Hornsent questline walkthrough for Elden Ring DLC

By James On Jun 22, 2024

Horn shipped is an NPC you encounter early on at the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace Elden Ring‘S Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

He has a few cards to give you, but his quest line gets a lot more complicated once you reach the Shadow Keep.

Hornsent should also not be confused with Hornsent Grandam, another NPC you’ll find imprisoned in Belurat.

Us Elden Ring The DLC guide will walk you through it where Hornsent can be foundand all the steps you need to take to complete his questline, including the Hornsent or Leda choice.

Hornsent Locations

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You first meet Hornsent not far into the Gravesite Plain. He will hang out with Redmane Freyja at the Three-Path Cross Site of Grace.

After you defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight at Castle Ensis, he moves to the Highroad Cross Site of Grace on Scadu Altus. He’s hanging out there with Needle Knight Leda. Their quest lines intertwine for a while until Hornsent becomes involved in your journey to Shadow Keep.

The final location is an invasion outside the Church of the Bud in the Rauh Ruins region.

Hornsent’s first meeting at Gravesite Plain

Image: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

From the beginning of Shadow of the Erdtree at the Grave A place of grace, follow the road north. Past the Scorched Ruins and your first Furnace Golem you come to the Three paths crossroads of grace.

Talk to both Redmane Freyja and Hornsent there and exhaust both dialogues. Hornsent will give you the Cross card that marks the locations of some Miquella’s Crosses.

Hornsent second meeting in Scadu Altus

Before meeting Hornsent again, go through Belurat, Tower Settlement and defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion. And then you must explore Castle Ensis and defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player speaks with Hornsent in the Scadu Altus

After all that, meet Hornsent and Needle Knight Leda at the Highroad Site of Grace in Scadu Altus. This time Hornsent will give you the New cross card that marks a few more Miquella’s Crosses.

If you want, you can give him some Scorpion Stew van Hornsent grandmother. It gives you a little extra dialogue, but it doesn’t seem to affect their quest lines.

Lift the spell and return to Hornsent and Leda

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree reports that a powerful charm has broken near the Shadow Keep

Before anything else can happen to Hornsent, you have to do that approximation Maintain shade. Just before you reach the front door, you will receive a few messages: “Somewhere a large rune has been broken…” And “And that also has a powerful charm.” These both relate to Miquella and the NPCs you’ve met so far.

Enter Shadow Keep to unlock the Shadow Keep Main Gate Site of Grace, but don’t fight the Golden Hippopotamus yet. Instead, return to the Highroad Site of Grace.

Talk to both Hornsent and Leda. Make sure you exhaust both dialogues.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player speaks with Hornsent after the spell is broken

Summon Hornsent to battle the Golden Hippopotamus boss

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player summons Hornsent during the Golden Hippopotamus boss fight

Return to the Shadow Keep Main Gate Site of Grace. This time there is a gold call sign to the right of the door. Summon Hornsent to help you with the Golden Hippopotamus boss fight.

You can go through as much of Shadow Keep as you want, but make sure you stop when (or before) you reach the Dark Chamber Entrance Site of Grace.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player speaks with Leda in the Scadu Altus

Anytime after the Golden Hippopotamus fight and before the Messmer the Impaler boss fight, return to the Highroad Cross Site of Grace. Contact Hornsent and Leda again. Keep talking to them until Leda decides it’s time to start killing people.

She will ask for your opinion, but you don’t have to decide anything right now. Ultimately, you’re just waiting for Leda to say she’s going to kill Hornsent – it may take a few rests at the Place of Mercy for this to trigger.

Before she can kill him, Hornsent will disappear. Contact Leda again and then return to Shadow Keep.

Be called upon to assist Hornsent or Leda

From the Shadow Keep Main Gate Site of Grace, exit the door on the right (east) and enter the ramp. At the top of the rampart, turn to the right and you will find a pair of call signs: one red and one gold.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player decides to help Leda of Hornsent

Here you have the choice: are called upon to assist Needle Knight Leda or are called upon to assist Hornsent. This is ultimately about Leda’s decision to kill Hornsent.

If you choose Leda, you (try to) kill Hornsent and, unsurprisingly, end his quest right then and there. You still get his drops, though, so it’s an option.
If you choose Hornsent, you’re called to another world and have to fight a spectral version of Leda (she doesn’t actually die here). If you defeat her, you will receive the Swift Slash Ash of War and Leda’s Rune (worth 40,000 runes).

Summon Hornsent for the Messmer the Impaler boss fight

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree player summons Hornsent during the Messmer the Impaler boss fight

Once you’ve done all that, you’ll find a summon sign for Hornsent inside The boss fight arena for Messmer the Impaler.

Of the Entrance place to Grace’s darkroom, push through the doors and watch the cutscene. Before things get too hectic, check the floor behind you and to the right for Hornsent’s golden summon sign.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Hornsent at the Messmer's Dark Chamber Site of Grace

After the battle, rest on the new one Messmer’s Dark Chamber site of mercy. When you get back up, Hornsent will be there with a bit of a monologue. Let him talk it out, and then you can move on.

Hornsent invasion at the Church of the Bud

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Hornsent invades the Rauh Ruins region

The final step of Hornsent’s journey takes place much later near the Church of the Bud Rauh Ruins. As you travel through the caves on your way to the church, you are attacked by Hornsent just before you reach the main entrance to the Church of the Bud.

Defeat him as an invader and he will drop his Falx curved swords, Caterpillar mask, Braided cord coat, Braided arm wrapsAnd Soiled loincloth.

Looking for more Shadow of the Erdtree Guides? Check out our guides on new Elden Ring DLC weapons, armor, map fragments, places of mercy and talismans. We also have location guides on where to find Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes, and an interactive Elden Ring DLC map.