Count Ymir Questline - Elden Ring Guide - IGN (2024)

Count Ymir is one of the new NPCs you’ll encounter in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree who has a questline that runs alongside the main story. This Glintstone sorcerer will send you on a quest, which will see you use maps to visit ruins. To complete his side quest, here’s everything you need to know from where to find him, to the choices you’ll face, and the outcomes of those decisions.

Count Ymir Questline Steps

While you can find a detailed walkthrough below, here's a quick list of steps to complete Count Ymir's questline in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree:

1. Obtain the O Mother gesture from Bonny Village.
2. Speak to Count Ymir at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr in Scadu Altus.
3. Speak to him again, then ring the hanging bell, and talk to him once more.
4. Leave through the western door and interact with the small gravestone in the northern section.
5. Speak to Swordhand of Night Jolan then return to Count Ymir.
6. Ring the bell at the Finger Ruins of Rhia.
7. Return to Count Ymir, then speak to Swordhand of Night Jolan again.
8. Go to Scaduview by using the O Mother gesture near the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace.
9. Ring the bell at the Finger Ruins of Dheo.
10. Speak to Count Ymir.
11. Enter the Finger Ruins of Miyr and Tap to Reveal.
12. Ring the bell at the end of the Finger Ruins of Miyr and Tap to Reveal.
13. Return to the Cathedral and Tap to Reveal.
14. Rest at the Site of Grace and return to the gravestone you interacted with earlier in the questline.

Where to Find Count Ymir in Shadow of the Erdtree (First Encounter)

Count Ymir can be found in the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, located in Scadu Altus. It sits in the middle of a body of water in the central part of Scadu Altus. It’s southeast of Shadow Keep and northeast of Castle Ensis.

To get there, you’ll need to travel through a hole in the ground in Moorth Ruins. Go to the northeast part of Moorth Ruins and look for the tower that's sunken into the ground. Behind it you can find the hole, which will take you up to Bonny Village.

Drop to the bottom using the ledges and then go southwest, through a tunnel. When you emerge from it, drop down to the southeast and then turn and face the western side of the room, to find the next ledge you'll need to drop from.

The last part of Moorth Ruins you'll need to walk through is the tunnel in the southeast. Follow this to reach a ladder that will take you up to Bonny Village.

When you're outside, go east through the Bonny Village and across the broken bridge in it to reach the bridge that will take you over to the Whipping Hut on the central island. From the Whipping Hut, keep heading east and you'll come to the Bridge Leading to the Village Site of Grace.

Go north along the path, following it until it winds around to the west and toward Shadow Keep. You’ll find the Church District Highroad Site of Grace along this path. It will then spit off into two directions, going northwest toward the Church Entrance of Shadow Keep, or southwest. Take the road down to the southwest to reach the Cathedral of Manus Metyr.

When you step inside, it’ll appear deserted but you’ll be able to see the glow of the Site of Grace up ahead. Just behind it, in the south, you can open the gates to gain access to the Cathedral. As you step inside, you’ll see a large, imposing throne and someone sitting in it. Approach it and you’ll be greeted by Count Ymir.

Note! As soon as you are close to the Cathedral, the Great Rune will be broken, so we’d recommend saving visiting here until you’re ready to visit Shadow Keep and explore Scadu Altus further.

Surprised by the visitors that Count Ymir says they hardly get, he’ll instantly give you an offering of a:

• Ruins Map
• Hole-Laden Necklace

Talk to him again and he’ll explain that the map shows you a Hallowed Ruin, where you’ll need to sound the hanging bell there. You can press him again after speaking to him about this, and he’ll become a Merchant where you can study sorcery. There is also the option to speak to him about Glintstone sorcery.

Once you exit the conversation, he’ll oddly say to mind your feet around the church, because you wouldn’t want to hurt the little boy. If you exit the church from the western door, you'll find Count Ymir's bodyguard, Swordhand of Night Jolan. She stands against a pillar and will appear after the first conversation with Ymir.

Exit the Cathedral near where Jolan stands, where you’ll enter a graveyard. There’s a small grave on the northern side that you can interact with. It reads “Yuri, beloved child. Taken before his time.” Speak to Jolan then return to Ymir. You’ll now be able to ask him about her.

Where to Find the First Ruins

The first ruins called the Finger Ruins of Rhia can be found on the Cerulean Coast. It’s close to the Jagged Peak, which you can access by completing the Dragon's Pit in the southeast of Gravesite Plain. However, it's easier to access the ruins by going along the shore in the south and coming up to them.

When you’re there, head to the center of the ruins to find a structure, which resembles the hole-laden necklace. Approach it and sound the hanging bell. You’ll receive Crimson Seed Talisman +1 for doing so.

Return to Ymir and he’ll be aware that you’re rung the bell. He’ll also now be holding one of the small hands, warning it that the “tangled mess” can’t hurt it. Tell him about interacting with the ruins and he’ll hand over Beloved Stardust Talisman and Ruins Map (2nd) as a reward. A dialogue option will become available to ask him about the nature of the world. After choosing this option, you can ask about Miquella. Speak to Jolan again and she’ll see that you’ve gained Ymir’s trust, which means Jolan will now help you.

If you don't summon Hornsent during the fight with Messmer, you'll be able to summon Jolan instead.

How to Find the Second Ruins

To find the second ruins, you'll need to access Scaduview. You can do this by heading into Shadow Keep, Church District via the Church District Entrance. This is northwest of the Cathedral of Manus Metyr and west of the Church District Highroad Site of Grace.

This will allow you to explore another section of Shadow Keep. To reach Scaduview, you'll want to reach the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace. Then, then go into the room in the southeast and use the O Mother gesture near the state of Marika. The statue will move and you'll gain access to Scaduview.

From the Hinterland Site of Grace, head to the Finger Ruins of Dheo in the southeast of the region. On the map, these will appear exactly the same as the Finger Ruins of Rhia. Make your way to the center of the ruins again to sound the hanging bell. This time you’ll receive Cerulean Seed Talisman +1.

Return to Ymir

Go back to Count Ymir and you’ll receive one more gift, which is a Ruins Map (3rd). Speak to Ymir and you can ask about the nature of the world again. Rest at the site of grace and Ymir will disappear. You can find him outside by Yuri’s grave, but he'll ask to be left alone.

How to Find the Third Ruins

The third ruins are actually closer than you think, and to access them you'll need to interact with Ymir’s throne. This will push back and reveal a ladder down to the Finger Ruins of Miyr. As you approach the same finger structure at the end of the ruins that you saw in the previous two, you’ll be invaded by Swordhand for Night Anna. Defeating her will reward you with the Claws of Night.

Go to the end of the ruins and sound the hanging bell once again. This will transport you to a boss room, where you'll need to fight Mityr, Mother of Fingers. Defeating Mityr, Mother of Fingers will reward you with the remembrance of the Mother of Fingers.

Final Encounter with Count Ymir

Return to the Cathedral via the Site of Grace and you'll be invaded by Jolan. Count Ymir is disappointed with you, and Jolan warned you from the beginning if you crossed him, you'd have to deal with her. After the battle with Jolan, Ymir will be waiting for you. He’ll initiate a fight, and when you defeat him, he’ll drop:

• Ymir’s Bell Bearing
• Maternal Staff
• High Priest Hat
• High Priest Robe
• High Priest Gloves
• High Priest Undergarments

Once the fight is over, rest at the Site of Grace. Go back to Yuri’s grave and you can collect Cherishing Fingers Sorcery.