Finding your way through the Lands Between is a nightmare. Half the time, you’re just wandering into a boss room you aren't ready for, and the other half, you’re accidentally killing an NPC who had a ten-step questline. Among all these convoluted stories, the Elden Ring Latenna quest stands out. It isn't just a side hustle for a shiny stone. It’s basically the only reason you get to see the game’s best hidden areas, like the Haligtree.
Most people think they’ve finished Latenna’s journey once they get her as a Spirit Ash. They're wrong. Honestly, if you don't take her to the literal edge of the map, you’re leaving one of the rarest upgrade materials in the game on the table.
How to Not Screw Up the Start
You can't just stumble onto Latenna and expect her to talk. She’s stubborn. She’s also mourning a wolf named Lobo, which makes her pretty prickly toward strangers. To even get her to acknowledge you, you have to find Albus first.
He’s hiding in the Village of the Albinaurics. It’s a depressing place under a dark plateau in Liurnia. Look for a large, suspicious-looking pot on a hill past a Depraved Perfumer. Hit it once. Albus will pop out, give you the right half of the Haligtree Secret Medallion, and tell you to find Latenna.
Wait. Don't go to the Mountaintops yet. If you grab the other half of the medallion before talking to her at the Slumbering Wolf Shack, she dies. You’ll find her Spirit Ashes on the ground, but the quest is effectively dead. You lose the dialogue, the lore, and the final reward.
Go to the Lakeside Crystal Cave. It’s on the southern shore of the Liurnia lake. Beat the Bloodhound Knight—he’s fast but has zero poise—and walk out the back exit. There she is, sitting with Lobo. Show her the medallion. She’ll realize you aren't a total creep and agree to accompany you. She literally turns herself into a Spirit Ash so you can carry her. It's a bit metal.
The Long Walk to Castle Sol
Once she’s in your pocket, the Elden Ring Latenna quest goes quiet for a long time. You’ll be busy dying to Draconic Tree Sentinels or exploring Leyndell. She only speaks up again when you reach the Mountaintops of the Giants.
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She’ll whisper to you near the Castle Sol approach. It’s a reminder that the left half of the medallion is inside that frost-bitten fortress.
Beating Commander Niall
This is the bottleneck. Niall is a jerk. He summons two spectral knights—one with dual swords who is hyper-aggressive and one with a shield who is just annoying.
- Use a Bewitching Branch on the dual-sword knight if you want to see Niall get bullied by his own guy.
- Focus the knights first. Niall stays passive until they’re gone or you get too close.
- Watch out for the lightning foot. When he jumps, roll late.
Once he’s down, head to the very top of the tower behind him. The left half of the medallion is sitting there in a chest. Now you have the full set.
Finding the Apostate Derelict
With both halves, go back to the Grand Lift of Rold. This is where people get confused. The prompt will say "Hoist Medallion." Do not do that. That takes you to the Mountaintops. You need to switch the action (left or right on the D-pad) to "Hoist Secret Medallion."
The lift will glow green. It drops you off in a hidden path that leads to the Consecrated Snowfield. It’s a white-out blizzard where you can’t see five feet in front of your face. Ride north. Keep riding until you hit the very northwest corner of the map.
You’re looking for the Apostate Derelict. It’s a massive, crumbling church. There’s a "young yet towering sister" waiting there. She is a giant Albinauric woman, easily twenty times your size.
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The Final Reward and the "Wolf Trick"
Stand in front of the giant woman. A prompt will appear to "Summon Latenna."
This isn't a normal summon. A unique dialogue plays where Latenna fulfills her purpose, passing on the "birthing droplet" to ensure her people have a future. It’s surprisingly touching for a game that usually just rewards you with a "You Died" screen.
She gives you a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. These are finite. You only get a handful per playthrough, and they’re the only way to get unique weapons (like the Rivers of Blood or Moonveil) to +10.
Did You Know She Can Ride Wolves?
Most players treat Latenna like a turret. You drop her at the start of a boss fight, she sits there, and she snipes. Because she can’t walk, she’s vulnerable.
But if you summon her near one of the giant Direwolves in the Consecrated Snowfield, she will actually hop on its back. She becomes a mobile cavalry archer. It’s one of the coolest hidden AI interactions in Elden Ring. Sadly, she might still accidentally shoot the wolf because the AI thinks the wolf is an enemy, but the mobility boost is massive while it lasts.
Key Takeaways for Success
- Talk to Albus first. If he dies before you get the medallion, check the spot where he was; the item might be there, but the quest flow is riskier.
- Don't ignore the Slumbering Wolf Shack. If you reach the Snowfield without ever meeting her, you've missed the stone.
- The prompt toggle is vital. If the lift isn't taking you to the snow, you’re using the wrong medallion.
- Equip her ashes. You must have the ashes in your inventory to trigger the final interaction at the Apostate Derelict.
To finish this properly, head to the Village of the Albinaurics right now if you haven't. Check that pot. If you already have her ashes, make sure you've progressed past Morgott so you can actually reach the Lift of Rold. Don't waste your Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone on a weapon you don't love; wait until you've tested a few at +9 first.