Key takeaways
- Across the Roots is a Site of Grace, not a complete region It belongs to Deeproot Depths and should not be used as a synonym for the whole underground area.
- The grace lies directly before Fia’s Champions The boss encounter is the main immediate activity.
- Fia’s Champions must be defeated before Fia becomes available at the Prince of Death’s Throne.
- Lichdragon Fortissax requires additional progression You need the Cursemark of Death, obtained through Ranni’s quest, before Fia’s Deathbed Dream can be entered.
- The location is optional It is not required to complete the main story, but it contributes to the Age of the Duskborn ending route and provides unique rewards.
- The nearest external access is through Deeproot Depths The usual route begins after the Valiant Gargoyles in Siofra Aqueduct, although the Deeproot Depths can also be reached through a hidden route in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds.
About this guide
Scope: Base game Elden Ring. Location type: Site of Grace and adjoining approach area. Larger region: Deeproot Depths. Primary purpose: Access to Fia’s Champions, the Prince of Death’s Throne and, after the required quest steps, Lichdragon Fortissax. Spoilers: This guide contains major spoilers for Fia’s quest, Ranni’s quest and one optional ending-related reward.
Overview
Across the Roots is a Site of Grace in the northern part of the Deeproot Depths, positioned on a network of enormous Erdtree roots immediately before the approach to Fia’s Champions and the Prince of Death’s Throne. It is not the name of the entire Deeproot Depths region, nor does it cover the Nameless Eternal City, the Great Waterfall Crest, Root-Facing Cliffs or the western Crucible Knight area.
The location is best understood as a short but important transition zone. The player climbs and crosses exposed roots from the central Deeproot Depths, reaches the Across the Roots grace, then continues north towards Fia’s arena. Once Fia’s Champions have been defeated, the route opens into the Prince of Death’s Throne, where Fia can be found and her quest can eventually lead to the optional boss Lichdragon Fortissax.
Across the Roots has little conventional settlement content. There are no shops, ordinary residents, smithing facilities or quest hubs. Its importance comes from its position in the game’s Death-related storyline and from the nearby boss sequence.
Named places within the guide’s scope
Nearby but separate places
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Nearby but separate places
Route from Siofra Aqueduct
The most direct conventional route comes through the Siofra Aqueduct.
The coffin is the intended-looking transition from the Siofra Aqueduct into the Deeproot Depths. Defeating the Valiant Gargoyles is therefore normally required for this route.
Route from Siofra Aqueduct: steps
- 01Enter the Siofra Aqueduct from the Deeproot Depths side of the underground network.
- 02Defeat the pair of Valiant Gargoyles at the end of the aqueduct.
- 03After the fight, continue towards the waterfall behind the arena.
- 04Interact with the coffin beside the waterfall.
- 05The coffin transports you to the Deeproot Depths.
- 06Activate the nearby Site of Grace and begin crossing the large roots.
- 07Follow the roots towards the higher northern section of the cavern.
- 08Continue climbing until you reach Across the Roots.
Alternative route from the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds
The Deeproot Depths can also be reached through a hidden route in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds.
This route requires exploring the area beneath Leyndell and reaching the Frenzied Flame Proscription. A hidden or illusory passage leads onwards to the Deeproot Depths. The route is associated with Mohg, the Omen and the sealed Frenzied Flame area, so it is easy to overlook and may be dangerous for players who have not explored the sewers thoroughly.
This alternative bypasses the Valiant Gargoyles route, but it does not remove the need to navigate Deeproot Depths itself. Once inside the cavern, the player still needs to climb across the roots to reach the Across the Roots grace.
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The area is dominated by enormous exposed roots suspended over a deep cavern. The roots are not merely scenery. They form the route itself, and the player must judge jumps, changes in height and branching paths while dealing with enemies positioned along the crossings.
The safest approach is to avoid treating every visible root as part of the main route. Some branches lead to side ledges, item locations or dead ends, while the principal route generally climbs towards the northern side of the cavern and eventually reaches the grace.
Suggested route
The route is more dangerous on foot than it first appears because a missed jump can cause a fatal fall, and enemies can stagger the player near the edges. Torrent is not available in the Deeproot Depths, so movement and jumping must be handled on foot.
Suggested route: steps
- 01Start from the nearest Deeproot Depths grace.
- 02Look for the large root leading upwards rather than dropping immediately into the lower cavern.
- 03Follow the root across the open space.
- 04Use the wider sections of root as landing points before attempting the next ascent.
- 05Watch for ants and other enemies positioned around the branches.
- 06Continue towards the elevated root structure and the tower-like formation ahead.
- 07Follow the upper roots until the Across the Roots grace becomes visible.
- 08Rest before proceeding north to the boss encounter.
Navigation checklist
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The Site of Grace is the main functional feature of the location. It provides:
It is also the most useful checkpoint for Fia’s storyline. The grace is close enough to the Prince of Death’s Throne that failed attempts at Fia’s Champions can be repeated without crossing the entire Deeproot Depths.
Named facility directory
No shop, merchant, smithing table, summoning pool or other permanent service has been verified within the immediate Across the Roots area.
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Encounter overview
The main encounter beyond Across the Roots is Fia’s Champions. This is a multi-stage boss fight against invading spectral or ghostly champions associated with Fia.
The encounter does not behave like a single ordinary boss with one health bar. Several opponents appear during the fight, and the player must defeat the sequence before the route to Fia becomes available.
The encounter is therefore a five-opponent sequence in total, although the combat pressure comes in stages rather than from all five enemies appearing simultaneously at the start.
Practical advice
The exact difficulty varies greatly depending on whether the player fights the champions early, uses summons or enters with a specialised build. No unique environmental mechanic is required to win the encounter.
Reward
The victory also allows the player to proceed to the Prince of Death’s Throne and activate its Site of Grace.
Named enemy directory
The last name refers both to the boss encounter and to the individual champion enemies. They should not be treated as separate unrelated bosses.
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The Prince of Death’s Throne lies immediately beyond the Across the Roots approach. It is a distinct named location and Site of Grace, although it is close enough to function as the next stage of the same visit.
The throne area is built around the grotesque remains of Godwyn the Golden, whose corrupted body is associated with the spread of Deathroot and the wider Death-related crisis. Fia sits at the foot of the Prince of Death’s body after the Champions have been defeated.
Named enemy directory
Characters associated with the throne
Not all of these characters are present as ordinary residents at the same time. Some are boss manifestations, quest appearances or story-associated figures.
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Required progression
To begin the important part of Fia’s quest here, the player must first:
The Cursemark of Death is tied to Ranni’s storyline and the Divine Tower of Liurnia. It is not found at Across the Roots, so players who arrive here before progressing Ranni’s quest may be unable to access Fortissax immediately.
Required progression: steps
- 01Reach Deeproot Depths.
- 02Defeat Fia’s Champions.
- 03Speak to Fia at the Prince of Death’s Throne.
- 04Obtain the Cursemark of Death through the relevant portion of Ranni’s quest.
- 05Give the Cursemark of Death to Fia.
- 06Rest and speak to Fia again until the Deathbed Dream becomes available.
- 07Enter the Deathbed Dream and defeat Lichdragon Fortissax.
Fia’s dialogue and the Cursemark
After Fia has moved to the Prince of Death’s Throne, speak to her and exhaust her dialogue. If the Cursemark of Death has not yet been obtained, the relevant progression will not be available.
Once the Cursemark is in the player’s inventory:
The order of some wider quest events can vary depending on the player’s progress through Fia, Ranni and D’s storylines. The safest practice is to finish all desired dialogue with D and Fia before committing to the final stages.
Fia’s dialogue and the Cursemark: steps
- 01Speak to Fia.
- 02Choose the option to give her the Cursemark of Death.
- 03Rest at the Site of Grace.
- 04Return to Fia.
- 05Continue speaking with her until the option to enter the Deathbed Dream appears.
- 06Enter the dream to begin the Fortissax encounter.
Quest rewards
The Fia-related sequence in this area can provide:
The Mending Rune of the Death-Prince is the major ending-related reward. It can be used at the end of the game to pursue the Age of the Duskborn ending variant. It is optional and is not required to finish the main story or obtain the ordinary Elden Lord endings.
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Quest rewards
| Reward | Source or condition |
|---|---|
| Fia’s Mist | Defeat Fia’s Champions |
| Remembrance of the Lichdragon | Defeat Lichdragon Fortissax |
| Mending Rune of the Death-Prince | Obtain it from Fia after the Fortissax sequence |
| Inseparable Sword | Later interaction involving D’s brother and D’s equipment |
| Twinned Armour set | Quest-dependent reward involving D’s brother |
Access
The Deathbed Dream is not an ordinary part of the root path. It becomes available through Fia after the player has delivered the Cursemark of Death and advanced her dialogue.
The dream is a separate boss arena reached from the Prince of Death’s Throne. It should not be confused with the physical cavern or with the Across the Roots grace.
Boss: Lichdragon Fortissax
Lichdragon Fortissax is an optional dragon boss encountered inside the Deathbed Dream. The fight is strongly associated with the consequences of Godwyn’s death and the corruption of the roots.
The Remembrance can be exchanged or used according to the normal Remembrance systems. The boss is not required for the standard progression route to the Elden Throne.
Combat considerations
Fortissax uses a large arena and attacks with a mixture of:
The most important practical concern is staying close enough to read the dragon’s attacks without remaining beneath damaging effects for too long. Ranged builds can avoid some body-contact danger, while melee builds should watch for the dragon’s sweeping attacks and lightning zones.
The exact strategy depends on build, level and equipment, so no single weapon or damage type should be treated as mandatory.
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The immediately relevant named rewards are tied to the boss and quest sequence rather than ordinary gathering.
Item directory
Fia’s Mist
Rewarded for defeating Fia’s Champions. It is a sorcery that produces a death-related mist and can build the Death status effect on targets.
Remembrance of the Lichdragon
Dropped by Lichdragon Fortissax. It is the boss remembrance associated with the Deathbed Dream encounter.
Mending Rune of the Death-Prince
Obtained through the completion of Fia’s storyline. It enables the Age of the Duskborn ending option when used at the appropriate point at the end of the game.
Inseparable Sword and Twinned Armour
These are connected to the later D-related outcome. Their availability depends on the player’s handling of the associated quest characters and the sequence of events after the Fortissax section. They should not be assumed to appear automatically simply because Fia’s Champions have been defeated.
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Item directory
Enemies directly associated with the location
The wider Deeproot Depths contains additional enemies, including giant ants, basilisk creatures, Mausoleum soldiers and knights, Erdtree-related enemies and other hostile wildlife. Those enemies belong to the broader region and should not automatically be counted as residents of Across the Roots itself.
Enemies directly associated with the location
Environmental hazards
Falls
The main physical hazard is falling from the roots. The crossing is elevated, narrow in places and broken into uneven branches. A missed jump usually causes substantial damage or death.
Narrow combat spaces
Enemies near the edges can be more dangerous than their raw damage suggests. A stagger or poorly timed roll may send the player from the root.
Death-related enemies
The wider Deeproot Depths contains basilisk enemies and other Death-associated threats. These are particularly dangerous if the player has not prepared for Death Blight or is exploring the surrounding region without a clear route.
Long approach if the grace is not activated
Players who fail to activate Across the Roots may need to repeat a lengthy root crossing before attempting Fia’s Champions again. Activating the grace should be treated as the first priority on arrival.
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The location itself does not change through a New Game cycle in terms of layout. What changes is character availability, dialogue and quest-state progression.
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For a first playthrough, the following order avoids most backtracking:
This route separates the immediate location objectives from the wider Deeproot Depths exploration. It also prevents a common misunderstanding: reaching Across the Roots does not by itself mean that Fortissax is available.
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Long approach if the grace is not activated
| Player state | What is available |
|---|---|
| Deeproot Depths reached, Fia’s Champions undefeated | Across the Roots grace and boss approach |
| Fia’s Champions defeated | Prince of Death’s Throne and Fia become available |
| Cursemark of Death not obtained | Fia’s later quest progression is blocked |
| Cursemark given to Fia | Deathbed Dream can be unlocked through dialogue and resting |
| Lichdragon Fortissax defeated | Mending Rune progression and related quest rewards |
| Endgame reached with Mending Rune | Age of the Duskborn ending option becomes available |
Long approach if the grace is not activated
- 01Explore enough of Deeproot Depths to reach the Across the Roots grace.
- 02Activate the grace before attempting the boss.
- 03Defeat Fia’s Champions.
- 04Rest at the Prince of Death’s Throne grace.
- 05Explore the throne area and speak with Fia.
- 06If pursuing Fia’s quest, complete the necessary Ranni progression and obtain the Cursemark of Death.
- 07Return to Fia and give her the Cursemark.
- 08Rest and continue her dialogue.
- 09Enter the Deathbed Dream.
- 10Defeat Lichdragon Fortissax.
- 11Collect the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.
- 12Revisit the area if pursuing the D-related rewards.
Before leaving the area
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Across the Roots is important because it sits at the meeting point of three major themes in Elden Ring:
The wider Deeproot Depths is described as the source or deep origin point of the great root networks associated with the underground rivers. Godwyn’s body lies among these roots, and the corruption associated with his death manifests through Deathroot and other Death-related phenomena.
The location’s design reinforces that relationship. The player does not approach a conventional castle or settlement. Instead, the route crosses living-looking roots towards a throne built around a dead and malformed demigod. The architecture and path are therefore part of the narrative: the player is moving through the Erdtree’s hidden underside towards the source of a contamination that the surface world only experiences indirectly.
The Mending Rune of the Death-Prince represents Fia’s desired change to the order of the world. It does not simply repair the existing system. It adds the principle of Death to the repaired order, allowing those associated with death and undeath to occupy a different place in the world’s future.
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Before leaving the area: steps
- 01The Erdtree’s roots and the burial of the dead.
- 02Godwyn’s corrupted existence after the Night of Black Knives.
- 03Fia’s attempt to create a future in which those who live in death are no longer excluded from the order of the world.
Is Across the Roots the same place as Deeproot Depths?
No. Across the Roots is a Site of Grace within Deeproot Depths. Deeproot Depths is the much larger underground region containing several named areas and Sites of Grace.
Do I need to defeat Fia’s Champions to reach Across the Roots?
No. Across the Roots is reached before the boss encounter. You need to defeat Fia’s Champions to proceed to the Prince of Death’s Throne and Fia.
Why is Fia not offering the Deathbed Dream?
The usual reason is that the Cursemark of Death has not yet been obtained or given to Fia. Progress through Ranni’s quest and visit the Divine Tower of Liurnia to acquire the Cursemark before returning.
Is Lichdragon Fortissax required?
No. Fortissax is an optional boss, and Fia’s quest is optional. The encounter is important for the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince and the Age of the Duskborn route, but it is not required for the standard ending.
Can I return after defeating Fortissax?
Yes. Across the Roots and Prince of Death’s Throne remain accessible for fast travel and revisiting, although character states and quest outcomes may change after major events.
Is there a shop or merchant at Across the Roots?
No verified shop or merchant service is located at the Site of Grace or on the immediate approach. The location is a traversal and quest area rather than a settlement.
Can I get the map of Deeproot Depths here?
The map fragment for Deeproot Depths is found elsewhere in the wider region, near a gazebo in the ruins and shallow-water section. It should not be counted as an item at Across the Roots itself.
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Status: researched guide, with the location boundary treated as a practical area boundary because the game presents Across the Roots primarily as a Site of Grace rather than as an independently bounded region.
Sources
- Deeproot Depths - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
- Fia Quest and Location | Elden Ring｜Game8 — game8.co
- Full Elden Ring Fia questline walkthrough for the Age of Duskborn ending — gamesradar.com
- Elden Ring Deeproot Depths Walkthrough — powerpyx.com
- Maps - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg