Elden Ring: How to Complete D, Hunter of the Dead's Quest

Elden Ring is known for its haunting atmosphere, cryptic NPCs, and layered storytelling. Among the many characters you'll encounter in the Lands Between, D, Hunter of the Dead stands out as a somber warrior with a grim purpose. His questline ties into one of the most mysterious aspects of the game—the Deathroot—and provides useful connections, key Elden Ring Items, and opportunities to earn valuable Elden Ring Runes.

 

This guide walks you through how to complete D's questline, what choices are involved, and the rewards waiting for you if you see it through.

 

Who is D, Hunter of the Dead

 

D is a solemn figure clad in armor etched with runes, whose mission is to hunt down Those Who Live in Death—undead enemies tainted by the Rune of Death. You'll first meet him near Summonwater Village, and he becomes a recurring character throughout the early and mid-game. D also plays a critical role in introducing you to Gurranq, the Beast Clergyman, and is connected to deeper lore regarding undead curses and forbidden powers.

 

Step 1: First Encounter – Summonwater Village

 

You first meet D in Limgrave, near Summonwater Village, a fog-shrouded area infested with undead and ruled by the Tibia Mariner. D appears nearby and warns you that the village has fallen to a Mariner and urges you to turn back. After defeating the Tibia Mariner, you'll acquire your first Deathroot, a key item in D's questline.

 

Show the Deathroot to D, and he will offer to mark your map with a red icon—a Sending Gate that leads to Gurranq, Beast Clergyman, in Caelid's Bestial Sanctum. This opens an entirely new branch of interaction centered around hunting the undead and delivering Deathroots for powerful rewards.

 

Step 2: Roundtable Hold and D's Shop

 

After this initial interaction, D will relocate to the Roundtable Hold, the game's central hub. There, he'll set up in a hallway outside the Blacksmith's chamber and offer cryptic advice about the undead and Those Who Live in Death. He also opens a shop, selling undead-hunting items and tools like:

 

    Holy Water Pots

    Whetstone Knives

    Cursed-Blood Pot Recipe

    Miracles that scale with Faith

 

These Elden Ring Items are especially effective against undead foes and help players build Faith-focused characters or counter necrotic enemies. Purchasing these will require a healthy supply of Elden Ring Runes, so farming or rune-boosting talismans are helpful at this stage.

 

Step 3: Meeting Fia and the Turning Point

 

The next major development in D's story comes when you meet Fia, the Deathbed Companion, another mysterious NPC in the Roundtable Hold. Fia is directly opposed to D's beliefs—she sees Those Who Live in Death as misunderstood beings, not aberrations. Eventually, this ideological clash between D and Fia reaches a breaking point.

 

If you progress through Fia's questline, eventually you'll find D slain by her hand. His body will appear in a hidden part of the Hold, in the same room where Fia later sleeps. On his corpse, you can loot:

 

    D's Bell Bearing (for Twin Maiden Husk shop)

    Twinned Armor Set (which you can later give to D's brother)

 

This tragic ending is not the last you'll see of D—or at least his legacy.

 

Step 4: D's Brother and the Twinned Set

 

Later in the game, in Deeproot Depths, you can encounter D's brother, an NPC silently mourning. He will not speak to you unless you give him the Twinned Armor Set recovered from D's body. Doing so causes him to don the armor and disappear.

 

Later still, D's brother reappears—vengefully, depending on your choices in Fia's questline. This haunting echo of D's story reinforces the game's theme of cyclical violence and moral ambiguity.

 

Rewards and Benefits

 

Completing D's questline offers several direct and indirect rewards:

 

    Sending Gate to Gurranq – Unlocks the Deathroot system, where you trade these rare items for powerful Elden Ring Items, including:

        Clawmark Seal

        Beast Eye

        Bestial Incantations

        Beast Claw and Beast Roar spells

 

    Access to Holy Damage Gear – D's shop includes tools and recipes specifically designed to help you deal Holy damage, which is incredibly effective against undead.

 

    Rune Value from Rewards and Fights – Progressing through this quest will lead to several encounters that net you large amounts of Elden Ring Runes, especially when defeating the Tibia Mariner and other undead bosses linked to the Deathroot storyline.

 

    Twinned Armor and Story Continuation – Giving the armor to D's brother ties into Fia's quest and eventually leads to deeper lore revelations in Deeproot Depths.

 

Tips for Rune Management

 

Since D's path takes you into areas with high-level undead, make sure to stock up on Elden Ring Runes and level up key stats like Vigor and Faith. Farming enemies around Summonwater Village, the Tibia Mariners, and Beastmen of Farum Azula near Gurranq can provide solid rune income. Always keep a Rune Arc or Talisman of Scarseal equipped to boost your survivability when exploring these dangerous territories.

 

Conclusion

 

D, Hunter of the Dead, is one of Elden Ring's most morally conflicted NPCs. His journey reveals a lot about the world's stance on death, resurrection, and the boundaries of faith. His quest isn't just about killing the undead—it's about the weight of belief, the burden of vengeance, and the consequences of crossing philosophical lines.

 

Whether you choose to uphold D's ideals, side with Fia's compassion, or forge your own path, you'll come away with powerful Elden Ring Items, a deeper understanding of the game's lore, and plenty of Elden Ring Runes to carry forward on your journey.