FromSoftware's Elden Ring is full of canon lore and secrets. Like any other FromSoftware game, replayability is a factor and is a feature in the studio's latest title. Since launch, players have been discovering new and exciting details hidden away in the game, even after 200 hours of gameplay.
One of the strangest yet most adored secrets of Elden Ring is that of a well-hidden village called Jarburg. Hidden away in the cliffsides of Liurnia lay a hamlet inhabited by a delightfully unexpected population. Once found, gamers may be wondering what Jarburg is and what exactly they can do there.
Who or What Is Jarburg?
Jarburg a hidden village located in Liurnia of the Lakes and requires quite the leap of faith to get there. It's a tiny village home to a small population of Living Jars and Warrior Jars who just want to live a peaceful life away from the chaos of the Lands Between. Jarburg is also the home of "Pot Boy" Alexander the Iron Fist – the Siegmeyer of Elden Ring and a non-aggressive Jar who left the village to seek adventure and become a mighty warrior. Since the "path of the champion" is a lonely one, Pot Boy vowed never to return to Jarburg and never to see his friends and family again.
As players quickly discover early in Elden Ring, there are jars sitting around the Lands Between that aren't what they seem. A classic of FromSoftware games. Stepping too close to one that isn't Alexander the Iron Fist will lead to encountering very aggressive Living Jars that will most likely try to kill the player right off the bat. While Elden Ring's Jarburg is the complete opposite of that experience, it's a most welcome one.
Much like the Albinaurics, no one has figured out the origins of the Living Jars, as they are a race with a home. The hamlet of Jarburg is a hidden refuge for the Living Jars that mean no harm, unlike their brethren scattered throughout the Lands Between and, more importantly, these jars do not want to be harmed themselves. The Living Jars here spent their days hanging out in the village – with each other and by themselves – and some enjoy growing rare flowers. Approaching one of the larger Living Jars will activate a gesture akin to seeking an embrace, but unfortunately players cannot hug said Jar. It is immediately apparent that the inhabitants of Jarburg are very much unlike those seen in the rest of the game, and these Living Jars just want to live in peace.
In a game that is littered with Easter eggs from previous FromSoftware titles, this cliffside hamlet has become a serene refuge for players wanting a break from being constantly targeted and attacked. Here, players can relax and hang out with that embracing Jar or the Jars encircling a single sunflower without fear of death. Unless gamers try to steal a particular Cracked Jar from one of the homes in Jarburg, of course.
How to Get to Jarburg
"Jarburg was a peaceful village, but the effects of the Shattering affected even the otherwise amicable Living Jar"
Jarburg is one of the many secret locations in Elden Ring that players can access early on in the game. In fact, Alexander's questline takes players to the very cliff overlooking the little jar-populated village, although this isn't obvious at first. The way to Jarburg is a long way down, after all. However, aside from having another Site of Grace to add to a player's repertoire, Jarburg isn't more than a place to loot during the very early stages of the game. To get there, players need to travel to the Artist's Shack in the North-East of Linuria and then head over the cliffs south of Carian Study Hall.
The cliffside is where players need to take a leap of faith since there is no direct path to Jarburg – no staircase, no ladder. However, rather than risk one's life and loot, players can look over the cliffside to find platform-like stones sticking out from the cliffs to jump onto, providing a safer way to get down. To the right of where players land, near a large wooden building, will be the Jarburg Site of Grace, inaccessible at first.
A tip to safely descending into Jarburg is to mount Torrent, the player's horse in Elden Ring, and carefully yet skillfully ride him down the platforms. One false step will most definitely result in death, so it's recommended that players take their time descending the cliffside while finding Jarburg for the first time.
What to Do In Jarburg
This little village is where players can start the Jar-Bairn questline after updating Elden Ring to 1.03. Jar-Bairn is a little Jar that is found sitting upon some steps near the Jarburg Site of Grace and is the only Jar in the village that players can have a conversation with and is the nephew of Alexander the Iron Fist. However, before the Jar-Bairn questline can be started (and completed in its entirety), players need first to finish the Alexander and Diallos questlines – some of the longest NPC-related questlines in Elden Ring.
Jarburg is also an excellent location for looting, no matter which stage of Elden Ring a player may be. Players can find Cracked Pots and Ritual Pots aplenty here, with many other crafting ingredients also scattered about. As mentioned earlier, the Living Jars enjoy cultivating flowers, so players can easily find Trina's Lily, Miquella's Lily, and Arteria Leaf throughout the village.
Most of the Living Jar NPCs do not have anything to say to the player, but unlike the NPCs at The Roundtable, the Living Jars in Jarburg are targetable and can be harmed by players. Killing these peace-loving Jars can provide players with more Cracked Pots for crafting. Aside from the loot and the Jar-Bairn quest, Jarbug is no more than a little village full of happy, primarily nonviolent Living Jars that players are more than welcome to come back to.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X/S.