Marika hid the dlc land much like the blacknife assassins hide themselves. This is probably derived from the same magic that the veil that Godrick used that the player can find in his usurped castle [StormVEIL]
I think its possible that Miquella's sapling was a cutting from an older lost tree, and that this is where Radagon came down from the mountains - the homeland of Marika (and her relatives) and the Gloam Eyed Queen. Perhaps this illusory dimenson was there the whole time, and cut off from TLB the war continued, either unaware or uncaring about the marriage that ended the war
It weird how many times during the game some NPCs ask you if you see the Erdtree, which is very weird of course I can see it, maybe not everyone can actually see it, and maybe that's why it looks like a golden spirit summon like Godfrey when you fight him in the capital.
Well, yeah. It's heavily implied that not only can those stripped of grace not see the guidance of grace but they cannot see the golden Erdtree either. Take the crawfish merchant for instance. He even asks you if you can still see the golden tree.
I think you're spot on, and honestly what I've been thinking as well. This could actually be Marika's origins, and her home. I really hope we find out more about her and this ties up all the lore questions we all have because I need answers. If this is Marika's homeland, this is really dark and proves furthermore that she really is power hungry. It makes me wonder if she was ever in control, and that the Elden beast was Radagon and had Marika as a hostage.
Gotta say, I hadn't ever considered this as a potential theory before. And how utterly eerie and haunting it is, I actually find this a very believable idea to what I had thought was otherwise. Well thought out.
Have been thinking about this theory since the promotional image dropped last year! Glad I found your video, now I’m pretty much convinced this is the best explanation to date
I really hope that once all Elden Ring content is finally released, that FromSoft releases Martin’s original draft for the story. It would be cool to see what parts stayed the same, and what parts changed in development.
great video. My theories: Royal revenants are teleporting through land of shadow in normal game, the guys that are always next to royal revenants summoning spirits from shadow realm as a attack I'm feeling that voice that saying "touch the withered hand" is miquella and he will be main villain, we will learn that he was responsible for killing Iji and sending assasins for Blaid
Miquella is an Empyrean destined to become a God. He dealt with the other Empyreans in various ways, but had to enter the Shadow-world to deal with the last guy(DLC boss). Which is what we'll help him do(like we helped Ranni), or kill him.
What do you think the DLC will do with Godwyn the Golden? I personally believe that he will show up as a boss, since there is so much in the base game that eludes to his possible resurrection, and if he was to be resurrected, the shadow lands would be a good place to start as his body has been contorted and destroyed. He could therefore resume his original form right?
I like this idea! I don't know how they would necessarily go about doing it, but maybe Godwyn's body could be used as some sort of vessel as he experienced a soul death and his body could possibly be piloted by another.
Miyazaki said there won’t be a new ending to the game but “see a sign that you completed the dlc in the main game.” So I guess no new ending but a permanent map change in the main game ? Maybe the tree could change form or something.
I've been thinking this exact thing... why did the blessed dew "suddenly stop?" And how come the Erdtree of the Shadow Realm very clearly still secrete it? It would seem to me that *this* is the great shame of Marika.
I disagree that the tree is being strangled, flat out. I do think it to be the real erdtree, in its full nature, a two trunked, interleaving tree, similar to the haligtree's shape, and reflected in the "old" icon on the Crossed-Tree Tower Shield, as well as the tree it was inspired by from berserk, itself being interleaving. Likewise, the branches of the erdtree we see in game, leading the path up to the arena to fight Gideon and the Golden Shade of Godfrey appear to be made up of numerous, helical growths all collectively becoming these massive branches, reflecting the interleaving nature further. The Shadow tree is a tree with sap pouring from it's boughs, reflected by the Blessed Dew Talisman, and its reason for being captured being reflected in the description for the amber medallions. I believe erdtree burial to result in rebirth in the sap of the erdtree, being absorbed through its roots and flowing back out through its sap to be born anew. With the war forcing the erdtree faithful from what's now known as the Land of Shadow, the age of plenty would come to an end, and erdtree burial would be cut off from the ability to be rebirthed from the erdtree. Potentially to stave off the Gloam-Eyed Queen's intent at challenging Marika's dominion, and to maintain the support of the majority of the people within the Lands between, the rune of Death would be sealed away, sidestepping both issues in one move. One thing to note from the trailer to support this is the way an adult looking Miquella, glowing as though born anew, raises his hand in gesture to the erdtree, shown to no longer have the flowing sap. Potentially, one of his motivations for going to the Land of Shadows and knowingly casting off his flesh would be to be reborn from the sap of the original tree and finally see himself in his adult body, fully realized. Omens as well are not creatures without grace, despite their treatment, as it can be physically seen within their eye textures, so their treatment might have less to do with their horns directly as much as it might have to do with the actions of the omen, and wanting to avoid association with those actions, and wanting to stifle any possibility of the omens who have been mistreated to think of the omens of the Land of Shadow as kindred, and attempt to fight for similar ends, whatever they may be. It's my opinion that a war of fire drove much of the ruling class and the erdtree faithful away from the Land of Shadow, and forced their hand in veiling the Land of Shadow to prevent something horrible from coming to pass. With physical disconnection from the crucible, it would go from being seen as a symbol of the divine to being an impurity as the society of the erdtree lived on over time. Omens, once seen as blessed for their horns, may have chosen to side against the erdtree, leading to their blessing being seen as a curse instead for the treason they committed. Besides the couple things I have different ideas on, your ideas are mostly in line with my own.
They are milking out power for themselves,Marika might have been trying to strengthen us to engage with Messmer and take him out.Strange how they said Radagon came with a golden host from another land,Possibly shadow land.She did not like Radagon or the current state of matters,but is probably bound to it so she sent us to free her of it or help Miquella do so.
Just like Godfrey has an alt spirit boss fight, I think Marika or Miquella took the spirit form of the erdtree we see. Many npcs ask us if we can see the erdtreee as if they cant. Maybe since we're guided by grace, we can see the spirit summon(like) Erdtree. And like you said, the one in the upcoming DLC is the real erdtree. I mean in the main game, we are in the lands "in-between". Even at the end of the dlc, we see someone in a golden spirit form....
Farrum Azula is supposed to be stuck in time so it would be affected by the land between and maybe we get a new faction thing in this dlc being their hidden behind shadow almost as if they are pitted against one another and against grace
Since Mariam sealed away Destined Death, no one can die. Thus the people fed to the Erd Tree are still silently screaming within it. So burning the Erd Tree is an act of mercy. Also, this means Those Who Live in Death are marginally better off than the Erd Tree burial victims. At least they walk around and see the view. :)
Great question! Regardless of Miquella's ultimate goal, perhaps the shadow lands are the lands in which the power of a god can be attained, as we know this is where Marika became a god.
The Erdtree is an illusion, all that is golden is fake, the Erdtree is not in the capital, it's actually in the land of shadow, the Veil covering the Erdtree in the DLC is somehow powerful enough to completely hide the area from everyone above and below ground, the land of shadow is between the divine towers, killing Radahn, weakens the veil's power (by like 1% enough to get us in by touching the withered arm), umm the Giant fire thing is filled with.......Numen, Marika's people are inside that thing like probably her entire race was gathered up (like the Great Caravan) and well burned alive but Marika found a way to become a GOD, Messmer was the one who organized the slaughter of her people, she found a way to stop him but couldn't kill him, that will be our job, ummm i need to stop
Oh also the Veil covering the Erdtree is powerful enough to show us (the world) a fake tree and when we enter the Erdtree at the end of the game(to fight the Elden Beast) it takes us to the land of shadow
Solid theories all around. I think the banished knights and Farum Azula were part of the land of shadow, hence why all the residents are displaced: wormfaces, beastmen. Marika is stealing juice from original tree to feed the ERDTREE is my theory, Miquella figures it out and is come to save the say
Marika hid the dlc land much like the blacknife assassins hide themselves. This is probably derived from the same magic that the veil that Godrick used that the player can find in his usurped castle [StormVEIL]
She didnt remove this land from the lands between cause she didnt want to remember, its cuse she wanted everyone to forget about it
I think its possible that Miquella's sapling was a cutting from an older lost tree, and that this is where Radagon came down from the mountains - the homeland of Marika (and her relatives) and the Gloam Eyed Queen. Perhaps this illusory dimenson was there the whole time, and cut off from TLB the war continued, either unaware or uncaring about the marriage that ended the war
It weird how many times during the game some NPCs ask you if you see the Erdtree, which is very weird of course I can see it, maybe not everyone can actually see it, and maybe that's why it looks like a golden spirit summon like Godfrey when you fight him in the capital.
Well, yeah. It's heavily implied that not only can those stripped of grace not see the guidance of grace but they cannot see the golden Erdtree either. Take the crawfish merchant for instance. He even asks you if you can still see the golden tree.
I think the erdtree in the lands between is a facade, mask, fake tree and the one in the dlc is the actual tree
I think you're spot on, and honestly what I've been thinking as well. This could actually be Marika's origins, and her home. I really hope we find out more about her and this ties up all the lore questions we all have because I need answers. If this is Marika's homeland, this is really dark and proves furthermore that she really is power hungry. It makes me wonder if she was ever in control, and that the Elden beast was Radagon and had Marika as a hostage.
Gotta say, I hadn't ever considered this as a potential theory before. And how utterly eerie and haunting it is, I actually find this a very believable idea to what I had thought was otherwise. Well thought out.
Have been thinking about this theory since the promotional image dropped last year! Glad I found your video, now I’m pretty much convinced this is the best explanation to date
I really hope that once all Elden Ring content is finally released, that FromSoft releases Martin’s original draft for the story. It would be cool to see what parts stayed the same, and what parts changed in development.
That would be amazing! Miyazaki did say he had fun reworking Martin's contributions after all!
the real Erdtree is actually a popsicle stick ❤
great video. My theories:
Royal revenants are teleporting through land of shadow in normal game,
the guys that are always next to royal revenants summoning spirits from shadow realm as a attack
I'm feeling that voice that saying "touch the withered hand" is miquella and he will be main villain, we will learn that he was responsible for killing Iji and sending assasins for Blaid
Love this!
Miquella is an Empyrean destined to become a God. He dealt with the other Empyreans in various ways, but had to enter the Shadow-world to deal with the last guy(DLC boss). Which is what we'll help him do(like we helped Ranni), or kill him.
What do you think the DLC will do with Godwyn the Golden? I personally believe that he will show up as a boss, since there is so much in the base game that eludes to his possible resurrection, and if he was to be resurrected, the shadow lands would be a good place to start as his body has been contorted and destroyed. He could therefore resume his original form right?
I like this idea! I don't know how they would necessarily go about doing it, but maybe Godwyn's body could be used as some sort of vessel as he experienced a soul death and his body could possibly be piloted by another.
I think Miquella is using us to resurrect Godwyn and this resurrection will be the 'true' final boss.
Miyazaki said there won’t be a new ending to the game but “see a sign that you completed the dlc in the main game.” So I guess no new ending but a permanent map change in the main game ? Maybe the tree could change form or something.
Excellent video as it was super insightful and well explained and expressed 👌❤️
I've been thinking this exact thing... why did the blessed dew "suddenly stop?" And how come the Erdtree of the Shadow Realm very clearly still secrete it? It would seem to me that *this* is the great shame of Marika.
I disagree that the tree is being strangled, flat out. I do think it to be the real erdtree, in its full nature, a two trunked, interleaving tree, similar to the haligtree's shape, and reflected in the "old" icon on the Crossed-Tree Tower Shield, as well as the tree it was inspired by from berserk, itself being interleaving. Likewise, the branches of the erdtree we see in game, leading the path up to the arena to fight Gideon and the Golden Shade of Godfrey appear to be made up of numerous, helical growths all collectively becoming these massive branches, reflecting the interleaving nature further. The Shadow tree is a tree with sap pouring from it's boughs, reflected by the Blessed Dew Talisman, and its reason for being captured being reflected in the description for the amber medallions. I believe erdtree burial to result in rebirth in the sap of the erdtree, being absorbed through its roots and flowing back out through its sap to be born anew. With the war forcing the erdtree faithful from what's now known as the Land of Shadow, the age of plenty would come to an end, and erdtree burial would be cut off from the ability to be rebirthed from the erdtree. Potentially to stave off the Gloam-Eyed Queen's intent at challenging Marika's dominion, and to maintain the support of the majority of the people within the Lands between, the rune of Death would be sealed away, sidestepping both issues in one move. One thing to note from the trailer to support this is the way an adult looking Miquella, glowing as though born anew, raises his hand in gesture to the erdtree, shown to no longer have the flowing sap. Potentially, one of his motivations for going to the Land of Shadows and knowingly casting off his flesh would be to be reborn from the sap of the original tree and finally see himself in his adult body, fully realized.
Omens as well are not creatures without grace, despite their treatment, as it can be physically seen within their eye textures, so their treatment might have less to do with their horns directly as much as it might have to do with the actions of the omen, and wanting to avoid association with those actions, and wanting to stifle any possibility of the omens who have been mistreated to think of the omens of the Land of Shadow as kindred, and attempt to fight for similar ends, whatever they may be. It's my opinion that a war of fire drove much of the ruling class and the erdtree faithful away from the Land of Shadow, and forced their hand in veiling the Land of Shadow to prevent something horrible from coming to pass. With physical disconnection from the crucible, it would go from being seen as a symbol of the divine to being an impurity as the society of the erdtree lived on over time. Omens, once seen as blessed for their horns, may have chosen to side against the erdtree, leading to their blessing being seen as a curse instead for the treason they committed. Besides the couple things I have different ideas on, your ideas are mostly in line with my own.
Nice! You've definitely put a lot of thought into this!
They are milking out power for themselves,Marika might have been trying to strengthen us to engage with Messmer and take him out.Strange how they said Radagon came with a golden host from another land,Possibly shadow land.She did not like Radagon or the current state of matters,but is probably bound to it so she sent us to free her of it or help Miquella do so.
Just like Godfrey has an alt spirit boss fight, I think Marika or Miquella took the spirit form of the erdtree we see. Many npcs ask us if we can see the erdtreee as if they cant. Maybe since we're guided by grace, we can see the spirit summon(like) Erdtree. And like you said, the one in the upcoming DLC is the real erdtree. I mean in the main game, we are in the lands "in-between". Even at the end of the dlc, we see someone in a golden spirit form....
I was thinking almost the same thing!
I think youre on point with this one sir
Farrum Azula is supposed to be stuck in time so it would be affected by the land between and maybe we get a new faction thing in this dlc being their hidden behind shadow almost as if they are pitted against one another and against grace
Since Mariam sealed away Destined Death, no one can die. Thus the people fed to the Erd Tree are still silently screaming within it. So burning the Erd Tree is an act of mercy. Also, this means Those Who Live in Death are marginally better off than the Erd Tree burial victims. At least they walk around and see the view. :)
BASED take honestly
❤
Isn't that Miquella's ultimate goal is to resurrect Godwyn? How come his mission lies in Shadow Lands?
Great question! Regardless of Miquella's ultimate goal, perhaps the shadow lands are the lands in which the power of a god can be attained, as we know this is where Marika became a god.
The Erdtree is an illusion, all that is golden is fake, the Erdtree is not in the capital, it's actually in the land of shadow, the Veil covering the Erdtree in the DLC is somehow powerful enough to completely hide the area from everyone above and below ground, the land of shadow is between the divine towers, killing Radahn, weakens the veil's power (by like 1% enough to get us in by touching the withered arm), umm the Giant fire thing is filled with.......Numen, Marika's people are inside that thing like probably her entire race was gathered up (like the Great Caravan) and well burned alive but Marika found a way to become a GOD, Messmer was the one who organized the slaughter of her people, she found a way to stop him but couldn't kill him, that will be our job, ummm i need to stop
Oh also the Veil covering the Erdtree is powerful enough to show us (the world) a fake tree and when we enter the Erdtree at the end of the game(to fight the Elden Beast) it takes us to the land of shadow
Solid theories all around. I think the banished knights and Farum Azula were part of the land of shadow, hence why all the residents are displaced: wormfaces, beastmen. Marika is stealing juice from original tree to feed the ERDTREE is my theory, Miquella figures it out and is come to save the say