[Happy Elden Ring day! I’m going to keep this intro as spoiler-lite as possible, although the further down you scroll, the more specific I’ll be. Everything described here can be reached in the first hour of gameplay — if you know where to go.]
From your very first step into the open world, there’s a ton of freedom to explore Elden Ring In every conceivable direction, and I would strongly encourage you carve your own personal path forwardGeneral Chat Chat Lounge With that said, at a certain point in your journey, you might, well, unsure of where to go next. I hesitate to say “lost,” as there is always something gnawing away at the back of your mind in this sprawling game. But take it from me: You must not want to spend several hours barking up the wrong (Erd) tree.
You know how Dark Souls, some silly players (* glances nervously *) thought they were supposed to fight the hard-hitting skeletons outside of Firelink Shrine right away? They (* starts to sweat *) kept trying to take them on even though they were utterly outranked. What were they thinking ?! Well, I have something similar in common Elden RingGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
After I started the first main story boss and decided to save the fight for later, I started exploring a creepy region I wasn’t equipped to handle yet; I kept looking and looking, only to realize I missed something obvious. Suddenly, the foggy-by-default world map began to balloon. It was one of several mind-blowing moments in the game.
For folks who are kept up with Elden Ring Coverage and trailers or even tried the Network Test buildyou know that one of the main points of interest is early on Stormveil CastleGeneral Chat Chat Lounge That ‘s meant to be the first main Souls-Style densely-packed Legacy Dungeon, complete with a fearsome critical-path boss. But technically, You do not need to go there firstGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
This is an Elden Ring guide on where to go exploring after Stormveil CastleGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
** Spoilers below **
There’s a sneaky way around Stormveil
If, like me, you have the urge to uncover as much of the world map as possible, as early as possible, Here’s an easily missed area of interestGeneral Chat Chat Lounge If you’re done with Stormveil, or you rather circle back to it later and you Just need a nudge on where to go nextcome to this broken bridge with your trusty steed and look at this blue map marker for a hint.
It might take a moment of poking around to find the path forward, but yes, you can go north around Stormveil Castle – and a huge chunk of Elden Ring is thataway.
Feel free to bounce if that is all the information you need – you’ll have plenty to check out for the next several hours at least. Come back if you’re struggling with some magic sealsGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
Where to find the “second” main-story area
After Stormveil – or again, possibly before it if you’re bold – you can head north.
You know you ‘re on the right track when the landscape suddenly opens up. This zone is Liurnia of the LakesGeneral Chat Chat Lounge If you’re cleared Stormveil, you should be at a good level.
The next main critical-path stop is An academy towering above the gloomy wetlandsGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
You ‘re likely to gravitate toward this setpiece; It ‘s designed to draw your eye. The ramp leading up to the academy gate is falling apart, but you can leap on rooftops Get your horse up there, and then reach the welding party past the hustle a huge glowing doorGeneral Chat Chat Lounge This is a seal, and you won’t be able to get through it without it a key itemGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
How to get through those magic door seals
A clue is conveniently located sitting on a corpse next to the magical barrier.
After snatching it up, you can examine the Meeting Place Map Inventory your item by tabbing over to the Info tab; Otherwise, this screenshot tells you everything you need to know to proceed. You ‘ll need a Glintstone Key To enter the academy – and this drawing shows where to go next. You ‘re headed slightly west from your current location.
Specifically, you ‘re looking for this rock formation:
When you get here, don’t panic, but uh, there’s a dragonGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
Thankfully, you don’t need to slay this especially intimidating beast just yet, so you can save your dragon cleanup duties for later on. (This is the part where I tell you that Elden Ring Has loads of dragons all over the Lands Between. It’s awesome.)
Where to Find the Academy Glintstone Key
You can rush in and Grab this key item with a purple aurathen book it out there.
This is the fabled Academy Glintstone Key – Your ticket into the Academy of Raya Lucaria, a main-story location teeming with sorcerers. Their bearded masks freak me out.
Getting into the Academy of Raya Lucaria
With the Glintstone Key, you can return to the academy entrance (there is a convenient site of Grace nearby) and you have a Prompt to warp through the magic sealGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
That might sound straightforward when it is laid out in a linear guide, but to be honest, it is Easy to get your wires crossed in Elden Ring, and possibly stumble onto scenarios out of order without knowing the full backstory. I personally love that sense of freedom.
At the same time, I made it to this area way later than I should’ve. I ‘ll admit, my mind was laser-focused elsewhere. My to-do list of “cool things” has spiraled out of control.
Elden Ring This is the kind of game where it ideal to explore your own pace, and only really seek pointers when your gut says you are stumped, so I hope this guide was helpful.
Jordan Devore
Jordan is a founding member of Destructoid and poster of seemingly random pictures. They are anything but random.
