Elden Ring - The Complete Lore Timeline

Welcome to our timeline of the entire history of Elden Ring. This has been an absolutely massive project, and covers every faction, character, and event throughout all the ages of the Lands Between. However, there is a ton of mystery surrounding almost every topic, not to mention the complexity of linking everything together rather than letting them stand separate.

There is lots of speculation and theorizing throughout, and to that end, all sources have been provided on-screen alongside our reasoning to help you make your own conclusions. But to keep the video from pausing constantly, we won't be prefacing every point by saying it is only our opinion. The whole video is just our opinion for one full potential timeline.

Finally, everything here was produced before the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and our thoughts will no doubt change after delving into the Land of Shadow.

Once all was without beginning or end, as a ring is its form, was without measure, and it was full and empty, and expanse without division. For division was not within it, nor without it, and it was whole and still until at last a great change came upon it, and time arose with a great suddenness, and there came division. And many came from one, as droplets from one water, and they have caused to return, and they have cause to set forth. This discord is the means of their every expression, the shaping of their every form. Their journey proceeds along a single path, a path of two ways. The way that narrows is the path to order, and the way that broadens is the path to chaos, and they go upon it with perpetual resolve, now beckoned one way, now shown the other.

At the outset of their journey, all was disarray, but chaos lost its hold, and there arose the necessary forms, as bows from the root of time. And they were in all places, and in none, as ties to their waters, and they were as gods, and all things were by them made surfaced by the currents of the deep. There formed the stars, and the lands, the suns, and the waters, and then some. Some time along the way, nature gathered upon itself, and life took form, a form graced by perception, and blessed by the means to think upon its world. But to be granted life is to be granted a shadow, a shadow that shall go with the living all the days of their lives, as a beast stalks its prey, and it shall be their guide, their most loyal companion, until at the appointed time, their shadow shall usher them away.

So began but one land among many, the Lands Between. An unremarkable realm, distinguished simply by its position among others. And like all others, this land was a product of the natural state of the world, a state that stemmed from the highest of powers: gods, ki, the very forces of nature, through whose friction came land and sea, gravity, colors, and eight power, and finally life. But for the Lands Between, whose history has always been shaped by external influences, it may be that no life arose at all, and instead arrived from far away.

Life's beginnings were harsh. Natural selection lacked nuance and favored sheer strength above all else. This led to ancient life forms of significantly larger proportions than those in the present day, and one life form of colossal size naturally rose to the top. The rise of these Titans as the dominant life form began the most ancient known age of the Lands Between. Their reign expanded across the entirety of the present-day landmass and oversaw the beginning of the Stone Age. Although there is no definitive evidence of a written language, the technological advancements and stonework of their civilization were truly astonishing. Elaborately crafted megalithic structures can be found throughout the Lands Between. Eons of weathering have rendered the stone smooth, yet they still stand strong, a true testament to the skill of the age, and all without the use of mortar, made with stone blocks of such size that the Titans are the only known creatures who could have been responsible. The weathered, smooth stone distinguishes structures of this ancient era, yet the labor and artistry poured into carving each and every stone face, likely in situ, remains clear. What such carvings mean, however, has been lost to time. So long ago was this culture.

The Titan structures, though imposing in the current day, conceal their true scale, for they extend deep within the earth. A curious detail, and the first of many clues that point to the extent of the land's transformation through the ages. But the Titans' skills went far beyond their masonry, for the Titans wove the very fabric of life into black stone and crafted artificial life. An ominous development, foreshadowing what would become a fixation for the Lands Between: the manipulation of life and its natural cycles. Thus were Golems created, bearing the same intricate detailing and weathered stone aesthetic as the structures of the era. Curiously, this technique likely became well-established, since a Golem crafter suggests there were multiple such artisans. Indeed, Golems serve as a crucial window into the era.

These black stone Golems appear to have been purpose-built for combat, each equipped with bespoke weaponry. This suggests that despite the Titan dominion, there was no peace or unity in the land. There were such conflicts that the Titans resorted to crafting artificial life to enforce false order. Those that resisted were far smaller than the Titans, likely dwarfed by the Golems, for Golems were equipped with extra protection around their ankles, hinting at the size of their adversaries. After eons of fighting such foes, few Golems remain today with their protective ankle gear intact, but those that do remain formidable opponents.

There are more than just the black stone Golems. Head coverings made from the largely unaltered head of an impish Golem, on closer inspection, although the detailing differs from the structures of the age, the stone of the imps, and indeed the catacomd Watchdogs, also exhibits the distinctive weathering typical of the age, albeit more subtly given their smaller size and sheltered environment. Furthermore, to cement the similarities between these three Golems, there is the Crystal Dart. Long ago, it is said that a Golem crafter employed a similar Crystal tool. This Crystal Dart, when used on any of these Golems, causes them to malfunction, either stunning them or even making them short-circuit and turn hostile to everything around them.

The Crystal Dart also points to the final life form that the Titans created: the Crystalians. A deed impossible for a human. These Crystalians are inorganic beings, yet they live. Now, these beings are inscrutable and are supposed to have but one clear purpose: to safeguard their crystals unto the end. The Crystalians were the most complex artificial creation, though humans cannot understand them. The Crystalians' faint cognition is known as the Wisdom of Stone. Their magic staff can only be wielded by those of intellect high enough to grasp such wisdom, a substantial 48 intelligence, with output only slightly bested by the Crystalian Regal Scepter, curious given the similarity of their respective sigils. The true purpose of the Crystalians has been lost to time, for in their hidden intelligence, there was likely some grander purpose behind their crystal hoarding.

Returning to Golems, the design of the imps and Watchdogs illustrates the diversity of life already present in this ancient era. For despite their modern roles as guardians of Erdtree catacombs, it appears that Golem technology was lost with the extinction of the Titans. No new Golems exist in the present-day Lands Between, and anything relating to Golems, Crystalians, and indeed all other forms of artificial life is shrouded in the mystery of this ancient age. The marionettes, fixated on crystals, gargoyles are so run down some cannot move, and the rest have been mended with corpse wax, a patchwork. Therefore, the design of these artificial life forms undoubtedly reflects the era of their creation.

As early as the Titan age, there was Glintstone and sorcery. Crystal sorceries ranged from encapsulating the wrath of the Crystalians to manifesting the Crystal Sun, which serves as further evidence of the life form's complexity. Glintstone sorcery was imbued as an Ash of War into the Watchdog Staff. The term "crozier" means a hooked staff carried by a bishop as a symbol of pastoral office, which, though the staff is hardly hooked, also points to religious systems. There were social hierarchies, which extended not just to Crystalians, where some sorceries were reserved for high-ranking adepts among the Crystalians, but also among Golems. The Watchdogs are even said to command the imps. There were even strata within Golem variants; some imp Golems were given autonomous life, while others were crafted only as a powerful lock and key system, a design that remains relevant even in modern times.

The range of imps showcases the variety of life forms that had already taken root in the Lands Between. There were feline creatures, fanged and long-tongued demons, and even wolves. It's clear that death and its natural cycles were well-established, as was the transfer of generational wisdom. Indeed, it's possible that the imps and Watchdogs already served as guardians of the deceased. Finally, the aesthetic of the corpse imp head may indicate the presence of humans, and perhaps even more. Extremely heavy, this great bow requires enormous strength just to draw, suggesting it was not designed for human use. Though this could be in relation to the Tarnished attempting to wield the bow in the present day, it may instead refer to the age in which they were made. That when created, humans could have tried to wield them. Might humans have been part of the Titan Alliance, as well as other species, as suggested by the imp variant? After all, the incredible mechanisms behind the imp locks, or indeed the lifts of the Divine Towers, don't seem to have been made for Titans, who had no trouble reaching such heights, but were instead for those of smaller stature to be able to join them in the sky. And such a huge investment could only have been for allies, for those within the Titan culture.

But the question remains: for what? Why build the towers at all? The Divine Towers, though they have since been repurposed by the Two Fingers, were originally built to pay homage to meteorites. These towers, the tallest artificial structures ever built, that seem to reach up to the heavens themselves, all feature at their top a mound of earth, encircled by eight meteoric ores, which are each framed as if to one of them. While the central earth may seem unremarkable, the stonework encircling it matches other meteoric impact sites found throughout the Lands Between. This, combined with the eight surrounding meteoric ores, gives the first cultural window of the Titans. Meteorites were central to their belief system, and the towers were constructed to venerate them, or perhaps even to harness their power. Did Titans arrive to these lands via meteorites, or did a god bestow favor on them through meteorites? Indeed, the style and positioning of the eight ores surrounding what once might have been a larger meteoric deposit, as well as the detailing around each ore, is very suggestive of the deity now known as the Fell God and the Forge of the Giants, whose size, carvings, and foundation are all clearly of Titan origin. Ties these elements together. The Giants and the Titans were both favored by the Fell God. In fact, they were likely kin. The Titan species exhibited substantial variation in stature, as shown by the difference in size between the kid corpses and those in the Mountaintops. Thus, perhaps the Giants were simply the smallest of Titan kin, which could explain why both the Giants and Titans drew power from the Fell God. Indeed, as with other gods whose power manifests strongly within life, this God lived within the Giants' stomachs, though some gods' power is seen behind the eyes. In any case, it was the Titan faction that was responsible for creating the Forge, and the Forge provides the second cultural window into the Titans, for in its design and associations, our snake and dragons. Not only does this place both respective cultures as early as this age, but it likely illustrates positive relations, or even alliances, between these factions. Throughout Dragon society, there is a focus on balance and natural cycles, something that will be looked at in due course. As such, it follows that to remain on good terms with the dragons, the Titans were also a faction that at least abided by, if not all also centered on, nature's cycles. For example, though the Titans had dominion over the entire land from their corpse locations, it seems they chose not to live in every region and left some undisturbed. But surely this is contrary to their deity, the supreme power of the Fell God is the Flame of Ruin. So how did that play into the cycles of life? Well, the cycles of the Lands Between center around much more than life and death, which will soon become clear. And between the Forge, the Divine Towers, and the technology of artificial life, the Titans' legacy is clearly not defined by destruction. After all, the Golems seem to have been brought to life with the power of their flames, which illustrates a knowledge of their fire that has been lost in the present day. Where dragons exist as divine eternity and snakes exist as mortal eternity, it seems the Titans landed somewhere between them. Dragons, Titans, and snakes with such powers working in harmony, surely this age would last forever. And yet, through a twist of fate, the age of the Titans ended just as it began, at the behest of meteorites. An extinction event.

Wherever you look in the Lands Between, there is evidence of dramatic geographical changes, all the way from the Weeping Peninsula, which has become an island since its naming, to the Forge of the Giants, which was surely once tethered on all four sides. Everywhere has undergone profound alterations, but of particular note here, of the Titan constructions, the majority of them, outside the Mountaintops of the Giants, seem to be entrenched within the earth, almost as if supporting the current day landmass. They are found deep within caves, nestled within mountains, or propping up areas where the Weeping Peninsula might have once connected to the mainland. They are encased in the earth like divine rebars, just like the Titan corpses, at least until the earth around them is eroded away. The Divine Towers naturally remain above ground, and yet they still reach deep into the earth. The Titans, with their sheer size, couldn't have been a subterranean civilization, so what is going on? The answer is hiding in plain sight. There is a peculiar but distinctive rock adorned to the sides of the towers. Every tower has this, including the icon within the map. This rock face is clearly a fundamental part of the history of the Divine Towers, and yet it is equally clear that it was a later addition. On closer inspection, the rock shape is not artificial; it has no clear design into it. Instead, it appears almost like a cooled liquid or magma. So what could have generated such a large-scale expulsion of molten rock? Contrary to the natural pressures that had typically dictated survival, there came a cataclysm that uniquely selected against size. For the Lands Between was hit by a meteorite event of such magnitude that the Titans had no means to avoid it. Only life forms small enough to burrow within the earth, all those capable of flying well above it, managed to endure the calamity. An event that, in all likelihood, was responsible for the central crater of the Lands Between. The impact size and energy caused an expulsion of vast amounts of molten debris across the entire land. Conditions for which the Titans had no defense or shelter, as shown by each of the Divine Towers. The magma was thrown in all directions, illustrating the sheer scale of the catastrophe. In one fell swoop, the Titans met their extinction. The land was covered with a new stratum of earth, and the inaugural age of the Lands Between was over. And yet, life found a way and resumed nature's cycles, competing for dominion.

The Lands Between saw countless civilizations come and go, but there was one that was truly eternal, where snakes persist through mortal means, never truly extinguished, and life forms akin to Titans rise and fall through time, vying for their moment in the sun. There are beings who are truly everlasting: the ancient dragons, whose society has fundamentally shaped the history of the Lands Between. In the present day, this ancient civilization has fallen to ruin, but there is still plenty to glean from what is left.

The theme of frozen time permeates the ruins of Farum Azula. Place is found at the heart of the Storm Beyond Time, a storm which endlessly rages within the perpetually floating city. Countless dragons tirelessly fly around the nearby skies, and those that remain in the city appear almost inert, creatures of living rock. In the center of the city, there is etched into the wall an Elden Ring, complex and multi-layered, order winding into spirals as it falls down. Then, throughout the city, is a focus on death, for though Farum Azula was thrown into the sky before the Night of Black Knives, death root is found in every corner. Those who live in death plague the ruins, and worm faces group at its depths. The very architecture immortalizes the dead, integrating corpses into the brickwork and even as part of the chest design. A temple pays homage to a dead dragon skull, in which are found a Godskin Noble and Apostle who wield the Black Flame, which could once slay gods, the flame that drew power from Destined Death, the power of the Gloam-Eyed Queen. Indeed, the city wasn't solely constructed for dragons. Beastmen roam throughout the ruins, as those who live in death, all can be found intuned within the brickwork of the buildings themselves. They wear garments that display their involvement within this society. There are rooms dedicated to their burial, statues of Beastmen with those of dragons, and some Beastmen were even granted the power of red lightning for use either as incantations or to imbue into their weapons. The Beastmen had a religious system complete with hierarchical ranks. Then, then there were Draconians, people of the ancient Dragons, who bore a stony face. These humans seem to have had their own societal structure too, overseen by royalty who are immortalized in stonework throughout the city. Farum Azula is also home to a number of unmodified Storm Hawks, which may suggest they too inhabited the city, and each of these species relates to the dragons in some manner. Dragons are a form of beast themselves; they can change their form to become humanoid, and the Storm Hawks appear to be their natural kin, at one with the winds. The storm is a Warhawk's cradle.

But surely each of these cultures couldn't all have coexisted in Farum Azula peacefully? And if competition wasn't the driving force, what compelled them to inhabit the same space? There is something peculiar about the ancient dragon society. The motivations of the dragons remain shrouded in mystery. Unlike Titans, who fought for power, expanded their empire, and continually refined their technologies to prosper, dragons appear to have operated by their own set of principles. Their actions and behaviors seem to transcend the usual patterns observed in the natural world. Even in the present day, following their downfall, dragons do not conform to the typical whims of life. Some lie dormant in their dilapidated city, but most tirelessly soar around the ruins in an endless cycle, unfazed by any events beneath them, including the presence of an impostor slaying their brethren. Place, their leader, merely waits, as though losing their god has robbed the Lord of their purpose. Only those who have acted like the rest of nature are found elsewhere. For to sell sacs, lances, or modern dragons, all these mysteries and much more can be unraveled by distilling this wide-reaching dragon civilization into its core principles.

Ancient Dragon society had but a few fundamental tenets, and they all derived from their one God. The foremost pillar was time, over which the dragon's God uniquely held power. A scale of the ancient dragon lord lightly twists time, time that which all must pass. Within the next pillar was their Queen's domain: destined death, death that which all must meet. The final pillar shimmered with gold: the Elden Ring, order that which forms life from chaos and sprouts new beginnings. Beginnings, ends, and the time to link them. The God of the Dragons, the God of Time, is the God of Many Faces. It wears the faces of all other gods, dressed in the guise of all events and all nature. Under their watch, all is seen into existence, and when the time comes, all are brought to an end, including other gods, for they too exist within the passage of time. It is the ability to twist time that allows the creation of a weapon capable of slaying a god. The God of the Dragons, the God of Many Faces, encompasses all other gods. However, its purpose stands apart from the rest. This God, perhaps the One Great, does not vie for powers or followers. It is far more passive and serves as the great overseer, and the civilization of the dragons are its eternal guardians, who watch over the ages in the pursuit of balance across the realm. But this balance they sought was not in activity across the land; it was found through cycles, cycles of life and death, the rise and falls of peoples, species, cultures, and even superpowers. The natural spirals of life the dragons observed the land, intervening only when necessary, and importantly, their God did not play favorites. A society rising in power and even taking control of the lands was welcome. This was part of the urban flow of nature. Instead, action was only taken when the very balance of the land was jeopardized, and a society or God threatened to ground itself so firmly that its natural end was overcome.

And so, the roles of the three principal sectors of the society of Farum Azula come into focus. The dragons, whose form has become symbolic of all manner of protections, are literally walls of living rock and served to protect this civilization. Their eternal strength acted as a deterrent to those with lofty ambitions, serving a passive defensive role rather than an active or offensive one. Being truly eternal meant their station had no cracks or moments of weakness. The second sector, humans, was led by royalty, which in all likelihood was the Gloam-Eyed Queen, whose scarce references align perfectly with Farum Azula. She led the Apostles, two of whom guard an ancient shrine within Farum Azula, likely dedicated to the God of Many Faces. The God of Time, Destined Death, exhibits clear thematic links to the God of Time, delivering a true end for life. The locations of Godskins are consistently related to the Gloam-Eyed Queen, even the Noble in the Volcano Manor defends a church that also seems to pay homage to the God of Time. Throughout Farum Azula, there is a celebration of death, and a vital role of beasts is inherently connected to Destined Death. The Queen of Destined Death must be of ancient origins, as she predates the Golden Order. The Nobles are ancient, and no gods have been killed during the time of the Golden Order to provide the skin for their robes. Although the Gloam-Eyed Queen herself has few references in the present day, the full history of the Lands Between makes it evident how much points to her as the Queen of the Dragon Society, a role which, with the aid of her Apostles, was fundamentally that of a backstop, a safety net for the God of Time, for those that sought to evade their fate. A concept Melina understands well: to deliver you what is yours. For most beings, however, their true death arrived naturally, and the role of the Dragon Society was primarily a passive one, for life rarely required their intervention. Indeed, Destined Death is not intrinsically offensive in nature. The Apostles were all embraced by the Gloam-Eyed Queen, and the Black Flame was their armor. Within such knowledge and nuance has in the present unfortunately been lost to time. Lastly, there were the Beastmen, who were naturally subservient, following the gift of intelligence that was in all likelihood from the dragons and the God of Many Faces. The design celebrates a beast's five fingers, symbolic of the intelligence once granted upon their kind, a gift that would wane should the dragon civilization crumble. For in the present day, beasts who yet possess knowledge beyond human ken have begun to revert to their animal ways. In likely the same manner that they gained intelligence, the beasts must have felt how their wildness slipped away as civilization took hold. Though the beasts were graced, they were passive in this process, morphed to carry out the will of the God of Many Faces. This included all sorts of tasks, such as weapon smithing and likely lots of construction, but so beasts were crafted for a much more crucial role for the God of Time, empowered by the Gloam of their Queen, a position that only beasts have seemed to fulfill even to the present day. Beasts are drawn to Champions and to Lords, a quality likely by design, much like their subservience. Their eyes and ears covered represent an oath: see nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing, and carry on along the path set in stone. It appears that select beasts were intentionally crafted to become Shadows, for they appear to have been molded past even a natural compliance in case they try to resist their fate. While all beings may naturally have shadows in this world, these beasts were crafted for and assigned to individuals of power who were deemed to require closer monitoring. Even in this role, there was a hierarchy. The statement "Wolves of the Shadows of the Imperium" suggests that other types of beasts, for instance, Lions, may have fulfilled less vital roles. There are a wide range of beasts even in Farum Azula. The wording of "the Imperium" rather than "an Imperium" is also noteworthy. Could this imply a shared Imperium for all such Shadows, perhaps their creator, rather than individual Imperium for each Shadow Wolf? Shadows were granted the power of Destined Death by the Gloam-Eyed Queen and manifested this power in their weapons and eyes. After the right, while the Gloam-Eyed Queen may be the source of such power, being a shadow-bound beast seems to cause the same Gloam coloration, a seemingly permanent effect. For though Blaidd's water to served no master but Ranni in defiance of the fate he was born to, his eyes remain this distinctive purple color, similar to how his weapon remains accented by purple despite its altered power. Curiously, Malenia's eyes are actively hidden from view with Destined Death and blood, which glints with gold and thus never rots or decays. These Shadows were ready to be sent out into the world for a life of servitude on the ground.

During the early stages of life, the God of Many Faces likely required only the dragons and the Gloam-Eyed Queen to manage the land. However, as life flourished and expanded, more hands were needed to manage this increased complexity, leading to the recruitment of Beastmen and the incorporation of Beastmen. Further cements the timeline of the ancient dragons, not only were they established by the Titan age, illustrated by the bespoke motifs on the Forge of the Giants as well as its connection to Destined Death, but likely well before it. The Beastman's history depicts three clear ages: the Stone Age, marked by their initial tools; stones were the first weapons of the beasts who had gained intelligence; the Copper Age, evidenced best by their burial sites; and the Iron Age, during which their latest weapons were developed. Despite building the Forge of the Giants and pioneering the art of smithing, the Titans were primarily characterized by their mastery over stone, marking most of their age as the Stone Age. Thus, the Dragon Society was already well-established by the time of the Titans, such that they were capable enough to be able to give intelligence to beasts. The purpose of ancient Dragon society as primarily passive guardians of the cycles of nature, the immortality of these divine creatures, and the timing for gifting intelligence to beasts suggests that the ancient dragons are likely the most ancient dynasty of the Lands Between.

First came the God of Many Faces. In time, they splintered further: gods. Eventually, the first Elden Ring was created, giving rise to life. Of significance here is that an Elden Ring is a dynamic and flexible phenomenon. Runes are a fundamental aspect of the world. Great Runes can be discovered, gestated, lost, and therefore likely also created. They can be morphed, added to the Elden Ring, or removed. Some seem to be attributed to specific individuals, uniquely termed Elden Runes. This is how different versions of Elden Rings are seen throughout history. This most ancient version is the most complex known iteration. Power flowed through it rather than being contained within, and was distributed through numerous rings down into spirals below the spirals of life. The Greater Will was likely aligned with the dragon faction during this time. In addition to the Elden Ring, gold prominently features in the dragons and Beastmen's bodies and their culture, which raises the question: were the Two Fingers also part of this society? Finger-like creatures do seem to naturally exist in this world and have existed since ancient times, as evidenced by the Fingerprint Stone Shield and the Ringed Finger. It is said that the Gloam-Eyed Queen was an Empyrean chosen by the Fingers, however, the phrase "it is said" could suggest this information is hearsay or propaganda, possibly spread during Marika's reign to solidify the Two Fingers' absolute power. After all, there are numerous details surrounding the Two Fingers which does call into question their legitimacy. For instance, the depiction of the legend of the Two Fingers shows a starkly different shape to those in the present day, and in the present day, Anya, a Finger Reader, questions their power in a manner that seems unrelated to their current state. Helm and all life in ruins, impossible events transpire beyond the ken of the Fingers. But most importantly, the legend of the Two Fingers began a new faith, which would only emerge many, many years later. Therefore, the Two Fingers were seemingly not established at this stage, and the Gloam-Eyed Queen was not chosen by them. It is possible the dragon faction had their own fingers, though as the Black Flame sigil is remarkably similar to a fingerprint, she would have still been an Empyrean. However, before becoming Queen, a new God to forge a new order. This quality is therefore not given by the Two Fingers but identified by them. The Three Fingers were also yet to emerge, or at least yet to earn that name, for the very seeds from which Frenzy first sprouted came from the Reus Fingers. This phrasing draws comparison to the expectation of fingers having readers, or at least being able to be read, and thus places them as after the normalization of finger readers, likely by the Two Fingers. A very interesting detail, for if this was the case and the dragon society didn't have their own fingers, it would suggest that Frenzy, a product of those in suffering reaching a breaking point and losing hope, was yet to manifest in the world, and could imply the God of Many Faces and their society were successfully maintaining the world's harmony as unbiased guardians.

Farum Azula's culture epitomized this philosophy, celebrating death while also welcoming all walks of life within and beyond their borders. Dragons, beasts, humans, birds, and even worm faces find solace at Farum Azula, each with their own hierarchies and nuances. The Draconians had a lifespan that was typically short, embracing the cycles of nature. Worm faces are arguably one of the lowest life forms, worms infesting their gut and burrowing into their faces, covered in pock-marked skin. They are shunned in the present day at the Altus Plateau and take refuge in a foggy forest where some weep, others pace, and all except the largest cover themselves with dirty cloaks. The largest wears a slightly more intricate garb, but it turns out that more is hidden beneath these garbs than their forms. Indeed, the worm faces in Farum Azula, the only other location they gather in groups, do not cover themselves, and on them are found bespoke clothing as detailed as the Beastmen, adorned with medallions and intricate gold fabric winds around them. Even their sticks are beautifully crafted. It seems even worm faces, or what turned into them, were welcomed. But the philosophy of the Dragons is best illustrated in Borealis's Mist. The ice dragons were once lords of the Mountaintops, long ago, until they were defeated by the Fire Giants and chased from their peak. Even if these dragons were modern dragons, they were still kin of the ancient dragons that were chased from their territory. Yet, as established earlier, the Giants and Titans had a positive relationship with the dragons and even worked together at times. Thus, did the dragons rule over the Lands Between not by a firm hand, but from a light touch at a far distance. Their rule, and thus their power, even in the modern day, was built with faith in their God.

For many ages, civilizations rose and fell, and though it's unclear what order these all arose, it is certain that many could have existed at the same time, and they were all approved of by the God of Many Faces. Similarly, from the volume of Godskin amassed by the Gloam-Eyed Queen, it is clear there were no small number of gods and their followers who were made to meet their destined end. Once a sign of the God's plural wrath, this incantation became a trophy of the Noble's God hunt. Most such civilizations have been lost to time. More still were likely wiped from history during the Titan cataclysm, and few items remained save for the odd shield with ancient designs, such as an Ancient Red Thorn or an Ancient Cipher. Other societies were more fortunate and survived the extinction event thanks to the stubbornness of life. Indeed, even the Titan lineage was not entirely wiped out, as the Fire Giant survived until the war against Marika. Smithing remained central to their culture. In the distant past, smithing was considered divine. Trolls in the present day continue to use mining tools, and the Aged Ege exemplifies the refined touch these beings maintain. Another society that survived the Titan cataclysm was that of the Astrologers, who preceded the Sorcerers and considered the Fire Giants their neighbors. The Astrologers were established during the Titan era, and their relationship to their neighbors was clearly positive. Both factions collaborated to create the legendary Sword of Night and Flame. Furthermore, the Carians, who even by the time of Rennala considered themselves Astrologers, share the same sigil for their sorceries as the Crystalians. They were taught magic downpour by the Crystalians to mark the swearing of the Old Concord, forming such a close connection to the inscrutable Crystalians suggests the Carians were also present during the Titan age when they were created. Furthermore, the Crystalians seem to have ties to all the present-day sorcery factions. They cleave close to the ideals of the Primeval Current, and as such, they are revered guests of the Sorcerers. They reside by the Moonlight Altar, whose surroundings and architecture relate to both the Carian and the Nox. They are found within Raya Lucaria's Crystal Cave and Tunnel, and in Sellia's Hideaway. Only those in Miquella's Haligtree break this pattern. Thus, it would seem that the Nox, the Academy, and Sellia were also present during this age, though later than the Carians or Astrologers. The Nox and Sellia belong to a separate school of sorcery art and will be looked at shortly, but Glintstone Sorcerers are the descendants of Astrologers, thus the Academy came after Carian, who in turn came from the Astrologers on the Mountaintops. As described by Founding Reign of Stars, the eldest Primeval Sorcery said to have been discovered by an ancient Astrologer, thought to be the Founding Glintstone Sorcery, the Glimpse of the Primeval Current that the Astrologer saw became real, and the Stars Amber rained down on this land. The magical projectile of the Night and Flame stance appears to be a less refined and thus earlier version of Azur, which may imply that the origins of the Academy stemmed from Carian. Originally, Azur was a Grand Master at the Academy alongside Lusat, a rank so high that none have reached it since their expulsion, suggesting the two Sorcerers were central to the Academy's conception. This has pushed further by the stylization of the Glintstone Crowns, that might have been a method to mimic the process Lusat and Azur undergo, and the term Primeval Sorcerers further cements the ancient origins of Raya Lucaria.

The Sellians and the Nox share origins, as is apparent from their respective architecture and culture. Their Night Sorcery sigil denotes the giant thrones found in Sellia, Noella, and Nokron, whose associated giant maidens play such history in the T age. But most curious is that bubble sorcery also shares this design. Furthermore, in contrast to the staff and sword cross of the Carians and Crystalians, these sigils have two staffs instead. The similarity between these designs suggests that one came first and the other repurposed the sigil for their new-found societies. A sword with the staff seems to indicate that the Sorceress Arts had not yet been refined to the point of discarding the La Armament. Furthermore, the staff that excels at casting Night Sorceries is the Staff of Loss, a staff missing its Glintstone, which indicates that Glintstone Sorcery had been established and that the staff set itself apart through the removal of its Glintstone. Therefore, since Glintstone Sorcerers are descended from Astrologers, it seems the Crystalians and the Carians came first, and bubble and Night Sorceries followed. However, bubble and Night Sorceries are vastly different, and Claymen were not part of the Nox society. The Claymen are naturally suggested to hail from a far earlier time than the Nox. These life forms are more simplistic and underdeveloped when compared to the Eternal Cities. Some seem to be fishing or digging, eating, or just inert, bound with age. The warped remains of priests searched for revelation in service of the ancient Dynasty. The Nox have priests of their own, so what was this ancient Dynasty? The bubbles given off by Golems controlled by Crystal Darts may link them to the Titans, who were well-versed in artificial life. Plus, their weapons have been made from a sharpened meteorite shard. Or could the ruins Claymen are typically found within relate to their ancient Dynasty? Indeed, the design of the iconic statue of a man clutching a tablet with another at his feet may suggest these sculptures are also made of clay. These ruins are found on the surface in Liurnia by the Ainsel and Siffras rivers, and most notably at the entrance of and within the Grand Cloister. A cloister means a covered walk in a convent, monastery, college, or cathedral. This was an incredibly important location once. Might the purple crystals above be the reason? If the purple indicated some effect over gravity, perhaps this would lift the area below and halt the flow of water downstream, generating the stagnation needed for rot. Though the environment might have changed drastically since those days. Found within the Cloister is the Scorpion Stinger dagger, fashioned from a great scorpion's tail, glistening with Scarlet Rot. A ceremonial tool used by heretics, crafted from the relic of a sealed Outer God. Being heretical places this dagger's creation many ages later, once a certain monotheistic religion had swept across the Lands Between. But it does illustrate that this location must have always been associated with rot, and thus the mysterious statue was part of an ancient rot civilization. Not only are these statues clearly of the same styling as the Cloister itself, but there are even differently sized statues. For while there is one enormous statue at the end of the hall above a sacred room containing the heretical weapon, hidden behind this statue is another of the same design, just much smaller. Perhaps the smaller statues hint at the civilization's modest beginnings, while the larger, more prominent statue signifies its later influence and might. And this was a mighty civilization that encompassed both great rivers in the Lands Between, from northern Liurnia all the way to Caelid. Furthermore, there is a subtle hint at a potential conflict between the Giants and the rot civilization that some point history. Jarren says talking about the Giant blacksmith E.G.J., and funny thing, his swords were all plant as stone, but not one of them decayed when faced with a Scarlet Rot. So perhaps this dynasty was powerful enough that the Titan superpower had to develop new techniques to combat the power of their God, a God that was rot itself. The ruins seemed to be tactically placed to lock off external access to the rivers, rivers of flowing water, the antithesis to rot, to stagnant, overflowing life. This would make them a formidable faction safeguarding their weakness. Indeed, Siffras can be translated to fairy, and it was a fairy who, in legend, bestowed a flowing sword upon a blind swordsman. Blade in hand, the swordsman sealed away an ancient god. Perhaps it was the spirit of the river that taught this swordsman, for a river does naturally, maybe even blindly, cut away at the Scarlet Rot. But how could one swordsman, even with the power of flowing water, take down such a mighty entity? While the civilization flourished and blocked access to the rivers, even before the Titan cataclysm layered new earth across the land, the rot dynasty was underground. The Grand Cloister was always, by definition, covered, and currently marks the second lowest depth in the Lands Between. But while this meant the meteoric event did not wipe out the civilization of rot, the ground shifting and indeed being entirely removed in the center of the landmarks likely damaged their infrastructure and opened up an opportunity for the blind swordsman to learn from the rivers and attack. There are no sources as to when this civilization met its demise, but thanks to the blind swordsman, the Gloam-Eyed Queen did not have to intervene, and the Rock God was simply sealed away. Importantly, true gods, the Kami forces of nature, cannot be completely killed, even by the Gloam-Eyed Queen, just like the God of Many Faces. After all, these gods are its faces and can only ebb and flow. Instead, it is the vassals of gods, the physical manifestations of them, that is slain. This is why the Elden Ring can still exist after defeating the Elden Beast. The Greater Will remains, but the God of the Realm is no more. The remains of the rot Dynasty suggests its height was during the Titan era and fell shortly afterwards. If the Claymen were part of the Dynasty, perhaps they were created to seek answers on their demise.

The link between bubble sorcery and Night Sorcery is quite the mystery. The Nox society shows no appreciation of rot, but their ant mounts might, who are often found in tunnels that fester similarly to rot. Not to mention the proximity of the Lake of Rot and the Grand Cloister to Nox Stella. Perhaps, perhaps rot is not as far from the Nox as first expected, and some of their ancestors left to form the rot civilization. The iconic statue is also quite the mystery. In the present day, there remains no memory of the ruins, let alone this statue. They are such a blank canvas that Mogh is happy to set up his new Dynasty in the grave of this ancient civilization. His followers even start to pay homage to the forgotten statue. So too do the ancestral settle within some of these rooms. Whatever this man signified, he was of extreme importance, for the statues of him are huge, detailed, and numerous. Perhaps this was the Rock God, the role Marika or the Gloam-Eyed Queen fulfilled in their cultures, or perhaps this was a prophet of some kind, imparting vital knowledge via the tablet. The root motifs are certainly interesting, perhaps relating to some arboreal vision.

Returning to the Nox and Sellian, like the aforementioned Sorcerers, they have survived to the present day. As such, their technology and culture has developed continuously rather than being lost at time. However, details of their history is sparse, likely by design, after they invoked the eye of the Greater Will. In more recent years, it is unclear whether the Eternal Cities were ever above ground. Just Herber grows plentifully around the cities, which gives off the faint glow of starlight. This would suggest that they once grew directly beneath the stars, and that their power has become faint from years beneath the surface under a false night sky. However, even during the blackest nights, sojourns underground, or imprisonment in jail, the stars are never far from a sorcerer's side. Thus, the influence of the stars is not beyond the reach of the Eternal Cities, despite being underground. The Nox also survived the cataclysm, something that would have been very difficult but on the surface. So it seems likely that these cities were always subterranean, but that's not to say they weren't active on the surface, likely built after the Titans were gone and the land had stabilized. There are a number of locations across the entirety of the Lands Between that feature Nox architecture, from Ordina to Sellia, Lendell, Liurnia, at Manelas, the Church of Vows, or throughout the lakes, and multiple lifts that effortlessly offer transport between the surface and underground dwellings. The Nox were successful and clearly adept at navigating positive relations for a time, at least. Perhaps this was when the Moons were first created too, another possible form of artificial life that would therefore date their creation during the Titan era. Their architecture is clearly of a similar build to the Eternal Cities, but it is unclear if their purpose was always as a Melum. One is capable of powerful magic in the present day, suggesting they may not just house bodies but keep them safe. Now, the Melum is where the bodies of soulless demigods are laid to rest. The Eternal Cities, perhaps working with the Academy, also produced the artificial life forms Alabaster during this ancient era. They are said to have been created from a primordial drop of dew, which states them as pre-Ery Empire. There are no other known factions that have ties to the Alabaster, and their silver themes. The Alabaster's most formidable foes were Sorcerers. This oppression was not immediate, however, given how plentifully they survived to the modern day. Furthermore, the Alabaster of old learned sorcery using a short staff with blue Glintstone embedded. Sorcerers became their most formidable foes once sorceress allegiances shifted in the ages to come.

Their blood became heretical, unlike any humor that flows in our grand realm. Albor continue to be made over time, and in the present day, there are old male Aloric, young female Albor, as well as second-generation Albor with dumpy heads that resemble those of frogs. The right to create the silver life remains unclear, but the Abonar harbor a secret. They cast sorcery with their innate Arcanus. Silver tears and their mimicry were likely developed to toat to date, as they form closer relations to the kns. In the present day, mimic tears are the result of an attempt by the Eternal City to forge a lord, which may even place this as late as the Earthree era. Whatever the case may be, silver teers were created before their banishment underground, such that some silver teers can be found hiding on the surface.

Another culture from the Titan age was that of the snakes. There was an ancient serpent deity and a now forgotten religion practiced on Mount Gmir. This religion likely also paid homage to the god of many faces, where snakes serve as mortal eternity, the fundamental grounded aspect of nature, the instinct to survive, a link to the dragons that is further evidenced by the Beast iconography in the prison town, suggesting this area was built prior to the Mana itself. Even if the deity was too large to survive the Titan cataclysm, I and so this society also persisted.

Finally, there was the realm of the sun. Today, the seat of the sun is long faded away. This was a shield of honor, implying an established society, and those who wield this shield, as those who live in death, are found all over the lands between, including inula by beastmen. Might the seat of the sun have been related to Dragon Society in some way? After all, the sanctuary stone found near places where ruins have fallen from the sky feeds and strengthens the light as it shines, and the sun never seems to set in phula. Could the Tombstones found throughout the land where skeletons with the shield commonly arise be from the civilization too? Nonetheless, the seats of the sun clearly covered the realm and thus was once a powerful faction. In the present day, however, the sun is surprisingly insignificant. It is dwarfed by the moons in its apparent size, and even the Earth tree was once as warm as the gentle sun. Therefore, to allow the time for such a shift of power and to fall from memory, the seat of the sun must have set prior to the Titan cataclysm.

The period following the Titan extinction was prosperous and saw many cultures, new and old, flourish. Indeed, the downfall of the first superpower of the lands between would have opened up the opportunity for others to rise up and seize control. But who? Perhaps this would have been the civilization of rot, had the blind swordsmen not sealed their god away, or maybe the death birds and their society, or the fire monks, the ancient stone lords, the various pre-existing civilizations? Or what about a civilization with the legacy of a disbanded army? The banished Knights, whose beautifully crafted sets can be found throughout the lands between. The banished Knights generally feature in the present day in fortresses, Castle Soul, storm veil, or the Fortified Manor. There is even evidence of them at Red M Castle. But what faction did they belong to?

These banished soldiers, whether by misfortune or misdeed, were forced to abandon their homes. Most of these Knights were sent to the fringes, where they were forced to start a new with only despair for company. There is unfortunately little about them. There are two styles of knights for some: Donna deep red scarf, a change that likely followed their banishment. Red is a symbol of wild animal nature, which contrasts the highly trained and civilized manner with which they hold themselves, both during and outside of combat. Furthermore, the scarf is posited to have been used to block the winds, for on the outskirts, the winds bite with a stinging fierceness. Finally, the original design of the armor features a beautifully crafted dragon on the helm, but this is removed for those who wear the scarf, even those found in phula. There is no reference to what misfortune or misdeed led to the Army being disbanded, but the event was absolute, and these Knights never reformed into a complete Army, though they did retain their armor and sometimes their flag too. Even in the present day, these soldiers are incredibly strong. They seem to be consistently learning to improve their technique. They have incorporated new skills depending on where they work, such as Dragon Arts or the power of the storm. There are even golden banished sets found in the capital. Nonetheless, the history of the banished Knights is curiously scattered across the lands between, for each location has history that seems seems distinct from the other.

One such place was Storm Vale Castle, built after the Titan era, as implied by this painting. Storm Vil was home to the Storm Hawks and likely the Storm Lord, indicating an organized and established society with unique traditions. Another location was the Fortified Mana, which features beastial reliefs that may explain its later purpose relating to Godfree. Storm Vil and the Fortified Mana do share architectural styles, and both beasts and Storm Hawks could have been related to the dragons, but the mystery remains: how were the banished Knights involved?

In the time where there was no Earth tree, death was burned in ghost flame. Death birds were the keepers of that fire. The death bird culture was created at the latest during this preer tree era. However, the giant skeletons may suggest that they were in fact established during the Titan era and shared their techniques with the Giants. Their society had an ancient sacrificial right which recycled the magical aspects of those within, restoring FP. In the present day, this was a magical society, after all. The heart sings when one draws close to death, and thus does one cling so tenaciously to life to render up a death worth offering. The hen steeple was likely part of this process because it has the ash of War ruinous ghost flame. The black steeple of the hen guides the dead of the spirit world. The Lamplight is similar to Grace in appearance, only it is said that it can only be seen by those who met their death in battle. Similarly, this states the Tibian Mariners this far back too, whose summons show that they too are servants of death. Back then, their job was as simple boatmen to help the dead's journey. What they need is leadership. There were servants of death and priests, guardians of the birds, who were uniquely rewarded through the right of death, which also serves as an oath sworn to their distant resurrection. Then there was the twin bird, who is said to be the envoy of an outer god and mother of the death birds, an envoy of an outer god, control over resurrection, and a right for the dead, curiously similar to the Earth tree civilization. The birds are graveyard firekeepers. It is said they rake out the ashen remains of the dead from their kils. But what was done with the ashen remains? Given the level of ceremony, it is unlikely they were toss to the wind, else the cinders of the ancient death hex might have become a horde of vengeful spirits. Instead, ashes were surely stored in something akin to cremation ears, which are found in plenty in the catacombs across the entirety of the lands between.

These catacombs have been repurposed for the Earth tree faction by the present day, for the Earth tree culture would have no need for tombs, sarcophagy, or storage of bodies of any kind. Their system involved being taken back into the her tree to fuel the cycle of rebirth. Instead, these catacombs were created well before the Earth tree, and they were built specifically around great tree roots. A controversial description: whether or not the term great tree is the correct name, it is clear that there were world tree forms that predate the Earth tree empire. If the two world tree names were completely synonymous, the sentence becomes: the roots of the Earth tree were once linked to the the Earth tree, which would be very strange, since by definition a tree and its roots must link when the roots are grown. Instead, if this was the case, the phrasing should have been: the roots of the Earth tree are no longer linked to the Earth tree, highlighting the changed, abnormal situation. Though that's not to say the Earth tree can't derive from this world tree, something that will be looked at later. Going forward, therefore, the term great tree will be used to denote the world tree entity of this era.

The heroes' graves are likely part of the same culture, for as will be explored with the arrival of the Ury faction, it seems that America went to great effort hiding the past by rebranding and repurposing buildings across the land. In this case, removing the head and thus the identity of the statue on top of each entrance. So, was the great tree also part of the death bird society? Was this how they could promise resurrection before continuing?

It's important to establish the role of trees within the world, for they are not just an arboreal type of flora. On looking closely, there are examples beyond the Earth tree or great tree that hint at their power. For while these latest societies focused on one all-powerful tree, other ancient societies incorporated trees differently. There are trees in phula which are part stone. They incorporate the power beneath them. What about the kns? Almost everywhere they are found or have associations with are these curious white trees that have recently attracted the attention of the ancestral followers. Both cultures clearly draw some form of power from these trees, and it is likely that they were more alive in ancient times.

Then there was the profit of the rot civilization. Might the roots have been related to trees in some form? A prophecy of a coming great tree. Trees in the lands between are a fundamental part of life. They appear to be able to absorb the land and the life therein, distill this power, and then distribute it depending on how they are managed. Ancient societies made use of this imbalance, propagating forests, then infamously, later societies realized the system could be taken advantage of and funneled their efforts into singular mighty trees that brought about entirely new possibilities.

There is little that makes reference to the Great tree, but there are some environmental clues: a distinct relief and flag. Both of these clearly feature a tree of worship, but they are far too different to the classic depictions to also be featuring the Earth tree. Right, except the Earth tree Cirat and the tree and Beast Cirat, which each use the thin tree design, are both said to depict the Earth tree. So, are these simply two interpretations of the Earth tree? It is certainly possible. However, if such variation is allowed in official productions of the Earth tree, is it not strange that there are only two and not more? Additionally, if both designs were interchangeable in depicting the Earth tree, then why is there such a clear pattern between their usage? Every thin depiction relates to an earlier time in history than the alternate styling, even the Cirat where Godri and the capital forces would have arisen right at the start of the Urrey Empire, if not earlier. On the other hand, this Urry styling was only applied to later editions, such as the more modern Landel structures, whose later construction is clear when seen from above. Not to mention that while the latter design is always found in locations clearly paired to the her tree, the former design is seen somewhat randomly across the realm with no clear pattern relating to the her tree or its empire. Instead, this thin tree depiction might mark one of the first examples of America's nature to olude the past and repurpose previous creations.

Look at the Earth tree Sentinels. The tree Sentinels are the standard to which all defenders of the Earth tree aspire, adorned with a cape featuring the mark of the Sacred tree. Except, despite being the leading figures of the Earth tree, perhaps even the first, this cap's depiction is unique and it's almost unrecognizable. Though subtle, it seems the early early stages of Amica and the UR tre's rise to fame is painted in these three symbols. There was the first design, well-established and respected from before America's rise. The second, a new, unclear mark that was never replicated. And then a third design, many years later. America, after failing to gain traction with an original mark, adopted the great tree sigil to both rise in power and exclude the past. And only once she rose to power did she present the new ultimate Ur tree depiction. And with history obscured, the great tree's design could remain where it was believed by all to depict the ER tree to the present day. Thus, this design was a different, earlier tree, likely the great tree.

The great tree designs are found in the Fortified Manor, Storm Vil Castle, the prison town in M Gare, the coliseums, the grand lifts, Red M Castle, the Kian study hall, as well as on the Divine bridges built to access the Divine towers that have become inaccessible during the Titan cataclysm. This great tree civilization was enormous, but as the wide array of locations indicate, it was also multifaceted and included a wide range of independent societies. Their reign was not to conquer and replace, but to convert, and this was likely the role of the banished Knights, marked by their unique banner, a crusade across the lands to force other societies to ally with them, which explains their mark left throughout the land and ties the previously discussed factions together. Lander was likely the capital for the great tree Empire. It was positioned by the great tree, incorporates the great tree relief within the city, and the hero's Graves generally center around Landel. Heroes would have naturally wanted to be buried with a ceremony near the capital. Thus, the KN who built lower Lendelle must have also been part of the Great tree Empire, if not the original seed. Perhaps the glove wart flora and associated ceremonies date this far back too, since times of old, large glove warts were used to comfort heroic spirits, given in tribute to those who died the most glorious of deaths in the hope their stories would become legend.

There are many statues, reliefs, and buildings which hail from this Empire. These statues of pouring in particular likely relate to ferary rights, as they are often found within catacombs. They are found in some Churches too, illustrating their religious importance. For the age, they are similar in style to those found in these towers, part of the newly built Divine Bridges, as well as those of the Carians, such as on their study hall, which may suggest an alliance. After all, their lift systems share designs, and both buildings feature the great tree design. But most statues are found in catacombs, which does bring the catacomb Golems into question. Could the catacombs have been built during ing the Titan era? A hint at the cycles of the lands between, perhaps. Nonetheless, the extent of catacombs across the lands between suggests the Empire covered the realm, but there were likely societies beyond their influence.

There was the civilization of Zamore, who were ancient enemies of the fire Giants, cloaked in icy tempests. The Knights of Zamore have challenged the fire Giants since ancient times. Their culture involved an apparent devotion to winter. Perhaps the Caden 2 were around during this age, since in the present day their home settlement is nowhere to be found, but these hulking, fearless mercenaries are said to hail from the mountaintops of the wintry North. Since they were likely driven from their homelands, they have roamed as simple mercenaries to the present day.

Then there were beings of meteoric origin, as the entire history of the lands between is riddled with meteoric and celestial events. Onyx Lords, Alabaster Lords, and likely falling star beasts too, arose during this time. The Lords were da as such in reverential fear of their destructive power, though the Onyx and Alabaster beings appear similar, they seem to have been separate. Each weapon they wield is unique to one faction, either made with white, blue, or golden-hued meteoric ore. Curiously, their weapons share design similarities, as well as functionally similar ashes of War to the me oric or blade, a katana forged from meteoric ore to dispatch life forms born of falling stars. Could this imply the two were at war with each other or sought to stamp out the falling star beasts? Whatever the case, their history is both varied, being found at sites from the Titan era, within the Lake of Rat, or at the Academy, and damning, for few remain in the present day.

Falling star beasts, when fully grown, become beings known in the present day as Ael, a species, not a name. Hence why there are two Ael and why they require a denomination. In the present day, there are young falling star beasts, a full-grown one, three malformed stars, and then the two Ael, which suggests a lengthy development period to become fully formed. As such, it is possible the first falling star beasts arose in ancient times.

There were the fire monks, who hail from the mountaintops of the Giants. They had a focus on combat. The unique strong attack rouses fiery combative spirit, and it would seem that they were allied to and honored the fire Giants' sacred seal depicting the one-eyed god of the fire Giants, adorned with braids of red hair, enhances giant flame incantations. Even if they were not associated with the fire Giants directly, they were certainly already fire monks, but for their later roles as guardians. Indeed, their incantations were likely what drew America's attention for use within the war against the Giants. However, the hierarchy with the prelates as commanders of the fire monks was not yet established. The prelates' attire and weighty frame symbolize the onus of their grave vows as guardians of the flame, thus their sets were crafted for their role as guardians, a role that they were appointed to by America after the war against the Giants. Furthermore, their weapon, the prelate thorned whip, is fashioned in the image of the briers of sin. This would suggest that the thorn sorcerers had also already partnered with the fir monks before their appointment as guardians and served as the inspiration for the weapons creation. These thorn sorcerers were exiled criminals from Ral Lucaria for their aberrant sorceries were most reviled by the academy because they scaled with faith rather than intelligence. These sorcerers were seen as heretical, wielding a withered sapling that turns the blood of sacrifices pierced by it into glint stone, similar to hex magic. The guilty, their eyes gouged by thorns, lived in eternal darkness. There they discovered the Blood star, however, it would seem this Blood star did little to further their cause and to the present day remain paired to the fire monks.

Flame protect me is the most ancient of the fir monks' incantations and was used during the war against the Giants, during which it protected the champions of the Earth tree. This may suggest the monks knew no incantations before the war. However, it is more likely that this was instead their most well-established incantation that was created well before the war and instead serves as the reason America enlisted them. After all, going turncoat is a recurring theme with this group. This explains their attire and that their ancient incantations were not focused on combat so much as the value of fire beyond destruction, an aspect the fire Giants and the Titans were well versed in.

The ice dragons were surely modern dragons, for ancient dragons did not compete in territorial aggressions, nor did they channel elements other than lightning or fire. Therefore, during this period at the latest, were born the modern Dragons. By Gral, the Elder Dragon, Grail was the mother of all dragons, dwarfing all who stood before her like a looming mountain. Gra stepped down from the pedestal of true immortality and joined the mortal realm. She became a mother and partook in the cycles of life. These dragons lost a pair of wings and their arms conjoined with the remaining pair. They were no longer immortal, vulnerable to earthly corruption, but they were successful beings who spread across the land, and many survived to the present day.

The great tree, soon a superpower like the one that came before, was fated not to last. Whether by misfortune or misdeed, the alliance broke, and though there remains no record of the event, the Earth tree can serve as an illustration of what could have happened. For the great tree could not simply be killed; such a tree transcended normal rules, and similar to the UR tree, likely met its end being burnt. Only one flame could have managed such a feat: the flame of Ruin. However, as the tarnished find out in the present day, even this is not enough. Instead, a second power is required: the power to force something to meet an end it fights against. Destin death. Thus, the power of both the fire Giants and the dragon faction would have been needed. If this was true, then the great tree must have transcended the rules of nature and threatened the balance of the land, for only then does the glow mind Queen get involved. Once again, the philosophy of the god of many faces is clear: for the burning of the great tree did not mark the ruin of the associated societies, but simply a disbanding. In fact, this also illustrates the control and restraint of the fell God and the giant society, further illustrating how the Titan civilization worked. The great tree civilization's crusading Knights were banished, which they accepted honorably, but no societies seem to have been eliminated. This is why so many of the contributing cultures persist to the present day. The superpowers' architecture remains somewhat intact, and beasts, part of the doomed civilization, as well as banished Knights, remained fully welcome in Faram Maula. Only the great tree and likely the god at the head of it all were eliminated, which in turn fractured the Empire. But the destruction of the great tree was not absolute. Instead, perhaps the remnants serve to illustrate the cyclic nature of these burnings. Whether by design or otherwise, there remained life within the base of the tree, and its roots remained. Thus did the great tree begin to revive with new offshoots, each giving promise for a new future, and this new phase of the great tree of unregulated sprouting incorporated all life available to fuel its growth.

So so began the age of The Crucible, the final ancient age that preceded the Urre Empire, during which new leaders and religions would arise, armed with the wisdom learned from the great tree civilization's downfall. The age of The Crucible was chaotic and unregulated, where all life was once blended together. A crucible, defined as a container in which other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures, or as a situation of severe trial or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new, aptly captures the essence of this age. So, it was likely a brief yet pivotal era and served as a crucial juncture after the great tree civilization that brimmed with a myriad of possibilities. The stump of the great tree gave rise to several promising offshoots, a concept nicely depicted in surviving Crucible imagery. Salura tree, for instance, is explicitly modeled on its Crucible. The Crucible tree helm holds the power of the Crucible of life. These multiple overlapping fangs grow from a single root; perhaps they're a vestige of the primordial Crucible, again hinting at the interconnected nature of the age. There are statues that depict the early Crucible too. The new found sprouts of the great tree were evidently venerated, and The Crucible became a focal point of faith, born partially of devolution. It was considered a signifier of the divine in ancient times. Salura tree is imbued with ancient holy essence, emphasizing its sacred nature. After all, the power to enable creatures to manifest aspects of entirely distinct species was a marvel. For instance, humans could develop bony knots, scales, or even feathers. Mis forgotten are the epitome of this phenomenon, with features drawn from a multitude of species to the extent that their true ancestry has been forgotten. Such was the chaos of life in the age of The Crucible, but within that disorder was opportunity ripe for a new faction to emerge, for a fresh religion to sweep across the land, and the Greater Will did not hesitate. The Greater Will sent a golden star bearing a beast into the lands between, which would later become the Elder Ring. Crucially, the Elden Beast wasn't the Elden Ring originally; the fusion occurred at a later point. Even in the present day, the Elden Beast remains a well-kept secret with scant references available. This suggests that the Elden Beast operated discreetly and clandestinely, recruited beings to act as its representatives. Thus did they employ the fingers. Fingers cannot speak, yet they are eloquent, persistently they wriggle, spelling out mysteries in the air. Thus did we gain the words, the words of our faith. This new faith was founded on the teachings of the Two Fingers, for America was yet to join their ranks. Theirs was a language of light, capable of crafting a formless cipher which deals holy damage no shield can repel. Importantly, their power stemmed from the Elden Beast, with their associated incantations serving as weaker echoes of those from the ancient her tree. Instead, their primary role was that of prophets, beings capable of communing directly with the Greater Will itself. In turn, they were able to command the A and respect of the populace as conduits for the divine. The fingers tremble to welcome you. Let their wisdom wash over you. Let the words of the fingers guide you. Crucially, the fingers and their words are distinct from the Greater Will itself, as illustrated by Enia. The fingers would never permit it, nor would the Greater Will. Thus, any information garnered from finger readers is questionable at best. The burgeoning religion swiftly gained traction. Meanwhile, the Elden Beast chose one offshoot of The Crucible, or perhaps grafted a branch on. Nonetheless, this singular sprout was infused with the Elden BEAST's power, a power capable of nurturing a mighty golden tree destined to loom majestically over the land, an area the Elden Beast is highly experienced in. During this period, The Crucible remained red; the red tinge mirrors the primordial matter that became the Earth tree, primordial gold, said to be close in nature to life itself. The Elden Beast specifically cultivated this chosen offshoot at the expense of all others. In the Greater Will's vision, there was room for only one tree, for which there would be but one God.

Meanwhile, a figure named Godfrey, formerly known as Hu, the chieftain of the Brave Warriors of the Bad Lands, was steadily ascending in power during the age of The Crucible. He too recognized the opportunities unfolding and enlisted 16 knights of exceptional skill, forming the renowned Crucible Knights. Among them, two were held in particularly high esteem: Salura and Ovas. The great tree ornamentation is the Knight of Sala's mark, displayed also by her men. The ax ornamentation is the night or Doa's mark. Horu likely emerged as Godfree before assuming the title of Elden Lord. Sash, Lord of Beasts, went to become King Godfrey's Regent. This unique use of the epithet King rather than Elden Lord may imply a potential temporal distinction. Furthermore, Godfrey used the Fortified Mana as his operational base for a time, which must have been after allying with Sarash, since the architecture features lion reliefs that indicate its previous purpose. While there is nothing that explicitly states whether Godfree conquered the Mana, the absence of references to Sash's present-day injuries suggests a possible conflict where these two leaders, as heads of their respective factions, might have engaged in one-on-one combat to minimize casualties and thus need no public explanation. Godfrey, who later exhibited a merciful approach throughout his reign, may have then seen in Sash a worthy opponent. As a result, he enlisted Sash as Beast Regent, forming an alliance with the beasts and showcasing Godfrey's new diplomatic and strategic skills that Horu likely lacked. Whatever the case was, it was under Godfrey's leadership that the Round Table Hold, known as The Gathering Place of Champions, was established. Champion and later tarnished assembled at Godfrey's operational headquarters, sitting at a round table that now features a collection of unique armaments. These weapons are embedded into its surface, serving as a symbolic representation of the retiring of the Round Table's original role. Notably, the most distinctive weapon among them is an axe reminiscent of the theme surrounding Godfrey, not Horu, who fought with only his bare fists. The throne room of the Round Table Hold has been repurposed for the Two Fingers, but the remaining throne is of the same design as the one near Godfrey's statue in Storm Vil, as well as the Elden Lord's Throne under the Earth tree. Thus, the Mana and the Round Table Hold served as a strategic base for Godfrey before his ascent to lordship, providing a gathering place for him and his Knights as equals around the table. Subsequently, the purpose of the Hold underwent a transformation and became a space utilized by the Two Fingers, a changeover that surely coincided with Godfrey's integration into the new Earthree religion. Indeed, the retired weapons on the surface of the Round Table are actually embedded within an Her tree and Crucible sigil, which neatly dates this as the early stage of the Earth tree. Either way, the Urrey allied with Godfrey and subsequently altered the Hold's purpose. Godfrey retired from his role as king, from working as equals with his Knights, and seeded control of the Roundtable Hold to the Two Fingers, and he assumed the mantle of the first Elden Lord.

One of the earliest pieces of misinformation from the Earthree era, by marrying the soon-to-be infamous Amica, Amica stands as a figure of unparalleled influence, significance, and relevance in the history of the lands between right to the present day. And yet, despite her profound impact, she remains an enigma. Even the Urre ages are denoted by the corresponding Elden Lords and leave America's name separate. The Newman are in fact of the same stock as Queen America herself and are said to have come from outside the lands between. Newman are supposed descendants of denizens of another world, long lived but seldom born. It is certainly curious that both statements which describe the New as foreign to the lands between are ambiguous, given that America is later falsely denoted as the one true God. Not to mention the propaganda surrounding the Two Fingers and the Earthree society as a whole. It is clear she was well gifted in the art of deception and controlling the flow of information. Thus, it is both possible and probable that in the process of becoming Queen and later God of the lands between, America actively sought to distance herself from her true origins. Perhaps the information surrounding Newman was part of a calculated narrative she propagated to manipulate public perceptions. Such mastery over information will be a theme throughout America's history. Whether America was brought from distant lands, another world, or perhaps more likely, was already within the capital, the Elden Beast and the Two Fingers recognized her potential as an imperion. Perhaps her value to them extended to her ability to influence Godfree, as she held a power over him that compelled a loyalty so unwavering it persisted through countless hardships and trials to the present day. And Godfrey was central to their plans for two primary reasons: first was his remarkable battle prowess. The age of the Urrey began amongst conflict when Godfrey was Lord of the battlefield, after all. In the beginning, everything was in opposition to the Earth tree. The second reason laying Godfrey's alliance with beasts, which consequently extended to the dragons, the culture with one of two powers capable of undermining the O tree's power. After all, Godfrey clearly has positive relations with them, not just shown by the Lord of Beasts becoming his Regent, but also in the bespoke weapons crafted for him and the golden lineage. These weapons were clearly crafted using the same techniques of the beastmen and served to honor their union. Thus was America chosen to join the emerging Urry to be faction, her own eye in all likelihood was engraved with an Elden Rune. Solemn duty weighs upon the one beholden, not unlike a gnawing curse from which there is no deliverance.

An important question arises now: did Radigan exist at this point? Was his eye also engraved during this period? His Elden Rune is prominently depicted in his statues, suggesting it was crucial for his role. In the present day, this power manifests as roots blocking the path within the Earth tree, but his Rune symbolism does seem reminiscent of a trellis, a structure that would have been of profound importance for those endeavoring to cultivate the Urry offshoot during the chaos of The Crucible. Perhaps Radigan was initially enlisted during this early Ur Tre era for the power of His Elden Rune. It cannot be certain, however, whether Ragon was always a part of America, only that in the present day, Ragan is America. Indeed, Amica saying to Ragan: "Th art yet to become me" definitely suggests they were not always one and the same. Furthermore, their motivations seem to have been totally distinct and independent. Rigan was central to the establishment of the Golden Order, and yet America chose to search the depths of the Golden Order. Radigan had little to no knowledge of incantations and only as the husband of Queen Mar did he study them. Mar shattered the Elden Ring, and Rigan attempted to repair it. Only one can manifest at a time. When meeting the tarnished, Rigan's fixation to aspire to be complete could imply he's only a part of America and seeks complete autonomy, but this conflicts with the intention to fuse with America in later years. However, if he sought higher status when he was first recruited and was denied due to lacking qualities deemed fitting, this might explain his fixation. After all, he clearly honed his his fighting techniques through the years to later become a champion whose qualities are accentuated by his soreal figure: endurance, strength, and dexterity. Next, he sought to master sorceries and incantations, and thus the mind. The only stat seemingly untouched was Arcane. It seems most likely that Marica and Radigan were not always the same entity, but at the very least, their goals and characters are distinct and independent from each other. Therefore, going forward, they will be treated as separate entities, and Rigan's public debut would not be for many years.

Godfrey was made Marica's Elden Lord, and when he vowed to become a lord, he took the Beast Regent Sash upon his back to suppress the ceaseless lust for battle that raged within. This happened before the war against the fire Giants, where America called him: "My Lord Godfree." America was given Malth, a shadow-bound beast, by the dragon faction, but she had little use for him at this time. Perhaps he took part in the Urry battles over the years, or he could have continued in his role as a beast clergyman during this time. Was Marica elevated to the status of godhood, made to be one more god among many, or would that take place many years later upon the creation of the Golden Order? Either way, her Ascension, when and in indeed where it took place, has been hidden from view.

In the present day, the timeline of the next few events is difficult to place, particularly due to the mystery surrounding the UR tre's physicality. In the present day, there are those who question whether it can be seen at all. Do you see the Earth tree? Toing H, surely you see it too. The gold that ouds the heavens, the great tree which begets the pillars of light. Indeed, at times, from certain angles, the Earth tree does appear to be translucent, though these horses are somewhat circumstantial. There are crumbs elsewhere that may be related. The snake is viewed as a traitor to the Earth tree. The audience delighted in seeing these bronze effigies beaten and battered. The disdain for snakes seems much more intense than for say, the black flame monks, who are also called traitors for abandoning their posts as guardians of the flame of Ruin. The snakes must therefore have done something far worse. The term traitor implies the snakes were once aligned with the ER tree faction. Thus, considering the cultural ties between Faram Maula and Gmer, this betrayal likely occurred after Godfrey was made Elden Lord, though the history of the snake betrayal has been lost to time.

The Volcano Mana in the present day has in fact revived what came before, for Reichard began on his blasphemous path after discovering the ancient hexes of Galet. The arrogance of attempting to harness the volcano is solely that of men and serpents. This path has led to rusans, those who would kill their own in the pursuit of power, with the ultimate aim of overthrowing the Gods and burning the Earth tree. There are even pain paintings that depict such an event, but what if these paintings are not prophetic but historic, and the Earth tree was once burnt? They yet remain in the area flags of the tree that preceded the Earth tree, which implies the snakes are loyal not to the her tree, but to that which came before, fully converted by the Crusades of the banished night. Perhaps they saw the her tree as an impostor, for it is clearly the her tree in the paintings burning. The Earth tree would certainly constitute a traitorous act, one that would far surpass that of the fire monks. The environment within Leandel itself adds to this, in particular, the significant portion buried in ash in the present day. The burning of the her tree is the first cardinal sin. The prophet despaired looking up at the her tree, for soon the kindling would burst into flame, bringing ruin. Such a prophecy is unlikely to be a reference to the role of the tarnished in the present day, as the world has already descended into ruin. The use of soon confirms this, since many years have passed to the present day. Instead, it suggests the burning of the UR Trey was deemed the first cardinal sin because it represented a pivotal and early obstacle for the Earth tree society. The final clue to the burning of the Earth tree is from its first age, the age of Plenty, a time the icon Shield looks back fondly upon. This era was characterized by abundant resources and tangible blessings for its followers. The grace of gold blessed those who were first to serve it with the most vivid coloration. The Earth tree was once as warm as the gentle sun and would gradually heal all who bathed in its rays. Melan's unique incantation uses the sigil of this era and forms a life-giving tree of light. When the age of the Earth tree, such blessings were personally bestowed upon their recipients by Queen Amica herself. This pose for Amica may in fact indicate her origins, for it seems highly evocative of the ferary statues seen during the previous era. But where those celebrated death, America celebrated life and granted blessings. The UR tree sought not to continue the cycle of life and death, but to renew life through its power into a cycle of rebirth and renewal. But this age of Plenty, marked by its abundance, is commonly juxtaposed with the rapid decline of these blessings, transforming the Earth tree into more of a symbolic role for its followers. The Earth tree once flourished with abundance, yet it was only for a fleeting moment. Such is the course of all life. It was once thought that the blessed sap of the Earth tree would drip from its bowels forever, but that age of Plenty swiftly came to a close. If if the Erry was indeed burnt, it would provide a fitting explanation for the abrupt shift in its role. The spirit of the Er tree still very real and physical in various aspects, just like many spirits in the lands between, manifested in place of the original, and with time, the Earth tree became more an object of faith, for building faith inherently takes time. In the end, there can be no certainty. The Ashen Landel could be explained by the burning of the tree that formed The Crucible, and such ancient details have been obscured through time. But if the Earth tree was burned, surely it must have occurred before the war against the fire Giants and the ceiling of the flame of Ruin, unless there is some other means not presently known that can burn world trees. Thus, since the war took place at the birth of the Earth tree, the age of Plenty really was brief, a fleeting moment of serenity and perhaps happiness before an age of War began. However, the line between Crucible and Dir tree is unclear and instead represents a scale that gradually shifted over time, from the red tinge, the primordial matter of the Earth tree, to the gold it is well known for today. This shift is illustrated beautifully by the aspects of The Crucible, which are in fact ancient Her tree incantations, for the Earth was originally just an aspect of the primordial Crucible where all life was once blended together. Thus, the birth of the Erry is a rather flexible term that likely describes the public debut of the Errey faction rather than the literal beginning of the 's life, whose circumstance has been wiped from history.

The precise extent to which the Urry culture was established before the war against the Giants remains unclear, but much of the framework was already present. Key figures such as their Queen and Elden Lord, as well as The Crucible Knights and the Two Fingers, were already part of this nascent society. Additionally, there were Guardians of the Earthree in accordance with an ancient pact with the ER tree. It is said that their deaths led not to destruction, but instead to renewed eternal life as Guardians, an offer which once destined death was sealed and the UR Trey renewed all life would have little meaning. This ancient pact held significance because the era traditionally welcomed death, while in the present day, these Guardians also surround minor Earth trees. In the initial stages, they likely defended only the Earth tree itself and have continued in their role ever since. Importantly, the dragons and the Glow Mind Queen were still present during this period. The defeat of the Glow Mind Queen marked the beginning of the Golden Order, a development that was still many years away and will be discussed in due course. Furthermore, the power of the black flame, destined death, must surely have been present after the war against the Giants to tempt the fir monks into becoming traitors and to give meaning to the ancient packs of the Earthree Guardians. It's probable that the art of perfuming arose near the beginning of the Earthree, as must have Miranda flowers. Throughout history, perfumers have prized this Miranda pollen, for as will become evident, the delineation between history and prehistory seems to be dictated by Amica and the Earthree empire.

In the beginning, everything was in opposition to the Earth tree. Through Godfrey, an alliance was achieved to both the beasts and dragons, but the snakes had made their position clear: traitors who at the very least intended to burn the Earth tree. Indeed, even the birth of the Earth tree met with turmoil, though it has since been obscured. Faced with this threat, or worse, Lendelle transitioned from its typically defensive design and sought to remove the Earth tre's greatest threat. The Giant's flame is the flame of Ruin, capable of burning the Earth Tree. In ancient times, the Giants were mortal enemies of the Earth tree; their bellowing roars desolated nature, triggered avalanches, and whipped up storms of flame. The first Elden Lord, Godfrey, led the war against the Giants, showcasing his charisma as a commander. Among his ranks were ancient champions of the Earth tree who likely made use of the Ash of War: Vow of the Indomitable, to imbue with golden power, granting momentary invincibility. Then there were his faithful Crucible Knights, but there were also some new factions that were recruited along the way. There were the Knights of Zamore, who earned great renown during the war. The faction of Zamore were easy to recruit, since these long-lived warriors are said to have been the mortal enemies of the fire Giants since time immemorial. Then there were the fire monks, along with their recent associates, the Thorn Sorcerers. How the monks were convinced to change sides is unclear, though their later weakness for the black flame hints at their impressionable natures. While it's possible that they learned to fear the flame following the war, they might have already harbored an apprehension of the fire Giants even when aligned to them. This incantation does not burn the caster, and so it is considered forbidden by the Guardians of the Flame. Nonetheless, their fire was ironically indispensable for the war, during which it protected the champions of the Earth tree. Finally, there were trolls. As Giants were to Titans, trolls were to Giants, their smaller kin. Trolls are descended from the Giants. Once again, Amica and Godfrey must have been persuasive to convince the trolls to betray their kind, but this event was not sudden; it was premeditated and well planned. To support the trolls in their allegiance, bespoke swords were made and given to the Giants who fought for the Earth tree. Additionally, a unique and permanent transformation was bestowed upon each troll: their stomachs, their connections to the Fell God, were removed and replaced with a unique stone featuring a cross pattern, most likely to ensure this change was permanent. The trolls were highly effective warriors during the war and have continued to serve the Empire to the present day. In particular, the name of the ancient troll warrior, Theodoric, lives on as a hero of the war against the Giants. While there may have been other individuals or groups involved, such as perfumers or Radigan, there is no available evidence to support the presence of other factions. Thus, it is likely the astrologers left the mountaintops when the fighting started, if they hadn't already done so.

The war against the Giants was a brutal conflict. The Urry faction carved winding paths in the cliff walls right up to the summit, leading to the untrodden, snow-laden region beyond. This suggests the grand lifts were not yet established, which will be discussed in due course, and marks the ascent as but the

First major trial, the length and intensity of the war, as suggested by the construction of key buildings such as the Guardian's Garrison, the Church of Repose, and the First Church of America. Whether these were built during the war or afterwards, the allocation of resources to such buildings in a region that would soon become forbidden speaks to the scale of the bloodshed.

In America's own words: "Hark, brave warriors! Hark, my Lord Godfrey! We commend your deeds. Guidance hath delivered ye through each ordeal to the place ye stand. Put the Giants to the sword, confine the flame atop the Mount. The war against the Giants, Champions, battle trolls, betray fire vanquished. The era of the Erdtree [Music] begins."

The Fire Giants borrow power from the power of a fell God, and still they were defeated. This statement suggests that the Giants did indeed employ the destructive power of their flame during the war, deviating from their passive philosophy. Faced with the imminent threat of extinction and having nowhere to retreat, the Giants tried everything, but soon realized all was lost. Judging by the repeated passive, frozen pose of their court, it seems they willingly surrendered in recognition of the overwhelming power of Godfrey and his diverse army.

America, though her intentions were better masked as time went on, then showed her true colors. Godfrey would likely have given them mercy, but Marica was ruthless. She had no interest in mercy and instead sought only to minimize the risk to the Erdtree. The surrendering Giants were rewarded not with peace; instead, they faced a mass execution. America saw them as trifling, as unimportant, and trivial, despite their previous threat to her Erdtree. Each Giant met their end with what seems to be the formidable power of Thorn sorcery, presumably drawn from the Thorn Sorcerers, whose camps also feature the same phenomenon. Power of a much larger scale than the Thorn sorcery seen in the present, and their corpses were simply left unceremoniously frozen in time.

Upon realizing the flames of their forge would never die, Queen Marica marked the last surviving Giant with a curse: "Oh, trifling Giant, mayest thou tend thy flame for eternity." Amica was skilled in the art of curses, able to afflict even this powerful being that yet harbored the fell God within. And America was a master of misinformation. Trixim Shield, depicting a malformed, one-eyed god. This evil deity is believed to have been slain by Queen Amica, a perfect illustration of the types of misdirection Amica continually employed in shaping historical narratives to serve her agenda.

Following the war against the Giants, the Giants' flames, ruinous blaze, was sealed, and Guardians were appointed to watch over it. The Fire Priest Prelates were likely established at this time as commanders of the Fire Monks. The weighty frames of the Prelates symbolized the owness of their grave vows as Guardians of the flame. America presumably instructed them to "etch this sight upon thine breast of my thunderous gravity," using the threatening tone she often employed.

The mountaintops likely dropped in temperature once the power of the Fire Giants was sealed away, and it might have been then that the river froze downstream. The consecrated snow fields show signs of a once flourishing region, evident in the settlements and groups of trees bisected by, at one point, fresh running water. So too were numerous trees once scattered across the mountaintops, now reduced to spirits.

So began the Age of the Erdtree. Whether now or earlier, the period of Erdtree bounty was brief, dissolving over time into an object of faith. The war against the Giants was just the beginning, for the ensuing age was not marked by the abundance of the Erdtree but by the blood righteously spilled in its name during the Crusades of Godfrey, Lord of the Battlefield.

The Age of Godfrey was an age of war, during which the Elden Lord led a Golden Crusade, conquering and expanding the Empire of the Erdtree. This was primarily against fellow men. After the Giants were quelled, man turned against man in violence. Godfrey fought not for himself but for Queen America. Consequently, statues of America, rather than Godfrey, can be found throughout the land. Only in unique locations are there depictions of Godfrey. The statues of America are usually found in churches, each with specific names that give an indication of their purpose and the likely time they were built.

Of particular interest are those named the Churches of America. These churches were specifically constructed to commemorate the expansion and conquest of America's Empire, as illustrated by the First Church of America. Here, America herself issued instructions to her brave warriors, as well as to Godfrey, urging them to "put the Giants to the sword." In this way, these churches and statues serve as significant landmarks, not only preserving the memory of Godfrey's conquests geographically but also chronologically.

There are a total of four Churches of America. Together, they illustrate the path taken by Godfrey during his Crusade. The First Church of America is located in the Mountaintops of the Giant. The second Church lies in the west of the Altus Plateau. The third Church stands on the border between Limgrave and Caelid, while the fourth Church can be found in the west of the Weeping Peninsula. Thus did Godfrey sweep across the lands between from north to south. Indeed, the second Church may indicate that the traitorous snakes were targeted straight after the Giants. Whatever the case was, the snake faction was overthrown, and snakes became a rare sight in the Lands Between. Most in the present day are found hiding as snails, but they yet retain their knowledge of the previous era and their connection to the dragons.

Godfrey's prowess was truly unparalleled. In the days of the past, a crown was warranted with strength. Throughout his entire campaign, he remained undefeated, all the while having his bloodlust suppressed by St. Sasha. Furthermore, Godfrey fought with honor and showed mercy during his reign. He accepted surrender, incorporating conquered adversaries into his ranks, a fact underscored by the diverse backgrounds of the Tarnished. When Godfrey, first Elden Lord, was robbed of his grace, he took with him his kinfolk, the Tarnished. From Draconians to Northerners, aristocrats to Red-Landers, all were welcome. After all, Tarnished were all warriors. Once, Godfrey respected his foes and sought to avoid bloodshed whenever possible, as he likely did previously with St. Sasha. Indeed, the Siege of Castle Mourne, near the end of his Crusade, depicts this clearly. A lone hero fights for his vengeance, only to fall at the hand of Lord Godfrey. But this warrior was given a choice, a story told by the Grafted Blade Greatsword, once wielded by a hero hungry for vengeance. An avenger's weapon, it is burdened with oceans of anger and regret. A lone surviving champion was so determined to continue fighting that he claimed the swords of an entire clan of warriors. This proud warrior refused to yield to Godfrey, and thus his country's legacy is now vanished. Such a story was surely not uncommon, and the memory of many cultures was erased during the Golden Crusades.

But warfare was not all that marked this era. While the Crusades wrought destruction across the realm, in its wake, the Erdtree Empire expanded and flourished. Roads were built throughout the Lands Between to facilitate the transfer of goods and travel, or so it seems at first. However, a closer inspection reveals a remarkable detail on these ruined roads. On each and every panel of these paths, found in almost every region of the Lands Between, is an Elden Ring motif. This Elden Ring is unique, distinct from both Marika's and the dragons'. It features four rings symmetrically arranged, a positioning that features in the middle of the dragon's iteration. However, the dragon's Elden Ring has far more rings and a number of spirals. In contrast, Marika's design features the same number of rings and very similar patterning on the sigil; only the position of one ring is different. So, could these roads' markings have therefore been an early iteration of Marika's Elden Ring, the initial form that was then adapted over time? Considering the earliest Erdtree incantations exhibit the Erdtree Crucible sigil, which features Marika's current Elden Ring, it is unlikely that the outdated design would continue to be used as the road was extended during Godfrey's reign.

Furthermore, there are two designs for the roads. The majority consist of a single lane with square tiling. However, the road between Leyndell and Raya Lucaria showcases a different design, which features two lanes bisected by a gutter, and the tire lane is arranged diagonally. Additionally, there are circular features which are integrated into the design, indicating they were not later additions. If these roads were constructed during Godfrey's reign, why would the path to Raya Lucaria be deemed the most crucial? These aged roads stretch across the entire expanse of the Lands Between, originating from Leyndell, they wind down through Liurnia, traverse Limgrave, and extend into Caelid. They are found heading towards Mountaintops of the Giants within the Shaded Castle and by the Apostate Church in the wintry North. But perhaps the most significant in establishing their origins is their presence on both the Grand Lift of Dectus and the Grand Lift of Rold.

A curious detail, as there appears to be conflicting information surrounding the lifts. As previously established, the Grand Lift of Rold was not operational during the war against the Giants. The Rold Medallion reinforces this, portraying two Fire Giants impaled by briers of sin, placing it after the executions at the war's conclusion. This implies that their construction occurred later, during Godfrey's reign. However, there is more than just the symmetric Elden Ring path that contradicts this timeline, for carved into the wall behind both lifts is a depiction of the World Tree's form that preceded the Crucible. Taking a step back, the grandeur flanking the path that leads up to the lift instead features the later Erdtree depictions, including right above the entrance. And then there are also statues with an Erdtree design that were added at a later period, evident from the contrast in color compared to the previous constructions. So, it becomes clear these prestigious landmarks have been changed and adapted over time, and their origins were once far more modest than seen in the present day and consisted only of the paths and the structures within the cliff sides.

The Elden Ring paths date to the age before the Crucible, constructed likely as part of the Banished Knights' Empire. This Empire had positive relations between Leyndell and the Academy via the Nox, and its reach extended across the entirety of the Lands Between, from the Consecrated Snowfields to Caelid, as is further illustrated by the catacombs. In this realization, a theme of Marika comes into focus: the Erdtree Catacombs were not originally for Erdtree burial; the Hero's Graves were built before her civilization. The Divine Towers were not made for the Two Fingers; the roads of the land predate the Erdtree Empire; the Fortified Manor was repurposed; the Grand Lifts, the Divine Bridges, Stormveil Castle, Leyndell, and even the Elden Ring—all was just adapted. America did not create; she did not develop or discover or invent; she simply repurposed previous creations as her own after slightly editing them. She occluded history, controlled the spread of information, and rewrote it all under the Erdtree banner.

America was certainly a curious choice next to the Gloam-Eyed Queen, the former centered on the creation of life, where the latter delivered life's death. And yet, it was the latter that generated culture, diversity, development, and ultimately the cycles of life. America only halted life's progress and stalled the development of the age. Her actions generated true stagnation. Even rot, purported to be stagnation, is in fact the cycle of decay and rebirth, overly energetic life with a high rate of turnover. It is even possible that America took action against any Imperian to prevent a new God to forge a new order in the age of the Elden Ring and Queen Marica. The precious Imperian was born, a new God to forge a new order. The phrasing G uses implies that the ages before America were different, and Imperians were more abundant. Indeed, in recent history, there is no evidence of Godskin activity, but there must have been a time where they amassed such volumes of skin. Could Marica, during her rule, have eliminated Imperians as soon as they were born, before knowledge of them arose? Thus, the only Imperians that survived her reign were those she could not silence, whose lineage rendered them untouchable.

Nonetheless, there were plenty of cultural developments during the Age of Godfrey, even if they were not entirely original. The Erdtree Old Sap was treasured as the most precious of jewels in the Age of Godfrey. Perhaps the Physic Alchemist Priests of the Erdtree date this far back, whose creation harnesses the power of Crystal Tears, which only form after the passage of many moons. Ritual combat was organized in the Coliseums that can still be found in every land; again, these structures were simply repurposed, built during the previous age. Talismans were created in the image of the Crucible Knights, who presumably partook in the festivities held to honor the Erdtree. The combat reenacted in the arenas presumably depicted the defeat of the Snakes, where Crucible Knights would defeat the Serpent Gladiators. The audience delighted in seeing these bronze effigies beaten and battered. The Roundtable Hold continued to be a gathering place of Champions and, like the Coliseums, encouraged the strong to rise up and join the army's ranks. The Two Fingers were vital throughout this time and took a far more active role than seen in the present day. Champions would gather at the Roundtable Hold in days past when the Two Fingers were masters of divination. Their flesh yet full of vigor, Banished Knights were also recruited and rewarded with golden blessings on their equipment. The Tree Sentinels were established at the beginning of the age, if not before. Very few are permitted to wear a golden wood crest of such size as seen on this helm, imposingly sturdy and nigh unbreakable. The grace of old yet lingers, blessed by an old incantation of protection. The living ramparts of the Erdtree, the Tree Sentinels are the standard to which all defenders of the Erdtree aspire. Enormous statues in their likeness were then crafted and added to the Grand Lifts and at the entrance of Leyndell as symbols of the Erdtree Empire, though their creation postdates the initial Erdtree structures. Subsequently, a structured hierarchy of Knights emerged. Armor worn by Knights sworn to defend the Royal Capital of Leyndell, its left breast is emblazoned with a symbol of the Erdtree worship, said to have once been imbued with an incantation of protection. The golden canopy represents the honor of standing among the Erdtree's defenders in times of old, when faith and battle went hand in hand. The Erdtree Greatbow was created in tandem with the Golden Great Arrow. Perhaps this period also marked the development of the Golden Vow incantation, taught to Knights of the Royal Capital for generations, and Knights sent on distant expeditions lean on it as a source of courage. Naturally, most Erdtree-related developments centered on combat, but compared to the present day, the Erdtree civilization was in fact much more open-minded. For example, this was likely when Demi-humans were welcomed into Erdtree society. Under the Erdtree, co-mingling with the Demi-humans is made possible; even the vulgar shall not be left behind under the rule of true order. However, as Kenneth discovers, this inclusivity is no longer the case in the present day. A discrepancy that serves to highlight a critical aspect of the Age of Godfrey: the expanding Erdtree Empire did not adhere to the Golden Order as it is known today, which focuses on Marica as the one true God, and instead centralized on the World Tree itself. And the evidence for this is multifold: everything during this age paid homage to the Erdtree, not to the Golden Order. The seal and sigil of this era revolved around the binding of the Elden Ring within the Erdtree, and it was this Erdtree crest that was once the focus of religion in the Lands Between. The use of "once" implies that this is no longer the case, as later on, the Golden Order would redirect the focus of the Erdtree religion towards Marica. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that Marica is the one true God. The Greatbow specifically showcases Erdtree styling. The Knights of the Capital proudly identified as Defenders of the Erdtree and were adorned with its image. Illusions to this era and its prevailing order consistently emphasize the Erdtree, as seen in phrases like "during the Age of the Erdtree." Myriah goes further, explicitly labeling the order as "the Order of the Erdtree." Radagon once cleansed himself with Celestial Dew, repented his territorial aggressions, and swore his love to Rennala. The Order of the Erdtree and the fate of the Moon were conjoined. In stark contrast, mentions of the Golden Order, which are noticeably less frequent, unmistakably shift away from the veneration of the Erdtree and instead concentrate on the concept of order itself. The ceremonial observation of order completely omits the tree from the previous design. The Golden Order's emblem also discards one of the most fundamental motifs in the Lands Between: the spiral, the symbol of the cycles of life, a revered concept found throughout the ages of the realm. The spirals of life continued until Marica sealed the Rune of Death, suddenly halting life cycles. And famously, the Golden Order was created by confining Death. Consequently, the once prominent spiral motif, even found throughout Erdtree order designs, was expunged after the establishment of the Golden Order. Furthermore, all elements directly associated with the Golden Order can be traced back to, at the earliest, the Age of Radagon. The foundational principles of causality and regression have clear origins and themes in Radagon, who is consistently portrayed in the iconic Golden Order totality pose, an amalgamation of both the inner and outer order poses. Then there are the Rings of Light, which relate to either Radahn or his son, Mika. Immutable Shield depicts the Brass Shield, which was commonly employed in the chattering of the rest of the Golden Order incantation. Focus on hunting those who live in death, who arose after the Knight of Black Knives. The Golden Order Greatsword was crafted once Radagon was already King Consort. The tenets of the Golden Order also sharply deviate from Marica's, aligning instead with the ethos of Radagon himself. Fundamentalism is scholarship in all but name; using both intelligence and faith, Radagon studied sorcery, and he studied incantation. Thus did the hero aspire to be complete. In contrast, Marica later says, "I declare mine intent to search the depths of the Golden Order through understanding of the proper way our faith, our Grace is increased." This illustrates a lack of understanding and suggests that the era preceding the Golden Order, preceding Radagon, was characterized solely by faith. The era of the Erdtree Order, whose associated incantations scale with faith alone. So, the Golden Order, as seen in later years, distilled with fundamentalism, was yet to emerge. And going forward, the order at this stage will be termed the Erdtree Order for ease of clarity.

So, the spirals of life persisted during Godfrey's Age, which gave significance to the endless warring of the era, to the ancient pact of the Erdtree Guardians, and establishes a chronological context that accounts for the integration of Demi-humans into Erdtree society. Crucially, the Gloam-Eyed Queen and the Dragons remained allied with the Erdtree through the beasts and maintained their presence throughout Godfrey's reign, something that wouldn't be possible once the Golden Order was established and the Rune of Death sealed. After all, "Grave's" former title, "Death of the Demigods," couldn't have been earned before the beginning of the Erdtree Age, considering the first Demigods were the Elden Lord Godfrey and his offspring. Instead, this title gained relevance much later, once numerous Demigods had emerged amidst the turbulent times of war.

Godfrey managed to produce a family line known as the Golden Lineage. Among his progeny were Godwyn the Golden, presumably Mohg and Morgott, twin brothers, Godrick the Golden, and Godfroy the Grafted, who might also have been Godrick's twin. Godwyn is surprisingly absent in history, surfacing only during the war against the Dragons and later as a victim of the Night of the Black Knives. However, his deeds during the former conflict paint him as an honorable and formidable warrior. Morgott and Mohg, however, were born into misery, labeled as the accursed people called the Omen, bearing echoes of the chaos of the Age of the Crucible. They were likely dubbed Omens for embodying the imperfections of the desired order and the groundwork of the Erdtree. Their accursed blood was of shifting hue. Omen babies had all their horns excised, causing most to perish. Mohg and Morgott, however, held royal status. Omen babies born of royalty do not have their horns excised but instead are kept underground, round, unbeknownst to anyone, imprisoned for eternity. However, they still tainted the Golden Lineage, causing them to be kept under strictest confinement beneath Leyndell, never to see the light of day. "Please don't hate me or curse me, please." The number of Omens in the Shunning Grounds today emphasizes how many of the royal lines have been plagued by Omens through the years and, in turn, the lack of stability of the order. The Demigods are each and all the direct offspring of Queen Marica. Godfrey, the Gloam-Eyed Queen, was but a distant relation, the run of the litter, his divine blood sorely diluted. On first hearing this, it seems Godrick is a distant descendant of Godfrey, born many years later. However, both Godrick and Godfroy, in their later years, underwent the extreme process of grafting, a procedure that literally diluted their divine blood, weakening their direct relation. Furthermore, Godrick is a Shardbearer, wields a bespoke axe emblazoned with the figure of a beast, and was esteemed enough to have participated in Leyndell's meetings. Morgott even addresses him respectfully as "Godrick the Golden." Similarly, Godfroy possesses the Godfroy Icon, a legendary talisman depicting the Elden Lord. Together, these details suggest that they were not merely distant descendants of Godfrey that arose many generations later but direct offspring who sullied their blood and family name over time. There is little information about their early years, likely a sign of their cowardice, which became more apparent as time went on.

Indeed, while the Golden Crusades wrought war and havoc across the Lands Between, life within the capital likely unfolded as if in an age of peace. The power of the Erdtree resulted in the birth of numerous scions of great families, but the burgeoning population of nobility became accustomed to a life of excessive luxury. These shields were at times seen as the hallmark of little lordlings who were too timid to earn a few nicks and scratches. And yet, even in times of peace, an Erdtree steel dagger was carried by the Erdtree royalty for self-defense, illustrating the tone of Leyndell society.

Beyond the Erdtree faction, various other civilizations underwent significant developments during the Age of the Erdtree. Beware the Fire Monk chariots bearing the faces of Giants. Clearly, the Fire Monks were skilled craftsmen and were likely employed to actively spread fear of the Fire Giants in the population. Over time, however, the Fire Monks softened in their role as Guardians. "Fire beguiles those who gaze into it," and so the Guardians of the flame are also its worshippers. The Monks put in place reminders to distance themselves from fire. This incantation leaves the caster with subtle burns, a reminder that they must fear the flame. But even this proved insufficient. It is said the Cauldron perched atop the head was originally filled with embers and would surge into flames when the wearer's faith reached its zenith. The fire of this cauldron has since died out, however. So, the most hallowed Monk Prelate of the Giant's Flame, Barak, severed his own head as a lesson to the others, intending it to be used as a candle stand. His faith yet smolders from within the cranial vessel. And still, not all were strong enough to resist the allure of fire. The Black Flame Monks, enthralled by the God-slaying Black Flame, became traitors, abandoning their posts as Guardians. The seduction of a taboo is never easily spurned, after all. The power of the Black Flame, the Rune of Death, was not yet sealed away.

It would be some time, however, before the Prelates themselves faltered. In turn, Banished Knights evolved into the role of wandering mercenaries and found work throughout the realm, as illustrated later by Engvall and O. These Knights operated independently and displayed no specific allegiance to their former comrades. Deathbirds persisted across the land, yet their vulnerability to Holy power likely compelled them to lurk in the shadows.

As time went on, various meteorites likely struck the Lands Between over the age, and meteoric beings continued to rise throughout the realm. Then, over in Liurnia, a young Carian astrologer gazed at the night sky as she walked. She had always chased the stars; every step of her journey. Then she met the Full Moon, and in time, the astrologer became a queen. Ranni and the Academy were initially separate entities, but in her youth, Ranni was a prominent champion who charmed the Academy with her lunar magic, becoming its master. Ranni's connection to the Full Moon bestowed upon her extraordinary power, enabling her to achieve remarkable feats. Queen Ranni encountered this enchanting moon when she was young, and later it would bewitch the Academy. She also led the Glintstone Knights and established the House of Caria as royalty. The alliance between Caria and the Academy solidified at the latest during the early Age of Godfrey. A new, mighty faction, unified by Queen Ranni's leadership and allied to the Nox, was poised for greatness, or so it [Music] seemed.

In the beginning, everything was in opposition to the Erdtree, but through countless victories in war, it became the embodiment of order. The Age of Godfrey was an age of endless warfare, but while the Erdtree Crusade swept across the entirety of the Lands Between, only a handful of wars managed to leave a lasting imprint on the annals of history. Most battles, along with the cultures they vanquished, inevitably faded from memory, eroded by the passage of time. And only pivotal wars for the realm were actively recorded and memorialized.

The earliest such conflict is commemorated at the Bellum Church, which was aptly named after the Latin word for war. The church celebrates the First Liurnian War, which marked the public debut of Radagon as a champion. His glory burnt as red as his hair as he joined the hero's ranks. There are precious few details about the conflict, but the depiction is clearly of triumph, not just for the newly acclaimed champion but for the Golden Army as a whole. And yet, despite the war's apparent historical significance, there is no mention of the opposing faction that was fought. Perhaps the war itself was unremarkable and instead simply served as the stage to introduce the man who, many years later, would rise to the title of Second Elden Lord.

Perhaps the First and Second Liurnian Wars were two parts of the same conflict against Raya Lucaria and the Carians. Indeed, the champions of the Erdtree did utilize Barrier of Gold for magical defense in both wars. But this raises too many questions: Why did the first war conclude without complete victory over the magical factions? How could the Carians have been a match for even the champions of gold in battle during the second war if they had suffered defeat in the first? Moreover, how would Radagon have attained such glory in the first war against the Carians and the Academy and yet managed to court Rennala, their leader, in the second? Instead, the omission of the enemy can be seen as a crucial clue to their identity. For what other faction also used magic whose defeat served as a pivotal milestone for the Erdtree faction, warranting a monument, and that the Greater Will and Marica would have wanted to omit from the annals of history? Why, none other than the Nox.

The Nox were once a wide-reaching and powerful faction of the Lands Between, from the far North to the deep South, from the surface to deep within the land. The Nox presented a very real threat to the Golden Armies and their ambitions of unification. And more than most, they had a personal motive to see the Erdtree as their righteous enemy. All were once in opposition to the Erdtree, but the Nox were likely the inhabitants of Leyndell before the monotheistic faction took root, with strong ties to the previous Great Tree civilization. As such, the Nox may have been the first to be supplanted from one of their homes, only for it to subsequently be labeled as the Erdtree Capital. However, though they are skilled in combat, they could never have beaten the Golden Armies and their Lord of the Battlefield head-on. Their expertise centered less on hand-to-hand combat and instead on tactical, even secretive [Music] methods. One need only look at their guards, their various Night Sorceries, even their puppet creations. Even to this day, they use their magic to hold dominion over their mounts. The purple hue fades from the ant's eyes as they become hostile to their rider. So, the Nox relied on their intelligence and bided their time. After losing Leyndell by retreating to work in the shadows, they had many other locales across the Lands Between: the Eternal Cities, Sellia, Ordina, and Nokstella. For though their own dwellings have long been destroyed, there remains plenty of evidence of their station within the neighboring societies that did endure: in Liurnia and the Academy. Their cultural ties are multifold: the focus on moons and stars, the Forbelfree connecting to Nokron, the Carian path to Nox Stella, the similarity between the Carian and Night Sorcery sigils, puppet techniques, the use of mirror [Music] helms, the architecture of the Church of Vows and Mana Cells, and throughout the Lakes, the use of Celestial Dew, intoxicating [Music] drafts, and the themes of [Music] silver and artificial life. There can be no doubt that just as Sellia sits near Nokron and Lower Leyndell sits near the Nameless Eternal City, so too was there a settlement on the surface near Nokstella in Liurnia.

The Nox used their time wisely and developed not one but two implements to counter their long-standing foe: one, the Mirror Helm, which wards off the intervention of the Greater Will and its Vile Fingers; and two, famously, the Finger Slayer Blade, which is said to be able to harm the Greater Will and its vassals. In doing so, the Nox invoked the eye of the Greater Will, inexorably calling the Golden Armies to their doorstep. For all their planning and intelligence, the Nox were defeated and only managed to survive by retreating to their inaccessible subterranean cities, locations beyond the purview of the Erdtree. While it is said that they were banished deep underground, the Greater Will has in no other instance been so forgiving to the conquered as to only banish them. The treatment of the Giants is a testament to the Will's ruthlessness. Instead, it is more likely that the Nox successfully fled, and in time, the Greater Will erased their memory and the memory of the Finger Slayer Blade from the surface.

But given how skilled the Nox were in the art of secrecy, how did the Erdtree society learn about their blasphemous intentions in the first place? Furthermore, where was Godfrey, the Golden Army's leader, during all this fighting? And why do some Nox settlements exist on the surface to this day if those in Liurnia have been so thoroughly destroyed? As previously outlined, Godfrey's Crusade can be mapped chronologically by the Churches of America found throughout the Lands Between. In order, these are found in the Mountaintops, the Altus Plateau, on the border between Limgrave and Caelid, and finally in the Weeping Peninsula. The path depicted by the churches suggests that Godfrey's journey took him through the Liurnia region, situated between the second and third Church. However, this again raises the pertinent question: why is there no evidence of his involvement in the Liurnian Wars? If he had been present, it would surely have been Godfrey, not Radagon, earning glory and meeting Rennala in battle. He couldn't have moved through the region before Liurnia was conquered, nor would he have waited while his armies for to travel past. Later, instead, these churches stand as compelling evidence that the geographical landscape during Godfrey's time differed significantly from the present day and, in fact, point to a very different journey for Godfrey's campaign.

The geography of the Lands Between has undergone significant transformations throughout history, primarily influenced by the power of stars and meteorites, to which the ancient Titan Dynasty owed everything. Various life forms have originated from celestial bodies, such as the Onyx and Alabaster Lords from meteorites, or the Elden Beast and Fallingstar Beasts and Astels, which trace back to stars. The heart of the Lands Between itself appears to have been shaped by a meteorite strike, and numerous locations, both on the land's surface as well as within the mines, bear the marks of meteoric impact. Then there is the meteorite which struck Farum Azula. The ruin crumbled when struck by a meteorite. This meteorite far surpassed the size of the one which breaks through Limgrave in the present day, evident from the relative scale of their lingering zero gravity effects. The impact not only destroyed Farum Azula but propelled the majority of its land mass into the air and sent it soaring into the skies of the far East. Other giant fragments were thrown westwards, smashing down into the lands and roads of Limgrave and Liurnia. The meteorite was cataclysmic and significantly altered the landscape of the area. It is clear the city broke off from the mainland by the Bestial Sanctum, from the shared architecture, the draconic and bestial themes of the area, and the Farum Great Bridge nearby. But importantly, there is also an enormous and perfectly straight waterfall at the Eastern side of the Central Lake. This suggests that it is not a natural formation but rather an artificial one and serves as an indication of the land's previous configuration. The Central Lake itself was once a true lake, surrounded by land on all sides. Caelid in the past was connected to the Mountaintops by a landmass on which Farum Azula was built, and there are several clues that point towards this ancient connection between Caelid and the Mountaintops. The hints lie in the various shared features between the two regions that in the present day are perhaps as far from each other as it is possible to be. First is the presence of the ancient Titan remains, which were only found in these two regions. Moreover, there is a clear overlap between their fauna, namely the giant dogs and birds, which are otherwise only found in the present day Miquella Dynasty, which lies below Caelid. Furthermore, Caelid has a strong association with Dragons. If Caelid was joined to the Mountaintops, this would be a natural place to retreat to for the Dragons that were chased from the peak by the Fire Giants. Such a land connection also explains the straight waterfall, which may be a remnant from the base of an artificial structure that once stood there, perhaps serving as protection from the waterfront. It also explains the isolated Divine Tower and how it was not originally isolated, and it explains how such a massive meteorite impact has left no clear mark on the land despite the scale of destruction leveled on Farum Azula; the land was simply removed entirely.

Returning to Godfrey's campaign, with this insight, the path indicated by the four Churches of America begins to change. Godfrey's conquests began with the Mountaintops, which posed the most significant threat to the Erdtree in the Fire Giants. Following this, he targeted the Altus Plateau, the region closest to the Erdtree and where the traitorous snakes dwell. Subsequently, he traveled to Caelid, but not through Liurnia. Instead, he gained passage through Farum Azula via the Mountaintops, and he did so peacefully due to their alliance, before finally concluding the Crusade in the Weeping Peninsula. And it is this part which explains all three mysteries of the First Liurnian War: why Godfrey was absent, how the Will discovered the blasphemy of the Nox, and why some Nox settlements remain to this day despite the war. For one such settlement lies on Godfrey's updated path: a town shrouded in mystery, the town of sorcery, Sellia.

Sellia appears unremarkable at first glance, consisting of a small, desolate set of buildings that are, on first impression, overshadowed by the immense Rot Lake or the oversized flora and fauna nearby. However, on closer examination, Sellia shows increasingly peculiar qualities. There appear spirits of sorcerers, but these are not Sellian sorcerers; some are nobles, and some are from the Academy. Then there are magical barriers hiding away various parts of the town, safeguarding what G calls "the secret of Sellia." The town, you see there, the secret not of Lucat's staff but of a Nox sword and monk and their cultures, giant throne, and curiously distant at the south of Caelid, there is also a sword monument commemorating the Starscourage conflict where Radahn held Sellia secure. Sellia's features seem to conflict with one another. Given it was clearly a Nox settlement, why is there such secrecy surrounding the Nox's inhabitants? Why would Radahn defend such a well-known enemy of the Erdtree? And what role do the Academy sorcerers play there? Fortunately, though Sellia is a shadow of its former glory, it's left quite a substantial legacy, unlike so much of the Lands Between. Indeed, the Sellians produced a number of distinct Night Sorceries which beautifully illustrate the history of the Sellians. The Sellian sorcerers were assassins, and it is said that they often hunted their fellows, used by Sellian assassins to present themselves as unarmed sorcerers. The Sellian assassins considered every option that aided their dirty work. There can be no doubt the Sellians not only targeted their own but they did so dishonorably, from the shadows. Their sorceries focus on hidden attacks, on masking their intentions, and countering fellow spellcasters, creating a space of darkness that draws in sorceries and incantations. However, on the day Godfrey's Crusade arrived at their doorstep, the Sellians knew that such techniques would prove useless against the Lord of the Battlefield. His prowess relied on raw strength and skill in battle, not magic. In a desperate act of self-preservation, they became turncoats and offered their knowledge and allegiance to the Erdtree faction. Godfrey was open to such diplomacy, as previously established, for unlike the Sellians, he had honor. The Sellians betrayed the Nox and revealed their rebellious intentions, including the blasphemous details of the Finger Slayer Blade's creation. By aligning themselves with the Erdtree faction, the Sellians managed to secure their survival right to the present day, albeit with a low population. And in becoming an ally to the Erdtree, the confusion around Sellia becomes clear. Academy sorcerers, which later also allied with the Erdtree, would be welcomed, and Radahn later defended Sellia not just as a Nox town or as the town that he trained in, but as an Erdtree settlement, marked by the construction of an Erdtree statue looking out over the town. Eternal Darkness and Night Maiden Mist might have then been classed as forbidden sorceries because they originated from the Eternal Cities, and perhaps Sellia's secret was put in place to protect the inhabitants from any that sought revenge. The Sellian betrayal was how the plans of the Nox were discovered and why Godfrey was absent during the war. Upon being told about the Finger Slayer Blade, the Greater Will couldn't afford to wait for Godfrey to reach Liurnia and instead dispatched any available troops stationed in the Altus Plateau. In this way, the Golden Armies caught the Nox off guard, allowing Radagon to rise in prominence. Had Godfrey himself been present, the Nox might have been wiped out entirely, like so many other cultures. Instead, the First Liurnian War concluded when the Nox managed to retreat underground, unable to be followed. America and the Greater Will banished them from the surface and wiped their blasphemous legacy from the annals of history. Not everyone managed to escape underground, however. Time must have been limited amidst the warring; perhaps humans were prioritized. For there are no Nox found above ground, save for Sellia. Whatever the case was, some life forms viewed as inferior, a mockery of life, turned to hiding above ground, lest they risk meeting the executioner's axe used to dispatch the remnants of defeated armies, felling them like timber. They scattered throughout the lands, altering their form to blend into their surroundings. Some have survived to the present day, taking on the appearance of nobles, some a putrid corpse. One even assumes the guise of the Crayfish, and while they transform into other ferocious beasts when provoked, including Rune Bears, a Troll, a Giant Worm Face, and even a Grafted Scion, their true form is revealed on death, where they drop a Larval Tear, the core of a creature of mimicry known as a Silver Tear. This dates the Formless Life's creation to at the latest before the First Liurnian War. They may even point to yet another attempt to upend Erdtree rule, since Silver Tears are commonly spoken of in reference to the possibility of being reborn a Lord, likely another detail the Sellians handed over. If the thematically linked Albinaurics were not brought to life before the Age of the Erdtree, their creation must have taken place before the creation of the Golden Order, where such creations would have been deemed blasphemous. Indeed, the alliance between the Academy and Golden Order in later years likely began the Albinauric persecution, for they were then seen to be untouched by the Erdtree's grace and to have led impure lives.

Despite suffering a crushing defeat during the First Liurnian War and the present-day inactivity of the Eternal Cities, the Nox remained remarkably active for a significant time following their exile. They now lived under a false night sky and lost their direct connection to the Moon of Nox Stella, once the guide of countless stars. For it seems that moons are cautious entities and reveal themselves only to specific locations. This is why Ranni was led by the hand of her mother, Rennala, to encounter her Dark Moon. Even in the present day, there exists a second moon that only becomes visible to those at the Moonlight Altar. The fate of Nokstella's moon has been lost to time, and if it yet endures, its influence has likely diminished over the years. For throughout the land, I found numerous stones that are said to be a fragment of the Black Moon that once hung above the Eternal City. The Nox may have lost their moon, but even then, the stars of the night sky guided fate. It would be many years until Radahn would restrict the stars' movement during the Starscourage conflict, and even during Siofra's underground, the stars are never far from a sorcerer's side. The prolific geode throughout the Eternal Cities, which give off the faint glow of starlight, serve as a testament to the influence the stars once had, even in these underground realms. The Finger Slayer Blade was secretly stowed away and became known only as the Hidden Treasure of Nokron. Meanwhile, the development of Silver Tears continued, and additional Mimic Tears were produced in an attempt by the Eternal City to forge a Lord. But the Nox did not stop there. They turned to what they perceived as the ultimate embodiment of power in nature: Dragons. They revered Dragons as truly immortal beings and the supreme rulers of the Lands Between, even commanding the respect of the Erdtree armies. But artificial life has never been without complications. The Dragonkin were born in the Eternal City, where they knew no true sky nor true lightning; instead, ice lightning was their weapon. Alas, the Dragonkin soldiers never attained immortality and perished as decrepit, pale imitations of their skyborn kin. While powerful, especially when summoned as spirits, the Dragonkin ultimately proved to be a failure, and their form drives this home when compared to true Ancient Dragons. The Dragonkin's arms are disproportionately large, while their legs struggle to support them, and while they do manage to briefly fly, their wings pale in comparison to the majesty of the Dragons. And yet, despite such setbacks, the burning desire for revenge fueled the Eternal Cities further. They persevered and diligently honed their abilities as assassins, adopting methods reminiscent of those employed by the Sellians, and this final scheme would prove to be their most successful of all, though many years were still to pass until that fateful night.

Then came the Second Liurnian War. Lord Radagon came to these lands at the head of a great Golden host when he met Lady Rennala in battle. This war likely began soon after the first war, since it was a risk to leave the Carian and Academy alone after such a crushing defeat of their long-standing neighbors. Thus, Godfrey was still unable to join in time. Radagon, having showcased such heroism in the first war, was positioned to lead the Golden Army in the meantime. The Barrier of Gold incantation was used once again to counter their magical adversaries, among whom were warriors who, in addition to magic, were adept in hand-to-hand combat. The Carian Knight swords could serve as catalysts, letting them wield sorcerous battle skills. Despite numbering fewer than 20, this power made them a match for even the champions of gold in battle. The Academy deployed their marionette soldiers, crafted to serve the sorcerers. In addition, it is plausible that creatures such as Trolls, Wolves, Bloodhound Knights, or even modern Dragons played a role in this conflict. However, to this day, the Second Liurnian War stands out from all other conflicts. Its resolution was not born of blood; no victory for the Golden, nor for the Moon; no prize, but atonement—the birth of a vow in the midst of battle. Radagon met the Queen of Caria, Lady Rennala. He soon repented his territorial aggressions, though, and became husband to the Carian Queen. It seems this moment marked a profound shift in Radagon's perspective, perhaps extending back to his actions during the First Liurnian War. I for rather thematically, it was a hidden tear found in the Eternal City at a former Eternal City locale that he used in his ceremony of absolution. Radagon once cleansed himself with Celestial Dew, repented his territorial aggressions, and swore his love to Rennala. The Order of the Erdtree and the fate of the Moon were conjoined, and all the wounds of war forgiven. It seems Radagon's emotions during this period were genuine; his love for Rennala.

Ran deep, and his past actions weighed heavily upon him. This resolution of the war was a testament to the shared commitment of the UR Trey, the academy, and the Carians. Both factions offered an array of priceless artifacts and symbolic tools to signify their union. Among these treasures was the one-of-a-kind Full Moon Crossbow, made to celebrate the matrimonial union and reconciliation between the houses of the Earth Bird Tree and the Full Moon. Rather fittingly, it reveals true worth when used with holy-infused bolts, a truly marvelous creation of exquisitely detailed craftsmanship.

And this was but one of the offerings exchanged. There was a Moonlight Greatsword, bestowed by a Kian Queen upon her spouse to honor a long-standing tradition. [Music] Though it has since been repurposed, its legacy remains. Even the ancient Glint Stone Kris was presented to Lendell to celebrate their newfound peace. While the UR Tre's known offerings may appear less lavish than those from the academy, they carried with them a depth of meaning that transcended material wealth. Perhaps Trolls, Dragons, Bloodhound Knights, and Wolves were gifted, oath-sworn to the lunar faction. The sorcerers displayed a respect for trolls not seen anywhere else, likely due to their ancestral history, and bestowed armor and bespoke weaponry upon them. Called into service when the Queen invoked an oath, they swore the trolls are treated as true Knights of Kia and fight arm-in-arm with their human comrades.

Rigan brought with him a set of golden tailoring tools, accompanied by a fine golden sewing needle. At first glance, these items might seem curious, given their purpose to alter demigod attire. Yet, at the time, Leonia was bereft of confirmed demigods, so who was this for? Rigan was a mere Champion, yet to ascend. Even when Redan came into the world, I was born a Champion's cub instead. The true purpose of this kit extended beyond tailoring demigod attire and illustrates the commitment Rigan had to his new family. It was intended to safeguard their private lives, for the only pieces the kit is known to have been used for are the masks of confidence, masks with the mouth sewn shut with golden thread. When Rigan married Rala, he ordered the Kian magic preceptors to don these masks to make it clear that all of their matters were to be kept strictly private. He was not a messenger of the Earth Tree or interested in using his new public status, and by sealing these masks with golden thread, he ensured that only a select few were able to unravel the stitches. He safeguarded his new family.

Thus began what was initially a happy marriage, a rare thing in the Lands Between. Soon, Rala and Rigan were blessed with three healthy children: Reichard, Redan, and Ronnie. These three were not yet demigods, as outlined in both Reichard's and Redan's Great Runes. They became demigod stepchildren after Rigan's union with Queen Marica. During this period, Rigan had little to no proficiency for incantations. It was only as the husband of Queen Marica that he studied incantations. His children with Rala further attest to this, who excel only in sorcery. Reichard, in his later life, even chose to transform the ancient texts of Gmir and brought them back as new forms of sorcery. The details surrounding the order of their birth, who is the eldest, who is the youngest, remains a mystery, but each sought their own distinct path.

Even in youth, Ronnie would soon earn the title of Luna Princess. For, led by the hand of her mother, Ranala, Ronnie encountered her own Dark Moon. What she beheld was cold, dark, and failed in a mystery. Presumably, this took place at the Moonlight Altar, where Rala likely found her moon, previously the location where two moons can be seen in the present day and where the Dark Moon sorcery is found. After all, the Kin retain secret passage to this region even after the Knocks were banished. Mana Celes was most likely fully intact too, but this moon was not all she encountered. In secret from the family, even from Rala, Ronnie encountered a snowy crone deep in the woods. She was a witch and well-versed in cold sorceries. That old witch was Ronnie's secret mentor. The snowy crone taught the young Ronnie to fear the Dark Moon as she imparted her cold sorcery. The true purpose of this mentorship, whether the crone sought to instill respect in Ronnie or to steer her away from a dark path, remains shrouded in mystery. In the present, old sorcery is seen as heretical, but this was not the case in Ronnie's formative years. Since the Golden Order had not yet been established, her mentor remained a secret, but Ronnie was open about her magic. She even went so far as to teach her own soldiers such techniques. Ice Bear is a skill of the warriors who served Luna Princess Ronnie. Meanwhile, Ronnie herself was taught Spinning Weapon, a defensive skill employed by Kian princesses. Though in the present day, there are curiously no other confirmed Kian princesses.

In the age of the Elden Ring and Queen Marica, the precious Imperion was born. Ronnie stood as the first new Imperion in the era of Queen Marica, at least the first publicly known Imperion. Protected by her status, though Imperions are chosen by their Two Fingers, they are born as such, an intrinsic quality of the individual rather than something bestowed to them at a later date. A new God to forge a new order. The Fingers did not choose but identified her unique qualities as a vessel and subsequently influenced her very shadow too. The Two Fingers gave Blly to Lady Ranii as a faithful follower, her very shadow incapable of treachery. I received Blly in the form of a vassal, tailored for an Imperion life. Is Lady Rani's stepbrother? Stepbrother is a curious term, not related to Ronnie by blood, but by law. Somehow, Ran's mother, Queen Orala, approved of him, and they played like siblings from childhood. They were always happy to have me tag along as well. None of us will ever forget our earliest days together. Ronnie, it would seem, S Bl, and even Eggy as her siblings, a bond that seemed stronger than her connection with Redan or Reichard. But while Ronnie was held in high esteem during this time and only formally enlisted Blly and Eggy's vassals when she renounced her flesh much later, it's possible that even in these early days, she harbored doubts about the Earth Tree. Witnessing the profound devastation left by the first Leonian war and its enduring impact on the survivors who had sought refuge underground must have left a lasting mark on her, not to mention the influence of the snowy crone and the allure of the Dark Moon. So perhaps, in her growing discontent, she was already laying the foundation of an alliance with those who would become the Black Knives.

Little is known about the early life of Reichard. He began his journey as a gifted and esteemed individual, eventually earning the distinguished title of Prer. Reichard, in Roman society, Prer denoted a magistrate that ranked just below the Consul, that's to say, an exceptionally high position in society. Rikard's attire, adorned with the trappings of his station, clearly illustrates this. He was stationed in Gmir at the Volcano Manor, a more modern construction than the prison town below. He commanded an army which took their name's sake from the very volcano, which, unless their name was changed, suggests it was formed after his station there, a station that was likely to quell the pagan insurrection of the region. Reichard and his lofty ambition were seen with respect and admiration by his soldiers for many years, though this would falter with time. It is unclear when Reichard began to waver in his commitment to this society, but his station as Prer was fated not to last, as he discovered more and more about the pagan beliefs and the ancient mountains' history.

Finally, there was Redan. From his youngest years, Redan was naturally captivated by the lord of the battlefield. Combat was the focal point of Redan's life. He too would soon command an army that held unwavering faith in their leader, a devotion that persists even today. This army bore armor fashioned in the likeness of Redan himself. In turn, Redan's own armor paid homage to the two figures he revered most: his father, Radigan, and the Er's Elden Lord, Godfrey. Thus, the Red Mane Knights were born. The red of Radigan and the mane of Sarash, the symbol of Godfrey. The circlet depicts a red-maned lion raising a sword in the image of Redan. Thus, they were Red Manes, and all proved they were worthy of the name. This is the earliest the army could have been established, but more likely is that the Red Manes were set up after the Star Scourge conflict many years later.

While the intricacies of the sibling relationships are a mystery, there is evidence to suggest that at one point all three shared amicable ties. Reichard included paintings of his brother alongside his own portraits at the Volcano Manor, even framing them with similar opulence. Reichard is later involved with Ronnie in the plot of the Black Knives, as shown by her gift of the Blasphemous Claw, and Eggy, Rani's close friend, lent his aid to Redan and crafted his soldiers various armaments, a gesture which would pay dividends in time, far surpassing what any would have predicted. His swords were all plated as stone, but not one of them decayed when faced with a Scarlet Rot.

It is unclear when each conspectus of the academy was established, but it is likely that these were all created during this period at the latest. First was the Corus Conspectus, set up by Primeval Sorcerer Aur to pursue the mysteries of comets. Then came the Olous Conspectus, founded by Primeval Sorcerer Lcat, which focused on the study of meteorites and attracted sorcerers from Caelia in particular. The Twin Sage Conspectus was established for the elite of the academy and studied a wide range of techniques. Then came the less traditional conspectus: Lazuli, Himer, and Hoda. Those in the Lazuli sought to master the way of the Carians over those of the academy and saw the moon as equal to the stars, something that would later be seen as heresy by the academy. Scholars of the Himer Conspectus were known as Battle Mages and served as adjudicators of the academy. These sorcerers sought to quell conflict with the all-too-forceful Canon and Gavel. They made use of a stone club to better feel the impact of fighting another and were the only sorcerers that would dare venture outside during times of war when the academy would seal its gates. Finally, the Hoda Crown was bestowed on those engaged in nomadic study. This was most likely, in all but name, for those that were excommunicated from the academy. The red blindfold is a mark of this, where red denotes instinct, emotion, and passion, clearly opposite the blue values of the school: society, calm, and logical. Wilhelm, who wears this crown, also uses the Staff of Loss and Night sorcery, which may explain his banishment. And the crown, in the present day, is only otherwise found in the hermit village of Gmir, the region of blasphemy.

This time in Leonia, led by Ranala and Radigan, stands as a happy and prosperous period. Perhaps this was also when the academy sought to share their knowledge with the demi-humans, a gift once given to the demi-humans to foster peace. This period also likely marks the latest time that Graven Mages came about. The Primeval Current is a forbidden tradition of Glintstone sorcery. To have been a tradition once places them early in the academy's history, as does its focus on the Primeval Current. To those who cleave to its teachings, the act of collecting sorcerers to fashion them into the seeds of stars is but another path of scientific inquiry, a nightmare that would continue to haunt the academy, indeed, right to the present day. Perhaps the Assassins of Raven Mount were established during this time. They utilize a ritual implement for transforming into a death bird, if only by imitation, something that would have been termed heretical had they arisen after the Golden Order was established.

However, this harmonious era was destined to be short-lived. Long-standing alliances were poised to crumble, and America's own husband, Elden Lord Godfrey, was soon to be replaced, and by none other than the famously red-haired Champion, the husband of Queen Renala herself, Radigan. [Music] The Lands Between was about to change.

In a relatively brief period, a number of key events rapidly unfolded that ultimately culminated in the establishment of the Golden Order, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return, fleeing within the storm beyond time. A surprisingly subdued reaction. Similarly, despite losing their Queen and having the source of their power sealed away, the Apostles also chose not to confront their defeat head-on. Instead, they fled with their Queen's heirloom, drawn to locations associated with the Glide Queen and the God of Many Faces. Although the Divine Tower in Caelid had already been claimed by the UR Trey Empire and, in typical fashion, slightly adapted with additional pillars, the Apostles took back a portion of it. There, they concealed the God-Slayer's Greatsword in anticipation of the God's return. Maliketh, his blade already imbued with the power of Destined Death, now sealed the Rune away, thereby eliminating Death's dark fate from the Lands Between. It is possible he then retreated from Faram Azula, assuming the guise of Gank. Perhaps the reaction of the Dragon Lord and Godkin warriors further attests to their culture, one focused on balance and not vengeance. However, though they appeared somewhat stoic in their response, not all dragons shared this sentiment. In an unprecedented turn of events, the dragons launched an offensive attack, soaring straight towards Leyndell, the heart and capital of the UR Trey traitors. The first and only time in history that the ancient dragons acted in such an active, aggressive manner. A great ancient dragon, Gransax, once reigned calamity upon the Royal Capital, the only time in historical record that Leyndell's walls have fallen. This marks the dawn of the war against dragons. Gransax alone did what no others ever managed, and their might and size was such that to this day, their corpse remains as it died within Leyndell, alongside the associated debris. But what is most curious is the pose of Gransax and how it is unclear how they died. It would almost seem as though Gransax rained calamity from above, struck the middle of the UR Trey city with its bolt, and then found no more life within them. Nonetheless, many more dragons followed. Golden lightning fortification was used by the Knights of the UR Trey during the assault by the great ancient dragon Gransax and the bitter war of the ancient dragons that followed. Interestingly, they were Knights in contrast to the soldiers of the Leonian wars being called Champions, perhaps this illustrates the sudden nature of the war and that the capital was caught off guard. The ancient dragons had scales of gravel stone and spoken of in legend. Red lightning is the weapon wielded by the ancient dragons. Godfrey had been banished, the city unprepared for such an assault. During the war, these twin red lightning stakes were the hallmark of the once ancient dragon who is now called the mightiest Boulder Stone, the once ancient dragon might. This act of aggression have brought these ancient dragons down to the mortal realm between. For Fortax, his sister Lanc, and the rest of the ancient dragons present, the ensuing war was brutal, and without Godfrey, what hope did Leyndell have? Even the mighty Tree Sentinels were shaken. But after the great ancient dragon Gransax attacked, the Sentinels had an epiphany. The only way to truly protect the Earth Tree was to become dragons themselves. They even created new weapons, whittled from the claws of great ancient dragons. However, only two of these grotesque Tree Sentinels survived to the present day, which may indicate that even these measures were not enough. Rigan remained in Leonia with Rala and his children. Godfrey and his army had been banished. Morgott and Mogh were chained beneath the capital, and Godrick and Godfy were likely too cowardly to take action. And yet, fortunately for the UR Trey Empire, there was one demigod who rose to the challenge: Godwin. Long ago, Godwin the Golden defeated the ancient dragon Fortax, routing the ancient dragons after they had been driven from Leyndell's walls. Godwin the Golden fought to the last, earning the friendship of Dread Fortax. The UR Trey Empire was victorious thanks to the might of Godwin, but also in part due to the nature of ancient dragons, for it seems that the majority remained in their capital, and in the present day, Faram Azula's skies remained beset by dragons. When Godwin defeated Fortax, he also befriended his fallen foe, an event that gave rise to the Ancient Dragon Cult in the capital. Lanc took the form of a human to commune with the Knights as a priest of this new cult, something she would do right up to the present day, and even got close to a Knight of the Round Table Hold in later years. The cult became well-established and supported a hierarchy. There were standard incantations, superior incantations, and even secret incantations. And this union between the members of the UR Trey Empire and the dragons was not born solely out of respect towards each other. The worship of the ancient dragons does not conflict with belief in the Earth Tree; after all, the seal and lightning itself are both imbued with gold. Nonetheless, this was a cult, for though the Earth Tree and the dragons did not contradict one another, the Golden Order was another story.

With Destined Death sealed, the Golden Order could finally be set up, an order that would rule over the land to the present day. The true might of the UR Trey faction, despite the formidable golden armies, was epitomized by one individual, a man who America married, enlisted even, right at the empire's inception: Elden Lord Godfrey. From fighting the Fire Giants at the outset of the age, to warring across the Altus Plateau, descending into Caelid, and traversing the Weeping Peninsula, Godfrey's golden crusade never knew defeat. He even faced the Storm Lord alone, further illustrating both his respect for his adversaries and his unparalleled strength. Once again, by dueling their leader, Godfrey limited the necessary bloodshed and gave the faction an opportunity to survive past their defeat. Presumably, the Storm Lord refers to the ruler of Stormveil Castle. Following this victory, Godfrey assumed control of the castle, marked by both an Elden Throne and a statue of Godfrey. Stormveil has since remained under the stewardship of the golden lineage to this day. After the demise of their lord, Stormveil's faction surrendered, and as such, the survivors were incorporated into the UR Trey Empire. The Storm Hawks were enslaved. They were chained, and talon swords were fixed to the legs of the Stormveil's warhawks. However, their skills were not overlooked, and the blades were made to be thin and lightweight so as to not obstruct the hawk's mobility, and the birds remain adept guards even in the present day. It appears that humans comprised a portion of the Stormveil faction, as they were also subjected to slavery. Following Godfrey's triumph, these humans were given a unique task, one that the UR Trey faction had not previously required, nor would need again. Their task was to gather intelligence on a surviving enemy. The company of slaves were ordered to explore the Eternal City. As previously established, Godfrey had only reached Caelia by the time the Leonian wars commenced, placing the fall of Stormveil after the banishment of the Knocks beneath the ground. Why the men of Stormveil were specifically chosen for this task remains unclear. In honor of the long-forgotten crest of Stormveil, ancient in design, the Fallen Hawks crafted the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield to symbolize their new journey. However, they likely made this journey sometime later, once the Golden Order had been established. As such, when the band's last embers were used up, they acquired the cold ghost flame, which sealed their fate to remain underground, for by that time, such a technique would be deemed heretical outside of the Golden Order.

And then there came a moment when his last worthy enemy fell. Whoever that may have been, and it was then, as the story is told, that the hue of Lord Godfrey's eyes faded. Thus did Godfrey become the first Tarnished of the Lands Between. The phrase "as the story is told" is certainly curious, perhaps hinting that this may not be entirely factual. The narrative of Godfrey's tale certainly paints a poetic image. However, America's own words paint a different picture. In Marica's own words: "My Lord and thy warriors, I divest each of thee of thy Grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where you will live, live and die." Godfrey's eyes didn't merely fade passively; their hue was actively taken by America. She seized their Grace for the sake of retaining the UR Trey's power. Moreover, the moment Godfrey defeated his last opponent was not the same as when America intervened. This quote from America occurred at the Third Church of America, by definition, this marked an earlier conquest than the Fourth Church in the Weeping Peninsula, the island where Godfrey likely completed his crusade. Instead, it would seem that Godfrey and his army were returning to the capital when America broke this news, potentially reaching as far as the Smoldering Church. Lord Godfrey, at last, at the end of his campaign, his golden armies unvanquished and unbowed, yet finds Grace lost, tattered, and faded. Only Godfrey knows exactly what America said to him that day, but whatever transpired, he harbored no resentment. Despite his unrivaled battle prowess, Godfrey chose not to resist and accepted his banishment, along with his loyal army. Now Tarnished, they turned and marched toward the Weeping Peninsula as if embarking on a pilgrimage. Subsequently, at the pilgrimage church, America elaborated further: "Then after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death, Warriors of my Lord, Lord Godfrey." And then, just like that, they were gone. Godfrey and his company set sail from the Lands Between, carrying with them only a promise that they might one day return to the Lands Between, to their loved ones. Shipwrecks dotting the shores extend beyond just the Weeping Peninsula, but whether these remnants belong to Godfrey's army remains uncertain. While the Tarnished left the Lands Between with their kind, one boat alone was said to have been left behind. This lone vessel remains a mystery. Who stayed behind, and how is this known? As far as the confirmed history of the Lands Between goes, the immediate banishment of Tarnished was absolute until they were called back many years later. The mightiest Warrior and his unbeaten Army was disbanded, but why? While the emergence of the Golden Order and its societal restructuring will be examined in due course, of importance here is that during the UR Trey age, there was a prevailing ethos of encouraging the rise of power and seeking to conquer the realm. However, once America achieved total control, this paradigm shifted. The strong were suppressed to prevent any potential threats to her reign. Yet, even this doesn't fully explain Godfrey's banishment. After all, he was unquestionably loyal and would have served as an effective defender of the Earth Tree. Right? Godfrey was indeed loyal, and while he did dutifully follow his Queen's commands, he was also guided by another, who never left his side. As King, Godfrey's Regent, aged counselor, guides the golden lineage, and it was this relationship with Sash that likely drove America to banish Godfrey. For there stood one last problem before the UR Trey could truly reign supreme and create the Golden Order. The Golden Order is founded on the principle that America is the one true God. Moreover, the forbidden Shadow plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation. And as it was for the civilizations before America's, there was one faction that truly reigned supreme, safeguarding the realm against stagnation: the dragons and the power of the Glide Queen. America's ultimate ambition was to ascend as the one true God and to take control over the cycles of life through the power of the Earth Tree and by sealing away Destined Death. Up to this point, Godfrey's relationship with Sash, formerly the Lord of Beasts, had ensured amicable relations between the Earth Tree, the beasts, and the dragons. But now, this alliance hindered Godfrey from carrying out America's final wish. His sense of honor and loyalty, as Godfrey rather than Horah Loux, prevented him from betraying such an alliance, a fact Marica surely recognized. In this context, therefore, the phrase "when his last worthy enemy fell" may be a broad depiction of Godfrey's timeline, as the dragons were not his adversaries but his allies. Amica banished Godfrey with a promise of their return, but it is unknown whether this was a meticulously thought-out plan or a contingency to ensure that America did not truly lose her most significant asset.

With the Tarnished gone, America turned her mind to the dragons. The ancient dragons would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. Without Godfrey, the UR Trey armies would fail in a direct assault on the dragons. Instead, America recognized the need for a more subtle strategy to strike the dragons from within, for in their open and welcoming culture lay their true weakness: trust. America had finally found a use for her shadowbound beast, Malth. See nothing, hear nothing, doubt nothing. America's sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death. Malth was already empowered by Destined Death himself. As a shadowbound beast, he could get close to the Glide Queen without so much as a question being raised. Only Malth knows what really transpired that day. Was there a mighty struggle, or did he catch the Glide Queen by surprise? Sacred Sword of the Dusk-Eyed Queen. Before her defeat at the hands of Malth, the term "defeat" implies a substantial battle. It appears that both the Queen's Elden Lord, Placidusax, and her Godkin Apostles were present too. Once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its return. The Apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, but after their defeat by Malth, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away. It would seem that Maliketh was alone during the battle, but it's possible he received some assistance from the Earth Tree Sentinels. However, what's particularly intriguing is the apparent passivity of the defeat. If the injuries Placidusax retains in the present day were inflicted during this encounter, his subsequent actions seem disproportionate. These are the dying wails of the Dragon Lord, a significant defeat, and yet, once his god was fled, the Lord continued to await its

Between not that gold mask or Corin seemed capable of such a craft, and it would be odd to call the creator of the Golden Order someone who learned Golden Order Fundamentalism. Mola was already outperforming his father even in his early years, and in later years developed many other creations that demonstrate similar mechanical skills.

However, it seems that Mika's true intentions in pursuing Golden Order Fundamentalism was to aid his twin sister, Melenia. Soon, however, his home's religion was found to be lacking, and yet the young Mika abandoned Fundamentalism, for it could do nothing to treat Millenia's a cursed rot.

This was the beginning of Unalloyed Gold, an idea that may have taken inspiration from a flower, a lily of unalloyed gold beloved by the Imperion in his youth. Indeed, this lily, in addition to experiments with a strain of buds cultivated with youthful sacramental blood, proved highly formative for Micha's following years.

For famously, on leaving the Golden Order, Micha sought to create his own order, one untainted by others that provided refuge for all, an order of unalloyed gold, for which he needed to grow a new world tree. Mika, inspired by the sacramental bud, applied this theory on a much grander scale. He sought to water a sapling with his own blood and create his own holy tree. He also went on to experiment with this lily, combining with these sacramental buds. Thus was the Bewitching Branch created, a very unique and powerful tool that compels foes to become temporary allies.

The Imperion Micha is loved by many people. Indeed, he has learned very well to compel such affection, and when using the Bewitching Branch, a unique sigil is displayed that helps to date this technique: the Mark of the Halig Tree, Micha's own world tree, grown from a sapling. The same sigil is also found within the Ash of War of the Golden Epitaph, a sword made to commemorate the death of Godwin the Golden. As such, the Halig Tree was established in this early period of the Golden Order, before the Night of Black Knives.

Thus, Mika first experimented with the sacramental buds, which may have partly inspired the creation of the Halig Tree, and then at a later point, he developed the Bewitching Branch. As some, Micha clearly continued to experiment and research options to aid his work while cultivating his world tree. One such passion may have even been the phenomenon of sleep, the domain of a somewhat hidden character, St. Trina.

The carvings depict St. Trina, but in adult form, somewhat unnervingly. What could make an adult form unnerving unless the individual yet remained a child? Plus, sleep is a theme which so pervades Micha's history, from Melania to the Albinaurics, and perhaps even to his journey retracing America's footsteps. And those who witnessed such powers were like many who knew Micha, utterly captivated. After all, the allure of sleep is similarly magnetic to Micha's own power. Sweet dreams.

While sleep was never widely established, there was a society built around this purple power that persists to the current day. Priests of St. Trina used these arrows to spread their teachings. Though the Halig Tree ultimately failed, Micha's aim was to create a new Erdtree. He watered it with his own abundant blood, dreaming of creating a new order that welcomed all walks of life to lessen the suffering he saw across the land. Who is it that Michola shall bless if not the low and the meek?

And yet, Mich took inspiration from this same broken land, only trying to recreate it. He sought to create a second Earth Tree, not something entirely new. He sought metamorphosis, rebirth, both of himself within the Halig Tree later, and of the Albinaurics that made it into his Haven. Weapon designs were not original, and even his buildings were heavily inspired by pre-existing ones. Nonetheless, when and how the Halig Tree failed remains unclear. Perhaps Melania's rot proved too strong as it infested the trunk. Perhaps Micha, being taken prematurely by Mogh, left the Halig Tree without support.

In the current day, the Halig Tree is bursting from the brace built support it. There are, in fact, two trunks. The primary trunk is now hollow, and instead, it is an offshoot that has continued to grow, a warped amalgamation of branches that pales in comparison to the Erdtree. Now, with the Halig Tree misshapen, this wondrous rendition is a fleeting fantasy. Ivory became a symbol of the Halig Tree and its Haven. The foot soldiers wear a shawl in the color of ivory, and aged Albinaurics carry a sickle fashioned from ivory, which serve as evidence of their dedication to the Halig Tree, despite never having entered its presence.

Loretta, once a royal Carian Knight, went on a journey in search of a Haven for Albinaurics and determined that the Halig Tree was their best chance for eventual salvation. Loretta later changed her allegiance to Mika, illustrated by how her weapon's blue glint stone has been replaced with unalloyed gold and her present-day station. It seems that the Carians were at least on good terms with Mika, for though Mola's society failed to reach his vision and thus this weapon was never given to a knight, the Sword of Mogh had a design modeled after those carried by Carian Knights. Indeed, this connection may hint that Micha worked with Ranni for a time. Both share distrust of the Golden Order, and both show interest in celestial movements: Ranni in her fate and Age of the Stars, and Micha in the eclipse.

Then there are the Assassins at Ordina. It is certainly an interesting period for the experimental young Imperion. It is certainly interesting that the Halig Tree was formed before the Night of Black Knives, as shown by the Golden Epitaph sigil, since this suggests that Radagon and America supported the endeavor, even while their order remained under control. Perhaps they even lent their aid.

Meanwhile, Micha continued to develop methods to ease his twin sister's suffering. Golden prosthesis, once used by the one-armed Valkyrie, a Masterwork of craftsmanship. Golden may imply he developed this before he abandoned the Golden Order, since it is not specifically unalloyed, but either way, he continued to hone his craft such that his sister could use two arms. Blade built into Melania's prosthetic arm through consecration, it is resistant to rot. Might this explain the motive behind consecrating the Snowfields?

Melenia seems to have only suffered in her childhood, but finally, she found someone. Though born into the accursed Rot, when the young girl encountered her mentor and his flowing blade, she gained wings of unparalleled strength. Though young Melenia had fully grown up at this point, as illustrated by the heirloom's depiction. Perhaps their swords are straight here to illustrate the use of training swords, since given the similarities between Melenia's technique and that of the strong attack of the Flowing Curved Sword, it seems Melenia found a master, someone who had sealed the God of Wrath itself, who was also blind, and who knew best how to curb her plight. The art of allowing one's opponent to strike so as to leave them vulnerable to a well-timed reply.

Melenia was a prodigy, despite her suffering, or perhaps it was because of this suffering. Suffering that drove her to fight no matter what, to push through something that is made clear by her Great Rune, whose blessing reduces the healing power of Flask of Crimson Tears, an objectively negative Great Rune. Thanks to her curse of rot, and yet, due to the infusion of Melenia's spirit of resistance, attacks made immediately after receiving damage will partially recover HP in time.

Mika further honed a technique to allow Melania a semblance of a normal life, an unalloyed gold needle that could ward away the meddling of outer gods. But even this was not enough. Michola sought to banish Rot from his sister and created Micha's Needle. And yet, Micha never perfected this creation. Though he made multiple, they could only function when separated from time, independent of any influence, and Melania was fated to never be free of the curse of rot.

But Melenia served as an inspiration, and soon she built an army of her own, who styled their armor after her. The Cleanrot Knights vowed to fight alongside Melenia, despite the inevitable, if gradual, putrefaction of their flesh. Their acceptance of their fate made these battles fiercest of all. They equipped a diminutive shield that was blessed with an incantation that warded R for a time, at least.

Micha continued to hone his incantations despite leaving the Golden Order and imbued one into the Halig Scythe for the commanders of Melania's Army. And yet, despite her prowess, despite her fearsome Army, Melenia only served Mika. "My brother possesses the wisdom, the allure of a God. He is the most fearsome Imperion of all." Thus did Melania gain her purpose, becoming the blade of Mika, and henceforth, all her actions were by his will carried out.

However, the Cleanrot Knights were only celebrated for their undefeated campaign in the Shattering. Thus, it seems that these developments either took place over a long period of time, or the twins kept to themselves in the intervening years.

Over in Liurnia, Radagon's departure had left the region in turmoil. When Rennala, head of both the Academy of Ranni and the Carian royal family, lost her husband Radagon, her heart went along with him. And then those at the Academy realized that Rennala was no champion after all. The Academy lost respect for the Carians, and just as they had quickly been enamored by their full moon leader, they soon lost respect for her when she faltered.

It makes the most sense of this uprising to have occurred early in Radagon's age, as a direct consequence of Radagon leaving. That way, the stars were still in motion, and Ranni retained her true body to be able to cast such a powerful defensive spell for her mother. At the very latest, the rebellion had to occur before the Shattering, since whenever war broke out, the Academy sealed its gates. The Academy was successful in their revolt but unable to eliminate the Carians, likely due to Ranni's aid for her mother, Rennala.

When the Academy rebelled against the Royals, she was locked away in the Grand Library. In the end, Lady Rennala was left alone, cradling the Amber Egg Lord Radagon bequeathed her. Now she devotes herself to it through forbidden rite, the grim art of reincarnation. And yet, despite the loss at the Academy, it seems the Carians had prepared for the inevitable betrayal. Carian Retaliation was the Carian Royal Family's secret means to prepare against the disloyalty of the Academy. The moon and stars would one day go their separate ways. Perhaps this was their fate.

The Academy did not falter after expelling the Carians from Ranni. They sought to stamp out the faction entirely. When the R. Lucaria Academy turned on the Carians, the Knights of the Cuckoo descended on this tract. After leveling it, they carried on to the manor. The Carians were taken off guard, but their strength had not waned, and they repelled the knights' onslaught. Loretta might not have left for the Halig Tree yet. Ranni's soldiers made use of their unique Ashes of War. The Carians laid traps throughout their home, both large-scale bombardments outside and small tricks within. Perhaps even some Albinaurics lent their aid: puppets, finger creepers, and more. Indeed, the siege of Caria Manor went poorly.

The resting place of the contemptible Cuckoos, lost in the siege of Caria Manor. Given how confidently the Carians fought them off, and that they were taken off guard, perhaps the Carians did not fight to retain the Academy. The Cuckoo's defeat would have only exacerbated their frustration, who already refused to be mere servants of the Academy. The Cuckoos saw themselves as a separate faction and simply served a contract with the Academy, taught to the Knights of the Cuckoo by the Academy as payment for their contract.

Interestingly, it seems the Academy, though it sought independence from the Carians, did not break off ties with the Golden Order, for as previously established, the Academy sought to erase their now heretical acts of creating life. The Albinauric R. Lucaria was not attacked during the Shattering and were happy to let armies walk through their lands. Perhaps the Carian Knight shield hints at this alliance remaining strong. Excels when facing magic or holy attacks. Just who were these Knights preparing to fight?

This change of rule likely marks a shift in various beliefs. Seeing the moon as equal to the stars was now deemed heresy. The relations to demihumans were soon revoked, sneered at by fools in the Academy. Perhaps it was then that the Grandmasters Aur and Lucat were driven from the Academy, since now the Primeval Current is a forbidden tradition of Glintstone Sorcery. Seluvis too was around during this time, who had Aur as her first teacher. Jiren denotes her as an enemy of Carian, something that would be very non-specific after the denouncement of the Carians by the Academy. Thus, either Seluvis was exiled during Carian rule as a Graven Witch, the toothless pedantry pedaled by the Carian royal family can rot for a like her, or perhaps this suggests that Seluvis undertook more direct actions against the Carians and serves as a subtle hint to Seluvis's part in the Academy's rebellion. Of course, if this was the case, Seluvis would later also end up exiled from the Academy as a reviled apostate witch, leaving her vulnerable.

Given Radagon's abandonment, Rennala's mental state, Radagon's later allegiance to the Golden Order, and Rykard's station in Mount Gelmir, it seems only Ranni managed to fight for the Carian cause. A sad contrast to the previously happy family, and likely another formative period for Ranni's brewing intent of the Age.

Rykard's early years mark a time of earnest learning, specifically of gravity sorceries. A gravitational technique studied by the young Rykard. His master was an alabaster Lord with skin of stone. It is unclear if this Lord was given a choice in this tutelage, but Rykard was a respectful student, nonetheless, thanking his teacher at his education's completion.

Rykard stands as a remarkably curious character throughout history. He is called the Mightiest Hero of the demigods, and yet there is only one event he is known for until the Shattering: the Starscourage conflict, an act that proves to be of utmost importance for a wide range of factions: the Nox, the Carians, and even blocks the Tarnished progression in the present day. However, there is conflicting information surrounding Rykard's motivations during this period. Per on the one hand, the Red Lion General wielded gravitational powers, which he learned in Sellia all so he would never have to abandon his beloved but scrawny steed. An endearing sentiment that suggests Rykard's ever-growing size would prove problematic for his noble steed and needed help from gravity magic to offset this imbalance. But could affection for a steed he named Leonard really be behind the entire conflict? When Rykard completes his training, he says, "Now I can challenge the stars." Not only does he not reference his steed, but he seems to be planning for what became the Starscourage conflict. Then, to add to the mix, is that the result of the event, arresting the cycles of the stars and halting the flow of Fate, is said to have been fettered by the Golden Order.

And so, one thing becomes clear: the true reason for the conflict has been hidden from view, obscured through various contradicting means to leave no clear answer. Perhaps Rykard was simply doing it for his horse, and everything else was just a side product. However, is it not curious that Rykard learned his gravity magic in Sellia? Sellia is not known for gravity magic, but night sorceries. He was also taught by an alabaster Lord, a fitting choice, except they are again unrelated to Sellia. Historically, surely Rykard could have easily learned back in his home region or at the capital if he had already aligned with the Erdtree. Instead, he was specifically placed in Sellia.

With that in mind, listen to the wording of the sword monument: "Rykard alone holds Sellia secure and stands tall to shatter the stars." Does this phrasing not suggest Rykard held Sellia secure as an ongoing act and then stood tall with the future aim of shattering the stars? That is to say, keeping Sellia secure and shattering the stars are not the same act. There is forethought in Rykard's actions, in his placement in Sellia, in specifically learning gravity magic that counters the stars so well. The fate once writ in the night skies had been fettered by the Golden Order. It seems that the Golden Order carefully controlled the sequence of events, and unsurprisingly, the information surrounding the conflict ever since.

Whether Rykard acted knowingly or was falsely guided is unclear. He could have genuinely believed he primarily learned for his horse, and yet be directed for greater schemes. In the meantime, nonetheless, the revelation that the Golden Order was behind the Starscourage conflict allows the rest to fall into place. Sellia was incorporated into the Erdtree Empire by Godfrey during his campaign, illustrated by the large statue looking over the town. They were spared for betraying their own and informing the Erdtree faction about the rebellious intentions of the Nox. But this made Sellia a target. The turncoat deserved retribution. As such, it needed defenders.

Though the details surrounding the Starscourage conflict remain unclear, it seems that Rykard defended through two means: one in standard combat, holding Sellia secure, and the second in shattering the stars themselves. Rykard confronted the falling stars alone, and thus did he crush them, his conquest sealing the very fate of the stars. This does raise the question: could the vengeful Nox have been using the stars to enact their revenge? It would certainly be poetic, given how later a malformed star once destroyed an eternal city and took away their sky. However, this plan was likely put in motion the moment the Nox evacuated underground after the first Liurnian war. For though they were defeated, the Nox yet retained the most dangerous tool, which importantly cannot be wielded by those without a fate.

Then came Rykard, who from his earliest years was naturally captivated by the lord of the battlefield, one who could learn collapsing stars, a technique that pulls others closer, whose famous weapon is imbued with Starcaller's Cry, another ability to draw foreign objects in, techniques to for celestial bodies into reach. The Golden Order, in one fell swoop, managed to train a loyal demigod while keeping him none the wiser to securely defend one of their towns and to sap the Nox's of the one power that truly threatened its rule. The fact that this also halted the fate for the Carians, and in particular Ranni, might have gone unnoticed. However, for in the present day, though some Carian individuals are aware, the Carians themselves remain ignorant of how their fate remains in stasis as long as Rykard survives.

Oh no, wait. How did I not see it before? I ought to retire as War Counselor for such a gross oversight. Let me explain. The fate of the Carian royal family is guided by the stars, as is the fate of Lady Ranni. But General Rykard is the Conqueror of the Stars, who stood up to the swirling constellations, halting their movement in a smashing victory. And so, if General Rykard were defeated, the stars would once again resume their movement, as would Lady Ranni's Destiny. Ranni and Rykard were likely to be on distant terms by this point anyway, given Ranni naturally aligned with the moon-worshipping Carians, and Rykard naturally aligned with the Erdtree, that which Godfrey and Radagon served the longest.

Serving member of the Red Main Knights, Ur studied techniques to manipulate gravity alongside Rykard, though it was Rykard alone who held Sellia secure, as the town would have fallen without him there. There were others who fought alongside him. This may suggest Rykard already commanded the Red Main Knights, and only prestigious members were permitted to learn gravity techniques alongside their leader, or it could suggest that his companions were only that, fellow soldiers. And with the honor Rykard garnered in this heroic conquest, he then set up the infamous Red Main Knights. Thus, this marks the latest point the Army was created. Interestingly, there are a number of signs that will be looked at in due course that suggests Red Main Castle was only recently made their station, given there is no other clear base of operations and that Rykard held a seat in the capital. It might be that Rykard primarily spent the following years in Limgrave. Of note here is that the Starscourage conflict occurred when Rykard was young, which really puts the scale of the land's timeline into perspective. Rykard was still young, despite so much happening happening since his birth. As such, Rykard serves as a useful reference point to illustrate the time still left before the Tarnished were called back to the Lands Between.

Between the Starscourage conflict, the rebellion of the Academy, and the strict authoritarian regime of the newly formed Golden Order, which was already revealing its flawed design to the discerning few, the realm hungered for change. But true change was difficult. The Empire held strong, and there remained few armies outside of the Golden Order that could threaten it directly. Instead, a select few planned to disrupt the order from within and release one of the core tenets that gave the Erdtree total dominion over nature's cycles. They planned to steal Death's dark fate, destined death, a night that would later become known as the Night of the Black Knives.

It happened an age ago, on a night of wintry fog. The Night of the Black Knives, a night which served as the spark for the kindling that was the Lands Between, a night which set the realm ablaze with the vision, a night whose ramifications persist to the present day, where only the Tarnished remain as the land's potential salvation. The Knife of the Black Knives is infamous, but it is also highly mysterious. To this day, none can identify the true motivations behind the event, nor even everyone who is involved. As such, it is even unclear when exactly the conspiracy occurred. It happened during the Golden Age of the Erdtree, long before the Shattering of the Elden Ring. But what exactly is the Golden Age of the Erdtree? Might this mean the Age of Plenty, the metaphorically Golden Age, the most bountiful of times? Or could it suggest everything after The Crucible, marking gold as the new age compared to the red tint of primordial gold?

However, from the Golden Epitaph, it is clear that Mika and Melania had already been born before the fateful night, which rules out the Age of Plenty. Furthermore, as a scholar, it is unlikely Rykard would term any time after The Crucible as the Golden Age, since this is such a broad period. Instead, this is a technical term, one that warrants capitalization and marks a specific era. Thus, this must denote the Age of Radagon, or in other words, the Age of the Golden Order, the order that followed the Age of the Erdtree. Indeed, Ranni is described as a demigod on this night, further confirming this timeline, since she and her siblings became demigods only after Radagon married Marika.

The siege of Caria Manor surely came before the Starscourage conflict, such that Ranni could wield such power, as shown in the Grand Library in the present day. But it seems the Knight of Black Knives came after the Starscourage conflict. In turn, for it seems very strange that Ranni should undertake this night to slay her Empyrean flesh and then over the many intervening years do little of note, especially since the Shattering. Ranni's whereabouts since the Shattering are a well-kept secret. She hasn't been seen even once, unless Ranni's fate had already been halted and restricted her from before the Night of Black Knives, which, as previously established, is something she remains ignorant of even in the present day. Thus, this is the most likely time for the conspiracy, and importantly, it was only the one night where everything pertaining to the plot took place.

On the Night of the Black Knives, someone stole a fragment of Death from Malath, the Black Blade, and imbued its power into the assassins' daggers. These assassins, on the night of the plot, imbued their knives with the Ruin of Death and slew Godwin the Golden. However, two demigods perished at the same time. Ranni was the first of the demigods whose flesh perished, while Godwin perished in soul alone. So who organized the conspiracy? The person who orchestrated the Night of Black Knives: Lunar Princess Ranni. Then, the assassins were all women, rumored to be Nox, who had close ties with Marika herself. The Nox are said to have come from outside the Lands Between and are in fact of the same stock as Queen Marika herself. So what exactly is this rumor that the women were Nox, or that these known to be Nox women specifically had close ties with Marika? The phrasing would imply the former, since otherwise it would say they were all women, Nox, who were rumored to have close ties with Marika herself. The technique behind the concealing veil of their armor is very similar to veils Marika makes use of, which further hints at their shared origins. Therefore, it seems the rumor is that the women were Nox, not that they specifically had close ties to Marika, and it is only this suggestion that supports the theory that Marika was involved in the plot. Not only is this questionable evidence, but everything Marika does following this event illustrates how devastated she was, which is unlikely to be the case if she was part of the plot, even if the outcome wasn't expected. Furthermore, given Marika's history and talent in obscuring the past, is it not likely that her own people, her past, would have been obscured too? And if that was the case, the disregarded faction would surely not continue to stand by her and rise up at her command to conspire against the Golden Order, but instead hold resentment against her and the Golden Order.

They say the assassins who carried out the deed were Scions of the Eternal City, a group entirely of women arrayed in armor of silver under cloaks which fooled the eye. Silver Scions of the Eternal City. Could this be Marika's true origins? Or perhaps the rumor that these women were Nox was incorrect, and these assassins were only that of the vengeful Nox, that had been many years in the making. Marika, like the rest of the Empire, was caught off guard by the plot. Perhaps she was only informed of what transpired the following day. What is certain is Ranni's involvement. Not only does the Black Knife print reveal this, but she outright admits it: "I stole a fragment of the Rune of Death and used it to forge the God-Slaying Black Knives." Through fearsome rite, the assassins themselves made use of scale armor, which is thematic given their rebellious, snake-like actions.

Then there was Rykard. It is unclear whether Rykard was involved in the plot, served as a backup plan, or something else entirely. Either way, Rykard had already begun on his blasphemous path and thus was trusted by Ranni to not reveal her secret. Rykard knew about this night, even if he was not involved, and on the night of the dire plot, Ranni rewarded Rykard with traces of the Rune of Death. Only they know the purpose of this exchange, and whether it was a reward for his actions that night, for being trusted with her secret, or perhaps even as a preparation for the future and Rykard's blasphemous ambition.

Finally, might Mika have been involved somehow too? He seems oddly emotional following Godwyn's death, specifically, and has ties to the assassins. The Black Knife assassins, clad in armor with a concealing veil which muffles the sound of footsteps, managed to steal a fragment of death from Malath. This was possible because Malath had only sealed the Rune of Death within his blade. This is why the blade is now a sad shadow of its former glory. The assassins seemed to have literally broken off some of the weapon to take its power. Later, when Malath realized what had happened, he bound the blade within his own flesh, such that none might ever rob Death again. However, he never forgave himself for his mistake that night and continued to suffer in guilt to the present day.

A ritual was performed on the oddly misshapen blade and imbued it with the power of the stolen Rune of Death. Weapons whose Ash of War is curiously similar to the Blade of Calling's golden flames. The Kindling Maiden's prior weapon, the one who walks alongside flame shall one day meet the road of destined death. Then the Assassins traveled to the capital, Leyndell itself, where they slew Godwyn the Golden, the hero of the war against the dragons, and Sion of the Golden Bow became first of the dead among the demigods.

The exact circumstance here is particularly curious, for two demigods perished at the same time. This would be a highly difficult ordeal unless Ranni was with the group. Yet, Elana was the ringleader, and to add to the curiosity, Godwyn, this mighty hero of war, seems to have been very passive for the ceremony. The pose depicted in this artwork surely would have woken Godwyn if he had been asleep, unless he was also forced to sleep, or perhaps Godwyn was in fact part of the plot. Nevertheless, in a ritual killing, both Godwyn and Ranni were slain and died in soul and body respectively. "I stole the Rune of Death, slew mine own Empyrean flesh, casting it away." Ranni later hid her body on the Divine Tower, accessed by the Carian Study Hall, and it seems the Carians, or some of them, were aware of Ranni's conspiracy. "O Celestial Globe, transmit posterity the wisdom of the moon and stars, and obscure endure forever the transgressions of the princess." Thus was the tower inverted and the path to the Empyrean body that bore the half-whe wound of the centipede, evidence of Ranni's involvement in the plot, was hidden from the world. Though in the present day, Ranni is happy to disclose such information, she clearly wanted the body out of reach, for it was no small feat to transport her corpse there. And yet, despite how smoothly Godwyn and Ranni were slain, something must have happened, for the Assassins were noticed before they managed to escape. During their flight from the Royal Capital, Te, the daughter of the Black Knife ringleader Elana, was killed protecting her mother. Curiously, Elana in the present day is locked in an Evergaol in the Moonlight Altar, a hint perhaps at a betrayal by Ranni to cover up her footsteps. Nonetheless, it was Morgott who, whether he spotted the intruders himself or not, took responsibility to chase down the Assassins. Perhaps the rest of the royal leaders were either unaware or absent. Morgott sent the Knight's Cavalry after them, but the damage was done. Morgott, having finally been entrusted to live above ground, had failed, but his faith in the Erdtree only strengthened, and he made plans for a new technique to defend against the assassins in the future. "Furnished on behalf of the Erdtree and the Grace given Lord, Lord, such that a Knight of Black Knives will never come again."

The devastation from the death of Godwyn was only the beginning. Though forgotten in the present day, there were other demigods who were also slain. The Rune of Death was stolen, and the demigods began to fall, starting with Godwyn the Golden. The Mausoleum is where the bodies of soulless demigods are laid to rest. It is certainly interesting that all all the demigods who were slain seem to have lost their souls, except Ranni. There are seven Mausoleums scattered across the Lands Between, which suggests seven other demigods fell that night. Perhaps there was even an eighth, the Soulless King.

But most impactful of all, later, the Rune of Death spread across the Lands Between, sprouting in the form of Death Blight. After the Night of Black Knives, Death Blight appeared in the Lands Between, and those who live in death, death soon followed. Those who live in death will continue to rise again. This is the grotesque fate of those who come into contact with Death Blight. These souls have committed no offense; they have every right to life. Only they happen to touch upon a flaw in the order. The Golden Order had once taken total control over the cycles of life, but after the Night of Black Knives, the population was able to resist returning to the Erdtree, and due to this fault in the Golden Order's artificial cycles, they simply persisted, even in death. Naturally, the Golden Order has no mercy for those who trespass beyond life's bounds and soon established the Hunters of Those Who Live in Death, whose role is to stamp out defiled reason, all for the perfection of the Golden Order. Bespoke incantations were developed specifically for fighting these beings to ensure they do not revive or to alleviate Death Blight buildup.

Then there was the Usher of Death, Rosus, who shows the path to the catacombs throughout the Lands Between and is depicted on this ritual axe. The Ash of War for this weapon is called Rosus's Summons, but when used, it is clear this is the same as the Tibia Summons. Indeed, with the Tibia Mariners guiding the dead, what need was there for Rosus as well? Unless Rosus arose after the culture of the Tibia Mariners? Indeed, it is likely that Rosus never truly existed and served as an artificial character for the Golden Order to ensure the dead return to the roots of the Erdtree. And like much of Marika's past, this was achieved simply by rebranding and repurposing a previous civilization's culture. Rosus was likely created during the Erdtree Age, since the statues in Hero's Graves depict the corresponding sigil. However, it would also make sense thematically for Rosus to have come about when the Ruin of Death was sealed and the Erdtree was made the focal point of the cycles of Life, all by this time at the latest, when those who live in death arose and needed further guidance.

It is difficult to discern what state of control Godwyn retained throughout this all, whether he was simply a vessel through which such power channeled or otherwise. Godwyn the Golden became the Prince of Death. His friend, the ancient dragon Fortissax, was not happy with this and fought long and hard against the death within its companion. Alas, victory was never achieved, and its only reward was corruption. It seems that the act of killing Godwyn in soul alone set in motion that which could not be stopped without a complete overhaul of the order of the land itself. Thus, this quote of Marika was most likely as a result of seeing the effects the floor of the Golden Order had on her firstborn child and beyond: "I declare mine intent to search the depths of the Golden Order through understanding of the proper way our faith, our Grace is increased. Those blissful early days of blind belief are long past, my comrades. Why must you falter?"

Marika was finally driven to move on from blind belief and research and question the state of the world, questioning the Golden Order itself. Heresy, a dangerous place for her fellows, but one that began Marika on a path to understanding. Marika questioned the Golden Order, persecuted Morgott, and Malath repented, but some embraced this era more actively. Some soldiers sought to continue to serve their fallen soulless demigods and became Mausoleum Knights. These soldiers followed their masters into death by severing their own heads from their bodies, and though this was a form of fighting death, just like those being persecuted, this seemed to be sanctioned by the Golden Order. LOL sacrificed her life so that in death she could continue to protect the soulless demigod until their revival, earning her the hero's honor of Erdtree burial. These Knights drew power from the eclipsed sun, drained of color, which is the protective star of soulless demigods. It aids the Mausoleum Knights by keeping Destined Death at bay. However, in contrast, it also seems that the eclipse is able to grant life to soulless bones, so perhaps the role of the eclipse isn't protection against something in particular, but from any external influence.

Whatever the case, Mika refused to accept Godwyn's death and sought to imbue Godwyn with a soul once more, but with no success. "Lord Mika, forgive me. The sun has not been swallowed. Your comrade remains soulless." Mika, like Ranni, had his plans fail due to the hold Rykard held on the stars, and though Mika likely researched every option, he could find no solution, at least for now. But the cracks across the Lands Between had begun to form, and with time, the unity the land once saw began to fracture, little by little.

In fact, it is likely that the first outright warfare against the capital occurred before the Shattering. The First Defense of Leyndell, a sovereign alliance. Rots from within. Traces yet remain of bloody conspiracy. Conspiracy is hardly the word for after the Shattering broke out, where the Empire splintered and the demigods each vied for power. The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering. The subtlety of a conspiracy and the slow disintegration of a sovereign alliance couldn't have taken place after the outbreak of the war of the Shattering, and instead stood as one of the first major events that illustrates the instability of the realm. Furthermore, Godrick's thematic links to Godrick suggests he too had a cowardly nature and sought external measures to grow in strength. Thus, this had to be after the Black Knife conspiracy, such that the capital and Golden Order was vulnerable. Indeed, with Marika questioning the order itself after the Night of Black Knives, there was no sovereign holding the alliance together.

This alliance, on the surface, held six seats: Godrick the Golden, the twin prodigies Mika and Melania, General Rykard, Prior Rykard, and Lunar Princess Ranni, whose smaller sized seat, akin to Mikolas, illustrates how Ranni escaped notice during the plot and was likely seen as simply another demigod victim who had to resort to using a doll for a body. But there was also Morgott, Godfrey, and then Morg remained below the capital. The alliance rotting from within certainly describes this group well, for every single demigod other than Rykard and Morgott had already begun to act counter to the Golden Order in some manner. Despite this marking the first realized warfare between demigods, there is little that references it. Perhaps this is because the capital warded off the feeble rebellion with ease. After the first offense of Leyndell, Kristoff earned the hero's honor of Erdtree burial for the feat of capturing Godfry the Grafted, a lowly knight capturing a demigod illustrates the sad state of the attack. His reward for the ceremony of an Erdtree burial further dates this battle as pre-Shattering, where such societal order likely fell by the wayside. Godrick was imprisoned as punishment and placed in the Golden Lineage Evergaol outside the capital. His appearance therefore dates the grotesque act of grafting this early too, though it is unclear when Godrick began grafting in turn, or whether they both began grafting at the same time. Their similarities may suggest that Godrick was involved in the siege of Leyndell.

Traces yet remain of bloody conspiracy does suggest that the whole conspiracy was not found out, so perhaps Godrick managed to separate himself from the failed coup in time and buy a few more years in his home bathed in rays of gold. Related to the Evergaols are these mysterious stone beings. In the present day, there is no reference to them, and thus it is difficult to place them in history. They appear to have a strong connection to the Evergaols, often appearing outside them, but it is unclear what relation there is, for they do not protect the Evergaols, nor do they power them, since the Evergaols remain strong whether or not these creatures are alive. Furthermore, they are found in some locations unrelated to Evergaols. They possess power over gravity, but a little like the ancient dragons, they do not seem to abide by the normal rules of nature. Many simply explode. However, though the stone beings seem ancient in appearance, the Evergaols seem to be a more recent development, all with ties to the Erdtree affairs in some manner or another. At any rate, these stone creatures and the Evergaols were created and developed by this point at the latest.

This is likely the latest time Melania could have been born, one of the most enigmatic characters the Tarnished meet in the present day, despite her traveling alongside them for most of their journey. A character who has strong opinions surrounding the Flame of Frenzy, one who casts an incantation unlike any others, and one who wields the Blade of Calling dagger, given to one who set out on a journey to fulfill her duty long ago. The power of its former owner, the Kindling Maiden, is still apparent. "I was born at the foot of the Erdtree, where Mother gave me my purpose. I have to ascertain for myself the reason for which I live." Burned and bodyless. Thus, though Melania could have arisen many years earlier, her relation to the Erdtree Empire suggests she couldn't have been born after the Erdtree's decline during the Shattering. And as previously established, though she later gains a glow power, she arose specifically post-Erdtree, where the Glintstone Queen existed well before Dragon Communion had become established to the point that there were now dragons who devoted themselves towards enacting revenge upon those who would defile them. So Exes, Dragon Communion Revenger, did not forget his hatred, even as he succumbed to the Scarlet Rot at the end of the Shattering.

Finally, Marika came to a conclusion, though there can currently be no certainty as to its exact nature. The result was regret. She no longer believed in everything she had created. She saw the rampant flaws in the world she had formed during her reign as Queen. After doing away with faith and genuinely examining the world, she sought to rectify by her mistakes. The world was not lost yet, however. Marika no longer had complete autonomy. She shared her body with another, one who was even more pivotal in the establishment of the Golden Order, one whose faith would never falter, and should she act against the Golden Order, one who would fight against her. While Marika and Radagon were each immensely powerful, if they were to compete against the other's will as gods, they would be evenly matched and end up almost powerless. Perhaps for this reason, perhaps for any number of reasons, Marika hatched a plan that would require only one act, one moment, one strike, such that even if she remained unable to do much of significance afterwards, the damage could not be undone. It was a ruthless plan, but what choice did she have? To her loved ones, she warned them as best she could without revealing her true intentions: "Hear me, demigods, my children, beloved. Make of thyselves that which ye desire, be it Lord, be it a God. But should ye fail to become aught at all, ye will be forsaken, amounting only to sacrifices."

And so, Marika broke the Elden Ring and the Order entire, and immediately her other half fought to oppose her. Queen Marika shattered the Elden Ring, and Radagon attempted to repair it. However, the power of the shattered Elden Ring was not lost but dispersed across the land. When the Elden Ring was shattered, these seeds flew from the Erdtree, scattering across the various lands as if life itself knew that the end had come. Runes settled throughout the realm, and infamously, Marika's offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring. This is a very mysterious event, for it seems that every demigod was bestowed one Great Rune, including many that are unseen in the present day, either discarded, hidden, taken, or likely lost. And each Great Rune was either an innate power of demigods already or quickly adapted to their new found owner. The power they provided therefore reflected their assigned demigods. It is curious that, for example, Godfrey did not claim a Great Rune, but Godrick, Rykard, or Rykard did. Perhaps this suggests that there was a conscious, active process at play, perhaps by Marika herself, that chose the recipients based on current knowledge. Importantly, there was a substantial period between the Night of Black Knives and the Elden Ring being broken. It happened during the Golden Age of the Erdtree, long before the Shattering of the Elden Ring. Marika was thorough in her investigation of the Golden Order. The breaking of the Elden Ring was the ultimate betrayal of everything in Marika's life, including her loyal Shadowbound Beast, who still suffered guilt from the Black Knife plot. Even then, she betrayed him. "Ara, why would thou Gull me? Why?" Marika's trespass demanded a heavy sentence, but even in shackles, she remains a god and the Vision Vessel. Perhaps Marika was irreplaceable, or perhaps it was her union with Radagon, but Marika was never seen outside the Erdtree again. The Erdtree's entrance itself was sealed with vines that patterned just like Radagon's Elden Rune, perhaps an adaptation from what he learned at Ranni Lucaria. Wrath of Gold was discovered when the Elden Ring was shattered, and it was feared as a sign of the Erdtree's wrath, a golden adaptation of no noble presence. Once a sign of the God's Wrath, the land was in disarray with no one to guide them. Some stayed truce the Erdtree, even though the Elden Ring is shattered and the Erdtree has dulled from its former radiance. Earnest Faith continues to hold the answers, but most saw this as a new opportunity, and none more so than those who had gained the most power of all: the demigods.

The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering. A war from which no Lord arose, a war leading to abandonment by the Greater Will. These demigods sought to realize their own new orders, and this time the Sovereign Alliance truly broke, and the Erdtree Empire that had unified the land for so many years splintered as the most brutal war in history began. The fallen leaves tell a story. The Great Elden Ring was shattered. Soon, Marika's offspring, demigods, all claimed the shards of the Elden Ring. The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering. The Shattering fractured the entire realm into a number of factions vying for power. Since it was the mad taint of their new found strength that began the war, there was at least a short period after the Elden.

The ring was smashed before the fighting broke out. Indeed, not everyone turned to violence immediately. Michela and Melania returned to their halig tree. Melania remained absent during the shattering until its infamous conclusion. After marching to Kalid and confronting Redan, however, much was yet to take place until that battle. And so, the twins kept themselves once again.

Reichard retreated to the volcano. Mana illustrated by how the forces of the capital later brought the fight to him. Rani most likely stayed out of the war entirely, unless she worked with Mika for a time. However, there is no evidence of how she spent these years, which aligns with her stalled fate. Even in the present, Ronnie finds the doll's body surprisingly draining and must slumber periodically. This doll's body is not without its hindrances. She even mocks the other demigods for their fruitless violence. What could the demigods ever hope to win by warring?

Godfy remained locked up to the present day, and MOG remained beneath the capital. But for the first time, began to stir and soon escaped from his prison and ventured even deeper underground. Godric remained at the capital, which he would later be hounded from alongside his army. Godwin survived only as the prince of death, and death route continued to spread through the land. Morgot served as the Omen King, or as he was publicly known, the Veiled Monarch, eternally loyal to the ER tree.

Raria acted as they had previously, with wars beyond their borders and shut themselves away after they declared they wouldn't interfere with the shattering. The Academy cast repelling seals on the East Gate leading to the capital and the South Gate leading here. However, not all remained in the academy. There were the Himer scholars who refused to let war inhibit their suit for discovery. The Knights of the Cuu continued to roam and fight across Leonia, and numerous marionet remained where they were, presumably already stationed. Additionally, the academy lost control of the number of their puppet creations.

Ah, the puppets! The puppets besiege us! Thus, the region, even to the present day, features civil conflict throughout, likely in part a remnant from the academy rebellion against the Carians. "I just popped out, and now I'm uprooted from my place of learning," toes, a student who had been disrespectfully coined the blunt stone, despite possessing skill of such import that it warranted a new conspectus, managed to get locked out from his home. This also helps to date Selin's expulsion from the academy, though Selin may have been expelled much earlier, even perhaps during The Karan's reign. What is certain is that Taes was a fellow student at the same time Selin was well known, the most promising sorceress in the history of the Academy. "I followed her at school, but Selin was expelled from the academy, accused of unthinkable treatment of certain sorcerers under the name of the Graven Witch. I still don't believe the accusations. The illustrious Selen would never do such things." The fact that Taes distrusts the information, however, may suggest that this all happened. Since Taes got locked out, either way, Salam was kicked out of the Academy during the shattering at the latest, for the then-banned practice of collecting sorcerers to fashion them into the seeds of stars, which interestingly suggests that before Sel's actions in the present day, she had only carried out such practices on other sorcerers and not herself.

Finally, there was Redan. As previously established, it is unclear where his base of operations was during the age of the Golden Order. However, it seems he was stationed outside the capital, since Redan, the mightiest hero of the demigods, was in all likelihood responsible for the first outright warfare of the shattering.

The second defense of Lendell. There is conflicting information regarding which faction attacked the capital. This scene, in all likelihood, depicts the siege in question. But while the soldiers marching forwards were the colors of Red M soldiers, their armor's heraldry is of Godric's army, and their helmets are the same as Godric's soldiers, lacking the fanged visor of the Red Ms. Perhaps this suggests that Godric and Radan united forces for this attack. However, this seems unlikely for numerous reasons. Not only did Radan later attack Godric, but when Godric fled the capital, he hid amongst the women folk. If Godric was a leader besieging Leander, this would have been a pointless act, since he could have easily just retreated. Instead, the situation may highlight that this depiction of the battle is more artistic than factual. Thus, the second defense of Lendel was in all likelihood a fight between Rans and the capital's forces, who were led by the Veiled Monarch, Morot. There is no reference to Ran's motivations during the shattering, and in his current state, such knowledge is surely lost to time. But perhaps Redansa himself is the most worthy of rising to assume the throne of the capital. He was, after all, the most heroic and pure, epitomizing the best of both previous Elden Lords. This would explain how the conflict concluded before either side was completely defeated. Indeed, perhaps this is how Morgot seemed to come out on top when facing Radan in combat, likely under the name Marget. They were not fighting to the death. Redan did not seek to destroy the capital or kill its armies, but sought to do what he thought was best for the faction. But Morgot knew better.

"The her tree ward of all who D approach. We are, we are all forsaken. None may claim the title of Elder Lord."

In the chaos of the siege, Godric succumbed to his fear that the city would be breached. The soldiers who served Godric fled the Royal Capital of the Earth Tree. Yet, even in this cowardice, Godric did not flee with his soldiers, but hid amidst the civilian women. When Godric was hounded from Landelle, he took a multitude of treasures, including one known as America's Mischief. The word "hounded" suggests he was chased, which may imply that Redan also broke off his siege at a similar time, or as a result of this act, and chased Godri, perhaps to claim his great room, seeing as he was undeserving of its power. This chase went through Leonia and likely culminated at Storm Vil, where Godri only survived by hiding from Redan behind its impressive fortifications, fortifications that had over time been gilded with a golden finish, celebrating the golden lineage. Finally, after what seems to be a heavy assault on the castle, especially on the waterfront facing side, Redan retreated for a second time, over, over to Kalid.

During the second defense of Lendelle, Morgot reorganized the capital's forces for war. Armaments like the heavy crossbow and the brass shield became commonly used across the land. He employed Lel's perfumers, but not as healers. Indeed, their perfuming crafts could easily be used offensively, and the role of this sect transformed into an influential military one. The perfumers were drafted into service during the shattering. The perfumers excelled in this new craft, and to this day, there remains evidence of new recipes that were developed during this period, devised expressly for warfare. A record of crafting techniques left by a military perfumer contains martial techniques beyond the repertoire of an ordinary physician. This new aspect of their craft grew quickly, and the perfumers were so effective they soon became exceptional commanders. Perfuma sensors were even weaponized as ballistics during the second offense of Landel. Interestingly, their greatest power in this role was not offensive. Instead, it was a potent morale-raising effect that makes those accustomed to it fearless in the face of death. In a way, it was still their healing that was at work, and with it, they could strengthen a unit of troops under their command by many factors. These perfuming arts, though once jealously guarded in the capital, likely leaked, and they became widely practiced throughout the Lands Between.

Queen, after the perfumers were drafted into service during the shattering, and as time went ever on, there were those who had fewer qualms about exploring the darker side of the craft. These heresy-inclined perfumers imbibed their own spices to alter body and mind. Their slow descent into self-destruction is what earned them their name. Soon, enemies of Landal employed these unscrupulous perfumers, who were called depraved. They blond an apron with embroidery of a curse upon the Earth Tree, a symbol perhaps of a candelabra, and interestingly featuring a spiral symbolic of the spirals of life, which the Golden Order halted. These depraved perfumers brought their own augmentations to the troops around them. Instead of a morale boost, they made their soldiers enter a state of fervor such that they could charge fearlessly into battle, reformed as berserkers. However, it was not just those that went against the Earth Tree who possessed flexible morals. The shattering left no space for idealists, and some arts developed by capital perfumers serve well to illustrate the desperation felt by Landelle in this period. Though fire was prohibited to those who served the Earth Tree, this rule was forgotten as the war drew ever on. Gargoyles who had lost their ability to move were taught these techniques as well and served as sentinels throughout the city. These gargoyles, alongside the second defense of Landelle, help to date another important event: the sinking of Lower Lendelle.

In the present day, there is a curious lake right behind the ramparts that would be easy to miss. Visitors are unable to enter through the main gates and instead have to enter through a side passage to the north. This lake is enormous and very jarring amidst the inside of the city. Furthermore, this scene clearly illustrates that Ran sought to enter the capital through the main gate, thus the lake must not have been present at that time. Indeed, right below Lower Landal is the Nameless Eternal City, where Godwin's body lies, and strangely, a number of the perfume-using gargoyles, perfumes that were not developed until the shattering. As such, it seems the area behind the outer walls of Landel has sunk in the time since Redan's siege. Gargoyles unable to retreat were drawn into the deep root depths, as well as some Moam Knights, perhaps, who refused to leave their soulless demigods. The cause of the land's movement is unclear, but it surely isn't coincidence that Godwin's body lies below, whose roots infest the ground throughout the Lands Between.

Morat's compromises didn't stop at fire, and he turned to the rejected offspring of Earth Tree society, the Omens. He used his own kind as brute force warriors and sent them into battle to fight for the society that had imprisoned and rejected them since birth. Bespoke weapons were created and awarded toen as a tool of war, but this weapon that even lacked the kindness of a handle was cursed to break. Indeed, when bestowing a weapon, preparations must be made for taking it away. In this manner, Morgot ensured the Omen were less dangerous for times after the war, or if they managed to escape his control. Indeed, if they had not already come about before Morgot was allowed above ground, this likely marks the latest time the Omen Killers come about, a craft born from a perfumer named R, the progenitor of the Omen Killers and a perfumer of antiquity. Once a famous perfumer, R imbibed a physic to rid himself of emotion, thus enabling him to enact his nightmarish labor, hunting the Omen. And yet, the Omen Killers embraced their charge with surprising glee as butchers of twisted conscience. The blade of this huge, loathsome cleaver comprises a row of amputated Omen horns, which cause blood loss, adding vibrant colors to the ongoing Mayhem. And perhaps the most merciless technique was wearing the Omen Smirk Mask. This visage is carved in the image of the evil spirits that haunt the Omen in their nightmare.

After fighting off Redan, Morgot heard news of the growing blasphemy in Mount Galare, news of such devastating import that Morgot risked the ER Tree's safety and launched an offensive assault on Prer Reichard, the soon-to-be Lord of Blasphemy. Reichard refused to fight for the pieces of the old order and instead declared absolute war on the Earth Tree. He would not accept the role of Lord or even God within the plan of the Greater Will and instead sought to completely overthrow it. A sentiment put well by Tanith: "Our Lord indignant has refused to scurry about fighting over what miserly scraps they allow us. If the Earth Tree and indeed the very Gods would debase us so, then we are willing to raise the banner of resistance, even if it means heresy." This heresy of Reichard was to try to overthrow the entire system, inspired perhaps by the pagan beliefs of those he had been sent to quell around the volcano so many years ago, and of times before the Earth Tree. This, as well as some of his other plans, led Morgot to launch an assault on the Volcano Mana, and these plans to become one with the god, the varing snake, were likely just plans at this time, yet to be realized. There is no evidence of snake men on the actual battlegrounds where the forces of the Erry and of Gmir met. Furthermore, in the present day, the Gilir Knight armor bears an emblem that none wear any longer, standing as it does for a Lord that fell from loft ambition into gluttonous depravity. As their Lord lost their dignity, so too did these Knights lose their Master. Though there was likely some overlap between the ongoing assault and Reichard feeding himself to the serpent, there must have been enough of a delay between the beginning of the assault and his descent into gluttonous depravity such that the battle became a deadlock. Indeed, the battle was so evenly balanced and the tactics so base that it is called the most appalling battle in the entirety of the shattering. Even an experimental firearm was considered until it was discovered that no one knew how to use it. A war that dragged on and in which both sides suffered appallingly.

"The assault on Volcano Man, the squalled, the sick, the blasphemous, a wretched unending war with no glory." Fighting continues in the present day, and the flame of frenzy has even burst forth in the eyes of some Landel soldiers who remain.

Long before the assault on Volcano Mana, Reichard had met Tanith, a dancer in a foreign land, and soon he made her his consort. But this affection had not been mutual until the day when, when Reichard finally fed himself to the Blasphemous Serpent, she was the only human to remain by his side. When he became the Serpent of Blasphemy, in that moment, Tanith was truly charmed by him. She even refused his gift of the tonic of forgetfulness. "My Lord, there could be no greater distress than to forget you." Conversely, no others stood by Reichard. "If this putrid field of death is what your blasphemy would bring, then I can no longer abide." No one can. Indeed, there are no Gmir Knights who remain in the present day.

Reichard, however, understood the road of blasphemy is long and perilous. One cannot walk it unprepared to sin. Reichard's Knights abandoned him, having lost their Master, and some even searched for a weapon with which they might halt their Lord. But though they did find one, they ultimately failed in their task. And yet, through, through it all, Reichard was not alone. He had Tanith, and the birth of the Man Serpents followed. However, Morgot's army was spread too thin to take advantage of the disbanded Gmir forces. Indeed, some under Morgot's command seem to have moved beyond his order. Omen Killers, for example, began to hunt any of impure blood and started killing Aloric as well. Perfumers lost their faith, and those who strayed found work elsewhere, such as at the nearby Shaded Castle, of which the Marai family served as both executioners and castellan. However, the sons of House Mari were all sickly born, and as such, either by now or soon after the Battle of Aonia, Marley Mari was beguiled by the beautiful and fierce goddess who was born into rot, one who gave hope to their suffering.

Melenia and indeed Mika had been absent in the shattering so far. It seems likely that this was when Michler embedded himself within the Halig Tree. If this was also when he taught Aloric the technique of metamorphosis, then it may also date the second generation of Alban Orric. For though these frog-like Alban Orric clearly wish to visit the Halic Tree, shown by their numbers in the Consecrated Snowfield and their use of Micha's incantations, there are only the male first-generation Alban Orrics within the Halo Tree. Thus, it is like the second generation Alban Orx and perhaps even the female Albor arose after Michar embedded himself in the Halic Tree, cut off from the rest of the world and the roots of the Earth Tree.

However, Melania did eventually move through the Lands Between. She led her clean rot army southwards, which may indicate she passed through the capital peacefully. She marched down through Leia and ped Godri, who after throwing insults, lost to her in battle, only to lick her boots rather than die like a man, literally on his knees begging for mercy, until finally in Kid, the Conqueror of the Stars, General R, and the Blade of Michel, and Melenia, I seven. These two were the mightiest to remain and locked horns in comat. But why? Why avoid the bloodshed for so long and then march southwards with such purpose? Why pass through Lendell peacefully? Why leave the disrespectful Godric alive but risk everything to try and kill Redam?

"I am Melania, Blade of Mika."

As previously established, Melenia served only as an extension of Mika's will. Thus, Micha sent Melania to kill Redan specifically, perhaps so that the Stars would be released to allow Godwin to regain his soul. Though there could be other reasons. In the present day, Michar is found deep underground, coincidentally below where the Battle of Aonia took place. However, how would Mark have taken Micha before Melania had left the Hal Tree? With her Army, surely none could have gotten close to Micha while his twin sister was by his side. Furthermore, had Melania been seeking her lost brother, she would not use the phrasing "as I awaited his return." She would be active in seeking him out, not passive in waiting. Instead, Michler embedded himself in the Halic Tree, sending Melania to fight Redan in the meantime, and it was Melania's absence that left M vulnerable.

After retreating from his assault on Storm Fail, Redan had in fact undertaken a third siege. For though the castle in the present has been named Red M, on close inspection, it is clear that the island has in fact only recently been taken over by Redan's forces. There is siege equipment outside, manned by Red M soldiers, like those used against Landel. There are hangings of the soldiers who bear armor of the styling seen in Lim Grave. There were bonfires of the unarmed locals and strung up throughout, weapons of Exile soldiers and banished Knights. The Red Ms ruthlessly took control of the castle and slaughtered the inhabitants who likely had nowhere else to go. However, if they conquered the castle before fighting the Cle Rot Army, Redan chose not to fight that. Instead, he met Melania in the center of Kalid. Little is known about the fight itself, but both sides suffered heavy casualties, with only few survivors. Unlike Godfrey, Melania did not seek to minimize the bloodshed and sent her Knights on Redan first. Incredibly, Redan ended up using this against his adversaries and converted the spears with which he was stabbed into great arrows that he imbued with his gravitational power. Eventually, Melania did fight Redon herself, but they were locked in stalemate. Then the Scarlet Rot bloomed. Melenia had but one task to fulfill, and she couldn't walk away with failure, so she sacrificed herself. The pride she abandoned to meet Redan's measure. The will that was once her own. The dignity, the sense of self that allowed her to resist the call of the Scarlet Rot. M IA removed her unalloyed gold needle that was crafted to ward away the meddling of outer gods and pushed to the very limit. The Scarlet Rot bloomed, an enormous flower that exploded and tainted the very land itself. The flora and fauna, the buildings, and soon the region, all of it was consumed with rot. Modern dragons were forced to flee and made nest of the plateau to Ced's North, thus it was named Dragon Barrow, and none dare to enter. Exes, however, did not escape and became infested with the blight. The Red Ms either learned quickly or already knew how to fight the rot. The application of fire in particular. Even today, the survivors of Redan's Battalion employ fire to stave off the Scarlet Rot, and as such, the Flamberge, beloved sword of Jiren, eventually became the symbol of the castle itself. But this was not enough for their leader. Eaten from the inside by Melanous Scarlet Rot, his wits are long gone, reduced to a beast who eats any he can find. Melenia herself entered a deep slumber. But then, Finlay, in an unimaginable act of heroism, carried the slumbering demigod all the way back to the Halo Tree. She managed the feat to fending off all manner of foes along the way. In the present day, Ment retraces this path, painting the story even more clearly. "Now I'm tracing the path Melenia took." Thus, Finley traveled North to the Alter's Plateau via the Ruin-Strewn Precipice, over to the Windmill Village of Dominula, through the capital and the Forbidden Lands, all the way to the Halo Tree, unsurprisingly earning the status of Legend.

Ashen remains, who was truly the mightier demigod, will never be known. The Red Ms were driven to defeat in the end, but Redan was the last man standing, despite Melania's Bloom. Then again, Melenia in the present day has recovered, unlike Redan, though that was only with the help of Finlay. And yet, surely Redan also had the help of his army, even to the present day. One of the eternal mysteries of the Lands Between.

As previously looked at, it is most likely during Millenia's Expedition that Mika was taken. "I heard speculation: Mola embedded himself in the Helic Tree, but before he could finish, someone cut the tree open and absconded with his infant form." And not just someone, but Micha's Omen half-brother, MOG. For multiple ages, MOG was locked beneath the capital. The cursed pot serves as a childhood memory and caused summoned spirits to assail him with a rabid fervor. But finally, MOG had had enough. Unlike Morot, whose opinion aligned with the Her Tree, agreeing that the Omen curse was a dangerous thing, MOG took pride in his form. He broke out of his prison and ventured deeper underground, where he found the Formless Mother. The Mother of Truth craves wounds. When MOG stood before her, deep underground, his accursed blood erupted with fire and boiled with the defilement he was born into. Finally, his curse, his suffering, had purpose and blessed him with power. He used a sacred spear, both as a weapon and as an instrument of communion with an outer God who bestows power upon a cursed blood. MOG was directed to form a new dynasty, which he prepared for in the ancient ruins deep beneath Caleb. But MOG could not rise to full godhood and instead looked to one he could serve as consort. And eventually, MOG chose Mika, his half-brother, apparently. MOG managed to take Micha from his Halig Tree and return to his underground ruins without anyone realizing, for in the present day, none are even aware he is the Lord of Blood. And Melania remains blissfully ignorant that she likely waits in vain for her twin. He even seems to have projected himself back into his prison should anyone check up on him. MOG wished to become Mola's consort, taking the role of Monarch, but no matter how much of his bloody bedchamber he tried to share, he received no response from The Young Imperium. Micha did grow substantially in this new cocoon since he was much smaller when MOG captured him, but showed no response to MOG. However, though he appears unresponsive even in the present day, it seems Micha himself may not be concerned with his corporeal body and instead continues to seek answers elsewhere.

The Battle of Aonia marks the end of the shattering, a conclusion born from destruction rather than order, where organized forces had been left in utter disarray, whether by casualties, losing their Master, being spread too thin, or having to fight the accursed Scarlet Rot. The formal warfare devolved into a free-for-all, a situation that worked in the Lord of Blood's favor. MOG began to amass followers by abducting those who had a proclivity for blood lust, such as war surgeons who were effectively mercy killers, or those who hail from the Land of Reeds, which has long been locked in a miserable civil war. Little wonder that the entire nation has succumbed to blood-soaked madness. However, none were able to tame the accursed blood for now, at least.

In Kid, Melania's very first flower spawned the Swamp of Aonia, and from this swamp, the pests emerged. Though men might recognize the keen intellect of the pests, evidenced by this spear's uncanny design, it will never be understood by them so clearly. These pests are more advanced than they might seem. They are also present deep underground in the Grand Cloister. So it is likely that the swamp spawned new pests on the surface, but that this was not the beginning of their kind. They had simply suffered heavy losses since their God had been sealed away.

"Oh, Scarlet blossoms flourish in distant lands and return to us, the unwanted children." Since Melania fought Ran and the Great Scarlet Flower blossomed in Aonia, I have dedicated myself to her. Go sought to realize the order of Rat, primarily through a number of buds that had sprouted: the four sisters, and then even a fifth, sometime later. Then there was Commander O'Neal. Even after his Lord had fled, he continued to brandish this flag in the devastation of the root-eaten field of battle, the sole veteran who remembers this battle with pride.

Over at Red Main Castle, a new tradition was taking shape: a war festival honoring the last battle and death of General Radan. Jiren served General Radan as a guest commander, and they are said to have sworn an oath of honorable death to one another. Jiren must therefore have been serving Radan before the Battle of Aonia and so has been bound to the fortress until he could deliver Radan the honorable death he deserved.

Across the lands, havoc reigned supreme. With no one to lead, bandits ran rampant in the wake of the shattering. Flur, the Blood Hound Knight, founded that there was only one Lord he would ever serve, a true king, and so the Rabid Stray never found a master. The academy never opened their gates again. Such was the havoc across the realm, a war from which no Lord arose, a war leading to abandonment. But by the Greater Will, this was only the abandonment of the previous figureheads of the demigods who'd been entrusted with Great Runes and proved to be unworthy. But the Greater Will has not abandoned the realm. So it is that the Tarnished are guided by Grace, called to act. Or perhaps Amica managed to do one final act before she was completely shut down. Whatever the case was, the legacy of America's unbeaten army, their ancestors found themselves seeing Grace and were called to the Lands Between. The Tarnished, overseen somewhat fittingly by the Two Fingers once again.

The Two Fingers warned the Tarnished: "Follow the path that has been set for you, and you will make enemies of all others: the monks, the sorcerers, the Ancient Dragon Knights, and the Scions of Gold." The Lands Between offers no welcome to the Tarnished. Indeed, the Tarnished would even find a press from the Two Fingers themselves, whose servants served as the assassins of the Roundt Hold. The Assassins were charged with eliminating Tarnished who strayed from guidance. Ironically, the Assassins were themselves once Tarnished who had strayed from guidance, and they pursued their duty in the darkness that is without grace. These Assassins were called Confessors and wore black attire for blending in with the darkness. Even the churches outside the Lands Between dedicated to the teachings of the Two Fingers send Confessors out to follow the guidance of Grace. The Two Fingers even spent resources to try to eliminate the demigod Rony.

"The Two Fingers and I have been cursing each other ever since, and the baleful shadows are their assassins." Assassins empowered by the Rune of Death. Importantly, though the Shadows are naturally obedient, which causes Blly difficulty in the present day, they are clearly not something under the control of the Two Fingers, despite what some characters believe. Relic of an assassin who assumed the guise of Ronnie, the Witch's loyal Shadow. The likeness is striking. Why would the Two Fingers carry out such a complex and delicate plan of subterfuge if they could simply take full control over Blly? Nonetheless, Ronnie managed to evade the attempts on her life, and Egi, Blly, and Salves continued to serve her in her dark path right to the present. However, it is likely Salis lacked loyalty even then, since he helped Selon well before his actions in the present day. "She owes me for the help I gave her when she was expelled from the academy."

Importantly, the Tarnished were not all beckoned at once and instead were continually graced over a long period of time, up to the present. This is why some Tarnished are first arriving in the present, where others have been stationed in the Lands Between for some time. Indeed, just as more are continually brought in, so did those who showed little promise have their Grace seemingly revoked. "The guidance of Grace, I mean. I can't see it at all." No more. Gideon, for example, has remained at the Round Table Hold for a substantial period. By the present, Gideon has had a long exchange with the Two Fingers, has adopted Nefi as his daughter, loved and lost, making a rival of Salus, and is a self-proclaimed true member of the Round Table, seeing the newcomers as namby-pamby Tarnished.

One of the first Harish to visit the Round Table Hold was Varram, the Raging Wolf. He earned his nickname from the white wolf pelt that adorns his helm. However, instead of Elden Lordship, Farram aspired to become a shadow of the Imperion, which explains his armor's styling, and later he managed to acquire the Godslayer Greatsword too. He was friends with one called Errant Sorcerer Wilhelm, who was also one of the first Tarnished to return. Wilhelm once belonged to the Hodas Conspectus and so was in all likelihood an outcast from the academy, a silent seeker of sorcery who had gone so far as to make contact with the Primeval Current, explaining his expulsion. But Wilhelm was led by guidance into confrontation with his friend Far M, and it is said that he was then taken prisoner in Roundtable Hold. A very interesting story. It seems that the Two Fingers were not happy with Vr's choices, as might be expected, but Wilham refused to follow their orders to confront his friend, and thus he was punished too. And so the two remained allies and continued to fight adversaries together to the present day.

Little is known about Mad Tongue Alrick, but this heretical practitioner was an aloof yet disturbed sorcerer, said to have been driven mad by jering tongues during his service to the Roundtable Hold long ago. Though in the present day, the Roundt Hold is a quiet, calm place. Initially, the Tarnished were rowdy and plentiful. Hugh lightly served at the Round Table Hold from before Amica shattered the Elden Ring, likely cursed. I know he was given this great entreaty to craft a weapon which could slay a god. Hug served only to craft such a weapon right unto his dying days, even once his shackles were broken, but no Tarnished ever gave him that chance, none that he could call Lord, at least, until the present. However, there were some Tarnished who showed promise over the years, who had the makings of Elden Lordship and even managed to claim Great Rune, although these have been lost in the present day. And most promising of all was Vik. No other Tarnished was closer to the throne of Elden Lord than Vik. But without announcement, Vik traveled far below the capital and was scorched by the Flame of Frenzy. Did he make his choice for his maiden, or did some other force lure him with suggestion?

"Only once before have I seen two Great Rules Runes together." So Vik managed to claim two Great Runes and gained access to Lay andell, if not already. VI joined the Dragon Cult and quickly rose in their ranks. In fact, of all the Knights, VI the Dragon Spear was the one Lancs loved the most. Then it seems that Shabir's words managed to dissuade him from his quest, and he went beneath the capital to the Three Fingers. Like himself, it has been tormented by the yellow flame of frenzy from within. "Ah, Lord VI, it seems that you are no Lord after all." So Vik must have intended to inherit the flame, garnered frenzied followers, and then regretted his actions after inheriting the flame. Perhaps he even requested he be locked in an Ever Jail to limit the danger he posed. Curiously, he does not make use of frenzy within his Ever Jail, and also curious is that he was not required to remove his armor to be embraced by the Three Fingers, which may suggest the Finger's power was still strong at this time compared to their withered state in the present day.

There was House Hoslo, which has existed for generations. This work of art is handed down through the generations of the illustrious house. The tale of how House Hoslo is told in blood. Dios, the younger brother, was all talk and no trousers and still remains in the Round Table in the present day. Meanwhile, the elder brother, Juno, inherited the Hoslo Legacy without resistance, and though he would never consider himself a champion, this earned him an invitation to the Volcano Manor, which he discreetly refused. An ax that was not received well.

Indeed, the Volcano Mana had also begun to stir when the Tarnes had started returning. This furled finger is covered in snake scales, an heirloom of the Lord of the Volcano Mana, bequeathed to Tarnes to have become family, to grow in power. Reichard lured worthy champions with questionable morals to the Volcano Mana to aid in their dirty work. "Before you consider hunting any of your own kind, think on that." And if they proved fit, they could join King Family. On Reichard's sword are remains of the countless heroes he has devoured. Now they share the same blood, bound together as family. Reichard continued to grow at a rate faster than his snake body could manage, and his insides full of these champions burst from his skin. In the present day, snake people were actively created in repellent birthing rituals, which is how Rya was born. They apparently seemed to be able to take the form of humans too. Then there were assassins known as the Formless Serpents, who specialized in deadly poison, though it is unclear whether they had any true relations to the Volcano Mana, nor exactly when they arose. It is likely at least inspired by the recent snake revival, for news did spread across the Lands Between, whether good or bad, trador singing tales of champions both in the honorable service of the Earth Tree and the one who spurns honor for blasphemy.

Meanwhile, Godric emerged in the wake of the shattering and took control over Lim Grave, acting as the Lord of Storm Vil. A feeble man sought power through the grotesque act of grafting. "One day we'll return together to our homes, bathed in rays of gold." This is the most likely time Godric began grafting, since it is mentioned in tandem with being Outcast from Lendal. He sent out his soldiers, still loyal to him, to control the lands and seek out Tarnished for his use. That depraved luter obsessed with sacrificing Tarnished like you for the sake of grafting, and he recruited Outcast soldiers in addition to the Storm Hawks to man his castle. "This place is bristling with Tarnished Hunters, you know." Curiously, it seems Godric managed to slightly normalize grafting, illustrated in the present day by Rod. "Oh, you've come to be one with the spider? Well, that makes us two peas in a pod." Rodor R also illustrates that some arrived at the Lands Between without ever seeing Gra. Thus, this was also when grafted Scions were born. After falling from Grace, the drgs of the Golden Lineage sought power and purpose. In the past, some even went so far as to become Royal Revenant, whose grafting is so extreme in the present day that healing incantations make the very various limbs tear the body apart, causing a ton of damage. Godric even set up a chain of command at Castle Mour. "I'm Edgar, Warden of this Castle, as ordained by Lord Godri himself." Though this didn't last long. Morgot seems at the very least to prefer Godric to the Tarnished and remotely defended Storm Vil from Intruders right to the present day. Interestingly, though they are all termed willful traitors, Morgot only seems to bear malice when referencing the Lord of Blasphemy, Prer Reichard. Nonetheless, while Storm Vil stood undefeated through these years, deep beneath the castle, a problem grew. It is unclear why this location is so important. Perhaps it relates to the boat's ferary right here, perhaps the relation of the castle to the Golden Lineage, but a second manifestation of Godwin's soulless body began to form in the castle's depths, and through this mottling and thorns spread throughout the castle, a mystery even to the inhabitants. Some say it is the curse of grafting which causes such affliction, while others talk of its root being something altogether more sinister, hidden deep within the castle.

MOG continued to recruit for his dynasty, and the Tarnished proved the first to be worthy. None were able to tame the accursed blood, none but V, that is, though he was an exception. Then there were those who hailed from the blood-soaked land of Reeds. There was Elanora, whose legacy is stained by a cursed blood, and then there was Oka, one who rose above the absurdities of the world. There was only himself, his katana, and its mastery. Before long, Oka became a demon of a swordsman, and then he met Mo in battle. When MOG first felt Oka's sword and madness upon his flesh, he had a proposal to offer Oka: the life of a demon whose thirst would never go unsated, a demon who would continue to haunt the Tarnished right up to the present day. And though M's dynasty is yet to be realized, he did establish a hierarchy using a medal, proof that one is a glorious Knight of the new dynasty of Mwin.

Over in the North, the Guardians of the Flame of Ruin continued to falter. Some monks had already abandoned their post in favor of the Black Flame, but now they even had a legendary hidden incantation taken. Arany, the chief guardian of the flame, had kept this incantation a well-kept secret until it was stolen by Aaan. Fir monks and Thorn Sorcerers were sent in pursuit, finally capturing this thief in Leonia, where they locked him in an Ever Jail as punishment. This must have been a recent development, considering the monks still remain in Leonia in the present day. And so, even the Prelates, the commanders of the Fire Monks, began to break ranks. The fire of this cauldron has since died out.

Indeed, one who abandoned their post discarded their red gar on, which was marked the onus of their grave vows as Guardians. They seem to have aligned with the blasphemers and joined the ongoing battle against the capital's forces by attacking Fort Live. Some Tarnished were recruited to help the numbers at the Guardian's Garrison, perhaps because the monks, Sorcerers, and even Prelates could no longer be trusted. There was Devon and Darian, who were of two bodies and two minds but one single soul, curiously a theme that resonates with that of Mara and Radigan. And the Golden Order was the only institution not to revile them as cursed beings. As such, they became fundamentalists and sought to reinstate the Golden Order. They had been friends with Rer. "We found ourselves journeying together for a time, bound by our exploration of death, but our paths have since diverged." De saw the disgrace of those who live in death when Grace is solid, it rots people from the inside, breaks them, where Rer saw that these beings had done nothing wrong and felt sympathy for them, eventually forming ties with another Tarnished, one who was a deathbed companion even before seeing Grace and who soon Beed with none other than Godwin himself. Goldmask, a widely respected fundamentalist, looked beyond those who live in death in pursuit of true answers. During this time, he was seen as a Lord and had disciples who followed him, though in the present day, only one remains for the time being.

Then, infamously, there was the Dung Eater, a Tarnished with the heart of an Omen without the body to match, a man of extreme beliefs. The heavy sun-shaped medallion represents both the guidance he once saw and the ring to which it will one day lead. To this end, the man murdered thousands and defiled their corpses with the seedbed curs. By doing so, he prevented dead souls returning to the Earth Tree, leaving them forever cursed. One of the most loathsome things found in the Lands Between, a man who was worth the resources of locking up beneath the capital, though how that compared to Bogur is unclear. However, even this did not work, and the Dung Eater continued to curse others, even as far as the Halic Tree, right up to the present day.

Gank continued to try and make up for his mistake on the night of Black Knives and worked with what remained of the Golden Order to seek out Death Route to reunite with the Rune of Death inside him. He may have even removed his own eye to aid others in this task, a fruitless quest, all the while fighting against the fading intelligence that was gifted upon their kind and confused at his master's actions. "AR, why would thou go me? Why shut one who hailed from Aok, a land of proudly solitary aesthetics?" At some point, managed to at least partly overthrow the Mari rulers at the Shaded Castle. He somehow managed to snatch the family's storyed sword from the sight of his looming execution and furnished it with battle skills from his home, and with this, he continued to reap the havoc he had likely been previously charged with. Elma murdered numerous instructors and merchants and was known as the Bell Bearing Hunter.

There were also the Noble Living John. It is difficult to date these beings. They could even have ancient origins, given how jars featured in Beast culture. Though the jars are brought to life by human flesh and blood, they are all rather kindly folk. Perhaps they were made to be better than their innards. These jars seem to serve as an alternative method to bring the bodies of Champions for the minor her trees that were growing across the land. There, the avatars would break them, who had emerged in the wake of the shattering. However, the living jars were fully sentient and grew a culture of their own, settling in the east of Leonia. Once, there was even a nameless man who sought to be worthy to join the warriors inside, which may suggest society saw this as an honor, just like her tree burial. Unfortunately, new perfuming arts were developed that required fragments of hunted noble jars. Depraved perfumers are plainly in league with jar poachers, and so the jars lived in fear, seeking one who could protect them. The ER Tree Guardians spread out across the lands and protected the new minor ER Tree offspring, though not all of these have survived to the present day. Some Tarnished made friends with the ancestral who had rejected the artificial cycles of the Earth Tree in favor of returning to nature and life from death. The Spiral Horn Shield was once given to a Tarnished Warrior who cultivated close ties to the ancestral followers. By this time, at the latest, there arose people who collected the power of meteorites. The desperate ones, which scavenge for these shards, dubbed themselves Star Callers, and as such, they paid homage to those beings that rose from meteorites, the Falling Star Beasts, or malformed stars.

And finally, the first ever Tarnished was also called back to the Lands Between: Godfrey. He had done as America originally instructed. He had led the long march and waged war during this time. His weapon had been broken in a battle for his leader of the Tarnished. Finally, he had died, strung up alongside his Beast Region sash, but he too was graced once more, and with this new life, he returned to the Lands Between. After the long march of the Tarnished came to an end, Godfrey divested himself of kingship, becoming a simple warrior once more. This is somewhat unclear. Does it mean he became a simple warrior over in the foreign lands after all? He is called Hu when he is gifted Grace, or does this include his return to the Lands Between? He does act as Godfree rather than Horor Loop right up until his last moments, fighting at the foot of the Earth Tree, and the transition to become a simple warrior once more doesn't seem reversible, which it would need to be if he had done this in a far away land.

Muriel, infinitely wise, whose life has spanned many ages, remains to the present day at the Church of Vs, offering guidance and aid to any that may need it. All things can be conjoined, and there were others who sought to do good within the realm. There was a traveler, an associate of a healer, who is said to be in search of new aromatics and flower gardens in hopes of treating Misbegotten Omen and all those seen as impure. This healer was most likely Trisha, who dedicated her efforts to treating these impure beings. When her efforts failed, she was their companion as they died, watching over them to ensure that they could pass peacefully, free of pain, a tale akin to the origins of the Deathbed Companions.

The years went on, and more and more Tarnished were beckoned with Grace, all to no avail. The Two Fingers grew tired, aged, and trembling. They could no longer speak with ease and only greeted new Round T members once they had at least claimed their first Great Rune. They lost many of their servants, as suggested by the phrasing that they once served the Lands Between at every level. It was broken, just like the simple, weathered straight sword, though the Ary styling is still visible. Time has not been kind to this sword, now merely a shadow of its former self. Gravekeepers were insect-ridden. There was no longer any societal hierarchy beyond the small factions that fought on, and Aristocrats or Nobles became Wanderers, abandoning their birthplace after the shattering. These Undead Wanderers are the pitiful product of unending life. This even included the Aged, which serve as an apt comparison to the stability of the previous era.

In the capital, there arose Oracle Envoys. It is said that when Oracle Envoys appear, playing their pipes, they do so to herald the arrival of a new God or age. Soon, one capable of changing the age itself would arrive, unless perhaps it is too early to sound the call. These Oracles also appeared at the Halig Tree, which suggests that despite everything that went awry, Mika had created something which could bring forth a new age. Could this be what Gideon implies when he says, "Perhaps the sorrow was justified"? That Mika was the best chance of the demigods, and when he learns of Moog's actions, he understands the truly hopeless situation that America must also have realized. Until finally, there was one other whom Grace would again bless, who may just be worthy of becoming a Lord.

Tarnished! Oh, Tarnished! Seek the Earth Tree and stand before America, its Queen. Become the Elden Lord. And so, just as America's reign was built, so would it fall. Despite everything she did to avoid fate, the cycles of nature are inevitable, and the rest is history.