Mass Effect - Keeper locations: How to complete the Citadel: Scan the Keeper Mission

Publish date: 2022-12-27

Finding Keeper locations in Mass Effect is one of the first quests you come across in the Citadel.

The quest can be initiated in one of two ways - by talking to Chorban or Jahleed - and though it's not mandatory for the main storyline, it's a storyline we'll return to in the sequel. As well as this, it's a welcome early source of easy XP - and a handy way to get to know the Citadel.

If you're looking for more help, our Mass Effect romances page with how to navigate relationships across all three games.

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How to start Citadel: Scan the Keepers by talking to Chorban or Jahleed

Citadel: Scan the Keepers can be initiated two different ways depending on who you talk to first: Chorban or Jahleed. This choice also affects the outcome of your interactions with both Chorban and Jahleed.

Talking to Chorban: Scan the Keepers

After Shepard, Counselor Udina, and Captain Anderson meet with the Council about Saren's involvement with the geth, Shepard runs into a salarian scientist named Chorban who is suspiciously scanning one of the Citadel keepers.

When confronted about his actions, Chorban explains that he is attempting to crack the mysteries of these unknown lifeforms. Chorban asks Shepard for a favor: take his scanner and scan all the keepers. You can either accept the mission or decline it.

If you accept the mission, at some point in the mission you will run into Jahleed, Chorban's former business partner, at the C-Sec Offices. Read the section "Talking to Jahleed: Jahleed's Fear and Jahleed's Secret " for more information about this encounter.

Talking to Jahleed: Jahleed's Fear and Jahleed's Secret

You can avoid talking to Chorban altogether and head straight to the C-Sec Academy to find Jahleed.

He will be in the C-Sec Offices logging a complaint to a C-Sec Officer about Chorban. When you talk to Jahleed, he will tell you that he suspects Chorban is trying to kill him and asks for your help. Jahleed sends you to the Lower Markets to confront Chorban on his behalf.

When you reach the Lower Markets, Chorban will ask you for the data. No matter the response, Chorban will have the two armed salarians attack you. Fight back and Chorban will surrender. He will tell you about his business partnership with Jahleed and their illegal plan to scan the keepers.

A few things can happen here. You can either:

Agree to scan the keepers for Chorban and Jahleed
Kill Chorban

If you agree to scan the keepers, the scan the keepers mission will start. Go back to the C-Sec Offices and tell Jahleed the truth about Chorban's actions. This will allay Jahleed's concerns and he will agree to analyze the data. You can then go about scanning the keepers.

If you decide to kill Chorban, you must then confront Jahleed. Go back to the C-Sec Offices and talk to Jahleed. You can tell him that you killed Chorban and he will plead for his life.

At this point you can either:

Turn him in to C-Sec
Take his credits and don't turn him in

If you turn him in to C-Sec, the mission ends and you cannot get it back. If you take his credits and don't turn him in, he will try to recruit you to scan the keepers. If you agree to scan the keepers, the mission starts. If you say no, then the mission ends.

Mass Effect Scan the Keepers locations at a glance

There is no time limit to this mission. You can complete it at any time as long as it's before going through the Omega 4 relay. There are 21 Keepers scattered throughout the Citadel; in the original game, you must find all 21, whereas in the Legendary Edition, only 20 is required.

You can find the keepers in the following districts and locations:

Citadel Tower: 4
The Presidium: 11

The Presidium: 2
The Emporium and Consort Chambers: 3
The Embassies:3
Citadel Security (C-Sec): 2
Citadel Docking Bay: 1

Lower and Upper Wards: 6

Citadel Lower Wards: 1
Citadel Upper Wards: 2
Flux Casino: 1
Alleyway: 1
Citadel Flux and Wards Access: 1

Though you can scan the keepers in any order, we have numbered the keepers in a logical progression based on speaking with Chorban to initiate the mission. If you speak to Jahleed first, this guide can still be followed as you see fit.

Citadel Tower Keeper locations in Mass Effect

After speaking with Chorban, you can scan the keeper that is right in front of him (keeper 1).

Next, there is a keeper to the far-right side of Citadel Tower (keeper 2).

Then you can head to the lower left-hand corner and find the third keeper (keeper 3).

Before you pass the large fountain in front of the Presidium elevator, there is one more keeper (keeper 4) in a little nook on the upper left side. Now you can continue on to the Presidium.

The Presidium Keeper locations in Mass Effect

The Presidium has most of the keepers so it will take a little bit of walking around to find them. The first keeper in this area can be found right outside the Citadel Tower elevators next to Avina (keeper 5).

Head west and you will spot another keeper in front of the entrance to the Wards (keeper 6).

Turn around and head over the bridge towards the Emporium. Take the stairs at the back of the Emporium and make a left, and there is a keeper (keeper 7).

Head out of the Emporium and go right towards to the Consort Chambers. To the immediate right is another keeper (keeper 8).

Keep going towards the Consort Chambers and you will find a keeper (keeper 9) right outside the entrance.

Take the stairs to the bridge and head towards C-Sec and Embassies then head right to the Embassies. Enter the Embassies and take the stairs to the right and head towards to the Volus and Elcor Office. Inside the office is another keeper (keeper 10) around the corner on the left.

Leave the office and head right towards the Embassy Lounge. Go through the main door and directly in front of you will be another door with a room full of diplomats. Head to the back of the room and you will find a keeper (keeper 11).

Leave the diplomat office and go into the Embassy Lounge. Go through the back door and on the balcony is another keeper (keeper 12).

Leave the Embassy and go left and down the ramp and take the elevator to the C-Sec Academy. Head left and down the stairs to the Requisition Office and you will find a keeper in the left corner (keeper 13).

Go back up the stairs and across the Atrium into the C-Sec Offices. Go up the long flight of stairs to Traffic Control and there will be a keeper on the right side (keeper 14).

Go back down the stairs and head to the Atrium. In the middle of the C-Sec Academy is an elevator that will take you to the Docking Bay. Take that elevator and go past the docked Normandy. There is another keeper (keeper 15) at the end of the ramp.

Take the elevator back to C-Sec Academy. As soon as you get off of the elevator make an immediate left or right turn and head down the blueish stairs to the Wards elevator.

The Lower and Upper Wards Keeper locations in Mass Effect

Get out of the elevator and head down the long corridor to the Lower Wards. Directly in front of you will be a keeper (keeper 16).

Take the stairs on the right up to the Upper Wards. Make a left around the stairs towards the Med Clinic. Pass the Med Clinic doors and to the left is another keeper in the corner (keeper 17).

Go back the way you came, pass the stairs, and you will see another set of stairs on the right leading up towards the Flux nightclub. Enter Flux and make your way into the Casino, there will be a keeper located at the back wall (keeper 18).

Leave Flux and head right towards the Upper Markets.

In the Upper Markets go towards the back right corner and you will find a keeper (keeper 19).

Turn right towards a set of stairs heading down. Go down into the Lower Markets and make your way to the door at the far end. From here, make an immediate right and head up the stairs into the Alleyway. There will be another keeper here (keeper 20).

Keep going towards the door and exit the Alleyway. Turn left and take the elevator to the Presidium.

Exit the elevator and turn left. In the first room on the right, there will be the last keeper (keeper 21).

Mass Effect Scan the Keeper rewards explained, and how the mission impacts Mass Effect 2

In the original Mass Effect, after collecting all the data you are rewarded 240 XP and 360 Credits on top of the 10 XP and 30 Credits you receive per each scan - you do not need to go back to Chorban or Jahleed to receive this.

During this mission, it is possible to level up a few times if you complete this in the early stages of the game. Though you will not earn enough Credits to buy any gear, adding points to your talents will be extremely useful.

In the Legendary Edition, the XP and Credits rewarded will vary due to a change in how experience is gained; for example, we received 17 XP and 50 Credit per scan, and 368 XP and 650 Credits upon completion.

In both versions of the game, this side quest has a minor impact on Mass Effect 2, provided you import your save. If you do not kill Chorban, then he will send you the findings of the scans as a message on Shepard's private terminal at some point in the game, titled 'Concerns RE: Keepers'.