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Elden Ring: Ruins Map Locations for the Finger Ruins & Count Ymir Quest

by Alex Donaldson on 21 June, 2024

There’s a number of mysterious NPCs you’ll meet during the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion DLC for Elden Ring, but perhaps none are quite as mysterious or as lore-vital as Count Ymir and his loyal knight, Swordhand of Night Jolan. Their quest has earth-shattering reveals for the lore of Elden Ring and The Lands Between - but you’ll need to puzzle out Ruins Map clues and discover key locations in The Realm of Shadow to progress that storyline.

To start this quest line off, you’ll need to discover the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, which is found in the eastern-most part of Scadu Altus, the plains area in the middle of the map that ultimately serves to connect the second and third legacy dungeons (Castle Ensis and Shadow Keep). However, this area also acts as a gateway to many other areas of the game which are optional to the DLC’s critical path, with lots of brilliant optional content to be found in truest Elden Ring tradition.

This guide will help you to get the quest started, solve out the Finger Ruins Maps that Ymir gives you, and ultimately finish the quest line and reap its rewards.

How to reach the Cathedral of Manus Metyr and start the Fingers Quest in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The looming Cathedral of Manus Metyr is where the quest of the Finger Ruins and the Ruins Map offerings kicks off.

The quest we’re after starts at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, and in order to reach that location you’ll need to first complete Castle Ensis, the second legacy dungeon in the game (though you can approach the first two in whichever order you like). 

Once you have access to Scadu Altus via the rear boss room exit of Castle Ensis, to kick-start this quest you’ll want to head to the east. Directly east and down a hill from the exit of Castle Ensis and another of Miquella’s crosses is Moorth Ruins, a small ruined hamlet that is home to a second Miquella’s Cross and Site of Grace. 

Within Moorth Ruins you’ll want to look for routes down, underground. Within the ruins there’s a tunnel that takes you deep into the earth and then ultimately spits you out a little further East, in another location known as the Bonny Village. 

This village will actually be a key location for later in the quest, but from here you have a relatively straight shot to the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, which requires you to cross some bridges, gallop up some hills, and then turn back on yourself to reach it. The cathedral is a huge and looming landmark, and so is impossible to miss.

Getting the first Ruins Map

Count Ymir hands over the first Ruins Map, kicking off a grand mystery.

Within the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, you’ll discover Count Ymir atop a throne-like chair, and also his mysterious knight Swordhand of Night Jolan inside. Exhaust dialogue with both of them, or at the very least Ymir.

Finishing the dialogue with Ymir rewards you with the Hole-Laden Necklace, a key item, and the Ruins Map, which is one of those Elden Ring maps that can only be checked by opening it and looking at it in the inventory, memorizing it, and then cross-referencing it with the in-game map. Alternatively, you can just keep reading this handy page!

Your next job is to visit the location outlined in the Ruins and use the Hole-Laden Necklace to ‘ring a bell’ at that location.

Ruins Map Location for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The Ruins Map is a rough sketch that, as per the in-game description, “indicates the location of a hallowed ruin”. You have to combine this with the Hole-Laden Necklace to activate a bell at a specific location in Shadow of the Erdtree’s map.

The 1st Ruins Map suggests you head to an area in the south-east of the world, as this image shows.

The first Ruins Map points you towards the Finger Ruins of Rhia, which is in the south-east of the map. This is one of those areas that looks like it can be accessed from a number of locations, but most of the potential routes you can identify will lead to dead ends or death.

To actually reach the area, you must have access to the Cerulean Coast, the gorgeous blue-tinted coastline to the south-west of the Shadow Realm map that makes up the Elden Ring DLC. From the Cerulean Coast Cross Site of Grace in that area, you’ll want to head slightly North, then loop back around east, through a narrow pathway cutting between a cliff and one of the ruined ships.

This leads to a beach area, where you can then follow the shallows at the water’s edge around until you can loop back up to the Finger Ruins of Rhia area, which has a dedicated Site of Grace.

Take this path from the Cerulean Coastline to reach the Finger Ruins of Rhia.

Once you’re at the Finger Ruins of Rhia Site of Grace, you’ve reached the area located in the Ruins Map. 

You’ll need to make your way to the obvious center of the area, which itself resembles a fingerprint when seen from the sky or on the in-game map. You’ll need to be careful to avoid the Fingercreepers and the Man-Serpents present in this area - you can summon a Spirit Ash to help you make your way through the area. Making a dash for it on Torrent is possible, but be aware that some enemies cast magic that can instantly dismount you.

At the bell in the center of the ‘fingerprint’, interact to use the necklace and ring the bell. You’ll get the Crimson Seed Talisman +1 accessory for your trouble. Now return to Ymir at the Cathedral.

Ruins Map (2nd) Location for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

Returning to the Cathedral of Manus Metyr after activating the first ruins triggers new dialogue with Ymir and Jolan, and Ymir will now hand over a new map. This is the Ruins Map (2nd), and points - you guessed it - to another location on the Elden Ring DLC overworld.

Ruins Map 2nd points to an area in the top right of the Elden Ring DLC's map.

In order to access the area for this Finger Ruins, you’ll need to have made your way into the Shadow Keep Legacy Dungeon. Through this dungeon you can eventually access the Shadow Keep Back Gate Site of Grace - and it’s from here that you’ll be heading out.

Next to the Back Gate of Shadow Keep is a side room, with a statue - and a dead end. However, hint text suggests there’s more to this room than meets the eye. 

We have a full guide on the solution to the ‘Have mercy for the spirited-away Shamans’ riddle if you’d prefer - but the very short version is that you need to perform the O Mother gesture in front of the statue in order to open a new path. That gesture can be found back in Bonny Village, which you must have passed through to reach the Cathedral - a nice bit of circular design. 

The opened path leads to the ‘Hinterlands’ area and Site of Grace, which in turn leads to the Fingerstone Hill Site of Grace - which leads to the Finger Ruins of Dheo. Once you access the area, this one is quite simple.

The same rules apply - make your way to the middle of the fingerprint dodging or killing the enemies, then interact with the creepy bell. You’ll get the Cerulean Seed Talisman +1, and can now return to the Cathedreal and Ymir once again.

Ruins Map 3 Location & Solution

Return to Ymir at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr again and once more exhaust his dialogue. This time he hands over the Ruins Map (3rd) - which quite clearly depicts the very church where you are standing. No map graph is needed for this one: you're already clearly standing on top of it.

The secret of Ruins Map 3rd is right under your nose, in classic Elden Ring fashion.

With that in mind, make sure to exhaust all of Ymir’s dialogue, and then go and rest at the nearby Site of Grace. When you return, Ymir will be gone. Interact with his throne in the middle of the Cathedral to find it hides a secret path, which leads directly to the Finger Ruins of Miyr, which are underground.

There’ll be just a few enemies to fight down here before you sound the bell - but thing of it as a bell of war, as you should now prepare yourself for a unique Remembrance Boss - one of the main ten bosses added in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. We won’t spoil that here, but the boss will net you some 400,00-plus runes and a Remembrance.

The Mystery of the Finger Ruins Unraveled

Once the boss is defeated, there’s no actual way to exit its dedicated boss arena other than to warp  away to a Site of Grace - so open up the map and teleport yourself back to the Cathedral of Manus Metyr.

When all is said and done, Count Ymir becomes your enemy.

If you try to return to the room where Ymir and his throne were, you’ll find the throne is back in place - and then you’ll be invaded by none other than Swordhand of Night Jolan, Count Ymir’s loyal ally. Defeat her and you will then face Count Ymir himself, casting some unique magic.

Defeat both and you’ll get your hands on Ymir’s ‘High Priest Armor set’ that’s made up of four pieces, Ymir’s Bell Bearing, and the Maternal Staff. With that, this quest line concludes. Be sure to read the inventory entries of each of the items you’ve picked up, which will enlighten you more as to the lore ramifications of all you’ve just learned.