There Is One More Thing I’d Like To Add To This Theory.

that's a really interesting interpretation! I could totally see that being the answer

Y'know, I've been thinking about the vow between Miquella and Radahn a lot recently, and I feel like I've come up with a possible explanation for why Radahn seemingly agreed at first but later backed out of the deal.

If Radahn truly did agree to become Miquella's consort, what are the chances that it was made under the pretense that he'd be the next elden lord in the golden order? Continuing the legacy and age of both his personal hero and father, alongside Miquella as the new god of the age, but things remaining overall the same.

Once Miquella became disillusioned with Marika's age and decided to do his own thing, and create his own age, Radahn probably lost interest in becoming his consort because he wouldn't be the lord of the age he loved anymore, infact he would be a major factor in it ending. Something that he historically does not stand for.

This probably lead to a disagreement between the two that lead to Malenia invading Selia. Miquella feeling betrayed because Radahn was now refusing to uphold his promise, and Radahn feeling betrayed because Miquella turned his back on the golden order he loved and was now trying to bring it to an end.

I need to check with all the NPCS just to make sure, but…

The fact that Ansbach, the Hornsent, and even arguably Thiollier seem to have forgotten certain things due to Miquella’s enchantment is rather curious.

Ansbach forgot that Mohg was bewitched. He forgot that he challenged Miquella.

Hornsent forgot about his need to specifically go after and kill Messmer— something arguably even more huge than the former revelation. Messmer has led a campaign where hundreds of thousands were slaughtered, where Hornsent’s own family was taken from him. His hatred was arguably dampened as well.

Thiollier seems to have forgotten about Saint Trina, immediately remembering her upon the charm being broken. Haunted by memories of her.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t seem that any other had forgotten anything. Maybe Leda one could say Leda “forgot” her paranoia, but it just seems like that was dampened. But regardless, those who had their memories altered are those Miquella would have felt would go against him for what he’s done— which makes sense, even for Hornsent. The guy can end up thinking that Miquella deserves to die too (if I’m remembering the end of his quest correctly). EDIT: Killing Messmer also means acquiring his kindling which means accessing the means to stop Miquella!

This revelation means that Miquella’s charm is strong on multiple levels. It doesn’t just make you like him and not want to hurt him, it’s intensity can vary from “forgetting the crush you have” to “forgetting your desire to kill the man who has tormented your people for hundreds of years at this point”.

Which is the kind of thing that makes me look at Mohg and consort Radahn and ask, “what exactly did you end up doing to them, Miquella?”

It's not really implied very heavily in lore but I've always subscribed to the theory that the greatrunes negatively affect their demi-gods, since most greatrune holders have been trapped into never ending cycles of trying to amass power/accomplish a specific goal.

Rykard, Mohg and Godrick are all similarly running in circles trying to gain power without actually doing anything with it and Rennala is endlessly trying to birth something before we take her greatrune off of her.

The only real exceptions to this are Radahn, because he's lost his mind, Malenia, because she's only just woken up for the first time since the shattering wars and Morgott because... IDK, I've got nothing for Morgott, he's just built different I guess. (Though you could argue that him hunting tarnished and perpetuating the status quo is his endless cycle)

All active people who own a greatrune shard, demi-god or not, have fallen into some sort of self destructive, never ending cycle.

fuck, if you really wanna push this theory Maliketh is holding a greatrune in the form of the rune of death and he's litterelly been stuck in a timeless structure for the entire shattering.

I feel like this is also implied because Ranni decided to cast aside her greatrune, this being significant because she’s the only demi-god who can actually accomplish their end goal by the finale of the game and isn't just running in circles.

Plot twist:

Radahn initially agreed to be Miquella's consort in order to spare Ranni of her fate of becoming a god, knowing that she wouldn't have to if another were to rise instead. However after she 'died' during the night of the black knives Radahn lost all incentive to uphold his end of the bargain, leading to the battle of Aionia

They're dating!? Oh my god that's fantastic! I really need to get around to playing Celeste 64 properly soon. Wasn't expecting there to be such major lore drops!

Some Maddy X Alex art i did for valentines day after hearing the news that shes dating Alex in CELESTE64

okie dokie

The erdtree is both the religious centre of the lands between (being the biggest symbol of the golden order/greater will) and the literal centre of the lands between.

There’s an argument to be made that it changes its appearance depending on which age is currently in effect (for example it’s the age of the golden order during the time the game takes place which is why it’s glowing golden) but we never actually get to see first hand what it could have looked like in the past, nor do any characters who could have exsisted at the time comment on it.

There’s also a good amount of evidence that the erdtree itself is actually not a natural part of the world since it seems to be directly growing out of what could be argued to be a massive crater that gives the land itself its peculiar shape. This along with the common themes of things falling from the sky from space and the “stars” being an antagonistic force leads me to believe that this is indeed the case.

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When the elden ring was shattered the erdtree, for the first time in history produced seeds that spread across the lands between. These seeds would eventually become the smaller, "minor erdtrees" that are visable around the lands aswell as the little golden sprouts that you can get golden seeds from.

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The most peculiar thing about the tree itself though is actually how it interacts with the cycle of life and death. Even though natural death isn’t a part of the lands anymore, when it was a part of it people actually had to ‘return themselves to the erdtree’ through the roots of the tree. This is why there are so many catacombs around the lands. The more prestige you had in life the lower you were buried into the roots.

Returning oneself to the erdtree seemingly supplied the tree with the sustenance that it needed, much like normal trees absorb water through their roots. The tree was very likely feeding off the souls of the dead. (which could also be what causes its glowing golden appearance.)

That's about it for the erdtree. I think there's a couple more minor things that I didn't explain but that's most of the important stuff.

Elden Ring lore, huh?

I mean I can just say a bunch random words with 'the' in front of them, too.

A lot of games get accused of having world building that really doesn't matter to gameplay. Elden Ring feels like a dare to see how far you can take that.

I still don't know why you can summon an antelope to ride on that can't die but just disappears if someone hits it, and then there is a cool-down period before you can bring it back. And what does that have to do with the giant LED tree?

Who made all of these barrels and boxes? Because this world seems to only have monsters and guys who kill monsters in it.

Please reblog this explaining everything to me. I'm sure it will suddenly be not a bunch of whatever nonsense when YOU type it.

You know something insignificant that never fails to get under my skin?

When content creators call for their viewers to interact with the video before it even begins.

Like, I get it. It’s a really small thing and it helps them but can a request like that not wait until later into the video? Does it literally have to be in the intro?

And my god, don’t even get me started on the whole “if you’re new to the channel, please subscribe, it’s free and you can always undo it later :)” trend that’s cropped up recently. I’m sorry but if the first thing I ever experience on a channel as a new viewer is the creator asking me to subscribe to it before the video even begins it's going to instantly put me off of that creator. Actively asking for engagement at the start of every single video is one thing but immediately asking new viewers to subscribe the second they click on your video is just down right scummy imo.

I know it's such a small thing that I shouldn't be bothered by, but it all just feels wrong.

oh this dlc is gonna be so fucking good, prepare for me to be very normal about this for the following weeks

smouldering butterfly's are just naturally drawn to any sort of fire, and can be found around pretty much any open flame in the game. Volcano manor is going to be a really popular spot for them just by proxy of how hot it is there.

The only butterfly that's really directly connected to the demigod they represent is the aeonian butterflys, which are said to come directly from Malenia. The Nascent and Smouldering butterfly's symbolize Miquella and Melina respectively but aren't connected to them in any deeper way.

Even with the recent developments with Messmer, I personally still believe that the smouldering butterfly is supposed to represent Melina. The main reason is because of the butterfly's main use as kindling.

Messmer might have a lot of fire stuff going on, but Melina embodies the butterfly much more. Not only was she seemingly born burned and bodiless, much like the smouldering butterfly is born eternally burning, but she also acts as kindling to burn the erdtree in a similar way the butterfly does for crafting items.

The butterfly's represent the main curses of all 3 of the youngest siblings. Malenia's being rotted, Miquella's appearing eternally young and Melina's being burned and inevitably used as kindling.

I personally don't see the connection to Messmer other than the fact that they both share fire motifs. And even then, he's presumably not a part of Malenia and Miquella's sibling group as he's likely one of the oldest demigods, so it wouldn't make too much sense for him to be the third butterfly in the trinity.

I always find it super weird in the new doctor who seasons whenever they try to push the idea that the doctor has never settled down in one place for an extended period of time because… well he has. Quite a lot actually.

Just off the top of my head I can think of quite a few.

The weeks its implied that 11 spends with the Ponds in ‘The power of three’

The unknown amount of time he spends grieving in the sky of 1980’s London in ‘the snowmen’

The centuries he spent protecting Trenzalore in ‘the time of the doctor’

12’s 24 years living alongside River on Darillium in ‘the husbands of River Song’

And 12’s retired life as a professor watching over Missy in his final season

It’s not overly common but it happens just enough that it always makes me raise an eyebrow whenever they try to do the “the one adventure you’ve never had before” stuff again. Like, some of these are incredibly important to the doctor’s story and it’s always weird when they try to pretend they never happened.