Unlocking the path to Elden Ring’s mysterious Altus Plateau hinges on a daring quest for the two halves of the Dectus Medallion. From the shadowy towers of Fort Haight in Limgrave to the bat-infested heights of Fort Faroth in Caelid, players must brave perilous foes and treacherous climbs to unite these key artifacts. Join us as we reveal the exact locations and strategies to claim both medallion halves and activate the Grand Lift of Dectus, the shortcut that will transform your journey through the Lands Between.
Finding the item that activate the lift is a bit of a riddle, but our Dectus Medallionlocations guide breaks down where to look and how to get both pieces without much hassle.
Dectus Medallion left Location
The Dectus Medallion (Left) in Elden Ring is located at Fort Haight, situated in the eastern part of Limgrave. To obtain it, players need to climb to the top of the tallest tower within the fort and open the chest found there. This key item is essential for operating the Grand Lift of Dectus when combined with the right half of the medallion, allowing access to the Altus Plateau. Fort Haight can be reached by following the road from Limgrave, and players may encounter some enemies but can avoid or defeat them to reach the tower ladder leading to the medallion.
You can pick up the Medallion’s left half pretty early in Elden Ring, with the location found within Fort Haight, found in the east of Limgrave. The map calls it Fort Haight West, which is a little misleading. There’s no eastern variant of the mini-fortress, so the one in Limgrave is the only one you need to deal with.
The first challenge is actually reaching Fort Haight. Skeleton warriors wielding swords and shields bar your way, and a ballista perched atop the fort’s walls will periodically fire arrows at you. Use the wooden barricades for protection against the ballista, and carefully make your way around the fortress’ southern side.
Here, you’ll find even more enemies, including a pumpkin-headed, flail-wielding Mad Pumpkin on the steps and a few knights milling around. Deal with them cautiously, and make sure to grab the Golden Seed from the sapling in front of the steps and activating the Site of Grace before heading inside.
Where to find the Dectus Medallion Half in Fort Haight
Inside Fort Haight, you’ll find more enemies milling about – some wolves, a few skeletons with exploding pots, nothing too overwhelming until you reach the ramparts. If you’re struggling with enemies inside the fort or outside, I recommend leveling up (our rune farming locations guide can help here) and trying again. Aim for level 10 or higher, if you can. Tempting as it may be to use your Spirit Ashes to force your way through, you’re better off saving your summons for the battle against the fort’s mini-boss on the ramparts.
That boss is a knight who uses the Bloody Slash ability, which flings an arc of blood at you and, if it hits you too often, inflicts the bleeding status. Bleeding is a quick way to end up at the nearby Site of Grace again, so focus on a defensive playstyle where you dodge, sweep in for a few attacks, and retreat to safety again. Magic users and those with ranged weapons will have an easier time, and having your Spirit Ash around gives the knight something to target who isn’t you.
You’ll get the Bloody Slash Ash of War – a useful ability that scales on Arcane and may inflict Bleed on your opponents – and complete Kenneth Haight’s quest after defeating the knight and clearing out the fortress.
Before you leave, take a right on the battlements, and climb the tower ladder. The Dectus Medallion’s left half is in a chest at the top.
Dectus Medallion right Location
The right half of the Dectus Medallion in Elden Ring is located at Fort Faroth in the Dragonbarrow region of Caelid. To reach it, players must enter the fort, avoid or bypass the bats in the dark first room, then climb the ladder inside to find a chest containing the medallion half. Fort Faroth lies east of Caelid and can be accessed via the main road or a waygate behind the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave for a faster route. This medallion half, when combined with the left half, allows activation of the Grand Lift of Dectus to reach the Altus Plateau.
The medallion’s right half is a little trickier to get on paper, but a handy trick and a bit of planned recklessness cut most of the trouble out. The Dectus Medallion right location is in Fort Faroth, a location in Caelid at the Greyoll Dragonbarrow Site of Grace. If you haven’t been here already, it’s an excellent place for Rune farming in Elden Ring – so long as you don’t mind killing a defenseless, old dragon to get them.
Fort Faroth itself is a bit of a nightmare. The ground level is home to several bats, who stun you with soundwaves, and harpies, who fling poison at you and, even when you’re at high levels, can turn you into Tarnished dust with just two or three hits. A build that’s high Vigor, Endurance, and Strength could probably rush through and easily deal with the enemies inside, but if you’re piecing the Dectus Medallion together early in the game, you probably don’t have that build.
Where to the find Dectus Medallion Half in Fort Faroth
What you can do instead is let your Spirit Ashes take the brunt while you grab what you need. I recommend starting with no Runes or a negligible amount that you don’t mind not getting back. Step inside, use the jellyfish or lone wolves summons to distract the bats and harpies, and run to the back of the room. It’s almost literally a straight shot – take a slight left after rounding the first wall – so there’s little chance of getting lost.
Climb the ladder, and open the chest at the top to find the Dectus Medallion’s right half. The enemies down below won’t follow you up, in my experience. You can try escaping across the roof behind you, though two ghostly knights will manifest and do their best to strike you down, or you could try climbing down and running through the ground level again.
If your spirit summon is still around, they should draw attention away from you while you exit. If not, there’s a not-insignificant chance you’ll get trapped in a storm of bats, harpies, and poison – which, if you don’t have any Runes to lose, isn’t really that big of a deal.
Where to use the Dectus Medallion halves in Elden Ring
The two halves of the Dectus Medallion in Elden Ring are used to activate the Grand Lift of Dectus, which allows players to ascend from Liurnia to the Altus Plateau, bypassing the challenging Ruin-Strewn Precipice. The left half is found in a chest at the top of the tallest tower in Fort Haight, located in southeast Limgrave, while the right half is located in a chest atop Fort Faroth in the Dragonbarrow area of Caelid. Once both halves are collected and joined, the medallion can be used at the Grand Lift of Dectus in northeastern Liurnia to ride the lift up to the Altus Plateau and continue the adventure.
Once you have both medallion halves, head to the Grand Lift of Dectus at the northern end of Liurnia’s Bellum Highway – found at the north-east part of Liurnia of the Lakes, and not far from Caria Manor.
Activate the Site of Grace there, if you haven’t already, and step on the circular platform between the four statues. The game prompts you to lift the medallion, and then a cutscene plays where the elevator rises and drops you off at the southern end of Altus Plateau – right behind two massive golem enemies. Ignore them, turn left, and activate the Point of Grace nearby.
Now you’re free to wander the Plateau and eventually make your way to Leyndell, Royal Capital, where surely only sunshine and nice things await you (spoilers: they don’t). With the Site of Grace activated, there’s no need to use the lift again, and you won’t have any further need of the medallion, either.
How do the left and right Dectus Medallions unlock the Grand Lift of Dectus in Elden Ring
The left and right halves of the Dectus Medallion unlock the Grand Lift of Dectus by being combined and used as a key to activate the lift. Each half is found in separate locations: the left half is obtained from a chest atop the highest tower of Fort Haight in East Limgrave, and the right half is found in a chest on the highest tower of Fort Faroth in Dragonbarrow, Caelid. Once both halves are collected, players must travel to the Grand Lift of Dectus located at the northeastern corner of Liurnia of the Lakes. Standing between the two guardian statues on the lift platform, players can activate the medallion, which triggers a short cutscene and raises the lift, granting access to the Altus Plateau and bypassing the perilous Ruin-Strewn Precipice.
What is the significance of the Dectus Medallions in progressing in Elden Ring
The Dectus Medallions are crucial for progressing in Elden Ring because they serve as the key to activating the Grand Lift of Dectus, a major elevator that connects Liurnia of the Lakes to the Altus Plateau. Accessing the Altus Plateau is a significant milestone in the main quest, as it leads to important late-game areas like the Royal Capital of Leyndell. While the game offers multiple routes to reach Altus Plateau, using the Grand Lift of Dectus by uniting the left and right medallion halves is the intended, more linear progression path after completing the Raya Lucaria Academy dungeon. Without these medallions, players cannot operate the lift, making them essential for advancing the story and exploring new regions.
