Table of Contents

Can You Bring Sellen Back to Life in Elden Ring? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, you can “bring Sellen back to life” in Elden Ring, but the process is more about transferring her consciousness into different bodies rather than traditional resurrection. The key lies in understanding her questline, her Primal Glintstone, and the various locations associated with her story. Successfully navigating these elements is essential to either aiding her ambitions or opposing them, each path resulting in a different form of “life” for the sorceress. This guide will delve into the intricacies of Sellen’s quest, providing you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about her fate.

Understanding Sellen’s Questline

Sellen’s quest is one of the most complex and morally ambiguous storylines in Elden Ring. She is first encountered in the Witchbane Ruins in Limgrave, imprisoned and labeled a heretic by the Academy of Raya Lucaria. As you progress through her quest, you’ll uncover the reasons for her exile, the extent of her forbidden knowledge, and the lengths she’s willing to go to regain her former power.

The quest involves several key steps:

Meeting Sellen: Begin by interacting with her at the Witchbane Ruins. Agree to become her apprentice.
Defeating Radahn: Progressing Sellen’s quest requires defeating Starscourge Radahn. This opens up access to new areas and allows you to continue her storyline.
Finding Master Lusat and Azur: You’ll be tasked with finding two of Sellen’s former mentors, Master Lusat and Master Azur, both hidden within the world. Obtaining their Primeval Current sorceries is crucial.
Transplanting the Primal Glintstone: You will find Sellen’s original body and be able to transplant the Primal Glintstone there.
Choosing a Side: The quest culminates in a choice: side with Sellen or with Jerren, a former executioner who hunts down heretics. This decision determines the final outcome of Sellen’s story.

The Primal Glintstone and the Illusion of Resurrection

The Primal Glintstone is the crux of Sellen’s “revival.” It contains her very essence, her consciousness and memories. By transplanting this Glintstone into different bodies, you are essentially transferring Sellen’s soul, giving her a new physical form. This is not resurrection in the traditional sense, as the original body remains dead or dormant. Instead, it’s a process of inhabiting new vessels.

This mechanic is central to the moral ambiguity of Sellen’s quest. Is it truly “Sellen” in these new bodies, or merely a fragment of her former self? Are her actions justified by her pursuit of knowledge, or has she succumbed to the corrupting influence of forbidden sorceries? These are questions the player must grapple with as they progress through the quest.

Sellen’s Final Form and the Consequences of Your Choice

The ultimate outcome of Sellen’s quest depends on the choice you make at the Raya Lucaria Grand Library. You’ll be presented with two summon signs: one to assist Sellen and another to assist Jerren.

Siding with Sellen: If you choose to side with Sellen, you’ll help her defeat Jerren and claim her place within the Academy. However, this leads to a disturbing transformation: Sellen ultimately becomes a grotesque cluster of heads, a School of Graven Mages. This is the tragic consequence of her relentless pursuit of forbidden knowledge.
Siding with Jerren: Choosing to side with Jerren results in Sellen’s “death.” You’ll defeat her in combat and prevent her from achieving her ambitions. While this may seem like a negative outcome, it could be argued that it spares her from the horrific fate of becoming the School of Graven Mages.

Regardless of your choice, Sellen’s quest is a poignant exploration of ambition, sacrifice, and the dangers of unchecked power. It serves as a powerful reminder that even in the pursuit of knowledge, there are lines that should not be crossed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you revive Sellen after killing her?

No, you cannot revive Sellen in the traditional sense after defeating her, regardless of whether you sided with her or Jerren. Once her physical form is destroyed, it is permanent. However, if you have not yet completed her quest and accidentally kill her at the Witchbane Ruins, you can absolve yourself at the Church of Vows to revive her.

2. What happens if you don’t complete Sellen’s quest?

If you don’t complete Sellen’s quest, she will remain in her last known state, typically at the Witchbane Ruins or her hidden body location. You will miss out on the rewards associated with her questline, including powerful sorceries and armor sets.

3. Is Sellen evil?

Whether Sellen is “evil” is a matter of perspective and interpretation. She certainly engages in forbidden practices and seeks power, but her motivations are complex. Some may view her as a misguided scholar driven by ambition, while others may see her as a dangerous heretic who threatens the established order. The game encourages players to consider the nuances of her character and make their own judgment.

4. What rewards do you get for siding with Sellen?

By siding with Sellen and defeating Jerren, you will receive the Eccentric Armor set (Hood, Armor, Manchettes, and Breeches) and Sellen’s gratitude. However, keep in mind the tragic transformation she undergoes afterward.

5. What rewards do you get for siding with Jerren?

If you side with Jerren and defeat Sellen, you’ll receive Sellen’s Bell Bearing (allowing you to purchase her sorceries from the Twin Maiden Husks), the Witch’s Glintstone Crown, and an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone from Jerren himself.

6. Where is Sellen’s other body located?

Sellen’s other body, where you transplant the Primal Glintstone, is located near Ranni’s Rise and Renna’s Rise in Liurnia of the Lakes. Look for ruins between the two towers and find an illusory floor leading to a hidden chamber.

7. How do you find Master Lusat?

Master Lusat is found in the Sellia Hideaway in Caelid. This is a hidden cave accessed by hitting an illusory wall near the Church of the Plague. You’ll need the Sellian Sealbreaker given by Sellen to unlock Lusat’s prison.

8. How do you find Master Azur?

Master Azur is located on Mt. Gelmir, northwest of the Erdtree-Gazing Hill Site of Grace. He can be found sitting on a cliff edge, and interacting with him will grant you the Comet Azur sorcery.

9. What is the significance of the Graven School?

The Graven School is a forbidden branch of sorcery that involves grafting multiple heads together to amplify magical power. Sellen is deeply involved with this school, which ultimately leads to her tragic transformation. This highlights the dangers of pursuing forbidden knowledge without restraint. The Games Learning Society studies how games teach complex concepts, and Sellen’s story is a great example of this. You can find more about this at GamesLearningSociety.org.

10. How do you trigger the Sellen vs. Jerren fight?

To trigger the Sellen vs. Jerren fight, you must first complete the earlier steps of Sellen’s quest, including finding Lusat and Azur and transplanting the Primal Glintstone. After this, return to the Raya Lucaria Grand Library, where you will find the summon signs to choose your side.

11. Can Sellen be summoned for other boss fights?

Yes, Sellen can be summoned for the Red Wolf of Radagon boss fight, provided you have already met her and agreed to become her apprentice. Her gold summon sign will appear outside the boss gate.

12. What does Sellen mean when she talks about Primeval Current?

The Primeval Current refers to a fundamental source of sorcerous power that flows through all living beings and the world itself. Sellen believes that by tapping into this current, sorcerers can unlock unimaginable potential. Her pursuit of the Primeval Current is a driving force behind her actions and ultimately contributes to her downfall.

13. What happens if you attack Sellen at the Witchbane Ruins?

If you attack Sellen at the Witchbane Ruins, she will become hostile. However, you can absolve your sins at the Church of Vows to restore her to a friendly state, provided you haven’t progressed too far in her questline.

14. Is there a “good” ending to Sellen’s quest?

There is no objectively “good” ending to Sellen’s quest. Both choices – siding with her or Jerren – have significant consequences and leave the player to question the morality of their actions. Some players argue that siding with Jerren is the lesser of two evils, as it prevents Sellen from transforming into the School of Graven Mages. However, others may believe that supporting Sellen is a testament to the pursuit of knowledge, regardless of the cost.

15. What does Sellen’s final form, the School of Graven Mages, represent?

Sellen’s final form as the School of Graven Mages is a tragic representation of the dangers of unchecked ambition and the corrupting influence of forbidden knowledge. It symbolizes the hubris of those who seek to transcend the limits of human understanding, often at the expense of their own humanity. Her transformation serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of ethical considerations in the pursuit of knowledge and power.

Can you bring sellen back to life?