For most players, Hades 2 starts with a familiar mystery: Hypnos, the personification of sleep, lies motionless at the Crossroads, completely unreachable. His slumber isn’t just for show — it’s tied to a multi-part prophecy that sends you chasing some of the rarest crafting materials in the game.
If you’ve already finished both earlier incantations and reached the endgame, you’re probably wondering where to find Soot for the End to Dumbest Slumber spell. The answer is tied to post-story progression, specific NPC interactions, and a bit of patience. Let’s break down every step.
How To Unlock the End to Dumbest Slumber
Before you even think about Soot, you’ll need to work through Hypnos’ full questline — a set of incantations linked to the Soundest of Sleepers prophecy in your Fated List.
To get started:
- Speak to Hypnos whenever he’s available at the Crossroads. Gift him two bottles of Nectar to strengthen your bond.
- Gather and grow Poppies in your garden — you’ll need them for early-stage incantations.
- Talk to Medea in Ephyra, the first major surface region, to unlock your first incantation.
Medea is the key NPC in this storyline. Keep checking in with her between runs; Hypnos’ incantations only unlock as you progress and complete dialogue chains.
Step One – Completing the First Two Incantations
You’ll first unlock End to Deepest Slumber, which requires:
- 1x Moly
- 2x Mandrake
- 3x Poppy
After crafting this incantation at the cauldron, you’ll receive a Dream Vapor, which can be gifted to Hypnos to enter a dream sequence.
Later, the End to Dearest Slumber incantation becomes available — similar recipe, slightly harder materials — and triggers another dream. But neither spell actually wakes him up. That final piece comes later.
Step Two – Unlocking End to Dumbest Slumber
Once both prior incantations are complete, the End to Dumbest Slumber spell becomes available. This is the one that finally breaks Hypnos’ eternal nap — but it comes with a catch. You’ll need some of the rarest materials in the game:
- 2x Poppy
- 1x Shaderot
- 1x Soot
The first two are simple enough to gather if you’ve been maintaining your Crossroads garden and exploring surface areas. Soot, however, is something entirely different.
How To Get Soot in Hades 2
You won’t find Soot until you’ve seen Hades 2’s end credits — meaning you must beat the main story at least once. After that, continue doing Underworld runs. Somewhere along the way, a new NPC interaction will appear in the final region before the last boss.
This is a random event, so don’t panic if it doesn’t show up immediately. For many players, it takes two or three runs before the room appears. When you finally find the NPC, gift them one Nectar. That’s your trigger.
After a brief exchange, they’ll hand you Soot — and a Keepsake — with almost no ceremony. That’s it. No cutscene, no big reveal. But it’s exactly what you need to finish Hypnos’ storyline.
Step Three – Completing the Final Incantation
Once you’ve got the Soot, return to the Crossroads and open the cauldron. Craft the End to Dumbest Slumber incantation using the materials you gathered. Then, hand Dream Vapor to Hypnos one last time to activate a final dream sequence.
When you return, Hypnos will finally wake up — concluding the Soundest of Sleepers prophecy and unlocking new dialogue that ties into the game’s late narrative.
Quest Rewards and What’s Next
Finishing Hypnos’ storyline doesn’t just resolve a long-running mystery; it also nets you two Nightmares, a high-tier crafting material used in several powerful Hades 2 incantations and upgrades. You’ll also check off one of the most elusive objectives in the Fated List.
If you’re chasing 100% completion, it’s worth checking your cauldron afterward — several new spells and recipes may appear once Hypnos is awake.
Final Thoughts
Few side quests in Hades 2 feel as rewarding as waking Hypnos. It’s slow, cryptic, and quietly emotional — a reminder that Hades 2’s real magic isn’t just in combat, but in the way its world evolves between runs.
So, if you’ve reached the post-game and still see Hypnos snoring away, don’t stress. Run the Underworld a few more times, check in with Medea, and keep your cauldron stocked. Eventually, you’ll get your Soot, complete the End to Dumbest Slumber, and finally let the god of sleep rest easy — by waking him up.