The Elden Ring Ranni Quest is widely considered the best written and most rewarding storyline in the entire game, and for good reason. It stretches across half the map, ties into several other character arcs, and ends with one of the most unique conclusions the Lands Between has to offer. This guide walks through every required step of the Ranni questline Elden Ring players need to follow, from the very first meeting to the secret ending.
Who Is Ranni, and Why Does Her Quest Matter?
Ranni is a daughter of Rennala and Radagon, an Empyrean who was once chosen as a potential vessel for godhood. Rather than accept that fate, she chose a far darker and more independent path, one that puts her directly at odds with the Golden Order and the world it wants to preserve. Her questline is not just a side activity.
It plays out almost like a second campaign layered underneath the main story, and completing it unlocks the Age of the Stars ending, an outcome many players consider the definitive way to finish Elden Ring.
Before You Start, Learn What You Need
Before diving into this Elden Ring Ranni mission guide, there are two things you need already unlocked. First, you need Torrent, your spectral steed, since the very first meeting with Ranni happens at night and requires you to have progressed far enough to summon him.
Second, you should be prepared to explore several major regions of the Lands Between, since this questline touches Liurnia, Caelid, Nokron, Ainsel River, and eventually the Moonlight Altar.
| Step | Objective | Key Location |
| 1 | Meet Renna at night | Church of Elleh, Limgrave |
| 2 | Meet Ranni and enter her service | Ranni’s Rise, Liurnia |
| 3 | Speak with Blaidd, Seluvis, and Sellen | Siofra River and Liurnia |
| 4 | Defeat Starscourge Radahn | Redmane Castle, Caelid |
| 5 | Retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade | Nokron, Eternal City |
| 6 | Deliver the blade, receive the statue | Ranni’s Rise |
| 7 | Unlock the Divine Tower | Carian Study Hall |
| 8 | Enter the portal | Renna’s Rise |
| 9 | Talk to the Miniature Ranni Doll | Ainsel River Main |
| 10 | Defeat the Baleful Shadow | Near Lake of Rot |
| 11 | Get the Dark Moon Ring | Raya Lucaria Grand Library |
| 12 | Defeat Astel | Lake of Rot |
| 13 | Use the ring on Ranni’s body | Moonlight Altar |
| 14 | Complete the quest | Cathedral of Manus Celes |
Step 1: The First Meeting as Renna
The Ranni storyline technically begins in Limgrave, before you ever learn her real name. After obtaining Torrent, return to the Church of Elleh at night. A blue spectral figure will appear, introducing herself as Renna. She hands over the Spirit Calling Bell and the Lone Wolf Ashes before vanishing. It is a short, easy to miss moment, but it quietly sets up everything that follows.
Step 2: Meeting Ranni at Ranni’s Rise
The questline formally kicks off in the Three Sisters area of northern Liurnia, inside Caria Manor. To reach this area, you first need to defeat Royal Knight Loretta, one of the region’s tougher boss encounters. Once you are through, head to Ranni’s Rise, the middle tower of the three, and take the lift to the top to meet Ranni in person.
Exhaust her dialogue options completely and agree to enter her service. This is the point of no return for starting the quest, and it also introduces you to her three retainers, who all play their own roles later on:
- Blaidd, the half wolf warrior
- Iji, the war councilor and smithscribe
- Seluvis, an unsettling sorcerer with his own hidden agenda
Step 3: Speaking to Ranni’s Subjects
Once you have accepted Ranni’s service, your next objective is tracking down her retainers scattered across the map. Head to Siofra River to find Blaidd, who will be waiting to speak with you there. From here, you also need to visit Seluvis, who provides a letter of introduction meant for Sorceress Sellen, and eventually speak with Sellen to learn more about Starscourge Radahn.
This section of the quest is closely tied to Blaidd’s own storyline, so following his dialogue and quest markers is essential to keep things moving in the right order.
Step 4: Defeat Starscourge Radahn
This is one of the most important and most talked about beats in the entire Elden Ring Ranni Quest. Head to Redmane Castle in Caelid and take part in the Radahn Festival, ultimately defeating Starscourge Radahn in battle.
This is not just a required story boss, it is also a major turning point for the wider world, since defeating Radahn causes a star to fall from the sky and physically opens up a new area.
Step 5: Descend Into Nokron, Eternal City
After Radahn falls, head to East Limgrave and look for the newly formed crater south of Mistwood. Climbing down takes you into Nokron, Eternal City, a hidden underground region tied directly to the Night of the Black Knives.
Inside Nokron, you will need to fight through the area and defeat the Mimic Tear boss along the way. Continue following the path until you reach the center of the city, where you can obtain the Fingerslayer Blade, one of the key items required to move Ranni’s story forward.
Step 6: Return the Fingerslayer Blade to Ranni
Bring the Fingerslayer Blade back to Ranni at her tower. Delivering it advances the questline significantly and permanently closes out Seluvis’s side of the story. In exchange, Ranni grants you the Carian Inverted Statue, an item with a very specific and important use.
Step 7: Unlock the Divine Tower of Liurnia
Take the Carian Inverted Statue to the Carian Study Hall, located south of the Church of Vows, and place it on the altar outside. This flips the entire structure upside down, opening a path to the Divine Tower of Liurnia. At the top, you can find the Cursemark of Death along with the Stargazer Heirloom talisman, a strong pick for Intelligence focused builds.
Step 8: Enter Renna’s Rise
With that step complete, Renna’s Rise becomes accessible. Head inside to find the Snow Witch armor set along with a portal leading to Ainsel River Main. Step through the portal to continue the questline into one of the game’s more atmospheric hidden regions.
Step 9: Find the Miniature Ranni Doll
Once you arrive at Ainsel River, look for the Miniature Ranni Doll nearby. Sit down at the Ainsel River Main Lost Grace and interact with the doll. You will need to speak with it multiple times, generally around three, before she reveals your next objective, sending you off to defeat the Baleful Shadow.
Step 10: Defeat the Baleful Shadow
Head past the Nokstella Waterfall Basin Lost Grace toward the Lake of Rot, where you will encounter and need to defeat the Baleful Shadow. Doing so rewards you with the Discarded Palace Key.
Step 11: Unlock the Chest in Raya Lucaria
Take the Discarded Palace Key to the Raya Lucaria Grand Library, home of Rennala, and use it to open a hidden chest there. Inside, you will find the Dark Moon Ring, an item you will need soon after. As a helpful side note, defeating Rennala at this location also grants you the ability to respec your character using a consumable item called a Larval Tear.
Step 12: Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void
Continue into the Lake of Rot region and prepare for one of the questline’s toughest fights, Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. This void born horror stands between you and the final stages of Ranni’s story, so come prepared with strong gear and status effect resistance if possible.
Step 13: The Moonlight Altar and Ranni’s Body
After defeating Astel, make your way to the Moonlight Altar and enter the Cathedral of Manus Celes. Inside, you will find Ranni’s physical body. Use the Dark Moon Ring you obtained earlier here to progress the final part of her story.
Step 14: Complete the Quest and Receive Your Reward
Head down into the final chamber where Ranni awaits at the bottom. Interact with her and give her the ring to complete her questline. In return, you receive the Dark Moon Greatsword, a powerful weapon with strong Intelligence scaling and access to a unique frost moonlight skill.
How to Get the Age of the Stars Secret Ending?
Completing Ranni’s full storyline is not quite the end. After finishing every step above, you need to defeat the final boss of the base game, the Elden Beast. Once that fight is over, a new dialogue option appears at the Erdtree, allowing you to Summon Ranni instead of choosing one of the standard endings.
Selecting this option triggers the Age of the Stars ending, a conclusion that plays out very differently from anything the Golden Order promised throughout the rest of the game.
Common Mistakes That Break the Ranni Questline
Because this Elden Ring Ranni mission spans so much of the map, it is easy to accidentally lock yourself out of certain steps if you rush ahead. A few things worth keeping in mind:
- Talk to every named NPC fully before moving on, since skipping dialogue can sometimes prevent later triggers from appearing
- Complete Blaidd’s related story beats alongside Ranni’s, since the two questlines are directly intertwined
- Avoid killing certain NPCs tied to this storyline before their questline naturally concludes, since early deaths can permanently lock content
- Progress through the steps roughly in order, since some later triggers will not appear until earlier objectives are fully finished
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q. How long does the Ranni questline take to complete?
A. Given how many regions and bosses are involved, most players spend somewhere between eight and fifteen hours completing it fully, depending on how much side exploration they do along the way.
Q. What do you get for finishing Ranni’s quest?
A. You receive the Dark Moon Greatsword, along with access to the Age of the Stars secret ending, one of Elden Ring’s most unique conclusions.
Q. Can you fail or lock yourself out of the Ranni questline?
A. Yes. Certain actions, like killing specific NPCs too early or skipping key dialogue, can prevent later steps from triggering, so it is best to follow the required order closely.
Q. Do you need to finish Blaidd’s questline to complete Ranni’s?
A. Yes, the two storylines are closely interwoven, and progressing Blaidd’s arc alongside Ranni’s is necessary to reach the full conclusion.
Q. Is the Age of the Stars ending better than the other endings?
A. That comes down to personal preference, but many players and critics consider it the most narratively satisfying and unique ending in the game, largely because of how much buildup and character work goes into unlocking it.
Q. Where does the Ranni questline officially start?
A. It formally begins at Ranni’s Rise in the Three Sisters area of Liurnia, though the earliest hint of it appears earlier at the Church of Elleh in Limgrave.
