Just like Elden Ring‘s base game, its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has several NPC quests to pursue alongside the main story. Each character quest in Shadow of the Erdtree helps to drive both the story of Elden Ring’s DLC and fill in some of its most important lore details, fleshing out why Miquella came to the Shadow Realm in the first place, and what their plans are here.
To help you tackle all Elden Ring’s DLC questlines, we’ve got step-by-step guides below to make sure you don’t miss out on any important details. There is no set order you have to complete each questline in, as many of them will progress together the further you move through the story. However, we’ve ordered them roughly to coincide with how you’ll come across them in the game, and we’ve marked up the important progression points within each questline.
So read on below to find out how to complete all questlines in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
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On this page:
- Needle Knight Leda’s questline
- Redmane Freyja’s questline
- Hornsent’s questline
- Ansbach’s questline
- Moore’s questline
- Thiollier’s questline
- Igon’s questline
- Dryleaf Dane’s questline
- Fire Knight Queelign’s questline
- Hornsent Grandam’s questline
- Count Ymir’s questline
- Swordhand of Night Jolan’s questline
Needle Knight Leda’s questline
Needle Knight Leda is the first Shadow of the Erdtree NPC you’ll meet, and the leader of the group investigating Miquella’s presence inside the Shadow Realm. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can read our dedicated guide on how to complete Needle Knight Leda’s questline, but for now, here are the basic steps you need to follow to finish her quest:
| # | Needle Knight Leda’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | After defeating Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood in Elden Ring’s base game, speak to Leda in Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum and touch the withered arm to transport you to the Shadow Realm. |
| 2 | Progress through the main story and talk to her again at Highroad Cross in Scadu Altus. |
| 3 | When you receive the message “Somewhere, a great rune has broken“, return to Leda at Highroad Cross and speak with her again. |
| 4 | She’ll ask you to suggest Thiollier or Hornsent for her to target next as her suspicions grow. You can choose whatever answer you like, but she’ll go on to target Hornsent regardless. |
| 5 | Progress the story until you reach the Shadow Keep. After the fight with the Golden Hippopotamus, choose whether to help Hornsent or Leda when you see their summoning stones. NB: Leda’s questline will progress regardless, but choosing to help Leda will end Hornsent’s questline early. You can also skip this fight and both questlines will still continue. |
| 6 | If you side with Leda and defeat Hornsent, she’ll then target Ansbach, with another fight becoming available in Ansbach’s room inside the Shadow Keep’s Storehouse on the first floor. NB: like before, Leda’s questline will progress no matter what, but helping Leda will end Ansbach’s questline early. You can once again skip this fight, and both questlines will still progress. |
| 7 | Progress the story until you reach the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom inside Enir-Ilim. Just beyond this room, you’ll be summoned to fight Leda, now that she’s realised you’re not one of Miquella’s disciples. |
| 8 | Defeat Leda and her allies in combat, and claim the rewards from her corpse. |
Redmane Freyja’s questline
Redmane Freyja is likely the second NPC you’ll meet in Elden Ring’s DLC, and she has a strong connection to Radahn. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can read our dedicated guide on how to complete Redmane Freyja’s questline, but here’s a summary of the steps you need to follow to finish her quest:
| # | Redmane Freyja’s questline |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak to Freyja at Three-Path Cross in Gravesite Plain. |
| 2 | When you receive the message “Somewhere, a great rune has broken“, return to Freyja at Three-Path Cross and speak with her again. Keep talking to her until you get the dialogue options: “What do you intend to look into?” and “What if you become our enemy?“ |
| 3 | Progress the story until you reach the Shadow Keep. Speak with Freyja again at the Site of Grace ‘Storehouse, Seventh Floor‘. |
| 4 | Talk to Ansbach in his room near the Site of Grace ‘Storehouse, First Floor’, until you get the option “Tell him of Freyja’s decision” and receive Ansbach’s Letter to Freyja. NB: you must receive Ansbach’s letter to Freyja before handing him the Secret Rite Scroll, otherwise you risk Ansbach moving on from the Shadow Keep, which will prevent you from completing Freyja’s questline. |
| 5 | Deliver the letter to Freyja and receive her Golden Lion Shield as a reward. |
| 6 | Progress the story until you reach Enir-Ilim, where you’ll be summoned to fight Needle Knight Leda. If you completed Freyja’s questline, she’ll appear as one of Leda’s allies, and you must defeat her in combat. |
| 7 | After the fight is over, interact with Freyja’s corpse to claim your final rewards. |
Hornsent’s questline
Hornsent is another NPC in Leda’s group of Miquella followers, but he has his own vengeance quest to fulfil as well. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can read our dedicated guide on how to complete Hornsent’s questline, but you’ll also find the basic steps you need to follow below to finish his quest:
| # | Hornsent’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak to Hornsent at Three-Path Cross and receive his Cross Map. |
| 2 | Progress the story until you reach Highroad Cross in Scadu Altus. Speak to Hornsent again here three times, and receive his New Cross Map. |
| 3 | When you receive the message, “Somewhere, a great rune has broken“, return to Highroad Cross and speak with Hornsent again until you exhaust his dialogue. |
| 4 | Progress the story until you reach the Shadow Keep. After the fight with the Golden Hippopotamus, you’ll see summoning stones for Leda and Hornsent as you approach the Shadow Keep Storehouse. To progress Hornsent’s questline, you must choose to either help Hornsent, or skip the fight entirely. Siding with Leda will force you to kill Hornsent, ending his questline early. |
| 5 | If you skip the Needle Knight Leda fight, you’ll have the option to summon Hornsent during the boss battle with Messmer, the Impaler (though this can only be done inside the boss arena), allowing Hornsent to fulfil his quest for revenge. |
| 6 | After the fight with Messmer, speak with Hornsent until you’ve exhausted his dialogue. Needle Knight Leda will no longer target Hornsent after this point. |
| 7 | Progress the story until you reach the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. Just before you reach the boss fight with Romina, Saint of the Bud, Hornsent will invade your world and fight you. Defeat him, and interact with his corpse to claim your rewards, bringing his questline to a close. |
Ansbach’s questline
Ansbach is found a little further on from Freyja and Hornsent, and is another of Leda’s followers. He has a strong connection to Mohg, Lord of Blood, and is both a scholar and veteran warrior. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can read our dedicated guide on how to complete Ansbach’s questline. Otherwise, you’ll find a summary of the steps you need to follow below to finish his quest:
| # | Ansbach’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak to Ansbach at Main Gate Cross near Belurat, Tower Settlement until you’ve exhausted his dialogue. |
| 2 | When you receive the message, “Somewhere, a great rune has broken“, return to Main Gate Cross and speak to Ansbach again until you’ve exhausted his dialogue. |
| 3 | Progress the story until you reach the Shadow Keep. Find Ansbach again near the Site of Grace ‘Storehouse, First Floor‘ and speak with him again. |
| 4 | Speak to Freyja at the Site of Grace ‘Storehouse, Seventh Floor‘, then return to Ansbach to “Tell him of Freyja’s decision“. Ansbach will then give you a letter for Freyja. |
| 5 | Next, you’ll need to find the Secret Rite Scroll inside the Storehouse and give it to Ansbach. This item is located between the Seventh Floor and Fourth Floor Sites of Grace, in a room only accessible from the outside of the tower. NB: you must receive Ansbach’s letter to Freyja before handing him the Secret Rite Scroll, otherwise you risk Ansbach moving on from the Shadow Keep early, which will prevent you from finishing Freyja’s questline. |
| 6 | If you engage in the fight between Needle Knight Leda and Ansbach, you must side with Ansbach (or skip the fight entirely) to carry on his storyline. Siding with Leda will force you to kill Ansbach and end his questline early. |
| 7 | Progress the story until you reach Enir-Ilim. If you followed the steps above, you’ll be able to summon Ansbach as an ally in the fight against Leda and her compatriots. |
| 8 | After the fight, you can also summon Ansbach as an ally in the fight against Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss. Once the fight is over and you’ve completed the DLC, interact with Ansbach’s corpse to claim your rewards. |
Moore’s questline
Moore is a merchant who’s first found with Ansbach, and is the main provisioner for Leda’s group. He also has a strong relationship with the Forager Brood you’ll encounter in the Shadow Realm. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can read our dedicated guide on how to complete Moore’s questline. Alternatively, you can follow the steps below to finish his quest:
| # | Moore’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak with Moore at Main Gate Cross near Belurat, Tower Settlement until you’ve exhausted his dialogue. |
| 2 | Speak with Thiollier at Pillar Path Cross, then return to Moore at Main Gate Cross. Speak with him, and he will give you a bottle of Black Syrup to take to Thiollier. |
| 3 | If you want to collect all of the Forager Brood Cookbooks in Shadow of the Erdtree, make sure you do so before the next step. There are seven Forager Brood Cookbooks to find in total, but you can only receive the seventh from Moore once you’ve found the other six. |
| 4 | After you receive the message, “Somewhere, a great rune has broken“, return to Main Gate Cross and speak with Moore again. He will ask you: “What should we do? Must we be sad forever?” To continue Moore’s questline, select the answer: “Put it behind you.“ |
| 5 | Progress the story until you reach Enir-Ilim, and the fight with Needle Knight Leda. Moore will appear as one of Leda’s allies, and you must defeat him in combat. After the fight, interact with his corpse to collect your rewards. |
Thiollier’s questline
Thiollier is another merchant specialising in poison items who has also been called to the Shadow Realm by Miquella, but his interests lie more with St Trina, setting him apart from Leda’s group. For a more detailed walkthrough of his long-running sidequest, you can read our dedicated guide on how to complete Thiollier’s questline. You can also follow the steps outlined below:
| # | Thiollier’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak with Thiollier at the Pillar Path Cross in Gravesite Plain. |
| 2 | After you receive the message “Somewhere, a great rune has broken“, return to Pillar Path cross and speak to Thiollier again. |
| 3 | Speak to Moore at the Main Gate Cross and receive the Black Syrup. |
| 4 | Give the Black Syrup to Thiollier, and speak to him until he gives you Thiollier’s Concoction in return and says he’ll be moving to the Southern Shore to find St Trina. |
| 5 | Travel to the Cerulean Coast and find the entrance to the Stone Coffin Fissure dungeon. |
| 6 | Make your way to the end of Stone Coffin Fissure and defeat the Putrescent Knight. |
| 7 | Speak to Thiollier in the Garden of Deep Purple, next to St Trina. |
| 8 | Imbibe nectar four times from St Trina, then speak to Thiollier again to “Pass on St Trina’s words to him“. |
| 9 | When he refuses, select “Try to pass on St Trina’s words again“, and either rest at the Site of Grace or imbibe nectar one more time from St Trina. |
| 10 | Defeat Thiollier in battle when he invades your world to fight you. |
| 11 | Speak to Thiollier once more and “Pass on St Trina’s words” to him now he’s ready to listen, and keep talking to him until you’ve exhausted his dialogue. |
| 12 | Progress the story until you reach Enir-Ilim and the fight with Needle Knight Leda. If you’ve followed the above steps, you’ll be able to summon Thiollier to help you in battle. |
| 13 | You can also summon Thiollier as an ally in the final boss battle. |
| 14 | After you’ve completed the final boss, rest at the Site of Grace and interact with Thioller’s body to receive your reward items. |
Igon’s questline
Igon has no connection to Leda or the others, and is only intent on one thing: destroying Bayle the Dread and taking his revenge on this powerful dragon. For a more detailed walkthrough, follow our dedicated guide on how to complete Igon’s questline. Or you can follow the steps below to help him finish this dramatic questline:
| # | Igon’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Talk to Igon near the Site of Grace ‘Pillar Path Waypoint‘ in Gravesite Plain until you’ve exhausted his dialogue. |
| 2 | Complete the Dragon’s Pit dungeon in Gravesite Plain, open the doors at the end of Ancient Dragon-Man‘s boss arena and travel to Jagged Peak. |
| 3 | Just after the Site of Grace ‘Foot of Jagged Peak‘, defeat the two Jagged Peak Drakes fighting each other. |
| 4 | Speak to Igon, receive Igon’s Furled Finger, and continue your ascent up to the summit of Jagged Peak. |
| 5 | Defeat Bayle the Dread at the top of Jagged Peak, and summon Igon to help you (this can only be done from inside the boss arena). |
| 6 | Return to Igon’s previous location at the Foot of Jagged Peak and interact with his corpse to claim your rewards. |
Dryleaf Dane’s questline
Dryleaf Dane is a stoic and silent monk you’ll meet partway through Shadow of the Erdtree, but he’s also part of Leda’s group. Thankfully, his sidequest is relatively brief compared to the others, but we’ve still got a dedicated guide on how to complete Dryleaf Dane’s questline should you want it. Otherwise, you can follow the steps below to finish his quest:
| # | Dryleaf Dane’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Obtain the Monk’s Missive and ‘May the Best Win’ gesture from the Site of Grace ‘Highroad Cross‘ once you reach Scadu Altus. |
| 2 | Head east from Highroad Cross to Moorth Ruins, where you’ll find Dryleaf Dane next to the Miquella’s Cross. |
| 3 | Use the ‘May the Best Win’ gesture in front of him, and defeat Dane in battle. |
| 4 | After the battle, collect Dane’s Hat and the Dryleaf Arts hand-to-hand weapon from the ground. |
| 5 | Progress the story until you reach Enir-Ilim and the fight with Needle Knight Leda. Dryleaf Dane will appear as one of Leda’s allies, and you must defeat him in combat. After the fight, interact with his corpse in the battlefield to claim the rest of Dane’s Armor set. |
Fire Knight Queelign’s questline
Fire Knight Queelign starts off as your enemy in Shadow of the Erdtree, but you’ll eventually be able to help this wayward knight if you follow the right steps. We’ve got a dedicated guide on how to complete Fire Knight Queelign’s questline, but we’ve also outlined the basic steps below as well:
| # | Fire Knight Queelign’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Defeat Fire Knight Queelign in Belurat, Tower Settlement. |
| 2 | Defeat Fire Knight Queelign in the Church of the Crusade in Scadu Altus and obtain the Prayer Room Key. |
| 3 | Locate the Prayer Room inside the Shadow Keep and use the key to open the door. |
| 4 | Obtain either an Iris of Grace or Iris of Occultation. |
| 5 | Give Queelign the Iris of Grace to receive his Spirit Ash, or give him the Iris of Occultation to receive his Greatsword as a reward to end his questline. |
Hornsent Grandam’s questline
Hornsent Grandam is closely related to Hornsent and resides within Belurat, Tower Settlement. Her questline is quite straightforward, but we’ve got a detailed walkthrough on how to complete Hornsent Grandam’s questline just in case you need it. Otherwise, feel free to follow the steps below instead:
| # | Hornsent Grandam’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Find the Storeroom Key in Belurat Tower Settlement, and use it to open the Storeroom near the Site of Grace ‘Small Private Altar‘. You can speak with Hornsent Grandam inside the Storeroom, but she will be unresponsive until you complete the next step. |
| 2 | Defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in Belurat, Tower Settlement, and obtain the Divine Beast Head. |
| 3 | Return to Hornsent Grandam and speak to her again while wearing the Divine Beast Head. Speak with her until you obtain the Incantation ‘Watchful Spirit‘. |
| 4 | Progress the story until you’ve defeated Messmer, the Impaler in the Shadow Keep. Return to Hornsent Grandam once you’ve beaten Messmer and speak to her again to receive Gourmet Scorpion Stew. |
| 5 | Progress the story until you’ve defeated the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree. You can return to Hornsent Grandam’s location to interact with her corpse, and receive one more Gourmet Scorpion Stew. |
Count Ymir’s questline
Count Ymir is likely one of the last NPCs you’ll meet in Shadow of the Erdtree, but his questline is one of the most mysterious, and involves discovering some of its greatest secrets and locations. We’ve got a dedicated guide on how to complete Count Ymir’s questline, as it’s quite involved, but we’ve also outlined the steps below for sake of ease:
| # | Count Ymir’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak to Count Ymir in the Cathedral of Manus Metyr in Scadu Altus and receive the Hole-Laden Necklace and Ruins Map. |
| 2 | Travel to the Cerulean Coast and find the Finger Ruins of Rhia. Interact with the hanging bell at the centre of the ruins to obtain the Crimson Seed Talisman +1. |
| 3 | Return to Ymir at the Cathedral and receive Ruins Map (2) and the Beloved Stardust Talisman. Speak to him and “Ask about the nature of the world” and “Ask about Miquella”. |
| 4 | Obtain the ‘O Mother’ gesture from Bonny Village in Scadu Altus and travel to the Shadow Keep’s Back Gate. |
| 5 | Use the ‘O Mother’ gesture in front of the statue in the side chapel by the Site of Grace ‘Shadow Keep, Back Gate‘ and go through the hidden entrance to the Shadow Realm’s Hinterland region. |
| 6 | At the end of the peninsula, you’ll find the Finger Ruins of Dheo. Interact with the hanging bell at the centre of them to obtain the Cerulean Seed Talisman +1. |
| 7 | Return to Ymir at the Cathedral and speak to him again to receive the Ruins Map (3). Rest at the Site of Grace inside the cathedral. |
| 8 | Interact with Ymir’s vacated throne and discover the Finger Ruins of Miyr beneath the cathedral. |
| 9 | Defeat the NPC invader Swordhand of Night Anna, and return to speak to Swordhand of Night Jolan in the cathedral above, telling her that you were attacked. |
| 10 | Return to the Finger Ruins of Miyr and interact with the hanging bell, which will transport you to a boss fight with Metyr, Mother of Fingers. |
| 11 | After you’ve defeated Metyr, Mother of Fingers, return to the Cathedral and interact with Ymir’s throne again. Swordhand of Night Jolan will invade your world, and you’ll need to defeat her in combat. |
| 12 | After defeating Jolan, Count Ymir will immediately invade you as well, and you’ll need to defeat him in combat, too. |
| 13 | Once Ymir is defeated, you’ll be instantly rewarded with Ymir’s Bell Bearing, his Maternal Staff and Armor Set. Then go to the adjoining graveyard by the cathedral’s west exit to claim the final reward, the Sorcery spell ‘Cherishing Fingers‘ by the gravestone. |
Swordhand of Night Jolan’s questline
Swordhand of Night Jolan is Count Ymir’s bodyguard, and likely the final NPC you’ll meet in Shadow of the Erdtree. Her questline is closely tied to Ymir’s, but involves a few extra steps at the end that can be easily missed. Like the others, we’ve got a dedicated guide on how to complete Swordhand of Night Jolan’s questline, but you can also follow the steps listed below:
| # | Swordhand of Night Jolan’s questline walkthrough |
|---|---|
| 1 | Speak to Swordhand of Night Jolan in the Cathedral of Manus Metyr in Scadu Altus (you’ll need to talk to Count Ymir first to make Jolan appear by the pillar near the western exit). |
| 2 | Follow Count Ymir’s questline and sound the hanging bell at the Finger Ruins of Rhia. |
| 3 | Return to the Cathedral and speak to Jolan again until you’ve exhausted her dialogue. |
| 4 | Follow Count Ymir’s questline and sound the hanging bell at the Finger Ruins of Dheo. |
| 5 | Return to the Cathedral and speak to Jolan once more once you’ve got the Ruins Map (3) from Ymir. Rest at the nearby Site of Grace. |
| 6 | Interact with Ymir’s vacant throne and descend into the Finger Ruins of Miyr to defeat Swordhand of Night Anna. |
| 7 | Return to Jolan and tell her you were attacked. Speak to her again until you’ve exhausted her dialogue. |
| 8 | Sound the hanging bell in the Finger Ruins of Miyr beneath the cathedral and defeat Metyr, Mother of Fingers in the subsequent boss fight. |
| 9 | Return to the Cathedral and interact with Ymir’s throne once more. Swordhand of Night Jolan will invade your world and you must defeat her in combat, followed by Count Ymir himself. |
| 10 | After the battle, rest at the Site of Grace in the cathedral and return to Jolan’s previous position by the pillar. Speak to her, and you’ll have the option to give her an Iris of Grace or Iris of Occultation. Like Fire Knight Queelign, your choice here will determine what rewards you get at the end of Jolan’s questline. |
| 11 | If you give her the Iris of Grace, you’ll receive the Swordhand of Night Jolan Spirit Ash, which can later be transformed into the rare Jolan and Anna Spirit Ash if you seek out Anna’s remains at the very top of Rabbath’s Rise, ending her questline. |
| 12 | If you give her the Iris of Occultation, you’ll receive her weapon, Sword of the Night, which will also bring Jolan’s questline to a close. |
Need more help? Improve your stats by finding all of Shadow of the Erdtree’s Scadutree Fragment locations and Revered Spirit Ash locations. Alternatively, see which Erdtree bosses you’ve still got left to beat, and track down some great new early weapons to help you on your adventure.
