Ranni the Witch is one of the many non-playable characters (NPCs) that you will come across in the Elden Ring that has a primary quest that leads to a different conclusion to the game. In this walkthrough for Ranni’s questline, you will learn where to find Ranni, whether or not to serve Ranni, as well as the outcomes of the various choices you may make along the way. This quest chain will take you to two zones that are teeming with Larval Tears, making it an excellent opportunity to stock up on this valuable resource.
Where to Find Ranni the Witch
You will not be able to communicate with Ranni until you have finished the Caria Manor quest in northern Liurnia. After you have vanquished Royal Knight Loretta, you will be granted access to the Three Sisters area, which features three separate towers. Ranni’s Rise is the name given to the one that is the farthest to the west, so make your way there. This is the location where you can find her.
At Ranni’s Rise
Once you have arrived at Ranni’s Rise, you will need to ascend all the way to the peak in order to initiate conversation with Ranni. Keep going through the various dialogue options she gives you until she gives you the opportunity to serve her.
If you accept her offer, she will give you the mission of recovering Nokron’s long-lost treasure. This will require you to participate in the sidequests of a number of other NPCs, the most notable of which are as follows:
- Alexander the Iron Fist Questline
- Blaidd Questline
- Seluvis Questline
After you have exhausted the topic of conversation with Ranni, she will request that you speak to three other people in her service: Blaidd, Iji, and Seluvis. Simply make your way back down Ranni’s Rise, and you’ll run into apparitions of all three of them along the way. This will allow you to communicate with them. After you have finished speaking with every NPC in the game, Blaidd will inform you that the Seluvis’ Rise will be unlocked and that you will be able to meet him again in Siofra River. This will enable you to start the Seluvis Questline.
Travel to Siofra River to locate Blaidd, who can be found just to the north of the Hallowhorn Grounds Site of Grace. If you talk to him until all of the possible dialogue options have been exhausted, he will reveal to you that he believes Seluvis knows more about accessing Nokron than he is pretending to know. It is recommended that you return to Seluvis’s Rise in order to speak with him.
You will be told that Sorceress Sellen may have some information, and Seluvis will hand you a copy of Seluvis’s Introduction to give to Sellen so that you can learn more. Sellen will tell you that Starscourge Radahn is the key to unlocking Nokron, but due to the fact that he is in possession of the stars, you will need to defeat him in order to access it.
It is only possible to start the festival by having a conversation with Seluvis, so if you’ve been looking for the celebration that Alexander the Iron Fist mentioned in his questline, this is the only way to do it. When you have gained this knowledge about Radahn, you will be able to make your way back to Blaidd. As he has promised to join you in your conflict with Radahn and meet you at Redmane Castle, you should make your way there as your next destination.
Fighting Starscourge Radahn
As soon as you enter the courtyard, you will notice that a large number of NPCs, including Blaidd and Alexander the Iron Fist, have gathered there. Proceed up the stairs, and you will find an announcer there who can have a conversation with you in order to get the festival started. He will ask you if you are ready before providing you with some background information on Radahn. Until you have a conversation with Radahn, the doors that lead to his boss fight will not open.
Continue through the doors, up the stairs, and take the one that is directly behind the chair. After that, go to the right to access a lift that will take you down to a teleporter that will take you to the boss fight with Radahn. In this area, you will have the ability to call upon a number of NPCs to assist you in the battle against him.
Do you wish to learn how to defeat Radahn? You can get hints and tips on how to approach the fight against Starscourge Radahn by looking at our boss guide for the Elden Ring.
After Defeating Starscourge Radahn
Once you have Radahn under control, speak with Blaidd. He will instruct you to meet “where the falling star bit the earth” when he tells you where to do so.
Not only does defeating Radahn advance Ranni the Witch’s questline, but it also accomplishes the following:
- The Blaidd Questline
- The Sorceress Sellen Questline
The location of Blaidd is currently unknown; however, if you go past the Folorn Hound Evergaol, you will hear a familiar howling sound. When you approach the Evergaol, you will be given the opportunity to speak with the inmates there. You will be informed by Blaidd that Iji has imprisoned Blaidd within the Evergaol, and you will be given the choice of whether or not to release him.
In the event that you open it, Blaidd will be freed, and you will be able to have a conversation with him. He tells you that he is going to Ranni to make sure that she is okay and that he will be there soon. However, if you go to Ranni’s Rise, you won’t be able to find any trace of Blaidd there.
Nokron, Eternal City
After completing this quest, you will have access to Nokron, which can be reached through a crater to the south of the Mistwood Ruins. You’ll notice a floating rock formation in the middle of it all.
As you make your way around to the left, drop down onto the ledges and make your way to the doorway. If you keep going in this direction, you will eventually arrive at Nokron, the Eternal City, which is full of rooftops that you will have to traverse.
Make your way carefully across the rooftops in a direction that is roughly northeast until you reach a ledge on the left side that you can walk across. Proceed through the open window to the north-west of this location. Your next move should be to the northeast, after which you should descend onto the ledge below. You will find a Site of Grace if you continue in this direction.
From this point, head in a northeasterly direction and take the stairs on the right that lead down. If you continue along this path from where you are, you will eventually come to a door that is covered in mist. As soon as you step inside, a Mimic Tear will be waiting for you to battle it.
After you have vanquished the Mimic Tear, a path leading to the northeast will become accessible, and a Site of Grace will be there to greet you. Keep running along the bridge, and when the bridge begins to slope, take a left turn. Keep following this path to the left, and when you reach the first opening, take it to locate another Site of Grace.
The rooftops to the southwest can be accessed by jumping from here. The next step is to descend to the lower, narrower ledge that is situated to the southwest of this one. You will need to go around the corner to the northwest and then follow the path around until you are able to jump over to the right where the body is hanging off the edge of the ledge.
Proceed forward and make a jumping traversal of the circular roof before descending to the area containing the two black blobs. When you take a step down, these will morph into two Silver Tear foes waiting for you below. After you have vanquished them, follow the path to the left and descend the gap before climbing up onto the ledge. Proceed forward and then descend onto the bridge that leads to the two windows that are open.
You will need to descend and make your way down to the area’s lowest level, which is the one with the enormous stone ball in the middle of it. It will continue to roll after you, but if you are successful in defeating it, it will drop a Larval Tear as a reward.
Take the door on the left and turn right when you enter the room. You will find another Site of Grace over on the left side of this area, and you are free to use it. At this point, you should follow the path all the way to the north until you reach the building. Ranni should look in this chest because it contains the Fingerslayer Blade that she is looking for.
Return to Ranni’s Rise
You need to let Ranni know that you now possess the Fingerslayer Blade, so head back to Ranni’s Rise. To obtain the Carian Inverted Statue, you will need to converse with her and use up all of the dialogue options she provides.
Renna’s Rise can now be accessed after it has been unlocked. You’ll find this a short distance to the north-northeast of Ranni’s Rise.
Inside Renna’s Rise
To obtain the following items, ascend the ladder, then open the chest in the southeast corner:
- Snow Witch Hat
- Snow Witch Robe
- Snow Witch Skirt
You’ll find a teleporter at the top of the tower if you climb it. Following this will bring you to the main street of Ansel River.
You will be able to retrieve a Miniature Ranni doll if you approach the open stone blocks and look inside. Make your way up to the Site of Grace, and once you get there, take a break there. You will then have the option to speak with the Miniature Ranni doll after doing this.
Make it a point to give it a few different attempts at your best conversation to unlock the dialogue. After that, she will request that you eliminate the Baleful Shadows that are roaming around the area. Make your way up to the ruins of the Uld Palace, and when you reach the stairs, go into the river. The next step is to take the first turn on the right, which will bring you to a door that is now open. Following this path will bring you to Nokstella, also known as the Eternal City.
Nokstella, Eternal City
When you have arrived at the Nokstella Site of Grace in the Nokstella district of the Eternal City, do not ascend the stairs but rather continue along the path that runs along the floor. When you get to the building in the south, there is a lift that will take you down to the lower level.
Take the lift to the Nokstella Waterfall Basin Site of Grace, and once you’re there, look around. You can continue your conversation with Ranni if you rest here. Move forward until you reach the eggs, then turn left and follow the path until you reach the red room. Here, a Baleful Shadow that has a startling resemblance to Blaidd will assault you and try to take you over (though it is not him).
If you defeat the shadow, Ranni will express her gratitude by bidding you farewell and handing you the key to the discarded palace. (With this, you’ll be able to open the locked chest that Rennalla has placed in the Grand Library, where you’ll find a Dark Moon Ring). Take the lift further down to reach the Lake of Rot and then head in the southeast direction into the building.
To reach the Grand Cloister, you will need to travel across the Lake of Rot. You can run to different platforms that are scattered around the Lake of Rot, and then press the buttons that are located on the ground to raise structures and make it simpler for you to cross.
When you reach the Grand Cloister, you should immediately begin running down this path, descending from the ledge onto the ledges below it. Continue doing this until you have reached the bottom in a secure manner. Take the path up and to the left, until you reach a coffin.
When you hit the Rest at Coffin button, a cutscene will start, and it will push you off the edge of the waterfall.
Astel, a Naturalborn of the Void will appear behind a veiled door and challenge you to a battle once you have descended below.
After you have vanquished this boss, you will discover a locked gate at the opposite end of the boss arena. This gate cannot be opened by anyone unless they have the Dark Moon Ring, which can be obtained from the chest inside the Raya Lucaria Grand Library.
When you break this seal, you will find a lift that will take you out of the Ainsel River Well and up onto the Moonlight Altar, which is a large mountaintop that is located above Liurnia on the far western side of the continent. This region has an extremely high level cap, and it is home to a number of dangerous dragons, including the resurrected Glintstone Dragon Adula, who is significantly more difficult than she was when she was confronted at the Three Sisters.
After you have either vanquished the dragon or found another way to get past it and entered the large cathedral, you will see a hole in the ground that you can descend into. You will find that Ranni has finished her deed, reclaiming her destiny and defeating her adversary, and it can now be found here. Interacting with Ranni will result in you putting the Dark Moon Ring on her finger, which will signify that you have pledged your allegiance to Ranni as her consort.
At this point, Ranni will encourage you to continue your path towards becoming an Elden Lord, and she will tell you that when the time is right, the two of you will rule together. After she has vanished, you should go back to the hole to collect her parting gift, which is a weapon called the Darkmoon Greatsword.