Grand Cloister

Key takeaways

• Grand Cloister is a ruin complex, not the whole Lake of Rot The Lake of Rot, its platforms, shore, Dragonkin Soldier area and Grand Cloister are neighbouring but distinct locations.
• The area is reached by crossing the Lake of Rot from the Lake of Rot Shoreside Site of Grace. It is normally visited during Ranni’s questline.
• The Grand Cloister Site of Grace is the main checkpoint and is found partway down the staircase leading from the lake towards the ruin.
• A Putrid Tree Spirit appears in the lower rot channel near the waterfall It drops a Golden Seed.
• The temple contains a chest holding Scorpion’s Stinger, but the surrounding Kindred of Rot are hostile.
• A coffin beside the waterfall carries the player to Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. Astel is treated here as the connected boss destination rather than as an ordinary room within the ruin.

About this guide

Overview

The Grand Cloister is a compact but important ruin at the southern end of the Lake of Rot, within the underground Ainsel River region. It is not a large legacy dungeon. Instead, it is the final ruin complex on the route through the Lake of Rot, combining a dangerous Scarlet Rot approach, a short temple-like area occupied by the Kindred of Rot, an optional Putrid Tree Spirit encounter, and the coffin that carries the player to Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.

The location matters chiefly because it is the final destination of the middle section of Ranni the Witch’s questline. Astel is not merely an optional underground boss encountered by chance. Defeating it opens the way towards the Moonlight Altar and the conclusion of Ranni’s route, provided the player has obtained the necessary quest items and followed the preceding stages of the quest.

The Grand Cloister’s most memorable reward is Scorpion’s Stinger, a dagger with innate Scarlet Rot. The area also contains a Golden Seed, upgrade materials, Ghost Glovewort, consumables and crafting materials. Its scenery gives the strongest visual connection between the Lake of Rot, the Kindred of Rot and the ancient underground civilisations associated with the Eternal Cities.

---

Reaching the Lake of Rot

The Grand Cloister is normally reached from Nokstella, Eternal City. The route descends through the underground river system and eventually arrives at the Lake of Rot Shoreside Site of Grace.

The player can enter the Lake of Rot without immediately completing every part of Ranni’s quest, but the natural progression route is:

The Grand Cloister is therefore accessible before the player is ready for every later step of the game, but its main story function is tied to Ranni’s route.

Reaching the Lake of Rot: steps

1. 01
   Begin Ranni’s quest at Ranni’s Rise.
2. 02
   Progress through the underground section involving Nokron and the Fingerslayer Blade.
3. 03
   Continue through the Ainsel River and Nokstella route.
4. 04
   Defeat the Baleful Shadow when the quest requires it.
5. 05
   Use the lift beyond Nokstella to reach the Lake of Rot.
6. 06
   Cross the lake and continue south to the Grand Cloister.

Crossing the Lake of Rot

The lake causes continuous Scarlet Rot buildup while the player stands in its exposed pools. The safest approach is to use the raised stone platforms and activated structures where possible, rather than simply sprinting across the entire basin.

The Grand Cloister itself still contains rot pools and rot-affected ground, so reaching the Site of Grace does not entirely remove the environmental danger.

From the Site of Grace to the shrine

The coffin is not a decorative object or a conventional lift. It is the area’s transition device to the boss destination.

---

From the Grand Cloister Site of Grace

1. 01
   Follow the stairway down through the ruin.
2. 02
   Search the lower walkways for upgrade materials and consumables.
3. 03
   Continue towards the shrine and the large statue.
4. 04
   Take the Scorpion’s Stinger from the chest inside the shrine.
5. 05
   Expect the nearby Kindred of Rot to become aggressive or to surround the area when you leave.
6. 06
   Explore the waterfall and lower channel before using the coffin.
7. 07
   Interact with the coffin to travel to Astel.

Grand Cloister

The main ruin complex at the southern edge of the Lake of Rot. It contains the principal Site of Grace, shrine, waterfall, lower rot channel and coffin route.

Grand Cloister Site of Grace

The area’s checkpoint, positioned partway down the major staircase from the Lake of Rot. It is the key reset point for collecting the shrine weapon, fighting the Putrid Tree Spirit and preparing for Astel.

Grand Cloister shrine

A small temple-like structure containing the chest with Scorpion’s Stinger. It is watched by Kindred of Rot.

Grand Cloister waterfall

The waterfall and its lower channel are found below the main walkway and shrine. The Putrid Tree Spirit appears in this lower section, and the coffin to Astel rests near the waterfall.

Coffin to Astel

A stone coffin beside the waterfall. Interacting with it transports the player to the arena of Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.

---

Servants of Rot

The Grand Cloister is associated with the Servants of Rot, a broad description for the rot-worshipping presence that occupies the ruin. The most visible representatives are the Kindred of Rot.

Kindred of Rot

Kindred of Rot are insect-like humanoid enemies found throughout the Grand Cloister and the Lake of Rot. In the cloister they are often positioned in groups around the shrine and statue. Their placement suggests ritual activity rather than ordinary patrol behaviour.

They can attack at close range and may use projectile attacks or rot-related abilities depending on the variant and distance. Their numbers are more dangerous than any one individual. Pulling them away from the shrine, eliminating them from the edges, or using ranged attacks can make the Scorpion’s Stinger collection safer.

Named directory: inhabitants and enemies

• Kindred of Rot
• Putrid Tree Spirit

Scorpion’s Stinger

Scorpion’s Stinger is the Grand Cloister’s signature weapon. It is a dagger with innate Scarlet Rot and the Repeating Thrust skill. The weapon is found in a chest inside the small shrine near the Grand Cloister Site of Grace, in the area watched by Kindred of Rot.

The dagger is especially appropriate for builds that want to apply Scarlet Rot through direct weapon attacks. Its presence also connects the weapon mechanically and visually to the area’s rot worship.

Golden Seed

The local Golden Seed is dropped by the Putrid Tree Spirit in the lower channel beneath the ruin. It is not a conventional ground pickup. Defeat the spirit to receive it.

The Putrid Tree Spirit’s Grand Cloister version is recorded with a Golden Seed drop and a substantially lower reward than the later Elphael variant.

Smithing Stones

Named location lists associate the Grand Cloister with:

These are fixed pickups rather than random enemy drops. Search the lower walkways, ledges and side alcoves before taking the coffin.

Somber Smithing Stone

Some location directories group a Somber Smithing Stone pickup with the Grand Cloister route. Because online lists differ in how they divide the Lake of Rot approach and the ruin itself, the exact sub-location should be checked against an in-game map or a location-specific item map before treating every nearby upgrade material as being inside the central cloister.

Ghost Glovewort

This is a fixed upgrade material associated with the underground route.

Fan Daggers

Fan Daggers are available as a consumable pickup in the Grand Cloister area. They are useful for drawing the attention of a single Kindred of Rot or finishing a weakened enemy without committing to close combat.

Golden Rune

A Golden Rune, commonly listed as Golden Rune 10, is associated with the ruin.

Crafting materials

The Grand Cloister directory includes the following crafting materials:

These are ordinary world pickups or harvestable materials rather than unique rewards. Their presence is useful for completionists, but they are not required for the area’s quest progression.

Suggested approach

A notable environmental oddity is that the spirit can sometimes take Scarlet Rot damage from the surrounding environment. This can lead to unusual circumstances in which it loses health without being directly attacked. That behaviour is not a reliable strategy, but it explains reports of the boss dying or becoming weakened while the player is nearby.

---

A coffin at the southern side of the Grand Cloister carries the player to Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. The boss arena is the endpoint of the area’s main route, but it is best treated as a distinct connected boss location rather than as another ordinary room in the shrine complex.

Astel is a major optional boss and a required encounter for the normal progression of Ranni’s questline. The fight awards:

The coffin route is permanent as a connection, so the player can return to the Grand Cloister and use it again if necessary.

Astel is a large Void creature with long-range magical attacks, teleportation, a dangerous grab and powerful gravity-based abilities. The boss’s arena is open and visually separate from the Grand Cloister, reinforcing the fact that the coffin is a transition to a deeper location.

Suggested approach: steps

1. 01
   Rest at the Grand Cloister Site of Grace.
2. 02
   Equip rot resistance or carry several Preserving Boluses.
3. 03
   Descend towards the lower rot channel.
4. 04
   Clear nearby Kindred of Rot if they are likely to interfere.
5. 05
   Trigger the Putrid Tree Spirit.
6. 06
   Stay near its side or rear where possible, while watching for its sudden lunges and area attacks.
7. 07
   Use fire damage if available, as the Grand Cloister version is vulnerable to fire according to enemy data.
8. 08
   Collect the Golden Seed after the fight.

Named directory: boss encounters

• Putrid Tree Spirit
• Astel, Naturalborn of the Void

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Arrive from the Lake of Rot. Use rot resistance and heal before entering the stairway.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Activate the Grand Cloister Site of Grace. This prevents the Lake of Rot crossing from becoming necessary after every death.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Sweep the upper walkways. Collect visible upgrade materials and consumables before entering the shrine.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Approach the shrine carefully. The Kindred of Rot surrounding the temple can attack in groups. Pull them out one at a time where possible.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Collect Scorpion’s Stinger. Open the chest inside the shrine.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Explore the lower section. Follow the route towards the waterfall, checking ledges and alcoves for upgrade materials and crafting pickups.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Fight the Putrid Tree Spirit. Defeat it for the Golden Seed. If the spirit becomes affected by the rot pool, do not assume it will die safely. Keep enough healing available for the environmental damage and any surviving enemies.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Return to the waterfall. Heal, prepare for a major boss and interact with the coffin.

Route A: completionist pass

1. 01
   Defeat Astel. Claim the Remembrance and continue the Ranni-related route beyond the boss arena.

Route B: quest-focused pass

If the objective is simply to progress Ranni’s questline:

The Golden Seed is useful, but it is not required to advance the quest.

---

Route B: quest-focused pass: steps

1. 01
   Reach the Grand Cloister Site of Grace.
2. 02
   Ignore the lower optional Putrid Tree Spirit if resources are low.
3. 03
   Collect Scorpion’s Stinger if desired.
4. 04
   Go directly to the coffin.
5. 05
   Defeat Astel.
6. 06
   Continue through the newly opened route towards the next stage of Ranni’s quest.

Scarlet Rot

Scarlet Rot is the main environmental threat. It builds rapidly in the lake and remains relevant around the lower section of the Grand Cloister.

Narrow walkways

The ruin uses narrow ledges and raised stone paths. Knockback, panic rolls and overcommitting to a group of Kindred of Rot can send the player into rot or off a ledge.

Kindred of Rot groups

The shrine is deliberately dangerous because the weapon chest is not isolated. Clear a route before opening the chest, or be ready to sprint out after collecting the dagger.

Putrid Tree Spirit

The lower fight combines a large enemy with environmental rot. Fighting from the water can be more dangerous than the boss itself. If possible, keep the encounter on the safest available ground and maintain a clear escape line.

Astel’s grab

Astel’s grab is one of the fight’s most important attacks to recognise. Keep moving, avoid staying directly in front of the boss for too long and be cautious after Astel teleports.

---

The Grand Cloister appears to be an ancient temple complex connected to the underground civilisations. Its inhabitants, the Kindred of Rot, gather around the Scorpion’s Stinger before a large bearded statue. The composition presents the dagger as a sacred relic rather than simply a weapon left in a chest.

The precise identity of the bearded figure is not explicitly confirmed by the game’s location name alone. It is safer to describe the statue as an unidentified or ambiguously represented figure rather than assigning it a definite identity.

---

---

The area’s imagery ties together three ideas

1. 01
   The ancient underground ruins The masonry, stairways and monumental spaces resemble other subterranean ruins in Ainsel River and the Eternal City routes.

Astel’s grab: steps

1. 01
   The worship of rot The Kindred of Rot are positioned as attendants or devotees. The Scarlet Rot channel runs directly through the complex, turning the temple into a place built around contamination rather than merely overrun by it.

Astel’s grab: steps

1. 01
   The sealed or imprisoned threat below The coffin descends further into the underground, leading to Astel. The journey gives the impression of travelling from a ritual site into a deeper prison or cosmic ruin.

Is Grand Cloister part of the Lake of Rot?

It is located at the southern edge of the Lake of Rot and is reached through it, but the named locations are distinct. The lake is the broad environmental region; the Grand Cloister is the ruin complex at its southern end.

Is Astel inside Grand Cloister?

Astel is reached from the Grand Cloister by coffin, but the boss arena is a separate connected destination. Guides often list Astel under Grand Cloister because that is the access point.

Do I have to fight the Putrid Tree Spirit?

No. It is optional. Defeating it awards the Golden Seed and runes, but it is not necessary to use the coffin or progress through Ranni’s questline.

Where is Scorpion’s Stinger?

It is in a chest inside the small shrine near the Grand Cloister Site of Grace. The shrine is guarded by Kindred of Rot.

Can the Putrid Tree Spirit die to Scarlet Rot?

The environmental interaction can cause the spirit to lose health, and unusual deaths have been reported. This should be regarded as an inconsistent environmental outcome, not a dependable replacement for the fight.

Are there any merchants or friendly NPCs here?

No verified friendly NPC, merchant, shop or service is located within the Grand Cloister itself. Characters associated with Ranni’s questline appear elsewhere.

---

The major sources agree on the Grand Cloister’s position, its Ainsel River classification, the Lake of Rot setting, the Site of Grace, Kindred of Rot, Putrid Tree Spirit, Astel connection and principal rewards.

Some online directories differ in whether they assign individual Smithing Stones, Somber Smithing Stones and crafting pickups to the Grand Cloister proper or to the immediately adjoining Lake of Rot approach. For that reason, this guide lists the items associated with the named area but avoids claiming that every nearby pickup lies inside the central shrine complex. The boundary between the lower approach, waterfall channel and ruin is not consistently represented across secondary maps.

No separate business, shop, road, law-enforcement system, friendly NPC population or mission-only building was verified within the Grand Cloister. The location is best understood as a short hostile ruin and quest junction rather than a settlement or full legacy dungeon.

Sources

• Grand Cloister - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
• Scorpion's Stinger - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
• Ulcerated Tree Spirit - Eldenpedia — eldenring.wiki.gg
• Putrid Tree Spirit | Elden Ring Wiki | Fandom — eldenring.fandom.com
• Bosses | Roundtable Guides — roundtablehold.net