To complete Rya's questline in Elden Ring, Tarnished must help discover the dark secrets of Volcano Manor and ultimately decide her fate.

Rya is an NPC in Elden Ring who serves as the humble scout of Volcano Manor, and her questline offers an intriguing insight of lore into her and the manor's dark past. Tarnished can first encounter Rya in southeastern Liurnia on the wetland trail to the Raya Lucaria Academy. She can be found in a small gazebo next to the Birdseye Telescope north of the Laskyar Ruins. If the player passes by Rya's location, she will call out for help to the protagonist, requesting they retrieve her stolen necklace from a thug.

Elden Ring fans can travel northwest to reach a landmark called Boilprawn Shack, where a gruff fellow named Blackguard is cooking prawns. By talking with him, the player will realize that he's the necklace thief Rya spoke of. The protagonist can either kill Blackguard or buy it from him for 1,000 Runes to retrieve the necklace. Once Tarnished have carried out their decision and returned the jewelry to Rya, she will reward them with a Volcano Manor Invitation. Afterward, she will relocate to either the lower half of the Lux Ruins or the Grand Lift of Dectus, depending on the route players took to reach the Altus Plateau.

After meeting Rya for the second time, Tarnished can speak with her to be teleported directly to the Volcano Manor in Mt. Gelmir. From here, the protagonist can officially begin Rya's questline in Elden Ring. It should be noted that while meeting her in Liurnia makes the trip to the manor much more straightforward and reveals bonus dialogue, those who skipped this process can still start her questline as usual from within the mansion.

Revealing Rya's Serpent Form In Elden Ring

To progress Rya's tale in Elden Ring, Tarnished must now speak with Tanith and join the Volcano Manor. The player will receive a Drawing-Room Key, which they can use to open the rooms within the side corridor next to the central lobby. Within the dining chamber on the left, players can meet with Rya again. Next, complete the first assassination contract provided by slaying Old Knight Istvan in Limgrave. His red summoning sign can be found on the trail between the Warmaster's Shack and the empty colosseum. Once he's dead, return to the manor to receive a reward from the headmistress. Finally, enter the dining room to speak with Rya again. This time, she will mention that she's been hearing strange sounds from within the manor, such as heavy "breathing" and "slithering scales." To advance her story further, Tarnished must accept the second contract from Tanith.

The second Volcano Manor's second target is Rileigh the Idle, whose summoning sign can be found in the Altus Plateau, north of the Old Altus Tunnel near the trail leading to the Shaded Castle in Elden Ring. After returning to Tanith and receiving another reward, head back to the side hall. However, instead of entering the dining room, enter the chamber of the second door on the right side. Inside, Tarnished will encounter Rya in her true serpent form. She will reveal her actual name to be Zorayas and that she was born from a royal lineage.

After finding out about Zorayas' secret, go to Tanith and inquire to her about Rya the Scout. Tanith will tell the protagonist that she's Rya's adoptive mother and requests that they treat her daughter well. Once the dialogue ends, reload the area and return to Rya in the same room. Now back to her human form, she will express her curiosity regarding a mysterious serpent figure and hidden passage in the room next door to her. After exhausting her dialogue, speak with Tanith once more before departing on an investigation of the Volcano Manor's secret in Elden Ring.

How To Get All Endings For Rya's Questline In Elden Ring

The next step of Rya's questline is opening the doors of the Prison Town Church, a location accessed by going through the hidden passage in the room next to Rya. Unfortunately, an Illusory Wall blocks the secret pathway on the right back corner of the chamber. To dispel the barrier, Tarnished can hold up a torch so that the flames touch the surface, or they can roll directly into the wall. While only the church's doors need to be open, it's recommended Tarnished make it to the Guest Hall Site of Grace for easier fast travel later on. Finally, return to Rya and reveal to her the "dark side of Volcano Manor." Afterward, go back to the Guest Hall and continue exploring to reach the Temple of Eiglay. Here, Elden Ring players must slay a Godskin Noble to proceed further.

Once the boss has been defeated, pick up the Serpent's Amnion atop the central altar in the temple. Fast travel back to the Volcano Manor and reveal to Rya the grotesque truth behind her conception. Upon reloading the area, Rya will now be missing. Players must then head to the headmistress and speak to her about her adopted daughter's absence. Tanith will express her shared distress for Zorayas and present the protagonist with the Tonic of Forgetfulness, asking that the player deliver this elixir to Rya. To find Rya's hiding spot, Elden Ring fans must exit out the rear balcony of the Temple of Eiglay, following the rocky trail up the lavafall. After reaching the first dome-roofed building, pass across the small walkway into the next building and take the lift down. Yet, as the Elden Ring elevator descends, jump through the opening at the midpoint to find the entrance to Rya's new location across the stream of lava. Alternatively, players can dash across the pool of molten magma, slip under the overpass, and enter Rya's hidden chamber.

Rya is in misery now that she's learned the truth of her past. She will ask Tarnished for a final favor of "freeing her" from her accursed body. From here, the player has three possible outcomes for Rya's questline in Elden Ring. Every ending will reward adventurers with the same item, the Daedicar's Woe. This Talisman function similarly to the Calamity Ring in Dark Souls, significantly increasing damage taken from all sources. First, they can kill her to get the "bad ending" in Elden Ring, releasing her from her anguish. Second, players can have her drink the Tonic of Forgetfulness, after which she will return to the Volcano Manor without the memories of her past. Finally, the protagonist can choose to do nothing, but they must return to her after slaying Rykard, the Demigod Boss of the Legacy Dungeon. She will leave a note saying that she's gone on a journey of self-discovery and praises Tarnished as her "kind champion."

Next: Elden Ring: Complete Walkthrough, Boss Strategies & Build Guides

Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.