Preceptor Seluvis's Quest

Key takeawaysSpoilers

The safest route preserves the most character quests and still obtains Seluvis's main reward.

• Do not give the potion to Nepheli unless you want her puppet Give the potion to Gideon Ofnir instead if you want Nepheli Loux to remain available for her own quest and reward progression.
• The Dung Eater route is a separate commitment Giving the potion to Dung Eater creates the Dung Eater Puppet Spirit Ashes, but only after his quest has reached the required underground encounter and the potion can be administered.
• Search the puppet cellar After the potion stage, inspect the hidden underground chamber north of Ranni's Rise to unlock Seluvis's puppet collection and begin the exchange for puppet Spirit Ashes.
• Collect Amber Starlight before the final request Returning Amber Starlight to Seluvis grants the Magic Scorpion Charm before the Amber Draught decision becomes relevant.
• Do not give Ranni the Amber Draught casually The draught is not a harmless delivery. Giving it to Ranni causes a hostile reaction and can disrupt the wider Ranni questline.

OverviewSpoilers

Preceptor Seluvis's Quest is an optional, easily disrupted questline attached to Ranni's service in Elden Ring. Its central task is to decide what to do with Seluvis's potion, then investigate his puppet workshop and help him pursue an elixir intended for Ranni.

The quest begins after the player enters Ranni's service at Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters area and speaks with the spectral form of Preceptor Seluvis at Seluvis's Rise. Seluvis directs the player to deliver his potion to Nepheli Loux, but the player is not forced to give it to her. Speaking with Gideon Ofnir provides a safer way to dispose of the potion without turning Nepheli into a puppet.

Seluvis's request is deceptive rather than a straightforward delivery mission. The potion can be handed to Nepheli Loux, given to Gideon Ofnir for destruction, or later used on Dung Eater under specific circumstances. Each choice changes which puppet-related outcome remains available, and giving the potion to Ranni at the wrong point can damage or end access to parts of Ranni's questline.

After the potion sequence, Seluvis reveals an underground puppet chamber north of Ranni's Rise. The chamber explains his interest in turning living beings into Spirit Ashes and unlocks a shop of puppet summons. The player can obtain a puppet by spending a Starlight Shard, making this quest relevant to players comparing Spirit Ashes rather than only those following the story.

The final major stage involves finding Amber Starlight in Altus Plateau and returning it to Seluvis. He rewards the player with the Magic Scorpion Charm and asks for help administering an Amber Draught to Ranni. This final request is dangerous: giving the draught to Ranni causes her to reject the player and can interrupt her questline, while advancing Ranni's story eventually causes Seluvis's own quest to end and leaves his body available for his remaining equipment.

Where this sitsSpoilers

Requirements

The quest requires access to the Three Sisters and Ranni's service, with additional progression needed for the alternative Dung Eater outcome.

• RequiredBegin Ranni's serviceReach Ranni's Rise and agree to serve Ranni. Seluvis's presence and dialogue become available through this arrangement.
• RequiredReach Nepheli Loux's potion stageSpeak with Seluvis until he gives the potion and directs the player to Nepheli Loux.
• RecommendedAccess to Altus PlateauAmber Starlight is found in Altus Plateau, so the final reward stage requires reaching that region.
• OptionalDung Eater quest progressionThe Dung Eater alternative requires advancing Dung Eater's quest far enough to find him in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds and make him available for the potion.
• OptionalA Starlight ShardSeluvis accepts a Starlight Shard when the player purchases one of his available puppet Spirit Ashes.

ObjectivesSpoilers

1. Speak with Preceptor Seluvis at Seluvis's RiseAccept the request involving his potion.
2. Decide who receives the potionChoose Nepheli Loux, Gideon Ofnir, or the later Dung Eater route.
3. Find Seluvis's hidden puppet chamberSearch the underground cellar north of Ranni's Rise after the potion stage.
4. Obtain a puppet Spirit Ash if desiredUse Seluvis's shop and a Starlight Shard to acquire one of his available puppets.
5. Find Amber StarlightRetrieve the item from its cave in Altus Plateau.
6. Return Amber Starlight to SeluvisReceive the Magic Scorpion Charm.
7. Decide whether to use the Amber DraughtDo not give it to Ranni unless you accept the consequences for her questline.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Unlock Seluvis's dialogue and receive the potion assignment.

   Enter Ranni's service

   Travel to Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters and agree to serve Ranni. Speak with the spectral figures in the tower's lower area, then return to Seluvis's Rise and speak with Preceptor Seluvis to begin his separate request.

   Location: Ranni's Rise and Seluvis's Rise, Three Sisters

   TipComplete Seluvis's dialogue rather than leaving after the first conversation; the potion request is the important progression flag.

   Watch outProgressing Ranni's quest too far can cause Seluvis to die and remove his active dialogue and shop.

2. 02

   Obtain the potion.

   Take Seluvis's potion

   Seluvis gives the player a potion intended for Nepheli Loux and asks for its delivery. Keep the potion in the inventory while deciding which outcome you want; it is not necessary to hand it over immediately.

   Location: Seluvis's Rise

   TipDo not treat this as a required Nepheli step. The recipient is the major branching choice in the quest.

   Watch outGiving the potion to the wrong character can permanently remove a desired puppet or alter that character's quest outcome.

3. 03

   Reach the potion decision.

   Find Nepheli Loux

   Locate Nepheli Loux at her current quest location and exhaust her dialogue until the potion can be offered. If you want the safest overall route, do not select the option to give her the potion; instead, leave and speak with Gideon Ofnir.

   Location: Nepheli Loux's current location, then Roundtable Hold if Gideon's dialogue is available

   TipCharacter locations change as their quests advance, so use Nepheli Loux's available dialogue and Gideon Ofnir's current position rather than searching only one room.

   Watch outGiving Nepheli the potion turns her into one of Seluvis's puppets and ends the normal continuation of her personal quest.

4. 04

   Resolve the first branch without losing the intended outcome.

   Give the potion to Gideon Ofnir or retain it for another route

   Speak with Gideon Ofnir and discuss Seluvis's potion. Selecting Gideon's offer destroys the potion and preserves Nepheli Loux's normal quest path; alternatively, retain the potion if you intend to pursue the Dung Eater Puppet route.

   Location: Roundtable Hold

   TipGideon's option is the recommended choice for players who want Seluvis's rewards while avoiding the Nepheli puppet outcome.

   Watch outThe potion cannot be recovered after it has been consumed by Nepheli Loux or Dung Eater.

5. 05

   Create access to the Dung Eater Puppet Spirit Ashes.

   Advance Dung Eater's quest for the alternative route

   If using the alternative recipient, progress Dung Eater's quest until he is encountered in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds and is restrained in his cell. Return to the relevant meeting point and offer Seluvis's potion instead of the Seedbed Curse progression intended for his normal ending route.

   Location: Subterranean Shunning-Grounds and Dung Eater's associated quest locations

   TipThis route is only worthwhile if the puppet is more important to you than completing Dung Eater's Mending Rune path.

   Watch outGiving the potion to Dung Eater replaces his normal quest outcome and prevents the Blessing of Despair ending route from being completed through him.

6. 06

   Unlock Seluvis's puppet-related dialogue and shop.

   Locate Seluvis's hidden puppet chamber

   After resolving the potion stage, travel through the area north of Ranni's Rise and look for the concealed entrance to Seluvis's underground puppet workshop. Enter the cellar and inspect the chamber to reveal what Seluvis has been doing with his summons.

   Location: Hidden cellar north of Ranni's Rise, Three Sisters

   TipThe entrance is easy to overlook because the workshop is not presented as a normal marked dungeon; search the rocky ground and suspicious-looking area north of the tower.

   Watch outDo not attack Seluvis or Ranni while investigating. Hostility can interrupt the quest and require absolution before related NPCs become available again.

7. 07

   Choose a puppet reward if desired.

   Purchase a puppet Spirit Ash

   Return to Seluvis and use a Starlight Shard to purchase one of the puppet Spirit Ashes he offers. The purchase consumes the shard and gives access to a summon that can be upgraded and used like other Spirit Ashes.

   Location: Seluvis's Rise

   TipThe available puppet selection expands through the quest, so delay the purchase if you want to compare the options rather than spending the first Starlight Shard immediately.

   Watch outThe shop and its remaining stock become unavailable when Seluvis's quest ends after the relevant Ranni progression.

8. 08

   Retrieve Amber Starlight.

   Find Amber Starlight

   Travel to Altus Plateau and search the cave in the ravine north of The Shaded Castle. Amber Starlight is found near a statue associated with the quest, and collecting it enables Seluvis's next exchange.

   Location: Cave north of The Shaded Castle, Altus Plateau

   TipThe item is in a side area rather than on the main road through Altus Plateau, so use the ravine north of The Shaded Castle as the search landmark.

   Watch outAmber Starlight is needed for the Magic Scorpion Charm exchange; advancing Ranni's quest until Seluvis dies can make this reward unavailable.

9. 09

   Claim the talisman and unlock the final decision.

   Return Amber Starlight to Seluvis

   Bring Amber Starlight back to Seluvis at Seluvis's Rise and exhaust his new dialogue. He rewards the player with the Magic Scorpion Charm and presents the Amber Draught as his next request.

   Location: Seluvis's Rise

   TipEquip the Magic Scorpion Charm only when its increased magic damage is worth its reduced damage negation; it is a build-choice reward rather than a universal upgrade.

   Watch outDo not immediately give the Amber Draught to Ranni unless you have accepted that her reaction can disrupt her questline.

10. 10

    Finish or deliberately abandon Seluvis's final request.

    Choose what to do with the Amber Draught

    Seluvis asks the player to administer the Amber Draught to Ranni. The player can refuse to use it, but giving it to Ranni causes her to reject the player and can prevent normal continuation of her quest until the situation is resolved or the quest state advances.

    Location: Ranni's Rise

    TipFor the normal Ranni route, keep the draught and continue Ranni's quest without administering it.

    Watch outThis is the most damaging choice in the quest: giving the draught to Ranni can break the connected questline and should not be done merely to satisfy Seluvis's objective.

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

Seluvis's quest is governed by NPC state changes rather than a conventional mission marker. Dialogue at Seluvis's Rise, the potion recipient, discovery of the hidden cellar, and the Amber Starlight exchange each open the next stage. Because Elden Ring allows several quests to advance independently, a player can accidentally pass Seluvis's useful reward windows by continuing Ranni's storyline before returning to him.

The potion is a branch item with three meaningful destinations. Nepheli Loux produces a puppet outcome, Gideon Ofnir destroys the potion and protects the normal Nepheli route, and Dung Eater becomes a puppet if his quest has reached the correct cell encounter. These are not interchangeable rewards: choosing one recipient removes the others, so decide based on whether the player values Nepheli's quest, Dung Eater's Mending Rune, or the corresponding puppet Spirit Ash.

The puppet cellar is both a story reveal and a functional shop unlock. Seluvis's puppets are Spirit Ashes, meaning they are summons used through the Spirit Calling Bell system rather than conventional weapons or talismans. A Starlight Shard is the currency for the purchase, so players who want multiple options should avoid spending all available shards before deciding which puppet best suits their build.

The Magic Scorpion Charm is the quest's most broadly relevant permanent reward, but it has a trade-off: it improves magic damage while reducing damage negation. It is most attractive to a sorcery or magic-damage build that can avoid hits, and less attractive to a melee character who relies on strong defenses. The charm is therefore a build-specific reward even though the exchange itself is optional.

What works and what does not

Choices and consequencesEnding spoilers

• Give Seluvis's potion to Nepheli Loux

  Nepheli Loux becomes a puppet associated with Seluvis, and her ordinary quest progression is lost.

  Spoiler
• Give Seluvis's potion to Gideon Ofnir

  Gideon destroys the potion. Nepheli Loux remains available for her normal quest, and Seluvis's later quest stages can still be pursued.

  Spoiler
• Give Seluvis's potion to Dung Eater

  Dung Eater becomes available as a puppet Spirit Ash, but his normal Mending Rune route is abandoned.

  Spoiler
• Inspect the hidden puppet cellar

  Seluvis's puppet dealings are revealed and his puppet Spirit Ash shop becomes available.

  Spoiler
• Give the Amber Draught to Ranni

  Ranni rejects the player and the normal continuation of Ranni's questline can be disrupted.

  Spoiler
• Refuse to give Ranni the Amber Draught

  The player avoids the immediate hostile reaction and can continue Ranni's quest normally, while Seluvis's final request remains unfulfilled.

  Spoiler

Completion checklistSpoilers

• Enter Ranni's service at Ranni's RiseRequired before Seluvis's quest becomes available.
• Speak with Preceptor Seluvis and receive the potionDo not hand it over before deciding which character outcome you want.
• Choose a potion recipientGideon Ofnir is the preservation route; Nepheli Loux and Dung Eater are puppet routes.
• Visit the hidden puppet cellar north of Ranni's RiseInspect it to unlock the puppet-shop progression.
• Buy a puppet Spirit Ash if wantedBring a Starlight Shard and compare the available summons before spending it.
• Reach the cave north of The Shaded CastleSearch Altus Plateau for Amber Starlight.
• Return Amber Starlight to SeluvisThis produces the Magic Scorpion Charm.
• Decide whether to keep the Amber DraughtKeep it if preserving Ranni's normal quest is the priority.
• Finish Seluvis's available dialogue before advancing Ranni too farSeluvis can die and become unavailable after later Ranni progression.

Quest-related items

• 01
  Amber Starlight

  Where: A cave in the ravine north of The Shaded Castle in Altus Plateau

  A key item exchanged with Preceptor Seluvis to obtain the Magic Scorpion Charm.

  Missable
• 02
  Magic Scorpion Charm

  Where: Seluvis's Rise after returning Amber Starlight

  A talisman that increases magic damage while reducing damage negation, making it most suitable for magic-focused builds that can avoid incoming attacks.

  Missable
• 03
  Starlight Shard

  Where: Found throughout the Lands Between; used at Seluvis's shop

  The exchange currency for Seluvis's puppet Spirit Ashes. The quest does not provide a unique fixed quantity of these shards.

Failure conditionsEnding spoilers

• Give the potion to Nepheli LouxThis permanently changes Nepheli's outcome into a puppet route and prevents her normal quest progression.
• Give the potion to Dung EaterThis replaces Dung Eater's normal Mending Rune route with the puppet outcome.
• Give the Amber Draught to RanniRanni rejects the player, and the connected questline can be interrupted. This should be treated as a deliberate spoiler choice, not a routine objective.
• Advance Ranni's quest beyond Seluvis's active stateSeluvis can die, ending his dialogue and removing access to his shop and unfinished exchanges.
• Attack Seluvis or RanniNPC hostility can stop dialogue and quest progression until the player seeks absolution, and some quest states may still be lost after progression.

Rewards and dropsSpoilers

• Magic Scorpion Charm
  A talisman obtained by returning Amber Starlight to Seluvis. It raises magic damage but lowers damage negation, so it is a conditional offensive choice rather than a universally stronger talisman.
• Puppet Spirit Ashes
  Seluvis sells puppet summons in exchange for Starlight Shards after the hidden cellar stage. The exact puppet available depends on the potion and quest choices made.
• Dung Eater Puppet Spirit Ashes
  An alternative puppet reward obtained by giving Seluvis's potion to Dung Eater after the required part of Dung Eater's quest. This outcome conflicts with Dung Eater's normal Mending Rune progression.
• Seluvis's equipment after his death
  When Seluvis's quest ends through later Ranni progression, his body can provide his remaining equipment and related quest items, subject to the player's prior progression and purchases.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

• Nepheli LouxThe intended first recipient of the potion and one possible puppet outcome.
• Dung EaterAlternative potion recipient who can become a puppet.

AftermathEnding spoilers

Trivia

• Seluvis's hidden cellar reframes his Spirit Ashes as the result of transforming living characters into puppets, making the shop's unusual summons part of the quest's narrative rather than a disconnected reward vendor.
• The quest presents Gideon Ofnir as a way to dispose of the potion, allowing players to reject Seluvis's plan without simply abandoning the quest.
• The Magic Scorpion Charm is thematically tied to Seluvis's amber research and mechanically favors players who want more magic damage at the cost of defense.
• The Dung Eater Puppet route links two otherwise separate NPC storylines and turns a major hostile character into one of Seluvis's summonable puppets.

Relationships