The Lands Between is home to many curious inhabitants, some of whom players will meet early on. Several characters fated to cross paths with the Tarnished will play a significant role in Elden Ring's general setting without having their true nature or purpose disclosed until much later. Fia, who fully embraces her role as a Deathbed Companion, is one of the few NPCs whose questline indicates that there is more to her than meets the eye.

Not many in the Lands Between derive their strength from empathy, but Fia's nurturing personality extrapolates beyond the confines of motherly instincts, despite her somewhat unusual behavior. While the initial encounter with the mysterious Deathbed Companion does not seem to bear any significance at first, with time, players will find that Fia holds the key to one of Elden Ring's endings. If the pursuit of an alternate conclusion to a long journey is not enough to spark the interest of future Elden lords, Fia's involvement with other NPCs and the ample rewards lying in wait should be.

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A Motherly Embrace That Whisks the Vigor Away

Screenshot depicting a Tarnished resting in Fia's embrace, as seen in Elden Ring.

Upon gaining access to Roundtable Hold and exploring its premises, players can find Fia resting on a bed inside a small chamber located on the upper floor. After disclosing her identity, she will ask to hold the players and, if obliged, grant them Baldachin's Blessing, which imposes a minor Vigor debuff that disappears as soon as the item is consumed. To continue with her elusive questline, players should return often and allow her to embrace them until a new dialogue option appears.

Since Fia is not likely to open up about the next step of the process until the players progress further into the story, they should focus on obtaining two Great Runes and reaching Altus Plateau next. Eventually, an option to "talk in secret" will appear. As the Deathbed Companion holds them in another foreboding embrace, she will implore the players to return a Weathered Dagger to its rightful owner. Though no other hints are given, tracking down the Dagger's bearer isn't as difficult as it seems.

Players should present the Weathered Dagger to D, Hunter of the Dead. If the players have encountered him before, he should be resting at the Table of Lost Grace in Roundtable Hold. If not, travel northeast of the Summonwater Village Outskirts Site of Grace in west Limgrave to complete his questline. After all is said and done, D will become a merchant dealing in incantations and eventually make his way to the Hold. When the players are ready to proceed with Fia's request, give him the Dagger and reload the area.

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In the interim, Fia will have relocated to a previously locked room past smithing master Hewg. The players will find her standing next to D's lifeless body, and though her musings retain cryptic connotations, she will disappear after all dialogue has been exhausted. Ensuring that D's Bell Bearing and Twinned armor find a new home will pay dividends further down the line, after which the players should leave the and pursue the remainder of the steps in Fia's questline.

An Overlapping Journey to the Lands Beneath

Screenshot depicting a Tarnished using Carian Inverted Statue at Carian Study Hall, as seen in Elden Ring.

When looking for clues on Fia's whereabouts, it is important to know that her story overlaps with several other NPCs' fates. Progressing with Ranni the Witch's questline will ensure a safe passage to subterranean points of interest, where the players will encounter Fia next. Carian Inverted Statue from Ranni's campaign is particularly important, as it will lead the players to Cursemark of Death, which Fia will request at a later point.

Once the players have Carian Inverted Statue in their possession, they should take it to Carian Study Hall and place it on the pedestal. Doing so will invert the Study's surroundings and allow them to access the Divine Tower of Liurnia, where they will encounter several adversaries before finally reaching the top and acquiring the Cursemark of Death. Afterward, they should descend the crater in the southeastern reaches of Limgrave, which should have appeared after General Radahn's defeat.

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Upon arrival in the broader area of Nokron, heading northeast of Ancestral Woods will take the players past some jellyfish before the Aqueduct-Facing Cliffs Site of Grace comes into sight. Proceeding deeper into Siofra Aqueduct will eventually have the players reach the Great Waterfall Basin Site of Grace and a nearby NPC, who happens to be D's twin brother. The disheartened brother can be given D's Twinned armor, and should the players decide to part with it, Fia's fate will undergo a slight overhaul.

Before the players can continue their search for the Deathbed Companion, they have to face off against Valiant Gargoyle, a duo boss that drops Gargoyle's Greatsword and Gargoyle's Twinblade. Once felled, they should interact with the coffin in the area and descend further into Deeproot Depths. If the players have previously explored Subterranean-Shunning Grounds as part of the Dung Eater's questline and defeated Mohg, the Omen, inspecting the illusory walls in the vicinity of the Frenzied Flame Proscription Site of Grace will also take them to the Depths.

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A Twist to Fia's Final Resting Place

Screenshot depicting D's twin brother as he celebrates Fia's death, as seen in Elden Ring.

Navigating the entwined tree roots upward will lead the players to a Site of Grace called Across the Roots. A short distance away lies an open area that will spawn three waves of randomized NPC adversaries, whose advances need to be withstood if the players hope to speak with Fia. After felling all of Fia's Champions, the Deathbed Companion will be open to conversation. Asking to be held will grant a Radiant Baldachin's Blessing and eventually have her request the Cursemark of Death. It may take several hug prompts on the players' behalf for Fia to voice her final thoughts, but once she does, reloading the area will make room for the final step in her questline.

Upon interacting with the Deathbed Companion's resting body, opting to enter the Deathbed Dream will take the players to an unknown location where they will fight the fierce Lichdragon Fortissax. Once defeated, the boss will leave behind 90,000 Runes and Remembrance of the Lichdragon, which can be exchanged for Fortissax's Lightning Spear and Death Lightning incantations. Returning to the Deeproot Depths will reveal Fia's breathless shell and the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince, a crucial item to unlocking the "Age of Duskborn" ending.

If the players have chosen to give the looted Twinned armor to D's brother, they should reload the area to witness his unrelenting Order zealotry as he gloats over Fia's corpse. A pool of blood surrounding the Deathbed Companion's final resting place reveals the twin brother's thirst for revenge, and his fate lies in the hands of the players. Regardless of whether they choose to send him to the next realm, the Twinned armor Set and Inseparable Greatsword can be obtained by reloading the area one last time, along with Fia's outfit.