Elden Ring Lore - The Deathbirds: Keepers of the Ghost Flame

What are the Deathbirds? What was their purpose? How are they tied to the Ghost Flame?
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[@alexandermorgan5958]

There's a small detail you didn't mention about the Deathbirds. If you look into the open cavities of their chests, you can see skeletons of human bodies inside. You would never know unless you decided to get up close and look into one of these things.

[@efaristi9737]

Sure it's human ?

[@RetroVideoGamer23]

What does it mean?

[@perfection7722]

BRO WHAT DOES IT MEAN! TELL ME WHAT DOES IT MEAN!

[@iboofer]

@@perfection7722It's stated there was a priestly class that attended to the Deathbirds in the time of their heyday. Said priests would sacrifice their lives to the birds for the promise of a distant resurrection (sound familiar....?) It's heavily implied said priests are incorporated into the birds' bodies and wings (in the case of Death Rite Birds).

[@perfection7722]

@@iboofer It sounds similar to what some meso American tribes would do mainly talking about the aztecs but in their case it was sacrificing captured warriors. But there's also something about these birds that instill fear into every cell of my being like an uncanny valley fear. For example search opium bird its new here but gives that same unease. Like a primal fear of something similar looking that was a predator to us in the distant past. EDIT: The aztecs also sacrificed to a avian god Quetzalcoatl is the one im talking about.

[@Messyjesse233]

I can’t believe we hadn’t done deathbirds yet. Thanks for making such great content!

[@TheGallantDrake]

I really do think that Rosus, the guide statue that we find all over the Lands Between, is actually a figure invented to erase the history of the Deathbirds. If you look at his statue it looks exactly like someone took a pre-existing Deathbird statue and carved it up to look like a human-ish figure instead.

[@square-table-gaming]

We agree!

[@iboofer]

I noticed that too, with the weird long neck.

[@freshronin5390]

It’s like how Roman’s or Christian’s take from everything and make it their own. Assimilate some of the local beliefs for an easier conversion.

[@tHEsHINYsTONES]

i really would like to see a beautiful phoenix deathbird. thx for pointing out that they were completely different looking a long time ago

[@ctyoro5086]

That'd be an awesome dlc boss

[@efaristi9737]

@@ctyoro5086 Doubt it would happen. It would not make much sense lorewise since the society of the Deathbirds is supposed to be long gone. And souls games have always been about societies decadence, not about their glorious moments.

[@HeevaEgo]

@@efaristi9737 lorewise, hypothetically if the dlc is in the Spirit world, it may make sense that we’d encounter some type of fully realised version of The Deathbirds… or even the twinbird Phoenix

[@thelionofjudah5318]

Unfortunately not in dlc missed opportunities maybe next dlc

[@tHEsHINYsTONES]

@@thelionofjudah5318 i ve not finished the dlc yet. but i think the dlc is almost in the same "time" like the main game. but dont know :)

[@YungMiquella]

Another detail I find interesting is that the Grafted Scions have Blue and Red wings grafted onto their bodies

[@jamesmorley-e5e]

They can give you deathblight when they squawk at you. This connection could mean that they were all wiped out with their outer god long ago and just recently were revived with the spread of deathroot. Maybe the Twinbird will be resurected alongside the prince of death that would be quite a deadly duo 💀

[@RommelStorm]

I love Deathbirds. I love everything about ghostflame as well. The fact that a fire literally freezes you to death is something new I've come across with.

[@StormBlast2041]

Been watching a lot of creepypastas lately so when I heard the music of your video I had to look down make sure I wasn't listening to a creepypasta 😂

[@philiplauritzenjr.2711]

Me too hahaha

[@antonironstag5085]

Deathbirds are my favourite bosses in this game imo. I love the entire unsettling appearance and movement they have. Thanks for giving them a video!

[@VolleyR1055]

These birds were straight crazy town, man. Miyazaki always makes the wildest stuff

[@katherineryan7126]

I always thought that the Twinbird was more akin to the Two Fingers than Marika, since the The Two Fingers are described as “envoys” of the Greater Will. The word “envoy” means messenger, which better fits the role of the Two Fingers, who deliver the Greater Will’s messages. The fact that it’s a TWINbird might also suggest a connection to the TWO Fingers.

[@theguileraven7014]

I always thought the Twinbird was closer to The Elden Beast.

[@cuvince8591]

I came here to say this. Marika is the god of her age. Like the Gloam Eyed Queen was the god of hers. The twinbird was more like the two fingers and Placidusax was their ages version of Godfrey/Radagon.

[@cuvince8591]

@@theguileraven7014 I'm pretty sure the elden beast is the physical manifestation of the elden ring itself which came on a golden star. I think he's the same through every incarnation of order under the greater will. Whether it's the order of death or the golden order

[@theguileraven7014]

@@cuvince8591 I don't think every previous Order is under "The Greater Will", though. In fact, the Golden Order explicitly waged war against previous orders, such as the Fire Giants.

[@HeevaEgo]

@@theguileraven7014 Golden Order does not equal Greater Will

[@AegisKHAOS]

The fact that the death birds look like malformed chicks made them look all the more disturbing when I first encountered them. Also, it takes some kind of insane genius to use ghosts as a part of their wings.

[@kaden-sd6vb]

Insane genius is fromsoft's specialty!

[@EmpressSectonia]

I want to know more about the Mother of the Deathbirds. She sounds intriguing to learn more about, but we all we get is a shield telling that she exists.

[@Nemo12417]

Given that the the Twinbird is an envoy of an Outer God, I'd say she is probably the counterpart to the great scorpion who serves as the symbol for the Scarlet Rot Outer God.

[@Infinite_Speck_Of_Dust]

First time seeing a Deathbird is defininetly one of the peak "what the fuck/holy shit" moments in Elden Ring. So used to them now, but design wise, one of the freakiest enemies to be found in the Lands Between.

[@dannyleo5787]

I may have a theory on the mother of death birds that you may find being very intriguing. Since from a perspective, these death birds we had fought gradually grew dangerous with each region of the lands between, relies heavily on how much resentment lingers. That these birds are simply crows with the power to resurrect simply by embracing death to be closer to her with whom they can carry on their wings as offerings to the mother herself like carrier pigeons sending detailed messages back and forth. The more deaths that accursed, equal to the strength of dense resentment and inevitably being killed makes the crow itself grows, and all that prevents this twisted cycle are the red trees

[@lodestar2733]

I always think to myself “X is totally going to be expanded upon in the DLC. I mean, how could they not?” And then realize I’ve said that about like 100 different topics in Elden Ring LOL

[@minerman60101]

Remember everyone, lock on to the body, not the head. Turns the fight from D tier to B or even A tier.

[@alexrocky9147]

Amazing coverage! Love the idea that current deathbirds are only a fraction of their original power and look. I believe TA mentioned that the TwinBird envoy might be the god of the dragons that fled, possibly after the Elden Beast arrived in a meteor. This is illustrated by the many TwinBird sculptures in Farum Azula, most notably on top of the arch at the entrance of the Malliketh boss arena. This would tie the Death Birds to the dragons and the beasts (beastmen and hawks). Just another clue into the time before the Erdtree on which we don’t have much to go on. Hopefully the DLC may have some answers!

[@Tortuga2223a]

YES! Elden Ring Halloween lore from Square Table loved it last time! Also that BGM is a throwback man 😅

[@JC-eo2qe]

Deathbird: Prepare to die Tarnished! My realm and Outer God rules over death like its his bitch- *Throws a holy jar at its head* Deathbird: Oh no, jars of water filled with sunflowers and mushrooms! My only weakness!!!

[@iboofer]

Oh man, the birds that are the namesake of my ghostflame mage, Death Bird Man. Woo! Love to see it! DBM will rise again for Shadow of the Erdtree!

[@jackeriksen6753]

Is it just me that finds it curious that the deathbird we meet looks nothing like the twin birds, but it's skull resembles whats between.

[@Mr.Pancake-7092]

If another Elden ring dlc comes out or sequel releases, the twinbird BETTER be a boss

[@IncoisaRadio87]

A fight against the Twinbird in the DLC would be incredible... but unlikely. Unless we enter another convoluted dream state like Fortissax, or outright leave the Lands Between, there would be no hope of finding a god who holds no grip over the lands, in belief nor strength. Or at least... not in its former glory.

[@whydondutale2myfase]

Love the choice of music

[@galaxydragon1234]

Interestingly, the deathbirds cause deathblight with their scream, even radiating black and golden rays when screaming. Im imagining that they might have now allied themselves with the princes of death as a new leader for them

[@finnianramsey4634]

The twinbird bearing a almost phoenix like visage is very interesting, considering that phoenixes are known to rise from ash. Maybe the birds were using the ash from these deaths to resurrect their mother?

[@darkwulf4862]

I love this, My primary character is a Death Mage using the Staff of the Death Prince in the off-hand and the Death Sorceries while wielding Death's poker as the primary weapon and wearing the Skeletal Mask with Siluvius's robes/boots/gloves to make my mage look like vaguely like a Plague doctor that brings the Ghostflame to his foes.

[@poobla7638]

Im doing a deathbird playthrough rn, so this is great motovation

[@animeturnMMD]

This last one 1:37 is the hardest to kill, but give shit ton of runes and an interesting spell if you use those.

[@reybryant5102]

I love this content. I got a gloam eye queen death build so this interests me

[@MoxieWatts]

Now the children of the twinbird is a really good idea.

[@ADcrackerjack]

The one from the snowfield is a top 10 hardest boss for me, maybe even top 5.

[@draw2death421]

That music is bringing some creepypasta memories. Tbh Deathbirds themselfs look like someting from a creepypasta. Edit: also 1000th like!

[@kizaruthegreat]

Want more ghostflame magic/faith in the dlc. Love faith build in this game cause there is sl much buildvariaty. Pyro, lightning, dragon, blackfire. But i do want some more frost in there which this could do. Flame that does frostbuildup aswell. Would be a fun build

[@trickster20644]

I just thought of something crazy, what if one of the new areas in the dlc will be the Kiln of the Deathbirds, and we'll have to fight like the Twinbird

[@HeevaEgo]

I’ve had this thought for a while too. Every fromsoft fantasy dlc has at least one Dragon-type boss. The twinbird Phoenix will be Elden Ring’s DLC dragon-type boss

[@frankiefromky]

This series is quickly becoming my favorite part of Spooky-Times! 👻

[@square-table-gaming]

Would you want a compilation? Haha

[@tlx4122]

Personally I belive that they were once alive and were extinguished by the golden order. Later, with the apparition of deathroot and deathblight, they were resurrected as undead, explaining their deathblight screech as a new ability separated from ghostflame.

[@ClonserHalphalive]

Scary Terry Gaming? "You can run but you can't hide (lore), bitch!" - Scary Terry, with Scary Terry Gaming

[@afk2402]

Can we think about the ressemblance between the ghostflame and the blackflame ? They look practically the same and have a similar goal

[@skrotosd]

Am I the only one who thinks of Dee from it’s always sunny in Philadelphia, every time someone says deathbird?

[@Catson74]

God, from software made the lore so well in this game

[@jaxdakid5598]

i think the sacrificial axe used to be “blessed” or whatever is equivalent to that and they used it to incorporate the priests into the wings, maybe the walking mausoleums house the body of the demigod, and the sacrificial axe makes the soul go to a death rite bird granting them more power, and all of the people/priests that worshipped the demigod recieve the great honor of being part of the bird, in the wings.

[@LeslieCoggs]

Amazingly awesome video. Thank you!

[@Etothe3rdPower]

The death birds look like whippoorwills.

[@israelvaldez26]

I always thought that the Deathbird head reminded me of Tweetybirds head.

[@Sparkbomber]

Nifty. They are definitely the odd duck out in the Lands Between, and I do think their current looks are not what their prime'd have looked like. But ehhh... the loss of those kilns may have impacted the dead still in their wings too.

[@brutusmagnuson315]

Man, the Erdtree really put these guys out of the job

[@williamkeys8310]

I'd like to think the death birds looked similar to owls without their feathers because I love owls. That and a owl without it's feathers is ugly as sin but kinda reminiscent of how the death birds are shaped in game

[@Mistercodmobilefan8378]

I never knew that the deathbird only have part of the power and not all of it it once had i wonder what happened to the power once it had? Maybe the holy magic made them weak cuz they are weak to holy

[@loneartistjones5098]

There heads look kinda like a pigeon or dove skull too. Don't know if anyone may have noticed or thought something similar 🤔

[@phil4208]

The death birds were a tough foe that i avoided until i got the sacred relic sword, it melts them in seconds

[@ghostflossy2403]

Rykard sword also destroys lol

[@0bskureference]

No real lore evidence but when I hear twin bird I think of the two storm hawks

[@blue_hoodie9987]

I always wonder why ghostflame inflicts frostbite. Is it like a frosty ice fire?

[@jackmahoney1001]

My thought is that it has the power of death in it, which saps your lifeforce, making it feel cold. I always thought it odd that ghost flame didn’t inflict death blight, but seeing how death blight is tied to Godwyn, it makes since the the death birds and their ghostflame, which both existed far before Godwyn’s death, would have a different status effect associated with them …..also I don’t like having gameplay influence how we think of lore, but maybe the developers wanted more enemies that inflict frostbite, since besides them, the ice dragon Borialis, and the Zamor warriors, I can’t think of any! (But then again, sleep is only inflicted by three random crabs, so gameplay probably had little to do with it) I think the whole “ghost flame saps away your soul/lifeforce, leaving you feeling cold” is the best explanation for now

[@tobiakilo3413]

​@@jackmahoney1001 I agree with you, but the only issue here is that death bird scream inflict death blight. Maybe they got corrupted by Godwyn somehow

[@blue_hoodie9987]

@@jackmahoney1001 it makes since especially since when I think of death I also think of cold

[@Okkusen]

Gosh...I hate deathbirds even more than IMPS

[@AlexanderJoneshttps]

I remember in my first playthrough encountering my first Deathbird by castle morne but after that went after every other death bird as I find there lore interesting

[@adriangreen5228]

Any chance of a Ravenmount Assassin video??? I just started a Ravenmount build and would love to learn more about the lore. Not a lot of videos about it yet👀

[@square-table-gaming]

Unfortunately their item descriptions are the only mentions of them anywhere in the lore! We can speculate but there's nothing solid to back up our assertions. That said we could always share our thoughts!

[@5chneemensch138]

The Assassins use a two-clawed weapon (or 2 on the front, 2 on the back). Which means Deathbirds are Owls.

[@_Savage-]

Okay I forgive them for being so horrible to fight

[@whatsnewbois9814]

The deathbirds, tibia mariner, basilisks those who live in death, death root, it all comes back to the rune of death having just a fragment stolen. When deathbirds scream they build up the death status effect meaning they are conected to the rune of death. If they existed before the afe of the erdtree then they must have been active around the time Placidusax was first elden lord, the age of the Dragons...

[@square-table-gaming]

The Elden Ring is directly connected to the Elden Beast, the deathbirds are the children of an envoy of an altogether different outer god with no connection to the Elden Ring. The Rune of Death would likely have nothing to do with them as their form of death was connected to their envoy. The use of death blight could have a few different explanations, but it does not necessarily have to be tied to the rune of death itself.

[@whatsnewbois9814]

@@square-table-gaming fair point, this requires rereading all item discriptions 10 more times and starring another 10 hours at different locations and enviroments to insure nothing was missed and waiting 8 months for Shadow of the erdtree DLC... i miss DS 1 lore, it was more simple man...

[@square-table-gaming]

@@whatsnewbois9814 I feel ya haha

[@efaristi9737]

@@whatsnewbois9814 I love the complexity of it personnally.

[@whatsnewbois9814]

@@efaristi9737 but i want answers, what the hell did i read every item discription for, what did i stare at every broken statues for? What did i think and look in to every possible answer or explanation i found on videos explaining the souls like lore? "I WANT THE TRUTH!" Fromsoft: *"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"*

[@TheHogfatherInvades]

The birds of all death!

[@drakmendoa]

I wouldn't say that the golden order hate those who live in death because of the deathbirds and there religion being the first. It is more because the golden order represents a form of natural order and order itself. And the order is that live and death are strictly opposites and seperated. hat's why a sould shared from 2 persons is okay for the golden order, because it is something born natural. But those who live in death are outside of this order. They are not natural but something formed from a unnatural curse or ritual. They are nearly like the frenzied flame, which represents chaos, the total opposite of order. And so the golden order is against both.

[@nickytheanimal2413]

Great video as usual

[@Hoarahchadtheallgrabbing]

Why were the Deathbirds burning the dead with their ghostflame ? 🤔

[@merleetomlin6218]

Do think there is weight to the observation that ghost flame spells (and some others) shoot skulls, and a popular form of ritual suicide and executions involve beheading?

[@square-table-gaming]

Definitely if you consider the mausoleum knights

[@efaristi9737]

11:22 Is the Elden Beast really a Outer God ? Well, i suppose that would make sense if he is the vessel of the Greater Will. I think the Twinbird was more akin to the Elden Beast than to Marika. 12:54 Well, maybe not that terrifying if Marika and her Golden Order beat them... Or maybe it's a statement of how strong the Golden Order used to be.

[@square-table-gaming]

Your understanding is definitely correct and better stated then we do in the video. The Elden Beast is an "outer god" in that it's an extension of the greater will and when we kill it we do get the text, "God Slain." Perhaps the Elden beast is to Marika what the Twinbird could have been to the Gloam Eyed Queen? Though we have no evidence of that outside of the concept of black flame.

[@efaristi9737]

@@square-table-gaming Thank you ^^. Wasn't the Gloam Eyed Queen described as a Empyrean rather than a goddess ? I am under the impression that she was more like a rival to Marika during a power struggle between the GW and another Outer God trying to conquer the Lands Between. Maybe that Outer God was the one that use the Twinbird as a vessel. There's nothing to link the Gloam Eyed Queen and the Deathbirds but that would make sense. After all, Marika conquest of the Lands Between happenned thoussands and thoussands of years ago, largely enough time to consider the Deathbirds as a "old dead religion". There's also the fact, if i'm not mistaken, that Godfrey used to worship the Crucible which mean it was the prominent power at the time with Placidusax as Elden Lord. And the Shattering, the decadence of Golden Order Society laster for thoussands of years. If i had to guess, i'd say that the GW and the OG of the Deathbirds had a power struggle while the prehistoric Era was coming to a end, either because of them or something else (we don't know if Placidusax god is dead, we only know he is gone). GW used Marika as vassal and EB as vessel while the DBOG used the GEQ as vassal and the Twinbird was vessel. Their struggle lasted for a very long time, similar to the Shattering, but Marika eventually prevailed, and beat the DBOG Empyrean and its vessel, claiming godhood and conquering the Lands Between. It's just a theory but it does come well together.

[@s.i.ogamer8749]

Thanks

[@Apollyon__]

YEAHHHHHHHH BABY THATS WHAT IVE BEEN WAITING FOR WOOOOOOOO

[@QuandaleDingle-mm2rc]

Amazing vid

[@enxman7697]

I've got a silly question: In your opinion, was the rune of death removed from the ER before or after Godfrey's conquests at the behest of Marika?

[@square-table-gaming]

Hard to say, I would assume she sealed destined death after solidifying her power but I'd need to recheck some notes to make sure.

[@enxman7697]

@@square-table-gaming I was thinking that giants get killed, but if we abide to the theory that the Stormlord was Serosh he wasn't disparched. But Gransax is dead, killed after the Golden Order Enstablishment (unless the Stormlord was Placidiusax, so the dragon attacked Leyndell on orders by their Elden Lord. But here we fall into the nest of "Was the Gloam Eyed the vanished Dragon God, killed by Maliketh whose alter-ego comes from Faram Azula?")

[@nemesisundead83]

Love these episodes

[@nemesisundead83]

I don't know if it's just me but I believe the outer gods can't be killed (like in any form) which is why they have to be "sealed away" so what if (now hear me out) when the Elden beast came down they say he came baring an Elden Ring but what if it was empty and had to be filled.... Kinda makes sense but there are to many holes with that theory.....unless I'm right and history is told by the winner anyways lol I mean what we are told (both in and out game) could be a lie a really big lie.....or I just don't trust this "Greater Will"

[@justorivarola]

have you made one on old knight istvan? i think maybe there can be cool things to him.

[@square-table-gaming]

He was in our first episode of the tarnished files

[@justorivarola]

@@square-table-gaming will watch

[@_nick.._.liachnis]

I find itt awkward to fight these things due to their movements. Caelid's Deathbird had it the worst of all from me. I decided to finish it with Discus of Light, just to be spiteful👹.

[@Derek-fl8yu]

The intro hit a little too hard when he mentioned jumps

[@totallynotsuspiciousemail5696]

I keep hearing about this so called “dlc” but how long has it been now? Over a year?

[@square-table-gaming]

indeed, the current rumor was a drop this month but still... silence...

[@donut2319]

Got any prawns?

[@thedarkness125]

why would we expect them to look like ravens? we have those in caelid with new carrion and death.

[@square-table-gaming]

Because Ravens are often used as portends of death and FromSoft often uses classic literature tropes in their environmental storytelling

[@hhowdy]

You should do a Bloodborne video on Halloween

[@square-table-gaming]

If we weren't coming up on episode 100 I would! I'm putting everything I've got into that one.

[@hhowdy]

@@square-table-gaming It says 101 in the playlist?

[@square-table-gaming]

We don't count the compilations haha@@hhowdy

[@hhowdy]

@@square-table-gaming ohhh Ok

[@Q_From_ImpJoke]

hey its me Q, from imp prac

[@St._Matthew]

With 300+ weapons in the game why do they inly use that sword ???

[@square-table-gaming]

Because that's my tarnished?

[@St._Matthew]

@@square-table-gaming Lol .. fair enough / i was curious

[@square-table-gaming]

@@St._Matthew all good. For I think all of year 1 I used the red hood and the Royal Greatsword. Maybe I'll switch it up for year 3.

[@AliSalem-xu5oe]

Broooo use the round table music this new track doesn’t have the same vibe at all bring back the old music!

[@square-table-gaming]

These tracks are just for spooky season, we go back after October

[@malbhet]

It's possible the fire giants kiln once was the very kiln the death birds tended to.

[@SterbiusMcGurbius]

Little behind the scenes info for you. 15 different species of birds were killed in the making of this video to compare their skulls to. Fun facts.

[@mainulislam9104]

Thanks