Honestly, the Citadelle des Morts map feels like Treyarch decided to take every frustrating medieval trope and turn it into a high-octane zombie slaughterhouse. It’s dense. It’s dark. If you’re trying to figure out how to do the easter egg on Citadelle des Morts, you’ve probably already realized that the hardest part isn't the zombies—it’s the sheer amount of multitasking required while a giant, undead knight tries to cave your skull in.
This isn’t just a "press X on three radios" kind of quest.
You’re dealing with a multi-stage narrative that bridges the gap between the Dark Aether lore and the immediate threat of the Forsaken's influence. To get through it, you need more than just a Pack-a-Punched pistol. You need a plan. Most players fail because they try to rush the steps without setting up their economy, and in Black Ops 6, that's a death sentence.
Getting the Lay of the Land First
Before you even think about the main quest, you have to turn on the power. This sounds basic, but in Citadelle, the power system is tied to the Void Generators. You’ll find them scattered in the lower ward and the alchemist's quarters. Don't just flip the switches and run. Take a second to look at the essence cost. If you're playing solo, you need to be stingy with your points early on.
The Pack-a-Punch and the Wonder Weapon
You can't finish the how to do the easter egg on Citadelle des Morts process without the Scythe of Sorrows. This wonder weapon is your bread and butter. To get it, you'll need to interact with the three soul boxes located near the ramparts. They look like weathered stone gargoyles. Feed them about 15 zombies each. Once they're satiated, they'll emit a purple glow.
Wait.
Don't just grab the weapon and think you're God. The Scythe has two modes: the sweeping slash for crowd control and the "Soul Reap" projectile. You’ll need the projectile for the specific puzzles later on, specifically the one involving the stained-glass windows in the Cathedral.
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The Ritual of the Damned
The first "real" step of the Easter Egg starts in the library. You’re looking for a specific book that doesn't fit the shelf—it’s slightly protruding and has a faint, shimmering outline. Interacting with it triggers a lockdown. This is where most public lobbies fall apart. Everyone panics.
Basically, the room fills with a thick, green mist. You have to stay within the circle of light emitted by the floating lantern. If you step out, your health ticks down faster than a timer on a frag grenade. Survive for two minutes, and the lantern will drop a Crystalized Heart. This is a key item. Don't forget to pick it up. I’ve seen streamers leave the room without it and have to backtrack while three Manglers are chasing them. It's not pretty.
Calibrating the Alchemical Array
Now you’ve got the heart, take it to the Alchemist's Bench. You’ll see a series of beakers. This is the part that feels like a high school chemistry nightmare, but it's actually just a logic puzzle. You need to match the color of the heart to the chemicals in the tubes.
- Red heart? Use the Sulfur.
- Blue heart? Use the Cobalt.
- Yellow heart? Use the Quicksilver.
Mix them. The bench will vibrate, and you’ll get the Infused Essence.
Cracking the Cathedral Puzzle
This is the peak of the how to do the easter egg on Citadelle des Morts run. You’re in the big room. The Cathedral. Look up at the windows. You’ll see five distinct panels depicting the fall of the Citadelle. You have to hit them with the Scythe’s projectile in the chronological order of the lore.
- The Arrival of the King.
- The Whispering Shadow.
- The Betrayal at the Feast.
- The Gates Opening.
- The Final Silence.
If you mess up the order, a swarm of Parasites spawns. It sucks. Just take your time and look at the images. The "Betrayal" one is the trickiest because it looks a lot like the "Arrival" one, but look for the dagger in the background. That's your giveaway.
The Escort Mission from Hell
Once the windows are shattered, a spectral knight will appear at the altar. He’s not going to fight you—yet. He’s going to walk toward the courtyard. Your job is to protect him. This is where your Support streaks come in handy. If you have a Sentry Gun or a Chopper Gunner, now is the time to burn them. The knight moves slowly, and the game will throw everything at you: Abominations, armored zombies, the works.
If the knight takes too much damage, he kneels and stops moving. You have to "revive" him by sacrificing your own armor plates. It's a resource sink. Keep your eyes on the rooftops because the snipers in this map are surprisingly accurate.
The Boss Fight: The Corrupted Paladin
You’ve made it to the end. The courtyard transforms. The Paladin grows to about twenty feet tall and starts swinging a flail made of human vertebrae. This fight is broken into three phases.
Phase One: The Armor. You can't hurt his health bar yet. You have to aim for the glowing blue joints on his knees and elbows. Use the Scythe’s slash move when he slams his weapon into the ground; he’ll be stuck for a few seconds.
Phase Two: The Shadows. He’ll disappear and spawn four clones. Only one is real. The real one is the only one that casts a shadow on the ground. Check the floor. Don't waste ammo on the fakes. If you shoot a fake, it explodes and deals massive splash damage.
Phase Three: The Heart. His chest opens. This is it. Dump everything you have into that glowing center. If you have a Ray Gun or a high-rarity LMG, this is where they shine. Watch out for his "Void Pull" attack—if he starts vacuuming the air, sprint in the opposite direction or you’ll be insta-downed.
Technical Tips for a Smoother Run
Don't ignore the side quests. Seriously. There's a small side easter egg involving the gravestones in the starting area that gives you a free Perk-a-Cola. Getting a free Jug or Speed Cola on round 6 changes the entire momentum of the game. Also, try to keep one zombie alive at the end of the rounds when you're doing the alchemy steps. Doing the beaker puzzle while a full horde is sprinting at you is a recipe for a "Game Over" screen.
Regarding your loadout: Melee is surprisingly viable in Citadelle because of the narrow corridors, but for the boss, you want range. The SVP-100 or any fast-firing assault rifle with a large mag is your best bet.
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Final Actionable Steps
- Round 1-5: Focus entirely on points. Don't buy wall guns unless you absolutely have to. Use your starting pistol and knife.
- Round 6-10: Open the way to the Void Generators and activate the Scythe boxes. You want that wonder weapon before round 12.
- Round 15 Target: Aim to have the Cathedral puzzle done by round 15. The zombie scaling gets significantly harder after 20, making the escort step a nightmare.
- Armor Management: Always carry an extra Armor Tool. The boss's AOE attacks will shred your protection in seconds.
Once the Paladin falls, don't just stand there. Grab the cinematic reel that drops from his body. You need to take it to the projector room in the upper barracks to trigger the final cutscene and the achievement/trophy. If you exit the game too early, it won't count as a completion. Get that reel, watch the madness unfold, and enjoy your rewards.