If you’ve spent any time in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you’ve likely stumbled upon the Cathedral of Manus Metyr. It’s a massive, haunting structure sitting in the middle of a lake in Scadu Altus. Inside, you find Count Ymir. He’s a guy who seems a bit too obsessed with fingers, even for an Elden Ring character.
Honestly, the Count Ymir questline is one of the most mechanically weird and lore-heavy journeys in the game. It’s not just about killing a boss; it’s about understanding the cosmic failure of the Greater Will.
But here’s the thing: most players get stuck because they miss one specific gesture or they don't realize they need to talk to a certain NPC leaning against a pillar. If you want to see the "Mother of Fingers" and grab some of the best Sorceries in the game, you’ve got to follow a very specific trail of breadcrumbs.
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Starting the Count Ymir Questline: The Cathedral and the Necklace
First, you need to actually get to him. You can’t just walk to the Cathedral from the main road.
Basically, you have to go through the Moorth Ruins. Look for a giant hole in the ground. You’ll need to parkour your way down carefully. If you miss a ledge, you’re dead. Once you hit the bottom, follow the path out to Bonny Village.
From there, head east across the bridges and then north. You’ll eventually hit the Cathedral.
When you first talk to Ymir, he gives you two things:
- A Hole-Laden Necklace (it’s as gross as it sounds).
- Ruins Map (1).
He wants you to go to "hallowed ruins" and sound a hanging bell. This is the start of a three-part scavenger hunt across the Land of Shadow.
Don't ignore Jolan
Before you leave the Cathedral, look to the right of the throne. There’s an NPC named Swordhand of Night Jolan. She’s edgy, wears black armor, and basically tells you to get lost. Talk to her anyway. If you don’t exhaust her dialogue now and throughout the quest, you’ll miss out on her unique weapon or spirit ash later.
Step 1: The Finger Ruins of Rhia
The first map points you toward the southern coast. You’re looking for the Finger Ruins of Rhia.
To get there, you need to reach the Cerulean Coast. If you haven't been there yet, you have to go through the Dragon's Pit dungeon in Gravesite Plain.
Once you’re at the ruins, it’s a bit of a nightmare. There are these "Fingercreeper" enemies everywhere. The big ones are annoying, but the ones that shoot purple paralysis beams are the real problem.
Pro tip: Use a horse. Seriously. Don't try to fight everything here.
Ride to the very center of the ruins. You’ll see a massive stone structure that looks like a hand. Interact with the hanging bell in the middle.
Reward: You’ll get the Crimson Seed Talisman +1. It’s a solid upgrade for your healing flasks.
Go back to Ymir. He’ll be happy (well, as happy as a weird finger-priest can be). He gives you Ruins Map (2) and the Beloved Stardust talisman. Warning: that talisman makes you cast spells faster but makes you take 30% more damage. Use it at your own risk.
Step 2: The Secret of the Hinterlands (The "O Mother" Gesture)
This is where everyone gets stuck. The second map shows ruins in the northeast, but you can’t get there through normal exploration.
You need the "O Mother" gesture.
Remember Bonny Village? Go back there. Head to the northern edge of the village, past the creepy jars. You’ll find a headless statue. Perform the "O Mother" gesture (you find it on a corpse nearby in the village) to pick it up.
Now, head to the Shadow Keep. Specifically, the Back Gate Site of Grace (near where you fight Commander Gaius).
- To the right of the Grace, there’s a small room with a statue of Marika.
- Stand in front of the statue.
- Perform the "O Mother" gesture.
- The statue will slide away, revealing the path to the Hinterlands.
Ride through the Hinterlands to the Finger Ruins of Dheo. It’s the same deal as before: find the bell in the center, ring it, and survive the finger-monsters.
Reward: Cerulean Seed Talisman +1. Great for mage builds.
The Turning Point: Why Ymir Won't Move
After ringing the second bell, go back to the Cathedral. Talk to Ymir and Jolan again.
Now, you need him to get off that throne.
A lot of people think the quest is bugged here. It’s usually not. You just need to exhaust every single line of dialogue. Ask him about the "nature of the world." Ask him about Miquella. Buy a spell if you have to.
Then, rest at the Site of Grace. Change the time to night.
If he’s still there, leave the Cathedral and come back. Eventually, he will move to a graveyard outside (to the west of the main hall). You’ll find him talking to a small grave.
This is your chance. Go to his empty throne and interact with it. A secret ladder will appear.
The Ambush
When you go down the ladder into the Finger Ruins of Miyr, you’ll be invaded by Swordhand of Night Anna.
She’s fast. She uses claws that cause bleed. Kill her, and you get the Claws of Night.
Important: Don't ring the bell down here yet. Go back up and talk to Jolan. You can tell her about Anna, which adds a bit of flavor to her tragic backstory.
The Finale: Metyr, Mother of Fingers
When you’re ready for a real fight, go back under the throne and ring the third bell.
This teleports you to a cosmic arena to face Metyr, Mother of Fingers.
This boss is... a lot. She’s a giant hand-head-thing that shoots lasers and creates black holes.
- Phase 1: She mostly crawls at you. Stay under her or to her side.
- Phase 2: She starts floating and using massive AOE gravity attacks. When she starts spinning the purple void in her chest, run away.
Once Metyr is dead, you get the Remembrance of the Mother of Fingers. You can trade this for the Gazing Finger (a massive club) or the Staff of the Great Beyond (which lets you cast both Sorceries and Incantations).
The Back-to-Back Boss Fight
Return to the Cathedral. It’s not over.
Jolan will invade you. She’s mad that you killed their "Mother." Once you beat her, Count Ymir himself spawns as a boss.
He’s basically a high-level sorcerer. He teleports and summons small Fingercreepers. He’s not as hard as Metyr, but if you’re low on flasks from the Jolan fight, he can catch you off guard.
When Ymir dies, he drops:
- Ymir’s Bell Bearing
- Maternal Staff
- High Priest Armor Set
Jolan's Final Choice: Iris of Grace vs. Iris of Occultation
After the dust settles, rest at the Grace and go back to the pillar where Jolan usually stands. She’s slumped against it, dying.
You have a choice that determines your reward:
- Give Iris of Grace: You get the Swordhand of Night Jolan Spirit Ash. This is arguably the "better" lore ending for her.
- Give Iris of Occultation: You get the Sword of Night (a Katana). It’s a very cool Dex-based weapon with an unblockable Ash of War.
The Secret Upgrade: Jolan and Anna
If you took the Spirit Ash, you can actually upgrade it into a duo-summon.
Go back to the Hinterlands. Remember the Shaman Village? Near there, you can drop down some cliffs to reach the top of Rabbath's Rise. Inside, you’ll find Anna’s original puppet body. Interact with it while you have Jolan’s ashes, and they will combine into the Jolan and Anna Spirit Ash.
It’s one of the strongest summons in the DLC because you’re basically getting two aggressive NPCs for the price of one.
Actionable Next Steps
To make sure you don't miss anything in the Count Ymir questline, here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Check your Gestures: If you don't have "O Mother" from the northern cliff of Bonny Village, go get it. You cannot finish the quest without it.
- Talk to Jolan: If she’s still in the Cathedral, exhaust her dialogue until she repeats herself.
- Visit the Graveyard: If Ymir is stuck on the throne, go find him in the graveyard outside the western door of the Cathedral at night.
- Farm an Iris: Make sure you have an Iris of Grace (found in the Shadow Keep Storehouse) or an Iris of Occultation (dropped by the Omenkiller in the Shadow Keep's lower level) before you finish the Metyr fight.
The lore implications here are massive—Ymir basically reveals that the Fingers we’ve been following all along are "broken" because their Mother was wounded when she fell from the stars. Completing this quest doesn't just give you loot; it changes how you look at the entire Golden Order.