Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
The Dung Eater is one of the most reviled entities in Elden Ring. This character is introduced in the opening cutscene, but it’s going to be a while until players can start progressing down the Dung Eater questline. For those looking to unlock all the endings, completing the Dung Eater questline should be a top priority.
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of the Dung Eater questline, know that there are ample spoilers below. The spoilers include the names of late-game locations, character names, and bosses. You have been warned, Tarnished.
The Dung Eater questline is one of the lengthier NPC quests in Elden Ring. The reason for this is you will need to travel to Miquella’s Haligtree, an optional location that requires a whole lot of work to reach.
Completing the Dung Eater questline will reward you with the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse, which is used to unlock an ending in Elden Ring. You can also claim the Omen armor set, which increases Omen Bairn damage.
For some players, you may only be interested to know the Seedbed Curse locations. That information can be found below using the previous link.
In order to begin the Dung Eater quest, you must first reach the Altus Plateau, an area accessible via the Grand Lift or the lake in Liurnia of the Lakes that flows into a ravine in the northeast. Once you reach the Altus Plateau, the Dung Eater will appear in the Roundtable Hold.
If Roderika has made her way to the room with Hewg, the Blacksmith, she will tell you that she can hear the wailing of spirits as they react to the Dung Eater lurking in the opposite wing of the Roundtable Hold.
You can now find the Dung Eater in the opposite wing of the Roundtable Hold, down the corridor near Gideon, the All-Knowing. The Dung Eater will not talk to you unless you can give him a Seedbed Curse. So, let’s talk about where to find Seedbed Curses.
The Seedbed Curse items are critical to progressing the Dung Eater questline. There are six to find, but you only need five of them to complete the Dung Eater storyline. Here is where you can find each one.
The first Seedbed Curse you can find is outside Leyndell Royal Capital, in the moat, after completing the Blackguard’s quest. The part of the moat is along the north of the wall, south of the Minor Erdtree. You must complete the Blackguard’s questline before the Dung Eater invades. His quest involves buying Rya’s necklace from him when he’s in Liurnia of the Lakes, buying Boiled Prawns, and then speaking to him when he moves to the moat in Leyndell.
This non-quest Seedbed Curse can be found in the Leyndell Royal Capital. From the East Capital Rampart, follow the main path along the wall toward where the broken statue gargoyle foe is blocking the door. Go inside and take the elevator down. Enter the large room and climb the ladder that is on your right. The Seedbed Curse is on the body tied to the chair.
Another Seedbed Curse in the Leyndell Royal Capital, inside the Roundtable Hold building in the west of the city. This can be accessed where the tree branch meets the building on the south. Climb up the sand and into the building. Go to where the Dung Eater would be located to find another body tied to the chair and your Seedbed Curse.
This Seedbed Curse is found inside the Prison Town Church area, a location inside the Volcano Manor in Mt Gelmir. To access this location, roll against the wall in one of the side rooms of the Volcano Manor to reveal a hidden passage. Work through the lava area until you reach the Temple of Eiglay Site of Grace.
From the Site of Grace, take the elevator on the right up to the next level and go outside onto the balcony. Jump over the railing and onto the rocks below. Follow the path up the hill. You will need to drop down onto a ledge and continue up the ramp.
As you come out onto the large, lava-filled area, run across the lava, up the little hill and jump through the window. Be careful as an Iron Virgin will come to try and smack you. Follow the path along into another darkened room right before a large corridor.
Fight down the corridor, past the snake soldiers and into the next room. You will find a set of stairs leading up to a throne, defended by more snakes. Instead of approaching the throne, take the stairs up above the door you entered through to find an Imp Statue and fog wall.
Use a Stonesword Key to remove the fog and drop down the cages in the dark room. At the bottom will be another Seedbed Curse on a body tied to a chair.
This Seedbed Curse is located in Miquella’s Haligtree, specifically in the Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree location. To find it, start at the Prayer Room and go northeast, out the door, and down three sets of stairs (there will be two crossbow soldiers above the last set). You will now be in a little undercover area with a body slung over the railing.
Jump over the railing and onto a brace. Go down the brace to find a large platform with a Crimson Teardrop Scarab floating in the middle of a little pagoda. Jump on to this platform and then on to the opposite brace on the northwest side.
Walk up the brace and jump onto the ledge. Follow the ledge around (don’t go into the door) to find a body in a chair at the end. If you look behind the body you’ll see a doorway defended by a Putrid Avatar.
This Seedbed Curse is located in Miquella’s Haligtree, specifically in the Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree location. To find it, start at the Prayer Room and go northeast, out the door, and down seven sets of stairs.
The last set of stairs will have you running toward a doorway into a large room with a Cleanrot Knight inside – do not go in. Instead, jump over the railing on the right and onto the brace. Drop from the brace down to a ledge below it to find a set of stairs leading down into the dark. Go down the stairs to find another body tied to a chair.
When you have found one of the above Seedbed Curses, return to the Roundtable Hold and give it to the Dung Eater. He will give you the Sewer-Gaol Key and tell you to free his body which is “Trapped in the sewer-gaol below the capital.”
To find the sewer-gaol, head to Leyndell Royal Capital. The entrance to the sewers can be accessed via an open well in the northwest of the city. See the above map for its exact location. Work through this area until you reach the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds and the Underground Roadside Site of Grace therein.
From the Underground Roadsite Site of Grace, exit the room and go left towards the Omen enemies. Drop down the hole on the left near the gate. In this lower section, head northwest and around the corner. Run by the plant enemies and climb the ladder. At the top, turn right to see a barred door. Unlock the door with the sewer-gaol key and go through to find the Dung Eater.
Speak with the Dung Eater and release him from his prison. You can now continue the rest of the Dung Eater quest.
Returning to the Roundtable Hold and visiting the room where the Dung Eater usually sits will reveal he has in fact left. Instead, you will discover a message on the ground that reads: I’ll defile you next. Come to the outer moat.
The Dung Eater can now invade you in Leyndell, Capital City, in the outer moat. Head to the north of the city and go down into the moat. Walk around the shallow water until the Dung Eater invades. Be careful, as you may activate a crab enemy as well.
Defeat the Dung Eater and then go back to the Roundtable Hold to chat with him. At this point, the Dung Eater will request you bring him more Seedbed Curses.
All that’s left to do in the Dung Eater quest is to feed him four more Seedbed Curses, bringing it to a total of five. Use the above list of Seedbed Curse locations to find four more (there is one extra in the world). To be clear, you must bring the Seedbed Curses to the Dung Eater's body in the sewer-gaol below the capital.
After you have given the Dung Eater all five Seedbed Curses, you will receive the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse, one of the items used to unlock an ending in Elden Ring.
You can also visit the Dung Eater again in the sewer-gaol to unlock the Omen armor set. This set actually increases the damage of all Omen Bairn items.
The Dung Eater quest in Elden Ring is quite a lengthy one, much like Ranni’s questline and Varre’s questline. However, like those other ones, completing the Dung Eater’s quest by feeding it Seedbed Curses will unlock unique rewards and a possible ending. Stop by the Shacknews Elden Ring strategy guide for more help acquiring items and solving puzzles!