Needle Knight Leda's Quest

Key takeawaysSpoilers

Use the following route if you want to preserve the major dialogue and branching encounters.

• Meet Leda early Speak with Needle Knight Leda at Three-Path Cross before pushing deep into the Realm of Shadow. Return to her at Highroad Cross after Miquella's Great Rune and charm break to continue the quest.
• Do not ignore the follower NPCs Hornsent, Ansbach and Freyja each provide information or summon-sign interactions that affect the quest. Exhaust their dialogue at every new location before moving on.
• Choose summon signs carefully At the Shadow Keep conflicts, one summon sign helps a follower against Leda while the other supports Leda. The choice changes the immediate reward and later battle roster.
• The final battle is a group encounter The quest reaches its climax at Enir-Ilim, where Leda and the surviving followers fight the player together. Earlier decisions determine which names are present on the opposing side.
• The quest is missable in practice Advancing the relevant areas or defeating major expansion bosses can move NPCs and remove earlier summon signs. Complete the follower conversations and available invasions before finishing the expansion.

OverviewSpoilers

Needle Knight Leda's Quest is a branching follower storyline in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. It begins with Leda at Three-Path Cross and develops into a series of decisions about Hornsent and Ansbach before ending in the allied confrontation at Enir-Ilim.

Needle Knight Leda is first encountered at Three-Path Cross, a Site of Grace in Gravesite Plain. She is one of Miquella's followers and initially presents the journey as a pilgrimage toward Miquella, but her priorities change after Miquella's charm breaks at Shadow Keep. From that point onward, Leda begins searching for a supposed traitor among the followers, making her quest less about exploration and more about deciding who deserves protection.

The quest is distinctive because its progress is tied to world events and summon signs rather than a single linear objective marker. The breaking of Miquella's Great Rune and charm is the major transition point. After it happens, returning to Leda at Highroad Cross advances her investigation, while speaking to Hornsent, Ansbach and Freyja at their later locations determines which conflicts become available.

The most important choices concern Hornsent and Ansbach. At Shadow Keep, the player can support Hornsent against Leda or support Leda against Hornsent; later, the player can support Ansbach against Leda or invade Ansbach. These decisions alter immediate rewards and determine which characters appear as allies or enemies during Leda's final encounter.

The quest concludes in Enir-Ilim after the player reaches the later stages of Shadow of the Erdtree. Needle Knight Leda and the surviving members of Miquella's group confront the player in a large multi-character battle. The quest is therefore worth starting before progressing too far through the expansion, especially for players who want to see the follower story and collect the rewards associated with its different branches.

Where this sitsSpoilers

Requirements

Reach the Realm of Shadow and make enough progress to encounter Miquella's followers and Shadow Keep.

• RequiredShadow of the Erdtree accessThe quest takes place in the Realm of Shadow and cannot be started in the base game.
• RequiredReach Three-Path CrossNeedle Knight Leda's opening dialogue is at the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace in Gravesite Plain.
• RequiredReach Shadow KeepThe main branching encounters become available as the player approaches and enters Shadow Keep.
• RecommendedSpeak to followers repeatedlyExhaust dialogue with Leda and the other followers whenever their positions change; otherwise later summon signs may not appear.
• RecommendedComplete branches before the finaleResolve the available Shadow Keep invasions before entering the final sequence in Enir-Ilim if you want their rewards and dialogue.

ObjectivesSpoilers

1. Meet Needle Knight Leda at Three-Path Cross.Begin the follower storyline in Gravesite Plain.
2. Return to Leda after Miquella's Great Rune and charm break.Her investigation begins after the major follower-related world event.
3. Decide whether to aid Hornsent or Leda.Use the appropriate summon sign at Shadow Keep to choose the first branch.
4. Resolve Ansbach's conflict with Leda.Follow Ansbach's dialogue and choose whether to assist him or invade him.
5. Reach Enir-Ilim and defeat Leda's group.The final battle concludes the quest and awards the main quest rewards.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Start Needle Knight Leda's Quest

   Find Needle Knight Leda at Three-Path Cross

   Travel through Gravesite Plain to the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace and speak with Needle Knight Leda. Continue speaking until her available dialogue is exhausted; she explains the followers' connection to Miquella and directs the player toward the crosses scattered through the Realm of Shadow.

   Location: Three-Path Cross, Gravesite Plain

   TipRest at the Site of Grace after meeting Leda if her dialogue does not immediately refresh.

   Watch outDo not assume the quest is complete after the first conversation; Leda relocates as the expansion advances.

2. 02

   Establish the follower group

   Meet the other followers and inspect Miquella's crosses

   Explore the early Realm of Shadow routes and speak with the followers encountered near Miquella's Cross sites. Hornsent is especially important because Leda later focuses her suspicion on him, while Ansbach and Freyja become central to the later Shadow Keep branch.

   Location: Miquella's Cross locations in the Realm of Shadow

   TipExhaust dialogue with each follower before moving on, then revisit them after major story events.

   Watch outThe exact later sequence can be disrupted if area progression moves a follower before you have spoken with them.

3. 03

   Advance the follower storyline

   Trigger the breaking of Miquella's Great Rune and charm

   Progress toward Shadow Keep until the world event involving Miquella's Great Rune and charm occurs. The event changes the followers' behavior and is the trigger for Leda's investigation; it is not activated by defeating Leda or by choosing a summon sign.

   Location: Approach to Shadow Keep

   TipAfter the message and dialogue associated with the broken charm, revisit the follower Sites of Grace rather than immediately rushing to the next major boss.

   Watch outThis is the transition point for the quest. NPC dialogue and positions before the break are not interchangeable with their post-break states.

4. 04

   Learn Leda's accusation

   Speak with Leda at Highroad Cross

   After the charm breaks, return to the Highroad Cross Site of Grace and speak with Leda. She explains that she is looking for a traitor among Miquella's followers and eventually identifies Hornsent as her target.

   Location: Highroad Cross, Scadu Altus

   TipSpeak with Leda more than once and check the nearby followers before entering the next Shadow Keep section.

   Watch outLeaving the investigation unresolved while pushing through Shadow Keep can cause the relevant summon signs to appear in a changed state.

5. 05

   Choose the Hornsent or Leda branch

   Reach the follower conflict in Shadow Keep

   Continue through Shadow Keep until you reach the area where the red and gold summon signs for the Leda and Hornsent conflict are placed. Read both signs before committing, because they represent opposing sides rather than sequential assists.

   Location: Shadow Keep

   TipCreate a backup save if your platform permits it and you want to compare both branches; the in-game choice itself is not a dialogue toggle after the summon is selected.

   Watch outEntering one summon sign resolves the branch and removes the opportunity to take the opposing side in that playthrough.

6. 06

   Complete the first invasion or assist encounter

   Resolve the Hornsent branch

   Choose the summon sign that matches your intended side. Helping Hornsent means fighting against Leda, while helping Leda means fighting Hornsent; the rewards and later availability of Hornsent differ between these outcomes.

   Location: Shadow Keep follower summon signs

   TipTreat the fight as an invasion-style encounter and separate the target from supporting enemies whenever possible.

   Watch outThe choice affects the final Enir-Ilim roster and can change which follower rewards are obtained later.

7. 07

   Advance Ansbach's and Freyja's stories

   Find Ansbach and Freyja in Shadow Keep

   After the Hornsent branch, locate Ansbach in the Storehouse and speak with him about Leda's suspicions. Continue through the Storehouse and speak with Freyja at her later position so both characters' dialogue is advanced before the next summon-sign decision.

   Location: Shadow Keep, Storehouse

   TipThe Storehouse is vertically arranged; use the lifts, ladders and Site of Grace route methodically instead of assuming every follower is on the same floor.

   Watch outSkipping Ansbach's dialogue or failing to progress Freyja's conversation can prevent the intended later branch from appearing.

8. 08

   Unlock Ansbach's branch

   Give Ansbach the Secret Rite Scroll

   Find the Secret Rite Scroll in Shadow Keep's Storehouse and bring it to Ansbach when his dialogue asks for information about Miquella's rite. Speak with him again after delivering it, then check the nearby summon signs when the conflict with Leda becomes available.

   Location: Shadow Keep, Storehouse

   TipThe scroll is an exploration pickup, so search the Storehouse rooms and platforms rather than relying only on the main ascent.

   Watch outDo not leave the area or advance the finale before checking Ansbach's dialogue and summon signs; his branch is one of the quest's most easily missed sections.

9. 09

   Resolve the second follower conflict

   Choose whether to aid Ansbach or invade him

   At the later Storehouse summon signs, assist Ansbach against Leda if you want to preserve Ansbach's path, or use the invasion sign against Ansbach to support Leda. This decision changes the reward and determines whether Ansbach can appear as an ally in the final battle.

   Location: Shadow Keep, Storehouse

   TipRead the sign labels carefully: the signs are the direct branch selection, not optional co-op markers.

   Watch outOnly one side can be completed in a normal playthrough, and choosing the invasion removes Ansbach's allied route.

10. 10

    Complete the quest finale

    Enter Enir-Ilim and defeat Needle Knight Leda's group

    Progress through the late expansion areas until the confrontation in Enir-Ilim. The battle begins against Needle Knight Leda and can include surviving followers whose quests were preserved; defeat the group to finish the follower storyline and search the arena afterward for the quest rewards.

    Location: Enir-Ilim

    TipUse the available golden summon signs before entering the arena if you completed the corresponding follower routes, and focus on isolating opponents rather than trading with the whole group.

    Watch outThis is the finale: unresolved follower branches cannot be cleanly completed afterward, and the final roster is fixed once the encounter begins.

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

The quest uses world-state progression instead of a permanent objective marker. Leda's conversation changes after the breaking of Miquella's Great Rune and charm, so a player who cannot find the next step should first return to Highroad Cross and then revisit the followers in Shadow Keep.

The summon signs are the quest's central mechanic. A red sign represents an invasion against the named follower, while a gold sign represents helping that follower. These are mutually exclusive decisions: selecting one resolves that branch and changes the rewards, dialogue and final battle participants.

Ansbach's route has an additional retrieval step. The Secret Rite Scroll must be found in the Storehouse and delivered to Ansbach before the later decision becomes available. Freyja's dialogue is also part of this sequence, so speaking only to Ansbach is not a reliable way to preserve every branch.

The final encounter is not a conventional single-boss duel. It is a group battle whose composition reflects earlier decisions, making crowd control, target priority and the use of available allied summons more important than a single damage matchup.

What works and what does notSpoilers

PhasesSpoilers

1. 1

   Shadow Keep follower conflict

   Starts: Selecting the summon sign for the Hornsent or Leda branch

   The first branch is an invasion-style fight between Leda and Hornsent, with the player choosing which side to support.

   • Follower melee pressureTell The target closes distance and chains weapon attacks rather than remaining passive.Answer Keep the opponent separated from other combatants and punish the recovery after a committed attack.
   • Read both summon signs before entering because the side selected determines the branch.
   • Use terrain and spacing to prevent the fight from becoming a sustained multi-target exchange.
2. 2

   Ansbach and Leda conflict

   Starts: Delivering the Secret Rite Scroll to Ansbach and advancing his dialogue

   The second branch asks the player to assist Ansbach or invade him, further changing the final roster.

   • Ansbach's ranged pressureTell Ansbach can create distance and attack from outside immediate melee range.Answer Close the gap during recovery windows and avoid chasing blindly into other opponents.
   • Speak with both Ansbach and Freyja before choosing the sign.
   • The invasion route and assist route are separate outcomes; select the sign that matches the reward and final roster you want.
3. 3

   Enir-Ilim follower battle

   Starts: Reaching the late quest confrontation in Enir-Ilim

   Needle Knight Leda leads a group fight against the player, with surviving followers determined by earlier quest choices.

   • Group melee assaultTell Multiple humanoid opponents can attack simultaneously from different angles.Answer Prioritize isolated targets, use summons when available and avoid committing to long animations in the center of the group.
   • Use every completed follower route's golden summon sign before entering the arena.
   • Do not treat this encounter like a single-target duel; control spacing and remove vulnerable opponents one at a time.

Boss encounterSpoilers

• Location
  Enir-Ilim

Enter only after checking for the golden summon signs created by the follower routes you completed. Keep the opponents from surrounding you, focus one target at a time, and disengage when several followers begin attacking together. Ranged attacks, area control and durable spirit or NPC support can create the openings needed to reduce the group.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Help Hornsent against Needle Knight Leda.

  Hornsent's branch is preserved, Leda is defeated in that conflict, and the later rewards and final battle roster differ from the Leda-supported route.

  Spoiler
• Help Needle Knight Leda against Hornsent.

  Hornsent's opposing route is ended in the Shadow Keep conflict, and the later follower roster and rewards change accordingly.

  Spoiler
• Help Ansbach against Needle Knight Leda.

  Ansbach's route continues and he can become an ally in the final Enir-Ilim confrontation, subject to the other progression requirements.

  Spoiler
• Invade Ansbach for Needle Knight Leda.

  Ansbach's allied route is ended, Leda's side is supported, and the final confrontation uses a different set of participants.

  Spoiler

ChecklistSpoilers

• Speak with Needle Knight Leda at Three-Path Cross.Exhaust her opening dialogue.
• Speak with the other followers encountered near Miquella's Cross sites.Revisit them after major story events.
• Trigger the breaking of Miquella's Great Rune and charm.This changes the quest into Leda's investigation.
• Return to Leda at Highroad Cross.Hear her accusation against Hornsent.
• Read both summon signs for the Hornsent conflict.Choose one branch before entering.
• Resolve the Hornsent branch.The choice affects later rewards and the final roster.
• Speak with Ansbach in the Storehouse.Advance his response to Leda's investigation.
• Speak with Freyja at her Storehouse location.Her dialogue is part of the follower sequence.
• Find the Secret Rite Scroll.Deliver it to Ansbach when requested.
• Resolve the Ansbach summon-sign branch.Assist Ansbach or invade him for Leda.
• Check for available golden summon signs in Enir-Ilim.Completed follower routes can provide support.
• Defeat Needle Knight Leda's group.Search the arena afterward for the main rewards.

Collectibles and secretsSpoilers

• 01
  Secret Rite Scroll

  Where: Shadow Keep, Storehouse

  A quest-critical exploration item that must be found and delivered to Ansbach to advance his branch.

  Missable
• 02
  Leda's Sword

  Where: Enir-Ilim, after the final follower battle

  The main weapon reward associated with Needle Knight Leda's final encounter.

  Missable
• 03
  Needle Knight Leda's armor

  Where: Enir-Ilim, after the final follower battle

  Leda's armor can be collected after the conclusion of the group battle.

  Missable

Failure conditionsSpoilers

• Choosing the wrong summon sign for the desired branchThe Hornsent and Leda conflict is mutually exclusive, as is the Ansbach and Leda conflict. Selecting one sign resolves that choice for the playthrough.
• Failing to deliver the Secret Rite Scroll to AnsbachWithout advancing Ansbach's conversation, his later summon-sign branch may not appear.
• Ignoring Freyja's dialogueFreyja's Storehouse conversation is part of the follower sequence and should be completed before leaving the area.
• Advancing to the finale before resolving Shadow Keep branchesEntering the final Enir-Ilim sequence can make the earlier follower conflicts unavailable.
• Defeating or progressing past relevant NPC encounters too earlyNPC positions and summon signs can change as Shadow of the Erdtree advances, so complete the available conversations before major progression.

RewardsSpoilers

• Leda's Sword
  A reward obtained after the final confrontation with Needle Knight Leda's group in Enir-Ilim.
• Needle Knight Leda's armor
  Leda's armor can be looted after the final battle and serves as the principal equipment reward tied directly to her quest.
• Branch-specific follower rewards
  The Hornsent and Ansbach decisions provide different rewards and change which follower remains available for later encounters. The exact reward depends on the side chosen.
• Final-battle allied support
  Preserving a follower's route can provide a golden summon sign for the Enir-Ilim group battle; this is combat assistance rather than a permanent inventory item.

AftermathEnding spoilers

Trivia

• Leda's investigation begins only after the breaking of Miquella's Great Rune and charm, turning a pilgrimage narrative into a test of loyalty among the followers.
• The quest's major decisions are presented through summon signs rather than a conventional dialogue menu, making the player's allegiance visible as an invasion or a cooperative assist.
• The final Enir-Ilim battle is a direct mechanical reflection of earlier quest decisions: followers preserved through their branches can affect the group that confronts the player.

Relationships