The Elden Ring seek three great wise beasts puzzle explained

The Elden Ring seek three great wise beasts puzzle is at Chelona's Rise, Testu's Rise, and Oridys's Rise, special towers where turtles are hidden at certain locations nearby. Each tower specifically has three turtles you need to find near them, and once the turtles are killed, the towers will open. It's a little tricky, but absolutely worth it, as each tower contains a genuinely good reward - new spells and Memory Stones - that sorcerer and intelligence-build characters in particular will thrive on. For those who need help, here's all the turtle locations to help you seek three great wise beasts in Elden Ring.

Seek three great wise beasts puzzle in Elden Ring explained

Elden Ring has three towers spread across its entire map - Oridys's Rise, Testu's Rise and Chelona's Rise - each one of which has a sign outside telling you "Seek three great wise beasts". 

What it's actually asking you to do is find three glowing blue turtles nearby and kill them. The turtles are unique and usually only spawn once the sign is read, so you usually can't cut them down in advance. They're also very well hidden, so we've outlined their locations below, tower by tower. 

Once the turtles in the area have been killed, the tower will become accessible. Each tower has one specific reward inside, but they're worth getting, as they offer great new potential for spellcasters, and one holds one of the Elden Ring best spells.

Testu's Rise puzzle

This tower is in Liurnia of the Lakes, North of the large Raya Lucaria Academy. It's also a little bit more of a challenge - once you read the sign it'll cause the turtles to appear, but also numerous ethereal zombies. They're slow, but they do a lot of damage if they grab you - stay out of their grasping range. Kill all the turtles and the tower will provide you with a second Memory Stone.

1. On the rocks to the North of the entrance, being watched over by a skeleton.
2. Halfway up a tree trunk in the woods to the East of the tower. You'll need a ranged attack to kill it, as it's out of melee range.
3. On a lower section of the island to the Southeast of the tower. You might have to drop down to reach it.

Oridys's Rise puzzle

Found in the Weeping Peninsula's East coast on the way to Castle Morne, this is the easiest of the three and the one that most players will encounter first. There's a few stray wolves around the tower, but once you've dealt with those near the entrance it's possible to get the turtles without triggering them. Unlock the tower and you'll get a Memory Stone, an item used to increase your maximum spell slots by 1.

1. Just behind the player on the path North from the tower, in the open.
2. In the bushes just to the West of the puzzle sign and gargoyle itself, concealed in shrubbery.
3. In the small pool just behind the tower. This turtle is actually invisible, but you should be able to see it by the occasional ripples it leaves on the water - attack the point they're emanating from.

Chelona's Rise puzzle

These turtles and Chelona's Rise are on the raised plateau above Liurnia and the Village of the Albinaurics. They're the hardest to find and the most spaced out, you'll have to cross the entire area to find them. They're also a lot bigger, though it doesn't make a difference to the method and puzzle itself. You also can't reach this area at all until you get quite far into the optional Elden Ring Ranni questline and secret ending, though we can show you how that's done too. Find all the turtles, and you'll be able to reach a treasure chest with Ranni's Dark Moon inside, a very powerful Sorcery spell with good PvE application.

1. Hanging to the cliffside to the West of the Chelona's Rise tower itself. Just peek right over the edge to see him clinging there.
2. Floating about sixty feet in the air above the spirit tornado you'd normally use to get Torrent to superjump. 
3. On a lower ledge on the Southwest corner of the plateau. 

What to do if turtles aren't spawning

Some have reported an issue wherein the turtles aren't spawning, and we're uncertain if this is a glitch or not. However, a consistent theme in the reports from those who have experienced it seems to be that resting at Sites of Grace, fast travelling, or doing anything to make the world "reload" in some manner seems to despawn them. 

Whether this is an intentional choice or an accidental one is uncertain, but you should be able to make them reappear by rereading the inscription outside Chelona's Rise. Then from this point on, do not fast travel or rest at Sites of Grace! Instead, just ride to the three locations marked above and it should work out, further glitches notwithstanding.