Elden Ring Lore - Duelists of the Colosseums

[@NGHTMVRE]

I like how they resemble gladiators. What a nice touch to the game.

[@drakmendoa]

I am not sure that all Duelists were Heretics. The talisman says that it was part of ritual fights to honor the Erdtree. And in real life, the Galdiators wore different armors and weapons to represent certain archtypes so the fight told a story. Like the fisherman against the seamonster or the soldier against the barbarian. What if the Duelists were on of these archtypes, the archtype of the great enemy of the golden order, who then fought against something representing the Erdtree or the golden Order. By defeating the duelist the Erdtree symbolically defeated evil itself and so the ritual was completed. That could be the reason why there are duelists defending spirit ashes, which is a task which was considered with high amount of honor and so would never be given to Heretics.

[@zenebean]

I agree with you that they were probably archetypes, and they were probably enslaved for other reasons to become gladiators, either from war or other crimes. The ones who gained honor likely were kept around, and the ones who never got over their enslavement sought out the Haligtree to escape.

[@graynomad7173]

The chad cape throw cemented them as badass like hourah loux

[@zenebean]

I'm just imagining Godfrey coaching them on their coliseum entrances

[@oceanman1687]

The presence of axes, weapons chained to the wielders, and the general semblance of the armour present makes me believe they were inspired by Angron and the World Eaters of WarHammer 40,000. Considering we have other WarHammer references such as the “Warmaster’s” shack, and old knight “Istvaan” it’s not a huge stretch to think the gladiator astartes had an influence.

[@neuromechanica256]

we got robbed of a duelist spirit ash

[@goldenbough6563]

The description of the snake on the duelist's helm as 'a traitor to the erd tree' carries the implication that at one time, the snake and the erd tree were on good terms and amicable part of the same system. Gladatorial combat, in the Roman context, began as a form of ritual combat between slaves occasioned by the death of an individual with prestige and influence. If Fromsoft were following this model, the duelist's role as gravewarden would make perfect sense. The discontinuation of the practice by Radagon may point to a reformulation of the ritual processes concerning death at this time.

[@subject8776]

Regarding the Frenzied Duelist, I don't think he has anything to do with the Frenzied Flame but is just "regular" frenzied. The location he is in is like a prison and has Vulgar Militia as wardens, near the Frenzied Duelist are Vulgar Militia corpses. So I think it's more likely that he was a prisoner there and the Vulgar Militia fucked around and found out. That's why the section he is in was barricaded off, a prisoner they can't contain.

[@alexandermorgan5958]

Back in the beginning, the first Duelist you fought would have dropped a hammer, rather than any ashes. That probably doesn't mean much now, but it was still a change they made. Speaking of snakes, do you have any lore you could potentially share regarding the Ulcerated Tree Spirits? I don't know why they exist, and why they can be found so close to the Erdtree even before we fight Morgott.

[@SabreFang121]

I used that hammer on my first playthrough

[@cavemancult1999]

The duelists were/are one of my all time favourite characters/subfactions? of the lands between so this was a treat also aye, we need more chain-weapons!

[@geordiejones5618]

Never even realized the Duelists are less common than even the Crucible Knights. I think there are even less Pumpkin Heads, which at the very least shows just how decimated their numbers were before we arrived.

[@topcat59]

Honestly I feel like the duelist likely existed during godfrey’s rein, were criminals are forced to fight in the arenas instead of being locked away and the snakes are a reminder of their treason and their eternal servitude to the golden order.🤔🐱

[@shirueto748]

Snakes in the game are often used to symbolize blasphemy,herecy, or traitors to the goldden order, just look at rykard and his snake people. I think it's more likely they're heretics rather than plain criminals.

[@Chilli_Tea]

It would've been cool if there was a pve guantlet challenge in the arenas

[@TheInfamousWoahgoat]

I don’t think Frenzied Duelist is afflicted by The Flame of Frenzy, but rather a Duelist who has snapped and attacks everything it comes across. A more straightforward interpretation, but that’s what I think. Especially considering it doesn’t use any Flame of Frenzy incantations

[@square-table-gaming]

Definitely a fair theory since he doesn't use any frenzy spells. Could just be a poor use of the naming convention when "frenzied" already has a different connotation in-game.

[@38Jim]

Best part of my Saturday morning. Thanks for the fresh video fellas

[@square-table-gaming]

That's why we do it

[@ignitiongaming136]

Always fun to watch new lore videos, while waiting on the much anticipated dlc. Though a lore i ask of you, the spirit ancestors, the spirit ash, and the reagle ancestor. I think they have a connection in the over all lore.

[@jaxdakid5598]

one of the coolest designed enemies in the game with some of the coolest armor pieces and are some of the best enemies to fight so cool.

[@TheHogfatherInvades]

The duelists of all time!

[@AegisKHAOS]

One of the coolest enemies I ever faced. Love their armor set, the rotten one especially, though the helmet looks better on them than on my character.

[@Issac_The_Last_N7]

I'm glad I subscribed last week. You do good work here

[@square-table-gaming]

Thank you! Appreciate it 🙂

[@miketherecliner]

This pleases my agitated nipples, thank you. I can rest easy tonight knowing their wrath has been quelled.

[@SabreArchon]

Mans always got the lore dropping at the best times.

[@square-table-gaming]

;)

[@isaachamilton4727]

An Enemy id be really interested in learning about are the red wolves. Btw love the content keep it up.

[@TRACTOOOOOOOOOR]

Amazing video as always!

[@Doomseer]

Man I really wish there had been a gladiator starting class, that would of been the most badass starting origin ever!!.. I do hope in future titles Fromsoft will add in more unique starting classes with more interesting backstories cause at least in my opinion a lot of the ones available are pretty bland.

[@sirdrell24]

It would be cool to see more variants of duelists that fought in the colosseums, like a buff sumo variant that just belly flops you lol

[@aifos5171]

The sword and shield of the ritual talismans are identical to the Crucible knights weapons, so probably in these ritual combats the Crucible Knights, representing the forces of the Erdtree, fought against the gladiators, representing traitors of the Golden Order and the god devouring serpent Eiglay which we know is much more ancient than Rykard and was an enemy of the Erdtree worshipped in a pagan cult. He was a voracious beast that wanted to devour the other gods, including Marika and the Greater Will, and maybe just like in norse mitology he ate the roots of the Erdtree like the serpent Nidhogg with Yggdrasil, and that's why he was so reviled. Also in one of his videos (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqWmapiXe92kos0 at 10:17) Ziostorm pointed out that on the gladiator's helmet there's a serpent with a human face and it looks a lot like Rykard, so in my opinion after he merged with Eiglay the gladiators decided to carve his image on their helmets to show him respect, because Rykard was once an inquisitor for the Golden Order and I think it's possible that he sent heretics in the colosseums to be executed (like christians in ancient Rome) and I like to think that he enjoyed watching gladiators fight, rooting for them instead of the Erdtree knights

[@kaiserdetectivegolden2735]

*she was the devouring serpent is female

[@Buzgut]

Metal Mario build looks good

[@marystone860]

If I heard right, and they can turn into snakes, like in our fight against Morgott, when pushed to the edge, can for a few seconds, tap into the power of the Formless Mother, and have that particular sword attack, maybe the Duelists, for a few moments, could be tapping into whatever Outer God that Serpent is, even without a covenant with it, could turn into snakes briefly? It's a stretch, I know, but, might be. Oh, when Godfrey was Elden Lord, maybe another purpose for the Coloseums, was to watch over the strongest warriors, not because they did anything wrong, but, so they won't make trouble by accident, and they had a far better creative outlet to let out and test their strength, and maybe the very best were honored by Godfrey personally, maybe a high position within his army, or served some other protective role? Man, I had no idea these guys got screwed over so bad by Radagon and what the Golden Order had become after he took the throne! All these guys wanted was a purpose, and they were just thrown away! Some even took on the Scarlet Rot, willingly, like the Cleanrot Knights did, to try to serve something/someone greater then themselves, and just to have a purpose again, but, because of what Mohg did, that was taken away too! Makes us want to try to fix things even more than we already do!

[@dirtywookie9868]

DUELIST OF THE ROSES

[@zenebean]

I really wish you could toggle the hood on and off the armor set, it looks really good and I hate you can only wear it when it covers up the helm. Still, I love these dudes, they have so much style.

[@Personontheinternet4598]

Another amazing lore video ❤

[@kennethgrey7829]

Ever notice that not all dualists have the snakes on their helmets? Because I know the two outside of the Capital Coliseum don't.

[@electricarrow4565]

Do the falling star beasts next

[@thaqiftalip2771]

So, you need to tell me that in Godfrey's reign, these guys would imprisoned as heretics yet had a chance to become strong while in Radagon's reign, this was out of practice because he doesn't want them to be strong? Is Godfrey a gigachad anybody?

[@square-table-gaming]

They were imprisoned by Godfrey as heretics and forced to either become strong or die at the hands of fellow combatants in the colosseums. Radagon decommissioned the Colosseums and they were left without purpose for the most part.

[@ashtonfeatherstoneandersen4783]

Valorheart bears the visage of serosh

[@robertsoto5713]

Where do u get most of the info ? Ive read almost every item but its hard putting it all together. Appreciate ya STG

[@square-table-gaming]

It really is just item descriptions and personal analysis. I also try to map out known information that have gathered from previous videos in the series and keep a pulse in the community. I never want to just regurgitate other people's ideas, but I make sure to mention when something is pretty universally agreed upon by lore theorists.

[@ALLMINDmercenarysupportsystem]

The duelists might be heretics, but it couldn't be against the Golden Order. The GO was created by Radagon when he became Elden Lord, and the arenas were already gone before he became the Lord. I think the duelists were nonbelievers in the Erdtree faith. This probably extended to the Golden Order later, but the GO wouldn't be the reason for their slavery.

[@square-table-gaming]

The golden order existed before radagon. The carians resisted the golden order well before radagon became king consort.

[@ALLMINDmercenarysupportsystem]

@@square-table-gaming After performing a few minutes of research, I found myself to be incorrect. I seem to have taken Radagon's improvement/alteration of the Golden Order as him founding it.

[@square-table-gaming]

@@ALLMINDmercenarysupportsystem no worries! There is so much info to keep track of and so many different ways to interpret it.

[@catacutan96]

I think the gladiators are better understood as “heels” to the Erdtree’s “babyfaces”. As in, I think they’re actually ordinary people who, for whatever reason, volunteered to be the bad guys in whatever pro-wrestling-ish story played out in the Colosseums. Otherwise, why would they fight without an obvious master present? Why would they do so so fiercely? And why would they guard the way to the Erdtree?

[@square-table-gaming]

They don't actually guard the way of the Erdtree. For the duelists every battle was a matter of life or death.

[@catacutan96]

As an addition, consider that Hoarah Loux *fights* like a pro-wrestler

[@catacutan96]

@@square-table-gaming I guess this addresses why they fight so fiercely, but it doesn’t satisfy why they fight without a master present. Or, as I should have said earlier, why they continue to wear their gladiator-wear despite their monstrous strength and assumed anti-belief in the Erdtree. It’s a bit… reach-y, but consider how in Medieval Europe that people willingly flagellated themselves, or wore shirts made of horsehair, or even wore humiliating pointed hoods and walked on brambles, to bring themselves some kind of… connection to the divine, through the mortification of their flesh. That goal of mortification, both physical and emotional, and the drama it would have as a spectacle, is what I think motivates the gladiators design, in game and out of it. As a final note: it wasn’t odd for people to volunteer to become irl gladiators in Ancient Rome. While selling oneself into slavery is… inconscienable, it may not have seemed so for them. It, therefore, may not have seemed so to the gladiators. Just the chance of… losing your identity and become this guarding or menacing presence might have been too dramatic for some to just leave on the table. It might have seemed the role of a lifetime… and that the stakes were literally life and death would make it all the greater. “Erdtree schmerdtree. I was an artist, and I was famous.”

[@chables74]

Algormancy!

[@square-table-gaming]

A heart for a comment, an equivalent exchange

[@Carrot-Man1876]

Greetings from the Carrot-Man 👋🥕

[@square-table-gaming]

My liege

[@ScrilboBaggins]

Hello friendos

[@corverickg7261]

Ah, the Colosseum bois are finally here

[@TroyTheCatFish]

W