How to complete Hornsent's questline in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
A step-by-step walkthrough to finishing Hornsent's sidequest.
Hornsent is an NPC in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. His people have been betrayed by Messmer and other figures within the Shadow Realm, and he also seems to be related to the Hornsent Grandam who resides in Belurat, Tower Settlement. Like the Grandam, Hornsent has his own questline to follow in Elden Ring's DLC, and it runs the entire length of the expansion.
So read on below to find out how to complete Hornsent's questline, and what you need to do to finish this revenge-filled sidequest.
On this page:
- First meeting - where to find Hornsent
- Second meeting - Scadu Altus
- Third meeting
- Fourth meeting - Shadow Keep
- Fifth and final encounter - Ancient Ruins of Rauh
First meeting - where to find Hornsent
Hornsent is found at the Site of Grace 'Three-Path Cross' in Gravesite Plain, right next to where you can find Freyja. It will likely be one of the first places you come across when you start Shadowo of the Erdtree, as it's very close to where you begin, and is earily marked out on the horizon thanks to the Miquella's Cross located there as well. Here's the exact location on the map below:
Speak to Hornsent and he'll introduce himself, revealing that the Erdtree is the enemy of his people. He believes that following Miquella will help him take revenge on those who wronged him, but he's quite frosty toward you, the Tarnished. Still, if you speak to him a second time, he'll say that he'll tolerate you for now, given that you also seem to have been called by Miquella, and he'll give you his Cross Map.
This map marks the location of some early Miquella's Cross locations, setting you off on the DLC's main story path. He'll also say that if you continue finding these crosses and walking in Miquella's footsteps, then you won't become his enemy.
For now, Hornsent has nothing more to say to you, so feel free to continue your journey exploring Gravesite Plain, or following the Cross Map route up to Belurat, Tower Settlement.
Second meeting - Scadu Altus
After you've completed Castle Ensis and defeated its boss, Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, Hornsent will move to a new location: the Site of Grace 'Highroad Cross' in Scadu Altus, which you come to almost immediately after leaving Rellana's boss arena. See below for its precise location on the map:
Speak to Hornsent here and he'll tell you that he's found the site of a new cross, giving you the New Cross Map. This is an expanded version of the map he gave you in Gravesite Plain, giving you a few more pointers on where to go next now you've reached Scadu Altus.
Speak to him a second time, and he'll say that Miquella's act of relinquishing his own being is intended to "sear clean the Erdtree's wanton sin", which Hornsent says is enough to make him believe in following Miquella's footsteps.
Speak to Hornsent a third time, and he'll urge you to head towards the Erdtree. After this, his dialogue will be exhausted.
Needle Knight Leda can also be found at this location, and you can ask her to tell you more about Hornsent if you wish. She'll tell you that, were it not for the charm Miquella placed upon them all, Hornsent would normally be fighting them tooth and nail, as long ago, Marika commanded Messmer to purge his people with fire.
For now, though, there's not much more to do here. As Hornsent suggests, you should head towards the Erdtree in the distance, toward the ominous Shadow Keep.
Third meeting
When you approach the Shadow Keep, you'll hear a bell toll somewhere in the distance, and the message "Somewhere, a great rune has broken" will appear onscreen. This moment marks an important step for all of Shadow of the Erdtree's NPCs, and you should return to speak to all of them before proceeding any further with the story.
You'll find Hornsent back at the Site of Grace 'Highroad Cross'. Speak to him, and he'll reaffirm his belief in Miquella, even though the charm that bound him and the other NPCs together has now been broken.
Speak to him a second time, and he'll tell you that, first, he must heed the call of vengeance. "The Impaler, Messmer, must pay his due," he says, and he's going to head toward the Shadow Keep. Interact with him again, and he'll warn you not to interfere, unless you, too, wish to face a reckoning.
After this, Hornsent's dialogue will be exhausted. Before you leave, though, you should also speak to Needle Knight Leda, who has also grown suspicious of her former comrades. She'll start to doubt the intentions of some the members within the group, and she asks you whether she needs to take any of them out. You're given the option to suggest Thiollier or Hornsent as potential targets, or give no answer at all. Here's what happens with each decision:
- Suggest Thiollier: Leda will quickly come to the conclusion that Thiollier isn't a threat, and will ask you to choose again.
- Suggest Hornsent: Leda says she'll need to time to ponder this decision, but if you speak to her again, she'll agree to target Hornsent. After you leave the area, both will disappear from this Site of Grace and move on to their next questline locations.
- Say nothing: Choosing this will do nothing for the time being, but if you leave it too long, Leda will eventually decide to target Hornsent regardless. If you choose this option and don't give Leda an answer, only Hornsent will move on from this location, and Leda will remain behind at Highroad Cross.
The good news is that Leda won't make any move against Hornsent immediately, and you can successfully turn her attention towards a different NPC so you can carry on Hornsent's questline.
For now, your next destination is the Shadow Keep, as this is where Hornsent's questline takes an important turn.
Fourth meeting - Shadow Keep
Unlike Freyja and Ansbach, Hornsent only appears at the Shadow Keep as a summonable companion in the Keep's two main boss fights, and during a potential encounter with Needle Knight Leda. He doesn't have a physical location, but deciding whether to summon him during some of these important fights will have an impact on the rest of his questline.
Below, we explain the impact of summoning Hornsent in each of these three fights, and what happens if you decide not to:
Golden Hippopotamus
The Golden Hippopotamus fight takes place near the Shadow Keep's Main Gate entrance (the one at the front), and you'll be able to summon Hornsent to help you out in this fight if you've exhausted all of his dialogue from when you met him at Highroad Cross.
Hornsent's questline will continue regardless of whether you summon him here or not, so feel free to have him (and Freyja) help you out against this particular boss.
Needle Knight Leda
Directly after the Golden Hippopotamus fight, up on the Shadow Keep ramparts before you reach the Specimen Storehouse, you'll find two summoning tablets to the south - a red one for Needle Knight Leda, and a golden one for Hornsent.
Leda, it seems, has made good on her threat to target Hornsent, and you have the option to help Leda, help Hornsent or skip the fight entirely. Here's the outcome for each of these decisions:
- Help Leda: If you choose Leda's summoning tablet, Hornsent's questline will end here, as you'll be drawn into a fight against Hornsent, and must defeat him in battle. On defeat, you'll receive his Falx weapon, Caterpilular Mask, Braided Cord Rope, Braided Arm Wraps and Soiled Loincloth (lovely). Afterwards, Leda will then start pursuing Ansbach, and you can receive the Lacerating Crossed-Tree Talisman from her as well, as an additiona reward.
- Help Hornsent: If you choose Hornsent's summoning tablet, Hornsent's questline will continue, and you'll drawn into a fight against Leda. Choosing this option will reward you with the Ash of War: Swift Slash, and Leda's Rune.
- Skip the fight: If you choose not to fight either NPC, Hornsent's questline will continue, as will Needle Knight Leda's questline.
Naturally, if you want to see Hornsent's questline through all the way to the end, then I'd recommend either helping Hornsent or skipping the fight entirely here. In my playthrough, I missed this fight completely, as I entered the Shadow Keep from the east side first and defeated Messmer before I even realised I'd missed the Golden Hippopotamus and Needle Knight Leda encounters. Either way, I was able to see Hornsent's questline through to the end. But the choice is, of course, up to you.
Messmer the Impaler
If you skip the Needle Knight Leda fight, then you'll have the option to summon Hornsent in the fight against Messmer the Impaler - but you'll only be able to summon him from inside the boss arena:
By summoning Hornsent against Messmer, Hornsent will be able to avenge his people, and prove himself worthy of Leda's trust. Leda will stop targetting Hornsent after this, shifting her attention to Ansbach instead.
Rest at the Site of Grace inside Messmer's arena, and you'll be able to talk to Hornsent. He'll delight in his victory, and say he's indebted to you for your help. However, he also warns that his thirst for revenge remains unquenched, and that "the death of Messmer was merely the start". He no longer wishes for Miquella's redemption, as he wants nothing more than to lose himself in that feeling of revenge.
For now, that's all Hornsent is willing to say to you, so once you've exhausted his dialogue, feel free to move on and continue the main story.
Fifth and final encounter - Ancient Ruins of Rauh
Assuming that Hornsent is still alive after you leave the Shadow Keep, you'll be able to meet him one last time in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, just before you get to the boss fight with Romina, Saint of the Bud.
Alas, despite saying he was in your debt after defeating Messmer the Impaler, Hornsent seems to have been completely consumed by his rage at this point, and he will invade your world to fight you. The fight takes place in the final section of the ruins, as you reach the top of the stairs leading to Romina's boss arena. You'll know you're getting close when you reach the part of the ruins filled with pest enemies (the prawn-looking lads) and scarlet rot.
You'll need to fight him to continue, and on defeat he will drop the following reward items:
- Flax
- Caterpillar Mask
- Braided Cord Robe
- Braided Arm Wraps
- Soiled Loincloth
A slightly unsatisfactory end for old Hornsent - as he says nothing during this encounter to indicate his state of mind, or why he's suddenly turned on you. Still, this brings Hornsent's questline to a sad and unclimatic end, so the only thing to do now is carry on and go and defeat Romina.
Need more help? Improve your stats by finding all of Shadow of the Erdtree's Scadutree Fragment locations and Revered Spirit Ash locations. Alternatively, see which Erdtree bosses you've still got left to beat, and track down some great new early weapons to help you on your adventure.