In The Ghost in the Portrait, the five Zero Essence pieces come from watering five Zero motifs inside the Mirror Lair—not from searching for five loose items. Find the motifs around the displays and staircase, collect the Essence that appears, then craft and use Real Ghostly Paint Thinner to free Zero.
Before you begin
The Ghost in the Portrait is the third weekly Oogie Boogie quest in Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Season of Scares, scheduled for October 7, 2026. It follows The Oogie Boogie Contract. To start Oogie Boogie’s quests, the official event announcement lists the Peaceful Meadow, Scrooge McDuck’s Store, and Chez Remy as prerequisites; check your Mail and go to the store after unlocking them. You must start the event’s first quest before November 4, 2026, to keep the questline available to finish at your own pace. Official event announcement Quest prerequisite and objectives
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The quest begins with the Strange Mirror in Scrooge’s Store. Inspect the Haunted Portrait and Memory, make sure the latest Lucky Wheel Ticket is in your Inventory, and speak with Oogie Boogie and Scrooge McDuck.
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- Place the Plain Gift Box near the right stairs on the first floor of the Mirror Lair.
- Use your Pickaxe on the Lucky Wheel, then collect the five Lucky Wheel Cogs.
- Add the supplied Ghostly Paint Thinner to your Watering Can and use it on Zero’s Haunted Portrait as directed. This first application does not finish the quest; continue by speaking with Merlin.
Find and water all five Zero motifs
After speaking with Merlin, search the Mirror Lair for five Zero drawings or motifs and water each one. The corresponding Zero Essence appears on the ground after you water a motif, so collect it before moving on.
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- On the right-hand window display.
- Behind the right side of the staircase.
- On the right-side furniture display table.
- Behind the skeleton display beside the vault door.
- On the stacked dice opposite the skeleton display.
If you have four Essence and cannot find the fifth motif, check around the right side and back of the staircase, then revisit the display areas. Confirm that you watered each motif; the Essence appears only after that step. Zero Essence locations
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Craft and apply Real Ghostly Paint Thinner
- Bring all five Zero Essence pieces to a crafting station in the Mirror Lair and craft Real Ghostly Paint Thinner.
- Open Inventory and add the finished thinner to the Royal Watering Can.
- Use the Royal Watering Can on the correct Haunted Portrait again. This is the step that frees Zero.
The initial Ghostly Paint Thinner and the crafted Real Ghostly Paint Thinner are separate quest stages: the first portrait attempt leads to Merlin and the five motifs; the crafted version is used after gathering all five Essence. Quest objectives Recipe and item use
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Quest items at a glance
| Item or tool | What to do |
|---|---|
| Plain Gift Box | Place it near the right stairs on the Mirror Lair’s first floor. |
| Pickaxe | Use it on the Lucky Wheel. |
| Lucky Wheel Cogs ×5 | Collect them after sabotaging the Lucky Wheel. |
| Ghostly Paint Thinner | Add it to the Watering Can and use it on the portrait at the opening stage. |
| Zero Essence ×5 | Water the five Zero motifs and pick up the Essence that appears. |
| Real Ghostly Paint Thinner | Craft it from five Zero Essence, add it to the Royal Watering Can, and water the correct portrait. |
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