How to complete Hornsent Grandam's questline in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Here's how to find and talk to this mysterious NPC in Belurat, Tower Settlement.
The Hornsent Grandam is one of the new NPCs you'll meet in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and she's arguably one of the most mysterious side characters in the entire game. Like Dryleaf Dane, you'll need a special item before you can speak to Hornsent Grandam and begin her questline, but we're here to help you track it down and tell you everything there is to know about how to complete Hornsent Grandam's questline.
So read on below to find out where to find Hornsent Grandam, as well as a step-by-step guide on what you need to do to finish this mysterious sidequest.
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First meeting - where to find Hornsent Grandam
Hornsent Grandam is located in the Storeroom of Belurat, Tower Settlement, near the Site of Grace 'Small Private Altar'. You'll need to find the Storeroom Key before you can get to her, but once you've done so, you'll find her exact location on the map here:
However, if you try and speak to her before having beaten Belurat, Tower Settlement's main boss, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, you'll find she's pretty unresponsive, uttering little more than a "..." or "A-Ah...".
To get Hornsent Grandam to open up, you need to equip a special item (and the head on the table next to her should give you a clue). Yep, you need to equip the Divine Beast Head you picked up after defeating the Divine Beast Dancing Lion. Put this on, and the Hornsent Grandam will spring to life.
She'll say it's "such a joy to smell this scent again" and she'll ask you whether a "sculpted keeper" stands before her. She'll reveal that she felt anxious when she felt the Divine Beast Dancing Lion's essence fade away, but the head you're wearing has reassured her that all is well.
Speak to her a second time and she will implore you, the "vessel of the sacred beast", to have her son, Hornsent, accompany you to war so you can "take vengeance on Messmer and his lot" who "betrayed us" and "burned us".
To aid you, she'll give you the Incantation 'Watchful Spirit', which summons a guardian spirit above the caster's head and requires 26 Faith to use.
You can speak to her again, but she'll reveal nothing else of note. For now, her dialogue is exhausted, though she'll start chanting a song of praise on repeat as you leave. For now, that's all you can do here for the time being. Feel free to leave the room and explore the rest of Belurat, Tower Settlement or continue on to Castle Ensis and Scadu Altus.
Second meeting - after defeating Messmer the Impaler
To progress Hornsent Grandam's questline, return to her in the Belurat, Tower Settlement Storeroom once you've defeated Messmer, the Impaler in the Shadow Keep.
She did, after all, implore you to take vengeance on Messmer for what he did to her people, so now would be a good time to report back.
Equip the Divine Beast Head again and speak to her. She'll say she can feel it in her bones that "thy deed is done", and she'll rejoice at your success. "I have prepared a dish in celebration," she reveals, and she'll give you Gourmet Scorpion Stew as a reward.
Speak to her a second time and she'll thank you again for your efforts. "I have never known such joy as this," she says. Speak to her again, however, and she'll begin to wonder whether you were "unduly push'd" by her into facing such hardships, and whether her zeal in asking for revenge has shackled you to a cruel fate. She implores you to "allow thyself some rest" so you can recover from your hardships.
Speak to her a fourth time, and she'll, too, ask you to "permit [her] a little rest" as well, as "telling dream from reality... is a task increasingly beyond me..." she says. With the old woman's greatest wish fulfilled, there is nothing more for her to live for now, as the gods have granted her life-long desire.
This is the last time you'll be able to speak to Hornsent Grandam, but there's one more item you can collect from her at the end of the game.
Third and final encounter
Once you can completed Shadow of the Erdtree and beaten Radahn, Consort of Miquella, you can return for a third and final time to Hornsent Grandam's location in the Belurat Tower Settlement Storeroom to collect a final reward item from her.
There is no need to wear the Divine Beast Head this time, as you'll see the Hornsent Grandam slumped even lower on the table. She's still alive, but can now no longer utter anything other than "..." once again. Perhaps she is still resting, slumbering between waking reality and her dreams.
In front of her, though, you'll find one more Gourmet Scorpion Stew. Collect it and that's Hornsent Grandam's questline completed.
Need more help? Improve your stats by finding all of Shadow of the Erdtree's Scadutree Fragment locations and Revered Spirit Ash locations. Alternatively, see which Erdtree bosses you've still got left to beat, and track down some great new early weapons to help you on your adventure.