Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Hornsent Quest Guide

In Elden Ring Hornsent is an NPC players can encounter that has his own questline. This questline requires completing certain steps as you progress through the game’s storyline to reach it’s outcoming. If you are looking to complete this questline for yourself, check out our complete Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Hornsent quest guide below.

Important: If you don’t complete the Hornsent questline, he will always appear as an enemy during the main story’s Needle Knight Leda boss fight in Enir-Ilim. Completing this boss fight allows you to loot his corpse afterward for his full armor set and the sword “Falx”.

If you wish to do the questline, before proceeding, ensure you have not completed the Messmer fight in the Shadow Keep Storehouse. If you have, you cannot complete Hornsent’s questline as that story portion is very important.

Step 1: Talk to Hornsent at the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace

To start Hornsent’s questline, talk to him at the Three Path Cross Site of Grace. This location lies on the path leading up to the Belarut, Tower Settlement. Here you will find Redmane Freyja and Hornsent. Speak to Redmane first, then speak to Hornsent to receive the Cross Map, which shows the location of three golden crosses. Exhaust his dialogue before proceeding.

Optional: Your next step in the storyline is to defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in the settlement. Once you defeat the boss, you can complete an optional task with Hornsent. Pick up the Divine Beast Head dropped by the boss and show it to the Hornsent Grandam (has own quest) to receive the Scorpion Stew item. Then, give the Scorpion Stew to Hornsent to receive 3x Furnace Visage.

Step 2: Talk to Hornsent at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace

Advance the storyline so you go to Castle Ensis and defeat the boss Rellana, Twin Moon Knight there. Upon defeating this boss you gain access to Scadu Altus which causes Hornsent and Leda to move. Both NPCs will appear at the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. Speak to Horsent here to receive the New Cross Map. Exhaust his dialogue before proceeding.

Step 3: Speak to Hornsent After Breaking the Great Rune

Continue forward into Scadu Altus. As you advance through this area you will break the Great Rune. This can occur at two different areas once you reach them:

1. Enter the front entrance of Shadow Keep
2. East of Bonny Village at the Bridge Leading to the Village Site of Grace continue heading north.

When you go to either of these locations you will see a message telling you basically that the rune has been broken. At this point return to Hornsent and speak to him. Keep talking until his dialogue is exhausted.

Following this Horsent can be summoned to help you with the Golden Hippopotamus if you want. It doesn’t matter if you use him or not. Complete this boss fight in the Shadow Keep to advance to the next step of the questline.

Step 4: Side with Hornsent During the Shadow Keep Fight

Upon defeating the Golden Hippopotamus return to the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. Speak to Leda there. She will ask you who she should go after and you will be presented with three options:

1. Thiollier
2. Hornsent
3. No suggestion at all

Regardless of what you select Leda will decide to go after Hornsent which sets us up for a battle between the two in the Shadow Keep. What you do during this battle determines whether the quest continues.

To reach the battle site to make your decision, make your way to the Shadow Keep Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace. Head east and follow the path up until you reach the battlements with the burning boats. Walk halfway until you see a ramp on your right. Near the top of the ramp are two summon signs: Red and Gold.

Before proceeding you can also choose not to do this fight at all. This has no impact on Hornsent’s questline but does change Leda’s target from Hornsent to Sir Ansbach instead.

Be Summoned to Assist Needle Knight Leda (Red)

Choosing to help Needle Knight Leda will put you into battle on her team. During this fight you need to defeat Hornsent. Doing this kills him and ends his questline. You receive the following rewards: Hornsent’s Armor set, Falx, and the Lacerating Crossed-Tree (if you return to Leda and speak to her).

Be Summoned to Assist Hornsent (Gold)

To advance the questline you want to help Hornsent. During this sequence you will need to defeat Needle Knight Leda in battle. Do this and you will receive the Swift Slash Ash of War and Leda’s Rune.

Step 5: Summon Hornsent During the Messmer Fight

*Warning: If you don’t summon Horsent during the Messmer fight he will appear as an ally of Needle Knight Leda in the boss fight.

Make your way through the Shadow Keep and reach the Messmer fight at the top of the Storehouse. Enter the fight and use the golden summon sign sign to summon Hornsent to help with the fight.

Following the fight rest at the Messmer’s Dark Chamber Site of Grace there. Hornsent will appear there. Speak to him and exhaust his dialogue then rest at the Site of Grace again to get him to move to the last location.

Step 6: Defeat Hornsent When He Invades You in Ancient Ruins of Rauh

After you speak to Hornsent you can advance the main storyline so you are heading towards the Church of the Bud in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh. When you reach the stairs in the ruins leading up to the Church of the Bud, Main Entrance Site of Grace after the elevator you will get invaded by Hornsent. Defeat him here to receive the his armor set and the sword “Falx”.

Upon defeating Hornsent you will see the message that he died. This marks the end of his questline. There are other NPC quests players can complete in the DLC. Check out our Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree NPC quest’s hub for help with those.

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