If you’ve spent hours wandering the misty cliffs of Liurnia of the Lakes, you’ve probably stumbled on half a dozen unmarked spots that hold far more value than the map lets on. I spent three whole evenings chasing a vague NPC tip about a rare gemstone that powers up holy damage incantations before I found where winds meet ruby, tucked between two jagged rock faces just off the main road to the Carian Study Hall. This spot isn’t marked on any standard in-game map, and you’ll miss it entirely if you’re rushing through the area to beat a main boss, but it’s well worth the detour for both new players and veteran Tarnished looking to round out their gear collection.
How to Reach Where Winds Meet Ruby Without Wasting Resources
The path to this hidden cove is far simpler than most fan guides make it out to be, as long as you know where to start and what to watch out for. You don’t need any special items or late-game abilities to access it, even players as low as level 30 can make the trip safely if they plan ahead. Start from the Church of Irith grace site as your jumping off point, it’s the closest fast travel spot and cuts out most of the high-level enemy patrolling routes in southern Liurnia.
If you’re under level 40, pack at least two dewdrop talismans to reduce magic damage from the random glintstone sorcerers that spawn along the cliff edge. You can also bring a summon spirit ash if you don’t want to fight the patrolling enemies directly, but most of them are slow enough to outrun if you’re low on flasks. Follow these exact steps to avoid getting lost:
- Fast travel to the Church of Irith grace site, then head west along the cliff edge instead of going north toward the study hall
- Defeat the two roaming Raya Lucaria soldiers patrolling the path—they only drop common runes, so you can run past them if you’re low on flasks
- Look for a crack in the rock face covered by hanging ivy, around 300 steps from the grace site, and roll through it to access the hidden cove
Most players don’t even realize where winds meet ruby exists until they stumble on it accidentally, so the loot here is almost never farmed or spoiled in casual playthroughs. You won’t run into any other players here unless you’re playing in co-op, so you can take your time exploring without interruptions.
Loot and Rare Rewards You’ll Find at the Hidden Cove
The cove is small, but it’s packed with useful items that work for almost every build type, even if you don’t use faith incantations. The Wind-Kissed Ruby is the main reward, a unique off-hand talisman that boosts holy damage by 12% when equipped, and stacks with the Golden Vow incantation for even bigger damage boosts. I used this on my first faith playthrough all the way up to beating Morgott, it made a huge difference in how quickly I could burn through boss health bars.
You’ll also find a Smithing Stone [6] tucked under a pile of loose rocks near the back of the cove, three Golden Runes [11] floating on a small wooden raft in the shallow water, and a crumpled note that gives you the first clue for the hidden side quest tied to this spot. Don’t forget to roll through the thin waterfall at the back of the cove too, there’s a hidden chest behind it that holds a full set of the Traveler’s Armor set with a unique holy resistance buff you can’t get anywhere else.
If you’re following a generic Liurnia exploration guide, it might not mention where winds meet ruby at all, since it’s such a new discovery in the community. That means you can grab all this loot early in your playthrough without having to compete with other players for spawns, or worry about it being patched out in future updates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting This Spot
Even though the cove is easy to reach once you know where it is, there are a handful of small mistakes that can make your trip a waste of time, or cause you to miss out on rare rewards permanently. The first mistake is rushing past the ivy wall without checking it. Most players see the cliff edge and assume there’s nothing past it, so they keep heading north toward the Carian Study Hall without a second glance.
Always bring a torch or equip the lantern tool when you visit after dark. The cove is pitch black once the sun goes down, and there are two hidden Living Jar enemies tucked in the corners that will one-shot low-level players if you can’t see them coming. You don’t have to fight them if you don’t want to, but you’ll need a light source to spot them and avoid their ambush.
The biggest mistake you can make is selling the Wind-Kissed Ruby early on for quick runes. A lot of new players think it’s just a regular gem and sell it for 1000 runes, but you can’t get another one in a single playthrough, so hold onto it even if you’re not running a faith build right now. You can also accidentally lock yourself out of the side quest if you attack the friendly NPC that spawns after you collect the ruby, so don’t swing your weapon at any non-hostile characters you see in the cove.
How to Unlock the Hidden Side Quest Tied to This Location
As soon as you pick up the Wind-Kissed Ruby from the stone pedestal in the center of the cove, a blind swordsman named Therus will spawn sitting on a flat rock near the ivy entrance. He won’t attack you, and he’ll only talk to you if you have the ruby in your inventory, so don’t fast travel away immediately after grabbing the loot. Talk to him three times in a row, and he’ll explain that he lost his sword in a fight with a Glintstone Dragon, and needs three Holy Grease items to repair its blade.
You can craft Holy Grease with Root Resin and Golden Seeds, or buy it from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold for 500 runes each. Bring the three grease items back to Therus, and he’ll give you a unique parry ash of war called Wind Slash Parry that lets you deal holy damage on successful parries, and knocks back most human enemies for a short stun window. He’ll then move to the Roundtable Hold, and you can summon him for the Radagon and Elden Beast fights later in the game, where he deals extra holy damage to both bosses.
This side quest is completely missable if you leave the cove without talking to Therus right after collecting the ruby. If you fast travel away before speaking to him, he’ll despawn permanently, and you won’t be able to get the ash of war or the endgame summon. It only takes two extra minutes to talk to him, so it’s well worth the extra time.
Even if you’ve played through the game three or four times, there are always tiny, unmarked spots that feel like a brand new discovery. Where winds meet ruby is one of those spots that rewards players who take their time to explore every nook and cranny of the map, instead of just rushing from one main boss to the next. Whether you’re chasing a powerful new item for your faith build, looking for a useful summon for endgame fights, or just want to cross another hidden spot off your exploration list, this little cove is well worth the 10 minute detour from your main playthrough path.
