How to Start the FIA Questline in Elden Ring: A Comprehensive Guide
To start the Fia questline in Elden Ring, you must first reach the Roundtable Hold after defeating either Godrick the Grafted or two shardbearers. Then, repeatedly accept Fia’s embrace and let her hold you until she reveals a secret dialogue option and entrusts you with a Weathered Dagger. This triggers the quest and sets you on the path towards one of the game’s alternate endings.
Reaching Fia and the Roundtable Hold
The Roundtable Hold is a safe haven for Tarnished, accessible relatively early in the game. However, you can only access it after fulfilling specific criteria:
- Defeat Godrick the Grafted: This is the main boss of Stormveil Castle and a significant hurdle.
- Defeat Two Shardbearers: Alternatively, instead of Godrick, you can defeat any two other shardbearers. Examples include Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, or Starscourge Radahn.
Once one of these conditions is met, Melina will invite you to the Roundtable Hold. Accepting her invitation will teleport you to the Hold. Within the Hold, you’ll find Fia in a room near the Roundtable Hold’s main chamber.
Beginning the Quest: Accepting the Embrace and the Weathered Dagger
To initiate the questline, you must interact with Fia and accept her embrace. This provides a temporary HP boost and a debuff to your poise. Continuously accept the embrace each time you return to the Roundtable Hold. After several embraces (usually 2-3 times), a new dialogue option will appear where Fia confides in you and asks for a favor.
She will reveal she is a Deathbed Companion and is searching for something. She then presents you with the Weathered Dagger and asks you to return it to its rightful owner. This marks the official start of the Fia questline.
Progressing Through the Questline
The next step is to find the dagger’s owner. The game doesn’t explicitly tell you, but the Weathered Dagger belongs to D, Hunter of the Dead, who can also be found in the Roundtable Hold. Giving him the dagger will trigger a sequence of events that push the quest forward.
Warning: Giving D the Weathered Dagger triggers significant changes to the Roundtable Hold and its NPCs. Proceed with caution and ensure you’ve completed any other pressing quests in the Hold before continuing.
Consequences of Giving D the Dagger
After handing D the Weathered Dagger and reloading the area by either fast traveling away and back or resting at the Roundtable Hold grace, you’ll find that D is dead in the hallway near the blacksmith. Fia will be standing over his body. Interacting with Fia at this location reveals that she murdered D. She then disappears from the Roundtable Hold.
Finding Fia at Nokron, Eternal City
To continue the quest, you need to progress through Ranni’s questline until you gain access to Nokron, Eternal City. This is accessible by defeating Starscourge Radahn and then entering the crater that forms in the Mistwood region of Limgrave. After traversing through Nokron, you’ll eventually reach the Aqueduct-Facing Cliffs Site of Grace. Follow the path down to the Siofra Aqueduct area.
Within the Siofra Aqueduct, you’ll find the Valiant Gargoyle boss fight. Defeat them to access the Deeproot Depths.
The Deeproot Depths and Godwyn’s Corpse
Within the Deeproot Depths, locate the Prince of Death’s Throne Site of Grace. You’ll find Fia here, protecting the corpse of Godwyn the Golden. Continue to interact with her. She will request the Cursemark of Death to allow her to lie with Godwyn and produce an heir.
Obtaining the Cursemark of Death
The Cursemark of Death is obtained through Ranni’s questline. Specifically, you need to give Ranni the Fingerslayer Blade, found in Nokron, Eternal City. She will then give you the Carian Inverted Statue, which allows you to access the inverted Carian Study Hall in Liurnia. Progress through the inverted Study Hall to reach the Divine Tower of Liurnia and claim the Cursemark of Death.
Returning to Fia and Battling the Dragon
After obtaining the Cursemark, return to Fia in the Deeproot Depths. Give her the Cursemark of Death. She will then enter a slumber. After resting at the nearby Site of Grace, interact with Fia again to enter her dream. You will have to defeat the Lichdragon Fortissax boss.
Obtaining the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince
After defeating Lichdragon Fortissax, you can interact with Fia’s body to obtain the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince. This rune is required to achieve the Age of Duskborn ending.
Ending the Game
After obtaining the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince, you must progress through the game and defeat the final boss. After defeating the Elden Beast, you will have the option to use the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince to mend the Elden Ring, triggering the Age of Duskborn ending.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the Fia questline necessary for the main ending?
No, the Fia questline is not necessary for the main Elden Ring ending. It leads to an alternate ending, the Age of Duskborn, and offers unique rewards and lore.
2. Can I miss the start of Fia’s questline?
No, you cannot permanently miss the start of Fia’s questline. As long as you can access the Roundtable Hold, you can interact with her and begin the quest. However, the progression of other quests can influence your interaction with the Fia’s questline.
3. What happens if I kill Fia?
If you kill Fia before completing her questline, you will forfeit the chance to obtain the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince and achieve the Age of Duskborn ending. However, you can still progress through other endings.
4. What level should I be for the Fia questline?
The recommended level for the areas involved in the Fia questline, particularly Nokron, Eternal City, and Deeproot Depths, is around level 70-90. Adjust accordingly based on your build and skill.
5. What are the benefits of completing the Fia questline?
Completing the Fia questline provides:
- The Age of Duskborn ending.
- Unique dialogue and lore regarding Death and the Golden Order.
- The Mending Rune of the Death-Prince, which can be used in New Game Plus.
- The Remembrance of the Lichdragon, allowing you to obtain powerful weapons or spells.
6. Do I need to complete Ranni’s questline to finish Fia’s?
Yes, Ranni’s questline is essential for completing Fia’s, as you need the Cursemark of Death, which is obtained through her questline.
7. Can I do Fia’s and Ranni’s questlines in the same playthrough?
Yes, you can complete both Fia’s and Ranni’s questlines in the same playthrough. However, be mindful of the branching points, as choices in one questline might affect the availability of certain items or dialogue in the other.
8. Where can I find D, Hunter of the Dead?
D, Hunter of the Dead, can initially be found near the Summonwater Village in Limgrave and later moves to the Roundtable Hold near the twin husks.
9. What happens if I don’t give D the Weathered Dagger?
If you don’t give D the Weathered Dagger, the Fia questline will not progress. You need to give him the dagger for Fia to move to Nokron and continue her quest.
10. How do I access Deeproot Depths?
The Deeproot Depths are accessible after defeating the Valiant Gargoyle boss duo in the Siofra Aqueduct, which is part of Nokron, Eternal City.
11. Who is Godwyn the Golden?
Godwyn the Golden was the first of the demigods to die and a prominent figure in the Shattering of the Elden Ring. His corrupted corpse is central to Fia’s motivations.
12. What are the rewards for defeating Lichdragon Fortissax?
Defeating Lichdragon Fortissax grants you a large number of runes and the Remembrance of the Lichdragon. This remembrance can be exchanged for either Fortissax’s Lightning Spear (incantation) or Deathlightning (incantation) at the Roundtable Hold.
13. Can I reset Fia’s quest if I make a mistake?
No, you cannot reset Fia’s questline within the same playthrough. If you make a mistake, like accidentally killing Fia early, you will have to wait until New Game Plus to attempt the quest again.
14. What stats are recommended for the Age of Duskborn ending?
The Age of Duskborn ending doesn’t require specific stats. However, it’s beneficial to have a build that can handle the enemies in Nokron, Eternal City, and Deeproot Depths. A balanced build with good health, stamina, and damage output is recommended. Faith and Intelligence builds synergize well with the incantations obtainable from the Remembrance of the Lichdragon.
15. Does completing Fia’s quest affect any other endings?
While completing Fia’s quest grants you the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince for the Age of Duskborn ending, it does not prevent you from achieving other endings. You can still choose to mend the Elden Ring with other mending runes or achieve the default ending by simply repairing the Elden Ring. The choice is ultimately yours after defeating the final boss.