Elden Ring Guide – Altus Plateau – Dungeons, Points of Interest, and Secrets

One of the most important regions in Elden Ring is called the Altus Plateau. On this page, you will find an overview of the region, which details the primary dungeons, bosses, loot, and secrets that can be discovered in this area.

The Altus Plateau is the region that can be found directly to the north of Liurnia. It is famous for being the entrance to Leyndell, the capital city, and it is situated between the Capital Outskirts to the east and the active volcano Mt. Gelmir to the west. Either the perilous journey up the Ruin-Strrewn Precipice nearby, which leads to a narrow mountain pass into the plateau, or the Grand Lift of Dectus, which requires finding both halves of the medallion needed to activate it, are the two ways to reach it. The Grand Lift of Dectus requires finding both halves of the medallion needed to activate it.

Large plains are found on the plateau, and these plains still show remnants of the Shattering War, which took place during the siege of the capital city itself. Many of the encampments are still standing. In addition, it is home to a large valley that is often shrouded in mist and is inhabited by creatures that prowl around the Minor Erdtree and the broken bridge that was once used to cross it. To the north of this valley are several villages that are dominated by windmills.

Altus Plateau Map Stele Locations

You will need to locate three Map Fragments in order to uncover the specifics and topography of the entire Altus Plateau region. These Map Fragments can be found in the Steles that are located in the Altus Plateau proper, as well as on Mount Gelmir and in the Capital Outskirts.

After branching off to the north from the road that leads to the southern Capital Entrance, the map fragment for the Altus Plateau can be found along one of the region’s primary roads. Along the trail are a few soldiers and undead who provide light patrol, and if you look closely, you might also spot Brother Corhyn in the area.

Altus Plateau World Bosses and Invasions

The Altus Plateau is the location of a number of different World Bosses that roam the area, in addition to certain NPC invasions.

Altus Plateau Minor Dungeons

You can find information about all of the available minor dungeons that can be found throughout the Altus Plateau region, as well as the bosses of those dungeons and the unique reward you earn for completing those dungeons. To read the walkthrough for navigating the dungeon and discovering all of its secrets, select a dungeon from the list below and click on it.

Altus Plateau Merchants and NPCs

You will find a variety of friendly (or seemingly friendly) faces as you travel throughout the region of the Altus Plateau. You will be able to find and speak to these individuals, as well as buy and sell with them to obtain one-of-a-kind wares.

When you arrive in Dectus from the Grand Lift of Dectus, Rya will be waiting for you if you fulfilled her request in Liurnia to retrieve her necklace from the Blackguard Big Boggart. If you did so, she will be wearing it. She will offer to teleport you directly to Volcano Manor in Mt. Gelmir as a reward for proving yourself worthy, thus sparing you the ordeal of travelling there on foot, which is extremely hazardous. She is one of the very few non-playable characters who cannot be hurt, which is an oddity.

If you assisted Milicent and Sage Gowry in retrieving the Unalloyed Gold Needle in Caelid and then returned to Gowry’s shack to see Milicent off on her journey, you will find her next overlooking the Erdtree-Grazing Hill Site of Grace just to the north of it. If you did not assist Milicent and Sage Gowry in retrieving the Unalloyed Gold Needle, you will not find her. She could still use some assistance, and the mini-dungeon to the north of the Shaded Castle is where you can find it for her. If you give her the Valkyrie’s Prosthesis that you find in that area, she will even assist you in your battle against the Godskin Apostle at the top of the Windmill Village. In either case, she will show up close to the boss’s location after he has been defeated.

If you have completed Boc’s questline from Limgrave to Liurnia and have given him both the Sewing Needle and the Golden Sewing Needle, he will appear at the Altus Highway Junction Site of Grace once you have rested there. His questline can be found from Limgrave to Liurnia. The poor little guy will apologise for his behaviour and ask for permission to call you “Lord.” He will also continue to assist you with free alterations to your clothing.

Yura: The Second Church of Marika is where the decisive battle that Yura has been waging against the bloody fingers comes to an end. You will find the bloody finger hunter who is dying here, and his extremely long weapon, the Nagikiba, will be yours if you are prepared to deal with his assailant, Eleonora, the Violet Bloody Finger!

The Nomadic Merchant can be found on the Forest-Spanning Greatbridge on the southern end of the broken portion of the bridge, directly across from the Finger Reader. He is particularly known for peddling copies of the Ancient Dragon Apostle’s Cookbook 2.

Nomadic Merchant’s Wares

Brother Corhyn – When you get to Altus Plateau, Brother Corhyn will have informed you that he intends to leave the Roundtable Hold in search of the person known as Goldmask. You can find him in this area close to the main road that leads to the bridge where the Map Fragment of Altus Plateau is located. After you have located Goldmask to the north, Corhyn will continue to stand by his side and sell you a few Incantations in the background of the conversation.

Brother Corhyn’s Incantations

You will first encounter Goldmask on the northern side of the broken great bridge. He will be pointing in the direction of the Erdtree. After informing Brother Corhyn of the whereabouts of Goldmask, you will be able to find both of them on the northern side of the bridge. This will remain the case until they both leave for Leyndell, the Royal Capital.

Altus Plateau Points of Interest

The Altus Plateau is home to a wide variety of interesting locations, enemy camps, and other points of interest, all of which can be discovered by you on your travels across the region. Each location has something that is interesting enough to warrant exploration, despite the variety of foes and treasures that can be found there.

If you click on a location of interest, you will be taken to a section further down the page that provides a more in-depth explanation of that location, including the foes you will face and the secrets you can find.

Abandoned Coffin

You will be on this side of the Altus Plateau if you use the mines inside the Ruin-Strrewn Precipice rather than the Grand Lift of Dectus to get to the other side of the cliff. There are a large number of Omens strewn about the area, both on the ground and atop the abandoned coffins.

When you leave the nearby Site of Grace and head up the main path, you will be thrust into the Field Boss fight against Ancient Dragon Lansseax. Due to the fact that the hills are relatively small and elevated, the battle against it might be difficult. Because of this, we suggest that you try to lure the dragon towards the shallow lake that is located to the northwest.

Be sure to pillage the bodies that are sitting on top of the coffins for the Ruler’s Mask as well as the Ruler’s Robe. You can also launch an assault on Great Horned Taragoth at this location as part of the assassination questline associated with Volcano Manor.

Perfumer’s Ruins

Before venturing into the Perfumer’s Ruins, it is imperative that you stock up on Neutralizing Boluses because the area is teeming with poison-using Perfumers as well as Miranda Flowers. Even though they are easily defeated, you should still try to take the fight one section at a time in order to avoid being cornered.

Be wary of the fire attacks that the Omenkiller will use to defend the large room in the middle of the maze. After you have defeated him, you should loot the Omenkiller armour set that he was wearing when he was killed. A nearby chest also contains The Perfumer’s Cookbook 1, which can be found inside.

Towards the back of the ruins is a small room that contains a Giant Miranda Flower. Destroying the flower will open the door to a small underground cellar that has a Nascent Butterfly inside of it. You are able to go down into the Sickening Catacombs that are located beneath these ruins.

Lux Ruins

You can find Lux Ruins to the left of the Grand Lift of Dectus, or if you’re coming from the Abandoned Coffin Site of Grace, you can find them on the other side of the hill. Rya and Millicent can be found here if you are working through their respective questlines. Millicent can be found just to the north of the ruins.

One Lone Teardrop When killed, the Scarab that spawns here will drop an Ash of War – Shield Crash.
The Demi-Human Queen Gilika that serves as the boss lower down is quite vulnerable, particularly to bleed buildup. After defeating the boss, open the door to retrieve the Ritual Sword Talisman from the chest that is inside the room.

Western Soldier Camps

Just below the hills that are directly to the east of the Lux Ruins is where you’ll find the Western Soldier Camps. They are split up into two separate camps, the smaller of which contains a couple of carriages and the larger of which contains a couple of ballistae. First, make your way down to the lower camp and search through the carriages’ chests to retrieve the Greatshield Talisman and the Golden Sword of the Troll.

You will need to make your way up the hill, eliminate the Leyndell Soldiers that are mounted on the ballistae, and then loot the chest near the centre of the camp to obtain the Sacrificial Twig. In the vicinity, you can also find a Golden Seed to collect.

Eastern Misbegotten Camp

This tiny Misbegotten camp is located to the northeast of the Grand Lift of Dectus, and the only thing of interest in it is a Stonesword Key that can be looted from a nearby corpse. Other than that, there is not much else to do here.

Southern Capital Gate

Continue heading east of the Altus Highway Junction Site of Grace and stay on the main highway until you reach the Southern Capital Gate. The Grand Lift of Dectus is the starting point for this journey. This area is protected by a strong security force consisting of several Leyndell Knights and Soldiers, as well as two Tree Sentinels.

It is not a good strategy to engage all of them in head-on combat because you have a high risk of being knocked off Torrent by the Tree Sentinels if you do so. It is strongly suggested that players avoid engaging any of the foes and instead make a beeline for the Outer Wall Phantom Tree Site of Grace located behind the gate. You can engage in combat with a single Tree Sentinel at a time using this strategy if you start the fight from behind one of them.

Their moveset is identical to that of the solitary Tree Sentinel that can be found wandering around in West Limgrave.
When they are killed, they will drop the Erdtree Greatshield.

Second Church of Marika

The Second Church of Marika can be found to the north-northwest of the location where you’d find the Altus Plateau Mag Fragment. If you have been following Bloody Finger Hunter Yura’s quest since you met him in West Limgrave and received the Nagakiba katana from him, then this church is the fourth location where you will find him.

As soon as you take possession of the weapon, Eleonora Violet Bloody Finger will enter the world you inhabit. It is necessary to vanquish her in order to acquire Eleonora’s Poleblade and the Purifying Crystal Tear. The latter item is of utmost importance when facing Mohg, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace. Make it a point to retrieve the Sacred Tear before you set out on your journey.

Mirage Rise

Another one of the sorcerer towers that needs to be unlocked by solving a riddle is the Mirage Rise, which gets its name from the fact that it is initially invisible. You will be given the informational item Mirage Riddle as a reward for interacting with the Imp Statue. By solving the Mirage Riddle, you will be able to access a map that provides you with an approximation of the locations of the three magic crests that need to be removed before the tower can be seen.

The first mirage can be found in close proximity to the Imp Statue found in the tower.
The second one can be found in a nook that is watched over by a Fanged Imp.
The third one is further away and can be found just below the section of the great bridge that is located in the south. However, the magic crest is concealed within an illusionary boulder, and you will need to strike the boulder in order to reveal it.

Return to the Imp Statue once you have all three crests in your possession; at this point, you will be able to see inside the Mirage Rise and enter it. Climb the ladder and take the sorceries known as the Unseen Blade and the Unseen Form.

Forest-Spanning Greatbridge

The Greatbridge that once stretched across the Forest is now in two pieces, one in the north and one in the south. You will most likely start in the southern region, where you will find a Nomadic Merchant and a Finger Reader Crone. This region will most likely be your first stop. The former is notable for selling a variety of shields, a few Stonesword Keys, and the Ancient Dragon Apostle’s Cookbook 2, among other items.

On the other side of the bridge, you will find a non-speaking NPC named Golden Mask who is connected to the Brother Corhyn Questline. You can get to the forest below him by using a Spiritspring that is located directly below him. You can also use this Spiritspring to climb up onto the broken section of the bridge in order to retrieve the Radiant Gold Mask that is lying on one of the dead bodies.

Woodfolk Ruins

These extensive ruins encompass the entirety of the forest’s eastern section, beginning at the foot of the Minor Erdtree and continuing all the way to the Altus Tunnel’s entrance. A large number of Lesser Wormfaces and Slugs can be found inhabiting the area immediately surrounding the ruins.

Within the ruin, there is a Gravel Stone and an Icon Shield that are both guarded by a Lesser Wormface. This is assuming that you are entering the ruin from the north side. Be wary of the spit attacks that these Death Blight monsters use, as standing on them can result in instant death once the metre reaches its maximum.

Proceed in a southerly direction until you reach the ruins that are protected by three Lesser Wormfaces. In this location’s subterranean chamber, there is a chest that hides the incantation for the Wrath of Gold. You can find Nomadic Warrior’s Cookbook 19 on the ground inside the nearby smaller building, which you can loot after you have climbed back up. When it is defeated, a nearby Teardrop Scarab will leave behind an Ash of War – Golden Slam.

Moving Caravan

The quickest and easiest way to find this caravan is to travel to the Site of Grace on the Side Path of the Road of Iniquity, which is located directly below the northernmost end of the Forest-Spanning Greatbridge, and then ride west along the path from there.

The Road of Iniquity is being watched over by a large number of Leyndell Soldiers and Leyndell Knights at all times. We recommend attacking the caravan as soon as possible rather than waiting until it reaches the Writheblood Ruins because there are a significantly greater number of foes in that location compared to where it began. The Greatstars are located within the chest that is a part of the waggon.

Writheblood Ruins

The Writheblood Ruins can be found to the south of the main road, just in front of where the Bridge of Iniquity is located. You can reach this location by travelling along the path that leads to Mount Gelmir or by ascending the platforms that are located to the north of the Mirage Rise.

Because there is nothing of note to loot on the ground level of the ruins, you will need to descend the stairs to reach the chamber that is located underground. The entrance to the boss fight against Noble Sanguine is indicated by a yellow fog door. Due to the darkness of the boss arena, we strongly advise employing the use of a torch or a lantern in combat with him.

Noble Sanguine is not particularly durable, but he is capable of dealing a significant amount of damage, particularly with his bleed attacks. The fight is not overly complicated, with the exception of his pool of blood attack, which causes you to move more slowly, and his dangerous dagger parry. When he raises his dagger, you should avoid engaging him in close combat.

East Windmill Pasture

Starting from the Forest-Spanning Greatbridge Site of Grace and taking the Waygate next to it is the most efficient way to travel to the windmill pastures; doing so will ensure that you will not miss out on any significant loot.

After passing through the Waygate, there will be a Battlemage perched on a cliff to the left of where you are standing. Kill him, and then rummage through his corpse for the Battlemage Set.

Keep going up the road in the direction of the East Windmill Pasture; there are a few Dancers that aren’t hostile in this area. Be wary of the horde of rotting Putrid Undead that has gathered in the middle to guard the Noble’s Set, as they will rush towards you and investigate to inflict significant damage. The very last step, but certainly not the least, is to head towards the northern edge of the pasture and retrieve the Twined Knight Swords from the pile of charred remains there.

West Windmill Pasture

Ride to the west of the shallow pond and up the hills from the East Windmill Pasture when you are starting out. The West Windmill Pasture is almost identical to its counterpart on the east side, with the notable exception that this one is infested with rats. Dispatch them all and then rummage through the body inside the derelict shack to retrieve the Giant Rat Ashes that are on it.

Dominula, Windmill Village

Dominula is a one-of-a-kind location on the Altus Plateau that is surrounded by adversaries, some of which are hostile while others are neutral. In addition, there is a pitch boss fight at the very end of the village. Before continuing on, you need to make a stop at the Site of Grace in the Windmill Village.

Beginning at the bottom, the Dancers in this area are almost entirely friendly, with the exception of some who are carrying a variety of weapons. Hold off on moving any further up just yet and instead travel directly north of the Site of Grace to loot the Celebrant’s Skull Warhammer from the dead body that is located at the edge of the cliff.

As you move up through the village, be sure to pillage everything you find along the way. Dominula is a fantastic location for gathering weapons and armour associated with the Dancers, such as their sickle and cleaver, as well as their garb and hood. Bear in mind, however, that the chances of dying are not particularly high.

When you reach a road that splits in two, head to the south to find a house that features a fire pit and several people dancing around it. The answer to the mystery of the Flightless Bird Painting, which can be found in Leyndell, the Royal Capital, can be found behind that house. For more information, take a look at our Painting Locations and Solutions page.

Fight the Godkin Apostle in the section of the village that is located farthest to the north. The fight might be difficult because of the uneven ground, so maintain a comfortable distance between you and him throughout it. His second phase begins when he has 60% health remaining, and it consists of a jump into the air followed by a slam down, which causes a shockwave. When he reaches this stage, he will gain the ability to use the skin of his armour to increase the distance of his attacks, which will make the fight even more challenging for builds that are only capable of using melee attacks.

You will receive the Scouring Black Flame incantation and the Godskin Peeler Twinblade as rewards for killing the Godskin Apostle. After having a conversation with Millicent at the Lux Ruins, she will be able to be found here.

Northern Capital Gate Camp

If you head in the direction indicated by the Windmill Village Site of Grace, you will find yourself at the Northern Capital Gate Camp, a fortified outpost that is defended by numerous catapults and ambushes planted by the enemy.

Be wary as you ride closer to the camp because the catapults will start firing at you once you get within a certain distance of a certain point on the road. When you get closer to the Golden Seed tree, you will see their shots appear on the screen. Obtain the Ash of War – Lightning Slash from a Teardrop Scarab that is located to the southeast closer to the wall of the Capital Outskirts by riding closer to it.

Continue climbing until you reach the top of the small plateau where the Highway Lookout Tower is situated. You are going to want to make your way inside the tower as quickly as you possibly can because Leyndell Soldiers are hiding in the bushes waiting to attack you. You can get the Greatbow that was hidden inside the chest by climbing up the ruined ramparts that are on either side of the chest.

Stormcaller Church

This one-room church in the middle of a steppe can be found directly south of the entrance to the Sainted Hero’s Grave. You’ll come across a large number of Lightning Rams roaming the pasture not far away. Inside the church, below the statue, you will find a Sacred Tear; however, as soon as you enter the building, you will be confronted by two foes, one in each of the four corners.

Facing the entrance from underneath the statue, you’ll see a chest on the left side of the church with the Dragonbolt Blessing incantation inside of it.

Altus Plateau Scarab Locations

As you make your way through this area, you might come across a few scarabs dashing off in different directions. Some of them will refill your flask of tears, while others can reward you with unique items, including the following:

Perfumer’s Ruins Road Scarab

• Reward: Ash of War – Sacred Order

You will find a road leading northwest along a small lake to the Perfumer’s Ruins if you travel to the Perfumer’s Ruins from the Abandoned Coffins site of grace when you arrive at the Altus Plateau via the lift after overcoming the Ruin-Strrewn Precipice. This site of grace is accessible once you have cleared the Ruin-Strrewn Precipice. You can attack a scarab that is visible from the road. It is located along the road.

Lux Ruins Scarab

• Reward: Ash of War – Shield Crash

You can find a large ruin on a hill in the south of the Altus Plateau, south of the Erdtree-Grazing Hill. The hill is swarming with Demi-Humans, and around the back of the ruins, on the north side, look around for a scarab to hunt down.

Altus Ravine Scarab

• Reward: Ash of War – Blood Blade

You can see a large shallow ravine to the north of an enemy camp that is lined with explosive barrels when you are standing on Erdtree-Grazing Hill, which is located on the Altus Plateau and overlooks much of the southern part of the plateau. The ravine leads north towards the Shaded Castle, and along the way, you can find a scarab in the shallow waters; however, Giant Crabs may spring out to ambush you along the way.

Altus Woodfolk Ruins Scarab

• Reward: Ash of War – Golden Slam

A large misty valley can be found in the north central region of the Altus Plateau. This valley is home to the Minor Erdtree and Woodfolk Ruins, both of which are infested with Wormfaces. Find a small ruin area just to the northeast of the Erdtree, and enter it. You will find a scarab inside the ruins, and it will be surrounded by slugs and Wormfaces; kill it as quickly as you can.

Road to Bridge of Iniquity Scarab

• Reward: Protection of the Erdtree Incantation

After travelling across the Forest-Spanning Greatbridge in the northern region of the Altus Plateau, you will come upon a collection of windmills, one of which is located to the south, just to the east of the bridge, along a road that leads directly under the bridge in the direction of Mount Gelmir. There is a square section of ruin near the south windmill that is located along this road. On top of the ruin is a golden scarab that is waiting for you to kill it.

Altus Northern Gate Camp Scarab

• Reward: Ash of War – Lightning Slash

On the road leading up to the northern entrance of the Capital Outskirts, you will come across a number of catapults that are attempting to block your path. You’ll find an empty soldier camp with a scarab waiting for you near a lookout tower on the hill that’s at the top of these catapults to the north.

Stormcaller Church Scarab

• Reward: Ash of War – Lightning Ram

Look for a lower road to the south that leads along the high plateaus where lightning strikes continuously before you find a large sword graveyard that is populated by electrified sheep and rams. You can get to these plateaus from the northern gate that leads to the outskirts of the capital city. In addition to the sword graves, a Scarab can be found in this location.