So I was in the Soul Cairn, and stumbled accross the Reapers Lair. I know you're supposed to collect three crystals too unleash him, and these crystals are a pain in the [censored] to get. I was just looking around his lair and noticed a black haze on the far wall, opposite the door. I pushed all the way up against the far wall to see what it is, and then the Reaper and four bone men appeared behind me and started attacking. I killed him, and took the normal loot off of his body. (BTW, iron axe, seriously?) I was wondering, since I have never actually completed the Reapers Lair like it was supposed to, 1)How do you collect the crystals, 2)Anyone else experience this?

You collect the fragments from chests under the large floating crystals/Ideal Masters. They are always the one's closest to the Keepers, I believe.

My point is, I never collected any of them! The Reaper appeared for me merely because I was there... looking at... something?