You’re standing in Limgrave, looking at the Mistwood ruins, and you see a circular building with an elevator that feels like it’s never going to stop. Then the music shifts. The sky turns a glittering, cosmic purple. You realize the Lands Between isn't just a flat plane—it’s a layered cake of nightmares and beauty. Navigating the elden ring underground map is honestly one of the most overwhelming parts of the entire game, mostly because the game doesn't tell you how the layers actually overlap. It’s easy to get lost. Really easy.
I remember the first time I hit Siofra River. I thought it was just a small cave. Nope. It’s an entire ecosystem.
The scale is staggering. From the rot-stained depths of Lake of Rot to the silent, haunting palace of Mohgwyn, the subterranean world is where FromSoftware hid their most ambitious level design. If you're trying to 100% this game, you basically have to live down here for a while. It’s not just about finding the map fragments; it’s about understanding the verticality that the standard HUD struggles to show.
Why the Elden Ring Underground Map Is So Confusing
The map toggle is your best friend. Seriously. Pressing down on the right stick (R3) is the only way to swap between the surface and the depths, but even then, the geography doesn't always make sense. You might be standing directly under Leyndell, but you can't get to the Deeproot Depths from there without finding a very specific hidden coffin or a secret wall behind an omen’s playground.
The Problem With Layers
Everything is stacked. You’ve got the Siofra River, Ainsel River, Deeproot Depths, Lake of Rot, and the Mohgwyn Palace. They look like they should be connected, but they’re often separated by massive cliffs or require teleporters to access. Most players get stuck trying to find the elden ring underground map fragments because they’re often guarded by those incredibly annoying claymen or snipers that can hit you from across the zone.
Honestly, those Ancestral Follower snipers in Siofra are the worst. Their accuracy is basically a cheat code.
Breaking Down the Major Zones
Let’s talk about Siofra River first. This is usually the first "wow" moment. You enter through the Siofra River Well in the Mistwood. The map fragment is sitting on a corpse at the base of a pillar near the Siofra River Bank site of grace. It’s relatively easy to find, but the zone itself is a labyrinth of pillars and flame-lighting puzzles. If you’re looking for the path to Nokron, Eternal City, don't bother looking for a hidden door. You have to beat General Radahn first. Once the star falls, it rips a hole in the earth near Fort Haight. That’s your "door."
Ainsel River and the Eternal City
Ainsel is a bit more claustrophobic. You access the main part through the Ainsel River Well in East Liurnia. But here’s the kicker: there’s a whole northern section you can’t reach from there. To get to Nokstella, you have to follow Ranni the Witch’s questline. It's a long haul. You’ll eventually use a portal at Renna’s Rise.
The map fragment for Ainsel is tucked away in a room with a massive, hanging Astel-looking creature that throws rocks at you. It’s inside a temple-like structure where a nomadic merchant is just chilling, somehow surviving the eldritch horror outside.
Deeproot Depths: The Hidden Heart
Deeproot Depths is arguably the hardest to map out mentally. You get there either by curling up in a coffin after the Valiant Gargoyle fight (a brutal encounter, by the way) or by parkouring down a terrifying shaft behind the Cathedral of the Forsaken. It’s where the roots of the Erdtree live, and it’s overgrown with giant ants and basilisks. The elden ring underground map fragment here is found in the middle of a flooded clearing, surrounded by ruins.
The Lake of Rot Is a Literal Fever Dream
We have to talk about the Lake of Rot. Everyone hates it. It’s a massive expanse of scarlet rot that eats your HP faster than you can drink flasks. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game's director, clearly has a thing for swamp levels, and this is his magnum opus of misery.
To survive long enough to map this place, you need "Flame, Cleanse Me" or a mountain of Preserving Boluses. The map fragment is thankfully close to the entrance, sitting on a corpse right as you step into the pink sludge. But getting across to the Grand Cloister? That’s where the real test of patience begins. There are platforms you can raise by stepping on pressure plates, which makes the trek slightly less suicidal.
Mohgwyn Palace: The Blood-Soaked Secret
This area is technically underground, but it feels like another dimension. You can get here early via White Mask Varré’s quest or much later via a portal in the Consecrated Snowfield. The map fragment is at the bottom of a long set of stairs, right before you head up into the blood-swamp where the giant crows live. If you’re looking to farm runes, this is the place, but the map itself is surprisingly simple compared to the twisted ruins of Nokron.
Finding Every Map Fragment
Missing a fragment makes the underground feel twice as large and ten times as scary. Here is the reality of where they are located, without the fluff:
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- Siofra River: Near the Siofra River Bank grace, leaning against a monolith.
- Ainsel River: Inside the large ruins where the merchant sits, directly under the Malformed Star enemy.
- Deeproot Depths: In the center of the ruins, near the "Great Waterfall Crest" but further in towards the city.
- Lake of Rot: Just past the Lake of Rot Shoreside site of grace on a corpse in the muck.
- Mohgwyn Palace: On a corpse at the base of the stairs leading up to the palace proper.
Navigating the Verticality
The most frustrating thing about the elden ring underground map is that it doesn't account for height. You might see an item on a ledge on your map, but the path to it involves a 20-minute detour through a hidden cave system three levels above you.
Take the Moonlight Altar, for example. It looks like it’s part of the Liurnia surface map, but it’s actually a plateau you can only reach from the very end of the underground questlines. It’s a "bottom-up" design. You spend hours in the dark just to emerge back into the sunlight on a cliff you couldn't reach before.
Survival Tips for the Depths
Don't go down there without a lantern. You can buy one from the merchant at the Liurnia Lake Shore for 1,800 runes. It’s a lifesaver because it keeps your hands free for a shield or a staff. Torches are okay, but they’re bulky.
Also, look up. The ceilings of the underground zones are often filled with clues. In Siofra, the stars aren't actually stars; they’re glowing glintstone deposits. Following the glow often leads you to the next elevator or hidden path.
Hidden Connections You Might Have Missed
The way these zones link up is wild. Did you know you can see the Mohgwyn Palace from the Siofra River? If you look out into the distance from the cliffside, you can see the glowing red structure of the blood palace. You can't jump there, obviously, but it’s a cool bit of environmental storytelling.
The Deeproot Depths also connects back to the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds. If you beat Mohg, the Omen (not the Lord of Blood, the one under the city), there’s an altar you can hit to reveal a path down to the Three Fingers. From there, you can find a hidden wall that leads straight into the roots of the tree. It’s a secret entrance that most people miss on their first two or three playthroughs.
Actionable Next Steps for Completionists
If you’re staring at a grayed-out elden ring underground map and don't know where to go next, start with Ranni’s quest. It’s the "golden thread" that pulls you through almost every major underground location.
First, head to Caria Manor and speak with her at Ranni’s Rise. This unlocks the ability to actually progress into the deeper parts of Ainsel and Nokron. Second, make sure you've cleared the Siofra River Well in Limgrave early on; it’s great for leveling up before you hit the harder mid-game bosses. Finally, if you're struggling with the Lake of Rot, go find the "Nomadic Warrior's Cookbook [22]" in the Lake of Rot area—it lets you craft the boluses you need to stop the rot from killing you every thirty seconds.
Go back to the Mistwood elevator. Take the ride down. Don't worry about the claymen for now—just focus on finding that first pillar. The map will reveal itself one piece at a time. Just watch out for the snipers. They really don't miss.