Elden Ring is the latest Soulslike title from Dark Souls developers FromSoftware. The game features an original world and story, with a much greater focus on the open world than FromSoftware's previous title. Players are free to explore almost all of Elden Ring's map right from the start, finding new areas and secrets in every corner.
One of the most interesting hidden areas in Elden Ring is the Siofra River, an underground landscape occupied by miniature deer, ancestral spirits, and an elaborate fire puzzle. Near to the entrance of the Siofra River area, players will find a temple with a huge and long-dead deer corpse. In order to challenge this ancestral spirit, players will first need to awaken it by lighting eight fire pillars across all of Siofra River.
Fire Pillars in the Southern Siofra River Area
The best place to start solving the puzzle is at the Siofra River Bank Site of Grace in Elden Ring's underground region. From here, players can see the temple containing the dead deer god and the pillars outside, which will mark how many of the eight fire beacons they've lit. The first of these flaming beacons are only a few steps away, directly between the Site of Grace and the temple.
The second flame pillar in Siofra River is directly to the northwest of the first, at the top of a rising chasm guarded by ancestral spirits. The third pillar can be found between the two colossal bridges that cross the area, and is guarded by more ancestral spirits who can easily pick off the player with their magically-charged arrows. The final pillar in the south of the Siofra River region is found to the east of the third, on a rise just above the cliff edge.
Fire Pillars in the Northern Siofra River Area
The next two fire pillars in Siofra River can be found between the northern bridge and the ruins of a smaller bridge above it. Both pillars are fairly close together and can be easily accessed from the nearby Site of Grace.
Finally, players should head into the wooded area in the far north of Siofra River to find the remaining two pillars. The first is found on a ledge on the western side of this area, and the other is to the northeast of the first. Both of these pillars are guarded by more of Elden Ring's ancestral spirit enemies, so players should keep a careful eye out for archers in the trees. Once all eight pillars have been activated, players can return to the Hallowhorn Grounds to challenge the boss.
Elden Ring is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.