Summary
Shadow of the Erdtreehas been out for a while now, which means that hundreds of thousands ofFromSoftwarefans all over the world have probably already finished it at least once.Elden Ring’s newest DLC release was, as many agree, a masterpiece and a wonderful conclusion to the base game’s story and lore. Withthe introduction of new bosses, weapons, Ashes of War, and NPCs, the Land of Shadow feels very rich and provides players with dozens of hours of fun and challenges.
Some people like to play FromSoftware games just to complete them. They may not have any interest inthe lore behind the vast and grim worldthey’re exploring, and that’s perfectly fine. However, many would say that knowing the backstory of the bleak realm withinElden Ringheightens the experience greatly. With theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC, there are certain things that only make sense once players have completed it.
5Mohg’s True Intentions
A Mindless Pawn Who Was Made Out To Be The Villain
When players first encounterMohg, Lord of Bloodat Mohgwyn Palace, he appears to be the textbook definition of a villain. Not only is his appearance intimidating and coherent with what a bad guy would look like, but he also seems to be imprisoning poor, innocent Miquella in the Cocoon of the Empyrean. For those who haven’t playedShadow of the Erdtreeyet, this narrative will still ring true; however, after finishing the DLC, a couple of things become crystal clear — Miquella isn’t the victim he’s made out to be, and Mohg, while evil, is nothing but a pawn in a greater scheme.
In short, Miquella was never imprisoned by Mohg; he only pretended to be. He needed a new body for his once promised consort, Radahn, to inhabit, which was made available by the Tarnished when Mohg was slain. This rite would allow Miquella to finally ascend to Godhood at the Gate of Divinity, which was, after all,his birthright as a demigodand an Empyrean. So, at the end of the day, it turns out that Mohg was nothing but cannon fodder.
4Malenia & Radahn’s Battle
Sparked From A Broken Vow - Not Hatred
One of the most epic lore pieces inElden Ringinvolves the battle betweenMalenia, Blade of MiquellaandStarscourge Radahn, which ended in a draw but not without a heavy price being paid. After the clash of these titans, Malenia went into exile to live in the Haligtree but not before laying waste to Caelid by releasing the Scarlet Rot in the area. As for Radahn, maddened by the Scarlet Rot, he remained in Caelid as a mindless brute who would slay anyone who crossed his path.
Before the release ofShadow of the Erdtree, many had speculated about the reasons behind this divine conflict, and luckily, the DLC answered the most important questions surrounding it. As it turns out, Malenia and Radahn didn’t particularly hate each other — they weren’t the best of friends, but their opinion of one another wouldn’t have led to a battle to the death.The reason these demigods foughtwas due to Radahn’s unwillingness to become Miquella’s consort, which was necessary for the latter to ascend to Godhood. Malenia fought Radahn to force him into fulfilling the vow he’d once made, but as players know, she was unsuccessful.
3The Origins Of The Scarlet Rot
Malenia Isn’t Entirely To Blame
When players think of the Scarlet Rot inElden Ring, it’s likely that the first thing that comes to their minds isMalenia. As far as the base game goes, it would seem that she’s the sole culprit forthe devastation that befell Caelidand other areas in the Lands Between. After all, she’s even introduced as “The Goddess of Rot,” isn’t she? Well, as it turns out, while Malenia isn’t innocent by any means, she wasn’t the first to come into contact with this deadly plague, nor did she cause it to appear in the Lands Between. That title actually goes toRomina, Saint of the Bud.
A long time ago, Romina was in charge of protecting the Church of the Bud; however, asMessmer the Impalerlaid siege to everything in his path, Romina’s church was burned to ashes. Defeated and broken, she discovered a twisted divine element that would later become the Scarlet Rot. This discovery, however, came at a high price, as she was turned into the insect-humanoid monster that the Tarnished encounters. So, while Malenia is fully responsible for Caelid, she can’t get credited as the discoverer of the Rot.
2Marika’s Hatred For Omens
Shedding A Light On Morgott And Mohg
Marikais probably one of the most mentioned deities inElden Ring. Not only is she one of the most powerful goddesses in the Lands Between, but she’s also the mother ofmany of the demigodsthe Tarnished fights throughout their journey. During her reign as divine queen, Marika had many children; however, she was cursed with two Omen sons,MohgandMorgott, the Omen King, who were cast to the shunning grounds with other Omens beneath Leyndell. While this might seem cruel for a mother, there’s a deeper reason behind Marika’s hatred.
Through the Jar Innards enemies,Shadow of the Erdtreereveals to players the origins of Marika and the jar people. Marika was once a shaman from a village in the Land of Shadow — her people lived peacefully and had the ability to merge their bodies with other elements, which made theHornsenttake an interest in them for experimenting. The Hornsent ravaged her village and destroyed her people, so when she had the chance to ascend to Godhood and get her revenge, she did. So, in reality, Marika didn’t shun her two Omen children due to their appearance but rather because they reminded her of the Hornsent, who caused her much pain and suffering.
1The Mystery Of The Two Fingers
Their Divine Commands Are A Lie
As many players who’ve completed the base game know, theTwo Fingersare not only creepy-looking, but they are also said to be one of the most trustworthy ways of understanding the Greater Will. The Two Fingers are presented as communicators, signal givers that receive orders from the greatest divinity and pass the information down to the Finger Readers. However, after the events ofShadow of the Erdtree, it’s evident that the Two Fingers are as clueless about the Greater Will’s desires as everyone else.
This is revealed aftercompletingCount Ymir’squestand fighting theMetyr, Mother of Fingers. As the battle progresses and after taking into consideration everything the Tarnished learns throughout Ymir’s quest, it becomes clear that Metyr spawned the Two Fingers and all the Fingercreepers in the Lands Between and that she was rarely ever spoken to by the Greater Will. This means that Marika and all others who claimed to be in direct communication with the Outer God, were, in fact, simply serving their own desires under the guise of a higher command.
