You're rolling right along in Elden Ring, having potentially claimed three Great Runes: those of Godrick the Grafted, Renalla, Queen of the Full Moon, and Starscourge Radahn. Now it's time to head north to the portion of the continent where the Erdtree grows: the Altus Plateau.

Like nearly everywhere else in the Lands Between, there are multiple paths you can take when you reach the plateau. Once you make the climb to the plateau's top, you'll actually find yourself more or less located between two major military forces: those of Leyndell, the Erdtree capital, in the east, and the Volcano Manor of Mt. Gelmir in the north.

Eventually, your road will lead you to Leyndell, but stopping off at Volcano Manor gives you a chance to take control of another Great Rune before making your way to the Erdtree to attempt to claim the Elden Ring. Volcano Manor is controlled by Rykard, the last of the Radagon and Rennala's children, who is actually one of the biggest opponents of the Golden Order in the Lands Between, in fact. Making your way to his home illuminates a lot more facets about the Golden Order's past, things that happened in the Shattering, and what awful things are continuing to take place in the Lands Between.