It wouldnāt be Elden Ring if there werenāt a thousand vast, sprawling hidden areas only unlockable through some esoteric combination of actions. Large swaths of the Shadow of the Erdtree map fall into this category, including the elusive Hinterlands, where Queen Marika was born.
Whether youāre looking to progress Ymirās Erdtree questline or youāre just a Marika fan who wants to do some sightseeing, youāll nonetheless want to head to the Hinterlands. This northeastern portion of the Realm of Shadow is stunningly picturesque, but youāll need to jump through a few hoops before you get there.