Elden Ring: Nepheli Loux Quest and Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone
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Nepheli Loux’s quest pays out an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone and also changes Gatekeeper Gostoc’s shop. The important warning arrives well before the reward: giving Nepheli Seluvis’s Potion ends her quest route.
Keep the potion choice separate
If you start the Seluvis part of Ranni’s quest, do not hand his potion to Nepheli if you want her normal conclusion. That is not a temporary dialogue branch. It ends her route prematurely and changes what can happen to her.
Meet Nepheli in the small room on the path from Liftside Chamber toward Secluded Cell in Stormveil before Godrick, then speak to her at Roundtable Hold after Godrick. In the Village of the Albinaurics, speak with her on the slope before the Omenkiller; defeating that boss moves her to the lower level of Roundtable Hold near Hewg. Speak with Gideon about Nepheli’s despair, then return to exhaust Nepheli’s dialogue. Roderika must have become a Spirit Tuner under Hewg before the Stormhawk King handoff can advance the route.
To get the Stormhawk King, take the Imbued Sword Key in the chest beside the Four Belfries Site of Grace and spend it at the gate labelled Precipice of Anticipation. In the returned Chapel of Anticipation, defeat the Grafted Scion if it is still alive, go through the now-open side door, and take the ash from the rooftop. Give it to Nepheli only after the Roundtable conversations above. It is a quest key item, not a summonable ash.
Do the Stormveil return after Morgott
Current wiki documentation lists Kenneth Haight as optional for Nepheli’s rewards; some older walkthroughs list him as required. Complete them if you also want Kenneth’s conclusion: speak to him on the road north of Mistwood, clear Fort Haight’s commander, report back, then speak to him again at the fort.
Keep Gostoc alive to preserve his extra reward. The final move comes after defeating Morgott, the Omen King. Return to Godrick’s Site of Grace, speak to Gostoc while he is still at Godrick’s corpse, then reload until he leaves. Only then go into the throne room behind Godrick’s arena. Nepheli and Gostoc are there; exhaust their dialogue.
Nepheli gives one Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone there. This reward is distinct from the stone Gostoc adds to his shop, so speak to both characters rather than leaving once the first item appears.
Pick up the second stone if you want it
After Nepheli’s quest is complete, Gostoc sells one Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone for 20,000 runes, provided he is alive. It is a separate one-time shop item. Bring the runes only after confirming the quest conclusion; spending time farming for it early does not unlock the stock.
These stones finish normal weapon upgrades at +25. Unique weapons use the separate Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone for their final upgrade, so check the material named at the smith before spending one.