Elden Ring Lore - Goldmask's Age Of Order

[@ElBandito]

Chad Goldmask T-Poses out of nowhere. Refuses to elaborate. Leaves.

[@edwardblake8575]

I think Goldmaks Golden Order is similar to Miriels teaching: all things can be conjoned, there is no heresy, it's merely a contrivance

[@woffydoggy686]

I think same!

[@MadaraUchiha-sg4td]

all things can be brought together? there is no belief that is contrary to the traditional beliefs of the churches(golden order)? it’s merely just a scheme or plan to create something?

[@basedgodly1623]

​@@MadaraUchiha-sg4td I think a part of the flaws of the golden order is they claim that then still outcast people like the omen and misbegotten

[@efaristi9737]

But the video says that the teachings of Carian magic are heresy and that the Perfect Order should focus solely on what comes from the Erdtree. That doesn't sound like he think that all things should be conjoined.

[@TheSm1thers]

​@@efaristi9737 It's not heresy in the age of order. As the rune says, it's a rune of transcendental ideology.

[@ahbooza]

Miriel provides a good insight into what is and isn’t acceptable in the Lands Between. All things can be conjoined, he says. The fickleness is probably the politicking that Marika did as queen, which ultimately led to the state of the Lands Between as we see it.

[@vrolijk9865]

I also believe the fickleness refers to the infighting of the demi-gods. Instead of trying to make the lands between better, they decided to use the opportunity to increase their own power. Basically resulting in a never ending war with no victors and leaving the lands between in an even worse state

[@AugustVonpetersborg]

The greater will ordered total conquest and sent horrible punishments against all peoples it deemed undesirable. The damage done by marika and the demigods is just a pale reflection of the violence decreed by the one who created them all.

[@ahmada1346]

I mean, Marika was the one who disobeyed the orders of the Great Will, she started this mess​@@AugustVonpetersborg

[@sychuan3729]

@@AugustVonpetersborg We know very little about what GW is and what it really wanted.

[@justsomeotherguywithamusta6810]

​@@AugustVonpetersborgdlc proves this wrong. The greater will after sending metyr and the elden beast have abandoned this world for thousands and thousands of thousands of years ago

[@Winterfang]

Goldmask is the only person we see that talks directly with the greater Will without the two fingers interpretation. Which means he probably knows what the Greater Will really wants as opposed to what the Fingers want. So he skipped both the Finger reader crones, the two fingers, the golden order and marika and spoke directly to the rhe source.

[@AugustVonpetersborg]

No indication that goldmask is communicating with anything, let alone the alien that causes personalized apocalypses for the races it doesn't like and demanded a total conquest, and often genocide, of every creature that might oppose it in any way. He did the work himself, figured it out.

[@efaristi9737]

He spoke to the Erdtree, i don't think that count as speking to the GW itself.

[@mushroomsrcool1449]

@@efaristi9737Perhaps the Erdtree is linked to the Outer Will, essentially making it like a Finger Reader, but IT leads directly to the source.

[@efaristi9737]

@@mushroomsrcool1449 Maybe.

[@justsomeotherguywithamusta6810]

It seems you're wrong unfortunately. He analyzes the erdtree's imknowledge books, ... but the greater will have abandoned the world millenias ago

[@chaincat33]

I think the biggest example of the fickleness of the gods is Marika's removal of the Rune of Death. It was a fickle decision that had disasterous consequences. Another example is Marika divorcing Godfrey to marry Radagon, essentially herself, and birthing two inborn demigod children, doomed to terrible afflictions of the flesh. Thus, the gods will be bound by the Elden Ring. Not even the Gods are above the Order, and may not change it on a mere whim.

[@a.r.h9919]

It's possible that Radagon was at one point a person or a construct different from Marika but with how vague the lore is it is necessary an expansion into more details

[@hammerh3ad019]

From what could be gathered, at least from an Alchemical standpoint, Radagon and Marika are 2 different people however, they share a soul. Two minds, two bodies, but one soul. Much like how D and his brother are two separate individuals, yet they share an essence between each other.

[@efaristi9737]

@@hammerh3ad019 Two minds maybe but not two bodies as we literally see Marika turn into Radagon.

[@efaristi9737]

The removal of the Rune of Death didn't have disastrous consequences until the Shattering.

[@hammerh3ad019]

@@efaristi9737 I'm more or less going off an interpretation with the bodies thing, of not only could they potentially separate and/or fuse back together. Unless they can't but it'd be weird if they didn't cause when it switches to radagon the body gets larger

[@thecovenant3842]

An interesting revelation: all these chosen Tarnished like Dung Eater and Goldmask were shown visions of the Mending Rune they are directed by Grace to create. Our Tarnished, however, was not given such a vision. Not to mention a lot of Guidance of Grace point to several different paths instead of just one straight one. Out of all the Tarnished and their hard-set purpose, it seems the Greater Will has a simple plan for ours; To simply choose what happens next.

[@justsomeotherguywithamusta6810]

The greater will long abandoned the lands between. Goldmask himself kinda knows this. He seeks an order for the people.

[@timsonnenberg6977]

Great video on my favorite ending! One thing I would like to add is, that I think that the Mending Rune limits the fickleness of the gods by restrickting access and protecting the Elden Ring from any outside force. When choosing the ending the Rune encircles the Ring, as if it were a shield or bubble, thereby preventing the use of additional Mending Runes or an outright repetition of its shattering.

[@JohnSmith-j7n]

I think the most important part of the ending is that he simply finds the rune. He doesn't create the rune, he just finds it. If anything that makes me think the greater will itself made that rune to establish more control over its domain so that these fickle gods couldn't hurt it like they did before.

[@matiasluukkanen7718]

One of the most curious thing is mental gymnastics of people. I have seen people claim that Dungeater's, Fia's, Ranni's and even Frenzied Flame's ending is the best and morally good one. Dungeater = no omen, misbegotten persecution. Fia = no undead persecution. Ranni = freedom something reedom. Frenzied Flame = no one can suffer anymore if all are dead. But these same people claim that Goldmask's ending is somehow the worst, by either dooming the world under control of a parasitic alien god, or limiting freedom of people.

[@SpringrazorAzrael]

I've noticed that too, honestly I think Age of Order is the best ending, follow the Erdtree and restaure order

[@kyumaki9650]

@@SpringrazorAzrael I do not think the order ending is a good ending as you basically follow an outer god that has done everything in its power to gain more power. But I also dont think any other ending is really good exept foor ranni's one since she goes away with the elden ring, far away from the lands in between so that the people in the lands between actually go can have freedom without any outer god's intervention. Although that is what I understand from the ending and I wanted to note that there aren't anything bad caused by that ending. There was actually a translation mistake in the game from japanese to english wich makes the way we are told about ranni's ending in the game incorrect.

[@SpringrazorAzrael]

Ranni is selfish, she caused the death of two of her own brothers just because she didn't like the Two Fingers, The Golden Order isn't the best, but this ending is about the Perfect Order, erasing all the previous mistakes, idk, I like your point but I don't think Ranni is good either

[@larryfoulke6952]

​@@SpringrazorAzrael yeah, how long before Ranni considers the Tarnished obsolete and disposes of them. Not saying Marika was any better, but to call Ranni a good person is a huge lie

[@kyumaki9650]

@@SpringrazorAzrael Well, we do not know if all the imperfections are fixed knowing that the mending rune only talks about one imperfection being that there is only one god being Marika. Without it being only Marika that means You as a tarnished are the one to make all the decisions since you are the new elden lord. If the tarnished choses that the misbegotten and the omen must still be persecuted, they will. Also, the golden order is still under the power of the outer god called superior will. So I wouldn't call it a good ending. It could be if we knew the intentions of the tarnished but we don't. He is following the golden order so what tells us he isn't going to continue have misbegotten and omens being despised by society?

[@codeman7780]

I see Goldmasks ending as the best (with Ranni's as second). By freeing us from the fickleness of the gods, it grants us freedom from their whims and follies. In Greek mythology for instance, some of the worst catastrophes happen because the gods felt like doing something kinda dumb. Tenets were also put in place to appease said gods in order to avoid punishment. Marika was a mortal woman raised to deific status...there's honestly no telling what kind of prejudices she likely kept, so ...she was probably quite a bit like the deities of Greek mythology. Holding her in check by rewriting the rules of the Elden RIng could be seen as a form of enslavement in her case...but given the results of her being left without such restraints....I'd say it's probably for the best.

[@Bundpataka]

Ranni’s ending has basically a similar philosophy to Goldmask’s, as in she tries to remove the influence of fickle gods from the people of the world, but she goes even further by removing the golden order all together and making a new order far away in the cosmos, so that the people will be governed by a logical order but they won’t be able to see it or interact with it or the gods at all. Goldmasks ending still would have the people be able to “interact” and see the order for themselves though, and it preserves the elden ring

[@drakmendoa]

That's pretty much the way I see the "Age of Order"-Ending. But I am not sure that glintstone magic would be shunned again. Because we don't know why it was shunned in the first place. Was it again because of Marikas personal bias and goals or was it because the power of glintstone is not from the Erdtree but from the stars itself. But than again, the power of the Erdtree also comes from a fallen star as the Elden Star tells. So I don't know if the stars are really something that is against the Erdtree. Even the Nox were not banished underground because of there beliefs but only because of Marika. What I am sure of is, that the Age of Order would remove those who live in death and with that the influence of Godrics corpse.

[@justin8865]

Not sure if I agree since the order healing incantation The noble Goldmask lamented what had become of the hunters. How easy it is for learning and learnedness to be reduced to the ravings of fanatics; all the good and the great wanted, in their foolishness, was an absolute evil to contend with. Does such a notion exist in the fundamentals of Order?

[@PaladinKrave]

I kind of this gold mask was against those who live in death considering he had an incantation that negates death blight

[@drakmendoa]

@@justin8865 Yeah that's right. The question is can there be made a difference between those who live in death? Or is it more about the ways to hunt them that is problematic? Another question, that I think is important to that topic is Radagon. The Erdtree named specifically Radagon when he talked to Goldmask. Why not Marika or "Marika/Radagon"? And it is ultimately also Radagon who faces you at the end and, as we learn, tried to repair the damage done by Marika. What is when the way of Radagon was in the end more in line with the Erdtree than what Marika did when Marika and Radagon became one? Maybe that is also part of the "perfection of the Golden Order". Which again would speak for glintstone magic as in line with the Golden Order.

[@EldenEHunter]

It's weird that Marika shunned Glintstone magic while at the same time equipped many of her Catacomb Burial Watchdogs with Glintstone magic. Unless I'm wrong and it was Radagon that actually made the Watchdogs that are equipped with Glintstone magic.

[@johnokazaki7967]

​@@PaladinKrave did he? He didn't develop it tho, and he was against suck prosecution

[@GeorgeK340]

I just want to give respect to STG team that most of the footage for their videoes are coming from in-game camera with no HUD and turn the camera around to make movement. Using cutscene and actual boss fight for the footage. Thank you for all your hardwork.

[@unknownbenefactor8029]

From what I learned from finished the dlc. I think mending rune of perfect order was meant to severe Metyr interference with Marika. Not Greater Will interference as the Greater Will abandoned land between so long ago.

[@justsomeotherguywithamusta6810]

Metyr is not intelligent, she's a robot esque thing. She receives a message and sends it to the 2 fingers. Long long long long time ago the greater will sent metyr and the elden beast and abandoned the world. Metyr did what she was told and kept trying to talk to the greater will to no avail, "find empyrians, guide them to godhood" that's it, the fingers after choosing multiple empyrians they guide them to become gid, but after that they lose their purpose. They keep returning to the first rule and find more empyrians but 2nd ruke us already accomplished. The mending rune deals with Marika herself.

[@kaosisback8376]

But she feels resentment in one of her items. It talks about how she resents having to bow​@@justsomeotherguywithamusta6810

[@MrTheBigNoze]

Goldmask is such an interesting fellow, despite the fact he does not speak. To me, it seems like he agrees that the concepts of the golden order are to be followed and improve the world overall, but the fickleness of the gods (Marika/Radagon included) led to the shattering and current state of the lands between. Does the mending rune of perfect order then prevent the influence of even the Greater Will, who installed the golden order to begin with? Possibly. In this case, The age of order ending is very similar to Rannis ending, only instead of removing the gods influence altogether and replacing it with nothing, you replace the golden order with a perfect version of itself. We don’t know exactly what this would entail but there ar many things that could be argued.

[@CBRN-115]

I like his T-posing. He sure asserts dominace over others

[@Matt620]

The fundamental flaw in the Golden Order is not just personal bias (although that is certainly part of it), but that the Golden Order has a fundamental flaw that negates it. The central tenant of the Golden Order is that Marika is the one true god. However, the secret of the Order is that Radagon is Marika. This fundamental truth disrupts the order, but what does it reveal? It does not reveal that the gods are liars, because Radagon and Marika tell the truth as well: Radagon did gift Rennala a Rune; there was no lie there. Marika cursed a fire giant to guard his flame, that was always the truth. In this, we see their nature: The Golden Order will deny reality in accordance with whim. Marika's caprice governs what the Order considers acceptable. The Omen are considered blighted not because it was willed by the Order, but because a god randomly decided they were blighted, and even then, some people use the Omens as footsoldiers. The Albinaurics are considered blasphemous because a god simply decided. There was no truth in it. I view the Mending Rune of Perfect Order to be a world in which the Golden Order is perfected by removing the whims and caprice. If the Omens are truly blighted, then they would continue to be treated as blights. But if they weren't, the random edicts of some god aren't going to make them blighted again. Funnily enough, I could easily see the rune in a way similar to the United States's Constitution, which restricts government actors from intervention in the private affairs of the citizens. But that could just be me.

[@TerryBradstreet]

Like the founding father who said, if the colonies were to have a king, then they would enthrone the Law itself as king.

[@TheSm1thers]

You're fairly spot on. The rune description mentions "transcendental ideology" and transcendentalism was a movement from the 19th century which believed in the essential unity of all creation, believing institutions of society like organised religion and political parties corrupt the purity of the individual. It's also interesting that goldmask sees a flaw in the way the golden order deals with those they view as heretical. Transcendentalists also put an emphasis on the study of nature as being incredibly important for understanding ourselves and the world around us, something goldmask focuses on as what's important rather than religious dogma. I think goldmask is meant to encompass transcendentalism as a movement.

[@ivanstrydom8417]

Apart from Rani's ending, I think the perfect Ending would be to have GoldMask rule as Elden Lord over the purgatory that is The Lands Between and to have the Jars as his servants/followers. To help all those in the Lands between to find their way to the afterlife. Alexander and all the warrior souls within, rightfully only enter into the afterlife after falling to you in single combat.

[@nbmoleminer5051]

The Erdtree holds no afterlife only perpetual rebirth unlike the original Greatree the rootstock tne Erdtree was grafted onto which contained tne Elden Ring when it was more whole with the rune of Deatj and thus a link to the afterlife the Helphen.

[@CharmS354]

I think the biggest flaw with this theory is Goldmask's opinion of Inner Order gesture using fundamentalist like D. In the Order Healing incantation, Goldmask is annoyed at the idea of ANYTHING being outside the totality of order. "... all the good and the great wanted, in their foolishness, was an absolute evil to contend with. Does such a notion exist in the fundamentals of Order?" Looking at the two fundamentals of order incantations, regression and causality, the ideas of convergence fit a lot closer with what Miriel the perfect doggo pope preaches. Wouldn't thinking of Glintstone sorceries as heretical be just another fickle contrivance to invent an absolute evil? The fact that his Order Totality gesture combines Inner Order's rejection of "defiled reason - all for the perfection of the Golden Order" with Outer Order's desire to "search the depths of the Golden Order" and move past the "blissful early days of blind belief" further reinforces the idea that Goldmask's core issues isn't with any source of knowledge, but rather the people/gods in charge of them. Glintstone is the amber of the cosmos, an idea reinforced constantly in just about every item. There is no better example of a cosmic tree then the Elden Beast itself, and the ancient star it fell from.

[@AegisKHAOS]

More or less why I had chosen Goldmask's mending rune for the Elden Lord ending. Seeing how Goldmask didn't turn a blind eye to the order's flaws, it at least came off as the most ideal of the four. Still preferred chaos taking the world, though.

[@wolfiemuse]

I dig this. It’s hard to say what Goldmask would or would not have wanted due to his silence, and it seems apparent that is intentional by FromSoft. However, this interpretation seems to be about right. After realizing that Marika and Radagon are one and the same, he is able to make connections that otherwise eluded him and realize the folly of the Golden Order’s current implementation. I’m not sure I think he would have taken free will away, however maybe he would have been a sort of… hidden guiding force, attempting to remove the biases of the leaders of the Golden Order and make it more ideal, something that someone so dedicated as himself would have been proud of.

[@manuelsilva6244]

Well we know that goldmask defends even people that had never been part of the golden order like the undeath. He literally says that those who hunt undead are foolish fanatics and that a true order has to include all. So i see his order even including albanaurics, those who never where accepted by the golden order even before marika.

[@square-table-gaming]

Agreed

[@justin8865]

Good video although, it should be mentioned that goldmask is hinted at for creating weapons. Also I don't think sorcery would be banned as it's part of golden order fundamentalism and consider Goldmasks thoughts through the order hearing incantation " The noble Goldmask lamented what had become of the hunters. How easy it is for learning and learnedness to be reduced to the ravings of fanatics; all the good and the great wanted, in their foolishness, was an absolute evil to contend with. Does such a notion exist in the fundamentals of Order?"

[@ellierose7821]

Man, this is the second lore video on him that I've seen and I'm starting to like Goldmask more and more. I just finished my first run (ranni ending) and am going for the fia ending this time, but i really want to do goldmask's ending next now

[@agm5424]

Maybe Marika declared that the crucible is heretical out of spite for giving birth to two omen babies?

[@huntercityhunter]

Great video as always! My personal theory is that the fickleness Goldmask refers to is the fact that Marika has show loyalty and affection to multiple sides during the wars like when she "split in two" and married Godfrey as Marika and Rennala as Radagon, and then coming back together, resulting maybe in their mostly "unfit" offsprings like the omen princes and Malenia and Miquella or the others turning against each other, maybe as a proof of its fickleness all along. And all of that makes sense to Goldmask when he discovers that Radagon and Marika are the same person, otherwise all the elements wouldn't be connected.

[@johnokazaki7967]

Omen princess? Who is she?

[@huntercityhunter]

@@johnokazaki7967 the omen princes are margit and mogh

[@johnokazaki7967]

@@huntercityhunter oh I thought u misswrote it or something I thought you meant princess, not princes haha. yeah Ik those ones

[@justsomeotherguywithamusta6810]

Any age that involves T-posing on those of little faith is the right order in my books

[@jasonbertram4960]

I feel like Goldmask's ending is the best for the world of the lands between. A rejection of the influence of the greater will, while a perpetration of true order expressed for all of the people in the lands between. Goldmask realized the hypocrisy and self centered fundamentalism of the original order; thus his new order being called perfect. He removes the corruption, hypocrisy, self obsession, and xenophobia to create something fsr better than what existed originally.

[@ringomandingo1015]

I don’t think it rejects the Greater Will. Radagon outlines the Fundementals of Golden Order (which is brought by the Elden Ring and by extension, the Greater Will) that everything joins together and everything has a cause and effect. Radagon showed that the Golden Order allowed Glintstone magic to co-exist, and if you wanna go a step further; the Dragon Lord Placidusax was also an Elden Lord, showing that the Golden Order wasn’t particular about which species carried its will either. Goldmask’s mending rune heals the Elden Ring and keeps anyone from altering or removing it but the intrinsic nature of the Elden Ring’s Golden Order is to bring everything together. Nothing gets rejected.

[@krispo7256]

A little correction, the golden order began when marika plucked the rune of death from the elden ring before all that placidusax was the elden lord of a different order, so in other words, the golden order is fairly new age in the lands between ​@@ringomandingo1015

[@Polumetis]

I think Goldmask's Perfect Order is something akin to introduction of Buddhism into the Lands Between. Buddhism was born as a reaction to Hinduism, claiming that even the gods were fallible, unenlightened and bound to suffering. Even the gods are in need of the guidance of grace and the Greater Will.

[@woffydoggy686]

I'm surprised that you not mentioned his reference on incantation (I don't remember the name, it's one from D's...) It's very interesting, 'cause it explains a little how Goldmask see the hunt of living dead.

[@square-table-gaming]

That's a good point. He sees them as fools for creating an "enemy" and resorting to violence against those who he likely doesn't see as living outside the fundamentals of Order.

[@ivanstrydom8417]

I perceive the ''Lands between'' to be exactly that, the world / purgatory between a certain fantasy world/universe and its afterlife. Every aspect of the lands between consist of pain, grief, turmoil ,suffering or sad desperation. All the beings in the Lands Between are sent there after death in the real realm ,to either suffer in this purgatory or to rule over/maintain the Lands Between (as a ''god, demigod or Elden lord.). Endless rebirth into a hellscape until the correct criteria is met for the being to pass on to the afterlife, heaven or hell. The Twin Bird is the representation of this. The black death bird transports them to hell or the Red Death bird transports them to ‘’heaven’’. Even with the (Tibia Marriner) ferryman of Greek mythology seen across the Lands Between , one can see that the Lands Between is the transition stage between life (in this fantasy universe) and the afterlife of this fantasy universe. The Greatsword ‘’Helphens Steeple'’ dropped by a Tibia Marriner, is in the form of a Christian Church steeple, these Churches with their elevated steeples in Medieval Europe acted as gigantic map markers for all, showing you the way to civilisation,to Life , to the Light , showing that within this building, you will find the way to heaven , to true life. And of course the way to reach God Three in One, to sit by His side within Heaven ,in the Afterlife. Mikela and the assimilated prophecy of salvation and the mercy towards the albinorics (the experiments of life / the downtrodden and oppressed / humans) and all whom would reject the evils of this purgatory might just find salvation and the ‘’Promised land ‘’ ..to get to ascend to Heaven. Melania represents the Medieval Christian knights whom fight to protect the ethos of mercy and salvation of Chritendom , most skilled warriors ..but whom are sadly, just like all people , infected by the rot of sin and whose only salvation is through the One whom they fight for. We even have the Valkyries of Norse mythology , Melania + her daughters whose sole purpose it is ,to identify great warriors that HAS FALLEN IN BATTLE and to carry them to the afterlife of this fantasy universe. No where in the ‘’Lands Between’’ do we find any food nor houses, nor any buildings/infrastructure required to sustain actual life, instead we only find catacombs, thousands upon thousands of graves and gargantuan administrative buildings .. housing only figures of power / institutes of magical learning / temples. (Means to / knowledge of how to leave purgatory..or to rule it) Prator Rykard, a symbol of Egyptian Mythology ,the serpent god Apophis , demon of chaos, who had the form of a serpent and was the foe of the sun god, Re (Foe of the current order) Apopis threatened the underworld….the lands between. The serpent devouring itself , a symbol of constant destruction and renewal… The entire realm of the ‘’Lands between’’ is a realm which depicts the transition/deliverance of the ones whom have died, to the afterlife Christian/Greek/Norse/Egyptian/Japanese kegare, thus the ‘’Lands Between’’ is the realm of transitioning from the world of a certain fantasy universe and its afterlife via purgatory. The Thrones of the NOX ‘’Night king’’ = king of darkness. These gigantic skeletons are like eldridge beings, ruling over the Eternal cities , as they sit there, they are undead, dormant, until a suitable amount of lost souls are brought in front of them. Upon which they wake and devour the essence of all the tormented peoples in front of them, sending the devoured to hell. Thus all the beings in front of them are left petrified, left in their state of anguish, screaming in torment and pain and fear , in doing so the eldridge lords gain power to rule further. The ferryman of Greek mythology seen across the Lands Between are of his kin, his servants whom serve the same purpose , to either lead the damned in purgatory to the afterlife , or to lead them to the Night king… Apart from Rani's ending, I think the perfect Ending would be to have GoldMask rule as Elden Lord over the purgatory that is The Lands Between and to have the Jars as his servants/followers. To help all those in the Lands between to find their way to the afterlife. Alexander and all the warrior souls within, rightfully only enter into the afterlife after falling to you in single combat.

[@charliebott2498]

Very insightful comment that gave me a new perspective 👏

[@PeppermintFren]

"Is this perfect order meant to free us, or to enslave the lands?" Is there a difference? Under Ranni, there is none but her, she is the matriarch, the dictator, that binds the stars and terra in frenzy. Going into frenzy, the flames thereof tell a different story. True freedom is absolute anarchy, perfect order is the death of freedom, and thus the lust for it. You have 6 options, an unfeeling Queen of the Moon, the all-ending Flame of Frenzy, a pox, a different state of life entire, a reformation, or everything just goes the same as it always had. In my opinion, I truly cannot endorse the idea that any of these are the "true" ending. These games are made to be interpreted, take each one as you will, your favorite is the right answer :)

[@square-table-gaming]

Until they create a new game set in the lands between like darks souls 3 which basically confirms the flame was relit over and over again making that ending canon... At least in that universe.

[@gabrielevolpe2331]

But wasn't Ranni's ending the beginning of a reign free from fate and god's tantrums, where every being have the opportunity to write their own destiny in the stars?

[@DarkForce852]

@@gabrielevolpe2331 Ranni's ending opens the world back up to the threat of more outer gods and the unknown

[@gabrielevolpe2331]

@@DarkForce852 that's the downside of every democracy

[@Chrisdish]

​@@DarkForce852that I the exact opposite, it frees the land from influence of outer gods.

[@MeanAndPristine]

3:38 this transition bro 💀

[@square-table-gaming]

One of my personal favorites

[@jaxdakid5598]

all my homies love goldmask. if you don’t like goldmask we don’t ride with you.

[@Flappr]

Another really really well done video.

[@square-table-gaming]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@basedgodly1623]

My interpretation of gold mask is like an inverse of rannis. Like I think he wants to make it an object triforce type thing not attached to a whole family

[@Golghrom]

Ah yes, interesting content, thanks fellow Tarnished.

[@nbmoleminer5051]

What I want is a way to return to the Crucible/Original Greatree order ending.

[@nickperri6571]

The gods are cringe. - Gold Mask, probably

[@TiberiusRex182]

Woo!

[@ElimGarakSpoonHead]

Ooohhh sheeeeeiiiit! Fresh STG!

[@caseyhart4999]

It’s pretty hilarious seeing you T pose in front of all these NPCs lol

[@trickster20644]

Unrelated to the video, but I just realized as you were talking about the crucible, there are no seals ingame right now that boost crucible or kindred of rot incantations.

[@luvlols4462]

The crucible knights armor sets will boost their incantations by a bit for every piece that you're wearing. We really didn't get enough seals, though! There is nothing for bleed or frost, either. There are like 20 glintstone staves and some of them only boost 2 spells.

[@PaladinKrave]

Hold up you're correct

[@PaladinKrave]

@@luvlols4462 doesn't Renallas staff boost frost societies And bleed sorceries are boosted by staff of guilty

[@SMT-ks8yp]

Ranni: Rrreeeeeee I don't wanna to be Marika's successor, I'm destroying the Lands Between! Goldmask: I forbid gods Ranni: WAIT YOU CAN DO THAT?! No, I'm genuinely curious what would happen to the empyreans, the candidates for godhood, if such position is removed. Like, the whole deal would be pointless. Or would it?

[@tossapat027]

The Best Ever - Brilliant T - Pose Master 🤷‍♂

[@jaymor1916]

I honestly think the fickleness of the gods is referring to Marika taking out the rune of death her being so afraid to die caused the nobles and all sorts of things like Godwin and what not so I believe that the perfect order puts the rune of death back so that people in the lands between Can die instead of just being absorbed into the erdtree like some sort of vampire tree lol no but really good video

[@topcat59]

the mending rune of perfect Order will get rid of the absolute corruption that goes on in the order and simultaneously loosing the control that the demigods have over the order, sense to me that sounds more like this benefits golden mask and other philosophers in the order that aren’t blinded by faith or greed not the lands between.🤔🐱

[@Egorator]

It does benefit The Lands Between, because Marika won't be able to bend rules anymore. She'll probably just sit in the tree, trapped for eternity, while we as Elden Lord can help TLB heal. Marika was the one waging wars, perpetrating discrimination against (insert anyone non basic human), and removing the rune of death. So it's a very good change Imo.

[@doctor_markus9042]

Why is goldmask so tall compared to our tarnished

[@timsonnenberg6977]

I dont think that being tarnished has an effect on height. Hoarah Loux is tarnished aswell.

[@doctor_markus9042]

Goodpoint

[@timsonnenberg6977]

@@doctor_markus9042 thx

[@halrichard1969]

I started a new character so i can choose this ending in preparation for the New DLC thats comming. Just in case is has any bearing at all on the DLC.

[@Feuerex]

Goldmask's ending is the only truly good ending in the game. Ranni's ending is full of uncertainty, and all others are either keeping the status quo with minor changes, or are making things even worse for everyone. Goldmask removes the politics from the Golden Order. Marika's trickery and machinations, which led to omens, heretics, giants, and others being outlawed and shunned. Fingers and finger readers' charade, as they pretend to interpret the Greater Will while keeping themselves in control. Demigods fighting for power between each other. All of these are imperfections. Golden Order is disgusting and unjust - and Goldmask will FIX ALL OF IT. This new order will be all-encompassing, fair and just to everyone. It will no longer include Marika's desires for superiority, power and control. The order will regulate itself, and will not arbitrarily decide to betray or blame an individual, group or race. It will not have inherent flaws like all living things, including Gods. Goldmask talks directly to the highest and greatest god-entity there is, and introduces Greater Will's idea of order - a perfect harmony capable of existing eternally balanced. He doesn't twist the words and concepts to his own image - notice how it says on his mending rune that it was DISCOVERED, not CREATED. He found Greater Will's idea of a perfect world, and handed it over directly, without making any changes whatsoever, or tinkering with it himself. It is the purest form of what Greater Will wants. No guessing, interpreting or adjusting. No itermediary. You fix the world by LISTENING to how the world wants to be fixed, which is exactly what Goldmask does, instead of pushing his own worldview like what happens in literally all other endings.

[@attacpowdergaming7098]

I don’t know how involved GRRM was in the lore of Elden ring with pinpoint accuracy but a little bit of familiarity with game of thrones makes me wonder a few things. Often times there were truths in GoT that were passed to the viewer as casual fact and it was often these “confirmed” facts in the lore that were eschewed in some way. That thought brought my attention to the certainty of Marika’s treacherous actions across the history of Elden Ring and I ended up contemplating that she was always aggressive towards people who could threaten the golden order. This is probably why she was able to accept partnerships with the likes of the Crucible Knights, because they didn’t seem to possess the ability to kill gods. That said, I’m beginning to think that the ensuing prejudices that were pressed onto the misbegotten and the crucible knights, for example, were perversions of Marika’s golden order by her followers, such as brother Corhyn. They may have taken her acts of aggression beyond where she would have, which is a pretty common happenstance among us cruel human beings. But I could be wrong because she did banish Godfrey, who appears to have been very close to the crucible knights and the primordial crucible overall. But then at that junction, why did she banish him and not kill him? Maybe the queen had a little bit more compassion than the lore would have us believe and unfortunately, that compassion may have been washed away by the judgmental people who followed her rule and interpreted her order to mean that creatures outside of grace deserved to be treated horribly. I still think that goldmask is right to view the gods as fickle and just as flawed as men but his proposed ideal to repair the Elden ring is just as extreme as that of the gods. If we are to take “the removal of the flames of ambition” as literally as it sounds, then we remove the ambition required to repair the order in the first place. So it would go against his own actions, which he probably doesn’t see because he believes himself just that capable. Now imagine if his proposal to repair the Elden ring goes horribly wrong. Would everyone lack the ambition to correct it? Anyway, fun video! I’ve listened to a bunch of your stuff and it’s been a lot of fun contemplating everything. Literally I’ve experienced the lore mostly through your channel because the game is really ambiguous about things. Keep up the good work! Have a like and a safe travels

[@yamumhasthebiggay2582]

If you rest at the bonfire at the Church of Pilgrimage Melina will say "spoken echoes of Queen Marika linger here, in Marika's own words. 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." Basically she wanted adversity to breed strength. Which is part of her reason for causing the shattering. There's also the dialogue where Melina says, "In Marika's own words. Hear me, Demigods. My children beloved. Make of thyselves that which ye desire. Be it a Lord. Be it a God. But should ye fail to become aught at all, ye will be forsaken. Amounting only to sacrifices." The sacrifices here are obviously referring to what you do to them in game.

[@mlmii1933]

One of the issues that I have with your interpretation of Goldmask's ending is that his Mending Rune doesn't just say it'll remove fickleness, it also says it'll strengthen ideology, so the two phases taken together points towards limiting people's free will.

[@square-table-gaming]

That's definitely one interpretation, for sure

[@TerryBradstreet]

There’s a video on how his wishes are mistranslated like Ranni’s, particularly the word “ideology”.

[@mlmii1933]

@@TerryBradstreet ... I don't buy any of the 'mistranslation' theories as the ones I've watched involving Ranni relies on alot of 'this word could mean two things' with one of those definitions being in line with the English version. Besides, even in the English version, Ranni's ending isn't bad, it's morally ambiguous.

[@spcliquid4102]

Please do a video on clean rot knights.

[@geraltgrey-mane695]

My question has always been, how? Was he that powerfull? I mean how could he create his own Great Rune? Can anyone do it? Or what is needed if not power? Knowleage?

[@timsonnenberg6977]

He likely didnt, it says he discovered it in its description. So it must have just been around...

[@nothanks9503]

Yeah in short it’s knowledge gold mask was highly rational and calculating and he came to understand or so he thinks the nature of the golden order more than even Merika and found the problem is emotions the flame of ambition like Margit says

[@luvlols4462]

Fia and the Dung eater can also create mending runes. These characters don't have much in common with Gold mask except for a very strong belief that what they are doing is ultimately for the best. Despite being banished, abandoned, imprisoned or even hanged for their behavior, they are unwavering in their dedication. Maybe it's sheer determination that creates mending runes.

[@filipporapetti9354]

The thing is that his rune isn't a great rune, it's a mending rune. Which I personally believe is different from a great rune in that it lacks the amount power a great rune brings, and also because of the fact that a mending rune is somehow an altering factor for the Elden Ring, like a filter, while a great rune is a fragment of the Elden Ring, a component. While a great rune comes from a piece of the Elden Ring, and has always been a part of it before it was removed and given to a demigod, a mending rune is something that has the power to modify order and that people with personal great visions of order can create and use to infuse their own vision on order itself Take it with a pinch of salt though, this is pure speculation on my part

[@cross-eyedhollow]

Creating a Mending Rune? I would see it as...it is absolute clarity of knowledge (Goldmask's research and perception) and willpower (a most tangible concept in the world of Elden Ring, an example being Malenia's will manifesting as her butterfly wings, self-healing ability and bloom spirits). But I would also think that something more tangible would be required too since Fia needed two halves of her to-be Mending Rune. Goldmask might have had access to something of the sort considering that he is at the forefront of Erdtree knowledge.

[@christophermurray9581]

I always thought by his body type, he was an alabaster.

[@square-table-gaming]

He's certainly the tallest tarnished we see, but he is definitely tarnished.

[@Hoarahchadtheallgrabbing]

إذن هدف القناع الذهبي هو التواصل مع شجرة الأرض نفسها باستخدام لغة الإصبعين ليفهم أهداف الشجرة و أهداف النظام الذهبي ، و لكن لماذا يريد القيام بهذا الشيء ؟

[@rekoken2911]

What is the theme song used here?

[@square-table-gaming]

Elden Rings character creation theme

[@rekoken2911]

@@square-table-gaming thanks

[@Carrot-Man1876]

Greetings from the Carrot-Man

[@personname-fw9jq]

gideon who does not need help version

[@PlumpBellyGourmand]

I think this is one of the only “good” endings, I know that yeah the golden order is still in power, but now it’s better and (as I think) more understanding than before. Blessing of the erdtree upon you all. 😊

[@Acrossdapond445]

I think gold mask wanted know how Marika and radagon have children?

[@jameslea3794]

I cannot stop picturing an image of goldmask searching "Marika Radagon R34" on the internet after I see your comment 🤣

[@okacz19]

The problem with Goldmask (at least the way I see him) is that while he is on another level then the others when it comes to understanding Greater Will, he is still its sycophant. He finds flaws in Golden Order established by Marika - a vessel of Greater Will - and blames her and her "fickleness" on the state of the world. But while he is wise to reject the fact that Golden Order is perfect, he never doubts Greater Will. In his mind, its holism and perfection is unquestionable, and his solution turns out to be that of a true fundementalist. He doesn't change anything about the Elden Ring (the sudo-conduit of GW's influence upon the Lands). He instead reinforces it, ensuring that those seemingly perfect rules last forever, without the possibility that any demigod or Elden Lord could change its tenants. This is only a good idea if you truly believe that GW's idea of order is a perfect one. But the game constantly points out that this might not actually be the case, and basing the whole idea of "life" on the "laws of regression and causality" can lead to issues that we've seen. Marika might have been the one who realized the flaws of Greater Will's plan - at least flaws for those who live in the Lands Between - and chose to introduce change to attempt to prevent a greater disaster. It of course backfired, but that doesn't mean that she was wrong in questioning it. Goldmask does not, and in the end he only seeks to ensure the religion in the Lands is at its purest and most influential. Meanwhile, "Laws of Regression" is a tenant suspiciously close to the "return to one" idea that the Three Fingers are teaching, and its form of semi-eternal life might be as corrupted as we see in every other Souls game. Not sure if I'd wrap a "protective rune" around that.

[@TheSm1thers]

Idk what you mean by saying he changes nothing about the Elden Ring. He changes it to disrupt the influence of the "fickle" gods. He follows the fundamentals of the Erdtree, which is where all life and souls were once melded into one, as opposed to worshipping Marika. I'm not sure of his views on the Greater Will.

[@Vapor.Steve77]

This is my take on it. Goldmask mask resembles the sun. Which is "golden", every soulsbourne fan knows about Sir Solaire. Remember there is no sun over the lands between. Gold mask saw the sun, the goldest of stars. Remember even blinded individuals can see the blood star far in the sky. Goldmask through the seek of knowledge saw the sun, an just as Sir Solaire, he begun worshiping it. Radiant, powerfull, golden and most important of all, just. The sun perfects the golden order because it is what the erdtree and the lands between need most, cycles. The fundamentals are right, it its a good religion, but it needs a true god, not a mere human. The sun is the perfect god, even George Carlin said it. So, TLDR. Praise the sun brothers.

[@adamkorzon2972]

They were like Catholics who went after all who did not follow their Pagan ways.If they found you had scripture and read it and taught it you were beheaded,or worse.

[@nicbahtin4774]

Why doesn't goldmask speak ?

[@square-table-gaming]

No one knows. He prefers to speak the language of the fingers.

[@prenthelloworld]

"..."

[@square-table-gaming]

...

[@EF-wy3di]

The golden order symbolizes religion and specifically draws from Christianity while the eldin ring symbolizes our understanding of how the world works. Whoever controls the eldin ring controls how the world works because in the world of eldin ring, thought and belief are actually physical. Thats how you get incantations, sorceries and ghost/spirit ashes (memories). Marika isn't inherently a god, they were just granted godlike power by an actual god. Marika is more like the pope and in a world where faith is an actual force, she is extremely powerful. To secure her status as the one and true God, she crushed and repressed all history and existence of other religions and cultures. Just like Christianity did and other dominant religions do. Fundamentalist are followers of a religion that create academic theories around it's fundamental tenets to explain away what appears to be contradictions. Think of new age creationism for example. The golden order fundamentalist do the same for the golden order. Radagon/Marika explaining away the would be heretical act of marrying Rennala with "law of regression" is an example and Godwyn befriending dragons based on a mutual "worship of gold" is another. Gold mask and his mending rune is a reference to Martin Luther in my opinion. He basically called out the church for being corrupt and then used principles in the bible to reject the legitimacy of the church as they were not God themselves but just humans like the rest of us. I think that Golden Mask and his ending is essentially golden order protestantism. Where you keep the religion but do away with official leaders of the religion and viewing just the scripture as the sole authority. Just like real world protestantism, I would assume that what would come next is an age of splintered religion based on different/competing fundamentalist theories. Another interesting note I'd like to add is how the glinstone sorceries reject faith and are all about science. They worship no gods and instead study the stars. A complete rival to the golden order. Yet what's interesting is that their founding story is of how their first scientist glimpsed into the primevial current and then glinstones rained down. Their theory is life comes from the stars and their oldest and first sorcery is founding stars of ruin. The golden order also believes life comes from the stars and their first and oldest incantations is elden stars. Seems like two sides of the same coin to me.