Spirit Ashes are spectral companions you can summon during boss battles after acquiring the Spirit Calling Bell. You will discover new Spirit Ashes throughout the game, but only by completing Roderika’s questline will you be able to level them up to keep them relevant to the coming battles.

Roderika’s questline is one of the earliest quests you can complete in Elden Ring, and it is perhaps one of the most important. Follow this guide to ensure you gain the ability to upgrade your Spirit Ash companions.

Roderika’s Quest: Crysalids' Memento

Elden Ring Stormhill Shack map location

Roderika can be found nearby the Stormhill Shack site of grace, one of your stops along the path toward Stormveil Castle, and your first major boss battle with Margit, the Fell Omen. She has fallen into despair since her men left her to head into Stormveil Castle. She will grant you the Spirit Jellyfish Spirit Ash, and she will ask that you deliver her message to her former companions in Stormveil Castle.

When you reach Stormveil Castle gate, head into the room on the left and speak with Gostoc. He will recommend you take the path through the hole in the wall. He might look a bit sketchy, but follow the path out through the hole—the gate itself is a deathtrap.

Elden Ring Stormveil Castle elevator room

Make your way through Stormveil Castle until you reach a large stone tower with wooden scaffolding and a staircase winding its way up; there will be an inactive elevator in the center of the room, and a dangerous halberd-wielding knight patrolling the room. Head up the stairs to the first landing, then take a left out of the tower. You will find the Rampart Tower site of grace in the room beyond.

Elden Ring castle stairs
  • From the Rampart Tower site of grace, head out onto the balcony with the warhawk enemies and explosive barrels.
  • Continue following this path until you reach a stairway going down to the right.
  • Follow this stairway along the rooftop and into the tower, then drop down into the chapel below.
  • Inside, you’ll find Sorcerer Rogier, another Tarnished on his own mission in Stormveil Castle. You might have summoned him earlier for the Margit boss fight, but this is your first chance to interact with him. He sells some simple sorceries if you are pursuing the magical arts.
Elden Ring Sorcerer Rogier in Chapel
  • From the chapel, head out and follow the path past a few enemies and into a new building.
  • Following this path, you’ll eventually enter the the upper railing in a room with severed limbs hanging from the ceiling and a Grafted Scion stalking the room below.
Elden Ring hanging Troll, pile of bodies
  • Continue along the railing until you exit out the far side. To your left, you’ll spot a troll hanging from a rope over a pile of discarded bodies and some vicious dog enemies.
  • On top of the pile of bodies, you’ll find the Crysalids’ Memento key item.
  • Grab the Crysalids’ Memento item and return to the Stormhill Shack site of grace and offer it to Roderika.

Exhaust her dialogue, and she will relocate to the Roundtable Hold.

Roderika & Smithing Master Heug

Elden Ring Smithing Master Heug

You will find Roderika standing before the grand fireplace beside the big table in Roundtable Hold. Speak with her, and she will thank you for all your help and give you a Golden Seed. After that, go and speak with Smithing Master Heug, and select ‘About Roderika’ from his dialogue options. He will explain that he can tell she has a power about her, something to do with Spirit Tuning.

Elden Ring Roderika in Roundtable Hold
  • Return to Roderika and tell her about what Smithing Master Heug said. She shows surprise and interest in learning about this power from Smithing Master Heug.
  • Speak with Heug again, and select ‘About Roderika’ once again. When the prompt show up, select ‘Would you watch over Roderika?
  • Heug will be a bit taken aback, valuing his own guidance very little. You will gain another prompt. Make sure to select: ‘It’s what she wants.’
Elden Ring Smithing Master Heug dialogue option

After finishing the conversation with Smithing Master Heug, go rest at the Roundtable Hold’s site of grace. Once you reload the area, you’ll notice Roderika is no longer standing by the fireplace in the main room. Head over to Smithing Master Heug’s station, and you’ll now find Roderika with her own setup just across from him. She will re-introduce herself as Roderika the Spirit Tuner.

Elden Ring Roundtable Hold Upgrade stations

From her Spirit Tuning menu, you are able to upgrade any Spirit Ashes you’ve acquired with either Grave Glovewort or Ghost Glovewort—depending on the type of Spirit Ash. With her ability to upgrade your Spirit Ashes, you can keep your favorite one(s) upgraded and useful throughout the rest of the game.

This completes the bulk of her quest—you are now able to level up your Spirit Ashes—but there are a couple extra things you can still acquire in relation to this quest.

Elden Ring Crimson Hood item

You’ll notice, since becoming a Spirit Tuner, she has not worn her Crimson Hood. You can find this helm if you return to the location where you originally found the Crysalids’ Memento in Stormveil Castle. On the same pile of bodies in the small courtyard, you’ll be able to acquire and equip her Crimson Hood helm.

After leveling a Spirit Ash to +4, you will gain some extra dialogue with her. Exhausting her new dialogue will reward you with the ‘Curtsy’ gesture.

Her quest is now fully complete. Make sure to stop by from time to time throughout the game, as she will occasionally have new dialogue to share.