Bug in Return Ending. Any Solutions? (Spoilers)

[Aradon]

I'm working on the Return Ending, and have almost finished the steps before proceeding to the end of the game, but I'm stuck at one specific part.

So I've given the Divine Child the serpent viscera, and now they're writhing in pain in the Inner Sanctum, but no matter what I do, it won't progress past that. Guides say I'm supposed to return and get some Frozen Tears, but nothing will open these doors.
I've tried resting, completing several bosses, restarting game, talking to NPCs, etc. Would rather not just do the Immortal Severance ending again, but I can't seem to progress. I've obtained the Shelter Stone and killed Guardian Ape (and Headless Ape again with Mortal Blade), but not picked up the Fragrant Flower, because I don't want to trigger the next step in Immortal Severance.

Any advice on how to get the game to progress the Return ending, or am I stuck doing another Immortal Severance?

[Lod101]

hmm try defeating owl(at least i did it before going for thé ending stuff)
the only thing that closes off endings is getting the dragon tear from the divine dragon since it triggers endgame

[Bluetonic47]

i did the return ending im sure i had already picked the flower and the stone to get the incense burner going , it was after that i spoke to the divine child and gave her the hart then i had to go to about 2 idols before i could get in through the door in which i was given the frozen tears

[Aradon]

Thanks, I'll go ahead and try that since it's safe!

[Bluetonic47]

to be honest i think i also had the dragon tears too ....its was the owl fight in lookout tower that triggerd the final end game , so i couldnt get the father bell charm off emma after that ,
no second owl fight for me i was gutted had to settle for return ending

[Goilveig]

Pretty sure you must beat owl before you can get frozen tears.

The only thing that seals off endings is completing Fountainhead palace, and even that is okay as long as you've reached Hinata estate part 2.

Neither ending quest can be completed before defeating Owl; both can be finished before defeating the Divine Dragon.

[Bluetonic47]

Originally posted by Goilveig:

Pretty sure you must beat owl before you can get frozen tears.

The only thing that seals off endings is completing Fountainhead palace, and even that is okay as long as you've reached Hinata estate part 2.

isnt that the purification ending ?

you could be very right about what triggers the end game thou .... aradon should google or youtube this stuff to be safe

[Goilveig]

Originally posted by jackass:

Originally posted by Goilveig:

Pretty sure you must beat owl before you can get frozen tears.

The only thing that seals off endings is completing Fountainhead palace, and even that is okay as long as you've reached Hinata estate part 2.

isnt that the purification ending ?

you could be very right about what triggers the end game thou .... aradon should google or youtube this stuff to be safe

Yes, hinata is purification. Although you can do both and choose at the very end, or save scum to see all three endings.

Return would be locked at a minimum if you hadn't given Kuro the rice & gotten the onigiri before Fountainhead, but it is safer to finish the whole thing.

Finishing Fountainhead is the cutoff for lots of things since four of the five most important NPCs become unavailable for quest progress for one reason or another.

[Aradon]

Thanks for all the input guys! It advanced once I defeated the Great Shinobi and talked to Kuro again, completing the incense.