Elden Ring Glintstone Key location

The Elden Ring Glintstone Key location is tucked away behind a powerful foe, though you can actually get a second one and lead an NPC to an unhappy end. This Elden Ring Glintstone key locations guide will tell you the exact place to fnd both keys, so you can stop searching high and low to no avail.

The first Glintstone key is easy to grab, but the second Glintstone key takes some time, effort, and a difficult boss fight before you can get it. In return, you’ll start a short quest path that ends with a tragedy for the NPC – but some good items for you.

Elden Ring Glintstone Key location

The first Glintstone Key in Elden Ring is on a landmass northwest of the Temple Quarter ruins. That’s almost due west of the Academy Gate Town, and there’s a Site of Grace northwest of the Temple Quarters map marker in case you run into trouble later. Head north from there to the spot shown below.

There’s a large, scaly Glintstone catch in the form of the dragon Smarag, though you can dash in and grab the key before having to fight. Gallop behind him, and you’ll find a dead academic leaned against the cliff wall. Examine the body to get the key, then flee as fast as possible to avoid getting trapped by Smarak

Elden Ring second Glintstone Key location

After you defeat Radagon, the first boss in the Raya Lucaria Academy, you’ll eventually find yourself in the Church of the Cuckoo. There’s a corpse hanging from one of the chandeliers, and if you clamber along the rooftops in the courtyard, you can make your way to the church’s upper levels and grab the second Glintstone Key in Elden Ring.

Now head back to the Church of Irith near where you first entered Liurnia, and give the key to Thops so he can get back to the Academy. It won't be a happy reunion for him, though.

You’ll find his dead body near the Schoolhouse Classroom Site of Grace the next time you’re there. It’s tragic, but you can loot his body to obtain the Academy Glintstone Staff, a guarding spell, and a Bell Bearing you can give to the Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold. The staff is the good loot here. The Bell Bearing just unlocks Thops’ spells for sale with the Husks, which are low-level and not really worth it at this point.

The staff scales with Strength and Intelligence, and it also requires a hefty 28 Intelligence to wield.

If you're looking for more Elden Ring help, check out our Elden Ring guide with everything you need to know about surviving in The Lands Between, including what you should be doing first.