Alright, gather 'round, fellow Tarnished. Let me spin you a yarn about my quest to find the most secretive, balcony-dwelling shopkeeper in all of the Lands Between – Pidia, the Carian Servant. Now, this guy isn't your average, run-of-the-mill merchant shouting about his wares. Oh no. He's tucked away like a spider in its web, up on a secluded terrace in Caria Manor, surrounded by his creepy, silent puppet guards. The whole setup screams 'I'm up to no good,' and let me tell you, the vibes were off from the start. It's pretty clear he's in cahoots with that pompous schemer, Preceptor Seluvis. I mean, who else keeps puppet sentries for company? Just a humble servant, my foot!
Finding this guy was a journey and a half. I'm not gonna lie, I got turned around more times than a dog chasing its tail. There are basically two ways to get to his little rooftop hidey-hole, and both involve some serious parkour. The first route is if you're fresh to Caria Manor. You start at the main gate, brave the courtyard with its fountain (and the obligatory giant hand monsters – thanks, Fingercreepers, very cool), and fight your way to the Manor Lower Level Site of Grace. The place is crawling with spectral blue guards who just love to ambush you. Good times.
Then, you've gotta take on Royal Knight Loretta at the Moongazing Grounds. After sending her packing, you head out back towards the Three Sisters. Now, here's the fun part. You need to wander along the cliff's edge until you spot a lone Cerulean Scarab. This little glowing bug is your sign to throw caution to the wind and leap off the cliff onto the roof below. Talk about a leap of faith! If you're already buddies with Ranni and hanging around the Three Sisters, you can skip some steps by just dropping down from Ranni's Rise onto some rickety wooden platforms along the outer wall. Either way, you're eventually staring down a hole in the roof that leads straight to Pidia's personal balcony. Sheesh, no wonder he's a secret merchant; his commute is a nightmare!
So, after all that effort, what does this shady character have for sale? Was it worth almost breaking my neck? Well... maybe. The man's got a curated selection, I'll give him that. Here's the loot he's peddling:
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Ash of War: Carian Grandeur – A fancy sword skill that makes you feel like a proper sorcerer-knight.
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Glintstone Craftsman's Cookbook [7] – For when you want to whip up some advanced magical grenades in your downtime.
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Starlight Shards – Handy little things that restore FP over time.
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Rimed Crystal Bud – Crafting material, because everyone needs hobbies.
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Trina's Lily – For making sleep-related items. Hmm, suspicious given his connections...
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A Larval Tear** – Now this is the big ticket item. If you're like me and have poured all your levels into Strength only to realize you want to be a spell-slinger, this baby lets you respec your stats. Priceless!
Now, here's where things get dark – and I'm not just talking about the Lands Between's eternal twilight. If you, uh, remove Pidia from the equation, he drops a Bell Bearing so you can still buy his stuff from the Twin Maiden Husks at the Roundtable Hold. But more chillingly, he also drops a puppet spirit ash. Which puppet? That depends entirely on how deep you are in Seluvis's messed-up questline. It could be Dolores the Sleeping Arrow Puppet, or... it could be Nepheli Loux Puppet. Yeah, that Nepheli. The warrior. If you followed Seluvis's plot and got her to drink his potion... well, let's just say Pidia's inventory gets a grim addition. It really drives home just how deep this 'lowly servant' is in Seluvis's vile schemes. The whole puppet thing gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Looking back on it in 2026, the journey to find Pidia is a classic Elden Ring experience. It's not just about the destination or the loot; it's about the weird, interconnected stories you stumble upon. You go looking for a shop, and you find a thread in a larger, darker tapestry involving betrayal, puppetry, and stolen essences. Was it worth the trip? For that Larval Tear alone, absolutely. Would I trust Pidia as far as I could throw him? Not a chance. That guy and his silent puppet pals... they're keeping secrets, I just know it. Sometimes, in a world full of dragons and demigods, it's the quiet ones on the balcony you gotta watch out for.