Gilgard

I do wallpaper-quality Elden Ring photography. Photo mod by Otis_Inf on Patreon. Shaders custom by me using alvnq's Unreal Reshade on NexusMods

[gilgardian]

Crystal Caves

You tumble into a cave while skirting the edges of the academy. You decide to venture further in; perhaps this is a hidden way inside.

You start to hear hushed whispers. Squinting, you see the silhouettes of three sorcerers huddled in the dark. You step on a crystal. They turn, quickly lighting up the cave with their spells.

Tucked in a corner is just what you were looking for: intricate etchings of a sophisticated building poke through the jagged facade of the cave. It is guarded, of course, by two alien creatures made of crystal.

You maneuver around their magically-enhanced weaponry as blow after blow glance off of their skin. You suddenly find yourself pinned to the ground by a crystalline spear. As a desperate attempt, you grasp a rock and swing it... the spear shatters instantly. Its wielder quickly backpedals as you finish the job with nothing but a rock in your fist.

You pick shards of crystal out of your skin as you ride the elevator up. You've finally breached the defenses of Raya Lucaria. You walk out to find yourself on the highest tower of the institute... with no way down other than the way you came. For the first time you start to have doubts; there is no way of knowing for sure that a shard bearer is even in the academy, other than a hunch. Have you just been wasting your time, putting your life on the line for nothing? With trepidation, you ride the elevator back down, carrying the lone scroll you found in the belltower.

[gilgardian]

Gate Town

Ruins jut out from the mire; you wonder just how long the region has been left in disrepair.

A town sits below Raya Lucaria. As you move between buildings, you find yourself imagining how it might've looked when it was bustling.

Like the sorcerer said, the gates leading to the academy are sealed by magic. You'll have to find another way through.

You turn back towards the town; you'll have to find another way to go. Fortunately, the stars seem to shine quite bright here; you won't have to concern yourself with roving around in total darkness, at the very least.

[gilgardian]

Liurnia of the Lakes

Behind the throne room of Stormveil sits a modest crypt. Behind that, the backstep of Stormveil Castle opens up to the neighboring region, Liurnia of the Lakes.

A sorcerer sits on a rock nearby. Rising from the mist in the distance is Raya Lucaria academy, where he was once a student. Ever since The Shattering, the academy gates have been sealed by magic. And, it just so happens he lost his key. You roll your eyes: yet another roadblock.

Trekking down the cliffside, you find that the mist was obscuring a damp, swampish basin. The area is rich in crustaceans, and a "friendly" local offers you some.

Many locals are not welcoming. You hear bells down the path you are walking; a horse nearly tramples you out of the mist. You quickly pick yourself up while a freakish revenant assaults you with magic from atop its mount.

[gilgardian]

Divine Tower of Limgrave

You pick up Godrick's Great Rune. It feels empty, somehow. You start to feel a pull; not physical, but mental. Like a soft string, you find yourself being led back through the way you came.

The castle feels more empty than ever, as if Godrick was the soul of Stormveil that you have robbed it of. Rogier has vanished from the tree where you left him.

Snaking back through Stormveil, you end up at the numbingly long bridge towards a Divine Tower. Some sort of ancient golems line the bridge; a few even wake from their slumber and attack you.

A lift takes you to the top of the Divine Tower. To your awe, the center of the tower seats The Two Fingers. A creature of legend, you know them as a messenger for The Greater Will. Nestled within their lifeless form, a mirage of Godrick's Great Rune shimmers. You reach out, and feel power surge within you. You now hold one among the strongest forces in The Lands Between.

[gilgardian]

Godrick the Grafted

A graveyard lies at the back of the castle. You find Godrick, lord of Limgrave, lauding the corpse of a dragon. He turns towards you as you enter.

There you see it: the pinnacle, or more accurately the horror, of grafting. His cape falls and legion arms stick out of his body.

Addressing you as a lowly tarnished, he lunges at you. While he is sluggish with his two great axes, you find it difficult to flank him; Godrick's various limbs swipe at you while you try to poke him.

Increasingly enraged, Godrick manically severs his left arm. Granting you witness to grafting first-hand, he takes the dragon head as his own. The mania in his eyes heightens as his new appendage spews flame across the arena.

You weave about with fervor. This is the most intense threat you've faced, and yet your adrenaline is higher then ever. Godrick's movements are more defensive, until finally he keels over. With his dying breath, he insists that he is lord of all that is Golden.

With that, his great rune, his shard of the great Elden Ring, is yours.

[northernolddragon]

[gilgardian]

Catacombs of Stormveil

Far, far below the surface of Stormveil, the twisting halls lead you into some catacombs. Looking up, you're surprised to see daylight peeking in past the crumbled walls of earth and brick high above.

An excited shout startles you; Rogier hurries down the path of the catacombs. It seems that he's found the relic he was searching for.

The hair on the back of your neck raises as you tread towards Rogier. You've stumbled upon something you feel like you really, really shouldn't have. It's a corpse, but you can't tell of what. It has tendrils and nostrils and is quite large.

Rogier rattles on about a black knife plot. Before The Shattering, before the Elden Ring was destroyed, the first demigod was murdered. Godwyn, son of Queen Marika.

You find yourself doubting such a hideous thing was once a demigod. Before Rogier can finish his tale, branch-like tendrils wrap around his leg and shoot into his calf. With a yelp he falls back, shaking his leg vigorously. You grab his hand, pulling him away from the body.

You run through the corridors, Rogier hobbling behind you. Your relief is immeasurable as you reach a quiet courtyard on the surface. Rogier crumples against a tree; his leg is in bad shape. He bids you to go on. You'll meet again soon enough.

[gilgardian]

Stormveil Castle

Stormveil Castle: now that you stand at the base of it's steps, it really is quite intimidating. Putting aside trepidation, you make your way up.

The inside of the castle walls could be a city in and of itself. Although Godrick's forces roam throughout the castle, it's desolation is still palpable.

Ducking into the castle capel, you bump into Rogier; the charming man is a sorcerer. He is searching for something at the base of the castle, when he's not hotfooting it from the troops.

Relieved to have an excuse to travel with someone again, you offer to assist Rogier in his exploration. You get an unsettling view into Godrick's craft as you move deeper into the recesses of Stormveil.

[gilgardian]

The Fell Omen

The dirt path gives way to stone brick as you finally near the steps of Stormveil Castle.

If you've learned one thing, it's that there will always be someone standing in your path, no matter where you go. Here, one called The Fell Omen blocks your path, determined to put your ambition to rest.

Through his ranting throughout the fight, you learn that the Night's Cavalry that have been menacing you work under him.

Thinking you have the killing blow, The Fell Omen's form vanishes like dust in the wind. This new threat will require vigilance in the future...

[gilgardian]

Hopefully my little changes in the Elden Ring story don't distract from my photography :')

Thank y'all who have been interacting, I've been working on this photography project for over a year now, and have just recently had the courage to start posting.

[gilgardian]

Stormhill

The scattered troops of Godrick become denser towards Stormgate. You and Blaidd fight in tandem, the harmony of your swings improving in every scuffle. Past the gate, past the barricades, you and Blaidd must go your separate ways. A parting gift, Blaidd gives you a whistle to summon the spectral steed Torrent, so that you may never travel alone again.

True to its name, the weather turns quite dour as you climb the path up Stormhill. The grace of an Erdtree sapling lights the path ahead of you.

You duck into the first shelter you see. Away from the battering winds, you meet a fellow wayward soul, Roderika. The rest of her company was lost in Stormveil Castle. They were taken, their limbs severed and grafted onto Godrick, lord of Stormveil, and his ilk. Godrick the Golden, or, more accurately, Godrick the Grafted, butchered them.

Pressing onward, you get lost in the dense mist. As the wind kicks up again, you find a new hovel, once again occupied. Here, you meet Bernahl. A simple merchant mentoring in weapon arts, though his armor may betray a much grander past...

[gilgardian]

Blaidd and Darriwil

You travel with Blaidd until finding the prison that holds his mark. It is nice to have a traveling companion for once.

You enter the fight together, facing off against Darriwil, the Blood Hound.

The incredible agility of your foe proves for a challenging fight. Luckily, your partner holds his aggression.

With one final swing, Blaidd takes out Darriwil.

[gilgardian]

The Mistwoods

At Kenneth Haight's request, you head through The Mistwoods. His home has been occupied, and he left behind an important key as he fled.

Clearing out the invaders, you find half of a medallion. The medallion, as Kenneth claims, will grant you access to a grand elevator that will aid your journey to the Erdtree.

You turn around to take in the view from Fort Haight. The gloomy day is typical for The Mistwoods. A minor Erdtree breaks the tree line, acting as a nice centerpiece. A ruined garrison rests near its base, and peculiarly... Is that a man? A large man is climbing up the wall of the ruins...

Your investigation leads you to Half-Wolf Blaidd. Jumping down from the wall, he greets you in a rather friendly manner. He is searching for a criminal, and offers you aid in finally reaching Stormveil, if you can help him find them.

[gilgardian]

Limgrave Sundown

Your surroundings are quiet during the twilight hours. Crossing back to Limgrave proper, the Erdtree lights your path, as bright as day.

Looking to your east as you cross up the bridge, you see silhouettes across the water. Small forts dot the coast of the neighboring region, the Caelid wilds. Peculiarly, a pale red haze lies thick across the Caelid coastline as well.

Eventually, you find yourself strolling along the edge of Agheel Lake once again. This time, however, another man of The Night's Cavalry catches you unaware.

Fleeing down an unknown road, you lose the cavalryman. He vanished at the first sight of dawn. Overhead, you hear a man calling for help. You come face to face with "The Great Kenneth Haight" as you clamber up the slab of ruin by the roadside.

[gilgardian]

The Weeping Peninsula

Wrapping around The Weeping Peninsula, you can hear a bell tolling in the distance. Eventually, you crest a hill, and see the source. A walking mausoleum stomps about the meadow, surrounded by dozens of apparitions of headless soldiers protecting whoever lies inside.

Across from the mausoleum, you find another nomadic merchant.

A tragic scene unfolds as you walk back up the main road. While you were saving Irina's father, it seems someone, or something, found her.

Seeing the danger of staying near the road, you dip into a cave for some rest; however, you're not the only one that's had that idea...

[gilgardian]

Edge of The Lands Between

At the rear of Castle Morne, a red-maned misbegotten awaits you.

The undistinguished fight distracts you from the verity that you are at the furthest point from the Erdtree that you can travel.

A glint of light distracts you; the grafted greatsword of legend leans against the towering grave, reflecting the Erdtree's light. Legend claims the warrior of a people long forgotten had forged together the swords of his enemies into a single, hefty blade.

Defeating your enemy, you claim the artifact. Now, there is nowhere else to go but back under the Erdtree's canopy.

[gilgardian]

Castle Morne

This is one of my favorite photographs that I've taken throughout my journey. Castle Morne has one of the most imposing silhouettes in Elden Ring.

Approaching the gates, the rain turns into a sprinkle, and a few rays of light manage to escape through the clouds.

The battle that has taken place here is clearly over, allowing you to clear out the remains.

As the elevator crests the rocky heights of Castle Morne, you realize that the servants of the castle are not human, but misbegotten. Creatures where various traits of animals have found purchase, such as wings, tails, and hardened scales. Using these traits to their advantage, they give your tarnished quite the contest.