Elden Ring, the acclaimed 2022 Game of the Year from FromSoftware, is renowned for its vast open world and intricate locations. Fans of the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, and Sekiro will find familiar challenging exploration in the Lands Between, filled with hidden caves, dungeons, and ruins. Among these intriguing locations is the Carian Study Hall, situated east of the Academy Gate Town.
If you’re venturing eastward from the Eastern Liurnia Lake Shore Site of Grace, you’ll naturally encounter the Carian Study Hall perched atop a hill. This guide will walk you through navigating the Carian Study Hall in both its regular and inverted states, uncovering its hidden treasures, and ultimately reaching the Divine Tower of Liurnia.
Carian Study Hall: Regular State
The Carian Study Hall exists in two distinct forms. Upon your first arrival, you’ll find it in its standard configuration. Entering the hall, you’ll immediately spot a Site of Grace and a ghostly figure to the left of the entrance. On either side of the initial chamber, pathways lead to elevators ready to ascend.
As you ride the elevator upwards, an enticing archway might appear, tempting you to jump. Resist this urge! It’s a classic FromSoftware trap leading to an instant fall and death.
Once you reach the elevator’s peak, turn to the far right to discover a Golden Rune (3). Be alert for Fingercreepers lurking above and spectral enemies that will materialize. To the left, a staircase awaits, and as you approach, Preceptor Miriam will spawn. Engage this formidable NPC, dodging her spells while battling the spectral adversaries. Pursue Preceptor Miriam up the stairs, across the bridge, and up the subsequent staircase. Here, you’ll claim the Carian Glintstone Staff. Proceed through the archway near the item and take the next elevator upwards. Stepping onto the balcony, look down to the right of the entryway you just used to find another Golden Rune (4).
To your left, Preceptor Miriam will reappear alongside more Spirits. Locate the ladder and ascend onto the network of beams overhead. Navigate straight across the beams and turn right at the third intersection. You’ll find another ladder (beware of rats!). Ascend this ladder, and on the adjacent beam, you’ll find the coveted Cerulean Seed Talisman.
Confronting Preceptor Miriam
Preceptor Miriam is a recurring challenge throughout the Carian Study Hall, casting spells and teleporting as she takes damage, all while you’re beset by Spirits and Fingercreepers. Remarkably, she respawns in the inverted study hall even if defeated in the regular state. Defeating her in the regular hall rewards you with the Magic Downpour sorcery, while vanquishing her in the inverted tower grants Lucidity, another potent sorcery in Elden Ring’s arsenal. Facing her in both states is highly recommended for these valuable rewards.
Ranged attacks prove particularly effective against Miriam in both phases. In the regular tower, the small room at the top of the second elevator provides a safe haven where she won’t attack. Conversely, in the inverted tower, the elevated platforms often cause her spells to harmlessly strike the platform itself.
The Spirits accompanying Miriam are independent of her. In the regular Study Hall, consider rushing past her initial spawn point to clear out these Spirits before engaging her in a (somewhat) safer environment. This tactic is primarily advised for the regular Study Hall.
This concludes the notable activities and acquisitions within the regular Carian Study Hall. However, the area holds further secrets that unlock upon returning with a specific item.
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Carian Study Hall: Inverted State
Upon entering the Carian Study Hall, you might have noticed a pedestal with a prompt to place an item. As you progress through Ranni’s questline (detailed in our comprehensive guide), she will bestow upon you the Carian Inverted Statue. Placing this statue on the pedestal will dramatically transform the tower, inverting it to its upside-down state.
While the initial room with the Site of Grace remains unchanged, the rest of the tower undergoes a significant transformation. The elevator becomes unusable in the inverted state. Instead, carefully descend by falling or jumping onto the ledges below. Jump through the inverted archway, bracing yourself for Fingercreepers that will ambush you.
As you proceed, a platform across from you will become visible, and Preceptor Miriam will reappear on it, initiating her attacks. Immediately turn left and move towards the far wall. Hugging the wall, carefully drop onto the ledge below. Follow this ledge towards Preceptor Miriam and the two Fingercreepers. Several Spirits will also spawn but often become trapped at the platform’s edge.
After dispatching the Fingercreepers and Spirits, drop onto the ledge where the Spirits were stuck. Proceed to the right, maintaining caution against Miriam’s spells. You’ll reach a slope descending towards Preceptor Miriam’s position. Here, you’ll encounter three more Fingercreepers and the remaining two Spirits.
Following this encounter, look downwards and drop onto the middle chandelier below. Then, carefully jump to the chandelier on the right. From this vantage point, drop onto the crisscrossing beams where you can collect a Glintstone Firefly. Finally, drop onto the large platform in the center and step onto the pressure plate. This will activate an elevator, descending to a large circular chamber. Head through the inverted doorway, which leads to a bridge connecting to the Divine Tower of Liurnia. Don’t forget to activate the Site of Grace in this new area.
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Divine Tower Of Liurnia
As you traverse the bridge (Torrent can be summoned here for faster travel), a formidable Godskin Noble miniboss will materialize, blocking your path. Defeating this enemy will reward you with the Godskin Noble armor set and allow you to proceed across the bridge to the Divine Tower. Inside the tower, an elevator awaits, leading to a Site of Grace. Ascend the stairs near this respite point to reach the tower’s peak. Here, you can acquire the Stargazer Heirloom Talisman and the crucial Cursemark of Death.
The Cursemark of Death is essential for completing Fia’s questline, unlocking the Age of Duskborn ending, and encountering the formidable Lichdragon Fortissax.
Battling the Godskin Noble
Godskin Nobles are recurring and challenging bosses throughout Elden Ring. While the Godskin Noble on the Divine Tower of Liurnia bridge may have a shorter health bar compared to full boss encounters, it remains a dangerous foe.
The Godskin Noble employs swift melee attacks and a ranged Blackflame attack. Upon reaching a low health threshold, it will utilize a lengthy rolling attack and a body slam. Summoning Torrent on the bridge can aid in dodging these attacks or maintaining distance for ranged combat strategies. Utilizing the stone obstacles on the bridge can also be advantageous, as the Godskin Noble can become stuck on them during its rolling attack, providing opportunities for counter-attacks.
NEXT: Elden Ring: How To Beat Lichdragon Fortissax
