Elden Ring Seluvis quest: Should you give Nepheli the potion?
Puppets dancing to his tune.
Update: We've streamlined the information on this page and added some additional tips so that you have no trouble completing Seluvis' quest.
The Elden Ring Seluvis quest is a lengthy one that runs parallel with Ranni’s quest and gives you access to a powerful summon - if you play dirty enough to get it.
There are some important caveats about the timing of Seluvis’ quest, though, and if you see his quest through completely, you’ll even be barred from one of Elden Ring’s major endings Completing it is entirely optional, though if nothing else, it's worth visiting Seluvis after speaking to Ranni so you can buy a few strong sorceries.
How do you start the Seluvis quest in Elden Ring?
Seluvis’ quest begins when you meet an astral projection of the mage in Ranni's Rise at the very start of Ranni's quest, though it won’t appear until you speak to Ranni first. That requires defeating Loretta the Royal Knight - the Caria Manor boss - and there is a major caveat related to timing.
If you've started the Radahn Festival by clearing Redmane Castle, arriving in the courtyard where Blaidd and Alexander are, or if you've arrived at Altus Plateau before speaking to Ranni first, you won't be able to start the quest or speak with Seluvis until after defeating Radahn.
However, before you speak to Ranni, you may want to start Sorcerer Rogier’s quest first. That involves speaking to him in Roundtable Hold, touching the bloodstain in Stormveil’s crypt, and obtaining the Black Knife Glyph from the Black Knife Catacombs in eastern Liurnia.
If you speak to Ranni first, Rogier will die after giving you his sword, which means you miss out on some important lore. If you complete Rogier’s quest, he sends you to meet Ranni anyway.
Anyhow, once you’ve spoken with Ranni at a point that suits your needs, head downstairs and speak with Seluvis’ apparition. He tells you to speak with him in person, so head to his tower, Seluvis’ Rise, a short walk across from Ranni’s Rise.
Seluvis asks you to give Nepheli Loux a potion that would transform her into one of his puppets. You can’t progress anything further with him until you do something with the potion, but what you do is up to you.
Should you give the potion to Nepheli in Elden Ring?
No, there are better options. Giving Nepheli the potion earns you the Dolores puppet Spirit summon, but locks you out of Nepehli’s quest. Speak with Gideon instead – the grumpy man sitting at a desk outside the Table of Grace room – and he’ll advise that you dispose of the potion, offering to dispose of it for you. You can then return to Seluvis, and he’ll just think the potion didn’t work.
There’s another alternative, though. If you begin the Loathesome Dung-Eater’s quest by showing a Seedbed Curse (obtained from the Draconic Tree Sentinel) to his specter in Roundable Hold, you’ll eventually reach a point later in the game where you can feed him Seedbed Curses in the Subterranean Shunning Grounds.
Give him the potion instead, and he'll turn into Seluvis' puppet instead of Nepheli. Then, he will become available for purchase as a Spirit Ash from Seluvis, and the Dungeater Puppet is a damn good summon to use. This branch takes longer to complete, though, which means your time with Seluvis gets put on hold.
Either way, head back to the courtyard between the Rises after you’ve decided what to do with the potion. Enter the secret basement under the illusory floor between the arches – the same one where Sellen has a spare body – and then report back to Seluvis.
Ask him about his quarters, and he’ll let you pick a summon: the Finger Maiden Therulina puppet or the Jarwright puppet. You can also buy a handful of sorcery spells from him after that, including the excellent Glintstone Icecrag.
How do you progress Seluvis’ quest in Elden Ring?
The next phase begins after you’ve moved forward in Ranni’s quest. After you speak with Blaidd in Siofra River, return to Seluvis’ Rise and speak with the wizard.
He’ll explain some of his motivations and mention a way into Nokron, the Eternal City, though he'll also do the same if you start Ranni's quest after defeating Radahn.
If you’ve bought a second puppet from him, he’ll send you to collect Amber Starlight to turn a demigod (Ranni, in this case) into a puppet. The Amber Starlight is found north of the Altus Highway Junction Site of Grace (closest to the Sainted Hero's Grave Site of Grace), in the valley with multiple Land Octopi.
Bring it back to Seluvis, and you’ll receive the potion for Ranni. Seluvis will also give you the Magic Scorpion Charm, a Talisman that boosts your magic attack and the cost of making you take more damage, after giving the potion to Ranni.
Note that if you give it this potion to Ranni, she’ll leave in anger and you won’t be able to complete her quest.
If you want to complete Ranni's questline, make sure you have given her the Finger Slayer Blade before giving her Seluvis' potion. You can also visit the Church of Vows and seek absolution for your sins, and you will then be able to continue Ranni's quest.
If you're looking for more help in on your Tarnished journey, check out our comprehensive Elden Ring guide, including the best talismans, the best weapons, and the top spells you should be using.