Encounter the fiery enigma of Fire Knight Queelign in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree-a relentless invader whose questline weaves through intense battles and mysterious choices. From his first daunting invasion in Belurat’s Tower Settlement to the haunting Prayer Room in Church District, every step unveils secrets and rewards, including the powerful Flame Skewer Ash of War and the coveted Queelign’s Greatsword. Will you grant him relief with the Iris of Grace or claim his mighty weapon with the Iris of Occultation? Dive into this comprehensive walkthrough to master the Fire Knight Queelign questline and uncover its impactful endings.
He can be relentless, as he attacks repeatedly, barely giving you room to breathe, but following his quest all the way to the end nets you one of two very decent rewards.
In this Elden Ring DLC guide, we’ll show you every step of how to complete the Fire Knight Queelign quest, including all Fire Knight Queelign locations and an explainer on whether you should give him the Iris of Grace or the Iris of Occultation.
Fire Knight Queelign first location in Elden Ring DLC
The first location where players encounter Fire Knight Queelign in the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is in Belurat, Tower Settlement. Specifically, after reaching the Small Private Altar Site of Grace, players should head north and ascend the stairs, then proceed to a large courtyard with a dead tree in the center, where Queelign will invade. This encounter is hostile and can be missed if the player does not take the correct path. Defeating him here rewards the Crusade Insignia talisman and is the initial step in his multi-stage questline.
The first time you’ll encounter Fire Knight Queelign is in Belurat, though he is completely missable if you don’t go down the correct path.
From the Small Private Altar Site of Grace, either kill or wait for the ridiculously tough knight with a sword in each hand to walk past, then go up the stairs and take a right-hand turn past some rubble. There’ll be a few shadow folk to kill – these are ones that aggro once they see you, rather than the passive mumbling-in-the-corner-and-happy-to-be-stabbed-in-the-back ones – then you’ll enter an area with an enormous tree in the middle.
Fire Knight Queelign will invade after a few seconds, chatting about how “thou shalt not evade the flame of Messmer.” His attacks include a ranged homing fireball, a standard thrust with his spear, a jumping thrust, and an upswing that culminates in a fiery explosion. If you get hit once, though, just make sure to put some distance between you so you can get a heal off. Plus, if you have a ranged attack, he is easily staggered.
Killing him rewards you with the Ash of War: Flame Skewer, plus the Prayer Room Key, which is essential for the last part of the quest. Next though, you must find him again.
Fire Knight Queelign second location in Elden Ring DLC
The second location to encounter Fire Knight Queelign in the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is the Church of the Crusade in Scadu Altus. This site can serve as your first meeting with him if you missed the initial encounter in Belurat. To reach the Church of the Crusade, head northwest from the Highroad Cross Site of Grace, located beyond Castle Ensis. Upon entering the church, Queelign will invade again, continuing his relentless assault. Defeating him here grants you the Prayer Room Key and the Ash of War: Flame Skewer, both essential for progressing in his questline.
The second time you’ll find Fire Knight Queelign is at the Church of the Crusade in Scadu Altus, which – if you didn’t find him on your initial trip through Belurat – may actually be your first time.
(Of note: Fire Knight Queelign will show up at the Church of the Crusade, even if you haven’t already fought him once. This is the order I encountered him in. It will come after you’ve beaten Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, or taken the side path around Castle Ensis to skip that fight.)
The quickest way to the Church of the Crusade is from the Highroad Cross Site of Grace, on the other side of Castle Ensis.
Follow the road then peel off left to the enormous church on the edge of the cliff. Head inside and Queelign will invade again, stating “those stripped of the Grace of Gold shall all meet death.” This fight is pretty much identical to the other, and killing him this time rewards you with the Crusade Insignia, along with a Scadutree Fragment at the foot of the statue and a Rune Arc on the corpse to the left.
Fire Knight Queelign third location in Elden Ring DLC
Fire Knight Queelign’s third location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is in the Church District of Shadow Keep, accessible through a flooded area in Scadu Altus. To reach him, players must navigate across rooftops to a hole in the roof, drop down onto beams below, and use the Prayer Room Key-obtained from defeating him in earlier invasions-to unlock a door in the Prayer Room. Here, Queelign is found curled up by the altar, no longer hostile. At this stage, players can choose to give him either the Iris of Grace, which grants the Fire Knight Queelign Ash Summons, or the Iris of Occultation, which rewards Queelign’s Greatsword, concluding his questline.
While you need to find Fire Knight Queelign one more time to finish the quest, you don’t need to fight him again, thankfully. He can be found in the flooded area of Shadow Keep.
If you haven’t fully explored that area yet, the quickest way there is to head through Moorth Ruins, clear Bonny Village (where you can get the “O Mother” gesture), then ride on Torrent all the way through the Church District. If you have made it to the Specimen Storeroom, though, you can also find your way to the flooded section through there, although I wouldn’t recommend it because those enemies in red hoods are a dime a dozen, and immensely frustrating to fight.
You’re looking for the Church District Entrance Site of Grace, which is where you’ll end up if you follow the road all the way through, riding past packs of wolves and a surprise Furnace Golem. Keep riding and you’ll get there unscathed.
From the site of grace, you need to make your way across the rooftops. Jump over to the section in front of you – the one with the courtyard in the middle – then make your way to the other side and leap to the next building. Beware on this rooftop and the following ledge, because those exploding zombie-like enemies that litter the path up to Mohg, Lord of Blood in the base game will appear out of the ground.
On the third rooftop, one of those cloaked red chaps that proved to be a huge pain in the Specimen Storeroom will start advancing towards you. If you have a ranged attack, I suggest swiftly hopping back on the ledge from whence you came, firing from afar, then hiding behind the column coming out of the wall when the fireballs come your way.
In the southeast corner of this building, leap onto the diagonal beam, and don’t get scared by the enormous tree monster moving beneath you. It won’t attack if you don’t draw its attention. Climb up to the top – be careful with the jump at the end, as it can be finicky, coming from someone who fell off the first time – then proceed to the hole in the roof.
In here, drop down onto the roof beams, and again onto the floor. Don’t go through the doorway near the two crabs as this will start the patrol of another cloaked red chap; instead, go to the opposite corner to find a locked door. Use the Prayer Room Key and head in to find Fire Knight Queelign.
Should you give Fire Knight Queelign the Iris of Grace or Occultation?
When deciding whether to give Fire Knight Queelign the Iris of Grace or the Iris of Occultation in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, consider the rewards and your playstyle. Giving him the Iris of Grace grants relief to Queelign, allowing him to ascend peacefully, and rewards you with the Fire Knight Queelign Spirit Ashes, which you can summon in battle to aid you with a mix of fire spells and greatsword attacks. On the other hand, giving him the Iris of Occultation ends his quest more abruptly but rewards you with Queelign’s Greatsword, a powerful weapon requiring specific Strength, Dexterity, and Faith stats, featuring the ’Impaling Thrust’ skill. If you prefer summoning allies and a more story-aligned outcome, choose the Iris of Grace; if you want a strong weapon and have a build to wield it, opt for the Iris of Occultation.
You’ll find Queelign curled up in a ball, begging Queen Marika to grant him grace. Speak to him and, provided you’ve acquired one of each, you can give him either the Iris of Grace or the Iris of Occultation. Giving him the Iris of Grace essentially lets him ascend, while the Iris of Occultation kills him.
More importantly, however, are the rewards.
- Giving him the Iris of Grace will reward you with the Fire Knight Queelign Spirit Ashes, so you can summon him in battle.
- Giving him the Iris of Occultation gives you Fire Knight Queelign’s Greatsword, complete with its unique Ash of War. (However, you can also give it to Jolan at the end of Count Ymir’s questline in the Church of Metyr Manus. That will reward you with his spirit ashes, so pick wisely.)
If you’re in need of either resource, our guide on where to find Iris of Grace and Iris of Occultation locations can help.
What hidden secrets does Fire Knight Queelign’s quest reveal in Elden Ring
Fire Knight Queelign’s quest in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree reveals several hidden secrets that deepen the lore and offer meaningful player choices. Initially encountered as a hostile invader wielding a flaming spear, Queelign’s relentless attacks hint at a tragic backstory tied to the flame of Messmer. His quest unfolds through multiple locations, culminating in a poignant encounter in the Prayer Room within the Church District, where he is found in great pain and pleading to Marika.
The quest’s key secret lies in the choice players must make between giving him the Iris of Grace or the Iris of Occultation. Offering the Iris of Grace grants relief to Queelign, causing him to disappear and rewarding the player with Fire Knight Queelign Spirit Ashes, allowing them to summon him in battle. Conversely, giving him the Iris of Occultation results in receiving Queelign’s Greatsword, a powerful weapon imbued with a unique Ash of War. This decision not only affects the reward but also the narrative closure of Queelign’s suffering, revealing a layered story of torment, loyalty, and redemption linked to the fiery flame he wields.
What is the significance of giving Queelign the Iris of Grace versus the Iris of Occultation
The significance of giving Fire Knight Queelign the Iris of Grace versus the Iris of Occultation in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree lies primarily in the type of reward and how it fits your playstyle.
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Iris of Grace: Giving Queelign the Iris of Grace grants you the Fire Knight Queelign Spirit Ash, allowing you to summon him as an ally during boss fights. This is ideal if you prefer having a powerful summon to assist you in combat, especially if you enjoy using Spirit Ashes in your gameplay.
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Iris of Occultation: Offering the Iris of Occultation rewards you with Queelign’s Greatsword, a versatile heavy thrusting sword that deals both physical and fire damage and comes with the Impaling Thrust skill. This option suits players who favor melee combat and prefer a unique weapon over summons, particularly those with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith builds.
Narratively, giving the Iris of Grace lets Queelign find relief and ascend as a spirit, while the Iris of Occultation effectively ends his suffering, granting you his weapon. The choice does not significantly alter the story but impacts the final reward and how you engage with Queelign’s legacy in the game.
In summary, choose the Iris of Grace if you want a summonable ally, or the Iris of Occultation if you prefer a powerful weapon, tailoring the outcome to your preferred playstyle.
