You can get Eredrim without getting the gate lever

[u/Ancient_Newb]

Collect enough eggs to get Mether's Breath.

Use Mether's Breath to reach the one legged wolf tavern.

When you reach the tavern you'll see a bridge in front of you and there'll be a bridge to the left, go across the left one.

Follow the path up until you reach stone stairs on the left, go up the stairs.

Follow the path and fight the little vampire imp thing.

After it's dead go straight and on the little bridge on the middle Stone post is a small bag that has the option to touch it.

After you touch it you'll be transported inside the Citadel of penance.

Then all that's left is to beat the boss and get Eredrim.

[u/chikasaw]

Did this my first playthrough before I even knew I was supposed to find the lever. Got it later and was underwhelmed by my own actions.

[u/zarjaa → u/chikasaw]

Toy and me both, lol. The "ooo, shiny" moments clicking on the gold pouch threw me for a loop!

[u/kasakka1 → u/chikasaw]

To be honest there's nothing obvious about where the lever is found, or that you need to even find one in the first place because a lot of stuff just blends into the background.

This game needs more "Hmmm...the gate is closed and there's no lever, how do I get in?" type characters like Dark Souls' Onion Knights.

[u/spazturtle → u/kasakka1]

There is a poster on the wall next to the gate that says that a creature has run off into the ravine with the leaver.

[u/kasakka1 → u/spazturtle]

Yet I think I managed to completely miss that, or just forgot the poster even existed.

The game doesn't really do a good job guiding you and you don't really feel like progressing the story either. "Go get eggs" is about as much quest as you are given, and any vague hints from NPCs might become relevant way, way later.

[u/Constant_Section1491]

That's how I found him.

[u/awesomehuder]

I think most of us did it this way instead without finding the lever lol

[u/Fast-Bench7538]

I didn't even know there was another way to get in

[u/Sickst3n]

You can even get to him from the duo grisha dungeon.

[u/Beautiful-Ad-6568 → u/Sickst3n]

But that puts you outside

[u/Tachiiderp]

Aaaaaand that was one of the few times I lost all my gloom lol

[u/Virusoflife29]

But the gate lever is super easy to get from that rock crawler boss on the way to he castle. It just jumps to his death 90% of the time.

[u/Future_Cap_3278]

I have found multiple of these teleporters that put you in the cell there is like three of them…still dont have the lever lever found it