The chain to the Fire Giant, the Forge, and all of Crumbling Farum Azula, with one trip to Liurnia and the two great final checks of Run 1.
This is the road to the end of Run 1, and it suits level 120 or more with a weapon at +20 to +25. It runs from the Foot of the Forge grace to the last boss of Crumbling Farum Azula, and two of the guide's biggest points of no return sit on it. Each has a final checklist just before it.
Alexander has to live to his duel
Alexander's last fight comes in Crumbling Farum Azula, and only that fight gives Shard of Alexander and Alexander's Innards. Jar-Bairn needs the Innards for the Companion Jar. Never attack him before that duel, and summon him for the Fire Giant so his line moves on.
Alexander: Fire Giant summonHidden spoiler – activate to revealQuest stepMissablePoint of no returnMinor spoiler
Location
Mountaintops of the Giants · Flame Peak – From the Foot of the Forge grace cross the southern chain and go through the yellow fog. Unlike every other summon his sign waits inside the arena, a short way past the fog: touch it.
Why you can lose it
He has to live to his last duel: killed first, his sign never appears here.
Point of no return
You kill Alexander anywhere before his duel in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Fire GiantHidden spoiler – activate to revealBossMinor spoiler
Location
Mountaintops of the Giants · Flame Peak – From the Foot of the Forge grace cross the chain into the fog. He stands in the arena beyond and comes at you as you ride in.
This is the final check for the Roundtable Hold's people. A rest at the grace on the Forge brings Melina's last question, and telling her you're ready closes everything below for this run. Check it before you touch the grace. If a line is open when she asks, answer that you'd like her to wait, fast travel out, finish it and come back. Corhyn and Goldmask (West Altus Plateau; Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott; Forbidden Lands and West Mountaintops): the riddle has to be solved first, so tick Corhyn: north of Altus Highway Junction; Goldmask: find him, tell Corhyn; Goldmask: colosseum talk; Goldmask: Golden Order Principia, Law of Regression; Goldmask: the riddle solved; Goldmask and Corhyn: report; and Corhyn and Goldmask on the Stargazers' bridge. Without them his line stops, and its last rewards in the next section go with it. Corhyn's stock (West Altus Plateau; Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott): buy Shop: Great Heal, Shop: Lightning Fortification, Shop: Discus of Light and Shop: Immutable Shield from him, because his bell bearing only carries what he had on sale. Once the riddle is told he stands on the bridge south of Stargazers' Ruins. Gesture: Golden Order Totality comes from the same riddle. Ensha (South Liurnia): Ensha's invasion, the Clinging Bone he drops and the Royal Remains Set by Gideon's door. He only comes if you hold a medallion half. Nepheli (South Liurnia): the Omenkiller at the Village of the Albinaurics dead, and her talk at the foot of the Hold's stairs done, or her line ends here. Her later steps are in the warning at the end of this section. Fia (Redmane Castle): Fia: the Weathered Dagger. She leaves the Hold, and the talk goes with her. Dung Eater (Volcano Manor; Subterranean Shunning-Grounds; Miquella's Haligtree and Elphael): his whole line, in order: Dung Eater: Sewer-Gaol Key, which he may stop offering, Dung Eater: free him, Dung Eater: Sword of Milos and the Sword of Milos, Dung Eater: five curses, the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse, Dung Eater: Omen Set and the Omen Set. Gestures (Stormveil Castle; Capital Outskirts): Gesture: Prayer from Corhyn's first talk, Gesture: Rapture from the Two Fingers, and Gesture: Outer Order from Melina at the Minor Erdtree Church. What stays: rest at the first grace past the Forge and the whole map opens again. The Royal Capital stays exactly as it is, the sewers under it stay open, and at the Hold Hewg, Roderika, Enia and the Twin Maiden Husks all keep working.
Grace: Forge of the GiantsHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Mountaintops of the Giants · Forge of the Giants – From the Fire Giant grace climb the mountain past the arena and cross the frozen chain to the top of the great cauldron. Keep to the left rim, right round to the grace just short of the crack, and stay well away from the middle: falling in kills you outright.
Melina: last talk at the ForgeHidden spoiler – activate to revealQuest stepMinor spoiler
Location
Mountaintops of the Giants · Forge of the Giants – Rest at the grace on the Forge and speak to her. Tell her you're ready only once the final check is done.
Burn the Erdtree at the ForgeHidden spoiler – activate to revealQuest stepMinor spoiler
Location
Mountaintops of the Giants · Forge of the Giants – Your answer starts a long scene: let it finish, and you wake on a bridge in Crumbling Farum Azula. If you quit during the scene, rest at the same grace again to bring it back.
Fast travel is shut when you wake here, and comes back when you rest at the first grace, Crumbling Beast Grave. From then on the rest of the map is open as usual, and this dungeon has no merchants. The Hold is scorched now, but its smith, Spirit Tuner and shops all still work.
Grace: Crumbling Beast GraveHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Crumbling Beast Grave – Walk to the end of the bridge where you woke and follow the ruins down to the right, to a ledge above a group of Azula Beastmen. Fight through them into the building ahead: the grace is through the first doorway on your left. Rest here.
Beastman's Curved SwordHidden spoiler – activate to revealWeaponMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Crumbling Beast Grave – A rare drop from the Azula Beastmen carrying it. Seven of them stand in the two rooms ahead and right of the Crumbling Beast Grave grace, so resting there brings them back.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (dragon on the curved bridge)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealUpgradeMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Crumbling Beast Grave – Walk back through the hallway from the grace and out to the large curved bridge. A Farum Azula Dragon lands on it as you cross: kill it for the stone. Spirit Ashes work here.
Crumbling Farum Azula · Crumbling Beast Grave – From the Crumbling Beast Grave grace take the hallway out to the large curved bridge. A dragon comes down partway along, but it's slow to strike, so you can run past it. At the far end go up through the archways on your left to the grace.
Beastman's Jar-ShieldHidden spoiler – activate to revealWeaponMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Crumbling Beast Grave – A rare drop from Azula Beastmen carrying it. One stands in the room right beside the Crumbling Beast Grave Depths grace.
Ancient Dragon PrayerbookHidden spoiler – activate to revealKey itemMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Great hall – From the Crumbling Beast Grave Depths grace cross the next room and take its northwest hallway. Go straight on at the three-way split into a large hall, turn right and walk down the main stairs: the book lies on the floor among more Beastmen.
Summary
Keep it for Miriel at the Church of Vows: this section goes there once, after Alexander's duel.
Glovewort Picker's Bell Bearing [3]Hidden spoiler – activate to revealKey itemMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Lake below the great hall – From the Tempest-Facing Balcony grace go back in and out by the southwest door. Ride the lift at the foot of the stairs and go down the slope, keeping left and uphill where the path splits, on to a lake with three Lesser Wormfaces, one far larger than the others. The bearing is in the gazebo across the water, and the path round the mountain brings you back to the lift.
Summary
Give it to the Twin Maiden Husks for their stock of Grave Gloveworts.
Grace: Dragon TempleHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple – From the Tempest-Facing Balcony grace go down the floating rocks and ruins to the west and over the makeshift bridge, past the Skeletons. Keep jumping north from one big chunk of ruin to the next, then follow the path north to the grace.
Azula Beastman AshesHidden spoiler – activate to revealCollectibleMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple – From the Dragon Temple grace turn back the way you came and jump down the floating stairs. At their foot turn round, drop to the lowest platform, go into the building and right at its corner. The ashes sit on the altar ahead, with Banished Knights around them.
Grace: Dragon Temple TranseptHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple – From the altar go back into the building and jump off its east side to the lower ruin, where the grace stands. The room on your left holds the boss, so leave it for now.
Stonesword Key (Dragon Temple)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealConsumableMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple – Fast travel to the Dragon Temple grace and enter the temple. Go down the stairs, turn right at the hallway and, before the steps down, take the hallway on your left out to the edge of a cliff: a corpse there holds the key.
Summary
Breaks one imp statue seal. Keep it: the lift later in this section needs two.
Godskin DuoHidden spoiler – activate to revealBossMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple – Go back along that hallway and down the steps into the temple's main hall, or climb the narrow stairs from the Dragon Temple Transept grace. A summon sign for Bernahl lies in front of either door, if you want his help.
Summary
Two foes on one health bar. Each returns until the bar is empty, so use the pillars and work on one at a time.
Grace: Dragon Temple LiftHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – From the Dragon Temple Altar grace leave by the northeast door, drop to the lower platform and go left down the stairs, heading west. Pass through the ruined windows on your left, go north through the ruins past a doorway on your right, and climb the staircase on your right once you're outside. Two Stonesword Keys open the imp statue ahead, and the lift behind it rises to the grace.
Golden Seed (fountain plaza)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealUpgradeMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – From the Dragon Temple Lift grace go left into the courtyard of Skeletons with a fountain, down the stairs running east along the cliff, up the rock steps and south up more stairs to a raised platform. Head west across it: the seed lies at the foot of a Phantom Tree among pillars.
Golden Lightning FortificationHidden spoiler – activate to revealSpellMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – From the Dragon Temple Lift grace cross the fountain courtyard, take the stairs east along the cliff, climb the rock steps past the hanging Skeletons and go south up to the raised platform with a Phantom Tree. Carry on southwest down the slope to the cliff where a dragon sleeps: a Teardrop Scarab there drops the incantation.
Iron Fist Alexander (duel)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealBossMissablePoint of no returnMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – Go back up the slope to the Phantom Tree and turn hard left at the top. Cross the collapsed arches and broken tower pieces to the west, keeping to the arch nearest the sleeping dragon, onto a flat open arena. He stands there: talk to him and he calls for a duel.
Why you can lose it
He has to live to his last duel: killed anywhere earlier, he leaves neither of these, and Jar-Bairn's ending waits on them.
Point of no return
You kill Alexander anywhere before his duel in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Ancient Dragon Apostle's Cookbook [4]Hidden spoiler – activate to revealKey itemMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – From Alexander's arena climb the floating rubble to the enclosed spot at the end. Taking the book wakes two large undead beastmen: one is hiding round the outside of the tower, the other lies in pieces behind a block of rubble.
You hold the prayerbook and Alexander's Innards, so make one trip to Liurnia now, then return to the Dragon Temple Lift grace.
Shop: Ancient Dragons' Lightning SpearHidden spoiler – activate to revealSpellMinor spoiler
Location
Liurnia of the Lakes · Church of Vows – Fast travel to the Church of Vows grace and, by day, give Miriel the Ancient Dragon Prayerbook. His shop then has it for 8,500 runes.
Miriel's Bell BearingHidden spoiler – activate to revealKey itemMinor spoiler
Location
Liurnia of the Lakes · Church of Vows – Only when every scroll and prayerbook is in and you've bought all you want: attack him where he sits. He takes very little damage and never fights back, and he drops the bearing when he dies.
Summary
Optional, because it costs his life. Nothing on this route needs him after today.
Pearldrake TalismanHidden spoiler – activate to revealCollectibleMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Four Belfries waygate – Fast travel to the Foot of the Four Belfries grace, climb to the lowest belfry at the foot of the hill and use an Imbued Sword Key on its waygate. From where you land drop north, then east, past two Beastmen, then down again and north once more: a corpse holds the talisman.
Jar-Bairn: Companion JarHidden spoiler – activate to revealQuest stepMissablePoint of no returnMinor spoiler
Location
Liurnia of the Lakes · Jarburg – Fast travel to the Jarburg grace. Jar-Bairn sits back on his steps at the west end of the village: talk until he speaks of going on a journey, and give him Alexander's Innards. If he isn't there yet, rest at the grace and look again.
Beastman's CleaverHidden spoiler – activate to revealWeaponMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – A rare drop from the two Beastmen carrying it, near the foot of the Dragon Temple Lift. Resting at the grace brings them back.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (floating column)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealUpgradeMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Above the Dragon Temple Lift – From the Dragon Temple Lift grace ride the lift down, turn right through the archway to the east, and right again to the south. Jump onto the column floating at a slant and climb it: the corpse is on the platform at the top, with a Beastman and a Rotten Stray on guard.
Dragoncrest Shield Talisman +2Hidden spoiler – activate to revealCollectibleMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – Ride the Dragon Temple Lift down and go back down the staircase. At the bottom turn left into the ruins and left again through the doorway you passed on the way up, then keep jumping down the ruins: the corpse is tucked out of sight among them.
Grace: Dragon Temple RooftopHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – Follow the path on from the talisman to an open area, where a Crucible Knight stands; once dead he stays dead. The grace is in sight beyond the balcony: jump over the rail to reach it.
Drake Knight SetHidden spoiler – activate to revealArmorMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – From the Dragon Temple Rooftop grace take the ladder south and turn left at once. Hop on the floating platform behind the corner, drop to the round lift area and walk round to its far side: the chest is there. The lift takes you back up, past one Beastman, and you can drop to the grace.
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (red lightning dragon)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealUpgradeMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – From the Dragon Temple Rooftop grace go down the ladder and head south over the roofs toward the pale dragon raining red lightning, keeping clear of the red flames that mark each strike. It's already badly hurt, but it can flee rather than die, so finish it fast for the stone.
Golden Seed (plaza southeast of the Rooftop)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealUpgradeMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – On a hill in the same plaza, among groups of pillars: the seed is at the foot of the Phantom Tree. It may look east of the Beside the Great Bridge grace on your map.
Dragon TowershieldHidden spoiler – activate to revealWeaponMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – From the Dragon Temple Rooftop grace go south over the roofs to the plaza with the gazebo. Left of the gazebo, look down to the east and drop from platform to platform to the side of a building, then left to a doorway. Go in past a Banished Knight and an Eagle and up the ladder, watching for two more knights at the top: the chest is straight to your left.
Boltdrake Talisman +2Hidden spoiler – activate to revealCollectibleMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – Facing the chest's ladder there's a lift. Ride it up and follow the path west into the ruins under the rooftops, past a Crucible Knight fighting Beastmen, to the ladder at the far end. The corpse is on your right at the top, and a drop from there lands you back near the plaza.
Somberstone Miner's Bell Bearing [5]Hidden spoiler – activate to revealKey itemMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragon Temple rooftops – From the plaza with the gazebo head southwest through five Beastmen, then cross north on the fallen structure, past one throwing axes. In the next building on your right a Beastman stands over the corpse, with a greataxe and a lightning caster waiting either side of the way in.
Summary
Give it to the Twin Maiden Husks for their stock of Somber Smithing Stones.
Bernahl: invasionHidden spoiler – activate to revealQuest stepMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Great Bridge – Leave the Beside the Great Bridge grace by its door and climb the stairs to the Great Bridge. Turn north, down through the building to a terrace, and take the ladder on the right of the door. He invades about halfway along the walkway to the round tower.
Old Lord's TalismanHidden spoiler – activate to revealCollectibleMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Great Bridge – The chest stands in the round tower at the end of the walkway, with three Beastmen around it: pull them out one at a time.
Summary
Legendary Talisman that makes spell effects last longer.
Dragonlord PlacidusaxHidden spoiler – activate to revealBossMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Dragonlord's arena – Fast travel to the Beside the Great Bridge grace, ride the lift down and leave the temple by the curved stairs and the shallow water room. Outside walk straight ahead and a little left to the cliff edge, then drop down the floating platforms to a bare chunk of ruin. Find the arch in the ground with no bones in it and lie down.
Draconic Tree Sentinel (Great Bridge)Hidden spoiler – activate to revealBossMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · Great Bridge – Fast travel to the Beside the Great Bridge grace, climb to the Great Bridge and head south, up toward the gates. He cuts you off on the way.
This is the final check for the Royal Capital. Maliketh waits past this fog, and when he dies the capital changes for good: its graces go, and almost everything below goes with them for the rest of this run. Any row still open means turning back now. Fast travel out, take it and walk back here: the fight waits. Graces that go, with what lies around them: Avenue Balcony and Lower Capital Church in Leyndell: Ramparts and Avenue, West Capital Rampart and Fortified Manor, First Floor in Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott. Ramparts and avenue (Leyndell: Ramparts and Avenue): Perfume Bottle (octagon tower), Seedbed Curse (octagon tower), Erdtree Avatar (main avenue), Stonesword Key (Imp rooftops), Imp Head (Corpse), Stonesword Key (graveyard), Black Bow, Stonesword Key (wine cellar chest), Lesser Ulcerated Tree Spirit (north of Avenue Balcony), Golden Seed (north of Avenue Balcony), Omensmirk Mask, Lionel's Set, Deathbed Dress, Lost Ashes of War (Leyndell sewer), Perfume Bottle (east gate dead end), Flamedrake Talisman +1, Ash of War: Thunderbolt, and the spare copies Upper-Class Robe (corpse), Guilty Hood (corpse) and Erdsteel Dagger (pit). West rampart and Fortified Manor (Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott): Valiant Gargoyle (West Capital Rampart), Gargoyle's Halberd, Sanctified Whetblade, Hammer, By My Sword, Coded Sword, Seedbed Curse (manor library), Two Fingers' Prayerbook, Alberich's Set, Flightless Bird Painting, Gravel Stone Seal, Stonesword Key (guardhouse) and the spare Stormhawk Axe (Fortified Manor). Colosseum hill, the spear and the Queen's rooms (Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott): Ritual Shield Talisman, Duelist Set, Duelist Greataxe, Battle Hammer, Guardian Garb (Full Bloom), Barrier of Gold, Bolt of Gransax, Stonesword Key (gazebo by the spear), Black Knife Assassin (Queen's Bedchamber) and Blessing of the Erdtree. The Bolt is one of the nine Legendary Armaments, so missing it costs that trophy for this run. Spells that hang on those items (Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott): Shop: Lord's Heal and Shop: Lord's Aid need the Two Fingers' Prayerbook handed in, and Fire's Deadly Sin needs the painting read. Nepheli (West Liurnia and Caria Manor; Leyndell: Fortified Manor and Morgott): Nepheli: give The Stormhawk King, then Nepheli, Kenneth, Gostoc at the throne, with Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (Nepheli) and Shop: Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone (Gostoc). She leaves the Hold when he dies. Gideon (Mohgwyn Palace): Gideon: reward talks for Mohgwyn, the Haligtree, Mohg and Malenia. He leaves the Hold too, though the Twin Maiden Husks sell what you left unclaimed. What stays: the Golden Order Principia, Erdtree Bow and Celestial Dew around the Erdtree Sanctuary, the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds, the Leyndell Catacombs, the Capital Outskirts and everything beyond them, this dungeon, and the Hold's shops.
Maliketh, the Black BladeHidden spoiler – activate to revealBossMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · End of the Great Bridge – From the Beside the Great Bridge grace climb to the Great Bridge and go south, past the Sentinel's spot, up to the fog door. The round arena lies beyond it.
Grace: Leyndell, Capital of AshHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Leyndell, Ashen Capital · Capital of Ash – A scene carries you here when he dies, and you stand right beside it: touch it. If nothing moves you, rest at the Forge of the Giants grace.
Grace: Maliketh, the Black BladeHidden spoiler – activate to revealAreaMinor spoiler
Location
Crumbling Farum Azula · End of the Great Bridge – It stands in the arena you were carried out of. Fast travel back to Beside the Great Bridge and walk south up the Great Bridge to the arena.
Shop: Maliketh's SetHidden spoiler – activate to revealArmorMinor spoiler
Location
Roundtable Hold · Two Fingers – Fast travel to the Table of Lost Grace and buy it from Enia, at the Two Fingers: 45,000 runes for all four pieces. She has no more to say now, but her trades and stock stay open.
Hewg and Roderika: last talksHidden spoiler – activate to revealQuest stepMinor spoiler
Location
Roundtable Hold · Central room – While you're at the Hold, talk to Roderika, who now stands at the fireplace in the central room, then to Hewg at his forge in the east wing, and to her again. Nothing changes hands.
That's the end of Crumbling Farum Azula. The next section, Leyndell, Ashen Capital and the Elden Throne, picks up at the Leyndell, Capital of Ash grace.