Elden Ring Altus Plateau Guide: Where To Go, Items To Get, And Enemies To Watch Out For

Welcome to Atlus Plateau in Elden Ring, land of gold, death, the royal capital, death, windmills, and death. This destination marks a turning point in your journey through the Lands Between, playing host to a number of key story events that dramatically change the narrative’s trajectory and some new and important characters as well. Despite the relatively small size of the map, there’s plenty to see and do here.

Visit the royal capital of Leyndell

Whether you arrive on the Grand Lift of Dectus or from the hidden tunnel system up the mountain, your first destination should be the road leading to the capital. It runs north through Altus Plateau and is guarded by a number of soldier battalions. This is the path you’ll take if you just want to advance the story, though you’ll need at least two Great Runes before you can enter the capital.

Take part in the gold rush

As you’d expect from a location so near the Erdtree, Altus Plateau has a number of saplings with Golden Seeds for you to collect. Unlike other Golden Seed saplings, the ones nearer the capital city have two Golden Seeds, making them an excellent way to level up your Flasks for the battles ahead.

Take in the sights at Windmill Village

Windmill Village hosts an overlooked part of The Lands Between’s social culture. It’s home to a rustic bunch happy to while away the days singing creepy songs, laughing menacingly, and dancing around dead bodies strewn along the road underneath flower-bedecked crucifixes depicting Queen Marika.

At the top of the hill is a powerful Godskin Apostle, a worm-human hybrid who uses black flames and a deadly twinned blade called the Godskin Peeler. You can claim it for yourself, along with a black flame Incantation, if you defeat the boss.

Reunite with Margit

That’s right, your smoldering ambition wasn’t quite enough to lay the Fell Omen to rest the first time. North of the Outer Wall Phantom Tree Site of Grace lies the torched and scarred remains of a battleground from The Shattering. Strike down one of the undead wandering the field, and you’re in for a big surprise: It’s Margit. He has the same attack pattern as before, though you have the whole field as your arena and can ride Torrent. His defeat is final this time, and you’ll receive the stamina-raising Viridian Talisman for your trouble.

For a bit of bonus Margit lore, check out the glowing monument in the graveyard north of the field.

Wave to the Draconic Tree Sentinel

By “wave,” we mean hit repeatedly with your strongest weapon. This enhanced version of the Tree Sentinel is a mandatory boss and blocks your way into Leyndell proper. It functions mostly the same as the regular Tree Sentinel, with a couple of important differences. The Draconic Sentinel wields a large club that can kill you in one hit, supercharges its attacks with red lightning, and, when you’re too far away, summons a blast of red lightning that can kill you instantly. Defeating it earns you passage into Leyndell--assuming you have two Great Runes--along with the Dragon Greatclaw weapon and Dragonclaw Shield.

Head underground

At the southern end of the moat outside the capital wall, you’ll find the Sealed Tunnel. It’s a short mine with a gravity-wielding foe called the Onyx Lord at the end, but it’s what comes after that makes this an essential spot on your Altus tour.

Behind the Onyx Lord, the tunnel opens a path leading to the Divine Tower of West Altus. This is where you’ll power up Rykard’s Great Rune from Mt. Gelmir, which, when activated, restores HP every time you defeat an enemy.

Enjoy the toxic saunas of Shaded Castle

Follow the road north of the Erdtree Gazing Hill, past the giant cloaked troll and horseback spirit summoner, and you’ll eventually reach a poisonous swamp. This is where you’ll find the Shaded Castle, a host of giant slugs, undead spirit summoners, and Elemer of the Briar, a powerful boss with an equally powerful weapon. Shaded Castle is also where the Valkyrie Prosthesis is, which you’ll need to complete Millicent’s quest.