Ranni’s questline unlocks one of the many hidden endings in Elden Ring and awards some of the best weapons and best-looking armor in the game to boot. It’s also incredibly sad, though that’s par for the course for every story here.
In this Elden Ring guide, we’ll go through every step of Ranni’s quest, including points where you can fail it, so you can make sure you see every part of her story.
How to Complete Ranni the Witch’s Questline in Elden Ring
You’re likely to have started Ranni’s quest chain without even realizing it. She appears briefly at the Church of Elleh after finding Melina to give you the Spirit Summoning Bell, where she introduces herself as Renna. After that, Ranni’s quest begins in earnest in the Three Sisters area of Caria Manor.
Beware: If you give the Black Knifeprint item to Rogier and he learns of Ranni’s past with it, she will not want to talk to you. You will need to immediately return to Rogier and speak to him again, and he will give you an excuse to give Ranni that can continue her questline. If he goes to sleep or dies, you will have no way to get this info, and the quest will fail.
Ranni’s Quest Step 1: Defeat Loretta at the Top of Caria Manor
Before reaching Ranni, you must go to Caria Manor in far northwestern Liurnia of the Lakes. Go north from the Minor Erdtree on the western landmass to reach the Kingsrealm Ruins. At the seemingly impassable wall, attack or roll through it to dispel the illusory wall.
Speak to Iji near the Path to the Manor Site of Grace, then continue north to the manor, minding the magic attacks on the road past Iji.
Make your way to the Manor Gate Site of Grace, then through the crystal-laden Manor grounds. Eventually, you’ll see a stairwell leading into the Manor. Continue up the stairs to find the Manor Lower Level Site of Grace, then go out on the ramparts and follow them straight to the end.
You can go left to a tower on the left, then drop down to the left to pick up the Sword of Night and Flame if you have the INT and FAITH to wield it. There’s more about that in our guide here.
At the end of the ramparts, you’ll find a staircase leading up, then an elevator that will take you to the Manor Upper Level Site of Grace. Follow the path to a grand staircase with a giant, then another elevator, putting you into the arena of Royal Knight Loretta.
Defeating her opens the fog gate in the rear of her room, which leads to the Three Sisters area.
Ranni’s Quest Step 2: Speak to Ranni in Ranni’s Rise
Southwest of Loretta’s arena is Ranni’s Rise. Go all the way to the top of the tower to meet Ranni, who’s surprised to see you; you don’t need to fight the dragon in Three Sisters to access it.
Speak to her until she asks the reason you have for seeing her. Respond with, “No particular reason.” Continue talking to her until she asks you to enter her service. Accept.
Ranni’s Quest Step 3: Speak to Ranni’s Subordinates
Go downstairs and talk to Iji, Selivus, and Blaidd, then return to Ranni. She’ll task you with working with Blaidd to find the city of Nokron and the treasure within it.
(Optional) Ranni’s Quest Step 4: Go to Siofra River and Speak with Blaidd
In your initial search for Nokron, Blaidd will tell you to go to the well in the Mistwood, which leads to Siofra River. Blaidd is just past the temple with the map fragment. He’ll say he has no idea how to get to Nokron, but if you keep speaking to him, he’ll mention Selivus probably knows something.
(Optional) Ranni’s Quest Step 5: Speak to Selivus, Sellen, and Blaidd
Visiting Selivus in his tower, southeast of Ranni’s, will see him chastise you and send you to meet the witch Sellen in the dungeon of Waypoint Ruins in Limgrave. Giving her Selivus’ Letter of Introduction, provided you’re her apprentice, has her reveal that Starscourge Radahn currently holds the stars in stasis and Ranni’s fate with them. Killing Radahn, then, is imperative.
Return to Siofra River and mention to Blaidd what you’ve learned, and he’ll mention a festival in Caelid.
Ranni’s Quest Step 6: Kill Starscourge Radahn
Head east to Castle Redmane and the southeastern tip of Caelid. Go through the teleporter that leads to a courtyard filled with NPCs, Blaidd included. Speak to the announcer, and tell him you’re ready, then take the elevator behind him down to the battlefield. Use our guide on how to beat Radahn to complete this fight.
Ranni’s Quest Step 7: Go to the Crater in Limgrave and Into Nokron
The falling star released when Radahn falls lands south of the Mistwood in Limgrave. You’ll see it from miles away thanks to the floating rocks suspended in the aire.
Head down into the depths until you reach the Eternal City. Make your way across the rooftops, over ramparts, cross a broken wall into a cathedral window, then drop down and run past or kill the sentient boulder.
Turn right and continue along the castle walkways, avoiding or murdering the Mimic Tears. Eventually, you’ll reach a dark room filled with the Things, with a sentient boulder near the ceiling. Take the door at the back left and proceed to grab the Site of Grace near the long causeway.
At the causeway’s end is a tower with an open door. Within is the Fingerslayer Blade. You’ve found the treasure Ranni seeks.
Ranni’s Quest Step 8: Return to Ranni
Fingerslayer Blade in hand, return to Ranni, and she’ll mention she’s leaving on the dark path. Keep talking to her until she gives you the Carian Inverted Statue.
Ranni’s Quest Step 9: Invert the Study Hall
Head to the Study Hall Entrance Site of Grace, the building with the long bridge and tower attached on the eastern side of Liurnia. Go up to the pedestal, press the use button, and watch the cutscene where the globe turns 180 degrees vertically.
You’ve now flipped the inside of the Study Hall. Go up the stairs to the left, and jump down into the top of the elevator shaft. Watch out for the pit.
Beyond the shaft, you’ll encounter a lot of the little disembodied hands you first say in Caria Manor. Kill them or run past and head along the rafters to the right and around. The worst enemy in the game, who spams Loretta’s Greatbow and deals unfair damage, then teleports away before you can kill them, though you’ll eventually corner them on the top floor.
Once they’re dead, jump down onto the chandeliers then onto the platform with the button in the middle. Ride it down(up) to the bottom(top) of the tower, and go through the opening that appears when the platform stops.
Ranni’s Quest Step 10: Cross the Divine Tower Bridge
Opening the door at the bottom(top) of the Study Hall sends you to the bridge leading to the Liurnia Diving Tower. The path looks clear, but you’ll have to take down a Godskin Noble to make it all the way across. Beat it, open the Diving Tower, and go up.
Ranni’s Quest Step 11: Claim the Cursemark of Death and Return to Three Sisters
You won’t empower a Great Rune at the top of the Liurnia Divine Tower. Instead, it holds the Cursemark of Death and the Stargazer Heirloom talisman. You need the former for Fia’s questline, and the latter adds 5 to Intelligence. For our purposes, collecting the Cursemark opens Renna’s Rise in the Three Sisters area.
Return to Three Sisters, and now Renna’s Rise is now open. Before, it was blocked by a seal. Go up the ladder and take the teleporter leading to Nokstella, Eternal City.
Ranni’s Quest Step 12: Cross Noksetlla
Explore the upper portions of Nokstella if you like, but to progress Ranni’s questline, follow the riverbed away from the first Site of Grace, past the ants and Nox warriors riding ants. You’ll reach a small building with its doors open and an elevator inside. Ride the elevator down another riverbed.
There will be an item across the way: the Miniature Ranni doll.
Ranni’s Quest Step 13: Talk to the Ranni Doll
Rest at the nearby Site of Grace, and a new option will be at the bottom of the menu: talk to miniature Ranni.
The first two times you select the option, nothing will happen. The third time will have Ranni pipe up, visibly annoyed. Exhaust her dialog and continue down the underground river.
Ranni’s Quest Step 14: Talk to Ranni Some More
Rest at each Site of Grace you find, and select the Talk to Ranni option. She’ll speak of her past and provide some serious lore. She will get to a point where she’ll tell you to forget everything you’ve heard. Continue on.
Ranni’s Quest Step 15: Defeat the Baleful Shadow
The river will eventually lead to a pink-misted chamber where a red invader NPC, the Baleful Shadow, will spawn.
He looks at attacks just like Blaidd, but he isn’t Blaidd, rather an assassin sent to end Ranni before she can complete her quest. Kill it, and Ranni will thank you before her spirit fades away. When Ranni stops talking, you’ll receive the Discarded Palace Key.
Ranni’s Quest Step 16: Proceed to the Lake of Rot
There’s an elevator on the other side of the room where you fought the Shadow. Take it down to reach the Lake of Rot. This is the worst location in Elden Ring, and probably any Souls game barring perhaps Shrine of Amana in Dark Souls 2. Grab the map and the Site of Grace, then book it to the Raya Lucaria Grand Library.
Ranni’s Quest Step 17: Open the Chest in Renalla’s Chamber
If you haven’t yet defeated Rennala of the Full Moon, do so now. The chest in her chamber is usually locked, but with the Discarded Palace Key, you’ll be able to open it. Inside is the Ring of Oath (called the Dark Moon Ring), which you’ll need for later.
Ranni’s Quest Step 18: Cross the Lake of Rot & to the End of the Grand Cloister
The Lake of Rot is an optional area normally, but you must cross it in Ranni’s questline. Spending any amount of time in the Lake will inflict Scarlet Rot, Elden Ring’s version of the Toxic status. Your health will drain quickly, and removing the affliction only delays its reapplication. Here’s what you’ll need to prepare.
Make your way southwest, and you’ll reach a large cathedral leading down. There is, blessedly, a Site of Grace not far from the entrance. This is the Grand Cloister.
Continue west from Grace, across the broken platforms, and down to the rot river. Follow the river west, then south until it comes to a waterfall. There will be an open coffin with a prompt to have you get into the coffin. Do it.
Ranni’s Quest Step 19: Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void
The coffin will take you to a surreal cave near a golden boss fog. Going through it reveals one of the most wondrous boss arenas in Elden Ring, where you fight Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. This thing is a literal star creature and a difficult fight at lower levels.
Ranni’s Quest Step 20: Take the Elevator Up to the Moonlight Altar
Once Astel is out of the way, the chamber beyond its arena opens up to reveal an elevator. Taking it up leads to the Moonlight Altar. This area is the plateau above the Village of the Alburnaurics.
Ranni’s Quest Step 21: Head to the Catherdral of Manus Celes
From the first Site of Grace here, go east. You’ll encounter Glintstone Dragon Adula, who you can kill, but don’t need to. The Cathedral of Manus Celes, the church behind the dragon, has a Site of Grace at its center.
Ranni’s Quest Step 22: Go into Ranni’s Cavern and Give Her the Ring
To the south of the Cathedral Site of Grace is a hole in the ground. Head down and follow the literal dark path to the tree where Ranni’s body rests.
Go up to Ranni, and put the Dark Moon Ring on her finger. Ranni will reappear as you saw her so long ago at the Church of Ellah and advise you to take the path of the Lord.
Step 23: Finish Elden Ring, Defeat the Final Boss, and Summon Ranni
After you defeat the final boss of Elden Ring, you will now have a choice either to mend the Elden Ring or use Ranni’s summon sign in the final area. Summon Ranni and watch her questline’s conclusion and the ending you have earned.
That is the long set of steps to follow to complete Ranni’s questline and get her secret ending in Elden Ring. It’s a multi-dozen-hour endeavor for most and asks much of you but is well worth the effort. You’ll need to look good for the final cutscene, so check out our best armor guide. Make many bosses are easier with the Mimic Tear. We’ve got more quest guides and walkthroughs, so head over to our Elden Ring guides hub for more.
