neat conclusion. If the Tarnished continues to engage with him, purchasing his goods and following his limited questline, Patches will eventually vanish again. His final act is to leave behind his signature armor set and the Bell Bearing that allows access to his shop inventory. This ultimate disappearance is his most eloquent statement. He has no final boss fight, no dramatic death scene. He simply exits the stage when his role is complete. He leaves his legacy—his tools of trade—behind, a ghost of a recurring joke that will haunt every FromSoftware world. His destination after this is unknown, and rightly so. To pin him down would be to break his character. He goes where the next gullible adventurer might tread, forever untethered.

Conclusion: The Eternal Trickster

Therefore, the journey of Patches after Volcano Manor is a journey back to his essence. He goes from the fiery halls of rebellion to the damp, familiar darkness of a Limgrave cave. This path is a deliberate narrative arc that highlights his enduring nature. He is a constant in a changing world, a symbol of cynical self-interest that persists regardless of the age. His destination is not a place, but a state of being: forever on the periphery, forever setting a trap, forever surviving. Where does Patches go? He goes wherever fortune can be twisted from the unwary, ensuring that in a land of gods and monsters, the last laugh always belongs to the unrepentant trickster in the shadows.

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