To enter Raya Lucaria’s Academy in Elden Ring, you need a Shimmerstone Key. You can find out where you can find these and why you should give one away here.
Why do I need the Shimmerstone Keys? There are two Shimmerstone Keys in Elden Ring. The first is reserved for your hero to be able to enter the Academy of Raya Lucaria. The second key is for a quest series that you can start in Liurnia.
Since Shimmerstone Keys are bound to their previous user, you will need two copies. You can find out where you can find both and hand in your second copy in our guide.
This is how you find both shimmerstone keys
Where can I find the first Shimmerstone Key? The first key intended for you can be found west of the “Academy of Raya Lucaria”. Near the “Academy Crystal Cave” you will discover a stone formation. The shimmerstone dragon “Emerald” slumbers there and guards the key that you want to treat yourself to.
If you are strong enough, you can face Emerald immediately and flatten him. However, if your attack power leaves something to be desired, you can also ignore Emerald and quickly run to the key and collect it. If you die trying, you still keep the key. Now go to the grace “South Gate of Raya Lucaria” and enter the academy.
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Where can I find the second Shimmerstone Key? The second Shimmerstone Key is required for Wizard Thops’ quest. You can find Thops southwest of the first grace “Sea Cliffs” in Liurnia. He sits on a bench in the church of Irith.
Speak to Thops and you’ll learn that he locked himself out of the academy during the Shattering and now can’t find his way in. He will ask you to give him a key if you find one.
However, you can find his key in the academy itself. So gain access to the academy and follow the path until you reach the boss “Red Wolf of Radagon”. Defeat him and follow the path north out.
Now head northwest and go up the broken and normal stairs past the wizards. Now turn west and jump over the railing. Follow the same direction until you have to turn left to cross another railing.
Now you follow the roofs and climb the ladders until you eventually reach roofs that step down and let you go down deeper. You will discover a large, rounded roof of a cathedral to the northwest and you have to jump onto it.
Once you get to the roof, keep to the right until you spot an open window. Jump through the window onto a roof beam and balance on it. You’ll notice a chandelier below you that has Loot on it – this corpse has the new Shimmerstone Key for Thops.
Jump on the chandelier and grab the key. Once you have taken the key, all you have to do is return to Thops and hand it to him. He will soon be leaving his location to return to the academy.
These were the locations of both Shimmerstone Keys. Elden Ring has many quests and if you try to tackle them all you quickly lose track. So if you’re looking for an overview of all quests, we have the right guide for you: Elden Ring: All NPC quests and side missions at a glance – this is how you find them