most successful international launches since Red Dead Redemption 2.
Runes are the universal currency of Elden Ring, used for everything from leveling up to purchasing items and equipment. They are primarily earned by defeating enemies, but, as the game progresses, leveling up becomes exponentially more expensive. Gaining a single level can demand a very large number of kills after a certain point, and players can lose all their runes after dying twice in a row without recovering those dropped runes. Some players have even resorted to buying Elden Ring runes from sellers on eBay, taking the risk of losing real money to fraud in order to get items and level up fast. So, when fans discovered that their rune totals were dropping after each death in Stormveil Castle, they set out to find what (or who) was responsible - and now, the mystery has been solved.
Highlighted in a recent thread by Yunagi on Reddit, one NPC has been stealing Elden Ring players' dropped runes in Stormveil Castle. Stormveil is one of the major Legacy Dungeons of the game, and its huge, winding interior contains dozens of different traps and enemies. As it turns out, the castle's most devious enemy is standing right outside the main gates: Gatekeeper Gostoc. Gostoc is an NPC who suggests that the player take an alternate route into Stormveil, which he claims is safer. As the player progresses through the castle, Gostoc will stalk them from out of sight and steal a portion of their runes after every death.
Some commenters state that he can take as much as 30 percent of the total runes dropped at a time. Others have also said that it's possible to see Gostoc following the player character in certain areas of Stormveil, crouching down in bushes. The obvious solution that everyone suggests is to simply kill him when players see him the first time, which will prevent runes from being stolen throughout the castle. However, those who kill him should note that they won't have access to his selection of items or the unique interaction with him after defeating Godrick the Grafted.
The open world of Elden Ring is massive, and there are tons of secrets to be found, both helpful and malicious. Gostoc and his rune-stealing is one more malicious secret exposed thanks to player observations and cooperation. As the community works together, it is likely they will uncover more truths about Elden Ring's systems, characters, and world going forward.
Source: Yunagi/Reddit
