Age of the Stars Ending

Key takeawaysSpoilers

These are the route decisions and final actions that determine whether the Age of the Stars Ending is available.

• Complete Ranni's route Meeting Ranni alone does not unlock the ending. Advance her quest through Nokron, Eternal City, Ainsel River Main, Nokstella, Eternal City, the Lake of Rot, and the Moonlight Altar.
• Keep the Dark Moon Ring The Dark Moon Ring is needed at the end of the route. Use it on Ranni at the Cathedral of Manus Celes after defeating Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.
• Use the blue summon sign After defeating the Elden Beast, look for Ranni's blue summon sign in the arena and interact with it. This is the final choice that starts the Age of the Stars Ending.
• Do not confuse optional quest actions with ending requirements Some parts of Ranni's wider storyline, including interactions involving Seluvis and the Carian Inverted Statue, are not themselves the final ending selection. The essential ending sequence is the Dark Moon Ring interaction followed by Ranni's summon sign.

OverviewEnding spoilers

The Age of the Stars Ending is Elden Ring's optional conclusion for Ranni the Witch's questline. It becomes available only after the player advances through Ranni's objectives, reaches the Moonlight Altar, and completes the final interaction with Ranni.

The route begins at Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters, where Ranni can be encountered after the player has reached the appropriate point in the game and, in the usual progression, defeated Royal Knight Loretta. Ranni's storyline eventually sends the player through Nokron, Eternal City, Ainsel River Main, Nokstella, Eternal City, the Lake of Rot, and the Grand Cloister. Each area supplies a different part of the route, so simply meeting Ranni is not enough to unlock the ending.

The critical progression items are the Fingerslayer Blade, the miniature form of Ranni found in Ainsel River Main, and the Dark Moon Ring. The Fingerslayer Blade advances Ranni's plans and opens the route toward Nokstella, while the Dark Moon Ring permits the player to complete the relationship with Ranni after defeating Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. The Carian Inverted Statue is relevant to the wider questline but is not required merely to select the Age of the Stars Ending.

After reaching the Moonlight Altar, the player must find Ranni at the Cathedral of Manus Celes and use the Dark Moon Ring. This completes the questline and causes Ranni's blue summon sign to appear in the arena after the Elden Beast is defeated. The sign is the required interaction: touching it begins the Age of the Stars Ending, whereas approaching the normal ending selection without using it does not choose Ranni's conclusion.

The route matters because it changes the final cinematic and provides a distinct resolution to Ranni's plans, rather than directly repairing the Elden Ring through one of the ordinary conclusion options. The ending is also one of the game's major optional outcomes, but it does not require the player to commit to it until the final interaction after the Elden Beast. This makes the completed questline valuable even for players who want to compare ending choices before deciding.

Where this sitsSpoilers

RequirementsSpoilers

Complete the necessary portions of Ranni the Witch's questline, obtain the Dark Moon Ring, defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and reach the final boss arena.

• RequiredMeet Ranni the WitchBegin the route at Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters and accept the role she offers in her service.
• RequiredDefeat Starscourge RadahnRadahn's defeat makes the route into Nokron, Eternal City available and allows the Fingerslayer Blade objective to progress.
• RequiredObtain the Fingerslayer BladeFind this key quest item in Nokron, Eternal City and return it to Ranni at Ranni's Rise.
• RequiredObtain the Dark Moon RingTake the ring from the chest in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library after progressing through the required section of Ranni's route.
• RequiredDefeat Astel, Naturalborn of the VoidWin the boss encounter at the end of the Lake of Rot route so the passage to the Moonlight Altar becomes accessible.
• RequiredReach the Elden Beast arenaDefeat the final sequence of Elden Ring far enough to enter the arena where Ranni's summon sign appears.

ObjectivesSpoilers

1. Serve Ranni the WitchAccept Ranni's request and speak with the figures assembled at Ranni's Rise.
2. Recover the Fingerslayer BladeTravel to Nokron, Eternal City after Starscourge Radahn's defeat and retrieve the blade.
3. Find Ranni in miniature formTake the miniature Ranni from Ainsel River Main and attempt to speak with it at a Site of Grace until the interaction progresses.
4. Reach the Moonlight AltarFollow the underground route through Nokstella, Eternal City and the Lake of Rot, then defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.
5. Complete the final interactionUse the Dark Moon Ring on Ranni at the Cathedral of Manus Celes, then use her blue summon sign after defeating the Elden Beast.

WalkthroughEnding spoilers

1. 01

   Begin Ranni the Witch's questline

   Meet Ranni at Ranni's Rise

   Travel to Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters and speak with Ranni at the top of the tower. Accept her service and then speak with the spectral figures in the tower, including Blaidd, War Counselor Iji, and Preceptor Seluvis, before returning to Ranni to continue the route.

   Location: Ranni's Rise, Three Sisters

   TipExhaust the available dialogue with each figure in the tower before speaking to Ranni again; this prevents confusion about whether the route has advanced.

   Watch outDo not assume that reaching Ranni's Rise by itself completes the first objective. The service conversation and the follow-up dialogue are the progression triggers.

2. 02

   Open the route to Nokron, Eternal City

   Defeat Starscourge Radahn

   Advance through the festival at Redmane Castle and defeat Starscourge Radahn. His defeat causes the next stage of Ranni's route to become available and opens access to the crater leading toward Nokron, Eternal City.

   Location: Redmane Castle and Starscourge Radahn's arena

   TipIf the route into Nokron is not available, return to the area around the impact crater after Radahn's defeat rather than searching for a conventional gate.

   Watch outThe route cannot progress to the Fingerslayer Blade objective until Starscourge Radahn has been defeated.

3. 03

   Reach the Fingerslayer Blade

   Enter Nokron, Eternal City

   Use the new crater in Limgrave to descend into Nokron, Eternal City. Progress through the city until you reach the large Night's Sacred Ground area, where the quest item is hidden beyond the city streets and rooftops.

   Location: Nokron, Eternal City

   TipThe objective is not in the open central approach; continue through the elevated ruins and rooftops toward Night's Sacred Ground.

   Watch outNokron contains several optional paths and loot routes. Do not leave after entering the city without searching Night's Sacred Ground for the quest item.

4. 04

   Return the Fingerslayer Blade to Ranni

   Retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade

   Find the Fingerslayer Blade in the chest at Night's Sacred Ground and return to Ranni at Ranni's Rise. Give her the blade to receive the Carian Inverted Statue, which advances the route toward Ainsel River Main.

   Location: Night's Sacred Ground, Nokron, Eternal City; then Ranni's Rise

   TipThe chest containing the blade is the key destination in this section; other Nokron rewards are not substitutes for it.

   Watch outThe quest does not advance merely because the player has explored Nokron. The Fingerslayer Blade must be collected and delivered to Ranni.

5. 05

   Continue Ranni's instructions in miniature form

   Reach Ainsel River Main

   After Ranni accepts the Fingerslayer Blade, travel to Ainsel River Main and collect the miniature Ranni near the beginning of the area. Rest at a nearby Site of Grace and choose the option to speak to the miniature repeatedly until it responds.

   Location: Ainsel River Main

   TipThe miniature can appear to be an ordinary key item. The dialogue option at the Site of Grace is the intended way to trigger its conversations.

   Watch outPicking up the miniature without using the Site of Grace dialogue leaves the route apparently stalled. Continue attempting the conversation until the dialogue is exhausted.

6. 06

   Defeat the Baleful Shadow

   Follow the Baleful Shadow through Nokstella

   Continue along the underground path through Nokstella, Eternal City while following Ranni's instructions. The route eventually leads to the Baleful Shadow, a hostile humanoid enemy that must be defeated to obtain the discarded palace key.

   Location: Nokstella, Eternal City

   TipUse the surrounding terrain and the approach that best controls the enemy's distance; the encounter is more manageable when the player avoids being trapped against the riverbank or walls.

   Watch outThe discarded palace key is obtained from this progression and is needed for the later Dark Moon Ring step. Do not treat the Baleful Shadow encounter as optional.

7. 07

   Obtain the Dark Moon Ring

   Collect the Dark Moon Ring

   Take the discarded palace key to the Raya Lucaria Grand Library and open the locked chest there to obtain the Dark Moon Ring. This ring is the item that permits the final interaction with Ranni at the Cathedral of Manus Celes.

   Location: Raya Lucaria Grand Library

   TipThe chest is locked until the discarded palace key has been acquired; returning to the library afterward is the efficient way to complete this step.

   Watch outThe ring is not replaced by the Dark Moon Ring's description or by another item from the underground route. Keep it in the inventory for the Moonlight Altar interaction.

8. 08

   Reach Astel, Naturalborn of the Void

   Cross the Lake of Rot

   Continue from Nokstella toward the Lake of Rot and cross the area to the Grand Cloister. The lake inflicts Scarlet Rot, so plan healing and traversal before committing to the crossing, then use the coffin at the Grand Cloister to reach the next boss area.

   Location: Lake of Rot and Grand Cloister

   TipThe goal is the Grand Cloister and its coffin, not a full sweep of the lake. A route that prioritizes safe platforms and healing is more reliable than stopping for every item.

   Watch outScarlet Rot can kill the player during the crossing or while waiting near the coffin. Restore health and status before interacting with the coffin.

9. 09

   Open the way to the Moonlight Altar

   Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void

   Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void in the boss arena reached from the Grand Cloister. After the victory, use the newly available passage and the lift beyond it to reach the Moonlight Altar rather than returning through the underground route.

   Location: Astel, Naturalborn of the Void's arena

   TipStay alert for Astel's teleporting attacks and wide area-of-effect abilities; moving away from the arena's edges preserves room to react.

   Watch outThe Moonlight Altar route is blocked until Astel is defeated. If the lift is unavailable, confirm that the boss victory has registered and that the correct passage beyond the arena has been used.

10. 10

    Complete Ranni's questline

    Use the Dark Moon Ring on Ranni

    Travel across the Moonlight Altar to the Cathedral of Manus Celes and descend through the opening inside. Find Ranni below the cathedral and use the Dark Moon Ring on her to complete the questline and make the ending choice available.

    Location: Cathedral of Manus Celes, Moonlight Altar

    TipIf the interaction is unavailable, check that the Dark Moon Ring was taken from the Raya Lucaria Grand Library and that Astel was defeated.

    Watch outReaching the cathedral without the ring does not complete the route. The ring interaction is the step that changes Ranni's state for the final ending sequence.

11. 11

    Choose the Age of the Stars Ending

    Summon Ranni after the Elden Beast

    Defeat the Elden Beast and inspect the arena before interacting with the ordinary ending trigger. Ranni's blue summon sign appears on the ground; interact with it to summon Ranni and begin the Age of the Stars Ending.

    Location: Elden Beast arena

    TipThe summon sign is the ending selection. If the player wants another conclusion, do not activate it; if the player wants Ranni's ending, use it before leaving the arena.

    Watch outSelecting another ending or completing the final interaction without using Ranni's sign can prevent the Age of the Stars Ending from being chosen in that playthrough.

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

Ranni's route is split between surface landmarks and underground regions, and its most common progression problem is assuming that a location has completed an objective when the required interaction has not occurred. Ranni must receive the Fingerslayer Blade, the miniature Ranni must be addressed through a Site of Grace, and the Dark Moon Ring must be used at the Cathedral of Manus Celes. These are separate triggers rather than interchangeable discoveries.

The Lake of Rot is the route's main traversal hazard. Scarlet Rot makes a direct crossing dangerous, while the Grand Cloister provides the intended transition to the coffin that carries the player to Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. The player does not need to treat every underground area as a completionist detour: the ending route is primarily concerned with following Ranni's progression items and defeating the bosses that block the next region.

The final choice is deliberately separated from the normal end-of-game interaction. Once the Elden Beast is defeated, the player can inspect the arena for Ranni's blue summon sign. Using it starts Ranni's ending, while leaving it untouched preserves the possibility of choosing another available conclusion. This makes the post-boss arena the most important failure point for players who have completed the quest but want a specific ending.

What works and what does notSpoilers

Choices and consequencesEnding spoilers

• Accept Ranni's service at Ranni's Rise

  The player enters Ranni's questline and gains access to the progression that ultimately leads to the Age of the Stars Ending.

• Give Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade

  Ranni leaves Ranni's Rise and the route advances toward Ainsel River Main and the miniature Ranni interaction.

  Spoiler
• Use the Dark Moon Ring at the Cathedral of Manus Celes

  Ranni's questline is completed and her blue summon sign becomes available after the Elden Beast is defeated.

  Spoiler
• Use Ranni's blue summon sign after defeating the Elden Beast

  The game begins the Age of the Stars Ending instead of using the ordinary ending interaction.

  Spoiler
• Leave Ranni's summon sign unused

  The Age of the Stars Ending is not selected through that arena interaction, allowing another available ending choice to be used instead.

  Spoiler

ChecklistSpoilers

• Speak with Ranni at Ranni's Rise and accept her service.
• Speak with the assembled figures in Ranni's Rise and return to Ranni.
• Defeat Starscourge Radahn.
• Enter Nokron, Eternal City through the crater created after Radahn's defeat.
• Retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade from Night's Sacred Ground.
• Return the Fingerslayer Blade to Ranni.
• Collect the miniature Ranni in Ainsel River Main.
• Use the Site of Grace dialogue to speak with the miniature Ranni until the route advances.
• Defeat the Baleful Shadow and obtain the discarded palace key.
• Open the locked chest in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library and take the Dark Moon Ring.
• Cross the Lake of Rot and use the Grand Cloister coffin.
• Defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.
• Reach the Cathedral of Manus Celes at the Moonlight Altar.
• Use the Dark Moon Ring on Ranni.
• Defeat the Elden Beast.
• Use Ranni's blue summon sign in the final arena.

Failure conditionsEnding spoilers

• The Fingerslayer Blade has not been returned to RanniExploring Nokron, Eternal City is not enough to advance the route. Return to Ranni's Rise and deliver the blade.
• The miniature Ranni has not been addressedAfter collecting the miniature in Ainsel River Main, use the nearby Site of Grace's dialogue option repeatedly until Ranni responds.
• The Dark Moon Ring has not been collectedThe discarded palace key opens the chest in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library. The ring is required for the interaction beneath the Cathedral of Manus Celes.
• The player dies while crossing the Lake of RotScarlet Rot and the area's open traversal can kill the player before reaching the Grand Cloister. Prepare healing and status recovery, and prioritize the route to the coffin.
• Astel, Naturalborn of the Void has not been defeatedThe passage and lift to the Moonlight Altar remain unavailable until this boss is defeated.
• The player leaves the final arena without using Ranni's signThe Age of the Stars Ending requires the blue summon sign after the Elden Beast. Do not activate another ending interaction if Ranni's conclusion is wanted.

RewardsEnding spoilers

• Age of the Stars Ending
  The alternate ending cinematic and conclusion obtained by using Ranni's blue summon sign after defeating the Elden Beast.
• Dark Moon Greatsword
  A quest-associated greatsword obtained during the conclusion of Ranni's storyline. It is a weapon reward from the route, not the item used to select the ending.
• Achievement or trophy for the ending
  Completing the Age of the Stars Ending contributes to the game's ending-related achievement or trophy progression.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

• Ranni the WitchQuest-giver and central figure of the ending route.

AftermathEnding spoilers

TriviaSpoilers

• The ending's final interaction is unusual because it uses a summon sign rather than the standard ending prompt, making the player's choice explicit and easy to miss.
• Ranni's route crosses both surface and underground regions, linking the Three Sisters and the Moonlight Altar through Nokron, Eternal City, Ainsel River Main, Nokstella, Eternal City, and the Lake of Rot.
• The Dark Moon Ring serves as the route's final quest key: the player obtains it in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library and uses it at the Cathedral of Manus Celes before the ending becomes available.

Relationships