It was the howling that first drew me in, a deep, mournful sound echoing from the highest point of the Mistwood Ruins in 2026. I remember standing there, a fresh Tarnished in the Lands Between, utterly captivated. This was my first encounter with Blaidd, the half-wolf warrior, a figure of myth made flesh long before my fate became entwined with the Witch Ranni. I didn't know it then, but seeking him out on his own terms, before any grand cosmic quests, would lead to one of the most memorable and rewarding journeys in my early days. His personal story is a short, sharp tale of loyalty and a sworn hunt, and it grants a prize any spell-slinger would cherish.
The forest of East Limgrave held his secret. The nearest Sites of Grace were the Mistwood Outskirts to the north and Fort Haight to the south-east, but the true landmark was that haunting sound. I found him silhouetted against the sky, a giant of a being. But he wouldn't simply come down for a chat. Puzzled, I sought out the nomadic merchant, Kale, at the Church of Elleh. Mentioning the howling man in the woods sparked a memory in the old merchant. With a chuckle, he taught me a peculiar gesture: the finger snap. It felt silly, standing directly beneath Blaidd's perch and snapping my fingers into the misty air.
The effect was immediate. A shadow dropped from the ruins, landing with a heavy thud that shook the ground. Blaidd's red gaze fixed on me. He spoke not of demigods or the Elden Ring, but of a personal vendetta. His sworn enemy, the Bloodhound Knight Darriwil—the Forlorn Hound—was imprisoned in an evergaol in southern Limgrave. He asked for my aid. The quest was simple, direct, and felt profoundly personal. This wasn't about saving the world; it was about helping a warrior settle a score.
The journey to the evergaol, just north of the bridge to the Weeping Peninsula, was tense. Upon entering the circular stone arena, I saw it—a shimmering gold summoning sign. Calling upon Blaidd for this fight wasn't just helpful; it felt essential to the story. Fighting side-by-side with the half-wolf against the agile, deadly Darriwil was a brutal dance. Our victory was hard-won. As a reward, the knight's legacy, the formidable Bloodhound's Fang curved greatsword, became mine, a weapon famed for its bleeding power.
After the battle, Blaidd waited outside the evergaol, a figure of quiet satisfaction. Our dialogue was brief. He spoke of a skilled blacksmith in Liurnia of the Lakes, a man named Iji. He implied that mentioning his name might secure me a favor. This was the final piece of his standalone quest. Later, when I found the giant blacksmith at the Road to the Manor site of grace, I spoke of Blaidd. Iji, with a knowing nod, offered me the Carian Filigreed Crest talisman for purchase. This talisman, which reduces the FP cost of weapon skills, became a cornerstone of my sorcery-build, a permanent memento of that early alliance. Blaidd's own tale, for now, was complete.
Of course, our paths would cross again, intricately woven into Ranni the Witch's cosmic plot. But those encounters—meeting his spectral form in Ranni's Rise, conspiring with him in the mystical Siofra River to find Nokron, and even fighting a shadowy version of him deep in the Ainsel River—all felt different. They were part of her story. The hunt for Darriwil was purely his, and completing it first enriched everything that followed.
The final, tragic chapter with Blaidd awaited at the very end of Ranni's journey. Returning to Ranni's Rise after all was said and done, I was met not by an ally, but by a frenzied beast. Consumed by a purpose he could no longer fulfill, Blaidd attacked on sight. The fight was a desperate, heartbreaking struggle against a friend.
Blaidd's Final Stand - Resistances & Weaknesses:
| Strong Against | Weak Against |
|---|---|
| ❄️ Magic & Frostbite | ⚔️ Physical (Piercing) |
| 😴 Sleep | 🔥 Fire |
| ☠️ Poison & Scarlet Rot |
Victory, as it often is in the Lands Between, was bittersweet. From his body, I collected the iconic Royal Greatsword, a massive blade that scales with Strength, Intelligence, and Dexterity, and its unique Wolf's Assault skill. I also took his armor, the symbol of the half-wolf. A final gesture of completion awaited nearby—a wolf-head helm placed on the rubble near Seluvis's Rise, allowing me to fully embody his visage.
Looking back from 2026, with multiple journeys through the Lands Between behind me, that initial detour to answer a wolf's howl remains a highlight. It taught me that Elden Ring's greatest stories aren't always about the big picture. Sometimes, they're about a single, poignant hunt for a forgotten hound, a snapped finger in a silent wood, and the loyalty of a warrior who had his own code long before the stars aligned. It's a quest easily missed, but for those who seek it, the rewards—both tangible and narrative—are unforgettable.