How does iji die elden ring

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Last updated: April 8, 2026

Quick Answer: In Elden Ring, Iji dies during the game's events, specifically after the player completes Ranni's questline. He is found dead at the Road to the Manor site of grace in Liurnia, with Black Knife Assassins surrounding his body. This occurs as part of the game's narrative progression, typically after the player defeats Astel, Naturalborn of the Void. His death is a scripted event that cannot be prevented by the player.

Key Facts

Iji is a giant blacksmith NPC in Elden Ring who serves Ranni the Witch
He dies at the Road to the Manor site of grace in Liurnia of the Lakes region
His death occurs after completing Ranni's questline and defeating Astel, Naturalborn of the Void
Black Knife Assassins are found around his body at the death scene
His death is part of the game's narrative and cannot be prevented by players

Overview

Iji is a significant non-player character (NPC) in Elden Ring, the 2022 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. As a giant blacksmith, he serves Ranni the Witch, one of the game's major characters and demigods. Iji can be found at the Road to the Manor site of grace in Liurnia of the Lakes, where he provides weapon upgrading services to players. Throughout the game's lore, Iji has a long history with Ranni, having served as her war counselor and protector. His character is deeply tied to the game's central narrative involving the Night of the Black Knives, an event where Godwyn the Golden was murdered, and Ranni orchestrated her own death in spirit to escape her Two Fingers. Iji's role expands beyond simple merchant functions, as he provides crucial information about Ranni's questline and the game's complex mythology.

How It Works

Iji's death occurs through a scripted narrative event in Elden Ring's gameplay progression. After players complete Ranni's extensive questline, which involves obtaining the Fingerslayer Blade from Nokron, Eternal City, giving it to Ranni, then traveling through the Lake of Rot to defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, Iji's fate is sealed. When players return to the Road to the Manor site of grace, they find Iji's lifeless body surrounded by Black Knife Assassins. These assassins are the same group responsible for the Night of the Black Knives, and their presence suggests Iji was targeted for his involvement with Ranni. The game's mechanics treat this as an unavoidable story event - players cannot intervene to save Iji regardless of their actions or choices. His death serves as a narrative consequence of advancing Ranni's storyline and reveals more about the ongoing conflicts between various factions in the Lands Between.

Why It Matters

Iji's death holds significant narrative weight in Elden Ring's storytelling. It demonstrates the real consequences of the player's actions within the game world, particularly when aligning with specific factions like Ranni's. His death advances the game's themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and the costs of rebellion against the Golden Order. For players, it affects gameplay by removing a valuable blacksmith who could upgrade somber smithing stone weapons to +25. The event also provides crucial lore revelations about the Black Knife Assassins' ongoing activities and their connections to various characters. In the broader context of FromSoftware's design philosophy, Iji's unchangeable fate exemplifies their approach to creating meaningful, consequential narratives where player choices have lasting impacts on the game world and its inhabitants.