I still remember the first time I trotted up to the South Raya Lucaria Gate in Elden Ring. The blue barrier shimmered like a pretty wall of glass, but it was a brick wall unless I had the right ticket. Even here in 2026, this little puzzle still trips up fresh Tarnished on their journey through the Lands Between. Let me walk you through how to get both Glintstone Keys and crack open the academy.

Let's be real: the game does not exactly put a neon sign on the first key. The Raya Lucaria Academy sits in the Liurnia of the Lakes region, the same area you reach after clearing Stormveil Castle. The key is not hiding in a chest inside the courtyard. It is out in the wild, sitting on a small island west of the academy. If you open your map and look west, you will spot a lonely island sitting in the shallows. That is your target.

The First Glintstone Key: West of the Academy

When I first went hunting, I made the mistake of wandering north. Don't be a hero. The first key is on an island west of Raya Lucaria Academy, in Liurnia of the Lakes. The location looks peaceful from a distance, but the moment you set foot there, a certain oversized lizard makes its feelings known.

The island is guarded by Glintstone Dragon Smarag, a blue-scaled beast that loves to breathe glintstone fire and swat you with its tail. Here is the good news: you do not have to fight it. I have seen plenty of players go full hero mode and get flattened. Instead, you can ride Torrent onto the island, dodge a few attacks, grab the key from the body behind the dragon, and book it out of there. The key is not tied to defeating Smarag. If you die after looting it, the key stays in your inventory, so you lose nothing.

Once you have the first Glintstone Key, head to the South Raya Lucaria Gate. Use the key on the glowing seal, watch the barrier dissolve, and the academy is yours to explore.

The Second Glintstone Key: A Gift for Thops

Here is where things get a little more involved. The second Glintstone Key is not available until you have made real progress inside the academy. Specifically, you need to defeat the Red Wolf of Radagon. This boss is quick, aggressive, and fond of leaping across the arena. My advice? Keep your head on a swivel, stay close, and punish its landing recovery. Spirit Ashes can draw its attention while you heal.

After beating the Red Wolf, you will find yourself in the Schoolhouse Classroom area. From there, work your way up into the rafters and chandeliers of the Church of the Cuckoo. I will not pretend this part is easy. One wrong step and you take a very long drop. The second key sits on a corpse draped over one of the chandeliers. Loot it.

Now, what do you do with key number two? Take it to Thops, the sorcery merchant at the Church of Irith. Thops is a sweet old scholar who just wants to get back into the academy. If you hand over the key, he will leave the church and head to Raya Lucaria. That sounds heartwarming, but there is a catch: he will not be selling his spells anymore. If you are playing a magic-based character, buy everything you need from him first, including Glintstone Pebble and Carian Slicer. Once he is gone, those early-game sorceries are gone too.

Glintstone Keys at a Glance

A Few Parting Tips

• If Smarag is giving you grief, use Torrent for hit-and-run, or simply sneak in, grab the key, and die. It still works.

• The Red Wolf of Radagon is aggressive, but it does not have a ton of health. Stay calm, roll into its attacks, and strike during its pauses.

• Once inside the academy, watch for ambushes from marionette soldiers. They are creepy and they know how to swarm.

Even all these years later, the Raya Lucaria Academy remains one of my favorite Legacy Dungeons in Elden Ring. It is full of secrets, verticality, and just enough weirdness to keep you on edge. The Glintstone Key hunt might seem like a chore, but it is really the game teaching you how to explore its open world. So grab your key, dodge that dragon, and enjoy the academy.