Key takeaways
- Academy Gate Town is a broad flooded settlement, not only the area immediately around its central Site of Grace.
- The Academy of Raya Lucaria is a neighbouring but separate location The town contains the approach to the Academy’s southern gate, but not the legacy dungeon itself.
- Three Sites of Grace are associated with the town’s wider area Academy Gate Town, Gate Town North and South Raya Lucaria Gate.
- Diallos Hoslow appears north of the Academy Gate Town Site of Grace after his earlier Roundtable Hold event. His discovery of Lanya’s body begins the next stage of his personal quest.
- The Death Rite Bird is an optional night-time boss in the wider town area It is not part of the Academy dungeon and should be treated as a separate overworld encounter.
- The town contains the North Liurnia map fragment, a Golden Seed, Glintstone Craftsman’s Cookbook [4], the Meeting Place Map and several smaller equipment and crafting-material pickups.
About this guide
Spoiler warning: This guide discusses Academy Gate Town’s NPC quest events, its optional night-time boss, nearby access to the Academy of Raya Lucaria, and the fate of Lanya.
Overview
Elden Ring, base game
Elden Ring, base game
Introduction
Academy Gate Town is a half-submerged settlement in central Liurnia of the Lakes, lying beneath and south-east of the Academy of Raya Lucaria. It is not simply the small cluster of buildings around the Academy Gate Town Site of Grace. The broader named location includes the flooded township, the route towards the academy’s southern entrance, the northern approach marked by Gate Town North, and the area around the South Raya Lucaria Gate. The Academy of Raya Lucaria itself is a separate legacy dungeon and is not part of Academy Gate Town proper.
The town is one of Liurnia’s clearest examples of a place caught between old civic importance and present-day collapse. Its roads and buildings are being swallowed by the lake, Albinaurics remain among the ruins, and soldiers associated with the Academy patrol the higher, drier approaches. For the player, it is both a useful staging area for entering the Academy and an important location in Diallos Hoslow’s story.
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Included named subareas
These are treated here as parts of the wider Academy Gate Town approach rather than as unrelated settlements. The three Sites of Grace mark the practical divisions players encounter while travelling through the area.
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The town was built around the base of the Academy of Raya Lucaria, at the meeting point of two highroads. The North Liurnia map description presents the settlement as a town beneath the academy whose buildings are now flooded, and identifies the area as the endpoint of two major roads. This gives Academy Gate Town a more important historical role than its ruined present-day appearance suggests.
Most of the settlement is low, wet and difficult to read at a glance. Broken walls protrude from the lake, narrow paths pass between half-sunken buildings, and enemies can be hidden behind ruined masonry or below the waterline. The western approach becomes more structured as it nears Raya Lucaria, with stairs, walls and the sealed academy gate creating a clear transition from village ruins to scholastic stronghold.
The game does not present these as formal districts with separate loading zones. They are a practical exploration hierarchy within one open-world location.
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Included named subareas
The town’s vertical hierarchy is important
- 01Lower flooded ruins: scattered buildings, water, Albinaurics and small item pickups.
- 02Central road and northern ruins: the Academy Gate Town Site of Grace, map-stele area and Diallos’s position.
- 03Upper western approach: Cuckoo-aligned soldiers and knights, the road to South Raya Lucaria Gate and the academy seal.
Academy Gate Town
The central Site of Grace is found on the south-eastern side of the settlement. It is the most useful checkpoint for exploring the flooded town and is the main reference point for Diallos, the nearby map fragment and several item routes.
Gate Town North
Gate Town North lies north-west of the central town and east of the Academy. It is the best checkpoint for the upper ruins and the approach towards Raya Lucaria. It also shortens the journey to Diallos after his dialogue has become available.
South Raya Lucaria Gate
This Site of Grace is outside the southern gate leading into the Academy of Raya Lucaria. The gate is sealed until the player uses an Academy Glintstone Key, and the key is found on an island west of the Academy, guarded by Glintstone Dragon Smarag. The key is not an Academy Gate Town item, so players should not search the town expecting to find it.
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From southern Liurnia
The simplest route is to travel north from the Boilprawn Shack area into the lake filled with building remains. This enters the flooded part of Academy Gate Town and leads naturally to the central Site of Grace.
From Liurnia Lake Shore and Laskyar Ruins
Players exploring from the southern lake can follow the roads north and north-west through the central lake region. This route reaches the town without requiring the Academy Glintstone Key.
From the Academy
The town is the natural southern approach to Raya Lucaria. From Gate Town North, follow the more elevated road westwards. You will encounter academy-aligned soldiers and eventually reach the South Raya Lucaria Gate. The gate itself is a progression barrier rather than an ordinary door.
Suggested first-clear route
This route avoids repeatedly crossing the same flooded section and establishes all three checkpoints before the more dangerous academy approach.
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Suggested first-clear route: steps
- 01Activate Academy Gate Town.
- 02Ride around the flooded ruins, checking the broken buildings and dead ends.
- 03Travel north-west to the map stele and collect Map: Liurnia, North.
- 04Continue north and check for Diallos after completing his Roundtable Hold conversation.
- 05Activate Gate Town North.
- 06Follow the western approach to South Raya Lucaria Gate.
- 07If you do not yet possess the Academy Glintstone Key, leave the gate for later.
- 08Return at night if you want to challenge the Death Rite Bird.
Albinaurics
Albinaurics live among the crumbling buildings of the town. They are ordinary hostile inhabitants rather than a named NPC community with a dialogue hub. Their presence helps show that the settlement has not been entirely abandoned despite the flooding and the Academy’s control of the surrounding region.
Knights and soldiers of the Cuckoo
The upper town and academy approach are patrolled by Cuckoo soldiers and Cuckoo Knights. They represent Raya Lucaria’s military authority rather than a separate town guard. Their placement creates a clear contrast with the lower ruins, where Albinaurics and wildlife dominate.
Death-related presence
The Death Rite Bird is not a resident or law-enforcement faction. It is an optional overworld boss associated with the ancient servants of Death and the older ghostflame tradition. Its appearance near the town is best treated as a night-time intrusion into the wider Liurnia landscape rather than evidence that the settlement belongs to that faction.
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Diallos Hoslow
Diallos is the principal named character associated with Academy Gate Town. After first meeting him in Roundtable Hold and hearing that he is searching for his missing servant, Lanya, he can be found north of the Academy Gate Town Site of Grace. Exhaust his dialogue there to advance his quest.
Diallos’s appearance here is easy to miss because he stands in the open rather than occupying a building or Site of Grace. His location is also close to the town’s northern edge, so players who only follow the road towards the Academy may never encounter him.
His story at this stage has three important elements:
After this conversation, Diallos returns to Roundtable Hold. His later story takes him to Volcano Manor and eventually Jarburg. Completing the full questline can reward Hoslow’s Petal Whip and Diallos’s Mask, but those later rewards are not obtained from simply meeting him in Academy Gate Town.
Diallos checklist
- 01Meet Diallos in Roundtable Hold.
- 02Travel to Academy Gate Town.
- 03Search north of the Academy Gate Town Site of Grace.
- 04Speak to Diallos and exhaust his dialogue.
- 05Return to Roundtable Hold.
- 06Continue his Volcano Manor and Jarburg events if pursuing the complete quest.
Lanya
Lanya’s body is found at the northern edge of Academy Gate Town. She is not a conventional living NPC encounter here, and there is no town service or dialogue sequence attached to her corpse beyond the surrounding story context.
Lanya was a servant and childhood companion of Diallos Hoslow. Her death is attributed to an unspecified Recusant, which sends Diallos towards Volcano Manor. The scene is therefore a quest trigger and a piece of environmental storytelling rather than a conventional combat or reward encounter.
Quest-associated characters
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The town’s standard enemies are a mixture of local inhabitants, academy troops and lake wildlife. The main enemy list recorded for the area is:
The enemy distribution is not uniform. Albinaurics and Land Squirts are most associated with the flooded lower ruins, while Cuckoo soldiers and knights are more common on the approach towards Raya Lucaria. Marionette Soldiers appear among the ruined structures and can attack from awkward angles, especially where broken walls limit the player’s movement.
Practical combat advice
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The Death Rite Bird is an optional recurring boss that appears at night in the wider Academy Gate Town area. It should not be confused with the ordinary Deathbird encounters elsewhere in Liurnia. Death Rite Birds are larger and more powerful variants associated with the ancient Death rites and ghostflame tradition.
How to find it
Because the boss is time-dependent, it is possible to search the area during the day and conclude incorrectly that the encounter is absent.
How to find it: steps
- 01Travel to the Academy Gate Town area.
- 02Rest at a nearby Site of Grace until night.
- 03Explore the open ground around the town rather than remaining inside the dense ruins.
- 04The encounter begins when you approach its territory.
Combat notes
The Death Rite Bird is dangerous at close range. It combines wide sweeping attacks with pecks, grabs, ghostflame effects and a screech that can inflict Death Blight at close distance. The head is a vulnerable target, but standing directly beneath it invites pecks and sudden attacks.
The Death Rite Bird’s exact reward should be checked against the individual encounter entry before publication or archival use. The location directory confirms the boss’s presence, but the supplied location source does not state the Liurnia encounter’s drop in its Academy Gate Town summary. This is therefore recorded below as an unresolved reward detail rather than guessed.
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Academy Gate Town has few intact, functional buildings. Most structures are ruined shells, half-submerged homes or decorative remnants. They are important for navigation and atmosphere rather than for shops or formal interiors.
Flooded township
The central ruins are the defining landmark. Their layout suggests a once substantial settlement, but the lake has broken the streets into disconnected islands and narrow paths. Search behind walls, around collapsed corners and beneath raised sections of masonry.
Map stele
The Map: Liurnia, North fragment is found near a Guide Stele close to the Academy Gate Town area. It reveals the northern portion of Liurnia and the Academy region on the world map.
The stele is one of the most useful early objectives in the town, especially because the surrounding lake is difficult to navigate without the map’s road and landmark information.
South Raya Lucaria Gate
This is the major western landmark. It marks the border between the open-world town and the Academy of Raya Lucaria. The seal cannot be bypassed simply by attacking it. The player must obtain an Academy Glintstone Key elsewhere and use it at the gate.
Decorative and background structures
The town contains ruined building fronts, collapsed walls and submerged civic-looking structures. These should be treated as scenery unless the game provides a door, chest, ladder or obvious path. No verified shop, inn, smithy or purchasable property is recorded within the area.
Named landmarks and structures
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The main verified item directory for Academy Gate Town includes fixed loot and the map fragment listed below. Some item placements are in the broader town approach rather than beside the central Site of Grace, so explore the whole area rather than stopping after collecting the map.
Named landmarks and structures
Fixed and notable loot
This directory follows the verified location summary rather than adding unconfirmed chest positions or assigning every item to a specific building.
Fixed and notable loot
| Item | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Map: Liurnia, North | Map fragment | Found at the Guide Stele near the town |
| Meeting Place Map | Key item | Points towards the Academy Glintstone Key |
| Glintstone Craftsman’s Cookbook [4] | Cookbook | Adds crafting recipes |
| Golden Seed | Upgrade item | In the wider town area |
| Magic Grease | Consumable weapon buff | Fixed pickup |
| Blue-White Wooden Shield | Shield | Fixed equipment pickup |
| Shattershard Arrow (Fletched) | Ammunition | Fixed pickup |
| Smithing Stone [2] | Upgrade material | Fixed pickup |
| Smithing Stone [3] | Upgrade material | Fixed pickup |
| Golden Rune [3] | Rune item | Fixed pickup |
| Golden Rune [4] | Rune item | Fixed pickup |
Crafting materials
The following materials are recorded in the area:
These are ordinary overworld materials and may be collected without completing a quest. Their availability is separate from the fixed loot listed above.
Acquisition priorities
If you are visiting for progression rather than completion, collect these first:
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No confirmed merchant, smith, grace-upgrade facility, Spirit Tuner, map vendor or permanent shop operates within Academy Gate Town.
The Sites of Grace provide the ordinary functions available at any grace, including resting, fast travel, levelling when applicable, changing memorised spells and managing other standard grace options. The town itself does not offer a unique service.
Acquisition priorities: steps
- 01Academy Gate Town Site of Grace
- 02Map: Liurnia, North
- 03Meeting Place Map
- 04Glintstone Craftsman’s Cookbook [4]
- 05Golden Seed
- 06Smithing Stones
- 07Remaining equipment, runes and crafting materials
Functional versus decorative locations
Do not infer a service from the presence of a building front or a ruined stall. The town’s visual density is considerably greater than its number of interactive facilities.
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Academy Gate Town’s condition reflects the political and environmental situation of Liurnia. Raya Lucaria remains the dominant power in the region, but the town beneath it is no longer thriving. The Academy stands above a settlement that has become flooded, fragmented and militarily policed. The Knights of the Cuckoo’s presence reinforces the Academy’s control of the roads and upper approaches.
The town also sits at a junction between two highroads. That detail explains why its ruins are extensive and why the location is strategically useful despite its ruined state. It is not an isolated fishing village. It was a gateway settlement serving the Academy and the roads around central Liurnia.
Functional versus decorative locations
| Location type | Status |
|---|---|
| Academy Gate Town Site of Grace | Functional checkpoint |
| Gate Town North Site of Grace | Functional checkpoint |
| South Raya Lucaria Gate Site of Grace | Functional checkpoint |
| Flooded houses | Ruined scenery and item-search areas |
| Academy southern gate | Progression entrance, sealed until unlocked |
| Shops and stalls | No verified functional shop |
| Housing | Decorative ruins, not purchasable properties |
Progression states
Before meeting Diallos
Diallos first appears in Roundtable Hold. If his initial dialogue has not been completed, he may not be present in Academy Gate Town.
After locating Lanya
Once the player finds Diallos north of the central Site of Grace and exhausts his dialogue, he leaves for Roundtable Hold. This begins the next part of his story.
Before opening Raya Lucaria
The South Raya Lucaria Gate remains sealed until the player obtains and uses an Academy Glintstone Key. The key is not found in Academy Gate Town. The Meeting Place Map helps direct the player towards its location, while the actual key is guarded by Glintstone Dragon Smarag on the island west of the Academy.
Night-time state
The Death Rite Bird is available only at night. It is a time-based encounter rather than a permanent daytime enemy.
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Progression
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Is the Academy of Raya Lucaria part of Academy Gate Town?
No. The town contains the approach to the Academy’s southern gate, but the Academy itself is a separate legacy dungeon. The three grace locations associated with the wider town area do not replace the Academy’s internal Sites of Grace.
Where is Diallos?
After his Roundtable Hold appearance, Diallos is found north of the Academy Gate Town Site of Grace. Speak to him until his dialogue is exhausted.
Where is Lanya?
Lanya’s body is at the northern edge of Academy Gate Town. Finding her is part of Diallos’s quest progression.
Can I find the Academy Glintstone Key in the town?
No. The key is found on an island west of the Academy, guarded by Glintstone Dragon Smarag. Academy Gate Town contains the Meeting Place Map, which helps point towards the key’s location, but not the key itself.
Does the Death Rite Bird appear during the day?
No. It is a night-time overworld boss. Rest at a Site of Grace until night before searching for it.
Are there any shops in Academy Gate Town?
No verified functional shop or merchant is recorded within the location. The ruined structures are primarily exploration scenery, enemy spaces and item-search areas.
Is the town safe after clearing its enemies?
It is safer, but it is not a permanent settlement hub. Enemy presence, NPC states and the Death Rite Bird’s night-time availability should be considered separately. Clearing ordinary enemies does not remove the town from the game’s overworld progression.
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Sources
- Academy Gate Town - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
- Knight Diallos - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
- Death Rite Bird - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
- Map: Liurnia, North | Elden Ring Wiki | Fandom — eldenring.fandom.com
- Academy of Raya Lucaria | Elden Ring Wiki | Fandom — eldenring.fandom.com
- Academy Gate Town Location and What to Do | Elden Ring｜Game8 — game8.co
- Lanya - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
- Deathbird - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg