Plague victims and the dead of vampiric massacres don't stay quiet in The Blood of Dawnwalker. Haunted Sites are open-world events scattered across the map where restless spirits linger over corpse-strewn ground, and clearing them rewards you with some of the best skill manuals and epic gear in the game. There are exactly 4 to find, and this guide covers every location, what to do when you get there, and every reward you'll walk away with.
What are Haunted Sites and how do they work?
Haunted Sites appear on your map as white skull icons. You can reveal all of them by climbing the 11 Scouting Towers scattered across the world, which stamps their positions directly onto your map.
The process at each site follows the same pattern. Hold L2/LT to activate Focus Mode and scan the area for yellow-marked bodies. Interact with one to loot a note, then interact with the second body to trigger Astral Communion, a Witchcraft skill you unlock automatically during the Prologue. That summons a wave of spectral enemies. Defeat them and the site is cleared.
Blood of Dawnwalker Guide: All Haunted Site Locations
Each exorcism costs 1 Time Segment, so factor that into your daily planning before committing. Spectral enemies have specific resistances, so weapons that deal bonus damage to supernatural targets will make these fights noticeably faster.
All 4 Haunted Site locations
All sites are concentrated in the central regions of the map, with one exception sitting further south. Here's where to find each one.
Haunted Site 1: Site of Crucifixion
Location: On a hilltop near the Eerie Knoll shrine. An Ancient Circle sits right next to it, so you can knock out both activities in the same visit.
Reward: Unholy Vitality Manual
Haunted Site 2: Mass Grave
Location: Take the road heading northeast from Shrike's Crag and follow it into the woods. The Mass Grave sits just before a Tatzelwurm Lair, so watch your surroundings when approaching.
Rewards: Soul Reaping Manual and Tough Leather Boots (epic boots)
Haunted Site 3: River Massacre
Location: By the riverbed directly south of the Ruined Hut shrine. This is also the location where you meet Volk during the Buried Past quest, so you may stumble across it naturally during story progression.
Rewards: Soul Reaping Manual and Grayrock Blade (epic weapon)
Haunted Site 4: Destroyed Caravan
Location: Directly west of Howling Keep in Tantari Woods. This one sits further south than the others, so save it for when you're already exploring that region.
Rewards: Unholy Vitality Manual and Nature's Bane (epic ring)
All Haunted Site rewards
| Site | Location | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Site of Crucifixion | Near Eerie Knoll shrine | Unholy Vitality Manual |
| Mass Grave | Northeast of Shrike's Crag | Soul Reaping Manual, Tough Leather Boots (epic) |
| River Massacre | South of Ruined Hut shrine | Soul Reaping Manual, Grayrock Blade (epic weapon) |
| Destroyed Caravan | West of Howling Keep, Tantari Woods | Unholy Vitality Manual, Nature's Bane (epic ring) |
What do the Haunted Site manuals unlock?
The two perk manuals you earn from clearing all four sites feed directly into your combat build. Here's what each one does.
Unholy Vitality regenerates health after you use active abilities. For any build that chains skills frequently, this turns your offense into passive sustain, which matters a lot in longer fights.
Soul Reaping inflicts lifesteal on a target and staggers them briefly. The stagger is the underrated part here: it opens a window for follow-up attacks and interrupts enemy combos.
Two sites drop Unholy Vitality Manuals (Site of Crucifixion and Destroyed Caravan) and two drop Soul Reaping Manuals (Mass Grave and River Massacre). You need the manuals to unlock each skill tier, so clearing all four sites is the fastest way to get both perks active. For a deeper look at how manuals feed into your skill progression, check out the guide on how to find manuals fast.
Tips for clearing Haunted Sites efficiently
- Reveal all sites first by completing the Scouting Towers before you start clearing them. Running blind wastes Time Segments on travel.
- Haunted Sites and Ancient Circles share the same day-only restriction and similar mechanics. Planning a route that hits both types back to back on the same day is the most efficient approach.
- Bring your best anti-supernatural weapon loadout. Spectral enemies resist standard damage, and a fight that drags on eats into your remaining daylight.
- The River Massacre overlaps with the Buried Past quest location. If you're following the main story, keep an eye out for it when you meet Volk.
If you want to track your progress toward 100% completion, the Blood of Dawnwalker complete trophy list breaks down exactly which activities count toward which achievements, including open-world events like these.
For everything else the game has to offer, the full Blood of Dawnwalker strategy guides collection has you covered from the opening hours through to the end credits.
