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Ancient Ruins of Rauh

ELDEN RING guide · The legacy dungeon area in the northwest ✓ Checked against sources
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The Ancient Ruins of Rauh is an elevated, moss-covered legacy zone in the northwest of the Realm of Shadow filled with towering viaducts, scarlet rot-infested ruins, and hornsent architecture. Players must navigate sprawling indoor chambers, crumbling bridges, and elevator shafts to reach the Church of the Bud and defeat Romina. Traversing this area requires managing scarlet rot, handling pests, and unlocking wind springs to bridge vertical gaps.

Region
Realm of Shadow
Levels
150+
Getting there
From the Shadow Keep, West Rampart Site of Grace, head west across the colossal bridge spanning the valley into the ancient stone viaducts
Connects to
Shadow Keep, Church of the Bud, Rauh Base
Related quests
Hornsent questline · Redmane Freyja questline
Enemy types
Kindred of Rot · Hornsent Inquisitors · Divine Bird Warriors · Golem Smiths · Shadow Undead

Services and people

Quest NPCs 1

  • Dryleaf Dane · Friendly summon sign for RominaChurch of the Bud

Invaders and enemies 1

  • Hornsent · Hostile NPC invaderStone staircase leading up to the Church of the Bud

Services 6

  • Viaduct Minor Tower Site of Grace · Resting and fast travel siteFirst resting site encountered via elevator from the Shadow Keep
  • Rauh Ancient Ruins, East Site of Grace · Resting and fast travel siteEastern complex across the outdoor viaduct
  • Rauh Ancient Ruins, West Site of Grace · Resting and fast travel siteWestern outdoor plateau
  • Ancient Ruins, Grand Stairway Site of Grace · Resting and fast travel siteSub-location past the western plateau
  • Church of the Bud, Main Entrance Site of Grace · Resting and fast travel siteEntrance to Church of the Bud via elevators through Kindred of Rot chambers
  • Church of the Bud Site of Grace · Resting and fast travel siteChurch of the Bud, unlocked after defeating Romina

The short version

What matters

  • •Defeating Romina, Saint of the Bud unlocks the Church of the Bud Site of Grace and opens access to the Sealing Tree event.
  • •Collecting the multiple Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes scattered throughout the eastern ruins, western gazebos, and flooded waterways.
  • •Crossing the invisible span to reach the Light Altar to obtain the Sword of Light or transform the Stone-Sheathed Sword.

Common mistakes

  • •Advancing past the area to Enir-Ilim or skipping Hornsent's summon against Messmer, permanently locking out Hornsent's invasion on the stairs.

Walkthrough

The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.

  1. 1

    Arrival and Eastern Approach

    When you arrive via the elevator from the west ramparts of the Shadow Keep, activate the Viaduct Minor Tower Site of Grace. Cross the high outdoor viaduct into the eastern complex to discover the Rauh Ancient Ruins, East Site of Grace along with a Miquella's Cross. Collect the Scadutree Fragment resting at the foot of the cross before heading into the interior.

  2. 2

    Eastern Interior Chambers

    Head inside the multi-level ruin halls populated by Shadow Undead and Spider-Scorpions. Hunt down the sparkling jar-carrying Shadow Undead to claim a Revered Spirit Ash, and eliminate the pot-carrying Shadow Undead to secure another Scadutree Fragment. In the flooded lower section, engage and defeat the Lesser Golden Hippopotamus to earn an additional Scadutree Fragment.

    Tip: Jar-carrying shadows flee quickly, so prioritize bursting them down before they despawn.

  3. 3

    Western Plateau Exploration

    Exit the halls onto the western plateau to find the Rauh Ancient Ruins, West Site of Grace overlooking outdoor gazebos, waterlogged ruins, Horned Warriors, and an active Furnace Golem. Enter the gazebo guarded by a Horned Warrior to loot a Revered Spirit Ash from the altar. Then, break the stone cairn near the Furnace Golem to unlock the sealed Spiritspring.

    Tip: Break the stone cairn to unlock the nearby Spiritspring for easy vertical traversal across the plateau.

  4. 4

    Western Halls and Hidden Bridges

    Enter the building past the Rauh Ancient Ruins, West Site of Grace and climb the stairs to collect a Scadutree Fragment situated before an altar. Ride the interior elevator up to a high ledge to take down a jar-carrying Shadow Undead for a Revered Spirit Ash. Head northwest from the gazebos through the Kindred of Rot-infested halls out onto a balcony terrace past a large stone statue bust, where a sheared-off bridge seemingly terminates into mid-air. Walk straight across this invisible bridge—tossing rainbow stones or firing arrows to confirm footing—to reach an isolated circular tower holding a Light Altar that transforms the Stone-Sheathed Sword into the Sword of Light or grants the weapon outright.

    Tip: Drop rainbow stones or fire arrows along the gap to map out the invisible walkway safely.

  5. 5

    Grand Stairway, Courtyard Battles, and Hornsent Invasion

    Continue along the path to reach the Ancient Ruins, Grand Stairway Site of Grace. Venture down to an open southeast courtyard to confront a Crucible Knight alongside a Divine Beast Dancing Lion field boss. As you push toward the south and west ruins along the stone staircase leading up toward the church, prepare to be invaded by Hornsent if you previously summoned him against Messmer.

    Watch out: The Hornsent invasion is locked out if you did not summon him against Messmer, if you sided with Leda against him in Shadow Keep, or if you advance to Enir-Ilim.

  6. 6

    The Church of the Bud Climax

    Ride the elevators up through halls overrun with Kindred of Rot until you reach the Church of the Bud, Main Entrance Site of Grace. Summon Dryleaf Dane using his friendly summon sign outside if you desire assistance, then enter the sanctuary to face Romina, Saint of the Bud. Slaying her rewards you with the Remembrance of the Saint of the Bud, unlocks the Church of the Bud Site of Grace, and grants access to initiate the Sealing Tree event.

    Key fight: Romina, Saint of the Bud

    Tip: Dryleaf Dane can be summoned via his golden summon sign at the entrance to assist against Romina.

Checklists

Items

0/2

Secrets May be incomplete

0/3

Key fights May be incomplete
Romina, Saint of the Bud

Enemies: Romina, Saint of the Bud

Threats: Sweeping polearm strikes, rapid rot infesting butterfly bursts, and soaring centipede lunge attacks

Tactics: Roll beneath her polearm swings toward her centipede torso to avoid the circular cleaves, and sprint away whenever she floats upward surrounded by pink butterflies to avoid the explosive rot burst

Enemies
Hornsent Inquisitor
Weak to PierceSteal / drop Inquisitor's Ashes

Casts golden spiral incantations from high ledges; interrupts casting when hit heavily.

Kindred of Rot
Weak to Fire

Fires homing pest threads that deal devastating multi-hit physical damage.

Divine Bird Warrior
Weak to LightningSteal / drop Divine Bird Warrior Armor

Fast, hyper-armored melee aerial assaults; highly vulnerable to stagger from heavy poise-breaking attacks.

Tips
  • Equip the Flame, Cleanse Me incantation or pack abundant Preserving Boluses before entering the interior rot-filled corridors beneath the central ruins.

Not listed for this area: shops and people.

← Previous
Rauh Base
Next →
Abyssal Woods

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Sources checked: fextralife.com, roundtablehold.net, ign.com, thegamer.com, steelseries.com, gamespot.com

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