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Locationmajor

Cathedral of Manus Metyr

The Cathedral of Manus Metyr is a major quest location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, standing in the eastern part of Scadu Altus.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • Reach it through Bonny Village The practical route begins at Moorth Ruins, continues through the underground passage to Bonny Village, then follows the road east and north.
  • Speak to Count Ymir before exploring deeply He gives the Hole-Laden Necklace and the first Ruins Map, beginning his quest.
  • The cathedral’s underground area is progression-locked Its entrance opens only after the Finger Ruins of Rhia and Finger Ruins of Dheo have been visited and their bells rung.
  • The cathedral has a full sorcery shop Ymir sells a selection of glintstone spells from the beginning, with additional stock unlocked after the first and second bells.
  • Metyr is not fought inside the visible cathedral The boss is reached through the Finger Ruins of Miyr, beneath the cathedral.
  • Jolán’s final reward is choice-dependent An Iris of Grace gives Swordhand of Night Jolán’s Spirit Ashes. An Iris of Occultation gives the Sword of Night instead.

Note

Shadow of the Erdtree required. This guide covers the Cathedral of Manus Metyr, its attached grounds and the quest-related underground area directly beneath it. The separate Finger Ruins of Rhia and Finger Ruins of Dheo are treated as connected quest locations rather than being incorrectly folded into the cathedral itself.

Overview

The Cathedral of Manus Metyr is a major optional location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. It stands in eastern Scadu Altus, at the end of the road leading north from Bonny Village and towards the Church District. Although the cathedral looks like a quiet religious site, it is the centre of one of the DLC’s most important optional storylines.

The cathedral is occupied by Count Ymir, High Priest, and his attendant Jolán, Swordhand of Night. Ymir presents himself as a scholar and spiritual authority, but his teachings are concerned with the origins of the Fingers, the Greater Will and what he regards as the failures of the world governed by the Erdtree. His quest eventually leads beneath the cathedral, through the Finger Ruins of Miyr, and to the optional remembrance boss Metyr, Mother of Fingers.

The site is therefore more than a church with two NPCs. It is:

Named places within scope

These places belong to the same quest network but should not be treated as parts of the Cathedral of Manus Metyr:

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Named places within scope

Related places, not subareas of the cathedral

Recommended route from the Scadu Altus

The most reliable route begins at Moorth Ruins.

This route is deliberately separate from the main road through Shadow Keep. The cathedral is reached from the eastern side of Scadu Altus, not by entering the central keep and proceeding through its interior. Several guides describe the route as Moorth Ruins to Bonny Village, followed by the road towards the Church District Highroad.

Recommended route from the Scadu Altus: steps

  1. 01
    Travel through the underground passage beneath Moorth Ruins.
  2. 02
    Follow the route to Bonny Village.
  3. 03
    Cross the bridges around Bonny Village.
  4. 04
    Take the road east.
  5. 05
    Continue north along the road towards the Church District approach.
  6. 06
    Turn towards the cathedral when the large blue-grey structure becomes visible.
  7. 07
    Activate the Cathedral of Manus Metyr Site of Grace inside the entrance hall.

Access requirements

There is no reported boss requirement for entering the cathedral. The important requirement is geographical: the player must be able to reach eastern Scadu Altus and the Bonny Village route.

The underground Finger Ruins of Miyr are different. The throne passage does not become available simply because the player has found the cathedral. You must progress through Ymir’s quest and ring the bells at:

After both bells have been rung and the relevant dialogue has been exhausted, resting or reloading the area causes Ymir to leave his throne. Interacting with the empty throne reveals the ladder into the underground ruins.

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Count Ymir, High Priest

Count Ymir is the cathedral’s owner and principal quest giver. He sits on the throne in the main chamber during the early stages of the storyline.

On first speaking to him, Ymir gives the player:

The necklace is used in the bell-ringing journey connected to the Finger Ruins. Ymir also sells sorceries, with further spells becoming available as the quest progresses.

His dialogue presents a radical interpretation of the world. Ymir claims that the inhabitants of the Lands Between are children of the Greater Will, born from stardust, and argues that Marika, the Two Fingers and their origin are fundamentally defective. His ambition is not simply to study the Fingers, but to become a new mother of Fingers himself.

Ymir’s shop

Ymir’s shop inventory is progression-dependent.

Fleeting Microcosm is particularly relevant to Ymir’s beliefs. It creates a temporary microcosm beneath a target, which pulses and then bursts. The spell is purchased from Ymir after the bell at Finger Ruins of Dheo has been rung.

Ymir’s shop

SpellCostAvailability
Glintstone Pebble1,000 runesInitial stock
Great Glintstone Shard2,000 runesInitial stock
Glintblade Phalanx2,500 runesInitial stock
Carian Phalanx12,000 runesInitial stock
Carian Retaliation9,000 runesInitial stock
Miriam’s Vanishing10,000 runesInitial stock
Glintstone Nail12,000 runesAfter the first bell
Glintstone Nails12,000 runesAfter the first bell
Fleeting Microcosm20,000 runesAfter the second bell

Jolán, Swordhand of Night

Jolán stands in the cathedral as Ymir’s fiercely loyal attendant. At first, she is openly dismissive and tells the player that her only concern is Count Ymir. After the first bell, however, she recognises that Ymir trusts the player and becomes more willing to speak.

Jolán is also available as a summon sign for certain encounters elsewhere in the DLC, including the fight against Messmer and the confrontation with the two Tree Sentinels. Those encounters are associated with her storyline but are not part of the cathedral itself.

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Cathedral of Manus Metyr Site of Grace

The Site of Grace lies in the front hall, close to Ymir’s chamber. It is the main checkpoint for the area and is especially useful because the quest requires repeated returns after visiting the external Finger Ruins.

Remembrance Duplication Coffin

A Remembrance Duplication Coffin is located southwest of the cathedral, at the edge of the shallow marsh. It duplicates a Remembrance once per playthrough, without the same bell-related requirements associated with the Wandering Mausoleums of the Lands Between.

This is especially useful after defeating Metyr, since the Remembrance of the Mother of Fingers can be duplicated here if you want both of its associated rewards. The coffin is a separate facility from the cathedral’s questline and can be used independently once reached.

No shop or ordinary business

The cathedral has no ordinary merchant, inn, blacksmith or purchasable property. Count Ymir’s sorcery inventory is a character service, not evidence of a general shop district. The surrounding structures are religious and funerary spaces rather than a settlement.

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Surface enemies

The grounds around the cathedral contain a small mixture of wildlife and hostile soldiers. Verified enemies associated with the location include:

The lake and marsh are not a major combat dungeon, but they can make the approach awkward. The open terrain gives enemies room to surround the player, while the cathedral itself is a safer area once its Site of Grace has been activated.

Swordhand of Night Anna

After the route beneath the cathedral opens, Swordhand of Night Anna invades in the Finger Ruins of Miyr. Defeating her awards the Claws of Night, a weapon associated with the Swordhands of Night.

Anna is the sister of Jolán and her appearance explains why the underground section is tied to more than Ymir’s personal ambition. After the fight, speak to Jolán in the cathedral to advance the related dialogue.

Metyr, Mother of Fingers

Metyr is the main optional boss associated with the cathedral. She is fought in the underground Finger Ruins of Miyr after the third bell has been reached.

The fight is notable for its unusual scale and attacks:

Metyr is an optional remembrance boss. Defeating her awards the Remembrance of the Mother of Fingers, which can be exchanged for the Staff of the Great Beyond or the Gazing Finger.

About this guide

Major spoilers below.

Count Ymir, Mother of Fingers

After Metyr has been defeated, return to the cathedral and interact with Ymir’s throne again. Jolán becomes hostile first. Once she has been defeated, Ymir reveals his transformation and attacks as Count Ymir, Mother of Fingers.

This is the final boss encounter of Ymir’s storyline. His defeat awards:

The Maternal Staff boosts Finger Sorceries and is one of the most thematically appropriate rewards in the entire quest.

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Count Ymir, Mother of Fingers

Stage 1: Meet Ymir and Jolán

The first map directs the player towards the first Finger Ruins. Ymir’s quest is a chain of bell-ringing journeys rather than a normal dungeon-clearing mission.

Stage 1: Meet Ymir and Jolán: steps

  1. 01
    Enter the cathedral and activate the Site of Grace.
  2. 02
    Speak to Count Ymir on the throne.
  3. 03
    Exhaust his dialogue.
  4. 04
    Collect the Hole-Laden Necklace and Ruins Map.
  5. 05
    Speak to Jolán beside the pillar.
  6. 06
    Exhaust her dialogue if desired.

Stage 2: Finger Ruins of Rhia

Travel to the separate Finger Ruins of Rhia in the south-east of the Realm of Shadow. Reach the hanging bell and use the Hole-Laden Necklace to sound it.

Return to the cathedral and speak with Ymir again. He gives:

Jolán also has additional dialogue after the first bell.

Stage 3: Finger Ruins of Dheo

Follow the second map to the separate Finger Ruins of Dheo in the north-eastern highlands. This route requires access to the Hinterlands and the appropriate progression through the Shadow Keep and Scaduview approach.

Return to the cathedral. After speaking to Ymir and exhausting the new dialogue, he provides:

The third map points directly to the ruins beneath the cathedral.

Stage 4: Open the throne passage

If the ladder does not appear, the usual cause is incomplete dialogue or failure to reload the area. The throne is the intended entrance. There is no ordinary exterior doorway that leads to the underground ruins.

After completing the second external bell stage

  1. 01
    Speak to Ymir until his dialogue is exhausted.
  2. 02
    Speak to Jolán.
  3. 03
    Rest at the cathedral Site of Grace, or reload the area.
  4. 04
    Return to the throne.
  5. 05
    Interact with the now-empty throne.
  6. 06
    Descend the ladder into the Finger Ruins of Miyr.

Stage 5: Defeat Anna and ring the third bell

Proceed through the Finger Ruins of Miyr. The route is populated by Fingercreepers and other hazards associated with the ruins.

At the appropriate point, Swordhand of Night Anna invades. Defeat her to obtain:

Return to the cathedral and speak with Jolán if you want to follow all of her dialogue. Then continue through the ruins to the final bell.

Sounding this bell sends the player onwards to Metyr’s arena.

Stage 5: Defeat Anna and ring the third bell

Stage 6: Defeat Metyr

Defeat Metyr, Mother of Fingers. The reward is:

Return to the cathedral after the fight. The quest has not yet ended.

Stage 7: Defeat Jolán and Ymir

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Jolán’s final reward is determined by the item used after the boss sequence.

The Iris of Grace gives a summonable version of Jolán. The Iris of Occultation instead causes her to die and drop the Sword of Night, her black katana with the Witching Hour Slash skill. The choice is not merely cosmetic, so decide based on whether you want a summon or a weapon on the current character.

The Jolán ashes can later be combined with Swordhand of Night Anna at the puppet-related location in Rabbath’s Rise, producing the combined Jolán and Anna summon. This is a separate reward interaction and does not occur inside the cathedral.

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Stage 7: Defeat Jolán and Ymir: steps

  1. 01
    Rest or reload the cathedral.
  2. 02
    Interact with Ymir’s throne.
  3. 03
    Defeat Jolán when she attacks.
  4. 04
    Defeat Count Ymir, Mother of Fingers.
  5. 05
    Collect the Maternal Staff, High Priest Set and Ymir’s Bell Bearing.
  6. 06
    Reload the area again.
  7. 07
    Leave through the western exit towards the cemetery.
  8. 08
    Find Jolán and decide which Iris to give her.

Stage 7: Defeat Jolán and Ymir

Item given to JolánReward
Iris of GraceSwordhand of Night Jolán Spirit Ashes
Iris of OccultationSword of Night

Items obtained directly from the cathedral quest

Some of these are obtained through dialogue or boss rewards rather than lying on the floor.

Items obtained directly from the cathedral quest

Items connected to the underground ruins

Finger-Weaver’s Cookbook [2] is found on a corpse on the route to the hanging bell in the Finger Ruins of Miyr. It unlocks the Fingerprint Nostrum recipe, using Dewgem, Beast Horn, Pearlescent Scale and Finger Mimic materials.

Items connected to the underground ruins

Rewards from the two external ruins

The two external Finger Ruins are connected to the cathedral storyline but are not part of its boundaries.

These rewards are obtained by ringing the respective bells during Ymir’s quest.

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Rewards from the two external ruins

LocationMain reward
Finger Ruins of RhiaCrimson Seed Talisman +1
Finger Ruins of DheoCerulean Seed Talisman +1

For a first visit, use this order

  1. 01
    Activate the cathedral Site of Grace.
  2. 02
    Speak to Ymir.
  3. 03
    Collect the Hole-Laden Necklace and first Ruins Map.
  4. 04
    Speak to Jolán.
  5. 05
    Search the western cemetery.
  6. 06
    Locate the Remembrance Duplication Coffin southwest of the cathedral.
  7. 07
    Do not spend time searching for an ordinary route beneath the throne yet.
  8. 08
    Follow the first map to Finger Ruins of Rhia.

Full-clear checklist

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The shallow lake

The water around the cathedral is shallow rather than a full aquatic zone, but it creates poor footing and exposes the player to several enemies at once. The safest approach is usually to ride directly to the cathedral entrance, activate the Site of Grace and return to the grounds later for collection.

The hidden lower cathedral

The most important secret is the throne passage. Its appearance is state-dependent, which makes the area easy to misread. Before the second external bell, the throne is simply part of the cathedral’s decoration. After the appropriate quest progression, the empty throne becomes an interactable mechanism leading to the Finger Ruins of Miyr.

The cemetery

The cemetery is easy to overlook because it is outside the obvious front entrance. It contains Yuri’s grave and later becomes the location for Jolán’s final reward interaction. Do not assume the quest has ended immediately after defeating Ymir.

Missable or choice-dependent rewards

Buying Ymir’s spells before completing the storyline is also sensible. Although the quest provides many opportunities to return, a player who wants to preserve dialogue and reward order should complete all available conversations before activating the throne after the second bell.

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The name Manus means “hand”, making the cathedral’s name an explicit reference to its association with the Fingers. Its role also invites comparison with the base-game Cathedral of Manus Celes, another cathedral whose architecture and name are tied to a hidden Finger-related presence.

The cathedral’s window design uses a horseshoe-like pattern that also resembles the Greek letter omega. Its religious architecture is restrained and pale, but the subterranean ruins reveal the grotesque biological reality behind the Finger faith. The surface cathedral presents doctrine; the ruins beneath it expose the thing that doctrine has tried to sanctify.

Ymir’s quest expands the cosmology of the Fingers. Metyr’s Remembrance describes her as the mother of the Two Fingers and Fingercreepers, a daughter of the Greater Will and the first shooting star to fall upon the Lands Between. The Staff of the Great Beyond further suggests that Metyr once received communications through the microcosm held between her tail-fingers, but that these messages ceased.

This makes Ymir’s central belief understandable, even if his conclusion is extreme. He sees the Fingers as abandoned, damaged intermediaries rather than perfect representatives of the Greater Will. His attempt to become a mother of Fingers is therefore both a religious ambition and a grotesque act of replacement.

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Is the Cathedral of Manus Metyr part of the main story?

No. It is an optional Shadow of the Erdtree location and its questline is not required to finish the DLC.

Can I reach the cathedral without starting Ymir’s quest?

Yes. The cathedral can be entered and explored before speaking to Ymir. However, the throne passage and underground section require progression through his quest.

Why is there no ladder beneath Ymir’s throne?

The ladder appears only after the bells at Finger Ruins of Rhia and Finger Ruins of Dheo have been rung, the relevant dialogue has been exhausted and the area has been reloaded.

Is Finger Ruins of Miyr a separate dungeon?

It is a distinct underground subarea directly beneath the cathedral and should be treated separately from the visible cathedral grounds. Its access, enemies, collectibles and boss encounters differ from those of the surface.

Where is Metyr?

Metyr is reached from the Finger Ruins of Miyr after the third bell is sounded. She is not found in the cathedral’s visible interior.

What does the Remembrance Duplication Coffin do?

It duplicates a Remembrance once per playthrough. The cathedral’s coffin is southwest of the building, near the edge of the shallow marsh.

Which Jolán reward is better?

That depends on the build. Sword of Night is a unique katana with bleed buildup and Witching Hour Slash. Swordhand of Night Jolán is a Spirit Ash with a high FP cost. The choice is permanent for the current playthrough unless the quest is repeated in New Game Plus.

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The guide treats the following as the verified scope:

The following are deliberately kept as neighbouring or connected locations rather than being claimed as cathedral subareas:

The available location sources agree on the cathedral’s main residents, Site of Grace, cemetery, underground connection, boss sequence and broad enemy list. Detailed enemy placement within the surrounding marsh, exact item positions beyond the specifically documented collectibles and some state-by-state dialogue triggers can vary between guide presentations. Those details should therefore be checked against an in-game map or a dedicated subarea page before being treated as a frame-perfect route. The guide does not claim that every decorative object or unlabelled architectural feature has been independently catalogued.

Sources