In all of Elden Ring’s vast speculative and non-speculative lore, I think a fragment greatly overlooked is the fact that we don’t really know why the Great Runes do.. that.
Sure, we know they’re large fragments of the Elden Ring gathered by Marika’s offspring, likely either claimed immediately after the shattering o gathered piece by piece in conquest and with the slaughter of other, lesser creatures or offered by loyal subjects.
But why do they do… that? Why do they do different things? Why do they boost health or focus or attributes or *checks notes* imbue a blood blessing upon summoned phantoms?
Why does Miquella discard his? Why is it significant that Radahn’s burns or that Rykard’s wriggles like a snake? That siblings’ runes look similar like the Omen twins or the Carian Brothers?
I think the answer that would explain most of these questions has been in plain sight in the form of mending runes as a sort of similar opposite:
While Mending Runes are how individuals would see the present order and Elden Ring itself changed, Great Runes are how the Shardbearers see the present order and Elden Ring as it would work for them.
(Discussion cont. below)
A brief on Mending Runes
I’m not going to go too in-depth since if you’re reading this you probably know plenty, but Mending runes exist as a bandaid on the current Elden Ring. Whether to plague the world with Omen or Usurp Marika’s reign or whatever, the Mending Runes all exist externally of the Tarnished and are… uh.. gestated by other individuals.
Notably, We do not equip them, we cannot use them for anything but mending the Elden ring. We don’t have to activate them at towers or use rune arcs to grant their blessings, they just are. They exist as items because they are someone else’s vision of fixing the current world order.
Great Runes
Let’s start with what we know about Great Runes.
In the game, we—arguably—get 8 and are shown 10. Miquella’s rune isn’t the same as the others per se, but we’ll include it because we do get it:
Godrick’s, which raises all attributes
Radahn’s, which raises HP, FP, and Stamina
Rykard’s, which gives health back after defeating enemies
Morgott’s, which massively boosts HP,
Mohg’s, which, *ahem,* “grants a blessing of blood to summoned phantoms and imparts a phantom great rune upon successful invasion”
Malenia’s, which reduces the healing of Flasks but gives a Bloodborne Rally effect on attacks made after damage taken.
Miquella’s, which as a tool, reverses the effects of his own Charm
And the rune of the Unborn, which is used in the act of reincarnation/rebirth.
Runes we know have to exist or have seen are the Rune of Death, Ranni’s Rune, Marika’s Rune, and Radagon’s Rune. We do not know what these do (except the RoD) for now.
If you’re reading these descriptions for the first time, you might notice (like I did) something strange: most of these powers.. don’t really seem to have affected their Shardbearers the same as us.
Sure, I don’t know how I would be able to tell that Godrick has a +5 to Arcane or whether Morgott has a wee bit more health than he did before, but I can tell you for certain that Malenia’s heal-on-hit is NOT just after taking damage, that Rykard does NOT get a little bit of health back after eating my summons, and that Mohg summons exactly ZERO phantoms to help him out during the fight.
So what gives? Why can’t I heal on EVERY hit the way Malenia does? Why can’t I have a permanent LoBE effect like Mohg?
Twinning Great Runes
On top of this confusion, there’s also the fact that some great runes look the same. Morgott and Mohg’s are specifically called out as “naturally [looking] similar” (Mohg’s Great Rune), and Radahn’s and Rykard’s runes look to occupy the same space in the Elden Ring as well, so what gives?
Great Runes and Viewpoint
On a recent play through, I grabbed one of my favourite items in the game: the Taker’s Cameo. It grants a similar effect to Rykard’s great rune, and reads:
“Restores HP upon defeating enemies. When Rykard turned to heresy, taking by force became the rule. The gods themselves were no different, after all.”
The strong take, according to Bernahl, and Rykard believed that “the gods themselves” took from the weak to gain their strength.
This is where I came to a conclusion: the Great Runes don’t affect their Demigod hosts in the same way they effect us because the Great Rune effects are representations of how those Demigods see the Elden Ring.
Rykard’s great rune heals on defeating enemies because he sees the Elden Ring as a corrupting force, a plague on the lands between that encourages the gods to destroy the lives of weakling subjects for their own personal power and gain. Rykard thinks of the Elden Ring as parallel to the Serpent itself, feeding on endless strife and power struggle and death.
This actually works surprisingly well for the rest of the Shardbearers too:
Godrick’s rune raises all attributes because to him the Elden Ring is a means of overcoming his weakness as the runt of the proverbial litter. It represents all that he seeks in grafting: enlightenment of the mind and body, constant improvement, battle prowess. It’s an “anchor rune” because he likely has… really no goals or ambitions beyond proving himself. He represents a complete center, wishing to place himself at the top of the order, but not to change it.
Radahn’s great rune is also fairly obvious within this lense: the Elden Ring is a means of strength, and his rune raises HP, FP, and Stamina. Radahn is the perfect being in wartime: his strength is unparalleled, he values his mind, and he is endlessly determined with an iron will (er, or so we’re told.) the Elden Ring is a way to fundamentally better himself in a similar way to Godrick, except Radahn is maybe more “realistic” about strength. He only needs to constantly improve himself, physically and mentally.
To Morgott, the Elden Ring and Erdtree are one and the same. He has lived his life under the oppression of an order that sees the Elden Ring as bountiful life itself, and his rune reflects that perfectly, massively boosting HP.
Mohg’s rune is much the same as Morgott’s. Considering the fact that Mohg would rather take Miquella from the Haligtree rather than keep him there and lord over a prosperous new.. divine plant thing, I think Mohg’s plan—however addled—ultimately still revolved around the Erdtree, just with a new god and new dynastic lineage. A “branch off” of the Golden Lineage. I think Mohg’s rune’s similarity to Morgott’s represents that while wholly repentant of the Two Fingers and Greater Will, he still believes in the Elden Ring and Erdtree, but instead sees it as the centerpiece to his dynasty of blood and slaughter, which is why his rune grants blessings to summons (his kin and nobles.)
Malenia’s is really, really interesting and solidified this theory for me even more because her great rune doesn’t JUST offer the rally effect, it minimizes healing from flasks, something we see in Hornsent culture too. I’m not saying Malenia is a Hornsent or anything, but I think it’s more indicative of a lessened belief in the Erdtree and Elden Ring, which would make sense in the context of her awaiting Miquella’s return and her protection of the Haligtree. She views the Elden Ring as a representation of her Golden Heritage, serving to keep her alive and stave off the rot, but nothing more.
A Tangent Theory about Godwyn and the Realm of Shadow
(Caria and Death part 2.5/3)
“Oh, Lord Godwyn...
Such cruelty, such humiliation...
My poor, sweet lordling should have died a true death.
As the first of the demigods to die.
As a martyr to Destined Death.”
(Finger Reader Crone, Deeproot Depths)
“As the First Dead of the demigods, it's said he's buried deep under the capital, at the Erdtree's roots.”
(Prince of Death’s Pustule)
“Marika...why...wouldst thou... gull me?”
(Gurranq/Maliketh)
Godwyn’s story leaves us with a lot of questions, and, despite being integral to the game’s plot, is fairly elusive in the lead-up to the whys and hows.
What was the original plan for Godwyn? What was Marika’s Involvement in the Black Knife Plot? Why are the Death Knights in the Realm of Shadow?
Let’s start out with what we actually do know/can infer with a fair bit of certainty:
1. Godwyn is born and raised to Prince-hood in Godfrey’s age (and, idk if it’s ever said but I’m operating under this assumption, is Godfrey’s Son) based on the Amber Medallions we get from the Death Knights, which describe both “the age of Godfrey” and “Godwyn’s Inner Circle of Golden Knights.”
2. Godwyn operates as Prince of Leyndell, commanding its forces in a war with the ancient dragons. He befriends the dragons, and starts the Dragon Cult.
3. Godwyn was still alive when the Empyrean Twins were young, based on the Golden Epitaph’s prayer from a young boy (presumably Miq, based on the speech and the fact that it brings up his sigil)
4. Godwyn is not an Empyrean. Ranni tells us the three “current” Empyrean candidates were Herself, Miquella, and Malenia.
5. Godwyn is slain on the Night of Black Knives
6. Godwyn is Buried at the Erdtree Roots beneath the Capital.
And that’s… about it for Godwyn. At least that’s it that’s relevant to his death. We don’t know anything about his aspirations, about what his regency plans were if he had any, whether he would replace his mother as ruler or just stay Prince of Leyndell forever, etc.
But those quotes I brought up at the beginning would suggest we know less than we even think we do, because Godwyn is referred to as a “Martyr to Destined Death.”
What? This whole game we’ve been playing under the assumption that Godwyn’s death was an assassination. What do you mean “Martyr?”
I probably don’t need to bring you a screenshot of the definition of the word “Martyr.” But for clarity’s sake, I’ll briefly say that it is defined by someone suffering for something. Suffering for a cause they believe in, and the Finger Reader’s phrasing makes it seem like Godwyn wasn’t just killed by destined death’s usage, but he believed in it as a cause. A Martyr to Destined Death.
The Realm of Shadow’s Role
Notable among all the times Godwyn is referred to as the “Prince of Death” is the Death Knights’ armor, who are searching for the Prince of Death’s “Cadaver Surrogate” in the realm of shadow.
Which is interesting, because presumably the realm of shadow was sealed off before the night of Black Knives.
Furthermore, why would the previously mentioned “Golden Knights” of Godwyn’s “Inner Circle” be… death themed? Death themed well before Godwyn’s assassination too, as these knights were given medals during “the age of Godfrey” and we know Miquella was alive for Godwyn’s assassination according to the Golden Epitaph, so was Godwyn the Prince of Death before he was murdered?
The Restoration of Death and Timeline of the Plot.
I think Godwyn knew he was to die, and that his martyrdom was part of a greater plan for the reemergence of death in the lands between.
Godfrey’s age is often referred to as the “age of plenty,” and this age’s end with his exile is not just a hint to the tarnished that the Erdtree isn’t as eternal as it seems, it’s a subtle reveal that Marika’s disillusionment with the Greater Will begins here, with her enemies conquered and the dust settled.
In an age founded on the triumph of Life over Death and the defeat of the Gloam Eyed Queen, Marika’s rule has seen to taking care of all outside its golden light. Her lord has decimated the Fire Giants down the last. The realm of her oppressors is sealed off and surveilled under the watchful eye of her oldest son. The golden prince has befriended ancient dragons who once laid siege to the impenetrable walls of Leyndell. An alliance is formed between the Erdtree and the Moon. She is left without any true opposition.
I think this is the moment when Marika at last feels safe to truly conquer death instead of quieting it. The sealing of death allowed her and her kin to evade harm, effectively acting as a buff for wartime that can now be relinquished.
But while she reigns over the land of the living, who then should watch over the land of the dead?
From here, the order of events was supposed to go like this:
1. Pieces of death are stolen from Maliketh. As a beast of the two fingers, he would be obligated to put Marika to the sword if she tried to take death back herself, so she hires others to take it from him so he is none the wiser until much, much later. From Maliketh’s perspective, he fails his one duty, and won’t learn of Marika’s betrayal until she shatters the Elden Ring.
2. Godwyn’s Golden Death Knights await his arrival in the realm of shadow. They take to catacombs, as traditionally, souls would be transferred through the roots of the Erdtree to the roots of the Scadutree (which is why all the coffins in the realm of Shadow are being brought out of the catacombs).
X. At some point in this plan, Ranni and Godwyn are informed that they’re to be wed. When this happens doesn’t matter, but what does matter is that Ranni is an Empyrean, likely the only of the three candidates not inflicted with a curse of some kind as far as we know.
Note that Godwyn is the Prince of Death and not the King of Death. This is because it signifies Godwyn’s Candidacy for Lordship with his title subject to change. Morgott is a King because he cannot, by the rules of ascension, become a Lord.
3. The Black Knife Assassins are recruited by Marika or via a third party to Assassinate Godwyn. I think at this point would be a good moment to clarify who is and isn’t in on the plot. Marika, Ranni, and Godwyn are all for sure in the know. Marika is organizing it, Ranni is to become a god, and Godwyn a lord. Rykard is not supposed to know, but we’ll get to that. None of the other demigod children are in on it, neither is Godfrey. Radagon is a maybe, as it’s even possible he recruited the BKAs for Marika. He’s just against undeath, after all, so he might’ve been for the original plan which would see to the restoration of true death.
I’ve seen a lot of people imply the Rykard was a sort of “door holder” who let the BKAs into Leyndell as a man on the inside, but I don’t think Rykard was stationed at Leyndell very often if ever, especially if Volcano Manor exists with a secret torture area to double hide it from the public.
4. Godwyn meets the assassins outside the capital. This would be why there’s very little information on how the BKAs got inside the capital and how they were able to overpower a guy who took down dragons, plus the story trailer where Godwyn seems to be in a forest where he was murdered. My vote is on the lightning altar area where the stormcaller church is, but I don’t really think it matters.
5. Godwyn is slain by destined death, and his soul and body travel through the Erdtree to the Realm of Shadow. Marika can finally begin to work against the greater will in less subtle ways.
6. Godwyn’s Cadaver Surrogate becomes his new body in the realm of Shadow. He is retrieved by his Golden Death Knights and hailed as the new Prince of Death.
Per this original version of the plot, Godwyn’s body would not be corrupted, so he probably wouldn’t be a giant fish thing and would just be reborn in the shadow lands.
7. Godwyn makes his way to the gate of divinity and ushers in the return of Ranni, now a fledgling God. The Eclipse has come and gone, no longer holding destined death at bay. The land of shadow becomes the land of the dead once more.
Where this plan went wrong was with Ranni’s secret counter-plot to use this opportunity to divest herself of her empyrean flesh, something Miquella could do once in the realm of shadow (because, presumably, that’s where his dead flesh should go rather than back into the Erdtree) but Ranni needed access Destined death to do it in the Lands Between. Rykard is informed of this plan as another party in Ranni’s equation to ensure everything goes smoothly. If the plan failed and Ranni was found out before she was able to discard her flesh, Marika might pin everything on Ranni and send Maliketh after her or the Carian Family.
Admittedly, there are kinks to iron out and I would love—if anyone’s actually read through this that is—any ideas particularly on how Ranni would have made her way to the gate of divinity and what Messmer’s role would’ve been/whether he would’ve been “taken care of” to reveal the GoD again.
Anyway, I should write a conclusion or something to sum this up but I start drafts and chip away at them to the point where I’m sure they’re largely incoherent anyway. I’ll get back to the Carians soon, I just wanted to get this thought out of my brain.
I think we don’t appreciate enough the subtle stomach-drop twinge of horror moment that is Count Ymir giving you the last map fragment and realizing it’s where you are right now.
I feel like I’ve managed to make the Malformed Dragon armor bearable.
Also maybe the Death Knights are so easy to backstab because it’s a reference to how Godwyn was easily betrayed. That’s definitely it. Let’s go with that. #eldenringloretheory.
The Liurnian Wars, Death, and why Rykard is the Oldest Sibling. (2/3, Heresy and Godwyn.)
[I had a big long post saved to drafts and I tried to post on multiple times and it must’ve deleted or gone away so I’m rewriting it. Ah well.]
So the Academy went to war with the GO at the behest of Caria because they had squandered the fate of the stars and sealed away Death.
Note that I said at the behest of Caria, as Caria’s connection to the Moon vs. the Academy’s general star worship is exactly the difference between their attitudes on death and spirit sorcery.
The Sun and Moon, Faith and Intelligence, and the Eclipse.
The Academy, in general, reviles things outside of the “purest” of Star communion. They turn from Faith, they reject notions of more “intimate” Star study (hey I’m not crazy about Graven Mages either but it is another point of inquiry they reject) and while they love their fates, they seem not-too-eager to learn about death.
The Academy, for example, are quick to deem the Prince of Death’s Staff as “heretical… for its ability to allow sorceries to be augmented through faith in addition to intelligence.” But the Carians have no problems with augmentation through faith: we see the Sword of Night and Flame, a “storied sword and treasure of Caria Manor” that gains strength from intelligence and faith and commemorates the Fire Giants. Rellana’s twin blades, one blessed with Messmer’s Fire and the other the Magic of glintstone. The Red Wolves of Radagon, who wield Fire swords and Glintblade Sorceries. Not to mention Rykard, who reintroduced a whole slew of hexes as Sorceries that scale with Faith and Intelligence.
This Dichotomy of Int/Faith is reflected (no pun intended) in the Sun and the Moon, already mentioned in things like the Sword of Night and Flame and the Astronomers’ (Carian’s) alliance with the Fire Giants (like with the Carian Troll Knights or with Iji, where the Carians are exclusive in their treatment of Trolls as equals and even members of the family) is similar to the ways real-world cultures see the Sun and Moon as guides to the afterlife, endlessly chasing after one another, dying and being reborn again.
If the Sun wasn’t also important to the Carians, why then in-game would Rennala and Rellana fall for men of explicitly Red Hair? Why would Rellana chase after Messmer, a man tied to fire? Why also would the Carian-born Men, who are notably not Princes and thus separate from the Moon, be drawn to Fire? Is it just a coincidence that Radahn’s Great Rune burns from within, that the redmanes wield Fire to stave off the Rot and that Rykard rediscovered Magma Hexes? Is it coincidence that the three Demigods linked to Fire have red hair? Why would the Sun-worshiping Fire Giants be so intrinsically linked to Red Hair just for it to show up again and again with the Carians and their love interests?
I think it’s relevant here to bring up the theory that Godwyn and Ranni were to be wed because of Godwyn’s golden “sun” symbolism. The long and short of this theory, if you haven’t heard of it, the backbones of this theory are the facts that:
1. The Icerind Hatchet was “One of several gifts given by Castle Sol in the distant north”
2. That Ranni already had a Ring and Wedding Sword ready by the time the tarnished rolls around despite not originally wanting the tarnished to keep showing up
3. Ranni’s Status as an Empyrean in “need” of a Lord, perhaps motivating her even more to be rid of her Empyrean flesh.
4. I’ve seen it brought up that Godwyn and Ranni are the only characters/demigods referred to as “Prince” and “Princess” respectively, which is not strong evidence but is interesting to me.
5. Ranni’s choice of specifically Godwyn as the other half to her rite. Godwyn, Marika’s favourite child, who had an inner circle of Golden Knights, resided in the capital, and who famously took to fucking dragons took down fucking dragons.
I understand that Ranni was seemingly pretty close with her own siblings, that Malenia was pretty famously fierce, and that the Omen Twins were still a well-kept secret. But this was also a time before the demigods had claimed their great runes. Godwyn was just like, a powerful dude. He was a demigod by birth, yes, but he didn’t have a great rune yet, he was not an empyrean, he was just a prince of gold.
But that’s the thing, he’s a prince of Gold. Of the Erdtree. Under the examination of the Sun/Moon, I think this theory grows even stronger because rather than the traditional union of the Sun/Moon in Caria, this would have been a symbolic union of the Erdtree proper and the Moon, just like with Radagon and Rennala. It would have re-bound the GO with the Academy and mended the bonds broken by Radagon leaving the Carians.
Godwyn is seen as a new form of the Sun under the Erdtree’s rule, with his revival represented by the Eclipse, which is said to “aids the mausoleum knights by keeping Destined Death at bay.” When the Moon and Sun are joined in the sky, there is no one to guide the spirits to the realm of death.
Their union would have been representational of the non-cycle of life and death under the Erdtree, as Ranni’s Godly status with Godwyn as her Elden Lord would have made her subservient both to the Erdtree and the Greater Will in much the same way death had been sealed away by the Erdtree.
But Ranni usurps this plan to shackle her in Godhood, and the Eclipse is the Moon snuffing out the light of the Golden Sun, like Ranni taking Godwyn’s life to free herself.
To the Carians, this union would have been a mockery of the Sun and Moon’s gentle dance of dawn and gloam. It would have been a swearing of fealty to an order not treating life and death as equals, but as a natural state of being and the unnatural after. The Erdtree is enormous, disgustingly brilliant, and in its usurpation of the sun, the Moon grows closer and colder.
The Realm of Shadow
There’s also the Realm of Shadow itself, a place we are told time and again “where all manners of death wash up” that many, including myself, believe to be the former land of the dead/underworld before the sealing of it and the rune of death (I have a post about this too i’d like to make) Notable here is the fact that the only presence of familiar sorcerers in the DLC is of the Carians.
Rellana resides there with a company of Lazuli Sorcerers, those who “[view] the moon as equal to the stars” and are singular among the academy; the only sorcerers of the academy who appear in the land of shadow, who wear “[robes] in the hue of the full moon, [signifying] their heresy.”
Count Ymir, who “instructed Rellana in thr sorcerous arts” before “he abandoned his allegiance to the moon.” Who resides in a finger-cathedral similar to the one found on the Moonlight Altar, a distinctly Carian location.
The Presence of ashes of war like Carian Sovereignty and spells like Glintblade trio, the latter of which “saw a different subsequent refinement in the realm of shadow,” proof of developing Carian Culture. The church and the dining room in Castle Ensis, a Castle built in the manner of the Shadow Keep, ancient and lived-in as more than a war fort during the crusade.
Minor last bits of information that could mean nothing
1. The presence of Godskins near Carian stuff
2. The Fact Ranni knew how to do the death-rite in the first place
3. The Fact Ranni gives you the spirit bell
4. The Moon’s relation to Water paired with the Tibia Mariners, the Stone Coffin boats, the spirit eels and Jellyfish
Okay, so the Carians are connected to death in all sorts of ways, what the fuck does that have to do with Rykard?
The Liurnian Wars, Death, and why Rykard is the Oldest Sibling. (1/3)
Of the plethora of mysteries that Elden Ring leaves flickering and sputtering, one of the most pervasive ones to the lore community is undoubtedly this:
Who’s the oldest in the Carian trio?
Okay it probably isn’t that, and it probably also isn’t about how magic damage works in the lore of the game either, but both points of—admittedly, probably mild—interest have led me to a larger question that had never occurred to me as going unanswered due to the seemingly huge pool of information we have on the event:
Why did the Erdtree war with the Academy?
(Cont. below, it’s very long but I’ve boldened the important parts.)
Starting with what we actually know about the first and second Liurnian wars, what we can say for certain is the following:
1. Radagon makes his debut during the First Liurnian war, with the incantation Barrier of Gold used “by Champions of the Erdtree during the first and second Liurnian Wars, during which the red-haired Radagon joins the heroes’s ranks.”
2. Both wars end in at least a Stalemate, with the first campaign seemingly ending at the lift of dectus (where the first campaign monument is) and the second campaign ending in a marital union between Rennala and Radagon. It’s possible the Academy won the initial campaign by defending their land, but I honestly don’t think the GO instigated the conflict because…
3. Radagon was sent to deal with conflict, not to start it. Miriel says two things that make me believe the Academy were the aggressors: “[Radagon] came to these lands at the head of a great golden host, where he met Lady Rennala in battle,” and “He soon repented his territorial aggressions.” These lines to me say that Radagon was sent by Marika (or the Elden Beast, or the Fingers) to meet Rennala and to stop the Academy’s march, and that Radagon’s “territorial” nature was in order to protect Altus and the Erdtree, not as some dog lashing out at the Carians and Cuckoos for existing. Note also that the First Liurnian War sword monument is right at the lift, as though the army of the Academy was halted before reaching Altus and sealed off via the lift.
And… that’s about it. We don’t know why the war was fought, we don’t know how long the campaigns were, we just know that the wars happened, Radagon is soft launched as an existing person and general smokeshow, and that the wars end in Union.
So instead, let’s pivot to something different and seemingly unrelated: why death stuff deals magic damage.
I’m not talking about the holy damage of the Black Blade or Death Blight (based on our singular damaging source of Death Blight, the Eclipse Shotel’s ash of war follow-up.) nor the incomplete black flame the godskin faction uses, I’m talking specifically about spirits and spirits in motion.
Namely all rancor spells, Deathrite weapons, the Tibia Mariners’ splashes and summons, the Skeletal Miasma breath the flying ones deal, Putrescence, Ghostflame, all of that. Why Magic? What exactly is Magic even?
If Magic was just a blanket stat for “stuff that isn’t GO-approved,” then wouldn’t 1. All non-bloodflame blood stuff deal a little Magic damage (namely things like Reduvia’s bloodblade, which deals physical damage) OR 2. Magic would more often scale with Arcane like the Eochaid stuff, since Arcane is exactly that General “things outside the GO/different gods” stat, what with poisons, blood, rot, Ensha’s Fists, Dragon Communion, the Meteoric Greatsword, the Maternal staff, Bloodstar, etc.
So if the magic of the deathrite birds and tibia mariners isn’t arcane or outside the scope of the Greater Will in nature… what is it?
I’m sure a number of people reading this are screaming the answer but: It’s star stuff, and fate.
Magic is a sort of… fate damage. Not that Magic brings you closer to death the way the Black Blade unleashes destined death, but more that Magic exemplifies the movement of all things toward their fated end. It’s brought up time and again that astrologers study the stars, and that the movement of the stars is synonymous with fate:
“[Radahn] confronted the falling stars alone—and thus did he crush them, his conquest sealing the very fate of the stars.” (Starscourge Heirloom)
“The fate of the Carian royal family is guided by the stars. As is the fate of Lady Ranni, first heir in the Carian royal line.” (Iji’s Dialogue)
“It is said that after sounding the hanging bell there... One's fate will be guided by the stars. I only wish to be of service.” (Count Ymir’s Dialogue)
“If the stars command our fates, then amber-hued stars must command the fates of the gods.” (Amber Starlight Shard)
Spirits are inherently linked to Magic because Sorceries (and the stars studied to gleam them) are inherently linked to fate.
But the Erdtree has taken away death, and thusly, has sealed away the truest of fates. Spirits are no longer destined toward the realm of death, but are instead sucked back into the Erdtree:
“During the age of the Erdtree, Carian astrology withered on the vine. The fate once writ in the night skies had been fettered by the Golden Order.”
The power of the stars is lessened, obscured (literally) by the light pollution of the Erdtree, the potency of fate squandered with the defeat of the nearest star and the sealing of death.
All this to say that the Erdtree didn’t go to war with the Academy because Marika wanted a nice Lakefront Property, the Academy waged war against the Erdtree at the behest of Caria because of the sealing of Fate and Death.
Nightlord Remembrance Weapon Ideas (3/3, Harmonia and Straghess)
Harmonia - Halberd/Hammer
Weapon that answered the prayers of a young girl. Wielded in one hand as a hammer, Harmonia transforms into a halberd when two-handing. Slightly increases damage when allies are summoned.
In the red stillness of slaughter, the girl would have found that the heroic weapon had protected her just as she had wished, that is, if the silence had not permeated her own mind.
Skill: Imperious Weapon
If performed as a hammer, Harmonia will perform a series of hammer slams followed by a golden shockwave that deals pure physical damage. If performed as a halberd, Harmonia will drag the wielder through a series of six sweeping slashes, also followed by a golden shockwave.
Rotten Cane - Great Hammer
Stinking mass of detritus wielded as a club by the traitor Straghess. Whether this rotten shillelagh was created by or of the Dreglord is unknown. All things carried away in the rain fall to the same depths, coalescing in a being like no other.
Skill: Dreg Siphon
Grip the club tight and gather the Dreglord’s power, then raise aloft to rise in a torrent of rotten ichor, splashing the surrounding area.
Gathering Filth - Incantation
Incantation of Straghess, the Dreglord.
Summons swaths of rotten flesh in the hand to form a giant orb. The caster slams the orb into the ground, creating columns of bursting physical energy.
Charging enhances potency.
Straghess was a culmination of every being scorned by the night, and thus was infinite in its hatred.
Welded by the Equilibrious Beast, Libra. Slightly increases rune acquisition from enemies.
This armament functions as a catalyst for naught but Frenzyflame and Golden Order incantations in lieu of performing a guard.
Despite the demon's self-righteousness, its inclination toward bouts of madness and tantrum reveal a thin wall separating virtue and selfishness.
Skill: Chaos and Order
Hold the staff with both hands. Perform a light attack to thrust the staff up, casting a very temporary bubble of golden light that greatly negates incoming damage once. Perform a heavy attack to slam the staff down, sending shockwaves of sickly, crawling bursts of frenzyflame.
Blade of Order - Halberd (swordspear)
Great Golden spear of Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow. Imbued with a Holy essence that lays those who live in death to rest.
The Champion held his head high, even when betrayed by his comrades in the maddening night. With holy essence held aloft, there was truly nothing the centaur had to fear,
Except his thunderous gods, bathed in sunlight.
Skill: Twinblade of Light
Imbue the spear with radiant light, restoring it to its former, dual-bladed glory, then deliver a leaping slash attack. Additional input allows for two sweeping follow-up attacks and a holy burst.
Miasma Tailwhip - Whip
Hefty Whip formed by the wintry tail of Caligo, Miasma of Night. Imbued with Frost.
It is said that for eons the piercing coldness of a pair of shadowy eyes could be felt on the backs of lords and gods alike at moments of utter triumph or hopelessness. It is also said that when one king managed to meet their gaze, his very soul was stolen from him, vanished in the mist.
Skill: Pillars of Ice
Lash forward with a wide sweep and stomp, causing frosty pillars to erupt from the ground in an arc. Follow-up with an overhead slam with the tailwhip to shatter the ice pillars with a great burst. Follow-up deals immense damage to frostbitten enemies.
Nightlord's Greatsword - Greatsword
Dark Greatsword dripping with primordial night essence. Bestowed to Heolstor, the Nightlord. Can be paired with the Nightlords' Shortsword.
In his anguish, the once-knight's curse was no different from prayer. The Night's gentle rains came down as absolution, and the man's stinging tears were washed away.
Skill: Revenger's Reckoning
Hold the greatsword aloft, twisted in the hand, pointed forward. Perform two spinning, sweeping slashes that launch beams of purest night toward foes. Follow up to pierce forward in an explosion ot darkness.
Nightlords' Shortsword - Straight Sword
Straightsword of the nameless once-knight who would eventually become the Nightlord. Can be paired with th no e Nightlord's Greatsword.
Once used by a knight in battle, it has now been demised to each of the beings who call themselves lords of night. Upon this sword, all manner of beings entrust their powers for the sake of the Night.
Though each of their own motivations, they all serve the same master, willingly or not.
Skill: Imbue
Hold the sword overhead in a prayer to the Night itself. Perform a heavy attack to thrust the sword into the ground, unleashing a blast of energy bequeathed by one of the Nightlords and imbuing the sword with the same power for a period of time. Perform a light attack to quickly imbue the sword with no slam attack.
(Powers include Fire, Lightning, Poison, Sleep, Madness, Holy, Frost, Rot, and Magic.)
I'll add my ideas as the previous one. Heolstor is a big great end boss, so like Miquella he gets a third item.
Libra - Gold Rain - Incantation
Brings down counterfeit gold around the caster, inflicting holy damage and madness. Castable with hand of justice.
Fulghor - Divine Arrow of Light - Incantation
Forming a giant sling of light, shoot a great arrow of light piercing enemies and detonates at the point of impact.
Takes after the sling he summons in everdark form.
Caligo - Caligo's Ice Barrage - Sorcery
(akin to meteorite of astel) Create a miasma of frost and night sky from which a barrage of ice comets shoots forth.
Heolstor - Cut the Sky - Sorcery
Fly upwards and draw the staff as if a cut above one's head, revealing the power of a nightlord from the cut, before slamming down (like the third strike of Rellana's twin moons) creating an explosion of appropriate damage and status ailment.
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