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You’re wandering through Limgrave, maybe feeling a bit cocky after beating a few regular soldiers, and then you see him. A man wearing a giant metal bowl on his head. He looks ridiculous. But then he starts talking about "Bloody Fingers" with a voice that sounds like he’s swallowed a bag of gravel, and suddenly, the vibe shifts. That’s Bloody Finger Hunter Yura. If you’re playing Elden Ring and you haven't really engaged with him yet, you’re missing out on one of the most tragic, gear-heavy, and lore-rich storylines FromSoftware has ever tucked away in the Lands Between.
The thing about Yura's quest in Elden Ring is that it isn’t just about getting a cool sword. It’s a slow-burn horror story. It’s about a man trying to clean up a mess that eventually, quite literally, consumes him. Most players stumble into him under a ruin near the Agheel Lake South Site of Grace. He warns you about the dragon. He’s right, of course—Agheel will absolutely roast you if you aren't ready. But Yura is looking past the dragons. He’s hunting his own kind.
Getting Started With Yura Near Agheel Lake
Most people meet Yura while he’s standing under a large piece of fallen ruin south of the lake. He’s blunt. He tells you to stay away from the lake unless you want to be charred to a crisp. If you actually go and fight Flying Dragon Agheel, you can summon him, which is a nice touch, but honestly, you don't need to do that to progress his story. The real meat of the quest starts further up the stream to the north.
Follow the water under the bridge near Murkwater Cave. You’ll get invaded. This is Nerijus, a Bloody Finger who uses the Reduvia dagger to inflict massive bleed damage. If you’re low level, Nerijus will probably wreck you. But wait a few seconds. Yura will spawn in as a blue phantom to help you. It's a scripted moment that establishes his entire character: he hunts those who have been corrupted by the thirst for blood.
After Nerijus is dead, keep walking north. Yura will be standing in a small alcove under some rocks. Talk to him. He’ll explain that he’s hunting these "Bloody Fingers"—former Recusants or just violent Tarnished who serve the Formless Mother. He sounds tired. Honestly, everyone in this game sounds like they need a nap and a therapist, but Yura especially so.
The Raya Lucaria Ambush
The next time you’ll likely see him is at the Main Academy Gate in Raya Lucaria. This is where a lot of players get stuck because he isn't just standing there waiting for a chat. You have to walk past the blue seal, ignore the elevator for a second, and look for a red summon sign on the bridge.
This is a reversal of the Nerijus fight. Now, you’re the one being summoned into Yura's world to help him take down Bloody Finger Ravenmount Assassin. It’s a chaotic fight because the Assassin uses Raptor Talons and is incredibly jumpy. Once the Assassin is down, you’ll find Yura back in your world, leaning against the railing on that same bridge.
He’ll give you a Smithing Stone and the Ash of War: Raptor of the Mists. This is one of the best Ashes in the game for dodging massive overhead slams, and if you miss this window, it’s gone. You can’t get it later. Talk to him until he repeats himself. He’ll mention his old friend Eleonora. You can tell by the way he says her name that this isn't going to end well.
The Second Church of Marika and the Nagakiba
The climax of Yura’s "human" life happens in Altus Plateau. You need to head to the Second Church of Marika. When you arrive, you’ll find Yura lying on the floor, dying. It’s a gut-punch. He’s been beaten by Eleonora, Violet Bloody Finger.
He dies right there. It’s quick.
Before he passes, he leaves you his sword: the Nagakiba. This thing is legendary in the Elden Ring community. It’s basically a katana with the reach of a spear. If you like bleed builds, the Nagakiba is arguably better than the Uchigatana purely because of that ridiculous length. But the quest isn't over. As soon as he dies, Eleonora invades you.
She is a nightmare. She uses twinblades and dragon communion incantations. If she catches you in her spinning attack, it’s over. Once you beat her, you get Eleonora’s Poleblade—one of the flashiest and most effective bleed weapons in the game—and a Purifying Crystal Tear.
Important Note: Do not forget to pick up that Purifying Crystal Tear. You need it for the Mohg, Lord of Blood fight. It’s the only thing that negates his "NIHIL" curse that drains your health.
Shabriri and the Possession
A lot of players think the quest ends at the church. It doesn't. Later, when you reach the Mountaintops of the Giants, you’ll find Yura standing near the Zamor Ruins Site of Grace. Except it isn't Yura.
His body has been taken over by Shabriri, the manifestation of the Frenzied Flame. The voice is different. The posture is different. Shabriri is a master manipulator. He’ll try to convince you to abandon your path to becoming Elden Lord and instead "melt it all away" by embracing the Three Fingers.
This is a massive lore pivot. It links Yura's quest in Elden Ring directly to one of the game's major endings: the Lord of Frenzied Flame. Shabriri is using Yura’s face because he knows you recognize it. It’s cruel. If you kill Shabriri here, you get Yura’s armor set—the Ronin’s Set. The Iron Kasa (the bowl hat) is iconic, but the chest piece is actually one of the best-looking medium armor pieces in the game with decent poise-to-weight ratios.
Alternatively, if you follow the Frenzied Flame path and get "touched" by the Three Fingers under Leyndell, you can come back here and the armor will just be lying on the ground. Shabriri will be gone.
Why Does Yura's Story Matter?
From a gameplay perspective, Yura is a goldmine. You get the Nagakiba, the Poleblade, and the Ronin set. But from a narrative perspective, he represents the futility of the Lands Between. He spent his life hunting Bloody Fingers to protect people, only to have his own corpse used as a vessel by the most chaotic, destructive force in the world.
There's a lot of debate in the community about whether Yura and Eleonora were lovers or just master and pupil. The way he speaks about her suggests a deep, painful history. He wasn't just hunting a criminal; he was hunting a tragedy.
Some people find it frustrating that his quest is so fragmented. You can easily outlevel him or skip Raya Lucaria and find him dead at the church. But that’s the beauty of Elden Ring's design. The world moves on with or without you.
Missing Steps and How to Fix Them
If you go to the Second Church of Marika and Yura isn't there, but you haven't progressed to the Mountaintops yet, check the Raya Lucaria bridge. If he isn't there, check the camp near Agheel Lake. Usually, you just need to exhaust his dialogue.
If you’ve already reached the Mountaintops and Shabriri is there, you’ve missed the chance to help Yura at the bridge or see him die at the church. However, you can still get the Nagakiba. Go back to the last place you saw him (usually the camp in Limgrave or the bridge in Liurnia). The sword should be sitting there in a glowing orb.
The only thing you truly "lose" if you skip the early steps is the Raptor of the Mists Ash of War.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To make the most of this questline, follow these specific beats:
- Kill Agheel first: It's not strictly necessary, but it triggers unique dialogue that fleshes out Yura's warning.
- Don't kill Nerijus too fast: Let Yura spawn in. It’s fun to watch him work, and it ensures the script flags are all checked.
- Raya Lucaria Bridge: Do this before you kill Rennala just to be safe. The red sign is small and easy to miss against the grey stone.
- The Mohg connection: Even if you don't care about katanas, finish the quest at the Second Church of Marika. Without that Purifying Crystal Tear, the Mohg fight is a massive headache involving burning through three Flasks of Crimson Tears during his phase transition.
- The Armor: If you want the Ronin Set early, you can just kill Shabriri the moment you see him at the Zamor Ruins. He doesn't have a boss bar and he's not particularly tough, though he will use Frenzied Flame incantations that can procc madness quickly.
This quest is a perfect example of why Elden Ring works. It's subtle, it's optional, and it's deeply rewarding for those who pay attention to the small red signs on the ground. Go get that Nagakiba—your Dexterity build will thank you.
