Elden Ring’s most mysterious and secret items, explained

If you’re anything like me, you have been picking up buckets full of items in Elden RingYou can leave them in your possession to languish. Maybe that’s because you forgot you had them, overwhelmed by the number of weird mysteries in the world. Or maybe you simply have no idea what to do with them — this, of course, is why I’ve been hoarding Ruin Fragments and Golden Runes, unclear on how to use them.

I’ve learned a lot from my colleagues about these weird and under-explained items found around the world in Elden Ring. Let me be the one to ask — and answer — the questions you’re too afraid to ask.

Image via Polygon: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

What is the purpose of Golden Runes

You feel like you have everything. Elden RingThat is the rune. Runes are useful for all things. It is partially true. The currency of Runes is experience points and money. Elden Ring. Golden Runes don’t automatically add to those tallies: After you pick up a Golden Rune and add it to your inventory, it just stays there.

It’s actually a consumable item that gives you different amounts of runes once you click the “use” button on it in your inventory. Using up your Golden Runes is a nice way to level up fast, since you’re gaining a bunch of runes all at once. If you don’t cash them in, Golden Runes stay with you even if you die, almost like a backup wallet of runes that you haven’t “spent” yet.

Hot tip: Golden Runes can be found in the glowing skulls all over the globe. Elden Ring. To get the Golden Rune out of the skull, you can crush it with your weapon or under Torrent’s hooves.

Und Ruin Fragments. And what are they?

OK. Ruin Fragments aren’t runes at all. They are rocks you can find all over. Elden RingYou will need to have a Crafting Kit in order to make certain types of stone-related items like Rainbow Stone or Glowstone. (By the way, you’ll need to get a Crafting Kit to craft items.)

For what purpose do Rainbow Stones and Glowstones serve?

When I began playing, I was faced with a big question. Elden RingThat is why I wanted glowing, colorful stones. There are many uses for these stones. They can be thrown at enemy soldiers. They can be used to brighten up. Elden Ring’s dark spaces, of which there are many. A torch, lantern or flashlight that you are able to hold on to is a better option for exploring dark passages and caves. If you haven’t found those items yet, glowing stones work, too.

You can also drop these items off of cliffs to see if they cause any fall damage. If you’re like me, you may have fallen into some holes that were unhelpfully labeled with a message instructing you that there was a cave to explore … and you may have quickly found out, like I did, that it was a trap. You can use these stones to “test” areas like this. You’ll have to listen closely to the sound the stone makes as it hits the ground — the higher the pitch, the more likely it is that you’ll die to fall damage.

Image via Polygon: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

Are Rowa Raisins useful?

Rowa Raisins can’t be eaten in Elden RingBut your ride-on buddy Torrent will be able to. And he ought to! Torrent, like you, takes damage. Rowa Raisins are crafted from Rowa Fruit, and if you equip them, you can feed your buddy Torrent while you’re riding him. Of course, Torrent dying isn’t the end of the world; if you wait a few seconds, you’ll be able to summon him again. Except for certain circumstances, where Torrent is only able to be revived using a Flask Of Crimson Tears. Regardless, if Torrent dies suddenly, it will probably disadvantage you against enemies, since you’ll have to recover from falling to the ground due to your disappearing horse.

Another thing that you can do for Torrent to be healed is to ride a Flask full of Crimson Tears. It will both heal you and help you heal him.

What’s a Stonesword Key? How many do I need?

They can seem a little confusing. Although they look like a little stone knife, they’re actually a key. They can be used to open stone gargoyle sculptures. Some statues need two keys to open, and some need one, which isn’t always immediately obvious.

The other thing about Stonesword Keys is that they are one-use only, so think about when and where you’re using them before you take the plunge. You can’t use only one of the keys on gargoyle-shaped statues that require two keys for opening, so you need to be sure you have another key. There’s no reason to hoard them, though. They should all be available in sufficient numbers to sell at some shops.

What does Scarabs do?

Scarabs are beetles you’ll see wandering the world of Elden RingYou can push large, glittery spheres with gold glitter. You can fight these Scarabs, and they’ll drop items — usually spells or Ashes of War. But some Scarabs are either red or blue (Crimson and Cerulean Teardrop Scarabs), and if you defeat these Scarabs, they’ll refill your corresponding flask with Crimson or Cerulean Tears. This makes them immensely helpful to seek out — unless you just rested at a Site of Grace, in which case you don’t need to chase them down.

What’s Glovewort?

Glovewort is an item that will be useful once you’ve met and aided Roderika and she’s set up shop at the Roundtable Hold. In exchange for her Glovewort, you can make your summons more powerful and level up. There’s also another item called Ghost Glovewort, which is used on legendary summons. Both items are pretty rare, so use them on the spirits you like — probably the jellyfish.