Summary
Elden Ring’s lore is sprawling and complex, and will only continue to expand when Shadow of the Erdtreereleases this summer. Although one could fill an encyclopedia with the story ofElden Ring’s world and history, there are a handful of characters, events, and concepts that will likely be more critical than others when it comes to understanding the narrative elements of Shadow of the Erdtree.
Devised in collaboration with George R.R. Martin,Elden Ring’s lore maintains the mysteryof FromSoftware’s previous IP while injecting a new sense of scale, scope, and drama. It’s slightly less grimdark thanDark Souls, though its fantasy world is no less hostile, with an abundance of disturbing twists around every corner. Many of the most bizarre, baffling, and unsettling aspects of the game’s lore revolve around a few key players, all of whom are connected to Radagon and Marika, a spiritually, psychologically, and physically linked couple that spawned the Golden Lineage before the events of the base game. Members of this lineage, particularly Miquella and Marika, will no doubt play important roles in the Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC.
Miquella and Marika Will Be Instrumental in Shadow of the Erdtree’s Story
Miquella’s Story Connects to Shadow of the Erdtree’s Premise
It’s been long suspected thatMiquella will appear inElden Ring’s DLC, and the most recent Shadow of the Erdtreetrailer confirms this. Like all of Radagon and Marika’s children, Miquella is incredibly powerful and influential, with an Empyrean’s ability to ascend to godhood. But unlike other members of the Golden Lineage, he escapesElden Ring’s base game intact, with the player never really coming into contact with him. As such, his story is still ongoing and will continue in Shadow of the Erdtree.
By the timeElden Ringkicks off, Miquella has been ripped from the Haligtree where he was slumbering in a cocoon designed to help him reach adulthood, as he suffers from the curse of eternal youth. He wasstolen by his half-brother Mohg, who is an Omen and thus ostracized from the Golden Lineage and the society of The Lands Between altogether. Perhaps this ostracization drove Mohg to seek great power, as he communed with the Formless Mother, an Outer God, to obtain destructive bloodflame magic before kidnapping his brother.
Outer Gods are incredibly powerful cosmic beings that mortals cannot fully comprehend. It’s widely understood that while demigods may rule The Lands Between, Outer Gods preside above all.
Mohg’s goal is to use magic to raise Miquella to the status of godhood.Mohg wishes to become Miquella’s consortby carrying out a dark ritual whereinSanguine Nobile, serving Mohg, pour their blood over a cocoon shared by the two half-siblings, turning it into a “bloody bedchamber.” Disturbing implications aside, this ritual has not appeared to work in the way that Mohg intended, with Miquella remaining an Empyrean and not a full god. Players will have to kill Mohg before being able to access the DLC, so it would seem that his plans to become consort to a god are not destined to come to fruition.
That doesn’t mean that Mohg’s actions have been inconsequential, though. Hidetaka Miyazaki has confirmed that the entry point forthe Shadow of the Erdtreemapwill be Miquella’s cocoon, which is still in Mohgwyn Palace. Some theories have posited that the Land of Shadow, where the DLC takes place, is either some sort of dream realm formed by Miquella, or a world that is otherwise influenced by the slumbering Empyrean. Either way, Miquella is clearly connected to this strange land, and the DLC will likely shed some light on this connection and the impact of Mohg’s blood magic.
There is evidence thatMiquella’s alter ego is St. Trina, a mysterious figure associated with sleep. Shadow of the Erdtreemay expand on this.
Marika’s Role in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
One of the most enduring mysteries ofElden Ringsurrounds Queen Marika’s identity. A twist near the end of the game reveals that Marika and Radagon are the same person, though the specifics of this union are extremely foggy.
For instance, it’s not clear whether Radagon and Marika were always the same person or if they merged following their marital union, with some evidence supporting the former theory, sinceRadagon’s history prior to the events ofElden Ringis left unexplained. Of course, the two being one and the same from the start raises a number of other questions, such as how they were able to produce offspring and how they can be so at odds with each other when it comes to restoring the Elden Ring.
The description of theShadow of the Erdtreetrailer hints at Marika’s connection to the Land of Shadow, stating that the region is where “the goddess Marika first set foot.” Though this phrasing is ambiguous, the Land of Shadow referenced in the DLC trailer may be actually the land of the Numen, which is referenced throughout the base game as Marika’s homeland.
Since she and Radagon are the same person, expanding on her backstory will also mean expanding on his. Additionally,Messmer may be another child of theirs, as his physical appearance and his references to “mother” seem to tie him to the Golden Lineage, although there is no information about him in theElden Ringbase game.
Elden Ring’s labyrinthine world is sure to grow exponentially with the addition of this upcoming DLC, which could very well loop in a number of unexpected characters, areas, and events from the base game. That said, it’s essentially confirmed that Miquella and Marika will playsignificant roles inShadow of the Erdtree, so an understanding of their backstories will be crucial going into the expansion.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
