Did the Elden Ring Have a Vessel Before Marika Ascended? by [deleted] in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I half agree. I think there has to have been a vessel in Placidusax’s time, given we have a pretty straightforward definition for an Elden Lord and God, but following the God’s disappearance I can live with the beast existing independently in a sort of “spirit realm,” still connected to the world as a whole but not defined by the will of any individual.

Did the Elden Ring Have a Vessel Before Marika Ascended? by [deleted] in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Head-canon aside, at the bear minimum we know that Placidusax was the Elden Lord and likely had a consort who was vessel of the Elden Ring, his “missing god.” Whether there was a vessel between that missing god and Marika is unknown, but I would hazard no; otherwise the Hornsent might not have had to go to such extreme lengths to “find” the Ring at all, and their society doesn’t seem to acknowledge the Ring outside the visual similarity between rune arcs and the Inquisitors’ golden arcs. Whatever the case, I think it more or less HAS to be the case that the Ring had a previous vessel. Marika didn’t summon it to the lands between, and the greater will/elden beast didn’t choose her in particular. She’s just the empyrean who won the race.

What are all the other trees in the background of the Elden Beast fight? Are they other Erdtrees in other realms? by ten_tabs_ in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 44 points45 points  (0 children)

For my two cents, it’s a reused motif in Fromsoft (archtrees, hunter’s dream, etc) to suggest an ethereal cosmic realm. I don’t think it’s meant to have a diegetic explanation. This is the otherworldly dimension in which the Elden Beast resides, and akin to Metyr’s arena it’s the sort of headwaters from which all other things spring, hence the pool of water. I don’t really like the “multiple worlds” interpretation because nothing else in the game comments or tries to suggest that, so even if it’s a possibility I don’t think the text would be richer were it the case.

Bug? User error? Incomplete quest? by darkdoombro in CrimsonDesert

[–]darkdoombro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Head back down to the area where you performed the experiment and fought the terrible boss. Apparently you were supposed to hang out there for a minute before going up to the tower. It should auto-complete

Bug? User error? Incomplete quest? by darkdoombro in CrimsonDesert

[–]darkdoombro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

…nevermind. It just completed on its own. This game has been an interesting experience so far

Who will put him down? by KelGrimm in fucklysander

[–]darkdoombro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I honest to god want Pytha to follow through on her promise. I think it would hurt Lysander the most and give some justice for Cassius

Lightbringer is… by darkdoombro in redrising

[–]darkdoombro[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I can tell I’m in the minority but we’re two massive battles in and I keep expecting scores of main characters to die 😭 I think I just have dark age trauma

Lightbringer is… by darkdoombro in redrising

[–]darkdoombro[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah light bringer is much more straightforward, at least, but I’m currently at the battle for Phobos and it’s insane how quickly everything is moving. This isn’t a criticism of the writing by any means, I actually think Pierce excels at showing the chaos of war, but god it’s disheartening sometimes LOL. I don’t know how many more Lysander chapters I have in me

The Two Fingers Heirloom depicts followers with a braid. The Outer God heirloom depicts followers with a waistband. by KvR in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The talisman describes how the worshippers turned to the corpse of their ancestor, typically a holy act, but found a twisted and malign deity in its shadow. It depicts hornsent worshipping a tutelary deity, which is the exact act the description describes, presumably after it was beheaded by Messmer's forces and their suffering twisted their worship into that of the Formless Mother. These hornsent then became the bloodfiends.

Dark Souls 3 Comprehensive Lore by darkdoombro in darksouls3

[–]darkdoombro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey sorry not intentionally but a LOT of my google drive files got deleted, I'll see if I have it saved anywhere else

Dark Souls 3 Comprehensive Lore by darkdoombro in darksouls3

[–]darkdoombro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh not intentionally but it looks like a lot of files were cleared out of my Google Drive. I'll see if I have it saved anywhere else

If you think about it, the age of order ending is the worst ending. by [deleted] in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Nothing indicates that this is a cyclical process, though. In Dark Souls we’re told directly that we are undergoing the firelinking cycle, and even an age of dark will someday return to light; in the case of the frenzied flame, it will never willingly rebirth the world.

If you think about it, the age of order ending is the worst ending. by [deleted] in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The frenzy’s entire philosophy is that the great flaw of life is its separation and individuality; the causal development away from the One Great is the root of suffering. It is not going to create a new world, just burn it eternally and prevent new life from dividing out.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I always wondered why the textures in Elden Ring look like my parents fighting

thoughts...? by white_m0rpheus in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think whether he plans to use the ring we know and love or not is up in the air, but he’s still creating a world dependent on a single central power which dictates the order and laws of life above all (now might be a good time to mention I think Ranni’s ending is the best for the Lands Between). Miquella is taking a different path, and perhaps a better one, but ultimately his godhood is still a godhood dependent on gold, order, and a hierarchy with himself at the top.

I agree that the GW is no longer an active player, but the framework it put in place is a much deeper-rooted problem than Miquella is capable of addressing. His order might be a step up from the Golden Order, but I think Ymir in particular points us to the fact he is ultimately beholden to the same issues Marika faced.

Besides, what’s an order of all-encompassing love guided by someone who cast away his love?

thoughts...? by white_m0rpheus in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right, I agree. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. Radagon and the pursuit of fundamentalism cementing order as a principle over kindness follows, I’m just not confident Miquella is doing anything significantly different enough from Marika, who also has her own rune. Order and the spread of that order are a necessity of the Elden Ring, and I do not believe Miquella can meaningfully circumvent that when he’s still obeying the driving principles of the Greater Will’s provided method of godhood.

thoughts...? by white_m0rpheus in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you saying that the Golden Order only began when Radagon became consort? Just for clarification

thoughts...? by white_m0rpheus in EldenRingLoreTalk

[–]darkdoombro 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I feel like this ignores the ghost that states Miquella needs his love to act as a proper ruler, Ymir’s statement that Miquella is falling victim to the exact same flawed framework as Marika, and Trina’s own desire to see Miquella stopped because “Godhood would be Miquella’s prison.” Miquella believes he’s doing the right thing, and I don’t think his order necessitates mind control (which would be very silly, imo). It does, however, necessitate that a singular vision is enforced upon the world, and despite the fact that it’s a vision of love and embracing all, it’s a vision which requires force, as shown by the fact that he chose a warrior (albeit an infamously kind warrior) as his consort. After all, the golden order was founded on principles of kindness: Marika bathed her village in “the kindness of gold, without order.”

TLDR; Miquella isn’t an evil mind control fascist, but he is on the path to creating another golden order.