Before the Tarnished rose from obscurity, before the Erdtree’s golden boughs cast their glow across the land, the world thrived in untamed chaos. This was the Age of the Crucible – an era where life erupted in wild, unfettered forms, and armoured knights wielded the raw power of creation itself. Yet this primordial age would not last. Order came from beyond the stars, delivered by golden wings and given form through a queen destined to become both architect and executioner of her own empire.
Marika the Eternal, chosen vessel of the Elden Ring, shaped reality to her will, forging the Golden Order and binding destiny to her command. But even gods cannot escape sorrow’s grasp. When shadowy blades stole her golden son’s soul on that fateful night, Marika’s grief turned to rebellion. With one terrible act, she shattered the Elden Ring – the very foundation of her world – plunging the Lands Between into an age of war and ruin.
Now the remnants of a broken dynasty cling to fading power. Demigods, once radiant, stand twisted by curses and consumed by ambition. The Erdtree, once a beacon of divine grace, stands barred to all, its golden light grown dim. And into this dying realm steps you – a Tarnished, long forgotten, summoned by grace when all others have been forsaken.
This is a tale of gods and mortals, of betrayal and sacrifice, of a world awaiting rebirth. Will you restore the Elden Ring and preserve the Golden Order? Will you drown the world in purifying flame, or cast aside the gods to reach for the cold stars? The power to reshape history lies in your hands, and the fate of the Lands Between hangs upon your choices.
Here begins the true chronicle of the Elden Ring – where legends are written in blood, and history awaits its new author.
Prologue – The Age Before the Erdtree
The Crucible Era
- A time of chaos and primordial life, before the Erdtree existed.
- Dominated by the Crucible Knights and raw, untamed life forces.
- The Greater Will, an Outer God, sends the Elden Beast and the Elden Ring to the Lands Between.
- Queen Marika is chosen as the vessel for the Elden Ring, ascending to godhood.
The Golden Order Begins
Marika & Radagon
- Marika takes Radagon (her male counterpart) as consort, bearing Malenia and Miquella.
- Radagon was previously wed to Rennala of the Carian Royal Family, fathering Ranni, Rykard, and Radahn.
Establishment of the Erdtree
- The Erdtree blooms, becoming the source of grace and power.
- The Golden Order rises to dominance, governing the Lands Between.
The Shattering Era
The Night of Black Knives
- Demigod Godwyn the Golden is assassinated in a plot orchestrated by Ranni, allowing her to escape the Greater Will’s control.
Marika Shatters the Elden Ring
- Consumed by grief and defiance, Marika destroys the Elden Ring.
- Radagon attempts to repair it but is punished, merging with the Elden Beast.
The Shattering War
- The demigods wage war over the Great Runes, fragments of the shattered Elden Ring.
- The Lands Between descend into chaos and ruin.
The Age of No Elden Lord
War Among the Shardbearers
- Radahn, Rykard, Malenia, Morgott, and others battle for supremacy.
- The Golden Order’s influence wanes as the Erdtree seals itself from mortals.
The Tarnished Return
- The Erdtree burns during the game’s events.
- Grace calls back the Tarnished, including the player, to reclaim the Elden Ring.
Current Timeline – The Tarnished Journey
The Player’s Rise
- Guided by Melina and the remnants of grace.
- Defeat Shardbearers and claim their Great Runes.
- Reach the Erdtree and ignite it with the Flame of Ruin.
- Confront Marika/Radagon, fused with the Elden Beast.
- Choose an ending to reshape the world.
Multiple Endings & Their Significance
- Age of Fracture – Restores the Golden Order as it was.
- Age of Duskborn – Reintroduces the Rune of Death, restoring natural life cycles.
- Lord of Frenzied Flame – Destroys all in chaos, forcing rebirth.
- Ranni’s Ending – Severs the Greater Will’s influence, ushering in an age of cosmic freedom.
Key Characters Explained
Queen Marika the Eternal
- The vessel of the Elden Ring and goddess of the Golden Order. Shattered the Elden Ring in defiance, triggering the events of the game.
Radagon
- Marika’s other half, once married to Rennala before merging with Marika. Attempted to repair the Elden Ring, becoming bound to the Elden Beast.
Ranni the Witch
- Rennala and Radagon’s daughter. Orchestrated Godwyn’s death to escape her destined role as the Greater Will’s puppet. Seeks a new age free from divine control.
Godwyn the Golden
- Marika’s favoured son, assassinated during the Night of Black Knives. His incomplete death corrupted the Lands Between, spreading undeath.
Malenia & Miquella
- The twin children of Marika and Radagon, cursed with rot and eternal childhood respectively. Malenia became a fearsome warrior, while Miquella sought cures through forbidden means.
Radahn
- Rennala and Radagon’s son, a mighty general who halted the stars to protect his people. Fell to rot after battling Malenia.
Morgott the Grace-Given
- A cursed Omen who nonetheless defended the Erdtree as its last loyal king.
The Tarnished (Player Character)
- A once-exiled warrior called back by grace to reclaim the Elden Ring and decide the fate of the Lands Between.
The history of the Lands Between is one of divine ambition, betrayal, and ruin. From Marika’s reign to the Shattering and the Tarnished’s rise, each event shapes a world teetering between order and chaos. The choices made at the Erdtree’s roots will determine whether the cycle continues, ends, or is reborn anew.
Watch: Elden Ring’s Lore Explained
