Liurnia of the Lakes
Liurnia of the Lakes is a vast, mist-shrouded wetland region directly north of Limgrave, dominated by shallow waters, sinking ruins, and sheer cliffs. Players explore this region to secure the Academy Glintstone Key, breach the barrier surrounding the Academy of Raya Lucaria, and locate routes leading upward to the Altus Plateau. Exploration here branches into Ranni the Witch's service at the Three Sisters in the far northwest, along with extensive side quests involving Sorcerer Thops, Diallos, and Rya.
- Region
- The Lands Between
- Levels
- Level 40-60
- Getting there
- Exit Stormveil Castle to the north via Godrick the Grafted's throne room, or bypass the castle entirely by taking the narrow cliffside path along the outer eastern wall north of the Stormhill Shack
- Connects to
- Limgrave, Academy of Raya Lucaria, Ainsel River Well, Ruin-Strewn Precipice, Altus Plateau
- Related quests
- Ranni the Witch · Sorcerer Rogier · Sorcerer Thops · Rya · Diallos Hoslow · White-Masked Varré · Hyetta · Blackguard Big Boggart
- Enemy types
- Raya Lucaria Sorcerers · Marionette Soldiers · Albinaurics · Crayfish · Giant Crabs · Revenants · Bell Bearing Hunters · Carian Knights
Services and people
Merchants 8
- Nomadic Merchant (Liurnia Lake Shore) · Sits beside a campfireNext to the Liurnia Lake Shore Site of Grace in southern Liurnia
- Nomadic Merchant (North Liurnia) · MerchantPast a hole in the ground on the path leading down from Bellum Church towards the marsh
- Isolated Merchant (Raya Lucaria) · MerchantFar eastern end of the broken bridge leading out from the Main Academy Gate Site of Grace
- Sorcerer Thops · Sells basic Glintstone sorceriesInside the Church of Irith near Lake-Facing Cliffs
- Miriel, Pastor of Vows · Teaches sorceries and incantations, accepts prayerbooks and scrolls, and provides absolutionInside the Church of Vows on the eastern cliffs
- Smithing Master Iji · Sells Somber Smithing Stones and provides armament blacksmithing servicesAlong the road beside the Road to the Manor Site of Grace south of Caria Manor
- Pidia, Carian Servant · Sells unique items and consumablesBalcony within Caria Manor accessed by dropping down from Three Sisters cliffside
- Preceptor Seluvis · Sells sorceries and puppet spirit ashesInside Seluvis's Rise within the Three Sisters sub-region
Quest NPCs 9
- Lightseeker Hyetta · Irina's quest continuation NPCNear Lake-Facing Cliffs Site of Grace, later at Purified Ruins, Gate Town Bridge, and Bellum Church
- Boc the Seamster · Rests if earlier dialogue was completedLake-Facing Cliffs Site of Grace
- Diallos · Searches for servant Lanya, later mourns the fallen LanyaScenic Isle Site of Grace, later Academy Gate Town
- Bloody Finger Hunter Yura · Assisted in battle via red summon signBroken bridge north of the Main Academy Gate
- Rya (Zorayas) · NPC encountered in a stone gazeboInside a stone gazebo next to the telescope south of the Academy Gate Town
- Blackguard Big Boggart · NPCBoilprawn Shack in the south-central marsh
- Albus · Disguised as a large clay potAlong the cliff wall in the Village of the Albinaurics
- Ranni the Witch · NPCPeak of Ranni's Rise in the Three Sisters sub-region behind Caria Manor
- Jar Bairn · NPCSitting on a small stone step in Jarburg
Invaders and enemies 9
- Festering Fingerprint Vyke · Hostile NPC invader who drops Fingerprint GrapeRoad leading to the Church of Inhibition in northeastern Liurnia
- Ravenmount Assassin · Hostile NPC fought in an invasionBroken bridge north of the Main Academy Gate
- Adan, Thief of Fire · Evergaol bossInside the Malefactor's Evergaol
- Bols, Carian Knight · Evergaol bossInside the Cuckoo's Evergaol
- Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader · Evergaol bossInside the Ringleader's Evergaol on the Moonlight Altar
- Cleanrot Knight · Cave bossStillwater Cave
- Black Knife Assassin · Hidden bossBehind an illusory wall in Black Knife Catacombs
- Cemetery Shade · Standard lever bossBlack Knife Catacombs
- Bell Bearing Hunter · Nighttime bossInside the Church of Vows
Services 5
- Lake-Facing Cliffs · First Site of Grace encounteredSouthern Liurnia after exiting Stormveil Castle
- Liurnia Lake Shore · Site of GraceSouthern Liurnia along descending path toward the water
- Scenic Isle · Site of GraceCentral lake area
- Road to the Manor · Site of GraceAlong the road south of Caria Manor
- Main Academy Gate · Site of GraceBroken bridge area outside Academy of Raya Lucaria
The short version
What matters
- •Secure the Academy Glintstone Key from behind Glintstone Dragon Smarag to bypass the Academy seal.
- •Aid Bloody Finger Hunter Yura on the northern broken bridge of the Academy to acquire Raptor of the Mists.
Common mistakes
- •Slaying Sorcerer Thops early at the Church of Irith permanently locks you out of the Thops's Barrier sorcery.
- •Journeying to Mountaintops of the Giants and speaking with Shabriri locks out Yura's quest fight and the Raptor of the Mists Ash of War.
- •Killing nearby field bosses prior to triggering Festering Fingerprint Vyke on unpatched game versions locks you out of the Fingerprint Grape.
What you can skip
- •You do not need to fight Glintstone Dragon Smarag to retrieve the first Academy Glintstone Key from the corpse behind him.
Walkthrough May be incomplete
The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.
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1
Southern Arrival and Cliffside Shrines
When you emerge into Liurnia through the rear exit of Stormveil Castle's throne room, light the Lake-Facing Cliffs Site of Grace where you meet Boc the Seamster and Lightseeker Hyetta.
Tip: Thops provides basic Glintstone sorceries and will teach them right away inside the church.
Watch out: Do not murder Thops at the Church of Irith, or you permanently forfeit the Thops's Barrier sorcery.
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2
South-Central Marshes and Sinking Villages
Head down toward the water to find the Liurnia Lake Shore Site of Grace and its Nomadic Merchant before sweeping northwest through the Wraith Caller-infested Laskyar Ruins.
Tip: Hit the large clay pot resting against the cliff wall inside the Village of the Albinaurics to reveal Albus.
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3
The Sunken Lake and Academy Approaches
Ride north across the marsh to reach the Scenic Isle Site of Grace where Diallos is searching for his servant Lanya, then proceed northeast into the sunken Academy Gate Town to find him mourning her body.
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4
West Isle and the Glintstone Key
Journey to the solitary island lying west of the Academy and south of the Crystalline Woods, where Glintstone Dragon Smarag sleeps amidst the rocks. Sneak directly behind the slumbering dragon to recover the Academy Glintstone Key off a scholar's corpse resting against the crags.
Key fight: Glintstone Dragon SmaragTip: You do not have to slay Glintstone Dragon Smarag to collect the key; you can quietly loot the corpse behind him while he sleeps.
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5
Eastern Heights and Frenzied Flames
Ascend the eastern cliffs to find the Church of Vows, where Miriel, Pastor of Vows offers teachings and absolution, though a hostile Bell Bearing Hunter invades this sanctuary at night. Clear Black Knife Catacombs in the north to slay both a hidden Black Knife Assassin and the lever-locked Cemetery Shade, or drop down the cliff ledges to find Jar Bairn sitting quietly in Jarburg. Finally, climb the dangerous heights toward the Frenzied Flame Village and follow the road to the Church of Inhibition, where defeating the invading Festering Fingerprint Vyke yields the Fingerprint Grape.
Watch out: On unpatched launch versions of the game, felling nearby field bosses like the Erdtree Avatar prevents Vyke from invading, locking you out of the Fingerprint Grape.
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6
The Northern Highway and Academy Gates
Travel up the northern road past the hole in the ground below Bellum Church to trade with the Nomadic Merchant and meet with Hyetta once more. Head to the broken bridge stretching out from the Main Academy Gate, where you can trade with an Isolated Merchant at the far eastern edge. Along the shattered bridge section extending north, activate the red summon sign to fight the Ravenmount Assassin alongside Bloody Finger Hunter Yura to earn the Raptor of the Mists Ash of War.
Watch out: Raptor of the Mists is permanently missed if you journey to the Mountaintops of the Giants and encounter Shabriri in Yura's body before completing this invasion.
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7
Completing Scholarly Ties and the Heights
After delving into the Academy of Raya Lucaria, retrieve Academy Glintstone Key #2 from the high chandelier inside the Church of the Cuckoo and present it to Thops at the Church of Irith. Return to the Church of Irith after he departs to claim the Thops's Barrier Ash of War from a Teardrop Scarab, then loot the Thops's Barrier Sorcery from his body outside the Schoolhouse Classroom. Finally, reach the high Moonlight Altar to conquer the Ringleader's Evergaol and wrest the Black Knife Tiche spirit ashes from Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader.
Watch out: Giving Thops the second key is strictly required to spawn both the Ash of War at the church and the Sorcery at the Academy.
Choices here
What you decide here and what it leads to.
Fate of Sorcerer Thops
Upon meeting Thops at the Church of Irith
- Hand over the spare Academy Glintstone Key→ Thops returns to the Academy, allowing you to later collect Thops's Barrier sorcery from his remains outside the Schoolhouse Classroom and the corresponding Ash of War from a scarab at the church
- Kill Thops at the church→ Obtains only his Bell Bearing and staff, permanently forfeiting the Thops's Barrier sorcery
Most players pick: Hand over the spare Academy Glintstone Key
Killing him early locks you out of obtaining his signature sorcery
Assisting Bloody Finger Hunter Yura
Near the Main Academy Gate broken bridge
- Touch the red summon sign to aid Yura against the Ravenmount Assassin→ You obtain the Raptor of the Mists Ash of War
- Ignore the summon sign and advance to Mountaintops of the Giants→ Shabriri overtakes Yura's form and Raptor of the Mists becomes unobtainable
Most players pick: Touch the red summon sign to aid Yura
Permanently missed once you encounter Shabriri possessing Yura in the Mountaintops of the Giants
Checklists
Don't miss 0/1
Items May be incomplete
0/4
Key fights May be incomplete
Enemies: Glintstone Dragon Smarag
Threats: High-damage magic breath sweeps and aerial stomps
Tactics: Mount Torrent to circle behind its left hind leg; dodge breath attacks by riding outward, then close in to strike the head when it lands
Enemies
Capable of sniping players from extreme distances with high-velocity water jets while mounted.
Attacks with rapid, erratic flailing; casting any multi-target area-of-effect heal spell nearby deals massive direct damage and immediately stuns it.
Prone to berserk melee flurries when their health drops or when triggered by repeated hits.
Shops and people
- Miriel, Pastor of Vows: Sells Sorceries and Incantations; accepts Magic and Prayerbook scrolls; provides absolution using Celestial Dew to reset NPC hostility.
- Master Smith Iji: Sells Somber Smithing Stones [1] through [4] and the Carian Filigreed Crest; upgrades armaments up to max standard level.
- Blackguard Big Boggart: Sells Boiled Prawn (boosts physical damage negation) after purchasing Rya's necklace from him.
Tips
- The shallow swamp water slows dismounted running speed and lowers lightning resistance while increasing fire defense; fight mounted on Torrent to maintain mobility against the snipers and giant crustaceans.
Not listed for this area: secrets.
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