How do you complete Ainsel River Main and Nokstella, Eternal City in Elden Ring? Ainsel River Main and Nokstella, Eternal City can be reached as part of Ranni the Witch's quest, using a teleporter from the top of Renna's Rise. It's a key underground location in the game, and also where you'll find Miniature Ranni, which you'll need to interact with at a Site of Grace.

As part of our Elden Ring guide, we're going to explain how to complete Ainsel River Main and Nokstella, Eternal City. We've divided this guide up into a series of sections and headlines that will help you to keep track of your progress, as you progress with Ranni the Witch's quest.

Elden Ring: How to Complete Ainsel River Main and Nokstella, Eternal City

On this page, we're going to explain how to complete Ainsel River Main and Nokstella, Eternal City, including the fight against Baleful Shadow.

Ainsel River Main Walkthrough: How to Find It

Ansel River Main can be accessed from a teleporter at the top of Renna's Rise, which will be locked unless you've progressed far enough into Ranni the Witch's quest. For more information on that, refer to How to Complete Ranni the Witch's Quest. Immediately after stepping out of the teleporter, you'll spot a corpse with Miniature Ranni, which you should loot. You now have an option to Talk to Miniature Ranni at the nearby Site of Grace, which you should do three times to progress the quest. Your next step is to reach Nokstella, Eternal City by progressing through Ansel River Main.

Ansel River Main Walkthrough: Push Forward to Nokstella, Eternal City

Venture forward from the Site of Grace and you're going to immediately find yourself attacked by a Malformed Star, which is the giant caterpillar type creature directly ahead of you. You can use the walls in this area as a means of defense, to protect you between the deadly bolts of magic that are going to come your way. If you feel brave enough, fight the Malformed Star head on and target its skull. Standing beneath it keeps you safe from the magic attacks, although it can still strike you physically on the ground. Killing it will net you a Somber Smithing Stone [7] while there are lots of Glove Graveworts and Ghost Gloveworts in the area to upgrade your Summon Spirits. Don't go down the hill behind the Malformed Star yet, take the other direction beyond the poison plants, and pick up the Stonesword Key and Clayman Ashes.

Now return to where the Malformed Star was and go down the hill beyond it. There are Giant Ants down here but they shouldn't prove too much of a challenge for a hardened warrior. Pick up the Stimulating Boluses and Golden Rune [10] and deal with the Giant Ant with the hardened head. Down the tunnel beyond it are some sorcerers, and a Malformed Star in the distance. Hug the right wall and follow the pathway around, onto the ruins behind the Malformed Star, for the Wing of Astel. Then climb back up and retrace your steps, picking up the Somber Smithing Stone [6], and taking the opposite pathway out of the room with Giant Ants to the Nokstella, Eternal City Site of Grace.

Nokstella, Eternal City Walkthrough: Gather All the Valuable Items

Directly from the Site of Grace, in the ruins ahead, is Magic Grease. On the right side of the area is a Swordstress riding a Giant Ant, so take her out and grab the Ghost Glovewort [7] behind. Then defeat the Monks in the area ahead and grab a Smithing Stone [6]. To your right is an alcove with Snails guarding a Celestial Dew, and an area ahead with more Snails, particularly waiting on the wall when you loot the Smithing Stone [6]. Forge ahead, past the lightning Silver Tears — you can cause chain explosions with these — and pick up the Golden Rune [10] and Ghost Glovewort [8]. Then, in the area with the Giant Ants, grab the Stonesword Key.

Take the lift down to Nokstella Waterfall Basin and then warp back to Nokstella, Eternal City and this time take the stair case up. In the room to your left is a Swordstress protecting an Ant's Skull Plate, while up the stairs, on the left, are the Archer Ashes.

Go in the room with the Silver Tears to loot the Ghost-Glovewort Picker's Bell Bearing [2], and then around to the right pick up the Golden Rune [10]. At the end of this area, on the left, is an Imp Statue, and inside are some Monks protecting Nightmaiden & Swordstress Puppets Ashes. Also beware the giant ball which rolls around here; you can kill it if you're careful, just don't let it roll into you at speed. Head inside the building past the Giant Ball and loot the Great Ghost Glovewort, but beware as there's another Giant Ball that will spawn here. Go up the stairs and pick up the Smithing Stone [6] to your right, then into the building with another Giant Ball and a chest that contains a Somber Smithing Stone [7].

Outside here is a Teardrop Scarab, while the building is protected by two Silver Tears that transform into humans and a Swordstress. Defeat them all and loot the chest for the Moon of Nokstella. Then exit left and take the lift down to a Golden Seed. You're now safe to teleport to Nokstella Waterfall Basin to face Baleful Shadow.

Nokstella, Eternal City Walkthrough: How to Beat Baleful Shadow

The path from Nokstella Waterfall Basin to Baleful Shadow isn't of particular interest, aside from a few Smithing Stones, but if you want to progress Ranni the Witch's quest, then you should spare a moment to Talk to Miniature Ranni before taking it. Baleful Shadow isn't a particularly challenging fight: it'll often pause after big wipes of its sword, and you can backstab if you're nimble enough. This can be a long fight as Baleful Shadow will replenish health with flasks, but keep your guard up and whittle away at its health to get the Discarded Palace Key, then push on to the Lake of Rot to activate the Site of Grace.

Do you have any other tips and tricks for how to complete Ainsel River Main and Nokstella, Eternal City in Elden Ring? Have a browse of our Elden Ring guide, and let us know in the comments section below.