The best thing about Elden Ring is that it doesn’t restrict the players to follow a straight path. Instead, the players are free to roam the vast game world and follow any questline of their choice. Though an interesting concept, it often confuses the players about where to pick up the remaining storyline. In this regard, Elden Ring guides you to the story until you face the first demigod, i.e., Rennala.
After defeating the queen of the full moon, you can progress in the game as you like. For instance, you can choose to explore the world, go after the easier optional bosses, or continue the storyline of becoming the Elden Lord. So, where to go after Rennala in Elden Ring?
The answer to this question is quite complicated, as it all depends on your playing style. However, you must keep in mind that the only way to progress the story is to visit the Royal Capital after defeating Rennala. Here’s the complete path to continue the storyline:
What to do after Rennala?
The first step after defeating Rennala is to finish off any remaining business in the Academy. Start at the Academy gate and head towards the northeast exit. The main goal is to reach the Altus Plateau. However, there are two options depending on whether you already have both halves of the Dectus Medallion or not. First and the easiest way is to take the Grand lift of Dectus and onto the plateau. Otherwise, you can take the route through the mines to reach the Altus Plateau.
Grand lift of Dectus
Taking the grand lift of Dectus is probably the easiest way to reach the Altus Plateau. As the name suggests, it is just an elevator that takes you to the plateau without having to fight anyone. However, you need both the left and right halves of the Dectus Medallion to activate the lift.
The first half of the Dectus Medallion (left)
The first or left half of the Dectus Medallion is located in Fort Haight, Limgrave. Moreover, there are many other activities in the fort, like you can complete the quest that requires you to clear out the fort. However, if you are only there for the Medallion, you don’t need to fight anyone. When you reach the fort, run through it till you reach the top. Here you will find a powerful knight but fighting him is optional. Instead, you can run toward the doorway of the tower and climb up the ladder. You will find a chest on this level; open it to retrieve the left half of the Dectus Medallion.
The second half of the Dectus Medallion (right):
The second half of the Dectus Medallion is located in Fort Faroth, Caelid. However, it can be dangerous if you don’t know the right way. Fortunately, I have managed to retrieve the second half of Medallion without getting hurt. When you reach Fort Faroth, you will be welcomed by spirits and sleeping Chanting Winged Dames. However, the dames won’t be asleep for long so you must hurry. Head left from the entrance of the fort till you reach a doorway lit with torches. There you will find a ladder and climb it to reach the chest. Open it and retrieve the right half of the Dectus Medallion.
However, the dames will be awake by now and will attack you on sight. They will charge on you with spew poison till you are out of sight. So, the best plan is to keep running till you are out of the fort. Hopefully, if you are fast enough, you will get the second half of the Medallion without getting hit.
The Grand lift
After retrieving both halves of the Dectus Medallion, fast travel to the Grand lift of Dectus. If you haven’t explored the area, exit from the northeast gate of the Academy and follow the road till you reach the lift. You will encounter a few catapults and walking soldiers along the path who will attack you on sight. The best way to avoid any damage is to ride the Torrent to the lift.
Touch the site of Grace and walk to one of the circles in the middle of the elevator. When prompted, interact with the circle to use the halves of the Dectus Medallion. The lift will then take you to the top of the Altus Plateau; you can continue your path to the Royal Capital from there.
Find the route in the mines
The second option for reaching the Altus Plateau after defeating Rennala is through a route in the mines. However, this route is far more dangerous as you will need to fight several enemies and a hard boss on the way. Still, if you prefer this route over collecting the halves of the Dectus Medallion, feel free to follow this guide.
After defeating Rennala at the Academy, head north till you reach the Bellum Church, enter the church, touch the site of Grace, and walk down the slope inside the church. You will find a merchant on the way, ignore him, and keep walking till you reach a river at the bottom of the hill. Moreover, there will be a few bloated plants that spew poison at you. Avoid them and keep walking to stay away from getting any damage. Keep following the river north till you reach Ravine Veiled Village Site and a small village. You will find a ladder at the village site that takes you into the mines.
The mines are full of enemies like Chanting Winged Dames and an optional boss: The Magma Wyrm Makar.
How to defeat The Magma Wyrm Makar?
The best way to defeat The Magma Wyrm Makar is to use a ranged weapon like a bow. However, it is a powerful boss that lunges and spits lava at you. So, speed and timely dodges are the keys to defeating him. Moreover, you can also use the large pillar in the center of the arena to avoid getting hurt.
Run around the pillar till Magma starts his lava attack animation. Quickly move at the back and attack him from behind. Repeat the technique till his health reaches 50%. Now the second phase of the boss fight begins; Magma will be much faster and will attack you more often in this phase. However, you can defeat him in no time by repeating the technique from the first phase. For melee attacks with a sword, summon an NPC and stay close to attack his feet and tail.
After defeating, The Magma Wyrm Makar, the rest of the journey is pretty straightforward. Simply follow the path till you reach an elevator. This lift will take you to the Altus Plateau and, finally, the Royal Capital.
FAQs:
What to do after defeating Rennala?
The players have several options after defeating Rennala. For instance, you can explore Liurnia of the Lakes, Ainsel and Siofra Rivers, and Caelid before continuing the storyline. Alternatively, you can head to the Royal Capital using the Grand lift of Dectus or through a route in the mines for the rest of the main quests.
What level should I be for Raya Lucaria?
According to the Elden Ring community, you must be at least level 50 or 60 before going to Raya Lucaria. Moreover, higher levels will only make things easier for you. In any case, it is best to upgrade as much as possible before going for Raya Lucaria in Elden Ring.
How to use the Grand lift of Dectus in Elden Ring?
You need to retrieve both halves of the Dectus Medallion to activate the Grand lift of Dectus. The first half of the Medallion is in Fort Haight, Limgrave. Fighting the knight in the fort is optional, though you can fight him to complete the quest. Similarly, the second half of the Dectus is in Fort Faroth, Caelid.
What rewards do I get for defeating Rennala?
Rennala is perhaps one of the trickiest bosses in the starting stages of Elden Ring. Though difficult to defeat, she drops great rewards that make her worth fighting. After defeating Rennala, you get:
- 40,000 Runes,
- The Great Rune of the Unborn,
- The Remembrance of the Full Moon Queen
Moreover, you can also get the Dark Moon Ring by opening the locked chest next to Rennala.
What does the Dark Moon Ring do?
The Dark Moon Ring has no strength or charm significance in Elden Ring. However, it is an important element for one of the six endings of the game. So, if you want to enjoy all endings of the game, it would be best to keep it in your inventory till the very end.
Conclusion
Rennala is the last boss of the Raya Lucaria Academy in Elden Ring. Till this point, the game guides you to stick to the main storyline. However, after defeating Rennala, you can either travel to the Royal Capital to continue the storyline or explore the vast world for some side quests. In any case, most people get confused as there is no clear path ahead. Therefore, this article explains all the possible routes that you can take to reach the Royal Capital.
