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Road's End Catacombs

Road's End Catacombs is a small optional catacomb in western Liurnia of the Lakes.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • The entrance lies beneath the western Liurnia cliffs, south-west of the Minor Erdtree and west of the Converted Tower.
  • Pull the lever in the first major chamber, even though the boss door is not visible from there.
  • Several walls are illusionary The most important concealed route begins near the landing with the Grave Glovewort.
  • The hidden rooms contain a Rune Arc, Ghost Glovewort [2], Watchdog’s Staff and additional Grave Glovewort.
  • Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes are in a chest behind another illusionary wall near the far end of the dungeon.
  • The Spiritcaller Snail is the real boss The large spirit summoned in the arena is a distraction and can usually be ignored while searching for the snail’s faint glow.

About this guide

Scope: Base game Elden Ring. Location type: Optional catacomb dungeon Region: Western Liurnia of the Lakes Boss: Spiritcaller Snail Site of Grace: Road’s End Catacombs Main rewards: Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes, Glintstone Sorcerer Ashes, Watchdog’s Staff, Rune Arc and Grave Glovewort Recommended approach: Explore the dungeon’s illusionary walls before entering the boss arena. The lever is close to the entrance, but the route to the boss door is deliberately hidden.

Overview

Road’s End Catacombs is a small but unusually deceptive dungeon beneath the cliffs of western Liurnia. Its layout is compact, yet several illusionary walls make the catacombs appear more linear than they really are. The dungeon’s main trick is that the boss-door lever is found almost immediately, while the door itself is reached only by following a chain of concealed passages.

The catacombs are not part of the nearby Minor Erdtree, the Converted Tower or any larger dungeon complex. Those are separate overworld locations. Road’s End Catacombs is its own optional minor dungeon with a dedicated Site of Grace, its own enemy population and a separate boss encounter.

Location and boundaries

Road’s End Catacombs occupies a hidden entrance at the base of a cliff in western Liurnia. The entrance is reached by taking the path around the Minor Erdtree rather than approaching directly from above. The route passes along the cliffside and through rocky terrain before reaching the catacomb doors at the apparent end of the road.

The location should be distinguished from the following neighbouring places:

Nearby named locations

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Location and boundaries

NameDetails
Minor ErdtreeThe tree is an overworld landmark and has its own boss encounter. It is not part of Road’s End Catacombs.
Converted TowerThis tower stands nearby in western Liurnia, but it is a separate structure with its own exploration and rewards.
Road’s End Catacombs Site of GraceThis is inside the dungeon and is not an overworld grace beside the entrance.
Spiritcaller CaveDespite the similar name and spirit-related theme, Spiritcaller Cave is a different dungeon elsewhere in the game.

Reaching the entrance

The most reliable route begins from the western side of Liurnia and approaches the Minor Erdtree. Rather than climbing towards the tree, look for the road and cliff path that wraps around its northern and western side. Continue along the base of the cliff. Jellyfish may be visible on the approach, and the route eventually narrows between rocks before reaching the catacomb entrance.

There is no quest, key item or boss victory required to enter. Road’s End Catacombs is available as soon as the player can safely reach western Liurnia.

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A practical approach is

  1. 01
    Travel towards the Minor Erdtree in western Liurnia.
  2. 02
    Keep to the lower ground around the cliff instead of trying to ascend towards the tree.
  3. 03
    Follow the path around the cliffside.
  4. 04
    Look for the stone entrance at the end of the narrow route.
  5. 05
    Activate the Site of Grace immediately inside.

Internal layout

The catacombs have one principal route with several hidden side chambers. Their design is built around misleading dead ends rather than branching corridors. In particular, the game places the boss lever before the player understands where the boss door is located.

There are no separately named subareas within the catacombs. The rooms above are descriptive sections of one dungeon, not official location names.

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The important internal areas are

  1. 01
    Entrance corridor and first ambushes.
  2. 02
    Lever chamber.
  3. 03
    Lower stair and Grave Glovewort area.
  4. 04
    Illusionary-wall passage containing the Rune Arc and Ghost Glovewort.
  5. 05
    Watchdog’s Staff chamber.
  6. 06
    Torchlit lower passage.
  7. 07
    Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes chamber.
  8. 08
    Spiritcaller Snail boss arena.

Enemies and hazards

The ordinary enemies are imps. They are placed in ambush positions, including beside corridors and near walls, so rushing through the first rooms can result in attacks from multiple directions. Some guides use the label “Jade Goblin” for these enemies, but the commonly used enemy classification for the dungeon is Imp.

The main hazards are not environmental traps but surprise attacks and the dungeon’s illusionary walls. The pressure-plate arrow trap in the lower passage is easy to overlook. It is positioned near a Grave Glovewort pickup and should be triggered cautiously or avoided from the side.

Enemy directory

The summoned spirit in the boss fight is an encounter element rather than a separate named boss. The Spiritcaller Snail is the actual target whose defeat ends the battle.

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Enemy directory

Complete walkthrough

1. Activate the grace and clear the entrance

From the Site of Grace, descend the stairs. An imp is positioned near the first corridor and can attack as you pass. Collect the Grave Violet in the opening section, then continue towards the first chamber.

A second imp is concealed near the right-hand wall. Check the corners before entering the chamber fully. These enemies are vulnerable to ordinary melee attacks, but their short weapons and ambush angles can make them dangerous in the confined corridors.

2. Pull the first lever

The first major chamber contains the dungeon’s lever. Pull it before exploring further. This opens the door to the Spiritcaller Snail’s arena, although the route to that door is not immediately apparent.

After using the lever, descend or drop to the lower level and collect the nearby Grave Glovewort. A further imp may be encountered below.

Do not assume that the absence of a visible boss door means the lever has not worked. The dungeon deliberately separates the lever from the door.

3. Search the first hidden chamber

Return to the landing near the lever and the Grave Glovewort. Two walls here are illusionary:

Both openings lead into the same concealed chamber. Inside are:

The illusionary walls can be dispelled by attacking them or rolling into them. The walls look sufficiently ordinary that it is easy to miss them if you only inspect obvious dead ends.

4. Follow the concealed route towards the boss door

Descend the narrow passage and collect Root Resin. At the end of this short section, turn back towards the corpse and reveal another illusionary wall behind it.

Dispel this final wall to reach the corridor leading towards the now-open boss door. You can enter the mist at this point, but it is better to backtrack and finish the remaining side area first.

5. Find the Watchdog’s Staff

Return to the landing near the lever and take the other set of stairs. Immediately check beside the stairs for another illusionary wall.

Watchdog’s Staff is the dungeon’s notable weapon reward. Clear the imps before collecting it, since the chamber is narrow and the enemies can interrupt the pickup animation.

6. Explore the lower passage

Continue through the passage that was ignored earlier. Watch for the pressure plate that activates an arrow trap. An imp is positioned near this section, and a Grave Glovewort can be collected from the nearby alcove.

The torchlit chamber beyond contains more upgrade materials:

The dead end is another illusionary-wall puzzle. Reveal the wall to reach the final treasure chamber.

7. Collect Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes

Three imps guard the chest in the final hidden chamber. They are positioned around the entrance and chest, so avoid opening the chest before dealing with them.

The chest contains Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes, a spirit summon associated with Raya Lucaria’s soldiers. This is the dungeon’s main non-boss reward.

Once the Ashes have been collected, return through the passages to the boss mist.

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Boss: Spiritcaller Snail

Boss directory

The Spiritcaller Snail is an unusual boss because it does not remain visibly present in the arena. Instead, it summons a large hostile spirit and hides elsewhere. The summoned spirit is dangerous, but it is not the true target.

The snail’s position is indicated by a faint white or glowing point. Search around the arena’s pillars and edges for this glow. Attack the snail when you find it. After taking several hits, it teleports and must be located again.

The boss is especially manageable for mobile characters because the summoned spirit’s attention can be avoided while the player searches for the snail. A shield can help against accidental hits, but the arena is more about observation and movement than damage optimisation.

Defeating the Spiritcaller Snail rewards Glintstone Sorcerer Ashes.

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Boss directory

Recommended strategy

  1. 01
    Enter the arena and immediately look for the faint glow.
  2. 02
    Ignore the large summoned spirit unless it is blocking your route or forcing you into a corner.
  3. 03
    Run around the arena’s pillars and outer edges.
  4. 04
    Attack the snail when the glow reveals its position.
  5. 05
    After it teleports, repeat the search.
  6. 06
    Use a spirit summon if you need a distraction for the summoned enemy.
  7. 07
    Defeating the snail ends the fight, regardless of whether the summoned spirit is still alive.

Items and collectibles

Fixed rewards

The available guides agree on the major rewards and the dungeon’s illusionary-wall structure, although individual lists vary in how they count repeated Grave Glovewort and Root Resin pickups. The table above records the verified named items without asserting a complete count for every repeated material pickup.

Collectible directory

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Fixed rewards

ItemLocation or sourceNotes
Grave VioletEntrance sectionCrafting material
Grave Glovewort [2]Several lower and hidden sectionsUsed to upgrade spirit ashes
Grave Glovewort [3]Lever-side hidden chamber and lower passagesUsed to upgrade spirit ashes
Ghost Glovewort [2]Hidden chamber behind the first illusionary wallsUsed to upgrade special spirit ashes
Root ResinConcealed passageCrafting material
Human Bone ShardsWatchdog’s Staff chamberCrafting material
Rune ArcFirst hidden chamberRune-related consumable
Watchdog’s StaffHidden chamber near the lever-side stairsWeapon
Raya Lucaria Soldier AshesChest behind the final illusionary wallSpirit Ashes
Glintstone Sorcerer AshesReward for defeating Spiritcaller SnailSpirit Ashes

What the rewards are useful for

Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes summon a group of Raya Lucaria soldiers. Their value is greatest for characters who want several allied units on the field rather than one powerful individual summon.

Glintstone Sorcerer Ashes provide a ranged sorcerer spirit after the boss is defeated. The reward is thematically linked to the nearby Raya Lucaria region.

Watchdog’s Staff is the dungeon’s weapon reward. It is found in an optional hidden chamber rather than being granted by the boss.

Grave Glovewort and Ghost Glovewort support spirit-ash upgrades. Because the dungeon contains both ordinary and special spirit-upgrade materials, it is worth exploring even if the player is not interested in the boss reward.

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Secrets and common mistakes

Missing the boss door

The lever is visible near the start, but the boss door is hidden behind a series of illusionary walls. If the dungeon appears to end without a door, return to the lever chamber and inspect the surrounding walls.

Stopping after finding the first route

The first hidden route leads towards the boss, but it is not the only secret. The Watchdog’s Staff chamber and the Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes chest are reached through separate illusionary walls.

Fighting the summoned spirit first

The large spirit is designed to draw attention away from the snail. Killing it is optional. Searching for the faint glow is usually faster and safer than committing to a prolonged fight against the summon.

Opening the final chest immediately

Three imps guard the Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes chest. Check both sides of the entrance and the area in front of the chest before opening it.

Assuming nearby areas are connected

The catacombs do not connect internally to the Minor Erdtree or Converted Tower. The nearby landmarks are useful navigation references only.

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Recommended exploration route

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For a complete clear with minimal backtracking

  1. 01
    Activate the Road’s End Catacombs Site of Grace.
  2. 02
    Clear the entrance imps and collect the Grave Violet.
  3. 03
    Pull the lever in the first major chamber.
  4. 04
    Search the two illusionary walls near the lever.
  5. 05
    Collect Ghost Glovewort [2], Rune Arc and Root Resin.
  6. 06
    Reveal the further illusionary wall and locate the route towards the boss.
  7. 07
    Return to the lever landing.
  8. 08
    Reveal the wall beside the second staircase.
  9. 09
    Collect Grave Glovewort [3], Human Bone Shards and Watchdog’s Staff.
  10. 10
    Follow the lower passage and avoid the arrow trap.
  11. 11
    Collect the remaining Grave Glovewort.
  12. 12
    Reveal the final wall and defeat the three imps.
  13. 13
    Open the chest for Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes.
  14. 14
    Return to the boss mist.
  15. 15
    Defeat the Spiritcaller Snail and collect Glintstone Sorcerer Ashes.

Lore and thematic context

Road’s End Catacombs has no named resident, quest NPC or explicit story event. Its strongest thematic connection is to the deathly, subterranean architecture shared by the game’s catacombs and to the spirit summons associated with Raya Lucaria.

The reward pairing is notable. The dungeon provides both Raya Lucaria Soldier Ashes and Glintstone Sorcerer Ashes, linking its spirit-related inhabitants to the military and magical traditions of the academy. This is an environmental and reward-based association rather than a stated quest connection.

The Spiritcaller Snail encounter also reinforces one of Elden Ring’s recurring ideas: the visible threat is not always the true threat. The boss’s summoned warrior dominates the arena visually, while the fragile, concealed snail is the actual source of the encounter.

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NPCs, factions and services

No ordinary friendly NPC, merchant, quest character, shop, business or faction headquarters has been verified within Road’s End Catacombs.

Directory

The Raya Lucaria soldiers and sorcerer represented by the spirit ashes are rewards and combat summons, not resident NPCs encountered in the dungeon.

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Progression and missability

Road’s End Catacombs is optional and does not block the main story. No quest progression, world-state change or ending requirement is tied to clearing it.

The dungeon’s rewards are fixed rather than random or procedural:

No separate New Game cycle or progression-state variant has been identified for the dungeon. The boss and treasure layout remain the same in the base game’s ordinary exploration context.

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Sources