Melina’s Questline
Melina is the hooded woman who shows up at your Site of Grace and offers you an accord: she will turn your runes into strength and lend you the spectral steed Torrent, as long as you take her to the foot of the Erdtree. Her story runs alongside the main game, and most of it happens on its own as you push forward, from Limgrave to the Roundtable Hold, Leyndell and the snowy Mountaintops of the Giants.
Unlike most questlines, this one cannot simply be skipped. Her accord is needed to enter Leyndell, and at the Forge of the Giants she offers to be the kindling that sets the Erdtree on fire. There is only one other way her story can end, and it is not a kind one.
Walkthrough
- Wake up in the Stranded Graveyard. After your first fight against the Grafted Scion at the Chapel of Anticipation, you come to in the Stranded Graveyard. In a short cutscene Melina and Torrent appear, and you are given the Flask of Crimson Tears and the Flask of Cerulean Tears.
- Accept her accord. Out in Limgrave, rest at the Gatefront Ruins or Agheel Lake North Site of Grace. Melina appears and offers her accord. If you have wandered elsewhere, activating any two Sites of Grace and then resting at one of several Limgrave graces (such as the Church of Elleh, Stormhill Shack or the Third Church of Marika) works too. Accept and she gives you the Spectral Steed Whistle, and from now on she can level you up at any grace.
- Listen to her along the way (optional). While you travel, Melina sometimes appears when you rest and you can ask her about the rays of grace and her goal. These talks vanish once the story moves on. At certain churches and graces, including the Church of Pilgrimage, the First Church of Marika, the Minor Erdtree Church and the Third Church of Marika, she offers to share the words Queen Marika once spoke there.
- Get invited to the Roundtable Hold. Rest at any grace outside Limgrave, or fight Margit, the Fell Omen at least once. Melina offers to take you to the Roundtable Hold. Say yes: this invitation is required to reach Leyndell later.
- Talk about Boc (optional). If you have helped Boc the Seamster, Melina may turn up at the graces where he settles and ask you about him.
- Speak to her on the Altus Plateau (optional). Rest at any grace on the Altus Plateau or in the Capital Outskirts to get an extra conversation. You lose this chance once you enter Leyndell.
- Part ways in Leyndell. Rest at a grace inside Leyndell, Royal Capital. Melina thanks you for bringing her to the foot of the Erdtree and leaves to look for her purpose. For a while she will not show up at your graces.
- Defeat Morgott. Take on Morgott, the Omen King. Melina’s summon sign waits outside his arena if you want her by your side for this fight.
- Collect the Rold Medallion. After Morgott, walk up to the entrance of the Erdtree and find it sealed by thorns. Turn back and rest at the Elden Throne Site of Grace. Melina returns, tells you she can burn the Erdtree with the flame of the giants, and hands you the Rold Medallion.
- Climb to the Forge of the Giants. Head up into the Mountaintops of the Giants, defeat the Fire Giant and rest at the Forge of the Giants Site of Grace. Talk to Melina and tell her you are ready. She becomes the kindling, sets the Erdtree ablaze, and you wake up in Crumbling Farum Azula. This is the end of her questline.
Missable steps & failure conditions
- Refusing the accord. If you turn her down, you cannot enter Leyndell, even with two Great Runes. You can change your mind at any grace with the Talk to Melina option.
- The Roundtable invitation is mandatory. Accepting her offer to go to the Roundtable Hold is required to reach Leyndell later.
- Missable talks. The early chats at graces disappear once the story moves forward, and the Altus Plateau conversation is lost as soon as you enter Leyndell. When she burns the Erdtree, any dialogue you have not heard is gone for good.
- The Three Fingers. If you meet the Three Fingers in the Frenzied Flame Proscription beneath Leyndell, Melina shows up at the next grace you rest at and leaves you forever. Neither Celestial Dew at the Church of Vows nor Miquella’s Needle brings her back. You can still reach Farum Azula by choosing to listen to the flames at the Forge of the Giants grace.
Endings & consequences
- The Erdtree burns. Taking her to the Forge of the Giants is how the main story moves on: Melina gives herself to the flame, the Erdtree catches fire and you are carried to Crumbling Farum Azula, where Maliketh, the Black Blade waits.
- Melina’s fate. If she becomes the kindling, she is gone for the rest of the game.
- Lord of Frenzied Flame. If you take the Frenzied Flame instead, Melina ends the accord and leaves. Should you then finish the game with the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending, an extra scene plays in which she swears to hunt you down. If she was already sacrificed at the Forge, that scene does not appear.