For the most part, the Gestures your character can perform in Elden Ring are just a simple and amusing little way to communicate with other players, either in person or through written messages. However, there are some Gestures that actually have in-game applications, with one major example being the Erudition Gesture. This Gesture is needed to solve several environmental puzzles, but you’ll need to learn it before you can use it. Here’s how to get the Erudition Gesture in Elden Ring.
Near the Lake-Facing Cliffs of the Liurnia of the Lakes region, you’ll find the Church of Irith, within which is a sorcery student named Thops. Thops was expelled from the Raya Lucaria Academy, and wants nothing more than to be able to return. In order to enter the Academy, though, he needs a Glintstone Key, and he won’t accept the primary key since he knows you need it. He’ll only take a spare key, which can be found inside the Academy itself.
How to Get the Erudition Gesture in Elden Ring
Before you can enter the Academy, you’ll need to have interacted with its front doors to reveal the map to the Glintstone Keys. The primary key is found near the Crystalline Woods behind the sleeping Glintstone Dragon Smarag. Try not to wake him up if you can help it.
Inside the Academy proper, you need to make your way to the Church of Cuckoo, which is reached after defeating the Red Wolf of Radagan and proceeding to the Academy courtyard. The spare key is found on a corpse hanging from a chandelier, which is itself hanging from the church’s ceiling. To get up there, follow the broken wall up to the second floor, then follow the western stair path until you find a safe place you can jump down onto the Academy’s rooftops. Follow the rooftop path, and you’ll eventually find yourself on the top floor of the Church of Cuckoo. Jump down from the top floor onto the chandelier and loot the spare Glintstone Key from the corpse.
Return to the Church of Irith and speak with Thops again. Before you give him the spare key, you should buy up all of the items in his merchant inventory, as once you give him the key, you’ll lose access to his store. After you’ve bought him out, give Thops the key, and he’ll reward you with the Erudition Gesture. He’ll be overjoyed at the opportunity to return to the Academy, and will request that you come to visit him there.
If you’re curious, return to the Academy, preferably from the Schoolhouse Classroom Site of Grace. Go out the western door and around the right side of the building, and you’ll find Thops, or at least what’s left of him. Probably should’ve told him the Academy was full of mad soldiers and spellcasters. Oh well.
