Ansbach questline guide - Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree
Here's our full walkthrough of Ansbach's quest in Shadow Of The Erdtree
Looking for a full rundown of Ansbach's questline in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree? Ansbach has an involved NPC questline that involves a few different characters in Shadow Of The Erdtree. As a retired follower of Mohg, his relationship with Miquella and staunch followers like Leda is somewhat complex and well worth a delve into.
Below we've gathered a thorough list of all Ansbach questline steps along with a closer look at important choices, consequences, and rewards like the Golden Lion Shield, Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman, Ansbach's Longbow and more so you can get the best result possible out of the quest. We've also listed key locations of things like the Crosses and Secret Rite Scroll so you're geared up to take on the full quest.
Ansbach quest steps
Below is an overview of all the steps you need to take to complete the Ansbach questline in Shadow Of the Erdtree. For more information on each step, scroll down to each section.
- (Optional) Speak to Hornsent at the Three-Path Cross and obtain the Crosses Map.
- Meet Ansbach at the Main Gate Cross Site Of Grace in the Gravesite Plain.
- (Optional) Discover Miquella's Crosses at Belurat, Scaduview and the Cerulean Coast and report back to Ansbach for additional dialogue.
- Advance to the Shadow Keep in Scadu Altus to break Miquella's charm.
- Return to speak to Ansbach at the Main Gate Cross.
- (Optional) Speak to Freyja at the Three-Path Cross Site Of Grace.
- Continue through the Shadow Keep and meet Ansbach again in the Specimen Storehouse (1st floor).
- Advance through the Specimen Storehouse, collecting the Secret Rite Scroll from the 4th floor.
- (Optional) Speak to Freyja on the 7th floor and report back to Ansbach.
- Return the Scroll to Ansbach.
- (Optional) Either give Ansbach's letter to Freyja or wait until Ansbach's questline concludes (see below for both outcomes).
- Progress Leda's questline until you have chosen between Thiollier and Hornsent.
- Return to Ansbach's room and choose to assist either him or Leda (see below for all outcomes).
- Either his quest concludes here or you have the option to summon Ansbach for two Enir-Ilim fights.
Where to find Ansbach in Elden Ring
When you first meet Ansbach in Shadow Of The Erdtree, he will be standing near Moore at the Main Gate Cross Site Of Grace, outside Belurat Tower Settlement in the Gravesite Plain.
Here, he will introduce himself as a retired soldier and ex-follower of Mohg. He will also offer more information about the Land of Shadow and his fellow companion, Moore who acquires goods for Leda's people (followers of Miquella).
You can also gain extra tidbits of lore from Ansbach about Miquella and his purpose within the Land of Shadow. To do this, speak to the Hornsent at the Three-Path Cross and obtain the Crosses Map. Then, return to Ansbach who will inform you that he knows of 3 more Crosses to find, as well as the ones on the map. Each time you discover one of these Crosses, Ansbach will come closer to learning the truth.
Cross locations
The first Cross is located within Belurat, Tower Settlement. Located just before the Stagefront Site of Grace. After discovering it and returning to Ansbach, choose the "Speak of the cross at the tower" dialogue option for the following information:
"As suspected, Kindly Miquella has visited the lands which hold the tower. And appears intent on wholly dispossessing himself of his flesh. He must be seeking entrance to the tower of shadow."
The next Cross is located at the Scaduview Cross Site Of Grace in Scadu Altus. This is on top of a cliff overlooking the Ghostflame Dragon below. To access the area, you must jump up a sealed Spiritspring (located directly east of the route out of the Fort of Reprimand). After discovering it and returning to Ansbach, choose the "Speak of the cross where the eye was abandoned" dialogue option for the following information:
"I can hardly believe it, he's divested himself of his very eye...Tender Miquella's eye is no mere morsel of flesh. It is a vessel of soaring grace. Proof of his Empyrean lineage. I wonder, does Miquella the Kind intend to sever his very birthright? His fate as a child of the Erdtree?"
Upon speaking to him again (once you have discovered at least two Crosses), he will continue:
"Righteous Tarnished. I have reasoned through my findings. Concerning Kind Miquella's intentions - why he is here. The full picture is yet to coalesce, but we do know that he is bound for the tower of shadow. And that is where he intends to rise to true godhood...The tower of shadow houses a divine gateway. A well-kept secret, it was, but...The gateway was once the birthplace of a god. A god we know all too well."
The third and final Cross for this part of the quest is located within the Cerulean Coast, directly south along the pathway from the Cerulean Coast Site Of Grace. After discovering it and returning to Ansbach, choose the "Speak of the cross at the coast" dialogue option for the following information:
"To think there was a cross left in such a faraway place...And the deep-purple water lilies would be blooming there. This can only mean Kindly Miquella has divested himself even of that...His adoring other self, his blossom of slumber."
It is worth noting that you can discover these crosses in any order and get each piece of dialogue from Ansbach. To advance Ansbach's quest and that of the other NPCs in the Land of Shadow beyond this moment, you must break Miquella's charm. Make sure you find the above Crosses before doing so if you want this dialogue however, because afterwards Ansbach will move location.
How to break Miquella's charm
To break Miquella's charm, you need to travel to one of the following three locations for the first time:
- The Shadow Keep.
- The Rauh Base.
- Eastern Scadu Altus (beyond Bonny Village).
Once you have, you'll be met with the sound of shattering glass and the following words:
Somewhere, a great rune has broken... And so too has a powerful charm.
We have a full explainer on what "A great rune has broken" means but essentially, it signifies that you have advanced the main story, the NPCs in the Land of Shadow have retained their memories and independence and the seal that previously prevented you from entering the Stone Coffin Fissure has been removed.
Before advancing through the Shadow Keep dungeon, return to Ansbach. Now that he has regained his independence he will express the desire to figure out Miquella's true intentions and will move to The Shadow Keep to investigate. He sheds some light on how he was charmed by Miquella in the first place and says:
... Once, in an attempt to free Lord Mohg from his enchantment, I challenged Tender Miquella, only to have my own heart rather artfully stolen. I knew not how weak I was. I believed that with sufficient mastery, even an Empyrean would be within reach of my blade. I could not have been more mistaken...Miquella the Kind is a monster...
Make sure you catch up with the other NPCs after breaking the charm too. In particular, speak to Freyja at the Three-Path Cross Site Of Grace as she will interlock with this quest in the future.
Be warned: Once you defeat the boss within the Shadow Keep and use Messmer's fire on the Sealing Tree beyond the Church of the Bud, most NPCs on the map will disappear.
Where to find Ansbach and Freyja in The Shadow Keep
At this point in the quest, you will next find Ansbach in a room adjacent to the First Floor Site Of Grace within the Specimen Storehouse in the Shadow Keep.
From the First Floor Site Of Grace, travel left around the specimen statue (avoiding the hiding Vulgar Militiamen in the process). Continue forward, then take the stairs upwards and avoid the Shades throwing fireballs. Turn left at the bookcases and then make a right inside the first doorway you see. This is where Ansbach awaits with a mission to figure out what has happened to Mohg's remains.
As you explore more of the Shadow Keep and make your way up to the top of the Specimen Storehouse, you'll also encounter Redmane Freyja at the Seventh Floor Site Of Grace. Here, she will say a mixture of dialogue, both to herself and the Tarnished:
By my lord will I ever make sense of this jumble? Truly, I should have asked Ansbach to impart his knowledge when I had the chance.
Naturally, this may be a tad confusing as reporting back to Ansbach doesn't seem to move the story along. It seems in her quest to find out more about Radahn and her role, she has uncovered a tablet but cannot determine its meaning.
To progress both her and Ansbach's quests from here, you must locate the Secret Rite Scroll. Essentially, this holds the information that both Ansbach and Freyja seek in regard to the fates of their lords, Radahn and Mohg.
Note: Make sure you speak to Freyja and report her presence in the keep to Ansbach before giving him the Secret Rite Scroll, as he will disappear from the area shortly afterwards.
Where to find the Secret Rite Scroll
The Secret Rite Scroll can be found on the 4th floor of the Specimen Storehouse by following these steps:
- From the Storehouse Fourth Floor Site Of Grace, move forward and turn left at the balcony.
- Continue up two flights of stairs.
- Turn left and take the stairs downwards. Take a right into a room overlooking more specimens.
- Inside this room, loot the scroll from the desk located at the back-right corner.
Once you find the Secret Rite Scroll, return it to Ansbach to reveal more about Mohg and Miquella's plans. Whilst you're on the 4th Floor, you can also find another of Miquella's Crosses, a Scadutree Fragment and a message from Ansbach called the 'Storehouse Cross Message'. It says that the Church District has been flooded and there is no clear route to get there from the Storehouse. This alludes to the upper loft areas of the Storehouse, inaccessible until you drain the water. See our Church District walkthrough for more information.
Warning: Story spoilers from here on out.
Should you give the letter to Freyja?
Essentially, Miquella has stolen Mohg's body and plans to use it to resurrect Radahn. Ansbach is understandably upset about the misuse of his former master's body and tells you to pass on a letter to Freyja to make her aware of the situation. From here you have two options:
- Give the letter to Freyja: Surprisingly, Freyja isn't angry about the ritual and instead sees Radahn's return as a glorious thing, no matter the way in which it happens. Giving Freyja the letter before resolving Anbach's questline will result in her appearing in the Enir-Ilim fight later on. Ultimately, this means you'll face her, kill her and take her armor and greatsword afterwards.
- Don't give the letter to Freyja: If you choose to wait and don't give her the letter, you will save her from the Enir-Ilim fight and avoid fighting her. After advancing through the main story she will eventually disappear from the Shadow Keep and you'll be able to pick up her shield from the 7th floor Site of Grace.
Whichever option you choose, Freyja will give you the Golden Lion Shield. Now, rest at a Site Of Grace and speak to Leda at the Highroad Cross Site Of Grace in Scadu Altus. Note: To continue from here, you need to have progressed Leda's questline enough to have made a choice between Thiollier and Hornsent.
Leda or Ansbach? All quest outcomes
It transpires that Leda is set on getting rid of Ansbach, fearing that he will strike against Miquella. Return to Ansbach's room in the Specimen Storehouse and you'll see a red and gold summon sign where he once was. You can choose to help either Ansbach or Leda but both choices will have consequences.
Assist Ansbach:
If you choose to assist Ansbach, Leda will die (for now) and you'll recieve the following:
- Leda's Rune (worth 40,000 Runes).
- Ansbach's Longbow.
- Ansbach summon for two future fights in Enir-Ilim.
- Obsidian Lamina (if summoned for last fight).
- Furious Blade of Ansbach (if summoned for last fight).
Assist Leda:
If you choose to assist Leda, you'll recieve the following:
- Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman (enhances attacks executed after rolling or backstepping).
- Sanguine Noble Nataan summon for the Enir-Ilim Cleansing Chamber Anteroom fight.
- Wise Man's Mask, Ansbach's Attire, Ansbach's Manchettes, Ansbach's Boots, Ansbach's Longbow.
In my opinion, it is better to assist Ansbach as you should get his armor and gear anyway if you summon him for the last fight of the DLC (although, depending on your choices you may have to choose between summoning him or Thiollier to assist). You'll get his invaluable help against arguably the hardest boss in Elden Ring as well as the Obsidian Lamina Reaper (with Dexterity Scaling C and 55 passive Bleed buildup damage) as well as the Furious Blade of Ansbach Incantation. Of course, this is at the end of the DLC, so may not be much of an incentive unless you're looking to delve into new game plus. Additionally, Leda will turn on you no matter what choices you make, as soon as you enter Enir-Ilim. But of course, the choice is always yours.
Where to find Ansbach in Enir-Ilim
Now you've chosen between Ansbach and Leda, there's nothing more to do in this questline other than progress to the final region, Enir-Ilim. This means you need to defeat Messmer at the Shadow Keep and use his fire on the Sealing Tree, beyond the Church of the Bud (in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh).
As soon as you do, most of the NPCs will disappear off the map and you'll be instantly transported into Enir-Ilim. From here, make your way through the region until you get to the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom. This is where Leda will appear and summon her allies.
This can be an extremely tough fight, but you should have at least one summon available to help (this will be Ansbach if you sided with him in the above choice).
Defeat Leda and her gang and get prepared to face the last boss of the DLC. Before advancing, if Ansbach was summoned he'll be waiting for you at the foot of the Divine Gate stairs. Ansbach will express that he knows it was the Tarnished that killed Mohg but does not hold it against them as it was a fair fight. He will also go one further and offer his assistance against the last boss, Miquella himself.
If you summon Ansbach for the fight, you'll be able to loot the arena afterwards for his armor, Obsidian Lamina, and the Furious Blade of Ansbach Incantation. Alternatively, if you have Thiollier as a summon option, you can get Thiollier's gear and Thiollier's Hidden Needle after the fight.
Ansbach questline rewards
The following quest rewards are what you can expect to gain from Ansbach's questline providing you make the stipulated choices:
- Golden Lion Shield: Give Ansbach's letter to Freyja, or return to Freyja's spot at the 7th Floor Specimen Storehouse Site Of Grace after the Enir-Ilim fight against Leda.
- Freyja's Greatsword and armor set: Gained if you give Ansbach's letter to Freyja before progressing to Enir-Ilim and she joins the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom fight.
- Leda's Rune: Worth 40,000 Runes. Gained after siding with Ansbach against Leda in The Shadow Keep.
- Ansbach's Longbow: Gained after siding with Ansbach against Leda in The Shadow Keep.
- Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman: Gained after siding with Leda against Ansbach in The Shadow Keep.
- Sanguine Noble Nataan summon: Summonable in the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom fight if you sided with Leda throughout her quest.
- Ansbach summon: (Both in the Cleansing Chamber Anteroom fight and the last boss fight of the DLC). Gained after siding with Ansbach against Leda in The Shadow Keep.
- Wise Man's Mask, Ansbach's Attire, Ansbach's Manchettes, Ansbach's Boots, Anbach's Longbow: Gained after siding with Leda against Ansbach in The Shadow Keep or retrieved from Ansbach's body after the final boss fight.
- Obsidian Lamina, Furious Blade of Ansbach: Retrieved from Ansbach's body after the final boss fight (must side with him against Leda).
That rounds up our guide on the Ansbach questline in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree. For more Elden Ring tips and tricks, check out our best weapons, best armor, Talismans, builds or boss locations guides.