Elden Ring: How To Reach Moonlight Altar [Location]

Moonlight Altar is one of the many hidden locations found in Elden Ring. It can be found on a plateau near Liurnia Of The Lakes and rewards players with valuables. However, you will have to defeat a boss first and solve some puzzles, including the tower puzzle, to obtain the loot. There are around 4 Dragons on the Altar for you to fight. Reaching and completing the Moonlight Altar is an important step in Ranni’s questline in Elden Ring. 

How To Access The Moonlight Altar

To access the Moonlight Altar in Elden Ring, I followed these steps:

1. Locate the Moonlight Altar in Liurnia of the Lakes.
2. Ascend the tall cliffs in the Elden Ring to reach the altar.
3. Note that there is no clear pathway, so understanding the correct way to access it is essential, especially for Ranni’s quest line.
4. Defeat bosses, including Radahn, to progress in the game and reach the Moonlight Altar.
5. Find Kingsrealm Ruins in northwestern Liurnia.
6. Beat Royal Knight Loretta north of the ruins.
7. Locate Ranni’s Rise tower in Three Sisters’ region.
8. Interact with Ranni atop the tower to start her quest.

Going To The Nokron Eternal City

Here’s the path that I would recommend for going to Nokron Eternal City:

1. Go southeast to Caelid and locate Redmane Castle.
2. Defeat Radahn, the castle’s antagonist.
3. Activate the Grand Lift of Dectus before confronting Radahn in Redmane Castle.
4. Obtain the Glintstone Key to unlock the pathway to the Grand Lift and acquire two halves of a medallion.
5. Find the medallions in Fort Faroth (Caelid) and Ford Haight (Limgrave).
6. Return to the Grand Lift and position yourself near the Guardian Statues.
7. Attend the Radahn festival in Redmane Castle.
8. Enter the portal and defeat Radahn.
9. Gain access to Nokron, the Eternal City.

Obtaining New Missions From Ranni 

1. Find a hidden room behind a Finger Reader statue.
2. Collect the Finger Slayer Blade from the room.
3. Return to Ranni at Ranni’s Rise (same tower).
4. Give the blade to Ranni for a key to Divine Tower Path.
5. Explore the Divine Tower Path at your own pace.
6. Wait for a while before taking another quest from Ranni.
7. Check for new quests when a Site of Grace appears nearby.

Teleporting To Ainsel River 

1. Go to Ranni’s Rise and reach the tower’s top.
2. Use the summit portal to enter Ainsel River’s hidden area.
3. Collect the Ranni doll on the ground.
4. Visit the nearest Site Of Grace in the region.
5. Interact with the Ranni doll repeatedly until it responds.
6. Have a conversation with the doll, exploring all options.
7. Head to Nokstella Waterfall Basin nearby.
8. Defeat boss Blaidd in the rust-covered area to get a key.
9. Meet Ranni to obtain the key for Discarded Palace access.

Getting The Dark Moon Ring 

1. Find a lift leading to the Lake Of Rot.
2. Locate triggers in the lake to reveal small towers and new paths.
3. Head to a waterfall.
4. Interact with a nearby coffin.
5. This triggers a battle with Astel after a cutscene.

Finding The Ring Of Oath 

1. Find the Deep Ainsel Well lift north of the boss room.
2. Ride the lift to reach the Moonlight Altar.
3. Head towards the Cathedral Of Manus Celes.
4. Avoid the Glintstone Dragon Adula.
5. Reach a Site Of Grace in the north.
6. Collect Starlight Shards.
7. Go south, jump down a hole, and find Ranni to continue your journey.

Completing The Quest Line 

You will need to give the Dark Moon Ring to Ranni to finish her quest line. After giving Ranni the Dark Moon Ring, she will soon disappear and leave you an item called the Dark Moon Greatsword. After that, you just need to use your mount and leave the place by heading South. 

Exploring The Moonlight Altar 

1. Explore Lunar Ruins to find Spirit Summons.
2. Engage a Royal Revenant for the optional Ghost Glovewort drop.
3. Uncover a basement with a Stone Sword Key to obtain the Cerulean Amber Medallion.
4. Collect Golden Runes from a corpse in the southern part.
5. Gather Glintstone Firefly from a corpse in the northern part, but watch out for the Albinauric Sorcerers because they killed me when I came here the first time.

The Moon Folk Ruins 

1. Teleport back to Moonlight Altar Site Of Grace.
2. Head north to the Moon Folk Ruins, encountering Sorcerer Enemies.
3. Use a mount to efficiently defeat enemies before searching for loot.
4. Find Rune Arc and Golden Runes in the northwestern corner.
5. Explore a building in the north to acquire Magic Grease from a corpse.
6. Locate a hidden basement in the east with Somber Smithing Stones in a chest.

Bosses In Moonlight Altar 

1. Go east of the Cathedral to face Glintstone Dragon Adula.
2. Battle Adula and other Dragons.
3. Teleport to Moonlight Altar Site Of Grace.
4. Head north, confront a dragon on the way.
5. Optional: Go southwest for two more dragons and a Dragon Heart.
6. Go to Ringleaders Evergaol in the northwest to find Alecto, The Black Knife Ringleader.

Tower Puzzle Solution

1. Go south from Evergaol in Moonlight Altar.
2. Avoid crystals and Red Wolf.
3. Find smithing stones.
4. Reach Chelona’s Rise and start a puzzle.
5. Locate three Spirit Turtles: west near a cliff, accessed by jumping on Spirit Spring, and in the southeastern part via platforms.

My Thoughts On Moonlight Altar

Moonlight Altar can only be unlocked after getting the Dark Moon Ring, defeating Astel, and finding the Ring of Oath. When you complete these steps, you should definitely head to the Moonlight Alter, as I think it is the most gorgeous place in the Elden Ring. When I went there on my first playthrough, which took roughly over 50 hours, I was captivated by the scenery.

Ranni’s quest makes the experience in Elden Ring worthwhile. You not only get to visit the best place in Elden Ring but also get one of the best Greatswords. Dark Moon Greatsword can be found after you give Ranni the Dark Moon Ring. The experience is worthwhile, and I think everyone should visit Moonlight Alter at least once in Elden Ring.

With this, I conclude my detailed guide on the Moonlight Altar, how to get to it, the loot you will be able to collect here, and the bosses you will fight. While you are at it, don’t forget to check out our definitive guide on the Lake of Rot. We have also curated a detailed guide on the Whetstone knife in Elden Ring. 

You can also check out our guide on how to get to the Hermit village and the Rotten Breath location. Do check out our guide on how to drop items in the game as well. 

Next:

• Elden Ring Merchant Locations
• Elden Ring Rune Arcs
• Elden Ring: All Memory Stones & Locations
• Elden Ring: How To Get To Nokron