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Elden Ring NPC Questline Guide: Every Character and Ending Path

· Last updated: June 12, 2026

Elden Ring NPC Questline Guide: Every Character Quest and Ending Path (2026)

Elden Ring’s quests are famously opaque. NPCs give vague directions, move to undisclosed locations, and can die permanently if you progress too far without speaking to them. This guide covers every major NPC questline in chronological order, including where they move, what triggers their progression, and how to avoid common lockout points.

Ranni the Witch (Age of Stars Ending)

Ranni’s questline is the longest and most rewarding in Elden Ring — it unlocks an ending, the Dark Moon Greatsword, and access to several major areas.

  1. Church of Elleh (night) — After obtaining Torrent, return to the Church of Elleh at night. Ranni appears under the alias Renna. She gives you the Spirit Calling Bell and Lone Wolf Ashes.
  2. Ranni’s Rise (Liurnia, behind Caria Manor) — After clearing Caria Manor, enter Ranni’s Rise and speak to her at the top. She asks you to serve her. Say yes.
  3. Speak to her three attendants — Blaidd (downstairs), Iji (Road to the Manor grace), Seluvis (Seluvis’s Rise, south of Ranni’s)
  4. Defeat Radahn — The stars fall. A meteor opens a path to Nokron, Eternal City.
  5. Nokron, Eternal City — Find the Fingerslayer Blade in the Night’s Sacred Ground (past the Mimic Tear boss). Return it to Ranni.
  6. Renna’s Rise — Ranni gives you the Carian Inverted Statue. Use it in the Carian Study Hall (Liurnia Divine Tower bridge) to reach the Divine Tower and get the Cursemark of Death.
  7. Lake of Rot → Grand Cloister — Ride the coffin at the end of the Grand Cloister to reach Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. Defeat it.
  8. Moonlight Altar — After Astel, take the elevator up. Enter the Cathedral of Manus Celes. Ranni is in the cave beneath. Give her the Dark Moon Ring (found in the Grand Library of Raya Lucaria).
  9. Summon Ranni after the final boss — Use Ranni’s summon sign on the floor after defeating the Elden Beast for the Age of Stars ending.

Rewards: Dark Moon Greatsword, Age of Stars ending, access to Tiche and Adula fights.

Fia, the Deathbed Companion (Age of Duskborn Ending)

Fia’s quest unlocks the Age of Duskborn ending and the Fortissax boss fight.

  1. Roundtable Hold — Let Fia hold you. She gives you a Baldachin’s Blessing (use it to clear the HP debuff).
  2. Deeproot Depths — After defeating the Valiant Gargoyles in Siofra Aqueduct, ride the coffin to Deeproot Depths. Find Fia at the Prince of Death’s Throne.
  3. Give her the Cursemark of Death — Obtained from Ranni’s questline (Divine Tower of Liurnia). She falls asleep after receiving it.
  4. Enter her dream — Interact with her sleeping form to fight Lichdragon Fortissax. After victory, you receive the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.

Lockout: Killing Fia at any point ends her questline permanently. Do not give D’s brother the Twinned Armor until after her quest is complete.

Iron Fist Alexander (Warrior Jar)

Alexander’s quest is the most charming in the game and rewards one of the best talismans.

  1. Limgrave (north of Stormhill) — Alexander is stuck in the ground. Heavy-attack his back to free him.
  2. Gael Tunnel (Caelid) — Alexander is at the Gael Tunnel entrance. Exhaust his dialogue.
  3. Redmane Castle — After Radahn Festival starts, speak to Alexander in the courtyard. Summon him for the Radahn fight.
  4. Liurnia (south of Carian Study Hall) — Alexander is stuck again. This time, throw an Oil Pot at him, then hit him once to free him.
  5. Seethewater Terminus (Mt. Gelmir) — Near the Magma Wyrm boss. Exhaust his dialogue. He is bathing in lava and seems happy.
  6. Crumbling Farum Azula — Alexander is in a dead-end room past the Dragon Temple Lift. He challenges you to a duel. Defeat him.

Rewards: Shard of Alexander (15% weapon art damage boost) and Alexander’s Innards (key item, used in Jar-Bairn’s quest).

Missables: After Radahn, Alexander can be found on the battlefield (near the grace) eating corpses. Talk to him here before proceeding to Liurnia.

Millicent (Prosthesis Quest)

Millicent’s quest is required for the Unalloyed Gold Needle (Malenia counter-item) and Miquella’s Needle (Frenzied Flame ending reversal).

  1. Caelid (Church of the Plague) — After Gowry’s quest at his shack, meet Millicent. Give her the Unalloyed Gold Needle from Commander O’Neil (Swamp of Aeonia).
  2. Gowry’s Shack — After Millicent uses the needle, talk to Gowry. Reload the area. Millicent has moved.
  3. Erdtree-Gazing Hill (Altus Plateau) — Millicent is standing near the grace. Exhaust dialogue.
  4. Dominula, Windmill Village — Defeat the Godskin Apostle at the top. Millicent is nearby.
  5. Mountaintops of the Giants (Ancient Snow Valley Ruins) — Millicent is at the grace.
  6. Prayer Room (Elphael, Haligtree) — Talk to Millicent inside the prayer room.
  7. Drainage Channel (Elphael) — This is the branching point. Help Millicent (fight her sisters) for the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. Or challenge her for Millicent’s Prosthesis. Helping her leads to Miquella’s Needle.

Volcano Manor Assassination Quests

Volcano Manor offers PvE assassination quests that reward armor sets and weapons.

  1. Volcano Manor (Mt. Gelmir) — Speak to Tanith. Accept her offer. She gives you the Recusant Finger and Drawing-Room Key.
  2. Letter 1 — Kill Old Knight Istvan (Limgrave colosseum). Reward: Scaled Armor Set + Magma Shot.
  3. Letter 2 — Kill Rileigh the Idle (Altus Plateau, near the bridge). Reward: Serpentbone Blade.
  4. Letter 3 (after reaching Mountaintops) — Kill Juno Hoslow (Mountaintops, near the Shack of the Lofty). Reward: Hoslow’s Petal Whip + Hoslow’s Armor Set.

Lockout warning: Killing Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy (the area boss) ends all active Volcano Manor quests. Complete assassination letters before challenging him.

Best Quest Order to Avoid Missables

For a single playthrough where you want to complete every quest:

  1. Meet Ranni at Church of Elleh (night, after getting Torrent)
  2. Meet Alexander in Limgrave, free him
  3. Meet D at the Summonwater Village, give him Deathroot
  4. Clear Stormveil, meet Rogier at Roundtable Hold
  5. Meet Ranni at Ranni’s Rise, begin her quest
  6. Clear Caelid (Radahn) before progressing Ranni’s quest too far
  7. Complete Millicent’s quest up to Altus
  8. Complete Volcano Manor assassination letters
  9. Finish Ranni’s quest (obtain Dark Moon Greatsword)
  10. Finish Fia’s quest (Cursemark → Deeproot Depths → Fortissax)
  11. Finish Millicent’s quest in Haligtree
  12. Complete Alexander’s quest in Farum Azula
  13. Goldmask / Corhyn / Dung Eater quests can be done alongside any of the above

Following this order ensures no NPCs die prematurely and all endings remain available. At the final decision point after the Elden Beast, you can choose which mending rune (if any) to use.