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As is the tradition in the Soulsborne franchise, everything is vague inDark Souls 4—sorry,Elden Ring. Despite going open world, the game has a notable absence of mini-maps, clear instructions, or quest markers. Players will have to listen carefully to the rather cryptic NPCs as even their seemingly dismissible quips might late blossom into a full-blown questline.
For that matter,Elden Ringis filled to the brim with hidden side quests. Most of them are elusive and are easily missed. This can be rather troublesome as some of these hidden side quests can unlock secret endings. To know which of them are worthwhile or have dire ramifications, then make sure to squint really hard to look for these hidden side quests.
Updated July 04, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: In Shadow of the Erdtree, players can progress through a huge number of new NPC questlines, most of which are pretty easy to find. But one new hidden Elden Ring quest can only be accessed once you unlock a secret room, defeat a boss, and figure out how to talk to an NPC who refuses to be friendly with the Tarnished. The Hornsent Grandam (once called the Empyream Grandam) questline can be found in Belurat, Tower Settlement, but to get there you will have to find a key, backtrack, and look for the hidden secret entrance to the Storeroom. This guide has been updated with details on this secret Elden Ring questline, which rewards a powerful consumable and a new Incantation on “completion”.
15The Hornsent Grandam Questline
The Hornsent Grandam is something of a secret character in theElden RingDLC, even though you can meet her relatively early inShadow of the Erdtree. Found in a secret Storage Room in the Belurat, Tower Settlement legacy dungeon, Hornsent Grandam doesn’t appear to want to speak with the Tarnished.
Then, after progressing through Belurat, you will face the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, the “first” Remembrance boss in the DLC. During its intro cutscene you may hear the Hornsent Grandam’s voice, sounding as if she is speaking it to life. After the fight, you will get a Divine Beast Head which, when worn, unlocks the rest of the Hornsent Grandam’s dialogue and grants a great consumable item: the Scorpion Stew. You can even return to the Grandam to receive more Stew.
How To Start Hornsent Grandam’s Questline
Hornsent Grandam can be found about halfway through Belurat, Tower Settlement in the Gravesite Plain. Acquire the Storeroom Key from a chest after climbing a ladder, just after you walk through the castle runoff, then go back to the Private Altar Site of Grace. Head south through the door to see a bridge with two enemies that use Incantations of the Spiral. Defeat them and continue across the bridge until you get to the Storeroom. Use the Storeroom Key to open the door and speak with Hornsent Grandam. Return to Hornsent Grandam when you have defeated the Divine Beast Dancing Lion to see the rest of her dialogue.
Hornsent Grandam Quest Rewards
14Dung Eater’s Questline
Dung Eateris responsible for one of the bad endingsinElden Ringwhere everyone gets a horrible fate. He makes his presence known in Roundtable Hold, alright. However, he won’t budge until players give him at least oneSeedbed Curse. Three are inLeyndell, Royal Capital, two are inMiquella’s Haligtree, and one is inVolcano Manor.
Players will have to free him from his dungeon, then fight the Dung Eater (don’t kill him unprovoked as this will ruin the questline) in the outer wall of Leyndell. After giving him all Seedbed Curses, he’ll give players a Mending Rune that will alter the ending.
How To Start Dung Eater’s Questline
Speak to the Dung Eater after entering theAltus Plateaufor the first time, who will spawn in an off-room near the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold.
Dung Eater’s Questline Rewards
13Iron Fist Alexander’s Questline
The closest thing to the Onion KnightinElden Ringwould beAlexander the Iron Fist. He’s an absolute unit of a jar-man or pot-man and surprisingly, those things know how to fight. Alexander also has his own martial arts. Players can seek him out in northern Stormhill.
Early in the game, he’ll be there stuck on the ground asking for help. Players will have to smack him to free him in order to set off hisquest chain. Afterward, players will have to look for him in theCarian Study Hallin Liurnia of the Lakes, the Gael Tunnel in Caelid, the Seethwater Terminus in Mt. Gelmir, and finally inCrumbling Farum Azulawhere he’ll challenge players to a duel.
How To Start Alexander’s Questline
Head north from the Lake Agheel North Site of Grace until you get toStormhill. Head east through the woods until you find a bridge with aMad Pumpkin Headon it. Double back and look for a way up the cliffs to the south, where Alexander’s cries for help will quickly ring out.
Iron Fist Alexander’s Questline Rewards
12Blaidd’s Questline
Blaiddis the big wolfman who servesRanni the Witchand players can find him brooding on top of some ruins in theMistwood. He’ll also howl, though it’s easy to miss it so be sure to increase the game’s volume in the area. Players will have to askMerchant Kaléin theChurch of Ellehabout this and he’ll instruct them how to get Blaidd’s attention.
After that, Blaidd will task players with finding and defeating someone. All this leads to a fight in theForlorn Hound Evergaolwhich is easy enough. Blaidd will then reward players with a Somber Smithing Stone [2] which is an upgrade item for special weapons.
How To Start Blaidd’s Questline
Listen for the howling in the Mistwood in eastern Limgrave, then talk to Kale to get an emote that will call Blaidd down from his perch. Blaidd’s quest can also be started later on, as part of Ranni’s when you get to theThree Sistersin Liurnia.
Blaidd’s Questline Rewards
11Millicent’s Questline
Millicentis a tragic character in Caelid suffering from the Scarlet Rot plague, but Gowry seeks a way to cure her. Hence, Gowry will ask players to retrieve a needle that can do just that. It’s dropped byCommander O’Neil, a boss in the swamp near Sellia.
Afterward, players will earn Millicent’s friendship (make sure to return to Gowry’s shack to look for her after curing her). She’ll then move a lot. First in the north of the Erdtree-Gazing Hill Grace in Altus Plateau; then in Windmill Heights Grace after defeating the village’s boss; then the Ancient Snow Valley Ruins Grace at Mountaintop of the Giants; finally at the Prayer Room Grace at Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree.
How To Start Millicent’s Questline
Speak with Gowry, in his shack to the south of Sellia, Town of Sorcery, in central Caelid. Get through Sellia to find Millicent in theChurch of the Plagueabove.
Millicent’s Questline Rewards
10Patches' Questline
It’s not that hard to missPatches (NPC)' questline but it’s easy to mess it up, meaning some parts of it might as well be hidden. Players will have to spare him in the boss fight inMurkwater Caveand then keep looking for him all over Limgrave and Mt. Gelmir.
He eventually ends up in Volcano Manor, where he’ll give an important quest that rewards players with the most protective armor in the game. He eventually moves to the Volcano Manor and then back to Murkwater Cave. As usual, it’s best to treat Patches without any ounce of trust even though players are compelled to spare him.
How To Start Patches' Questline
Head to the Murkwater Cave, up the chasm that leads north from Lake Agheel, and into the cave. Be sure to spare Patches when he surrenders, and you will encounter him again in Liurnia of the Lakes and later in the Volcano Manor.
Patches' Questline Rewards
9Rya’s Questline
Rya’s questline can be triggered earlier in Liurnia of the Lakes but it doesn’t really officially begin until players have pledged themselves to the Volcano Manor. There, players will discover Rya’s deepest and darkest secret along with the Volcano Manor’s oddities.
The rewards for this questline aren’t really much, but Rya moves a lot within the Volcano Manor so it can be easy to miss her and to progress the quest. However, it being one of the saddest stories inElden Ringmakes it worthy of players' attention.
How To Start Rya’s Questline
Find Rya in a rotunda in mid-south Liurnia, just on the edge of the southern forest. She will request you retrieveRya’s Necklacefrom a nearby thief namedBlackguard Big Boggart. No matter how you get it back, she will teleport to Volcano Manor upon reaching Altus Plateau. Continue her questline by discovering her secrets throughout the Manor and its hidden areas.
Rya’s Questline Rewards
8Boc’s Questline
Boc the Seamsteris literally hidden inElden Ringsince he’s been transformed into a shrub by someone near the road past Agheel Lake North. He will call out to the players if they’re in close proximity, but, even then, it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint his exact location if players are unaware that NPCs can also disguise themselves as environmental props.
After that, he’ll move to several locations and it can be hard to keep track of him. In any case, players will want to donate theirTailoring ToolsandSewing Needles to Boc as he can make some rather fine and exquisite adjustments to most armor inElden Ring.
How To Start Boc’s Questline
Listen for Boc’s cries for help as you head east over the bridge southeast of the Lake Agheel North Site of Lost Grace. Attack the tree, and he will transform back into his normal form and lead you on the rest of his quest.
Boc’s Questline Rewards
7Nepheli Loux’s Questline
Nepheli Loux’s questline is another long one and it starts early withKenneth Haightlooking for an heir to Limgrave. It turns out that Nepheli is the only viable candidate, but, throughout the game, she runs into plenty of issues that could have easily barred her from the Limgrave throne.
For one, players will have to keepGatekeeper Gostocalive as she’ll be Nepheli’s servant. Moreover, players will need to find a way to reinvigorate a defeated Nepheli by returning to the game’s starting area (Chapel of Anticipation). The reward is worth it, thankfully.
How To Start Nepheli Loux’s Questline
Look for Nepheli Loux in an off-room on the way to Godrick’s boss arena, after which she will appear at Roundtable Hold on his defeat. Exhaust her dialogue here, then meet her under the Village of Albinaurics. After summoning her for the Omenkiller fight, talk to her again in Roundtable Hold, talk to Gideon, then find her again in Godrick’s throne room later on.
Nepheli Loux’s Questline Rewards
6Volcano Manor Questlines
The reason why this one’s easy to miss is that accessing the main road of the western Altus Plateau is quite a monumental trek. And even as players get acquainted and indoctrinated into the Recusant covenant, doing invasion errands for them, it will be easy to mess up that quest chain.
For one, there are several characters here that give out theirown quests. Initiating theRykard, Lord of Blasphemyboss fight too early (and defeating him) will lock players out of these questlines for good (until NG+). For safer measures, simply hold off on fighting Rykard until players have exhausted all NPC dialogues after each visit to the Volcano Manor.
