MapleStory Afterlands Guide – Quest Walkthrough For All Keys

Last Updated on July 31, 2023 by Samuel Franklin

MapleStory Afterlands Guide – Quest Walkthrough For All Keys

This MapleStory Afterlands guide provides a walkthrough to obtaining all keys while avoiding potential bugs of the quest line. The quest is a popular choice for early to mid game character progression as the Afterlands rewards permanent totems while also offering a large amount of experience to characters from level 75 onwards (approximately 10 levels). During this quest players can also make a permanent change to their tombstone colour that is shown on death of their MapleStory character.

Like many things in MapleStory the Afterlands is far from perfect and on release was littered with bugs that could potentially lock you completely out of obtaining these unique totems on that character. Over time the majority of these Afterlands bugs have been weeded out so you can for the most part progress without concern. However, following a guide is still recommended to ensure speed of completion, any unfixed bugs are avoided entirely and can be a useful reference if you get stuck in the Afterlands.

I’ve personally completed the Afterlands quest as a training method on my main account and dozens of mules (for Legion or Link Skills) for the stats the totems provide and I find it serves as a good alternative to the standard MapleStory levelling guide areas that are often suggested. The quest can be completed in around an hour when following this guide for the first time and if you intend to complete it multiple times you can get that down to around 45 minutes with practice through repetition. This MapleStory Afterlands guide is applicable to both Reboot and Normal server accounts given the content is identical and features a range of quest story spoilers from this point onwards.

Table of Contents:
– Afterlands Overview
– Afterlands Walkthrough
– Afterlands All Keys

MapleStory Afterlands Guide Overview

Afterlands is unlocked once a character reaches level 75 although does not need to be completed straight away. If you are wondering how to get to the Afterlands, like most important quests it is accessible via the lightbulb icon on the left of your screen. The opening quest is called “A Call For Help” and after players accept they will be transported to the starting quest area.

Before accepting this quest players should ensure they have sufficient potions, equipment, inventory space (across USE and ETC inventory tabs) and don’t have any other MapleStory business to complete. ETC inventory space is particularly important as you have to collect a total of 13 keys and a number of other items along the way so having at least 4 lines free (16 slots) is the bare minimum I’d consider. While you can hand in keys as you progress having this large number of slots free makes it easier to identify missing keys using the Afterlands keys guide list at the end of this article.

Note you can also move in and out of the Afterlands quest although I always recommend you complete it in a single sitting where possible to limit any bug risk. Note that the ability to leave the Afterlands is only available at around a third of the way through the quest as well. If you are looking for how to go back to the Afterlands this can be done through the Maple Guide or Dimensional Mirror in most towns.

Other important details when completing the Afterlands quest include:

• Ensure you have your basic attack assigned to a key as several parts of this content require this to be used.
• The content scales with your character level.
• Don’t forget to hold down your NPC chat key to make dialogue progress significantly faster.
• If you plan to complete the quest on multiple MapleStory classes you can stockpile some items to speed up later completion attempts.

MapleStory Afterlands Walkthrough

After accepting the quest players will be teleported to one of several situations that you need to save the Old Man from, all of these are futile exercises though with players ending up dead. Waking up in the Afterlands location players are meet by Ashkaya who serves as the guide for your adventure ahead. Once available players should basic attack the bush in front of the large door to reveal the 12 locks and follow the prompts to be transported to the Land of Warriors which is where the real Afterlands guide requirement begins.

Land of Warriors

• Complete the 3 wave battle within the allocated time limit.
• Lower the sun with your basic attack by attacking the gear next to the sun mechanism
• Talk to Beodog to accept a new quest and speak to each of the warriors
• Go through the portal to the right twice to the Field of Perspiration until you find a Fashionable Balrog who will drop a key [Balrog’s Key] although this is not used to unlock any locks on the door at Land of Beginnings.
• Complete the quest book icon above your head but select the second option offered by Ashkaya “You think so too? I guess I’ll hold onto it.”
• Accept a new quest from Arsen Lupen to the left of the Land of Warriors
• Raise the sun with your basic attack
• Select any of the mini game options (Last Warrior Standing is the fastest and a repeat of the previous three round fight you completed)
• Turn in the quest book above your head and select any dialogue option to advance to the next Afterlands area

Land of Riches

• Accept a quest from Joel to acquire 30 Food Baskets (Note this quest will repeat twice so it is recommended to acquire 60 baskets)
• Enter the right most portal on the map in the left corner of the map to the Field of Music
• Hunt the mobs until you obtain 60 baskets
• Return to Joel and hand in the 30 baskets, he will then ask you to obtain another 30
• Handover the piece of gold you acquired to Mansa and you are automatically teleported to the next area

Land of Contemplation

• Go across 3 portals to the right until you reach the Sparkling Field
• Wait several seconds and accept the quest above your head which will require you to kill 50 ravens that spawn on this map
• Complete the quest above your head to return to the main area of the Land of Contemplation
• Talk to Adler on the left side of the screen to obtain the
  [Adler’s White Key] from his ‘A Wise Old Man’ quest then speak with Ashkaya to move onto the next land

Land of Innocence

• Talk to Tina which will trigger a quest and change the weather to rain
• Enter the portal next to Ashkaya Guide Tree to the Field of Melody
• Collect 30 Frozen Treats from the mobs on this map and collect at least 1 Magic Eyepatch
• Accept another quest from Tina
• Return through the portal and you will find a broken tree on the right side of the Field of Melody map. Click on this tree to acquire one of the Afterlands keys required
  [Lightning-Touched Wooden Key]
• Continue two maps to the right to the Field of Rainbow Balloons and get 30 Child’s Toy from this monster
• Return to the main Land of Innocence map and talk to Riley to complete the quest
• Talk to Billy and then return to the Field of Melody until you reach 100% on the Colour Collector from the coloured marbles that now drop from these monsters. If you didn’t find a Magic Eyepatch previously don’t leave until you find one.
• Return to Billy to complete the quest
• Talk to the Silent Boy several times (right side of the Land of Innocence beyond the toy house) until he gives you a key
  [Heart-shaped Key]
• Talk to Lonnie next to the swings and give hand over the Magic Eyepatch completing her quest to give you another key
  [Striped Candy Key]
• Move to the next area by talking to Ashkaya

Land of Warriors

• Lower the sun as you’ve done previously with basic attacks
• Accept the quest lightbulb above your head and accept the quest from Vulcanelli before heading through the right portal
• Kill 50 Marauder Mushrooms and 50 Battle Balrogs (any map, the second map spawns both enemy types)
• Complete the quest above your head to return to the main area
• Raise the sun and watch the cutscene before lowering the sun again
• Complete the quest above your head and move into the next area

Land of Riches

• Talk to Joel and accept a World Beyond The Castle Walls
• Go through the portal next to Ashkaya to Field of Music and acquire 10 Food Baskets from the mobs
• Return to Joel, complete the quest and accept the Excuses to Stay quest and select the “I’ll defeat the Treasure Thief Moustrosity monsters for you“
• Go to the third map (Skyward Branches) and defeat 100 monsters
• Return to Joel again and he will leave the walls asking you to grab his treasure and move it outside the walls. Use your harvest button (spacebar by default) to pick up and drop the treasure next to Joel on the outside
• Talk to Ben and select the “Convince Mansa to move out first” option
• Talk to Mansa
• Move to the next area

Land of Contemplation

• Talk to Adler and accept his quest
• Talk to each of the souls in order which will give them a colour and return to Adler to complete his quest
• Talk to Nameless Soul and accept their quest
• Move three maps to the right to reach Sparkling Field and kill the special Raven that appears and drops a key
  [Raven Black Key]
• Accept the quest above your head to return to the main area.
• Talk to the Nameless Soul to finish this quest
• Move to the right of the map where you see a man sitting on a bench in a thinking pose
• Click on the bench to accept your next quest which will transport you to a cutscene and a fight with the Yellow Mage which gives a key
  [Yellow Mage’s Key]
• Move to the next area

Land of Innocence

• Talk to Tina and accept her quest
• Fight monsters on the Field of Melody until her book drops and then return to Tina to complete the quest
• Accept another quest from Tina
• Buy a Brand New Teddy Bear from Sunni for 10k Mesos
• Handover the teddy bear to Tina who will handover Tina’s Storybook (USE item)
• Double click the storybook in your inventory to obtain your next key
  [Crystalline Key] and then talk to Tina again for a self completing quest for free experience
• Before leaving double click on the Snack Hoard left of Tina and eat all the candy which will trigger rain
• Move to the next area

Land of Warriors

• Raise the sun
• Choose your preferred mini game (Last Warrior Standing is fastest)
• Complete the quest above your head
• Talk to Beodog and complete his quest
• Move to the next area

Land of Riches

• Enter the gap in the wall and click on the hanging treasure pouch at the top left of the screen
• Talk to Horemheb and accept the quest above your head
• Talk to Louie the Average and select either option
• Go through the portal to the far left and talk with the Old Tombstone Maker
• Move to the right of this map and attack the large stone with your basic attack before returning the stone to the Old Tombstone Maker
• This will activate a 10 minute timer that cannot be avoided so we will return later
• Return to the Land of Riches and talk to Joel
• Accept his quest A Tasteful Favour and complete this quest 6 times to acquire 6 Delicious Gold Pieces (USE item)
• Joel’s quest will require you to obtain 20 Food Baskets and afterwards will alternate between this or defeating 50 Treasure Thief Moustrosity
• With your 6 gold pieces in your inventory eat 3 of the pieces by double clicking your inventory when standing next to the castle wall (either side)
• After eating the pieces you will grow in size to the point where you can use your basic attacks to destroy the wall
• Talk to Ben and select either option then proceed to move him and the treasure outside next to Joel
• Move to the next world

Land of Contemplation

• Skip this world and move to the next world

Land of Innocence

• Skip this world and move to the next world

Land of Warriors

• Use your remaining 3 pieces of gold to grow your size and talk to Vulcanelli for another key
  [God of Battle’s Key]
• Click on the warrior statue to the right of the screen
• Talk to Edgar on the left side of the map and provided it is raining (activated previously in the Land of Innocence) you can now accept a quest from The Ready Spear warrior statue
• Move the next area

Land of Riches

• Talk to Horemheb to obtain your next key
  [Cast Iron Key]
• Talk to Mansa
• Click on Mansa’s Pile o’ Treasure Puke to obtain another key
  [Golden Key]
• Move through the far left portal on the map to visit the Old Tombstone Maker who will have another quest if 10 minutes have passed since first talking to him

• DO NOT SKIP PAST THIS DIALOGUE when talking to the Old Tombstone Maker he will give you a choice of tombstone colour that will permanently change your death tombstone for your character. If you select the Silver Tombstone you will stay with the default or you can change it to a Golden Tombstone or Bronze Tombstone. There is no way to change this decision and you will acquire another key
  [Carved Stone Key] after this conversation which automatically returns you to the Land of Riches
• Go back through the far left portal and the map will have changed
• Talk to the Old Tombstone Maker again who will teleport you to a mini game map
• Hit each of the tombstones in the clouds with your basic attack and then talk to him again to return to the previous map
• Talk with the Old Tombstone Maker one last time to get another key
  [Molded Clay Key]
• Talk to Ashkaya and select the first dialogue option to return yourself to the Huge Door at the Land of Beginnings

Land of Beginnings

• Click on each lock to use your collected keys to obtain the door (some hitboxes are inaccurate so click around the locks if necessary)
• You’ll be teleported back to the Old Man and then to your original location when activating the quest
• Complete the quest book above your head and you have finished the questline by following this MapleStory Afterlands guide!
• A special giftbox will appear in your USE slot which will provide you with the 4 Afterlands totems as a reward.

MapleStory Afterlands All Keys

If you find yourself missing a key at the end of the following this Afterlands guide walkthrough you can refer to this key list of all keys presented in order of the locks on the door to figure out which steps were missed:

• Adler’s White Key
• Yellow Mage’s Key
• Heart-shaped Key
• God of Battle’s Key
• Striped Candy Key
• Golden Key
• Raven Black Key
• Lightning-Touched Wooden Key
• Cast Iron Key
• Carved Stone Key
• Crystalline Key
• Molded Clay Key

Written by

Samuel Franklin

Samuel Franklin is the founder and lead editor of the Games Finder team and enjoys video games across all genres and platforms.

Sam has played MapleStory since beta with thousands of Steam hours played and regularly returns to the game for the MMO progression curve, boss challenges and community it offers. His favourite class is his level 226 Night Lord for its fast ranged attacks and solo boss potential who is currently exploring the ends of the Arcane River while building up Legion characters on the Scania server.