Chapter Summaries

Ian tested how Runes enhanced the Elden Lord Armor and studied Arcane resistance to Scarlet Rot, linking it to the Law of Life and the world’s cosmic powers. He then headed to eastern Limgrave to find Sorceress Sellen and learn Glintstone Sorcery.

• Ian used Melina to test how Vigor, Mind, Intelligence, Faith, and Arcane affected the armor and his abilities, then stopped raising Arcane when he reached the limit of his control.
• Ian tested Scarlet Rot in Caelid and found that the Elden Lord Armor endured longer than a Doom Bot; he also transferred its soul into a clone body to study the resistance in organic flesh.
• Ian and Morgana concluded that Arcane resistance came from the Law of Life, while Ian suspected the Greater Will and Cosmic Will had clashed and drawn the Outer Gods into the conflict.
• Ian decided to investigate the world’s magic and traveled to eastern Limgrave to meet Sorceress Sellen, whom he hoped to recruit as an Arcanist.

Ian became Sellen’s apprentice, learned the origins of Glintstone Sorcery and her pursuit of the Primeval Current, then developed his own Earth Mother spell and explored other sources of power. After learning that Sellen’s real body was imprisoned, he set out to hunt Great Runes, determined to find a way to save her.

• Ian asked Sellen to teach him Glintstone Sorcery, and she accepted him as her apprentice.
• Sellen explained the Primeval Current’s link to Glintstone and how her research into it had led her to turn colleagues into Graven Masses.
• Ian challenged Sellen’s focus on the Primeval Current, arguing that the moon and the Lands Between itself could also be sources of power.
• Ian created his first Earth Mother spell and demonstrated that gravity magic could theoretically be drawn from Glintstone.
• Sellen told Ian that her true body was imprisoned and described what he needed to do to free her; Ian resolved to eventually save her and left to hunt Margit for Great Runes.
• On the road to Stormveil Castle, Ian studied Ashes of War and Talismans, then met Ranni, who gave him a Spirit Calling Bell and Lone Wolf Ashes.

Ian defeated Margit’s projection and Godrick the Grafted, then activated Godrick’s Great Rune and discovered that the Elden Ring might be a Primordial Rune with the property of Law Manipulation. He left for Raya Lucaria Academy to pursue Rennala’s Great Rune and prepare to contact Ranni again.

• Margit attacked Ian at Stormveil Castle, but Ian pinned him with gravity and severed the projection’s head while Morgana collected data on the Demigods.
• Ian stormed Stormveil Castle with Doom Bots, trapped Godrick with earth magic, and killed him after Godrick grafted a dragon’s head onto himself.
• Ian took Godrick’s Great Rune to the Divine Tower, where Morgana detected traces of Law Force and identified a possible connection to Primordial Runes.
• Ian and Morgana theorized that the Elden Ring’s unique property was Law Manipulation, which could aid Ian’s work on legendary spells.
• Ian set off for Raya Lucaria Academy to obtain Rennala’s Great Rune and make contact with Ranni before going to the Roundtable Hold.

Ian entered Raya Lucaria Academy, defeated Ranni’s projection, and took Rennala’s Great Rune without killing her. After imprisoning Sellen to keep her from transforming through Primeval Current research, he visited the Roundtable Hold and learned that the Two Fingers’ connection to the Greater Will was close to breaking.

• Ian fought through the academy’s civil war, overcame Ranni’s projection, and took the Great Rune from Rennala’s Amber Egg.
• Ian rescued Sellen and defeated Witch-Hunter Jerren, then imprisoned Sellen with alchemy books and a blueprint to keep her from pursuing dangerous Primeval Current research.
• Ian teleported to the Roundtable Hold and spoke with Finger Reader Enia, who urged him to collect at least four Great Runes to preserve the Golden Order.
• Ian asked Morgana to examine the Two Fingers and learned their connection to the Greater Will had weakened severely.
• Ian and Morgana agreed to find a way to kill the Two Fingers and sever the Greater Will’s influence.

Ian learned Master Hewg’s weapon-forging methods and gained a path toward making a Godslayer Weapon, then slew Rykard and took his Great Rune. He reached Ranni’s tower in Caria Manor to propose a deal.

• Ian had Master Hewg reinforce his swords and discovered that Hewg’s forging method combined Divine Power with Shadow Particles containing Anti-Divine Power.
• Ian persuaded Hewg to accept him as an apprentice, and Hewg taught him his methods while assigning him to find materials for a Godslayer Weapon.
• Ian traveled to Volcano Manor, sided with the inquisitors, and used the Serpent-Hunter to battle Rykard and the God-Devouring Serpent.
• Ian defeated Rykard and claimed his Great Rune, then flew to a Divine Tower to cleanse it.
• Ian reached the top of a tower in Caria Manor and met Ranni, whom he intended to approach with a deal.

Ian struck a deal with Ranni to learn Full Moon and Dark Moon magic and obtain her fragment of Destined Death in exchange for defeating Radahn and retrieving the Fingerslayer Blade. He reached Redmane Castle for the Radahn Festival, where Radahn noticed the challengers and attacked.

• Ian asked Ranni to teach him Full Moon and Dark Moon magic and give him her fragment of Destined Death, offering to defeat Radahn and retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade.
• Ranni demanded proof of Ian's loyalty, and he returned with the heads of two Two Fingers; she then agreed to the deal, partly because he had spared her mother's life.
• Ian flew to Redmane Castle and learned that the Radahn Festival would begin in two days.
• Ian and the other warriors, including Blaidd, were transported to the battlefield, where Ian saw Radahn riding Leonard and discussed recruiting the Demigods with Morgana.
• Radahn noticed the challengers, drew his bow, and fired an arrow at Ian.