You’ve probably seen her. That slouching, slightly awkward girl standing in a gazebo in the middle of a swamp. She’s Rya, a scout for the Volcano Manor, and her quest is easily one of the most human stories in the entirety of Elden Ring. It’s a messy, tragic, and weirdly hopeful journey that starts with a stolen necklace and ends with a heartbreaking realization about what it means to be a "monster."
Most players stumble through this questline by accident. They buy a necklace, get a letter, and eventually find themselves in a house full of assassins. But if you aren't careful, you can lock yourself out of her "best" ending—or worse, kill her because she literally begs you to. Honestly, don't do that. There's a much better way to handle the Elden Ring Rya quest that gives this character the agency she deserves.
Meeting the Scout in Liurnia
The whole thing kicks off near the Laskyar Ruins in Liurnia of the Lakes. You’ll find Rya under a stone gazebo. She’s been robbed. Some "thug" took her necklace, and she needs it back to prove her worth to her mistress. Basically, you’re playing errand runner for a snake-girl in disguise, though you don’t know that yet.
The thief is Blackguard Big Boggart, found at the Boilprawn Shack nearby. You have two choices here. You can kill him—which is a bad idea because he’s one of the best NPCs in the game and sells delicious crabs later—or you can just pay 1,000 Runes to buy the necklace back. Just pay the man. Once you return the necklace to Rya, she gives you the Volcano Manor Invitation.
This is your golden ticket.
If you reach the Altus Plateau via the Grand Lift of Dectus, she’ll be waiting at the top. Talk to her, and she’ll offer to teleport you straight to Volcano Manor. This saves you a massive, headache-inducing hike up Mt. Gelmir. If you take the "coward's path" through the Ruin-Strewn Precipice instead, you'll find her at the Lux Ruins. Either way, she’s your ride to the manor.
The Secret of the Volcano Manor
Once you’re settled into the manor and have started doing Tanith’s dirty work—assassinating other Tarnished—Rya starts to change. Well, she doesn't change, but her disguise slips.
After your first or second contract, look for her in the rooms across the hall from the drawing room. She won't be a human anymore. She’ll be a giant, upright-walking serpent named Zorayas. She’s shy about it. She thinks it's a secret. Talk to her anyway. Then go talk to Tanith. Tanith will give you some backstory: Rya was born of a "distressing" birth and is essentially her adopted daughter.
Finding the Serpent's Amnion
To progress the Elden Ring Rya quest, you need to find the "truth" of her origin. This requires exploring the hidden side of the manor.
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- Go into the room next to Rya’s (the one with the corpse and the painting).
- Hit the wall. It's an illusory wall.
- Follow the dark, creepy path through the basement until you reach Prison Town Church.
- Keep pushing through the town until you hit the Temple of Eiglay.
Inside the temple, you’ll fight a Godskin Noble. He’s fast, he rolls like a tire, and he’s generally a pain. Once he's dead, look on the altar behind where he stood. You’ll find the Serpent's Amnion. This is a dried-up fetal membrane from the "ritual of birth." It's gross. It’s also exactly what Rya needs to see to have a complete existential crisis.
The Three Paths: Forgetting, Dying, or Living
Give the Amnion to Rya. She’ll realize she wasn't born from a "royal lineage" like Tanith told her, but from a "serpent's womb" and a "foul ritual." She’ll disappear from the drawing room.
You’ll find her hidden away in a small room in the legacy dungeon. To get there, take the elevator at the Temple of Eiglay up, walk out onto the balcony, and jump across to the lava-filled area. Look for a small room tucked under the bridge. Rya is there, and she’s miserable. She asks you to kill her.
Option 1: Kill Her.
You get the Daedicar’s Woe talisman immediately. It’s the "bad" ending. She dies thinking she’s a curse. It’s a waste of a good character.
Option 2: Give her the Tonic of Forgetfulness.
Tanith will give you this potion if you talk to her after Rya disappears. If you give it to Rya, she falls asleep. Later, after you kill Rykard, she’ll be back in the manor, having forgotten all the trauma. Eventually, she leaves and drops the talisman. It’s "happy," but she’s living a lie.
Option 3: Do Nothing (The "True" Ending).
This is the one people miss. Don't kill her. Don't give her the potion. Just leave her there. Go and defeat Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.
After Rykard is dead, go back to her hiding spot one last time. Talk to her. She’ll realize you didn't kill her even though she asked. She’ll see your kindness. Reload the area, and she’ll be gone. In her place, she leaves a letter (Zorayas's Letter) and the Daedicar’s Woe talisman.
The letter is beautiful. She thanks you. She says she’s going on a journey to find her own way, proud of the lineage she once hated. It’s the only ending where she grows as a person.
Why Daedicar’s Woe Matters
You might be wondering if the reward is worth all this running around. The Daedicar's Woe talisman is... unique. It doubles the damage you take.
Yeah, you read that right.
It’s essentially the "Calamity Ring" from Dark Souls. It’s a challenge item. If you’re a pro who wants to show off, or you just think the game is too easy, this is your best friend. From a lore perspective, it’s even darker. It depicts a woman named Daedicar who supposedly gave birth to "grotesque" children. It heavily implies that Daedicar is Rya’s actual biological mother.
Tips for Success
- Check the walls: The Volcano Manor is full of illusory walls. If a room looks empty, hit the corners.
- Don't kill Rykard too early: If you kill the big snake boss before giving Rya the Serpent's Amnion, you might break the quest. Always do the NPC stuff before the area boss.
- Talk to Tanith: She has unique dialogue at every stage of Rya's journey. Even if you don't like the manor's "family," the dialogue is top-tier.
Now that you've finished the Elden Ring Rya quest, your next step should be heading back to the Boilprawn Shack. If you didn't kill Big Boggart, he's probably moved to the moat near Leyndell. Go buy some Boiled Crab from him; the physical damage negation it provides is actually useful, unlike Rya's talisman which will probably just get you killed.