The Moonlight Greatsword is the most iconic and recognizable weapon in any FromSoftware game. In one form or another, it has always been present in the studio's games (with the exception of Sekiro). Of course present in Elden Ring (but as Dark Moon Greatsword) can easily be missed if following a classic path. We explain how to get it!
The legendary weapon is acquired by completing the quest of the witch Ranni. Arguably the longest and most vital quest of all in Elden Ring.
Ranni's Quest
Ranni is that four-armed witch who gives you the bell to summon spirits into battle. She appears to you for the very first time at the Church of Elleh. But his quest starts much later, once Rennala, Liurna's boss, has been defeated.
Once the academy has been emptied of its occupants, travel to the area titled The Three Sisters, northwest of Liurna. This area, accessible after defeating Loretta in Caria Manor, is the lair of Ranni the Witch. She is at the top of the westernmost tower in the area, and hires you for a very special mission.
She wants to enter the eternal city of Nokron to find an object. Talk to Ranni's collaborators (the blacksmith Iji, the sorcerer Seluvis and the half-wolf Blaidd) and go to the meeting fixed by the latter at the Siofra river. To access it, take the elevator located east of the Necrolimbo forest.
Progress through the area, and find Blaidd at the edge of the precipice, opposite the glowing area you see in the distance. He will explain to you that he can see Nokron from here, but he does not know how to access it.
Access Nokron, the Eternal City
To get to Nokron, you will first have to defeat Radahn, one of the Elden Fragment Carriers, and possibly one of the most difficult bosses in the game. He is in the Red Lion Castle, all southeast of Caelid.
Once defeated, a cutscene makes you understand that a comet has just crashed into Necrolimbo. Go this time to the south of the forest, just in front of Fort Haight, to discover a gaping hole allowing you to go down to Nokron.
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Here, progress and overcome the boss Tear imitator. Cross the bridge, then stick left until you find a grace site. Behind it, you will find that you can climb on a roof, and thus progress in Nokron.
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Once you have arrived in the main aisle, the treasure requested by Ranni awaits you in a chest, under the altar in front of you.
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Restore the power of Rennala's major rune
The object in your possession, return to see Ranni in his tower. She will reward you with a statue that will allow you to access the divine tower of Liurna to restore the major rune obtained after defeating Rennala.
Progress to the top of the tower, and discover a corpse on which you can recover a new key object.
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Access Nokstella, the Eternal City
The third tower (the one to the north) of the Three Sisters will now be open, and you will discover a portal there leading to the main bed of the Ainsel, an underground river.
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A coffin will face you, and will contain a miniature doll of Ranni. At the first grace site, rest and talk to the doll. Insist if she does not answer you, she will eventually give in and explain the reason for your presence.
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The doll will now ask you to overcome the Dark Shadow that haunts these places. To find it, follow the path that comes your way and turn right until you reach the Eternal City of Nokstella. Cross the area, and go to the narrow tunnel that separates Nokstella from the main Ainsel river. You will find a red ghost that looks exactly like Blaidd, which you will have to kill to advance in the quest.
Open Rennala's Chest
Freed, Ranni offers you the key to open the chest located in the room where you fought Rennala, at the Academy of Raya Lucaria. Open it to get a ring that acts as an oath.
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Defeat Astel, the Void Spawn
Now go back to the depths, and cross Nokstella until you reach an elevator leading you to the putrid lake.
This lake raises your Crimson Decay gauge. But stelae allow you to bring up structures that allow you to temporize the curse.
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Cross the area in the direction of the huge arch in front of you, and descend into the new corridor which is offered to you. At the end of the course, you will find a coffin. Climb inside, and you'll find yourself in a new area where Astel, the Spawn of the Void awaits. A fairly tricky boss to tackle, but which keeps access to the very last part of Ranni's quest.
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Completion of the quest and obtaining the Moonlight Greatsword
Astel defeated, nothing prevents you from accessing the area he was guarding. Take the elevator and discover a new area located in Liurna, just above the Albinauric Village.
A cathedral awaits you, as does a hell of a welcoming committee as the azure dragon Adula (which you don't have to kill). Enter the cathedral, and descend into the gaping hole present in the nave.
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Here you'll find Ranni's body, facing a Two Fingers avatar she killed with the item you gave her earlier. Exhaust the dialogues, and she'll give you the Moonlight Greatsword, and promise you'll see each other again.
Indeed, completing Ranni's quest gives access to one of the three endings of the game: that of the Star Age. Note that you can now pick up all of Blaidd the Half Wolf's gear by fighting him in front of Ranni's tower at Three Sisters.
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