Elden Ring: How to find Glintstone Key location to enter Raya Lucaria Academy

To enter the Raya Lucaria Academy, one requirement is to be able to locate the Elden Ring Glintstone Key, which can only be done with the Meeting Place map. The connection to the academy is obscure, the key is buried, and the map is difficult to understand. There are several issues to be resolved. The passage through the Raya Lucaria Academy is a crucial component of the main road, but it's also a crucial part of moving the tale along. There is also a fight with the Glintstone Dragon Smarag, which could turn into a long and hard boss battle if you don't know how to sneak up on them from behind. You'll also have to fight with one of the Elden Ring's primary bosses once you grab the key and enter the academy, which you must do to move on. (Technically, you can skip them, but doing so means forgoing the Elden Ring respec system and battling a tougher monster for a necessary item.) We'll walk you through how to locate the Glintstone key, enter the Raya Lucaria Academy, and deal with the boss inside to help you get through all of this. Figuring out where the Meeting Place map is pointing you in Elden Ring is the first step in the entire process.

The Elden Ring Glintstone Key Location

The Raya Lucaria Academy Elden Ring Glintstone Key can be found in the lakes to the west of the actual structure, but getting any closer than that will require some additional treasure hunting. And yes, this is required to enter since, due to the academy's being effectively under magical lockdown, only a Glintstone Key will be able to break through it. Without the Meeting Place Map, finding the Elden Ring Glintstone Key is highly challenging (but not impossible). You will see a huge gateway that is barred by a blue magical seal as you approach the academy from the south. Neither your spells nor your weapons can break through this barrier. However, a corpse holding the Meeting Place Map will also be standing next to it. Depending on your controller, use the Square or X button to pick it up and read it in your inventory.

ELDEN RING MEETING PLACE MAP

The approximate depiction of the surrounding area provided by the Elden Ring meeting place map provides a very rough indication of where to search and is prone to error. On the map above, we have indicated precisely where you should go: to a nameless rock protrusion in the lake to the west of the Academy. Take Torrent there, but beware of the neighborhood foes, especially a brand-new, enormous one.

HOW TO DEAL WITH GLINTSTONE DRAGON SMARAG AND GET THE GLINTSTONE KEY

We advise you to approach this rock from the south but exercise caution. The meeting apparently never happened because the boss was dozing in front of it. This is the cursed Glintstone Dragon Smarag, a monster much more potent than the Limgrave Swamp Dragon Agheel. Fortunately, you can obtain the Glintstone Key by gently approaching Smarag while crouching down, then moving behind it to the area between it and the rock. It will wake you up as you get closer, but that doesn't mean it will see you. As long as you stay behind Smarag, it shouldn't know you're there.

The Glintstone Key, along with various other artifacts, is found behind Smarag on a corpse sporting a large stone bearded mask. You don't need to battle Smarag, so grab the key and flee. You can either sneak away or flee on Torrent. Later, when you are prepared, return to this conflict. If you went to the Church of Irith earlier and spoke to the lowly sorcerer Thops, there is also mention of a second Glintstone Key. Thops refuses to use this key because he wants his own (and it would prevent you from entering the academy yourself). Check out our Elden Ring Thops questline guide, where we've put together a detailed walkthrough of all the important information to show you how to get him a spare ring and win some special prizes.