During their journey throughElden Ring, players will come across a curious blue-colored NPC namedRanni the Witch. The witch is one of the most interesting characters in all the Lands Between, and she gives players access to the Spirit Calling Bell to give them the ability to use Spirit Ashes. What many may not know is that it’s not the last time they’ll see the mysterious NPC. She can be found later on as players progress through Liurnia of the Lakes and has her own quest line to complete.
To get this questline done, players will need to travel to a hidden area called Nokstella, Eternal City. Not only is this area required tocomplete Ranni’s questline, but it’s also filled with valuable resources (especially for those looking to upgrade their Spirit Ashes). Here’s how players can reach Noksetlla, Eternal City inElden Ring, and collect the treasures within it.
Updated September 8th, 2024 by Jacob Buchalter: Nokstella, the Eternal City is one of the most atmospheric locations in all of Elden Ring. This hidden underground city is filled with all sorts of interesting enemies, mysterious lore, and fantastic landscapes. However, reaching this area of the Lands Between can be pretty confusing, and even if you know how to get there, actually going through the process itself can be pretty tough. So, let’s break down all the ways you can get to Nokstella in Elden Ring, one by one, and go over exactly how you should go about getting here.
Step One
Starting Ranni’s Questline
The first step in heading towards Nokstella, Eternal City, at least if you’re looking for the path of least resistanceis starting Ranni the Witches' long questline.You’ll need to collect an item from Ranni, later on, to help actually access the zone, so progressing her questline up to that point is pretty necessary. To start Ranni’s quest, you’ll of course have to visit her in her tower atRanni’s Rise, which is part of the Three Sisters area ofLiurnia of the Lakes. It’s pretty involved getting here though, as you’ll need to work your way all the way through Caria Manor, eventually beating bothRoyal Knight Lorettaand fighting offGlintstone Dragon Adula(AKA getting it to below 50 percent health) before getting your audience with Ranni.
After encountering and defeating the ghost of Loretta, and then facing off against Adula, you’ll finally have access to Ranni herself. Once you speak with her, you’ll need to swear your allegiance to Ranni (which most of the player base already did the first time they saw her anyway), and only then will you finally be given the quest by her to retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade from Nokron itself.
Step Two
Getting The Fingerslayer Blade For Ranni
From this point, you’ll need to actually find and defeat the legendary warrior known as Starscourge Radahn down in Caelid. To be more precise, you’ll need to reach Redmane Castle in the furthest southeast corner of Caelid.Once you’ve beaten this Scarlet Rot-infested demigod his hold over the cosmos themselves will wane, allowing a comet to crash down near the Ancestral Woods and open a path to the underground city of Nokstella.
After progressing through the city and dealing with the assorted skeletons, Nokstella warriors, and giant metal balls, you’ll have to fight against theMimic Tearboss. This will open a Site of Grace named after the Mimic Tear that sits at the base of a large bridge. By running across this bridge, you’ll eventually see a break in the stone railing and a small path leading down a hill. Going down this first hill, hugging the wall on the left, and going up another (different) small hill, will lead you to the Ancestral Woods Site of Grace.
From the Ancestral Woods Site of Grace, you’ll need to jump down from the cliffside onto the roofs below and then complete a series of platforming sections as you make your way through the city, dealing with the Albinauric enemies along the way. Eventually, you’ll come to an area with another massive ball enemy (inside a Church-like structure). Going out the front door of this area will put you on the path toward another building and a series of Silver Tear enemies. The last Silver Tear before the building will transform into a massive giant as a sort of ‘last line of defense’. Deal with this pseudo giant and keep going forward to find the chest underneath the giant skeleton containing theFingerslayer Blade. The Fingerslayer Blade is very likely the same item that caused the citizens of Nokstella to be banished underground like this, a type of blasphemy thatanyone familiar with Volcano Manorwould likely already know about.
Step Three
Getting To Nokstella, Eternal City
Once you’ve obtained and given Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade, she will grant you access to Renna’s Rise. Climbing to the top of the Rise and using the Waygate there will send you all the way toAinsel River. From there, you’ll need to progress through the Uhl Palace Ruins, and then head through a tunnel system that opens up into Nokstella, Eternal City.
Here, you may collect a ton of great resources for upgrading Spirit Ashes, as well as a key item that is required to continue Ranni’s questline.
The Alternate Path To Nokstella, Eternal City
The Dual-Gargolyes Path
There isanother path you can taketo reach Nokstella the Eternal City, without having to properly expand Ranni’s questline.This path is arguably much harder than the first as it means you’ll need to deal with a pretty imposing double boss fight. To do so, you’ll want to head back to the Ancestral Woods Site of Grace and then head to the east, across the roadway, and into a small forested area.
You’ll know you’re in the right place once you begin to spot spirit jellyfish. By staying to the right in this area, you’ll eventually come to a spot where tons of spirit jellyfish are on a cliffside. Hugging the wall to the left will bring you to a cliff edge where you can jump down and continue along the path. This path will take you to another Site of Grace and continuing past it will let you jump off the cliff, into a tower, and into the Siofra Aqueduct.
Progressing through this area and all the way to the end will put you into a battle against aValiant Gargoyle & Valiant Gargoyle (Twinblade)Duo, fast-moving bosses that are absurdly tedious to deal with due to their powerful sweeping attacks and poisonous AOEs. If you manage to slay these bosses, you will gain access to a new Site of Grace at the base of the waterfall and a coffin that will transport you to the Deeproot Depths (if you interact with it). Progressing to the North in this area, you will eventually find another coffin that will send you to Ansel River Main, where you can then access Nokstella, Eternal City.
It’s also possible to reachMap (Deeproot Depths)by going through the Subterranean Shunning Groundsin Leyndell, Royal Capital, and dealing with the bossMohg, the Omen. After the boss is defeated, you can go through a secret path behind his reward chest and enter the Deeproot Depths without ever having to go to Nokron.It is important to note, however, that this path will lock you into the Flame of Frenzy ending.
