#the battle of aeonia

[sellensand]

The Eclipse and the Battle of Aeonia

So, the Battle of Aeonia. The moment when Malenia and Radahn "locked horns in combat" (in Ranni's words). We know their dispute ended in the devastation of Caelid, but... why did Malenia fight Radahn? And what was she doing in Caelid in the first place? I'd like to share my own answers to those questions.

ELDEN RING SPOILERS BELOW

The way I see it, in the early years of the Shattering war, the demigod Miquella was in the process of either resurrecting his brother Godwyn's soul or granting him a "true death" via a dark ritual involving an Eclipse (a solar eclipse, judging by the Castle Sol sigil and the Eclipse Shotel). But there was a small problem.

His half-brother, General Radahn, was a master of gravity sorcery, a knowledge he had gained while studying in the town of Sellia, in Caelid, in his youth. Allegedly wanting to prevent a meteorite from destroying his beloved alma mater (as per one of the Sword Monuments is Caelid), he managed to combine his knowledge of gravity with his demigod might to indefinitely halt the natural course of the celestial bodies, a feat that earned him the title of "Conqueror of the Stars". And while this exploit had succesfully managed to prevent the destruction of Sellia, Radahn's actions had... other consequences. When the stars stopped moving, the destiny of the Carian Royal family also came to a standstill (whether this was intentional or just a collateral effect is a matter for another post). And, most importantly, with the celestial bodies stopped in place... the Eclipse could never happen.

(I can't help but think about that ghost in Castle Sol that laments that the Eclipse never occured because their "prayers were lacking", tragically oblivious to the truth of the matter.)

Wanting to restart the ritual, Miquella sent Malenia and her knights to Caelid to kill Radahn... but that didn't go according to plan. While his Blade was away, Mohg entered the Haligtree and abducted Miquella in his coccoon. Meanwhile, Malenia struggled to defeat the powerful Radahn, and when he finally managed to mortally wound her, Malenia's rot flower blossomed in Caelid. Radahn was then turned into a witless rot-monster, the whole region was consumed by the scarlet rot, and the brave knight Finlay had to carry Malenia all the way back to the Haligtree, where she slowly recovered from her wounds in a slumber, eternally awaiting her brother's return.

That folks is my understanding of the events surrounding the Battle of Aeonia.

A couple of FAQs to wrap things up:

- If Radahn was preventing the Eclipse from happening with his powers, why doesn't it take place after we kill him in the game? I think we can safely assume that, in Elden Ring's world, a solar eclipse is a particularly rare event (we do not know how the Two Moons Situation works in this planet), and maybe not entirely natural, since it needs to be summoned somehow. Radahn's death makes the eclipse possible again, but whatever Miquella and his followers were doing to bring it forth is no longer being done, so...

- How come there is a night and day cycle in the game before we kill Radahn? Because, even though the moons may not be in motion, the planet is still rotating on its own axis. If the part of the world you're in stops receiving solar light, it gets dark and you can see the moon(s), simple as that.

Does any of this make any sense? I hope so.

As always, please let me know if this has already been theorised by someone else before. I mainly use this blog to vent about my own theories and, while I do follow a few Elden Ring blogs, I don't really keep up-to-date with the latest lore trends.

#elden ring lore #elden ring theory #elden ring spoilers #myloreposting #miquella the unalloyed #malenia blade of miquella #general radahn #starscourge radahn #mohg lord of blood #the battle of aeonia #elden ring caelid #elden ring eclipse #elden ring dlc #shadow of the erdtree

[all-lee24]

This is the McQuella's/MiqDonald's origin btw. I enjoy making these stupid Elden Ring animatics

#elden ring #this is what caused the battle of aeonia by the way

[baerryjj]

HEYOO

Can we have some random bit of lore about your ocs??

Here's a cookie as a bribe: 🍪

BIM, ELLO GOOD SIR, n yes you may :))

I'll lore dump a bit abt Jhomara the Depraved Perfumer, since they mostly exist purely in my brain rn

Jhomara ,born in Leyndell as daughter to a whore and an unwanting father, she was discreetly abandoned in the shunning grounds as a baby; in hopes her existence was forgotten. Unfortunately for her father, who felt his reputation would tarnish from having a child, she lived and was raised under the care of a fellow omen who called herself Inenphaye. She was taught about the Lands Between and the Erdtree, and fostered a deep hate for the golden order. She also, developed a weird fixation on the demigods, specifically on the idea that their blood could grant divinity.

Then, when Inenphaye had inevitably died, she found herself wandering astray. A completely savage ,manipulatable, yet highly intelligent child emerged on the streets of Leyndell around the time of the shattering; she was perfect as cannon fodder, and was taught the ways of perfumers. It didn't take her long to figure out whose side she was fighting on, and it didn't take her long to fight against them.

She now wanders astray once more with only one goal in mind, to drink the blood of the divine.

Thank you for asking!!! Also here, a baguette in return 🥖

#oof turned out a bit longer than i thought but hey lore dump <3 HDKDMD #also her lore might be subject to change tbh #Inenphaye was a concept for an omen oc who served in the battle of aeonia but thats changed too xD #holy shit i havent user xD in so long #nature is healing #elden ring #elden ring ocs #evening rambles with baerry

[classyfestivalprunefreak]

sketch in progress

#elden ring #battle #radahn #starscourge radahn #malenia #malenia blade of miquella #fanart #sketch #malenia the severed #battle of aeonia #my art

[scarletrotted]

Spoils of War

General Radahn ( @starholder )

The skies are lit aflame with scorching red and a haze of thin clouds while the ground churns underfoot the onslaught between Malenia’s Cleanrot Knights and General Radahn’s Redmane Knights. Clatters and clashes of arms resound and fill the arid air. Footsteps scatter, fall and upheave tufts of debris, broken armaments, blood, and remnants of expelled rot. Colliding battle cries bore onto one another as opposing forces press and grapple for supremacy. Yet, the unrelenting assault in the name of saving a beloved demigod against an unyielding stance for protecting a dominion quickly and easily twists into aims for utter annihilation. 

The atmosphere was heavy as the height of battle stirs at the heart of Caelid. Blade tips clash against shields, snapped and shattered were spears, swords, and sickles; and bone beneath bent armor. The air rang with howls, dying shrieks, the hums of sickles imbued with holy magics, and weighty impacts of colliding armor. A Redmane knight swings his sword overhead and launches into a somersault. The hefty blade descends onto a Cleanrot Knight’s crossed sword, forcing her to step back a few paces; feet sinking into the sand in rebuttal and grounding. 

Another Cleanrot Knight pushes a Redmane Knight from her person and quickly drags an arc between them with her glowing spear. The mark singes the sand with its pale-golden light; a number of illuminated spears erupt from the score and pierces through the Redmane Knight’s armor. Yet, another Redmane Knight charges at the occupied Cleanrot Knight as she lunges at the other, incapacitated one, knocking her onto her back. As additional Redmane Knights follow suit, piling onto her, the Blade of Miquella springs into the air behind her fallen comrade. Her prosthetic draws back, she winds up as her gaze traces the line of four Redmane Knights standing before her, staring up at her in terror. The winds seem to gather to her, keeping her suspended. 

Within a split moment, they were unleashed in a furious display of her Waterfowl dance. Malenia’s blade becomes one with the gusts, delivering nimble and heavy blows as she weaves through the Redmane Knights. Every deft cut slits their armor like butter; such is the blade that Miquella has crafted with his unfaltering unalloyed gold. Malenia spins on her heel, delivering the final strike at the last standing knight. 

And when the winds calmed around her, the bodies collapse in succession. 

A deafening roar jolts the atmosphere causing Malenia’s focus to promptly veer to its source. She races into the general direction, over a series of hills; each step carrying her with smooth and swift ease. As Malenia draws nearer, she could see a handful of her knights encircling the General. The notable red plume and swinging gravity-imbued greatswords could be seen swinging, batting away at the knights as they charged towards him. Their spears protrude from his back, seeming to have little effect on impeding his stance.

Malenia stops and watches him raise an arm with a sword in hand, weighing on a sideways strike and continuously observing their skirmish unfolding. The mechanism clicks as Malenia readies her prosthetic arm, deciding upon delivering a countering slash. Her free hand hovers over the arm to ensure it is in place and stable for the ambitious advance. She soon breaks into a sprint, quickening her pace as she approaches General Radahn’s forward face. 

She swings, the mechanism screeches and sparks at the force of the sword’s extension as she aims for his side. The sounds of surrounding battle muffles and the air seems to still as the edge of her blade grazes his armor.

#'You will witness true horror.' ( In-Character ) #'Now. Rot!' ( Threads ) #starholder #When the Shattering ensued. ( Elden Ring - Current Timeline ) #tw: long post #// HAHAHAHAH I WENT BALLS DEEP INTO THIS THAT'S WHY IT TOOK WEEKS #// HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!! #// I was like I CANNOT FUCK UP THE BATTLE OF AEONIA

[mrsshabana]

Mkay, so hear me out. I wanted to ask if you could write about gyutaro and the reader being in a fantasy universe that's similar to final fantasy or the legend of zelda, but Gyutaro is part dragon and maybe even the guardian of like a temple or something along those lines. Be creative with it, I know whatever you come up with will be great :> You can make it NSFW or more fluffy, all up to you!

Either way, I hope you have a great day ^^

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭

꒦꒷‧₊ Summary You are a Princess of a crumbling kingdom. Desperate for help, you set out to free an ancient dragon in hopes that he will be able to restore order to the land. But you were naive to think he would be so gracious. Things take a turn for the worse and you have no choice but to rely on each other.

꒦꒷‧₊ Content Dragon!Gyutaro x Female!Reader, violence, gore, death

꒦꒷‧₊ Note 3k words. A lot of the lore for this story is based off of Elden Ring. I know you asked for other games but I'm not familiar with them so I hope this is ok. I absolutely adore Elden Ring so this was very fun to write. I'm sorry that I ended up making this way more complex than it needed to be but I couldn't help it! I was having too much fun coming up with lore for this universe. I have so many ideas for this so if you'd like me to continue this story then please let me know!

Finally after days of searching through the Swamp of Aeonia, narrowly avoiding the toxic scarlet rot that infects these lands, you found the ruins only spoken of in ancient legends.

It is said that deep within the heart of Caelid there is a place where Gyutaro, the son of the Lichdragon Fortissax, has been imprisoned for the last 100 years.

Legend says that he was forsaken for being the most hideous creature in all the land. While his twin sister was worshiped for her beauty. He was born corrupted by the scarlet rot, consuming him from the inside out. And Gyutaro was known for his jealousy. He would destroy and devour things that were beautiful or more fortunate than himself. He brought great suffering to The Lands Between, so a knight was sent to imprison him.

You don't know for certain if the legends are true, but you sure hope they are. Growing up you've always been incredibly fascinated by dragons and the tales your mother would tell you. But since you are a princess you were never allowed around such ferocious beasts. But now you have no choice.

Your kingdom is crumbling and your mother has fallen ill. As the war across The Lands Between rages on, your soldiers dwindle. You feel helpless as more and more of your soldiers die. More innocent lives.

But you remembered the tales your mother would tell you and it gave you a glimmer of hope. It is told that the Lichdragon Fortissax was defeated in battle by Godwyn the Golden. But instead of death, Godwyn offered his friendship to the Lichdragon. Fortissax was loyal to Godwyn ever since, protecting him even after they both succumbed to corruption.

You thought that perhaps the rumored son of Fortissax would be just as loyal as his father. If you were to free him from his imprisonment then perhaps he would return the favor by protecting your kingdom.

It's a long shot but it may be the only shot you have.

You cautiously descend into the ruins of what appears to be a dungeon, slowly decayed by the scarlet rot. You're careful not to touch anything as you make your way down a long staircase.

At the bottom of the staircase lies a corridor. A deep rumble can be heard as you walk through, your footsteps echoing through the passageway. As you get closer to the end of the hall the rumbling gets louder and louder.

Finally, you make it to the end, welcomed by a giant chamber. And there he is.

Gyutaro, the son of the Lichdragon.

As soon as you lay your eyes upon him you are stricken with a combination of fear and amazement. His beauty takes your breath away.

His large form lays sleeping in the middle of the room. But as soon as you step foot into the chamber he begins to stir. His eyes shoot open, slit pupils surrounded by glowing yellow stare wildly at you. With a deep growl, he rises to his feet, towering at least 20 feet over you.

His body is covered with black scales, accented with green. Though his beautiful scales are interrupted by dark splotches scattered across his face and body, these scales don't shimmer like the others do. They appear dull and corrupt in some way. Razor sharp claws adorn his paws and two large horns sit atop his head.

Though his body looks different than you had imagined. He is very muscular but his stomach is hollowed out and you can clearly see his ribs and spine. You imagine he doesn't get much to eat here, so perhaps that would explain his emaciated stature.

He spreads his massive wings, blocking the light from the torches behind him. And his long tail sways behind him as he glares down at you. And that's when you hear it. A deep rumble coming from within his chest as he begins to open his jaws, revealing a bright red light glowing from within him. He's about to envelop you in flames.

"G-Gyutaro!" You immediately get on your knees and bow before him, "Son of Fortissax! I have come to free you!"

The rumbling stops, and you feel the ground shake as he begins to circle you. Too afraid to look up, you stay staring at the cobblestone. Hoping that he spares you and gives you a chance to explain yourself.

He leans closer to you, inhaling your scent. "Human... you are of royal blood," he rasps. The sound of his voice sending shivers down your spine.

"Y-yes," you stammer, "I am Princess Y/N."

"Princess?" he smirks, "What is a princess doing in the Swamp of Aeonia?"

"I came searching for you," you finally muster the courage to look up. Staring into his golden eyes. "The Lands Between suffer greatly these days. W-we need the ancient dragon to return balance to the land," your voice shakes as you muster a half-truth. It is true that the world hasn't been graced by an ancient dragon in many years and their presence could help restore the world to order. But you also seek his aid in restoring your kingdom.

"You are quite bold for a human," he scoffs, "Attempt if you must. But these are no ordinary binds."

He lifts his legs, jingling the chain that wraps tightly around his ankle. You were too enamored by his magnificence to notice them before.

You shakily get up onto your feet to examine the chains. A glowing blue tint shines off of the thick metal. These chains must be enchanted somehow. For if they were ordinary he would easily be able to break free. But you came prepared.

Gyutaro doesn't know how to break the spell that binds him to this place, but you do. As a princess, you have access to all of the records and literature you could ever want. You know what will free him.

A kiss from a beautiful maiden of royalty.

The knight that imprisoned him, an ancestor of Lord Tengen, was smart when he enchanted these chains. He thought of something that could never possibly happen, something that Gyutaro would surely never allow even if someone had tried. Especially since when Gyutaro was free he set out to destroy all beauty.

You clear your throat, "I know what will set you free. But you need to trust me."

Gyutaro narrows his eyes at you. What could possibly be your angle here? Are things really that bad that you came to free him? You do know his history, do you not? He is no peaceful creature, always leaving violence and death in his wake.

He doesn't understand what your motives are, but he isn't afraid of a mere human. He figures that if you try anything funny then he can just devour you. But, he's been imprisoned here for so long that he's willing to hear you out.

You slowly reach up towards his face. He doesn't know why he feels so drawn to you, but he lowers his head and you gently place your hands on his cheeks.

"You will be free," you whisper as you look into his eyes.

You lean forward and kiss him. Pressing your soft lips to his scaly ones. He feels something warm blossom within him as he closes his eyes.

The chains slowly disintegrate into dust, effectively ending his 100-year imprisonment.

His eyes widen in surprise, "I-I'm free..."

Your heart beat quickens as you slowly step away from him. Fear overtakes you as you stand before this mighty dragon, now completely free. Will he return the favor to you? Or will he devour you now that he's gotten what he needed from you?

His lips curl into a smirk as he puffs out his chest and lets out a mighty roar. So loud that it shakes the entire dungeon, echoing throughout the infected lands of Caelid and possibly beyond.

The walls of the dungeon begin to crumble as debris falls from the ceiling. This place is on the verge of collapsing.

Quickly, Gyutaro scoops you up in his arms. Holding you against his chest as he lunges upwards, bursting through the ceiling of the ruins.

He flies into the sky, marveling at the rot-ridden swamp below him. The sun hitting his scales for the first time in 100 years, he's filled with vigor.

You hold on for dear life, though he has a firm grip on you. Gyutaro flies above Caelid, triumphantly roaring to alert everyone that he is back. You aren't sure if his return will cause hope or fear amongst the people of The Lands Between.

He flies east, a safe distance away from the scarlet rot, and into a nearby forest. Carefully landing, he gently sets you down on the ground.

"Princess..." he lowers his head, "You freed me from that accursed prison. Thank you..."

You feel a surge of relief and power course through you as this all-powerful creature bows before you. Reaching out to him, you gently lay your hand on his snout. "You're welcome. I'm glad to have helped."

He quickly recoils from your touch, feeling an unfamiliar emotion stir within him. His brows furrow in discomfort. This feeling doesn't sit right in his stomach, and he doesn't enjoy it.

With a sour taste in his mouth, he launches back into the sky. Leaving you behind.

"W-wait!" you shout, trying to run after him but there's no point. He's already long gone.

Gyutaro couldn't take it any longer. The attraction towards you that blossomed within him was too foreign to him. Though after being imprisoned for the last 100 years it was nice to have some company. Especially that of a beautiful princess. But he pushes those thoughts aside and focuses on more important things. Like reuniting with his sister.

You have no choice but to go back to your kingdom alone and empty-handed.

｡o°✥✤✣ 　　 ✣✤✥°o｡

Weeks pass and things only get worse. The war wages on and your mother's health worsens. You don't see or hear from Gyutaro. You only hear about the occasional sighting of a massive dragon or about a beast wreaking havoc on small villages.

That is until one day you hear a commotion outside your castle.

Gyutaro lands on the bridge before your castle, digging his massive talons into the cobblestone. Then a loud rumble stirs within him, he opens his jaws to spew crimson red flames across the other side of the bridge. Blocking the path of anyone that intends to visit the castle. Engulfing it in flames that spread the scarlet rot that harbors within him.

The castle guards rush out towards him, readying their crossbows and shooting arrows at his back. They bounce off of his tough scales, but one of them pierces his wing.

"Pathetic humans," he growls. Turning around and letting out a powerful roar that shakes the bridge beneath him. Gyutaro bares his fangs and lunges forward, catching one of the soldiers in his mouth. He closes his jaws, impaling the soldier with his many teeth before swallowing him whole.

Gyutaro lets out another roar, a clear warning to anyone who dares to attack him again.

"Cease fire!" You shout, running out of the castle and towards Gyutaro. The guards try to warn you that it's dangerous and you should stay inside, but you don't listen.

"Princess!" his eyes widen when he sees you, wasting no time and coming towards you.

Your guards point their crossbows at him as he approaches but you hold your hand out to signal that it's ok.

"Gyutaro, what are you doing here?" you say in shock.

"Your castle will come under attack shortly," he looks behind him briefly before turning back to face you, "My flames should hold them off for a while but it's not safe here."

"Wait what? What do you mean?" you begin to panic.

"There's no time to explain!" he growls, "I'm getting you out of here."

"No! I can't leave my mother behind! And what about everyone else?" your eyes begin to well up with tears.

"Fine," he huffs, "I'll carry you and your mother to safety. I couldn't care less about everyone else..."

"I refuse," you say sternly, "We will not leave our kingdom behind."

"Insolent human!" he roars, "I'm not giving you a choice!!"

Gyutaro opens his maw and swoops forward, catching your coat in his mouth before you can run away.

"Let me go! Let me go!" you kick and scream.

He doesn't know why he even bothered coming to help you. The old Gyutaro would never do something like that. But ever since you saved him he's been longing for your touch again. Longing to be in the presence of someone who didn't see him as a hideous beast. And perhaps he craved more of your affection.

Whatever the case, he needs to get you and your mother out of here as soon as possible. Even though he honestly doesn't care about your mother's well-being, he charges through the entrance of the castle anyway. Guards shoot at him as he passes, but the arrows aren't strong enough to penetrate his scales.

The large castle doors are just big enough to fit him if he collapses his wings to his back. While still holding you in his mouth, he bursts through the castle doors and into the foyer.

It's ginormous and filled with elaborate decorations and luxury furnishings. Your mother sits frail and weak on the throne.

"What is the meaning of this?" she calls out in a strong voice despite her sickly appearance.

Gyutaro's eyes go wide and he stops dead in his tracks, gently setting you down on the lavish rug beneath his feet.

You huff and straighten your coat as he releases you from his grasp. Giving him a stern look before moving your attention to the queen.

"Mother, the kingdom is-"

"I know," she cuts you off and stands from her seat, walking towards you and Gyutaro.

"I've known they would come for our kingdom," she passes you and walks straight towards Gyutaro.

He feels his blood run cold, and a strange sense of tranquility wash over him as she approaches. He lowers his head to show respect and that he isn't a threat.

Your mother stands in front of him, looking into his eyes.

"Gyutaro, son of the Lichdragon Fortissax," her voice is soft yet commanding as she places a hand on Gyutaro's head, "You will be my daughter's guardian. Protect her at all costs."

His eyes widen as he feels something change within him. He doesn't understand what's going on, but he suddenly feels as light as air. A strange golden mist forms around him, enveloping him.

You stare wide eyed and in complete shock. Your mother wouldn't hurt him would she? What in the hells did she do to him?

His body seems to shrink and become completely concealed within the mist.

It seems like forever but it's only after a few seconds that the mist begins to disappear. Revealing... a man?

He's hunched over on his hands and knees, breathing deeply as he feels his human lungs inflate for the first time. A familiar tail sways behind him, and a set of horns sits atop his head.

"G-Gyutaro...?" you whisper, slowly coming closer to him.

His body trembles as he tries to stand. You reach out to him hesitantly but are interrupted by a loud rumbling sound as the ground beneath you quakes.

"You must leave at once!" Your mother yells to you.

"I'm not leaving! I won't leave you behind!" you cry, tears flowing down your cheeks.

The front walls of the castle begin to crumble.

"I'm sorry my dear," your mother says in a somber tone, "I love you."

She raises her hand, then slowly lowers it. You can feel your eyes closing with the motion of her hand as she casts a spell on you.

All you can do is whimper, "I love you too," as you drift off to sleep.

｡o°✥✤✣ 　　 ✣✤✥°o｡

You wake up to the sound of heavy footsteps and someone cursing.

"Fuck this! Aaaaaahhhgg!!"

Slowly opening your eyes you see Gyutaro in what appears to be a humanoid form, thrashing about in a fit of rage.

"How dare I be reduced to the form of a mere human!!" he roars up into the sky. Birds flying out of the trees that surround you. "I am an ancient dragon!! I will not attune to this form!!"

He stomps around angrily before your soft whimpers catch his attention. His scowling visage faces you. And all of the anger of this ancient beast fades away when he sees your huddled form. Crying in agony.

"Princess?" his features soften as he approaches you. He kneels beside you and puts a hand on your shoulder.

"She's gone," you sob, "I'll never see her again."

Gyutaro feels yet another foreign emotion swell up within him. Could it be sympathy? He remembers when his father died and how hard it was for him. His heart aches as he recalls similar emotions to what you're feeling now.

He's not good with words, let alone emotions. So he just leans forward and wraps his arms around you. Wrapping you in his warm embrace.

You cling to him and sob into his chest.

"I know Princess... I know," he consoles, "Your mother entrusted me to protect you. And I'm going to do just that."

Knowing that you'll have him by your side gives you a glimmer of hope for the future. Though you both don't know what to do or where to go.

Gyutaro is determined to find his sister who he hasn't seen in 100 years. But first, he needs to find a way to transform back into a mighty dragon. He can't stand this pathetic form he's currently in. And you need to find a way to stop the war that rages across The Lands Between. And possibly recover whatever is left of your kingdom.

Neither of you knows what's to come. But at least you have each other.

#gyutaro #gyutaro shabana #gyutaro x reader #gyutaro x y/n #gyuutarou #gyuutarou x reader #kny x reader #demon slayer x reader #dragon x reader #dragon au #elden ring

[ryann-44]

The battle of Aeonia

#since fromsoft never told us why they fought #this is now canon #art #my art #sketch #elden ring #elden ring fanart #elden ring malenia #malenia blade of miquella #starscourge radahn #general radahn #elden ring radahn

[notguccienoughforthis]

Hey not to be a raving lunatic on main but like imagine pledging eternal fealty to a divine warlord - arguably a brilliant tactician, scholar and sorcerer; imagine deciding to bend the knee to a living legend - the golden lion of the battlefield come again, the conqueror of the very stars themselves!! Imagine thinking you would never lose, would unite the shattered lands under the banner of the Redmane Knights, imagine the glory so tangible, so palpable you could almost reach out and touch it only for it to crumble and rot before your very eyes.

How the Knights ever carried on after the Battle of Aeonia is beyond me. The idea of the Redmane Knights solemnly burning away their crests, deciding to never go back home but instead to act as a bulwark for the spreading ruin is a testament to their unbreakable will. They took in devastation and unimaginable loss and instead of losing their minds they found new purpose.

They looked around at their homeland turned into a nightmare and said “This fate will not befall the rest of the world”. They threw themselves at their newfound task despite the apparent futility of it all. Hell, they faced down imminent destruction - they saw their God become a raving, battle maddened lunatic and said “Lord we will grant you an honorable death”.

The Battle of Aeonia isn’t just a tale of loss. It’s also a parable of hope, of the enduring will of the Redmane Lions in the face of incomprehensible destruction.

#recently fought Radahn again with a friend and was generally struck by the landscape of Caelid #like they’ve actively been fighting the plague and losing #Elden ring #General Radahn

[philipbr]

Battle of Aeonia

#fromsoft games #fromsoftware #blaidd elden ring #elden ring fanart #starscourge radahn #general radahn #elden ring radahn #malenia fanart #malenia goddess of rot #malenia blade of miquella #fanart #digital art #fanart on tumblr #tumblr art #artists on tumblr #digital illustration #digital arwork #digital painting #elden ring

[blaiddfailcam]

Thoughts on Melina as the lastborn child of Radagon and Marika

Melina is a bit of a cipher, and while a popular theory suggests her alternate identity being that of the Gloam-Eyed Queen, other details leave me wondering of there's a more substantial explanation behind her origins and motives, particularly her similarities to Miquella and Malenia.

Holes in the GEQ theory

Before diving in, I want to go over why I don't ascribe to the theory that Melina is the Gloam-Eyed Queen. For the most part, this has to do with the chronology of events and the Gloam-Eyed Queen's ancient history. The elapsed time between epochs in Elden Ring is difficult to gauge (George R.R. Martin himself suggested offhandedly that the Shattering might have occurred as far as 5,000 years prior to the playable story), it's possible to piece together the sequence of events fairly clearly.

According to Finger Reader Enia, the Elden Ring once housed the Rune of Death. From this rune, the Empyrean known as the Gloam-Eyed Queen channeled the power to slay the gods into Blackflame, which she shared with the Godskins she commanded, until Maliketh defeated her and absconded the Rune of Death, marking the foundation of the Golden Order.

The Golden Order is regarded as synonymous with the Erdtree, allowing us to infer that the defeat of the Gloam-Eyed Queen preceded the War of the Giants, when Marika beseeched Godfrey to brandish the Elden Ring and fully establish the Age of the Erdtree. It would appear this was Godfrey's first act as Marika's lord, and the pantheon of demigods was only to follow.

If Melina is the daughter of Marika as she says, she would have been born long after the Gloam-Eyed Queen, and within the Erdtree itself. Whenever this was may not be certain, but it's at least safe to assume she has no firm connection.

Melina as Miquella and Malenia's sister

Miquella and Malenia are twin Empyreans born of Radagon and Marika, and they're somewhat unusual even among their warped siblings. Miquella is incapable of aging beyond his youth, and has little impact on the (present) playable story; Malenia swears herself to the fulfillment of Miquella's destiny, rejecting her own fate as an Empyrean to allow for his ascension.

While Melina has seemingly no connection at first, never speaking a word of their existence or remarking on your journey to the Haligtree, a good number of details stick out that could suggest an unwitting kinship. I'll try to list them as succinctly as possible.

Melina's name: Elden Ring is full of dizzyingly similar names for the demigods and those related to them, but they're also fairly consistent according to their direct relationships (e.g. Radagon and Rennala are the parents of Rykard, Radahn, and Ranni). As you might have guessed, "Melina" is strikingly similar to the names "Miquella" and "Malenia," as well as another related character, "Millicent."

Melina's clothing: while she dons an oppressive black cloak for much of the story, Melina's elegant but simple dress beneath is evidently a slightly modified version of the Traveler's Set worn by Millicent and her sisters.

The Blade of Calling: during battle with Morgott, Melina displays skill with this weapon, fighting in the same manner as Black Knife Assassins. However, her weapon isn't unique to her; another NPC, Polyanna, Adopted Daughter, sister to Millicent and yet another offshoot of Malenia, produces this dagger when summoned to take on Commander O'Neil.

Melina's tree: upon dying to Morgott, Melina's body will transform into a glowing gold tree that radiates vitality. This is an unusually similar reaction to when Malenia or Millicent suffer mortal wounds in the story, transforming into a blooming scarlet aeonia and unleashing rot.

Melina and Millicent's parallel quests: both Melina and Millicent are amnesiacs venturing to locate their mothers within their respective trees, the Erdtree and the Haligtree.

Melina's hair: Miquella and Malenia are typified by their gold and red hair, reflecting the contrast of their parents, Radagon and Marika. Melina's hair is a pink or bronze color, as if a fusion of red and gold. (Perhaps this suggests that while Miquella and Malenia were born prior to Radagon and Marika's fracturing into one, Melina was somehow conceived afterward?)

Completing the trinity

In total, Marika bore five demigod offspring and adopted three as stepchildren, amounting to eight successors in all.

Godfrey and Marika's children: Godwyn, Morgott, Mohg

Radagon and Rennala's children (adopted by Marika): Rykard, Radahn, Ranni

Marika and Radagon's children: Miquella, Malenia

What's unusual about Miquella and Malenia is that they're only twins, whereas the other two unions produced three siblings each. The trinity is a common symbol in Elden Ring, even within the Elden Ring itself, so it's a bit unusual for one of the three sibling groups to be a dichotomy.

Of course, if Melina truly is the lastborn demigod, this would complete the pattern. In fact, this would even line up nicely with the trinity of butterflies found throughout the world: Nascent Butterflies are associated with rebirth, much like Miquella; Aeonian Butterflies were born from the wings of Malenia herself; Smoldering Butterflies would form a striking connection with Melina, whose flesh will serve as kindling to burn the Erdtree.

As for the other demigod triplets, there's a peculiar trend in which two siblings are regarded very closely, where the third is independent and "perfect." Morgott and Mohg are despised Omen twins, yet Godwyn was adored by Marika, his countrymen, and even dragons; Rykard and Radahn took two very different paths, but are together inferior to their Empyrean sister, Ranni. Miquella and Malenia are considered elite demigods with tremendous potential, yet both are cursed, imperfect vessels. Again, Melina would serve as a suitable triplet to echo the dynamics of the other six demigods.

For future reference

There's still much to unpack regarding Melina's identity, but I at least wanted to get these observations out of my head. One mystery I'm particularly interested in is whether Miquella and Melina knew each other, since Melina inherited Torrent. It feels practically undeniable that Miquella was the "former master" Ranni spoke of.

I find it likely that Melina is an Empyrean, and it would make all the more sense if she truly is Miquella and Malenia's sister. I'll probably write more on that eventually, and how her violet eye might actually relate to the Gloam-Eyed Queen—even if she isn't the queen herself—as well as the shadows, Blaidd and Maliketh, who possess the same hue in their eyes.

Until then, my texting thumb hurts lol

#elden ring #from software #my ramblings #melina #tbh i'm surprised this theory is so uncommon

[poisonousroxstar]

Imagine:

Yandere Malenia

Plot Summery: general yandere headcanons for Malenia, The Blade of Miquella, the Severed.

This Contains: Yandere themes. Unhealthy mindsets. Unhealthy relationships. Dependency.

Note(s): Sorry for the absence again! Here's something I whopped up. I'm gonna try and do requests now! Hope you like this! I'm gonna try and make shorter headcanons now, at least for the self-indulgent ones. Anyway, blabbering, bye!

Malenia is a devoted, worshipper, and obedient yandere. She dedicates her entire being to her darling, her whole existence. She is your weapon, she is your tool -- control her as you please, for who is she to go against your wants?

This mindset carries over on both spectrums. Whether she loves you platonically or romantically, Malenia will always see herself as her darling's blade. She lives to serve you and you alone.

Due to this, there will always be an imbalance in your relationship. Despite being an empyrean, a child of Queen Marika herself, and a warrior who has never known defeat, Malenia treats you like a higher being. She worships the ground you walk on and will protect you with her life.

You've helped her in so many ways, perhaps in ways you've unaware of. Whenever the scarlet rot became too much for her, with it nagging and eating away at her flesh, begging her to bloom the Scarlet Aeonia, she thought of you and how much you needed her. And that gave her the strength to resist the call of rot.

When Malenia leaves to challenge Radahn, she holds you in her thoughts and prayers. She mustn't perish, for you need her and she needs you. Thus when the battle reaches its pique, neither side showing victory, she abandons Miquella's golden needle; abandons her pride as a warrior, and allows the scarlet flower to bloom once more.

If anything were to happen to you, she wouldn't know what to do. You mean the world to her, she can't exist without you. She will protect you and do anything to save you, even if that means betraying her own allies, even her brother. But if you were to be slain or worse, truly die, well...

Perhaps her purpose is no longer needed. She swore to follow you until the very end. A blade has no reason to exist without its master, after all.

#x reader #x s/o #x y/n #imagines #gender neutral reader #gender neutral s/o #gender neutral y/n #gn y/n #gn reader #gn s/o #elden ring #elden ring malenia #elden ring x reader #elden ring x s/o #elden ring x y/n #malenia the severed #malenia blade of miquella #malenia x reader #malenia x y/n #malenia x s/o #yandere headcanons #yandere female #yandere x reader #yandere x y/n #yandere x s/o

[oaksentinel]

Elden Ring - Battle of Aeonia, commission

#traditional art #fantasy #elden ring #starscourge radahn #malenia blade of miquella #elden ring radahn #elden ring malenia #and of course Leonard

[frye7]

I'm so freaking tired to read comments about how Radahn actually beat and is stronger than Malenia and he holds back the stars and learns magic not to kill Leonard IN. EVERY. SINGLE. MALENIA'S. POST/VIDEO/MEME/EVERYTHING.

More often than not TOTALLY UMPRONTED.

Like, we get it, you Radahn's fanboys are irked your favourite character isn't the absolute best. So what?

The lore literally said "Malenia fought Radhan to a standstill" AND THAT'S THE END OF IT.

Yes, afterwards she bloomed, making Caelid what we see today, and yes, that made her pass out, and yes, she had to be carried away by Finlay, so what?

Literally how does that make her less then her opponent, who lost his mind and became a shadow of his former self?

Also, she gets insulted all the time because you all think she bloomed because she didn't want to lose, when actually WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY SHE DID IT.

Did she do it because she was desperate? Maybe.

Did she do it because her needle broke? Maybe.

Did she do it because she couldn't hold back the Rot anymore? Maybe.

We don't know how the Rot works.

What we do know is that her Cleanrots followed her with pride, at the point of CHOOSING TO DECAY to stand by her side. And I don't think many of them would have done that for a Demigod who would nuke an entire region without second thoughts or giving a damn about it.

We all saw how Godrick treated his people and the reputation and hate it gained him from the Lands Between.

(And the fact that Malenia, after being insulted by him and still even if it was her right to chose not to kill him should make you people ponder on what it says about her character. Literally why would she willingly cause such pain and distruction to innocent people when she didn't kill an horrible person like Godrick? When SHE HERSELF HATES HER ROT)

That's the whole point with George Martin.

The whole point with him and his books: in medieval times informations are unreliable, because some are made up, some are incomplete, some are missing, etc.

And that's the same thing for Elden ring, all informations and lore we have comes from dialogues and item's descriptions.

And ALL of them proclaimed the battle of Aeonia a tragic battle which ended in a STALEMATE.

Cry all you want about it, and STOP insulting characters other people like just because you don't like the lore.

Both Radahn and Malenia are impressive, not perfect, but certainly impressive characters and leaders, as both their armies followed them with pride.

There is literally NO POINT in keeping that discussion up. And there is certainly NO POINT in ruining all posts that celebrates Malenia FOR HERSELF, without even talking about Radahn.

SHOW SOME RESPECT.

THANK YOU KINDLY.

#elden ring #elden ring lore #i'm so tired about this #malenia blade of miquella #malenia goddess of rot #malenia the severed #not calling her the undefeated even though it's her title #don't want to cause more tears in those fanboys than those they are already cryjng #literally why the only way you have by celebrating radahn is by bringing malenia down #i seriously hope from soft will do something about this #starscourge radahn

[wtf-bugg]

"Finlay was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Aeonia, who in an unimaginable act of heroism carried the slumbering demigod Malenia all the way back to the Haligtree."

Finlay and Malenia illustration

#fromsoft games #fromsoftware #soulsborne #elden ring #art commissions open #commisions open #elden ring malenia #eldenringfinlay #elden ring fanart #elden posting

[arx-aru]

War-Dead Catacombs

This is honestly an incredible dungeon, in terms of all the subtext.

For reference! It's the one hidden in the corner of Radahn's arena where spectral Cleanrot Knights make battle with equally bodiless Radahn soldiers--

There's a number of fascinating details in here:

Like all catacombs, the halls are littered with human remains. However, these are presumably older than those of the Battle of Aeonia (because the corpses in Radahn's arena, exposed to the elements (and his cannibalistic frenzy) still have tattered surcoats, waistcloths, et cetera. These bodies, however, are mere skeletons, bereft of any clothing). So far as I can find, there's not actually any of the Radahn and Malenian battle debris assets that litter Caelid inside here. Given how ubiquitous they are, this must have been intentional. None of the bodies entombed here belong to these soldiers.

Naturally, Radahn himself is simply too large to get inside, so this place isn't actually so much a tomb as the singular point of refuge in the Wailing Dunes.

So. They've lost their flesh by the time they entered, evidently--meaning their bodies are still outside, being gorged upon by Radahn.

These are spirits of, presumably, the same variety as the Headless Knights or Latenna; that is, they are the essence of their dying will--their continued animation(as opposed to the crestfallen one-sentence spirits elsewhere) is reflective of a degree of resolve and intention at their time of death.

The final moments of the Radahn and Malenian armies, then, was to make it to this location. There are no spirits roaming outside, after all. They tried to escape Radahn and preserve, if nothing else, their dignity in death... but failed, one and all. Tricky to outrun a man who would hold up the very stars, after all.

And, of course, this is one of the very few instances of AI factions actively fighting each other... and they were near-certainly concerned, primarily, with escaping Radahn when they died. Yet they fight on. So deep is the loathing between the Radahn and Malenian hosts that they'd forgive each-other not even in death, not even having their bodily dignity violated by both their lords. Whether this is borne of unshakeable faith or hatred is difficult to say, of course, but the item descriptions of their respective armor sets might shed light(the Cleanrot Knights knew full well what would happen to them but accepted it, whereas the Radahn knights struck their lord's crest from their hearts when everything fell apart, even though Radahn's frenzy wasn't necessarily his fault. Importantly, the reliability of lordsworn armor descriptions in general seems shaky at best, so I don't put huge coin to that exact conclusion).

The movesets all these guys use is, as far as I can tell, the same as their surviving counterparts. That is to say, the cited sources of their battle arts, skills, and abilities in item descriptions hold true to their spiritual essence. In other words: so intrinsic is the rot and disability to the Cleanrot Knights that they yet retain their limp, their wings, and the rotten acid they cough and heave upon their foes. So fundamental was the martial prowess of Radahn's men that they keep Artorias spinning and spamming combo attacks--they are not in the least phased by their own death. So unshakeable is the faith of Malenia's vassals in their two gods that they still cast Miquellan magics and proc the Malenian sword insignia effects.

They actually respawn, when they finally manage to "kill" one another. Indeed, none of these people were equipped to kill the bodiless. So they'll keep fighting, again and again and forevermore, until true death do them part--if ever, even, it finds its way to their forgotten Tartarus.

Basically! After the player finally defeats Radahn and offers a small measure of closure to the Shattering, they're allowed to see what war does to the everyman's very soul.

These gods were family, once.

These soldiers, beholden to the private affairs of strangers, were comrades. Many were probably friends.

It all begs the question--was Ranni's scheme to begin the Age of Stars worth it? Is the era she'll usher in, should she even succeed, of greater meaning than how the people of the Lands Between were molested, body and soul?

Well, maybe. It's hard to say. Impossible, really.

But we might imagine what the dead would answer, if they'd not been robbed their chance to speak.

#elden ring #elden ring lore #elden ring theory #malenia #malenia blade of miquella #radahn #starscourge radahn #cleanrot knight #I like Ranni and Radahn a lot #to be clear #but the narrative they (and malenia) serve asks a more important question #than like #who best girl is #or who's right or what have you #I LIKE THIS GAME #caelid cant stop bringing in the Ws on environmental storytelling what can b said

[maranigai]

/oc sketches/

Dorcas of Sellia, preceptress of glintstone arts.

Before | after battle of Aeonia.

#my art #elden ring #elden ring oc #my oc #sketches #ah yes my evil soup woman #still need to make a proper rotten design for her