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Elden Ring: Carian Study Hall walkthrough and how to beat Preceptor Miriam

Get through this dungeon and pick up the Sorcery Magic Downpour at the same time.

A warrior ascends a staircase inside the Carian Study Hall in Elden Ring.
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

The Carian Study Hall is a location in , which you can discover in the east of Liurnia of the Lakes.

It's not part of Elden Ring's critical questline, but completing it does give you access to the Divine Tower of Liurnia, which is an important part of Ranni's questline. So to help you get through it and beat the boss lying in wait at the end of it, read on below for our Carian Study Hall walkthrough.

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How to get to Carian Study Hall

The best way to reach Carian Study Hall is via the Site of Grace at the Academy Gate Town. Start there, go east and follow the path that leads to the building. Here is the exact location on the map, plus an alternative route from south-east Liurnia that you can also take:

A map screen in Elden Ring with two yellow arrows pointing to Carian Study Hall.
Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

On arrival, activate the first Site of Grace 'Study Hall Entrance' and you will see a pedestal on which you can place a special item. The Carian Inverted Statue from Ranni is used here to unlock access to the Divine Tower of Liurnia. For now, though, go up the stairs to a lift.

It will take you into a huge hall, where some ghosts will surprise you in the dead end on the right. Collect 1x Golden Rune (3), run along to the left and up the stairs.

A warrior walks up some stairs with ghostly apparitions in Elden Ring's Carian Study Hall
This won't be easy. | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

Boss: How to beat Preceptor Miriam

Ghosts will appear at the top, including a hostile NPC named Preceptor Miriam, and this lady is just nasty. Her bow shots can flatten you right away and she only takes little damage.

This fight is either very tiring or doesn't take place at all, as you can just run away very quickly (and is arguably recommended if you want to kill all the ghosts in the area first).

If you choose to fight Miriam, try to stab her in the back when she draws her bow. She will teleport away from you after taking some damage.

A warrior kicks an enemy in the back in the Carian Study Hall in Elden Ring
Try to finish Miriam off with backstabs. | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

This continues several times and she reappears further up the tower each time, while the normal ghosts also get involved. March up the stairs until you find the Carian Glintstone Staff after a few more ghosts.

At the end, get into the next lift and continue upwards. The upper floor of this huge library is arranged in a ring structure. Here you will find 1x Golden Rune (4) guarded by ghosts, and a ladder leading upwards (also with ghosts).

Miriam will keep teleporting out of your reach here so that she can draw her bow. She also uses the spell Magic Downpour to make your path even more difficult. This phase is the worst. One mistake can put an end to your journey.

If you have your own bow, you can use it here and fight Miriam at a distance. Otherwise, pursue her as best as you can, take out the ghosts when they spawn and make the most of the few opportunities you have in her vicinity. She drops the aforementioned Sorcery Magic Downpour.

A warrior shoots at a far off enemy inside the Carian Study Hall in Elden Ring
This is where the worst phase begins. It's not quite so difficult with a bow. | Image credit: Eurogamer/FromSoftware

(Tip: You can also run past the first of her spawn points and take care of the ghosts in the library beforehand so that they don't spoil your tour).

Completing Carian Study Hall

The ladder will take you up onto some rafters at the top, which are unfortunately full of rats. Don't let the little beasts throw you down.

Take another (short) ladder here and at the top, where you can't go any further, you'll find the Cerulean Seed Talisman near a corpse, which increases FP restoration from the Flask of Cerulean Tears. This is where the "normal" Study Hall comes to an end.

However, after completing the Ranni's quest, you will have the necessary statue and can place it on the altar next to the entrance to gain access to the Divine Tower of Liurnia.


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