It's interesting that the world between functions so similarly as the Otherworld from Celtic mythology. where the land and its in habitants are capable of dream like reality breaking stuff, such as a horse that never speeds up, but can never be caught. The inhabitants of the Otherworld are also able to use the impossible nature of that world like a lucid dreamer might. Anyway another amazing video!
Also, the thing with Elden Ring being a science fiction story as told by medieval people is SUPER George R. R. Martin. Preston Jacobs does a good job of connecting Martin's older science fiction stories with ASoIaF, and his whole theory is that the world of the Ice and Fire series is actually the remnants of a space colony that regressed to a medieval level of technology, and things like magic and strange materials like the "oily stones" are actually very advanced technology as seen by people that don't understand it. Elden Ring sounds like a less literal form of this.
Yeah Preston gets a lot of shit but its SO on brand got George to do sci fi that's hidden in fantasy, and I think it works really well with fromsofts style. It kind of blew my mind when Sophie first explained how the erdtree is in a crator and I was just like 'oh'. Then thought about radahan and was like 'OOHHHH'
Yes! George was a sci-fi writer before he was a fantasy writer. The bulk of his work is sci-fi, the guy has won multiple Hugo Awards and might have indirectly influenced the look of Chewbacca LOL
It's also a very FromSoft thing. The whole story of King's Field revolves around two aliens locked in a fight and end up using humans to further their ends. To humans those aliens are dragons to be worshipped, Seath and Guyra, and the weapons associated with them end up linked to some profound-sounding prophecy that a medieval person would come up with.
Well, let's be honest, there isn't really much of a difference between the majority of sci-fi and fantasy other than the words associated with the tech / magic.
The thing I heard about Alabaster and Onyx Lords is that one uses attraction aspect of gravity and the other uses repulsion aspect. And those two are analogous to regession/converging of things and causality which in the mirracle works by repelling things within the Golden Order. Also, love the episode.
one of my friends has been playing Elden Ring, and when he met Ranni he was like "oh hey that's you!" and it's spiraled into a bit where I will explain Elden Ring lore from the perspective of Ranni so when he fought Rennala he was fighting "my mom" and now he's trying his best to kill "my brother who got really into snakevore", but it also means we get complicated stuff like "so I killed the soul of my father's son from his previous marriage from before he was married to my mom so that I could kill my own flesh"
The plateau itself is called "Moonlight Altar". You get a title card walking out of "Deep Ainsel Well" after going up from Astel boss arena. Also the grace point just outside is called "Moonlight Altar". 😊
@@painfuldiscourse5231 and makes me wonder if it was always called that, and always had a Two Fingers hiding beneath it. A very odd place, considering it seemingly had a proper tower.
@Reliken Do you mean from the Greek word Selene? No, I don’t think so? Wikidictionary at least seem pretty sure that’s not the case. But Selene does sound like a likely origin for Sellen’s name. That or the Swedish name Sellén :D
I genuinely think Radagon is a Mimic of Marika and the Eternal cities lord of night. There’s a lot that ties his Amber Egg to the mimic/silver tears. And if Marika is from the eternal cities she would know the sacred relic sword would use her body due to the Fingerslaying blade. Also note mimic uses the players HP unlike any other spirit or puppet, which means he could literally be her blood. And the cut content of Asimi shows mimics have names and personalities outside what they mimic. She also says something like “we are two who have yet to become one” which mimics what Marika says of Radagon. Also note he bathed in celestial dew of the eternal city that is the base material used in making albernarics and silver tears. Would also explain why the black knives serve both Marika and Ranni if they wish to bring about the age of stars also. Marika could have made Radagon to shed herself of the greater wills influence. You can also say she wanted to Marry Radagon to Rennala on purpose. Marika being from the eternal city and the Carian royals show heavy signs of keeping eternal city traditions, star gazing, puppet making, etc. Marika could also have known and planned Godwyns death aswell. Look at Hewg is a prisoner of Marika who needs to forge a godslaying weapon, and godslaying weapons only come from ancient dragon smithing stones. And Godwyn befriended the dragons. There’s even a description that says Godwyn was unwanted by Marika
I think Ranni was very young when Radagon was called on by Marika. Iji mentions Blaidd and Ranni spent a lot of time playing as kids, and this means Blaidd must have been given to Ranni when she was that age, which means she was already a Demigod and an Empyrean.
The name Renna is a variant of Renee which comes from Latin and it means “rebirth” or “born again.” Ranni going by that name in her new body is very on the nose. The impression I got from her Fingers being underground is that they’re in hiding while sending assassins after her. They know she plans to come for them once she gets the Fingerslayer Blade.
Bunch of stuff as I watch so I won't flood the comment section. 1) I think the transformation of astrologiers into sorcerers came when glintstone fell from the sky, which I think was a event distinct from Erdtree and other cosmic occurances. The curious astrologiers followed the 'falling stars' and studied glintstone while before that they drew power from the stars / moon in the sky. 2) I wonder how well Rykard, Radahn and Ranni went along with Miquella and Malenia. I mean, later certainly Radahn fought Malenia, but before that there should be some awkward meeting of the kids whose mom stole Ranni's dad and broke her mother's heart. 3) Why Snow Witch doll has four hands? Who else in Elden Ring has four arms (aside of grafted people and abominations like revenants and prawns)? 4) I think Godwyn's death was intentionally synchronized with Ranni's, so she can die in a body (thus, getting out of direct control of the Fingers, while keeping her mind alive) and Godwyn would die in the soul to make Rune activate, to give her this freedom. Sacrifice, yes, like lightning rod to draw away the half of the Final Death. 5) Offopic but Larval Tear we use in rebirth process is clearly related to Mimic Tears from Nokron. I think it might be possible that what Renalla actually does is 'copying' the new you, the 'better you', onto Larval Tear at the rebirth. So if you went through the rebirth, it might be not your original body, but mimic tear permanently mode-locked into being you and believing itself to be you. 6) Well, that sewers under Leyndell are inspired by Super Mario with all its pipes is what actual Miyazaki openly admitted as an inspiration, I believe.
@@jacobfreeman5444 This is a question with much more to unwind that I can do. First of all, who can confirm if the soul is also copied? Is the mind, identity, self - as the self perceives itself - a mere set of data that can be endlessly copied? If your identity is altered upon copy process will you even realize it happened, that 'you' is different from previous 'you', if you have no memory of previous 'you'? These and many other questions I don't really have an answer to. There was a game called SOMA. If you are interested in exploring/experiencing some of this kind of stuff, I'd highly suggest to play it (with passive monsters, preferably).
I do like when Blaidd and Iji are introduced they are all alive and doing their things, and when Seluvis is introduced he is just 'bwa, I am dead' pose.
my personal theory is they were always more distant, she is mentioned interacting with Rykard and plotting with him pre-shattering, but they (Ranni and Radahn) are never mentioned together in any lore other hints they may not have had the best relationship are that Radahn greatly admired his father Radagon, to the point of making the hair he inherited a large point if pride (which even Radagon didn't like) and Ranni seems to resent him somewhat for abandoning the family. now i don't think they disliked one another, but i imagine their relationship as distant, even passive-aggressive, probably exacerbated by what i assume is their gap in ages (literally have no basis in this but I interpret Radahn as the eldest and Ranni youngest) i could imagine Radahn halting the fate of the Carian line partially to "stop Ranni doing anything irresponsible" Rykard seems to have had a good relationship with both, sharing both Ranni's tendency towards unorthodox, heretical beliefs and also Radahn's pride in his lineage and bond with military men (at least initially), he kept a large portrait of his brother in pride of place in his drawing room. i can imagine the two finally properly falling out either after the night of the black knives (Radahn probably horrified by what Ranni did to herself, maybe even suspicious of her) or during the (conjectured) collapse of the Sovereign alliance of the demigods after the first siege of Leyndell (evidence of this is a sword monument and the various demigod thrones set up near Morgott, suggesting the six main demigods had formed a coalition for a time, till all but morgott fled the capital) After that of course, it's likely none of the Carian royals ever saw one another again (maybe expecting Ranni and Renalla)
Ranni is physically the snow witch. This is why her physical body is so different and her mother recreates the students in rannis image before she sacrificed her body.
So I'm like 90% the two fingers are roots. They look like woody and the hairiness looks like the finer fibers on roots. So I'm willing to bet money that they are roots from the Erdtree, which is why they can connect to it. The towers could represent adventitious shoots from the Erdtree that made their own trees, and the two fingers on them were the roots connecting them to the the Erdtree
About the large chair skeletons, the pattern on the cloth between the skeleton’s legs matches the imprint on the lower half of the Godskin Apostle’s robe. This leads me to believe that the gods that the Godskin slew were the large skeletons we find in the eternal city. Considering that a Godskin noble is guarding Ranni’s corpse, another Godskin Apostle is working with Rykard, and nearby Heretical Rise is the Spiritcaller cave which has a snail that calls the spirits of both Godskin bosses there seems to be a very clear tie between the Carians and Godskin.
21:44 I assumed it was just a giant cave and the "stars" are actually mineral deposits that are luminescent for some reason. You can see the outline of the cave if you look at certain parts of the "night sky" down there. I take those lines are to indicate that it's a geological structure, and not an atmosphere.
I love the fingers being antennas idea so much because when I saw those blue fingers buried underground and then looked at the divine tower again after that, they started to look to me like micolashs cage, which was practically a catalizer for communication with the great ones, so basically those towers could be the upscaled version of that or at least work on the same principle
Interesting thing you all reminded me of…there’re the Moonfolk from Ranni’s plateau (sort of a “land of the Moon”), and then there are the Woodfolk of Altus, the land of the Erdtree. And I personally suspect that’s what the wormfaces in the Woodfolk ruins are (sorry if this has already been confirmed or refuted) corrupted people of the “Tree”. The Erdtree is fighting off and succumbing to all sorts of decay. Why the Moons have become a sort of opposition to the tree is beyond me-the association with Moons and tides, reproduction, or renewal? Anyway, another great episode as always!
Thanks for the video. One thing I think is odd in the game and I haven't seen it talked about anywhere, not so much about Ranni but it does connect to the Carian royalty; at the church where the turtle Miriam is, he says the church is there to honor the union of Rennala and Radagon and the statues there are to represent both of their houses or something similar to that. Oddly, the statues at the church are mostly the same as those found in the underground cities of Nokron and Noxella. But, there is one statue that is unique and I haven't seen anywhere else in the game yet. It's directly behind Miriam and it's the statues from DS3 for the Priestess' and Emma. It's a very odd detail to have and I don't know why there'd be one single statue like that.
Oh yeah, I learned somewhat recently that Siofra is apparently an Irish word and they pronounce it more like "shee-fruh" rather than "see-oh-fruh". It doesn't really matter since I don't think anyone says it in-game, but still a neat bit of trivia
Siofra is under ground if you look at the sky you will see that it is indeed an earthen 'ceiling.' They are essentially in a cave. I always assumed that the lights you see were just glinstone.
I’m pretty sure Alabaster Lords and Onyx Lords aren’t the same thing. I think the Golden Order is specifically the Order created after the removal of the Rune of Death, it’s not synonymous with the Age of the Erdtree. I believe I said this on the Scarlet Rot video as well, but I would call the Erdtree symbiotic rather than parasitic, since it provides benefits to the host in exchange for influence spreading.
Watching this video and felt oddly compelled to comment. Guess I'll just say that I love your content, Sinclair and Sophie, and I hope you guys continue to remain passionate about stories and lore for years more to come. You guys are always fun to watch.
On Seluvis, tangent: I think his modus operandi about special puppets is to make somebody who the victim trusts to give them the elixir, or, at least, use their appearance to approach. He uses us to this effect with Nepheli, and I think this is why we find wolf mask (as he knew that Blaidd would never betray Ranni) and I think this is what caused Gideon to hate him, because I think it might be that Seluvis used Gideon as a catpaw to get to Dolores.
I was glad to hear Sin more involved in this podcast! Have yet to finish listening to it, but it's a lot of fun! Well done! EDIT: Oh snap! It was Into the Ludwigverse all along!
I'd love to see a video going over each and every god mentioned in elden ring. There are so many that are mentioned from like 1 or 2 items and nowhere else, it's fascinating to me
Yay an Elden Ring video! I would love if you two made a video talking entirely about Destined Death and how death works in the Lands Between. It’s pretty enigmatic in-game and I’d love your take on it.
Amazing start to the conversation about Ranni that I'm sure will continue for a while. Something about Renna we know is that she had 4 arms because Ranni's doll made in her image does, and I'd really like to know what's up with that. The only critters that have 4 arms naturally in the game I can think of are the wraiths, which interestingly are also associated with a sort of malevolent spirit calling and can be summoned by a bell that's similar to the one Ranni gives us. I think it might be that the heretical magic Renna taught Ranni was spirit calling. Manipulating the dead is a thing the golden order does not like in any form.
If spirit calling was heretical, wouldn't be weird than Roderika is accepted as a spirit-tuner at the Roundtable Hold ? Moreover, in the 2nd phase of Rennala boss fight, she use invocations similar to spirit calling ; Couldn't she be the one who teached spirit calling to Ranni ? Still, it's an interesting hypothesis, thank you for sharing it.
@@CK1000997 I think the timing for Roderica should be considered: The Roundtable when she comes there is in shambles, and they might look more easily on her and ghost tuning, because everybody is sort of depressed (D), temporarily here and moves on on their own journey (Diallos, Corhyn), not here on their own will (Fia, Hewg) or is doing their own important thing (Gideon).
@@CK1000997 I don't think there are really rules in roundtable hold anymore. All tarnished can show up and clearly do what they wish. It's a free for all. Assassinations, invasions, people blighted by and worshipping death. Fuck, Dung Eater?! Nah they don't care. The old rules are no longer being observed. As for Renalla, I'm not sure it's the same, but remember that she rose to power in Liurnia before the golden order was the law of the land and resisted its domination, only coming into the fold with her marriage to Radagon. It is interesting that she appears to summon spirits, but the sorcerers can call forth spectral soldiers of various kinds that I do not think are actually the spirits of the dead. The practice is similar, but I'd draw a distinction. I may be wrong about exactly what it is that was considered so bad that Renna taught Ranni, but I still don't think Renna was human and some ancient ancestor of the Carians. Whatever her people were I don't think we have seen them in their fully living and natural state. Again the wraiths are... let's say the only "organic" things with 4 arms that come to my mind.
@@hiddenshadow2105 @Josh K Well I agree with your descriptions of the Roundtable Hold. It made me remember you can bring heretical books to Brother Corhyn right next to D without consequences. So you're probably right. I had in mind the start of Lia quest. When D learned who Lia was, he tried to stop/kill her. But maybe that's because it was more personnal then. @Josh K Yeah I forgot that in cut content, Renalla could invoke Blaidd while he should be still alive. So it may not be spirit calling. And yeah, the only 4 arms thing I had in mind are the carian marionettes. Maybe there is a link between wraith and carian. I'm still not sure what the wraith are supposed to be, so your hypothesis is really interesting.
All marionettes have four arms (except the flying ones that have wings instead) Rannis doll body is clearly not a Seluvis type puppet made out of a person. It's a crafted thing like all the other 4arm ones.
6:26 Yes they're probably the same race of beings, But there is clearly a difference between The 2 being attraction gravity magic and Propulsion. gravity magic, There's even a different shade of colors between the 2.
I haven't watched this video (or the other Elden Ring ones) because I've yet to finish the game, but I just wanted to drop by and say I'm dying to finish it not because of the story but to come and watch all your Nil Gender videos and enjoy more glorious Sophie-Sin time!
Hey, just wanted to say, there is a small distinction between the Alabaster Lords and the Onyx Lords. Alabaster Lords control pulling forces while Onyx Lords control repelling forces. Small distinction, but it's there.
Or the fingers fall from the sky towards the ppl they’re bonded to, and these ppl are standing on their divine towers. Except perhaps Ranni was at Manus Cellus so it landed there? Which was only possible after we unlocked the stars
I absolutely love listening to your channel~ I planned on sticking to your Bloodborne and Dark Souls content at first, because I couldn’t get my fingers on a copy of Elden Ring right at the release. I didn’t want to spoil anything for myself, but it turns out the lands between are so vast: and it has such an abundance of fascinating characters and enemies…. I feel lucky to have your interpretations and explanations to listen to! The sneak peek I listened to only made me feel a bit more prepared to take in the experience. You are always so thoughtful and articulate, I’ve reached new levels of appreciation for my favorite games- all thanks to you sharing these lovely conversations! Thank you so much!
It's important to mention that seluvis is likely pidia. Or, more accurately, Pidia is Selivis' true form. We know this because after you attempt to betray Ranni, you find seluvis dead in his tower, slumped over the exact same way that the inactive puppets are found in his storage room. Not only that, but once this happens and you go to visit pidia, you can hear a dialogue where pidia is being attacked by the puppets around him, and when you see him, he's dead with the mannequin-like puppets standing around him.
One area I'm hoping you'll touch on, which maybe comes up as I haven't finished the video yet, is the Japanese text specifics for the repeated use of "stars" in English. Most of the time, as far as I can tell, when stars come up in ER - like re: the Olivinus Conspectus and glintstone star sorceries, or starlight shards, or the full moon crossbow, Elden Ring really means *shooting* stars. Meteors. Not suns. What I want to know is: is that *always* the case? Are any of the mentions of stars related to star-stars? E.g. the astrologers? When fate was read in the stars? The movement of stars shown on the Preceptor's robes? The term "Starscourge," the term "Stargazer," the spell "starlight," The Age of the Stars, Astel (who I think "brought" or sired the Alabaster/Onyx lords), when "amber rain" is mentioned. I'm sure there is a difference in the Japanese for shooting star vs star... What do they use? Are these all referring to shooting stars? Do regular stars even exist in Elden Ring? The stars above Raya Lucaria move pretty darn fast...
Edit/follow-up: also, full disclosure, I'm working on a video about this very topic! I have a couple other friends helping me out in the Japanese as well, but I don't want you to think I'm working to steal your answer to a question I posed for a TH-cam video! I will say, I've gotten a lot out of this episode and will be crediting it for a few ideas and linking to it when my project eventually finishes =)
Let it be known, that I, random internet person, consider this vid to be the next evolutionary step of your channel. Seems to me as if you have incorporated all elements of your former work(s) into one complete, beautiful mess that is actually not messy at all. Losing the late JSF, a giant among lesser men, was a mayor blow to my sleeping rhythm, since his deep voice lured me into slumber many a night. I may be late to openly say this, but welcome, Sophie, to my life! May your newfound voice calm my shuddering head from now on. Awesome work, everyone!
SOPHIE AND SIN I REALLY HOPE YOU READ THIS! YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS LiTeRaLLy pulled off the GREATEST, most in-depth FromSoft lore videos on TH-cam. Vaatividya can't hold a candle to this. Smoughtown can't hold a candle to what you do. Content or depth. An hour here or there or a top10 secrets list is hard to do. And their videos are intelligent, as well. You casually converge this unspoken story with characters in a scene from an amazing pixel artist. Miyazaki shows up! The dynamic is perfect. Sin tells her jokes and has a little fun making points alongside Sophie's passionate, genius insightfulness that gets irked at being derailed. Its hours upon hours of beautiful effortlessness. You deserve MILLIONS of subs. This is the channel for anything ive ever wondered about a recent FromSoft story. New viewer.
Answering Kal Zero from the chat: in my perspective Vyke was the closest to become Elden Lord but chose Frenzied Flame ending because he wanted to save his handmaided from the death (as she had to become kindling); but I think he succumbed to madness and killed her anyway. He invades you where her corpse is while his body is being imprisoned in gaol same way as Millicent invades you in Aeonian Swamp while she is suffering from the rot.
My main critique is the you guys talked about Ranni and the snow witch but u didn't talk much about the ending cut (the age of the stars) since or the mini Ranni doll dialogue. Cuz Ranni in the cut scene talked about "what the age of the stars" means alittle and when u talk to mini doll Ranni at her rise she further details what she plans her rule would be like. Just some stuff I wish u guys touched on that's all.
Agreed about "Fear the Dark Moon", that to me is just "Fear the Old Blood" meaning to respect it with concern and safety rather than to be in actual fear of it.
Ranni hired a hitman but it was Lambo and she tossed him at Maliketh as a snack and there was a lot of screaming and bazookas but in the end they somehow managed to yoik a fragment of Death and Maliketh out of embarrassment ended up hiding in Farun Azula.
i literally watched this as my first video, just laughing my ass off every time the discussion digressed into theories about how many people must have clicked off the video by now lmao keep the obscure shit coming, impenetrable references are the best kind
oh, and there's some discussion here about the Three Sisters with all these mentions of "maidens" "mothers" and "crones" which is pretty on the nose as a reference to Hecate and, in general, witchcraft itself! it gets even more interesting when you think about from whom the Three Sisters are meant to derive their powers: a Contract with a Horned God... you know, like the Ancestral Spirit... and Torrent... who are as directly connected to the Sisters as anything else in the game's lore
CSI: FromSoftware (where we learn about all the terrible crimes Ludwig committed. He can be Red Jack of FromSoftware universe) ((although in all seriousness I think Ludwig is framed by Simon who was the one who really killed Maria))
I always found it interesting that Rannis two fingers are underground like they are bc if you look at the “cave” system you find them in….there’s no way they would have fit through those openings UNLESS the fingers were broken prior to being out under there. Each finger is clearly broken and in those unnatural positions which would have been a result of Ranni/one of her cohorts literally shoving them down there, can’t imagine she’d have given a shit causing any suffering to them lol unless, of course, ✨magic✨is to blame. It would be a bit much to think when she kills the fingers with the blade that they spontaneously break like that especially since a death animation is present for the fingers in the roundtable hold via cut content 🤔
I feel like she found them at the chapel and beat them up real good. That's why she's covered in blood, they fought and she won, even if her clothes got destroyed.
There's a lot of interesting discussion as to whether Seluvis is even a real person, or if he's actually Pidia controlling an actual puppet. When Seluvis dies, it coincides with Pidia's puppets waking up and killing him, and his posture is identical to that of a lifeless puppet you'd find in his cellar. Pidia has the weathered map that leads you to the Amber Starlight, NOT Seluvis. You cannot kill Pidia, he's in a safe zone, which could be because From knew it would be a plot hole if he did and Seluvis didn't. Pidia is excessively accommodating to the point of silliness, calling the player 'your worship', which feels suspicious to me somehow, and contrasts very notably with Seluvis who is the most on the nose pompous douchebag From has probably ever made. There's some great discussion about this on Fextra's page for Pidia, it's one of my favorite theories that really has a lot going for it. It adds so much flavor to the already wonderful Albinauric sub-plot, he's simultaneously morally abominable and yet, a deeply pitiable character at the same time because his horribleness is a direct result of his miserably oppressed life.
I think a lot of confusion come from the misconception that the golden order = greater will and elden ring. The golden order specifically references the age of the erd tree and marika. Many ages and elden lord passed before, and many more will.
*This is kinda weird, I know, but I wasn't sure where else I could get this to you other than Twitter. My apologies.* Hi Sinclair! My name is Mark, I'm a relatively new fan, I discovered you while trying to understand the Soulsborne games about a year ago and I love you and Sophie's work! The shows are so entertaining, both of your chemistry together is iconic and I have grown to understand FS games so much more since tuning into the show with you and Sophie. I wanted to reach out because I have a situation I think you may find intriguing. Bloodborne is one of my favorite games and I tried to turn my girlfriend onto it the same way. She likes the aesthetic and gameplay but can't get over the fact that the story is a secondary componant to discover on your own with in-game research. Now here is the interesting part. I had a plan I pitched to her that I think she's enjoying humoring. I want to try and take the plot and events of Bloodborne, turn it into kind of an isekai and draw it out as graphic novels for her to read and enjoy along with me. My plan is that the main character will have a voice and react how I think I would in the situation and I plan on filling in the plot the item descriptions give you with actual exposition between characters. I have a framework of the world and my thing is that if the game doesn't state or elude to something being contradictory to my headcannon, it could be cannon. As in, Bloodborne could take place in the modern day, but Yarnham is just so secluded, deluded and self-indulgent that they are basically an Amish Murder Cult that people just steer clear of on maps. In order to perform this herculean task, I have a list of questions about the universe of Bloodborne that I've been trying to uncover but can't find much. I believe you guys have so much more knowledge and experience with these universes that when I thought of who to ask, you both were the only ones I thought were capable enough for the task. My proposition is this: I have a list of interesting, weird and exciting questions and I was wondering if I may be able to pick your brain and see if you had any Great One's Wisdom you could impart to shed light on the confusion of Miyazaki's acid trip of a storyline? Thank you so much for reading this overly long wall of text and I hope you have a great day! - Mark W.
Hi Mark! That's a really cute idea! We're a little busy with IRL jobs atm, but we have a discord that you can join if you want :) people on there are super knowledgeable about lore and would be able to help you out!
Though I'm not super keen on a lot of this video, I did feel vindicated to hear someone acknowledge the potential for a cosmic power vacuum in the Golden Order's absence That said, I don't think that Ranni is being all that careful. Her Age of the Stars seems to just upend everything from before, and specifically emphasizes a lack of divine intervention compared to Marika's age. To me, that sounds like she's left The Lands Between open to all the Outer Gods that The Greater Will once held at bay
I have this theory that ties Ranni to Miquella and it’s brought much of the story together. It starts with the The Beast Eye. “Claw-marked stone eye received from Gurranq, Beast Clergyman. It is said to tremble when near Deathroot. The murky violet iris writhes as if alive. "I am not sated... Feed me more...Death..." I personally believe that the Item description is the key to tying it to the Dusk/Gloam eyed queen aka Marika the eternal. The short version is that judging from Iji and Ranni’s dialogue, we know that when each Empyrean are chosen by their two fingers, they are given a shadow that will betray them if they should ever go against the Greater Will. When Marika began to plot against the Greater Will, I believe Maliketh used Marika’s own Great Rune, Destined Death, against her and took the eye after impaling her with the crimson spear you see in the final arena. It would explain why her corpse is missing her left eye, why the eye has a claw mark, and is surrounded by Marika’s stony flesh. This eye could very well have been passed down to some of her children as well. Melina- she reveals to have the same eye, on the same side of her face, in the lord of frenzy ending. Malenia - obviously this is pure speculation but I think the rot that covers her eyes was an intentional creative decision to hide this very secret. Miquella - maybe we’ll find out in the DLC Ranni - It’s hard to tie Ranni with being a daughter to Marika but she does possess the same Gloam colored eye in the exact same pupil. I believe Ranni’s pupil color that she never opens is Golden and that’s basing it from Melina. In fact, the golden color from Melinas right eye only changes to white in the flame of frenzy ending, after the golden order is no more and grace is gone. Shortly after I had another big theory that began with Torrent, that’s right. Particularly about who the former master might be. “A delicate goldwork ring. Can be used as a finger whistle.” I scratched my head on that question for a bit and it lead me to two candidates. First one is Miquella. Second is Ranni. I’ll make some points that back up both of these contenders: Miquella: The spectral steed whistle is made of a delicate “goldwork”. I didn’t think much of it at first but after seeing the flame of frenzy ending, I’ve speculated that the material is Unalloyed Gold. This is backed by the fact that the whistle is still intact after the flame of frenzy is unleashed. We know that Miquella’s needle is made from the same material and has the properties to ward away the effects of the flame of frenzy and rot, which both originate from outer gods. Ranni: This one is less likely but upon inspecting Ranni’s discarded Empyrean flesh, you can see that she had red hair and is missing a 🦶 much like how Radahn is missing both feet. In fact, all of the red haired demigods are crippled in the same way and use some kind of crutch to help them get around(Malenia with her prosthetic feet and Radahn with his gravitational powers). It might have something to do with the Curse of the Fire Giant….hmmm….but I digress, I speculated what Leonard is to Radahn, Torrent was to Ranni before she became a doll. Shortly after, I started to formulate my craziest theory in the game and the more I played with it, the more everything began to tie in a bow. Ranni WAS Miquella. I’ll try to explain with my biggest points: 1.I believe that the Amber Egg Radagon gave to Rennala contains the Great Rune of Miquella. I also believe that Rennala is trying to rebirth Miquella using the rune. Juvenile Scholar Cap Reads: Yet their rebirth is not without imperfections, and thus do they repeat the process, eventually becoming utterly dependent upon it. I speculate that the “imperfections” are happening because of Miquella’s curse(eternal childhood) and until it’s perfected, Ranni(Miquella) will continue to inhabit the doll. Backing up my previous theory, this would also explain why they all have gold/dusk eyes. 2.Another supporting evidence is by looking at the rune of the unborn, then looking at Malenia’s. In order for it to make sense I have to mention another of my biggest theories and that is Marika and Radagon were born twins, had their children before becoming one, and most of their children are born twins as well. This is backed up by the fact that every Great Rune in the game bears a striking resemblance to their twin counterpart. Malenia & Miquella(confirmed twins) Margitt & Mohg(confirmed twins) Rykard & Radahn The only one I can’t tie this to is Godrick but it is said he has distant relations and not a direct offspring. That country bumpkin. 3.Another key is Ranni’s discarded empyrean flesh. Obviously, it’s charred so it’s impossible to tell but I’d wager it looks like Malenia’s. The corpse has Malenia’s red hair and her stature(Morgott cutscene shows identical size thrones while Ranni’s is smaller). Speaking of Malenia, this would be a good explanation as to why she went to Caelid to challenge Radahn and be desperate enough to nuke the place with her scarlet rot. She was serving Miquella(Ranni). 4.There are item descriptions that reveal that Miquella used to be a golden order fundamentalist, but I believe he/she switched sides after her and all of her sibling demigods were born with curses and were expected to follow the Greater Will, but I think the breaking point was when Marika(the mother) fell and was betrayed by Maliketh(This would also explain how she and Iji know about the true nature of Blaidd) after possibly wanting to free her children. Miquella might’ve been chosen as the next heir(which would explain why Mohg wanted to be his/her consort) but instead decided to create her own fate following Rennala’s teachings about the moon but in order for her to set herself and her siblings free, she would have to slay their two fingers(Finger Reader Crone, Liurnia) which I believe she did but before she could get to her own they retreated to the stars and are being protected by Radahn. 5.After becoming her consort, Ranni says that her age will not be of “gold” but the “stars”. Miquella is heavily tied to gold and the properties it possesess to ward away the influence of the outer gods especially once it’s unalloyed. This is backed up by using miquellas needle to rid ourselves of the flame of frenzy, Malenia prosthetics, and Torrents whistle. In fact, all of Ranni’s entourage can be seen wearing unalloyed gold(Mask of Confidence in particular could hint towards this very secret) 6.Everyone speculates Miquella has ties to and St. Trina’s who’s gender is open to interpretation(Miquella’s needle depicts the symbol for mercury, who represents intersex people(Thank you Quelaag, TH-cam)). In fact, the item description in the Sword of St. Trina states that he could’ve been a boy or girl. St. Trina is heavily tied to sleep and there is an instance in the game where Ranni enters a deep slumber at the same time as Rogier after he asks you to retrieve her curse mark and she murders the dude in his sleep for prying too much *shivers*. I believe she takes the form of St. Trina when she is dream phasing. Also, the juveniles in Rennala’s fight sing about sleep. 7.The Miquellean straight sword is modeled after the carian sword but it has amber(just like the egg) instead of Glinstone and the real Loretta can be found at the haligtree tying Caria to Miquella as well. In fact, I personally believe the Albinauric’s(all generations) are Miquellas(Ranni’s) subjects. This would explain why half of the haligtree Medalion is in the Albinauric village right under Ranni’s moon realm. Coincidence? 8.In Castle Sol, there is a ghost that talks about Miquella’s Eclipse, which is pretty symbolic to Ranni’s destiny(moon taking over the sun) 9.In her ending, before she brings about the age of the stars, the way she holds Marika’s(her true mother)head makes it seem like she’s making a vow to her to not be influenced by the outer gods anymore, but to prosper with true freedom and she chooses you to be her consort(Suck it Mohg) That’s my interpretation anyways. 10.Finally, Ranni do sound like a child and that she tiny I may have missed something but those are my strongest points. The only things that could disprove this is Miquella’s cocoon in Mohg’s palace but I believe that it’s nothing but a husk. In fact the game eludes to this. And Ranni has dialogue where she talks about being chosen as Empyreans and she says I, Miquella, and Malenia. Could be she’s being tricky with her words in order to protect her TRUE identity(which she’s done before) but who can say.
![Marika and Death: How did the "Epoch of Life" end her children? [Elden Ring Lore / Analysis]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yJgP_nY_ng4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Marika and Death: How did the "Epoch of Life" end her children? [Elden Ring Lore / Analysis]](/img/tr.png)
![Rykard and Ambition: Did Marika Create a Monster? [Elden Ring Lore / Analysis]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dYyZ17d03po/mqdefault.jpg)
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It's interesting that the world between functions so similarly as the Otherworld from Celtic mythology. where the land and its in habitants are capable of dream like reality breaking stuff, such as a horse that never speeds up, but can never be caught. The inhabitants of the Otherworld are also able to use the impossible nature of that world like a lucid dreamer might. Anyway another amazing video!
Also, the thing with Elden Ring being a science fiction story as told by medieval people is SUPER George R. R. Martin. Preston Jacobs does a good job of connecting Martin's older science fiction stories with ASoIaF, and his whole theory is that the world of the Ice and Fire series is actually the remnants of a space colony that regressed to a medieval level of technology, and things like magic and strange materials like the "oily stones" are actually very advanced technology as seen by people that don't understand it. Elden Ring sounds like a less literal form of this.
Yeah Preston gets a lot of shit but its SO on brand got George to do sci fi that's hidden in fantasy, and I think it works really well with fromsofts style. It kind of blew my mind when Sophie first explained how the erdtree is in a crator and I was just like 'oh'. Then thought about radahan and was like 'OOHHHH'
Yes! George was a sci-fi writer before he was a fantasy writer. The bulk of his work is sci-fi, the guy has won multiple Hugo Awards and might have indirectly influenced the look of Chewbacca LOL
@@annaclarallb oo I never knew about chewbacca I'll have to check it out!!
It's also a very FromSoft thing. The whole story of King's Field revolves around two aliens locked in a fight and end up using humans to further their ends. To humans those aliens are dragons to be worshipped, Seath and Guyra, and the weapons associated with them end up linked to some profound-sounding prophecy that a medieval person would come up with.
Well, let's be honest, there isn't really much of a difference between the majority of sci-fi and fantasy other than the words associated with the tech / magic.
The thing I heard about Alabaster and Onyx Lords is that one uses attraction aspect of gravity and the other uses repulsion aspect. And those two are analogous to regession/converging of things and causality which in the mirracle works by repelling things within the Golden Order.
Also, love the episode.
I can't get enough of Sophie's voice and how she explains things it's so soothing I love you dynamics 💖💖💖
one of my friends has been playing Elden Ring, and when he met Ranni he was like "oh hey that's you!" and it's spiraled into a bit where I will explain Elden Ring lore from the perspective of Ranni so when he fought Rennala he was fighting "my mom" and now he's trying his best to kill "my brother who got really into snakevore", but it also means we get complicated stuff like "so I killed the soul of my father's son from his previous marriage from before he was married to my mom so that I could kill my own flesh"
The plateau itself is called "Moonlight Altar". You get a title card walking out of "Deep Ainsel Well" after going up from Astel boss arena. Also the grace point just outside is called "Moonlight Altar". 😊
Also, Manus Celes isn’t Latin for celestial hand. (That would be Manus Caeles)
Celes means something like “hidden” “secret” “kept in the dark”
@@melektaus3883 that's even better!! "Hand keept in secret/the dark."
@@painfuldiscourse5231 and makes me wonder if it was always called that, and always had a Two Fingers hiding beneath it. A very odd place, considering it seemingly had a proper tower.
@@melektaus3883 and here I thought "celes" had an etymological connection to the moon...
@Reliken Do you mean from the Greek word Selene? No, I don’t think so? Wikidictionary at least seem pretty sure that’s not the case.
But Selene does sound like a likely origin for Sellen’s name. That or the Swedish name Sellén :D
I genuinely think Radagon is a Mimic of Marika and the Eternal cities lord of night. There’s a lot that ties his Amber Egg to the mimic/silver tears. And if Marika is from the eternal cities she would know the sacred relic sword would use her body due to the Fingerslaying blade. Also note mimic uses the players HP unlike any other spirit or puppet, which means he could literally be her blood. And the cut content of Asimi shows mimics have names and personalities outside what they mimic. She also says something like “we are two who have yet to become one” which mimics what Marika says of Radagon. Also note he bathed in celestial dew of the eternal city that is the base material used in making albernarics and silver tears. Would also explain why the black knives serve both Marika and Ranni if they wish to bring about the age of stars also. Marika could have made Radagon to shed herself of the greater wills influence. You can also say she wanted to Marry Radagon to Rennala on purpose. Marika being from the eternal city and the Carian royals show heavy signs of keeping eternal city traditions, star gazing, puppet making, etc. Marika could also have known and planned Godwyns death aswell. Look at Hewg is a prisoner of Marika who needs to forge a godslaying weapon, and godslaying weapons only come from ancient dragon smithing stones. And Godwyn befriended the dragons. There’s even a description that says Godwyn was unwanted by Marika
I think Ranni was very young when Radagon was called on by Marika. Iji mentions Blaidd and Ranni spent a lot of time playing as kids, and this means Blaidd must have been given to Ranni when she was that age, which means she was already a Demigod and an Empyrean.
Which also means Blaidd was a puppy
Underrated comment @@arthurdossantos6826
The name Renna is a variant of Renee which comes from Latin and it means “rebirth” or “born again.” Ranni going by that name in her new body is very on the nose.
The impression I got from her Fingers being underground is that they’re in hiding while sending assassins after her. They know she plans to come for them once she gets the Fingerslayer Blade.
Another thing is that "réanna" is the plural form of moon in Gaeilge.
So... Ranni is Hitman: Reborn.
Bunch of stuff as I watch so I won't flood the comment section.
1) I think the transformation of astrologiers into sorcerers came when glintstone fell from the sky, which I think was a event distinct from Erdtree and other cosmic occurances. The curious astrologiers followed the 'falling stars' and studied glintstone while before that they drew power from the stars / moon in the sky.
2) I wonder how well Rykard, Radahn and Ranni went along with Miquella and Malenia. I mean, later certainly Radahn fought Malenia, but before that there should be some awkward meeting of the kids whose mom stole Ranni's dad and broke her mother's heart.
3) Why Snow Witch doll has four hands? Who else in Elden Ring has four arms (aside of grafted people and abominations like revenants and prawns)?
4) I think Godwyn's death was intentionally synchronized with Ranni's, so she can die in a body (thus, getting out of direct control of the Fingers, while keeping her mind alive) and Godwyn would die in the soul to make Rune activate, to give her this freedom. Sacrifice, yes, like lightning rod to draw away the half of the Final Death.
5) Offopic but Larval Tear we use in rebirth process is clearly related to Mimic Tears from Nokron. I think it might be possible that what Renalla actually does is 'copying' the new you, the 'better you', onto Larval Tear at the rebirth. So if you went through the rebirth, it might be not your original body, but mimic tear permanently mode-locked into being you and believing itself to be you.
6) Well, that sewers under Leyndell are inspired by Super Mario with all its pipes is what actual Miyazaki openly admitted as an inspiration, I believe.
@@jacobfreeman5444 This is a question with much more to unwind that I can do. First of all, who can confirm if the soul is also copied? Is the mind, identity, self - as the self perceives itself - a mere set of data that can be endlessly copied? If your identity is altered upon copy process will you even realize it happened, that 'you' is different from previous 'you', if you have no memory of previous 'you'? These and many other questions I don't really have an answer to.
There was a game called SOMA. If you are interested in exploring/experiencing some of this kind of stuff, I'd highly suggest to play it (with passive monsters, preferably).
I do like when Blaidd and Iji are introduced they are all alive and doing their things, and when Seluvis is introduced he is just 'bwa, I am dead' pose.
You know I wonder why Ranni didn’t just ask Rahdahn nicely to not stop the Stars.
And just like that, an entire continent’s history was upended 😂
By the time she needed stars to move, Radahn's mind was already rotten through.
my personal theory is they were always more distant, she is mentioned interacting with Rykard and plotting with him pre-shattering, but they (Ranni and Radahn) are never mentioned together in any lore
other hints they may not have had the best relationship are that Radahn greatly admired his father Radagon, to the point of making the hair he inherited a large point if pride (which even Radagon didn't like) and Ranni seems to resent him somewhat for abandoning the family.
now i don't think they disliked one another, but i imagine their relationship as distant, even passive-aggressive, probably exacerbated by what i assume is their gap in ages (literally have no basis in this but I interpret Radahn as the eldest and Ranni youngest) i could imagine Radahn halting the fate of the Carian line partially to "stop Ranni doing anything irresponsible"
Rykard seems to have had a good relationship with both, sharing both Ranni's tendency towards unorthodox, heretical beliefs and also Radahn's pride in his lineage and bond with military men (at least initially), he kept a large portrait of his brother in pride of place in his drawing room.
i can imagine the two finally properly falling out either after the night of the black knives (Radahn probably horrified by what Ranni did to herself, maybe even suspicious of her) or during the (conjectured) collapse of the Sovereign alliance of the demigods after the first siege of Leyndell (evidence of this is a sword monument and the various demigod thrones set up near Morgott, suggesting the six main demigods had formed a coalition for a time, till all but morgott fled the capital)
After that of course, it's likely none of the Carian royals ever saw one another again (maybe expecting Ranni and Renalla)
Ranni is physically the snow witch. This is why her physical body is so different and her mother recreates the students in rannis image before she sacrificed her body.
So I'm like 90% the two fingers are roots. They look like woody and the hairiness looks like the finer fibers on roots. So I'm willing to bet money that they are roots from the Erdtree, which is why they can connect to it. The towers could represent adventitious shoots from the Erdtree that made their own trees, and the two fingers on them were the roots connecting them to the the Erdtree
About the large chair skeletons, the pattern on the cloth between the skeleton’s legs matches the imprint on the lower half of the Godskin Apostle’s robe. This leads me to believe that the gods that the Godskin slew were the large skeletons we find in the eternal city. Considering that a Godskin noble is guarding Ranni’s corpse, another Godskin Apostle is working with Rykard, and nearby Heretical Rise is the Spiritcaller cave which has a snail that calls the spirits of both Godskin bosses there seems to be a very clear tie between the Carians and Godskin.
This is an interesting connection.
oh this is good, my new favourite "who are those huge chair skeletons" theory yet
21:44 I assumed it was just a giant cave and the "stars" are actually mineral deposits that are luminescent for some reason. You can see the outline of the cave if you look at certain parts of the "night sky" down there. I take those lines are to indicate that it's a geological structure, and not an atmosphere.
I love the fingers being antennas idea so much because when I saw those blue fingers buried underground and then looked at the divine tower again after that, they started to look to me like micolashs cage, which was practically a catalizer for communication with the great ones, so basically those towers could be the upscaled version of that or at least work on the same principle
Interesting thing you all reminded me of…there’re the Moonfolk from Ranni’s plateau (sort of a “land of the Moon”), and then there are the Woodfolk of Altus, the land of the Erdtree. And I personally suspect that’s what the wormfaces in the Woodfolk ruins are (sorry if this has already been confirmed or refuted) corrupted people of the “Tree”. The Erdtree is fighting off and succumbing to all sorts of decay. Why the Moons have become a sort of opposition to the tree is beyond me-the association with Moons and tides, reproduction, or renewal? Anyway, another great episode as always!
I wasn’t ready for this episode to be over when it was over! Eeeep!!
Sophie's adverts are so fucking funny in this.
Thanks for the video. One thing I think is odd in the game and I haven't seen it talked about anywhere, not so much about Ranni but it does connect to the Carian royalty; at the church where the turtle Miriam is, he says the church is there to honor the union of Rennala and Radagon and the statues there are to represent both of their houses or something similar to that.
Oddly, the statues at the church are mostly the same as those found in the underground cities of Nokron and Noxella. But, there is one statue that is unique and I haven't seen anywhere else in the game yet. It's directly behind Miriam and it's the statues from DS3 for the Priestess' and Emma. It's a very odd detail to have and I don't know why there'd be one single statue like that.
Interesting - thank you for your observation. I'll need to go and take another look.
Oh yeah, I learned somewhat recently that Siofra is apparently an Irish word and they pronounce it more like "shee-fruh" rather than "see-oh-fruh". It doesn't really matter since I don't think anyone says it in-game, but still a neat bit of trivia
Im irish and I read it as Shal-fra river valley. Like how Cait Sith it pronounced cat-she
@@2mutchfreetime i think for any other anglophones closest you're gonna get is that sort of glided/rolled showfra sound, like the girls name shona
Siofra is under ground if you look at the sky you will see that it is indeed an earthen 'ceiling.' They are essentially in a cave. I always assumed that the lights you see were just glinstone.
Glintstone and maybe some ambient magic illusion / emission created by glintstones.
I always assumed that the “sky” in the depths was just glintstone glittering in the roof of the cave
I’m pretty sure Alabaster Lords and Onyx Lords aren’t the same thing.
I think the Golden Order is specifically the Order created after the removal of the Rune of Death, it’s not synonymous with the Age of the Erdtree.
I believe I said this on the Scarlet Rot video as well, but I would call the Erdtree symbiotic rather than parasitic, since it provides benefits to the host in exchange for influence spreading.
I am fairly certain Alabaster Lords "pull" and Onyx Lords "push." Or vice versa. Like magnets!
Always a good day when you guys upload ☺️
Watching this video and felt oddly compelled to comment. Guess I'll just say that I love your content, Sinclair and Sophie, and I hope you guys continue to remain passionate about stories and lore for years more to come. You guys are always fun to watch.
aw ty!
The pixel art in these is stunning!
Thanks! It's all Holdsy!
On Seluvis, tangent: I think his modus operandi about special puppets is to make somebody who the victim trusts to give them the elixir, or, at least, use their appearance to approach. He uses us to this effect with Nepheli, and I think this is why we find wolf mask (as he knew that Blaidd would never betray Ranni) and I think this is what caused Gideon to hate him, because I think it might be that Seluvis used Gideon as a catpaw to get to Dolores.
I was glad to hear Sin more involved in this podcast! Have yet to finish listening to it, but it's a lot of fun! Well done!
EDIT: Oh snap! It was Into the Ludwigverse all along!
Lol!
I'd love to see a video going over each and every god mentioned in elden ring. There are so many that are mentioned from like 1 or 2 items and nowhere else, it's fascinating to me
I think it’s very interesting that Ranni’s Two-Fingers has a half centipede scar, like Godwyn and Ranni
Yay an Elden Ring video! I would love if you two made a video talking entirely about Destined Death and how death works in the Lands Between. It’s pretty enigmatic in-game and I’d love your take on it.
Amazing start to the conversation about Ranni that I'm sure will continue for a while. Something about Renna we know is that she had 4 arms because Ranni's doll made in her image does, and I'd really like to know what's up with that. The only critters that have 4 arms naturally in the game I can think of are the wraiths, which interestingly are also associated with a sort of malevolent spirit calling and can be summoned by a bell that's similar to the one Ranni gives us. I think it might be that the heretical magic Renna taught Ranni was spirit calling. Manipulating the dead is a thing the golden order does not like in any form.
If spirit calling was heretical, wouldn't be weird than Roderika is accepted as a spirit-tuner at the Roundtable Hold ?
Moreover, in the 2nd phase of Rennala boss fight, she use invocations similar to spirit calling ; Couldn't she be the one who teached spirit calling to Ranni ?
Still, it's an interesting hypothesis, thank you for sharing it.
@@CK1000997 I think the timing for Roderica should be considered: The Roundtable when she comes there is in shambles, and they might look more easily on her and ghost tuning, because everybody is sort of depressed (D), temporarily here and moves on on their own journey (Diallos, Corhyn), not here on their own will (Fia, Hewg) or is doing their own important thing (Gideon).
@@CK1000997 I don't think there are really rules in roundtable hold anymore. All tarnished can show up and clearly do what they wish. It's a free for all. Assassinations, invasions, people blighted by and worshipping death. Fuck, Dung Eater?! Nah they don't care. The old rules are no longer being observed. As for Renalla, I'm not sure it's the same, but remember that she rose to power in Liurnia before the golden order was the law of the land and resisted its domination, only coming into the fold with her marriage to Radagon. It is interesting that she appears to summon spirits, but the sorcerers can call forth spectral soldiers of various kinds that I do not think are actually the spirits of the dead. The practice is similar, but I'd draw a distinction. I may be wrong about exactly what it is that was considered so bad that Renna taught Ranni, but I still don't think Renna was human and some ancient ancestor of the Carians. Whatever her people were I don't think we have seen them in their fully living and natural state. Again the wraiths are... let's say the only "organic" things with 4 arms that come to my mind.
@@hiddenshadow2105 @Josh K Well I agree with your descriptions of the Roundtable Hold. It made me remember you can bring heretical books to Brother Corhyn right next to D without consequences. So you're probably right.
I had in mind the start of Lia quest. When D learned who Lia was, he tried to stop/kill her. But maybe that's because it was more personnal then.
@Josh K Yeah I forgot that in cut content, Renalla could invoke Blaidd while he should be still alive. So it may not be spirit calling.
And yeah, the only 4 arms thing I had in mind are the carian marionettes. Maybe there is a link between wraith and carian.
I'm still not sure what the wraith are supposed to be, so your hypothesis is really interesting.
All marionettes have four arms (except the flying ones that have wings instead) Rannis doll body is clearly not a Seluvis type puppet made out of a person. It's a crafted thing like all the other 4arm ones.
Wow, this channel is severely underated
ty ;_;
I wasn't expecting "back to the podcast"
*podcast immediately ends*
6:26
Yes they're probably the same race of beings, But there is clearly a difference between The 2 being attraction gravity magic and Propulsion. gravity magic, There's even a different shade of colors between the 2.
Cool lore podcast! really loved the cute pixel art animations
Glad you enjoyed it!
Omg I finally made a premiere 🥳🪐✨🌌
woooo
I haven't watched this video (or the other Elden Ring ones) because I've yet to finish the game, but I just wanted to drop by and say I'm dying to finish it not because of the story but to come and watch all your Nil Gender videos and enjoy more glorious Sophie-Sin time!
I'm so happy I found out about this channel! You two are amazing!
Yay! Thank you!
I'm so excited for this one, especially since the Japanese is surprisingly way different than the English translation!
Great lore , a new character,🐈, and plenty of silliness! Algorithm, recommend Sinclair Lore
algorithm please bless this amazing content
Hey, just wanted to say, there is a small distinction between the Alabaster Lords and the Onyx Lords. Alabaster Lords control pulling forces while Onyx Lords control repelling forces. Small distinction, but it's there.
Perhaps the cities made a mimic 2 fingers which summoned astel.
Or the fingers fall from the sky towards the ppl they’re bonded to, and these ppl are standing on their divine towers. Except perhaps Ranni was at Manus Cellus so it landed there? Which was only possible after we unlocked the stars
I absolutely love listening to your channel~ I planned on sticking to your Bloodborne and Dark Souls content at first, because I couldn’t get my fingers on a copy of Elden Ring right at the release. I didn’t want to spoil anything for myself, but it turns out the lands between are so vast: and it has such an abundance of fascinating characters and enemies…. I feel lucky to have your interpretations and explanations to listen to! The sneak peek I listened to only made me feel a bit more prepared to take in the experience. You are always so thoughtful and articulate, I’ve reached new levels of appreciation for my favorite games- all thanks to you sharing these lovely conversations! Thank you so much!
Thanks!
It's important to mention that seluvis is likely pidia. Or, more accurately, Pidia is Selivis' true form. We know this because after you attempt to betray Ranni, you find seluvis dead in his tower, slumped over the exact same way that the inactive puppets are found in his storage room. Not only that, but once this happens and you go to visit pidia, you can hear a dialogue where pidia is being attacked by the puppets around him, and when you see him, he's dead with the mannequin-like puppets standing around him.
Another great video! You guys are some of the best souls content on TH-cam no lie.
aw ty
One area I'm hoping you'll touch on, which maybe comes up as I haven't finished the video yet, is the Japanese text specifics for the repeated use of "stars" in English. Most of the time, as far as I can tell, when stars come up in ER - like re: the Olivinus Conspectus and glintstone star sorceries, or starlight shards, or the full moon crossbow, Elden Ring really means *shooting* stars. Meteors. Not suns.
What I want to know is: is that *always* the case? Are any of the mentions of stars related to star-stars? E.g. the astrologers? When fate was read in the stars? The movement of stars shown on the Preceptor's robes? The term "Starscourge," the term "Stargazer," the spell "starlight," The Age of the Stars, Astel (who I think "brought" or sired the Alabaster/Onyx lords), when "amber rain" is mentioned. I'm sure there is a difference in the Japanese for shooting star vs star... What do they use?
Are these all referring to shooting stars? Do regular stars even exist in Elden Ring? The stars above Raya Lucaria move pretty darn fast...
Edit/follow-up: also, full disclosure, I'm working on a video about this very topic! I have a couple other friends helping me out in the Japanese as well, but I don't want you to think I'm working to steal your answer to a question I posed for a TH-cam video! I will say, I've gotten a lot out of this episode and will be crediting it for a few ideas and linking to it when my project eventually finishes =)
The Caria royal crest is very similar to the crest of Sellia. That is why I was always assuming that they originated from Sellia.
Look, the doll body is not Ranni's "real" body, but the body she chose, so I respect that. I stan my queen.
Let it be known, that I, random internet person, consider this vid to be the next evolutionary step of your channel. Seems to me as if you have incorporated all elements of your former work(s) into one complete, beautiful mess that is actually not messy at all.
Losing the late JSF, a giant among lesser men, was a mayor blow to my sleeping rhythm, since his deep voice lured me into slumber many a night. I may be late to openly say this, but welcome, Sophie, to my life! May your newfound voice calm my shuddering head from now on. Awesome work, everyone!
SOPHIE AND SIN
I REALLY HOPE YOU READ THIS!
YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS LiTeRaLLy pulled off the GREATEST, most in-depth FromSoft lore videos on TH-cam.
Vaatividya can't hold a candle to this.
Smoughtown can't hold a candle to what you do. Content or depth.
An hour here or there or a top10 secrets list is hard to do. And their videos are intelligent,
as well.
You casually converge this unspoken story with characters in a scene from an amazing pixel artist.
Miyazaki shows up!
The dynamic is perfect.
Sin tells her jokes and has a little fun making points alongside Sophie's passionate, genius insightfulness that gets irked at being derailed.
Its hours upon hours of beautiful effortlessness.
You deserve MILLIONS of subs.
This is the channel for anything ive ever wondered about a recent FromSoft story.
New viewer.
18:21 the plateau is called the moonlight altar
I LOVE your Elden Ring lore videos^^
Pls make more and keep it up!😋✌
Answering Kal Zero from the chat: in my perspective Vyke was the closest to become Elden Lord but chose Frenzied Flame ending because he wanted to save his handmaided from the death (as she had to become kindling); but I think he succumbed to madness and killed her anyway. He invades you where her corpse is while his body is being imprisoned in gaol same way as Millicent invades you in Aeonian Swamp while she is suffering from the rot.
My main critique is the you guys talked about Ranni and the snow witch but u didn't talk much about the ending cut (the age of the stars) since or the mini Ranni doll dialogue. Cuz Ranni in the cut scene talked about "what the age of the stars" means alittle and when u talk to mini doll Ranni at her rise she further details what she plans her rule would be like. Just some stuff I wish u guys touched on that's all.
Yeah that's good point. On our end we figured everyone else already talked about that stuff, so people listening to this probably know that lore :)
I know it’s crazy but I want to believe the Snow Witch is/was the gloam eyed queen
Agreed about "Fear the Dark Moon", that to me is just "Fear the Old Blood" meaning to respect it with concern and safety rather than to be in actual fear of it.
Ranni hired a hitman but it was Lambo and she tossed him at Maliketh as a snack and there was a lot of screaming and bazookas but in the end they somehow managed to yoik a fragment of Death and Maliketh out of embarrassment ended up hiding in Farun Azula.
lmao true cultist
1) great video! I loved the theory about the origin of the Finger Slaying Blade!
2) that thumbnail..
XD
I R1’ed my way across the invisible bridge
The internal lore of this show is more complicated than the lore of Elden Ring
i literally watched this as my first video, just laughing my ass off every time the discussion digressed into theories about how many people must have clicked off the video by now lmao
keep the obscure shit coming, impenetrable references are the best kind
oh, and there's some discussion here about the Three Sisters with all these mentions of "maidens" "mothers" and "crones" which is pretty on the nose as a reference to Hecate and, in general, witchcraft itself! it gets even more interesting when you think about from whom the Three Sisters are meant to derive their powers: a Contract with a Horned God...
you know, like the Ancestral Spirit... and Torrent... who are as directly connected to the Sisters as anything else in the game's lore
Aw! Glad you liked it!
Ludwig, the serial killer - confirmed!
Edit: We need a true crime episode of TSC^^
CSI: FromSoftware
(where we learn about all the terrible crimes Ludwig committed. He can be Red Jack of FromSoftware universe)
((although in all seriousness I think Ludwig is framed by Simon who was the one who really killed Maria))
I always found it interesting that Rannis two fingers are underground like they are bc if you look at the “cave” system you find them in….there’s no way they would have fit through those openings UNLESS the fingers were broken prior to being out under there. Each finger is clearly broken and in those unnatural positions which would have been a result of Ranni/one of her cohorts literally shoving them down there, can’t imagine she’d have given a shit causing any suffering to them lol unless, of course, ✨magic✨is to blame. It would be a bit much to think when she kills the fingers with the blade that they spontaneously break like that especially since a death animation is present for the fingers in the roundtable hold via cut content 🤔
I feel like she found them at the chapel and beat them up real good. That's why she's covered in blood, they fought and she won, even if her clothes got destroyed.
I think Manus Celes means "hidden hand" or "Concieled hand", Celestial would be Manus caeles. Not 100% sure though
I will admit, I have no idea where that poem is from.
it's from season 1 opening of Katekyo Hitman Reborn
@@SinclairLore That wasn't in the five-hour analysis so I'm unfamiliar.
@@avidobkin1818 ha nice
Love to see a new episode from my fave lore gals ♥️
2:57 oh shit Sophie became god
3:49 Oh yeah, how _DID_ Yhorm fit in that room?
XD
Commenting to boost algo.
Cracking video as always.
There's a lot of interesting discussion as to whether Seluvis is even a real person, or if he's actually Pidia controlling an actual puppet. When Seluvis dies, it coincides with Pidia's puppets waking up and killing him, and his posture is identical to that of a lifeless puppet you'd find in his cellar. Pidia has the weathered map that leads you to the Amber Starlight, NOT Seluvis. You cannot kill Pidia, he's in a safe zone, which could be because From knew it would be a plot hole if he did and Seluvis didn't. Pidia is excessively accommodating to the point of silliness, calling the player 'your worship', which feels suspicious to me somehow, and contrasts very notably with Seluvis who is the most on the nose pompous douchebag From has probably ever made. There's some great discussion about this on Fextra's page for Pidia, it's one of my favorite theories that really has a lot going for it. It adds so much flavor to the already wonderful Albinauric sub-plot, he's simultaneously morally abominable and yet, a deeply pitiable character at the same time because his horribleness is a direct result of his miserably oppressed life.
I think a lot of confusion come from the misconception that the golden order = greater will and elden ring.
The golden order specifically references the age of the erd tree and marika.
Many ages and elden lord passed before, and many more will.
Are alabaster and onyx lords all that different after all?
ahhh what a great way to start my day !! ♥️
Loved the video!
Where is it stated or hinted at that the people of the Eternal Cities are Numen?
I love the 8 bit stuff :D
thanks!
Banger as usual
Need more Enzo options, really likes to speak his own mind
lol
*This is kinda weird, I know, but I wasn't sure where else I could get this to you other than Twitter. My apologies.*
Hi Sinclair!
My name is Mark, I'm a relatively new fan, I discovered you while trying to understand the Soulsborne games about a year ago and I love you and Sophie's work! The shows are so entertaining, both of your chemistry together is iconic and I have grown to understand FS games so much more since tuning into the show with you and Sophie.
I wanted to reach out because I have a situation I think you may find intriguing. Bloodborne is one of my favorite games and I tried to turn my girlfriend onto it the same way. She likes the aesthetic and gameplay but can't get over the fact that the story is a secondary componant to discover on your own with in-game research. Now here is the interesting part. I had a plan I pitched to her that I think she's enjoying humoring. I want to try and take the plot and events of Bloodborne, turn it into kind of an isekai and draw it out as graphic novels for her to read and enjoy along with me. My plan is that the main character will have a voice and react how I think I would in the situation and I plan on filling in the plot the item descriptions give you with actual exposition between characters. I have a framework of the world and my thing is that if the game doesn't state or elude to something being contradictory to my headcannon, it could be cannon. As in, Bloodborne could take place in the modern day, but Yarnham is just so secluded, deluded and self-indulgent that they are basically an Amish Murder Cult that people just steer clear of on maps.
In order to perform this herculean task, I have a list of questions about the universe of Bloodborne that I've been trying to uncover but can't find much. I believe you guys have so much more knowledge and experience with these universes that when I thought of who to ask, you both were the only ones I thought were capable enough for the task. My proposition is this: I have a list of interesting, weird and exciting questions and I was wondering if I may be able to pick your brain and see if you had any Great One's Wisdom you could impart to shed light on the confusion of Miyazaki's acid trip of a storyline?
Thank you so much for reading this overly long wall of text and I hope you have a great day!
- Mark W.
Hi Mark!
That's a really cute idea!
We're a little busy with IRL jobs atm, but we have a discord that you can join if you want :) people on there are super knowledgeable about lore and would be able to help you out!
good video is it ok if I ask you a question
Come on Sophie, I can’t think of a channel with better lore videos… how long until there’s a dramatic reading of courted by the wolf lawyer?
The Macaroons of Death!
Though I'm not super keen on a lot of this video, I did feel vindicated to hear someone acknowledge the potential for a cosmic power vacuum in the Golden Order's absence
That said, I don't think that Ranni is being all that careful. Her Age of the Stars seems to just upend everything from before, and specifically emphasizes a lack of divine intervention compared to Marika's age. To me, that sounds like she's left The Lands Between open to all the Outer Gods that The Greater Will once held at bay
Yeah, this episode is a bit disorganised, and I barely remember what we were even saying. We discuss the power vacuum thing in a few other episodes.
@@SinclairLore Any you can reference off the top of your head? I'd be curious to hear more of what y'all have to say on the matter
I think we go over it a bit in "Marika & Death" with reference to the Eternal Cities collapsing post-Greater Will due to the power vacuum.
@@SinclairLore Cheers
you guys are awesome
no u
Renna is Ebenezer Scrooge
It's like into the spidervers
you guys are amazing
;-; no u
I thinks it's the opening to an anime
Yes! Reborn!
I think Seath is controlling Ranni.
Of course Ludwig did it! It all makes sense now...
ASUHUHASUHSAUHSAUHSAUSAUHUHSA the angelic outline
You mean my Blaiddy nose?
I have this theory that ties Ranni to Miquella and it’s brought much of the story together.
It starts with the The Beast Eye.
“Claw-marked stone eye received from Gurranq, Beast Clergyman.
It is said to tremble when near Deathroot.
The murky violet iris writhes as if alive. "I am not sated... Feed me more...Death..."
I personally believe that the Item description is the key to tying it to the Dusk/Gloam eyed queen aka Marika the eternal.
The short version is that judging from Iji and Ranni’s dialogue, we know that when each Empyrean are chosen by their two fingers, they are given a shadow that will betray them if they should ever go against the Greater Will. When Marika began to plot against the Greater Will, I believe Maliketh used Marika’s own Great Rune, Destined Death, against her and took the eye after impaling her with the crimson spear you see in the final arena. It would explain why her corpse is missing her left eye, why the eye has a claw mark, and is surrounded by Marika’s stony flesh.
This eye could very well have been passed down to some of her children as well.
Melina- she reveals to have the same eye, on the same side of her face, in the lord of frenzy ending.
Malenia - obviously this is pure speculation but I think the rot that covers her eyes was an intentional creative decision to hide this very secret.
Miquella - maybe we’ll find out in the DLC
Ranni - It’s hard to tie Ranni with being a daughter to Marika but she does possess the same Gloam colored eye in the exact same pupil. I believe Ranni’s pupil color that she never opens is Golden and that’s basing it from Melina. In fact, the golden color from Melinas right eye only changes to white in the flame of frenzy ending, after the golden order is no more and grace is gone.
Shortly after I had another big theory that began with Torrent, that’s right. Particularly about who the former master might be.
“A delicate goldwork ring. Can be used as a finger whistle.”
I scratched my head on that question for a bit and it lead me to two candidates. First one is Miquella. Second is Ranni.
I’ll make some points that back up both of these contenders:
Miquella:
The spectral steed whistle is made of a delicate “goldwork”. I didn’t think much of it at first but after seeing the flame of frenzy ending, I’ve speculated that the material is Unalloyed Gold. This is backed by the fact that the whistle is still intact after the flame of frenzy is unleashed. We know that Miquella’s needle is made from the same material and has the properties to ward away the effects of the flame of frenzy and rot, which both originate from outer gods.
Ranni:
This one is less likely but upon inspecting Ranni’s discarded Empyrean flesh, you can see that she had red hair and is missing a 🦶 much like how Radahn is missing both feet. In fact, all of the red haired demigods are crippled in the same way and use some kind of crutch to help them get around(Malenia with her prosthetic feet and Radahn with his gravitational powers). It might have something to do with the Curse of the Fire Giant….hmmm….but I digress, I speculated what Leonard is to Radahn, Torrent was to Ranni before she became a doll.
Shortly after, I started to formulate my craziest theory in the game and the more I played with it, the more everything began to tie in a bow.
Ranni WAS Miquella.
I’ll try to explain with my biggest points:
1.I believe that the Amber Egg Radagon gave to Rennala contains the Great Rune of Miquella. I also believe that Rennala is trying to rebirth Miquella using the rune.
Juvenile Scholar Cap Reads:
Yet their rebirth is not without imperfections, and thus do they repeat the process, eventually becoming utterly dependent upon it.
I speculate that the “imperfections” are happening because of Miquella’s curse(eternal childhood) and until it’s perfected, Ranni(Miquella) will continue to inhabit the doll. Backing up my previous theory, this would also explain why they all have gold/dusk eyes.
2.Another supporting evidence is by looking at the rune of the unborn, then looking at Malenia’s. In order for it to make sense I have to mention another of my biggest theories and that is Marika and Radagon were born twins, had their children before becoming one, and most of their children are born twins as well. This is backed up by the fact that every Great Rune in the game bears a striking resemblance to their twin counterpart.
Malenia & Miquella(confirmed twins)
Margitt & Mohg(confirmed twins)
Rykard & Radahn
The only one I can’t tie this to is Godrick but it is said he has distant relations and not a direct offspring. That country bumpkin.
3.Another key is Ranni’s discarded empyrean flesh. Obviously, it’s charred so it’s impossible to tell but I’d wager it looks like Malenia’s. The corpse has Malenia’s red hair and her stature(Morgott cutscene shows identical size thrones while Ranni’s is smaller). Speaking of Malenia, this would be a good explanation as to why she went to Caelid to challenge Radahn and be desperate enough to nuke the place with her scarlet rot. She was serving Miquella(Ranni).
4.There are item descriptions that reveal that Miquella used to be a golden order fundamentalist, but I believe he/she switched sides after her and all of her sibling demigods were born with curses and were expected to follow the Greater Will, but I think the breaking point was when Marika(the mother) fell and was betrayed by Maliketh(This would also explain how she and Iji know about the true nature of Blaidd) after possibly wanting to free her children. Miquella might’ve been chosen as the next heir(which would explain why Mohg wanted to be his/her consort) but instead decided to create her own fate following Rennala’s teachings about the moon but in order for her to set herself and her siblings free, she would have to slay their two fingers(Finger Reader Crone, Liurnia) which I believe she did but before she could get to her own they retreated to the stars and are being protected by Radahn.
5.After becoming her consort, Ranni says that her age will not be of “gold” but the “stars”. Miquella is heavily tied to gold and the properties it possesess to ward away the influence of the outer gods especially once it’s unalloyed. This is backed up by using miquellas needle to rid ourselves of the flame of frenzy, Malenia prosthetics, and Torrents whistle. In fact, all of Ranni’s entourage can be seen wearing unalloyed gold(Mask of Confidence in particular could hint towards this very secret)
6.Everyone speculates Miquella has ties to and St. Trina’s who’s gender is open to interpretation(Miquella’s needle depicts the symbol for mercury, who represents intersex people(Thank you Quelaag, TH-cam)). In fact, the item description in the Sword of St. Trina states that he could’ve been a boy or girl. St. Trina is heavily tied to sleep and there is an instance in the game where Ranni enters a deep slumber at the same time as Rogier after he asks you to retrieve her curse mark and she murders the dude in his sleep for prying too much *shivers*. I believe she takes the form of St. Trina when she is dream phasing. Also, the juveniles in Rennala’s fight sing about sleep.
7.The Miquellean straight sword is modeled after the carian sword but it has amber(just like the egg) instead of Glinstone and the real Loretta can be found at the haligtree tying Caria to Miquella as well. In fact, I personally believe the Albinauric’s(all generations) are Miquellas(Ranni’s) subjects. This would explain why half of the haligtree Medalion is in the Albinauric village right under Ranni’s moon realm. Coincidence?
8.In Castle Sol, there is a ghost that talks about Miquella’s Eclipse, which is pretty symbolic to Ranni’s destiny(moon taking over the sun)
9.In her ending, before she brings about the age of the stars, the way she holds Marika’s(her true mother)head makes it seem like she’s making a vow to her to not be influenced by the outer gods anymore, but to prosper with true freedom and she chooses you to be her consort(Suck it Mohg) That’s my interpretation anyways.
10.Finally, Ranni do sound like a child and that she tiny
I may have missed something but those are my strongest points.
The only things that could disprove this is Miquella’s cocoon in Mohg’s palace but I believe that it’s nothing but a husk. In fact the game eludes to this. And Ranni has dialogue where she talks about being chosen as Empyreans and she says I, Miquella, and Malenia. Could be she’s being tricky with her words in order to protect her TRUE identity(which she’s done before) but who can say.
is milena a demigod ?
vaati 2022