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Locationmajor

Land of the Tower

Land of the Tower is a major subregion of the Realm of Shadow in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • The Land of the Tower is a broad western Realm of Shadow region, not merely the area around Belurat.
  • Its principal subareas are Belurat, Tower Settlement; Enir-Ilim; Ancient Ruins of Rauh; and Rauh Base.
  • Enir-Ilim is progression-locked until Messmer’s Kindling is used at the sealing tree beside the Church of the Bud.
  • Rauh Base is the main approach to the Church of the Bud, and contains the routes to the Scorpion River Catacombs and Taylew’s Ruined Forge.
  • Belurat and Enir-Ilim are legacy dungeons, while Rauh and Rauh Base function as large open subregions with their own Sites of Grace, collectibles and optional dungeons.
  • The region contains major encounters with the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Romina, Saint of the Bud, Needle Knight Leda’s group, and Promised Consort Radahn.

About this guide

Scope: Shadow of the Erdtree only. The Land of the Tower is a region of the Realm of Shadow and does not refer to any area in the base game or to the separate Divine Towers found in the Lands Between.

Overview

The Land of the Tower is the western region of the Realm of Shadow in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. It is the historical heartland of the tower folk, the Hornsent civilisation whose culture, religion and architecture dominate this part of the expansion. The region extends well beyond Belurat, Tower Settlement. Its boundaries include the ruined districts and highlands of Rauh, the Rauh Base and Scorpion River lowlands, the sealed spiral tower of Enir-Ilim, and two substantial optional dungeons.

This is one of the expansion’s most important regions for both story and lore. Belurat introduces the Hornsent’s tower-city culture and the Divine Beast tradition. Rauh presents a much older, nature-covered civilisation associated with sprites, Crucible imagery and ancient engineering. Enir-Ilim is the late-game culmination of the DLC’s central conflict, leading to the final major boss encounter.

The region is deliberately divided into vertical layers. Belurat and Enir-Ilim are densely built legacy dungeons, while Rauh is an open, confusing ruin complex spread over cliffs, ravines, waterways and elevated stone structures. Treating Belurat as the whole Land of the Tower misses much of the area’s optional content.

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Included subareas

Belurat, Tower Settlement

Belurat is a Hornsent settlement built at the base of the tower. It is a legacy dungeon and the first major destination in the Land of the Tower. Its lower streets are full of abandoned bodies, damaged buildings and hostile tower inhabitants, while the upper route crosses rooftops, bridges and ceremonial structures.

The settlement’s principal boss is the Divine Beast Dancing Lion. Defeating it grants access to the remembrance associated with the Divine Beast and progresses several Hornsent-related threads. The dungeon also contains the Hornsent Grandam, a story-linked resident whose dialogue and reward depend on the Divine Beast encounter.

Enir-Ilim

Enir-Ilim is the great spiral tower at the centre of the region’s history. It is both a subregion and a late-game legacy dungeon. The tower contains the Gate of Divinity, the destination sought by Miquella and his followers.

Enir-Ilim is inaccessible during the early part of the DLC. The player must defeat Messmer the Impaler, obtain Messmer’s Kindling, travel to the Church of the Bud in Rauh and use the Kindling on the sealing tree. This removes the shroud surrounding the tower and opens the final section of the DLC.

Ancient Ruins of Rauh

The Ancient Ruins are the highland portion of Rauh. They consist of enormous overgrown structures, bridges, arcades and flooded chambers. The ruins are associated with ancient scholarship, sprites, Crucible imagery and the long-dead civilisation that preceded the current Hornsent settlement.

The Ancient Ruins are not a conventional dungeon. They are an open exploration zone with multiple vertical routes and several seemingly disconnected Grace points. The area contains the Church of the Bud, the sealing tree and the route to Romina.

Rauh Base

Rauh Base is the lowland region beneath the elevated ruins. It includes the Temple Town Ruins, the Scorpion River and approaches to the optional dungeons in the area. It is the most natural transition between the Gravesite Plain and the Ancient Ruins of Rauh.

The lower terrain is easier to underestimate than the ruins above. It contains several branching routes, hidden entrances and narrow river passages. The Scorpion River Catacombs and Taylew’s Ruined Forge are separate dungeons within the region rather than ordinary rooms of the overworld.

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Entering the Land of the Tower

The region is reached from the Gravesite Plain. The most direct early route leads north-west from the Gravesite Plain towards Belurat. The entrance is not a conventional world gate, and the surrounding cliffs can make the settlement difficult to identify from below.

The Rauh side is reached through routes leading north and west from the Gravesite Plain. A player following the main DLC route will eventually be directed towards the western ruins, but exploration of Rauh does not need to wait until the end of the story.

Recommended first exploration route

There is no requirement to clear Belurat before entering Rauh, although Belurat is generally the more approachable introduction to the region.

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The following named Sites of Grace are associated with the Land of the Tower and its included subareas.

Recommended first exploration route: steps

  1. 01
    Enter the Realm of Shadow and activate the early Gravesite Plain Sites of Grace.
  2. 02
    Travel north-west to Belurat, Tower Settlement.
  3. 03
    Explore the settlement’s lower streets before climbing towards the upper district.
  4. 04
    Defeat the Divine Beast Dancing Lion or return later if its attacks are proving too punishing.
  5. 05
    Continue through the Gravesite Plain and locate the route into Rauh Base.
  6. 06
    Explore Temple Town and the Scorpion River before climbing into the Ancient Ruins.
  7. 07
    Activate the Sites of Grace around the Ancient Ruins and locate the Church of the Bud.
  8. 08
    Return to Rauh after obtaining Messmer’s Kindling.
  9. 09
    Burn the sealing tree beside the Church of the Bud.
  10. 10
    Enter Enir-Ilim and complete the remaining NPC events before confronting its final boss.

Belurat, Tower Settlement

Rauh Base

Enir-Ilim

The regional directory lists these Grace points under the Land of the Tower, although several are located in separate legacy dungeons or optional dungeons rather than in the open overworld.

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Church of the Bud

The Church of the Bud is the most important landmark in Rauh. It is both a major story location and the arena for Romina, Saint of the Bud. The sealing tree is found here. Once Messmer’s Kindling has been acquired, interacting with the tree changes the progression state of the whole region by opening Enir-Ilim.

The church also serves as a key navigational landmark. If the player has reached the Ancient Ruins but has not yet found the church, following the upper ruin routes and looking for the large ecclesiastical structure is usually more reliable than trying to travel directly across the map.

Temple Town Ruins

Temple Town is a ruined settlement in Rauh Base. Its flooded and broken structures conceal routes towards the elevated ruins. It is one of the best places to understand the region’s layered design, since the high ruins can often be seen above the town while the actual route between them is indirect.

Gate of Divinity

The Gate of Divinity lies at the summit of Enir-Ilim. It is the central ritual and story landmark of the DLC’s final area. Reaching it requires traversing the tower’s spiral rises and defeating the final hostile group guarding the approach.

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The Land of the Tower has few ordinary peaceful residents. Most of its inhabitants are hostile, dead, transformed or encountered through invasion and summon events.

Residents and story-associated characters

The first group is mainly associated with Enir-Ilim’s NPC conflict and the final stages of the DLC. Several characters do not stand permanently in the region as ordinary residents. Their presence depends on quest progression, summon conditions and whether the player has completed earlier conversations elsewhere.

Hornsent Grandam

The Hornsent Grandam is found in Belurat. She is associated with the Hornsent’s interpretation of the Divine Beast and reacts to the player’s progress through the settlement. Her interactions are tied to the Divine Beast Dancing Lion and can provide an item or dialogue progression after the boss is defeated.

Needle Knight Leda’s group

Enir-Ilim is the location of the climactic NPC confrontation involving Leda and the surviving followers of Miquella. Which summon signs appear depends on decisions made during their individual questlines. This is one of the region’s most progression-sensitive encounters.

Sir Ansbach’s quest is particularly missable. The player must advance his dialogue and deal correctly with the Secret Rite Scroll and Freyja’s situation if they want his summon sign and later rewards.

Miquella’s Followers

The group encountered before the final boss is represented by summonable NPCs whose availability depends on quest completion. Their presence is not a normal permanently populated faction in the way a camp of soldiers would be. Treat the encounter as a quest-state event rather than as a conventional battle against random enemies.

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Residents and story-associated characters

Needle Knight Leda’s group: Potentially relevant characters include

Major bosses

Divine Beast Dancing Lion

The Dancing Lion uses rapidly changing elemental attacks and wide, mobile movements. Its arena is relatively open, but the boss can cover distance quickly. The encounter is optional for overall DLC completion but is the principal boss of Belurat.

Romina, Saint of the Bud

Romina is a story-critical boss for opening Enir-Ilim. The sealing tree is near her arena, and Messmer’s Kindling is required before the tree can be burned. The battle combines a humanoid upper body with a centipede-like lower form and applies Scarlet Rot pressure through several attacks.

Promised Consort Radahn

This is the final major battle of the Shadow of the Erdtree storyline. It is not accessible during the first visit to the Realm of Shadow. Its arena is reached after the Enir-Ilim ascent and, depending on quest progress, the battle may include available NPC summons.

Divine Beast Dancing Lion

NameDetails
LocationBelurat, Tower Settlement
TypeRemembrance boss
Associated themeHornsent Divine Beast tradition
Main rewardRemembrance of the Dancing Lion

Romina, Saint of the Bud

NameDetails
LocationChurch of the Bud
TypeRemembrance boss
AccessReach the Church of the Bud through the Ancient Ruins of Rauh
Main rewardRemembrance of the Saint of the Bud

Promised Consort Radahn

NameDetails
LocationGate of Divinity, Enir-Ilim
TypeFinal major DLC boss and Remembrance boss
AccessComplete the Enir-Ilim route and the preceding NPC encounter
Main rewardRemembrance of a God and a Lord

Common enemy groups

The regional enemy directory includes the following named enemy types:

The distribution varies by subarea. Belurat is strongly associated with Curseblades, Horned Warriors, Gravebirds and Divine Beast-related enemies. Enir-Ilim adds large numbers of Inquisitors, Horned Warriors, Divine Bird Warriors and Hornsent Shades. The Ancient Ruins and Rauh Base contain more wildlife, insects, Man-Bats, Guardian Golems and spider-like enemies.

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Common enemy groups

Scorpion River Catacombs

The Scorpion River Catacombs are found in Rauh Base. They are a conventional catacomb dungeon with traps, undead or subterranean enemies and a final boss encounter. The dungeon is easy to miss because the entrance is located in the lower river environment rather than on the prominent elevated ruins.

Search the river margins and cliff bases rather than staying on the main route towards the Church of the Bud.

Taylew’s Ruined Forge

Taylew’s Ruined Forge is an optional forge dungeon in Rauh Base. It contains forge-related hazards, vertical passages and valuable smithing materials. The dungeon is distinct from the open Ancient Ruins and should be recorded as its own location when checking the region for completion.

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The Land of the Tower contains a large number of ordinary pickups, but the following named rewards and categories are the most important for a completion-minded player.

Notable rewards and unique equipment

Belurat and Rauh

The Antiquity Scholar’s Cookbook [2] is found in the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, on a corpse near a statue on the northern side of the eastern ruins. It unlocks the recipe for Spritestone and reflects Rauh’s association with ancient sprite scholarship.

Enir-Ilim

Several of these are tied to NPC quest outcomes, enemy drops or backtracking rather than being guaranteed from a single chest. The region’s Enir-Ilim item directory specifically records the major weapons, armour sets, spells, ashes, consumables and crafting materials available there.

Enir-Ilim: The Enir-Ilim directory includes

Collectible checklist

For a thorough pass, check the following categories:

The Map: Rauh Ruins is particularly useful because the open terrain is difficult to understand without the regional map. Ancient ruins are frequently separated by elevation or broken bridges, so map completion and Grace activation should be treated as separate tasks.

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Burning the sealing tree

The main world-state change occurs when the player uses Messmer’s Kindling at the sealing tree near the Church of the Bud. This:

Before burning the tree, complete any outstanding conversations with:

Quest availability can be affected by earlier actions outside the Land of the Tower. In particular, the NPC battle in Enir-Ilim depends on who has been helped, opposed or left unresolved. Sir Ansbach’s quest should be handled carefully before giving him the Secret Rite Scroll if the player wants to preserve the intended sequence involving Freyja.

Burning the sealing tree: steps

  1. 01
    Requires Messmer’s Kindling.
  2. 02
    Opens Enir-Ilim.
  3. 03
    Advances the DLC’s main story.
  4. 04
    Changes the available progression route for several Miquella follower quests.
  5. 05
    Leads towards the final NPC confrontation.

Burning the sealing tree

Backtracking after entering Enir-Ilim

Some Enir-Ilim rewards require returning to Belurat or other earlier areas. The regional item directory identifies Euporia and an additional Scadutree Fragment as backtracking rewards. Do not assume that entering Enir-Ilim makes earlier areas irrelevant.

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Final pass

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Vertical navigation

Rauh is designed around elevation. If a location appears close on the map but inaccessible, look for:

Do not spend too long attempting to jump directly between distant ruin platforms. Most apparent shortcuts are either fatal or lead to minor ledges rather than the intended route.

Status effects

Bring preserving boluses, neutralising boluses and suitable damage protection. Enir-Ilim’s Inquisitors and Horned Warriors are especially dangerous in groups, so isolate enemies rather than advancing through the tower’s narrow stairs while several are active.

Large enemies in confined spaces

Curseblades, Horned Warriors and Divine Bird Warriors can pressure the player into walls or stair edges. Use the open courtyards where possible, and avoid fighting directly beside drops. In the Ancient Ruins, Guardian Golems can often be approached from advantageous terrain rather than attacked from the front.

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The Land of the Tower is where several major DLC themes overlap.

The tower folk and the Hornsent

Belurat and Enir-Ilim represent the Hornsent’s monumental culture. The tower was not merely a fortress. It was a sacred structure associated with ascent, spirals and the attempt to reach the divine. The Hornsent’s religious worldview is expressed through its architecture, masks, horns and reverence for beings connected to the Crucible.

The player can see the consequences of Messmer’s Crusade throughout the region. Belurat is not simply abandoned because of age. It bears the marks of conquest, burning and cultural destruction.

Rauh and ancient knowledge

The Ancient Ruins of Rauh are older and less urban than Belurat. Their overgrown architecture suggests a civilisation whose structures have been reclaimed by natural growth. The Antiquity Scholar’s Cookbook describes Hornsent academics studying the ruins and preserving knowledge of sprites, showing that the ruins were not merely decorative scenery. They were an object of scholarship to later peoples.

Spirals and the Gate of Divinity

Spiral imagery appears throughout the region. It is most obvious in Enir-Ilim’s stairways and rises, but the theme is also reflected in the region’s architecture and religious language. The Gate of Divinity is the endpoint of that symbolism, combining a physical summit with a ritual threshold.

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Belurat, Tower Settlement

Rauh Base

Ancient Ruins of Rauh

Enir-Ilim

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Enir-Ilim

Is Belurat the whole Land of the Tower?

No. Belurat is one subarea and one of the region’s two legacy dungeons. The Land of the Tower also includes Enir-Ilim, the Ancient Ruins of Rauh, Rauh Base and the Scorpion River Catacombs and Taylew’s Ruined Forge.

Can Enir-Ilim be entered immediately?

No. It is sealed until the player obtains Messmer’s Kindling and uses it on the sealing tree near the Church of the Bud.

Is Rauh a dungeon?

The Ancient Ruins of Rauh and Rauh Base are open subregions rather than a single legacy dungeon. The region also contains two separate optional dungeons: Scorpion River Catacombs and Taylew’s Ruined Forge.

Which boss is associated with Belurat?

The main Belurat boss is the Divine Beast Dancing Lion.

Which boss opens the route to Enir-Ilim?

Romina, Saint of the Bud, is the boss associated with the Church of the Bud and the sealing-tree progression. The tree itself still requires Messmer’s Kindling.

Can rewards be missed?

Yes. NPC summon signs, quest rewards and some backtracking items depend on progression. Complete the Miquella follower quests and check Belurat again after opening Enir-Ilim.

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Sources