The most defensible practical roster for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree contains eleven named quest-cast entries: Needle Knight Leda, Sir Ansbach, Moore, Thiollier, Redmane Freyja, Hornsent, Igon, Count Ymir, Jolan, Anna, and Dryleaf Dane. That is a quest-focused list from an independent fan-maintained guide, not an official census of every named boss, invader, summon, hostile character, or one-time speaker in the expansion. Jolan and Anna are two separate people in one paired quest thread, so the roster has eleven individuals.
The expansion’s official story centers on Miquella and the Land of Shadow, where Marika first set foot. The characters below are the core cast to track if your goal is to see the major optional dialogue, alliances, invasions, rewards, and lore threads connected to that story.
What does “all confirmed NPCs” mean in Shadow of the Erdtree?
“All confirmed” needs a defined boundary because FromSoftware and Bandai Namco did not publish an exhaustive NPC index. The list used here follows the explicitly named quest cast in an independent fan-maintained quest guide, whose cast heading is a questline scope rather than a claim that every character model or named encounter has been counted.
That distinction matters in practice. A complete census could also include named bosses, temporary invaders, summonable allies, hostile characters, merchants, and incidental figures who deliver only a line or two. The available evidence does not establish one universally accepted total for those categories. Treat the eleven-person roster as the reliable starting point for quest tracking, not as a mathematically final count of every speaking or named entity in the DLC.
The guide was updated on September 11, 2026. That is the guide’s editorial update date, not a developer certification. Other guide indexes use broader wording such as “all DLC NPC quests and locations” and mention additional figures, but those listings do not provide enough detail to certify a larger, uniform roster.
Who are the eleven named quest NPCs?
These are the principal entries and their documented narrative functions. “First meeting” means the initial area identified by the quest guide; characters can relocate as the story advances.
| NPC | First-meeting area | Quest role or connection |
|---|---|---|
| Needle Knight Leda | Main Gate Cross | De facto leader of Miquella’s followers; her questline is central to the DLC story. |
| Sir Ansbach | Main Gate Cross | Former follower of Mohg whose storyline carries substantial lore context. |
| Moore | Main Gate Cross | A gentle follower known for his obsession with mushrooms. |
| Thiollier | Pillar Path Cross | Follower of St. Trina and a key participant in the St. Trina thread. |
| Redmane Freyja | Three-Path Cross | Redmane soldier whose story connects to Radahn. |
| Hornsent | Scaduview Cross | A native of the Realm of Shadow who offers a different view of the purge. |
| Igon | Approach to Jagged Peak | Dragon hunter associated with the Bayle encounter and its summon option. |
| Count Ymir | Cathedral of Manus Metyr | Central figure in a quest involving sorceries. |
| Jolan | Various locations | One half of a paired quest thread that can lead to a DLC-exclusive spirit ash. |
| Anna | Various locations | Jolan’s paired quest counterpart; her progression is linked to the same spirit-ash outcome. |
| Dryleaf Dane | Gravesite Plain | Teacher of Hand-to-Hand Arts who also appears in a spirit-ash-related duel. |
Needle Knight Leda
Leda is the practical point of contact for Miquella’s traveling followers and functions as the group’s de facto leader. Her decisions frame the factional conflict that develops later, making her the most important NPC to revisit when the game signals a change in the followers’ relationships. Her thread is not just an optional conversation chain; it is one of the routes through which the expansion’s central story is interpreted.
Sir Ansbach
Ansbach is identified as a follower of Mohg, which gives his dialogue a direct connection to the events surrounding the base game’s final area and Miquella’s plans. His quest is especially valuable for players who want explanatory lore rather than only combat rewards. Because his conversations can advance in stages, return to him after major progression instead of assuming his first exchange is the complete scene.
Moore
Moore’s gentle personality and mushroom fixation make him one of the more distinctive members of the group. His apparently simple conversations sit inside the same moving-follower structure as the other cross characters, so a short early interaction can become unavailable if you rush past the relevant progression or leave dialogue unfinished.
Thiollier
Thiollier follows St. Trina, giving his storyline a separate identity from Leda’s factional decisions. His thread is the main reason to treat the Pillar Path Cross as more than a map checkpoint: it is an entry point into a different interpretation of Miquella’s story and the expansion’s themes of devotion, sleep, and divided motives.
Redmane Freyja
Freyja is a Redmane soldier, so her personal concerns tie the DLC back to Radahn. Players interested in how the expansion reframes the base game’s war and its survivors should exhaust her dialogue whenever she appears. Her presence also demonstrates why “NPC” coverage is more useful than a boss-only list: the important context often arrives through a soldier’s perspective rather than a major arena encounter.
Hornsent
Hornsent is native to the Realm of Shadow and provides a perspective on the purge that differs from the followers who arrived with Miquella. His position is essential for understanding that the Land of Shadow is not merely a backdrop for an outside hero’s quest; it has its own people, grievances, and historical memory.
Igon
Igon is a dragon hunter encountered on the route toward Jagged Peak. The guide specifically notes his summon for the Bayle encounter, making him the roster entry most directly associated with an optional combat ally. His storyline is therefore relevant both to lore hunters and to players deciding whether to investigate every summon sign before entering a major boss fight.
Count Ymir
Count Ymir’s thread begins at the Cathedral of Manus Metyr and is connected to sorceries. His location and magical focus make the quest feel structurally different from the traveling followers at the crosses. If you are collecting narrative context alongside spells, treat his conversations and related steps as a separate investigation rather than waiting for them to be folded into Leda’s group.
Jolan and Anna
Jolan and Anna are two individuals linked by one paired quest thread. The guide says that completing the relevant sequence can produce a spirit ash exclusive to the DLC. Because the pair can appear in various places and their outcomes are connected, record both names separately when checking your progress; finding one does not mean the other’s portion is complete.
Dryleaf Dane
Dryleaf Dane teaches Hand-to-Hand Arts, giving him a direct mechanical benefit as well as story content. He also appears in a duel related to a spirit-ash outcome. His inclusion shows that the quest-cast core contains trainers and duelists, not only characters who remain in a social hub.
How do these NPCs move and advance their quests?
Miquella’s Crosses serve two functions: they are places to collect Scadutree Fragments and gathering points for the followers. Characters move from one cross to another as you progress. A conversation that seems finished can gain new lines after you meet someone else, defeat a major encounter, or alter the world state.
The fan guide highlights three practical rules:
- Revisit people at their current crosses instead of relying on a single first meeting.
- Exhaust every available dialogue option before leaving an area or triggering a major transition.
- Expect a late invasion to ask you to choose a side; that decision changes rewards and can affect later dialogue.
Quest states are not perfectly identical for every player because exploration order and progression can differ. Use the route below as a conservative checklist, not as a promise that every character will stand in exactly the same place after every event.
What route minimizes the risk of missing NPC dialogue?
- Start at Main Gate Cross. Speak with Needle Knight Leda, Sir Ansbach, and Moore. Continue talking until each character repeats or clearly ends the available exchange.
- Visit the other early crosses. Check Pillar Path Cross for Thiollier, Three-Path Cross for Redmane Freyja, and Scaduview Cross for Hornsent. Treat each cross as both a fragment stop and a dialogue checkpoint.
- Revisit after Belurat and Castle Ensis. The guide recommends returning to the crosses after these areas because follower positions and conversations can advance.
- Investigate the Jagged Peak approach. Find Igon before committing to the Bayle encounter if you want to evaluate his summon opportunity and hear his available dialogue.
- Check the Cathedral of Manus Metyr. Follow up with Count Ymir’s sorcery-related thread rather than assuming the cross-based followers will lead you there.
- Return around Shadow Keep. Recheck the relevant NPCs as you approach and move through Shadow Keep, exhausting new conversations before pushing onward.
- Speak with everyone after Messmer. The guide specifically advises another dialogue pass after Messmer. This is a high-value checkpoint for detecting changes in the followers’ stories.
- Delay Enir-Ilim. Before advancing toward Enir-Ilim, verify optional NPC conversations, unresolved cross visits, and any available summon or invasion decision. Entering the late area too quickly can cut off interactions.
This sequence is intentionally cautious. It cannot guarantee a particular outcome after a save has already advanced, but it reduces the most common causes of missed dialogue: skipping a cross, rushing a major area, killing a character, or walking away before exhausting lines.
Which other named characters are reported outside this core list?
Broader guide listings mention characters such as Queelign and Hornsent Grandam, and some indexes describe their coverage as “all DLC NPC quests and locations.” Those references are useful leads for players seeking wider exploration, but the available material does not establish one consistent inclusion rule or verify every entry’s status in a universal roster.
For that reason, do not merge every name found in a search snippet into the eleven-person quest-cast list and call the result an official total. A wider guide may be counting bosses, invaders, temporary combatants, or incidental speakers that the quest guide’s cast heading intentionally leaves out. The right question is always “confirmed under which definition?”
What is the official story context for these NPCs?
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco announced the expansion for global release on June 21, 2024. Official product information describes the Land of Shadow as the setting where Marika first set foot and says that Miquella’s story unfolds there. The publisher also explains that characters with different motives reveal a story not told in the Lands Between.
That framing explains why the roster mixes loyal followers, native survivors, teachers, hunters, and figures tied to older factions. Their conflicts are not side material detached from the expansion; they are the method by which the DLC exposes competing accounts of Miquella, the purge, Radahn, Mohg, St. Trina, and the Realm of Shadow.
What do I need to access the NPC quests?
Shadow of the Erdtree requires the Elden Ring base game. The official product lineup also includes an edition bundling the base game and the expansion, which is relevant if you do not already own the original game. Platform, region, and edition contents can vary, so confirm the current listing for your system before purchasing.
The expansion launched globally on June 21, 2024; the date does not imply that every physical or digital package remains available in every market. Access requirements are straightforward, but quest availability inside the DLC still depends on progression and dialogue choices.
Is there an official art book or collector product?
Official 2024 product information documents collector’s editions containing a Messmer the Impaler statue, a 40-page hardcover art book, and a digital soundtrack. These details support searching for an “Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree art book” or collector’s edition if you want physical memorabilia, but they do not establish today’s price, stock, region, standalone availability, or retailer terms.
Check the exact platform and territory before treating an old collector listing as current. The documented contents are historical product specifications, not a guarantee that every component can still be purchased separately.
How should I use this roster while playing?
Use the eleven names as a quest-tracking checklist, then keep a second category for wider named encounters. Mark each NPC only after you have exhausted dialogue at the current location, and note the last major area or boss you completed. This prevents a common mistake: assuming that a character has no new content simply because the first meeting produced no immediate objective.
- For lore: prioritize Ansbach, Hornsent, Freyja, Thiollier, and Ymir, whose affiliations provide different historical or theological viewpoints.
- For combat options: watch for Igon’s Bayle summon and Dryleaf Dane’s duel-related content.
- For rewards: track Leda’s late decision, the Jolan-and-Anna spirit-ash thread, and any invasion prompt before entering Enir-Ilim.
- For completion: revisit crosses after each major checkpoint and keep the broader names reported by other guides in a separate, unverified list.
This approach preserves the useful certainty of the quest-cast roster without pretending that the game’s entire population has been formally catalogued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I complete every NPC quest in one playthrough?
You can pursue the quest-cast core in one playthrough, but dialogue states and the late invasion choice can produce different outcomes. Make a backup save before a major faction decision if you want to observe alternate rewards or conversations.
What happens if I kill an NPC before finishing their dialogue?
The quest guide warns that killing an NPC can cut off later interactions. If a character becomes hostile or dies, assume their remaining dialogue and rewards are unavailable unless you can restore an earlier save.
Are bosses and invaders included in the eleven-person list?
Not automatically. The eleven entries come from a quest-cast scope, while bosses, temporary invaders, summons, and incidental named speakers may belong to a broader catalog using different inclusion rules.
Why are Jolan and Anna listed separately?
They are two separate characters whose stories form one paired quest thread. The linked sequence can produce a spirit ash exclusive to the expansion, so progress with one does not by itself complete the other’s part.