Elden Ring - They don't understand

The Juvenile Scholars already have a somewhat tragic undertone, as does Rennala herself, so it's no surprise they got close to making it even more unnerving.
Song used: Academy of Raya Lucaria - Elden Ring OST

[@ZullietheWitch]

I was uncertain if the dialogue for the children was still in the files, so I consulted with Sekiro Dubi, who has been working on a big archival process for all the dialogue files. Conveniently, it not only still existed, it was all even loaded in Raya Lucaria by default, so I was able to just swap some IDs around with Cheat Engine and record it ingame. According to Sekiro Dubi, the way the audio was loaded is particularly strange though, there's a special "quest file" that was used, bypassing the usual method for loading the audio for NPC dialogue. We're not sure why it's loaded that way, so it's a neat thing to have stumbled onto. Check out Sekiro Dubi's channel here: kzbin.info Here's the full list of their unused lines, for ease of reading: Who's that? Who could it be? A new child, Mother's newborn. A new friend. A new playmate for us. Just watch, he'll be born again. Just watch, she'll be born again. Then Mother will hold him tight. Then Mother will hold her tight. He'll be so warm, warm and cosy. She'll be so warm, warm and cosy. That'd be nice, so very nice. If we're turned to stone, will we be born again? Will Mother hold us again? Will we? Will she? That hurts. Please, stop that. Did he just die? And him, too? Is he not a friend? I can't tell… Is she not a friend? I can't tell… Maybe he's something else? Maybe she's something else? Can we still be friends, if we try? Yes, we can be friends, I'm sure. He'll understand, if we just explain. She'll understand, if we just explain. Catch! There! Squish him! Squish her! Off you go! Smoosh him! Smoosh her!

[@Joyful_Traitor]

Honestly that unused dialogue would have probably unnerved me too I have seen videos of people attacking Miriel and I refuse to hit him just to see it for myself, so hitting the childlike scholars would definitely make me hesitant to fight them

[@half_chub]

the turning to stone part implies they understand and know they can become graven schools and graven masses. utterly terrifying

[@jonlava173]

Well Done, O Well Done!

[@SekiroDubi]

Thanks for the shout! Interesting research this was. Hopefully one day we'll understand if this was some sort of alternate quest, or something else.

[@victormiller1420]

Most likely reason is sound clutter they likely didn't want to overload your ears while trying to identify the channeler considering that they sometimes would be behind bookcases or cover.

[@sirsmaffles749]

Just when you'd think that these creepy children couldn't get creepier I find this. Thanks Zullie, I will now rather be reborn as a grub

[@sabotower1792]

Reject humanity, return to grüb

[@Voice_of_p]

We both know: you dont want that.

[@BossReo]

Sounds like something out of a Dream...

[@sylomcz1588]

Would rather return back to MONKEY!!!

[@KATinBLACK]

You’d rather be reborn as a Revenant? What a sicko

[@joaquintettamanti5314]

"Can we still be friends if we try? Yes, we can be friends, I'm sure. He'll understand if we just explain" Oh my god 😢😢😢 this actually makes me feel bad for them

[@oldcowbb]

yes if they stop throwing the damn books

[@sixbases6793]

@@oldcowbb oh come on, they are not that annoying, they're cute

[@yurilopes420]

@@sixbases6793 for real, the only time where books are an issue is when you try to dodge one and queen foots throws a whole fucking library at you plus the chandelier

[@Dr.HooWho]

​@@oldcowbb gotta get knowledge though

[@firstya9994]

@@sixbases6793 idk if i still wanted to be friends with them after they throw a fckng chandelier at me

[@genericgorilla]

It's probably because the renalla battle is already pretty busy soundwise, it'd probably sound really terrible if every scholar was talking each time they throw a book at you

[@joshuawiener5003]

That honestly sounds like the case. FromSoft is not one to pull punches on horrific lore and imagery. For example, there is the omen bairn, which depicts an omen baby with all their horns removed in a grotesque fashion. Having the scholars whisper amongst themselves would probably create too much chaos and make it harder to locate the channeling scholar. Though honestly, the first phase is kinda too easy and I think maybe that would have been something good to add some difficulty. Regardless, it is of no consequence.

[@The_pitbull536]

@@joshuawiener5003 also Dung eater ripping the spine out of a giant and then using it as a sword

[@SolaScientia]

@@joshuawiener5003 The only gruesome thing that I know they cut from a game was in the fight against Oceiros in Dark Souls 3. He was meant to be holding his child, Ocelotte, and he still cradles something invisible with one arm for about half the fight. Then there is some motion and audio that's basically him consuming the child (the baby cries stop after that point, very tellingly). I think it was determined to be a bit too much even for them. Honestly, both phases were a bit too easy. Yeah, it took me 4 or 5 attempts, but that's still less than some other bosses and even regular enemies. Phase 1 was definitely way too easy, especially once I stopped summoning wolves for it and chased down the gold kids myself. Phase 2 was super easy once I summoned the wolves and then just stayed close to her the whole time since she had no poise at all. I hate fighting mages in FromSoft games, so I'm not complaining much about how easy it ended up being.

[@Dyneamaeus]

Oh certainly, I mean, that busyness is probably why only the singing scholar throws books as well. Depending on how the camera feels, the sound cues for a chandelier drop or tomb-missile are sometimes the only warning you'll get before they nuke you.

[@SolaScientia]

@@Dyneamaeus There was a bit of a visual cue for the chandelier drop as well, but in running around hunting down the glowing kids it's easy to miss that as well. Phase 1 is so busy in general that the added voices would have made it worse. Any time I had to go near the chandeliers I was running or rolling as fast as possible and made sure not to linger under them. It was the books and the globes getting yeeted at me that I found the most annoying.

[@xkidgey]

Elden Ring certainly has recurring themes around imperfect replication. Empyreans born from single parent processes that end up with curses, artificially created albinaurics with bad legs, Rennala's children being flawed and tragically short lived, Omens existing, etc. Kinda like maybe the Erdtree's order is super duper flawed and taking the rune of death out is a Gwyn-level sin that's just ruined the entire world

[@dadevi]

I think the message is that the Gods in all of From Soft's titles are cursed by going against the course of nature in some way. The Gods try to interrupt the natural cycle of their worlds and end up destroying themselves in the process. They're like puppets pretending to be puppetmasters, but they get their strings cut in the end all the same.

[@SIGNOR-G]

@@dadevi more like puppetts tumbling in their own strings.

[@WereScrib]

@@dadevi Excuse me, you left out the benevolent force that is the Frenzied Flame. If time and existence itself is undone, there is no flawed order! \o/ True heroes undo time itself.

[@nightscout9979]

Tons of the curses and maladies are unrelated to the Golden Order. Most things are messed up in Elden Ring, tying into recurring From Software themes of cruel powers that be and the constant threat of degenerating.

[@marhawkman303]

@@nightscout9979 yeah, one of my readings of the lore of Elden ring is that it's more like the "Lands Between" are part of a battle between eldritch beings we never even see in-game. the Golden Order is just one of them.

[@hateful8bit]

Miyazaki: I want to kill kids but how do we do that without killing kids. Martin: Great Rune of the Unborn?

[@Cassius609]

*hides the dead baby model attached to Oceiros* There we go, perfectly safe now.

[@hateful8bit]

@@Cassius609 I was thinking the Exact. Same. Thing. His censorship is legendary.

[@jimstoesz3878]

When I fought Rennala I was too busy trying not to die to really notice how deeply disturbing her first phase is... and honestly I'm very glad that I was able to avoid this emotional burden.

[@loonylunaticmaxhammer3401]

gay

[@pffpffovich2398]

Her first phase is the easiest thing there is wdym

[@cromulom2223]

How tf you had to try to avoid dying in rennala

[@-huracan-8444]

gay

[@natpat4094]

the whole story is already an emotional burden tho 💀 and the first phase is easy 😭

[@PierceArner]

In the animated _Peter Pan_ the Mermaids say, _"We were only trying to drown her."_ when Peter scolds them for attacking Wendy, because fairy folk are immortal and don't really grasp those concepts of what death means. That naïve, child-like attitude towards death is something old folklore about fairies used to convey a lot, so it's interesting that it was a lot more overt in earlier plans for that encounter with Rennala's little sweetings. It was likely both difficult to balance that dialogue with the pacing of combat events, but also most of the time you get dialogue like that is when you're attacking an NPC you're not meant to fight. It likely ended up being removed to avoid making confusion for feedback on the player's actions, and because of implementation difficultly in making it clear. Really cool to see the concept behind what's happening even though the final in-game execution was altered.

[@jbark678]

Good catch, haven't thought about Peter Pan for a while.

[@trevorweisberg8470]

It's why I love the fey, they're mindset is so alien they don't even exist on the same morality scale.

[@PierceArner]

@Crab in A Top Hat This is a good clarification because that's why their particular type of immortality makes it so difficult for them to understand death as something permanent and consequential. It's vastly different from the perspective of immortality that god have, the conditional immortality of vampires, or the agelessness of fantasy elves. To add to that, the smaller fae don't have the ability to grasp things the same way humans do. Again, to mention Peter Pan, Tinkerbell changes colours because the little fairies can only experience one emotion at a time which is why they're impulsive in a child-like way. Those both add to how Rennala's sweetings becoming gravestones makes it EASIER for them to be born anew, and their short, imperfect lives, and limited memories aren't a source of fear for them even if objectively they have a somewhat terrifying cycle of Rebirth & Redeath that they're forever locked into.

[@arbsan8366]

Wow I haven’t thought of it this way before!

[@liamzakhaev]

@@PierceArner And do You know what I've noticed those elves, gods and vampires have in common regarding their forms of immortality? most of them are still terrified of dying!

[@Morgannin]

I like how often Zullie and other creators show off a From Software concept that "was almost a lot worse/more horrible/creepier" etc. Like they always seem to come up with horrifying ideas, start to implement them, then rein themselves in. Kinda wish they'd commit to it for once.

[@VelvetVexations]

We nearly got Oceiros doing the "puny God" Avengers routine with an infant. Have to imagine there's a universe out there where they left that in and it perhaps became the new GTA in terms of controversy, or maybe video game violence of all kind has simply lost it's shock three games into modern Mortal Kombat.

[@Crow_Mauler_]

Well, they certainly committed with bloodborne.

[@vergulyanets]

I listened to that cut audio with Oceiros, really scary stuff.

[@dontbother9683]

They do commit to it, you just don't know it beacuse they actually did it

[@dadevi]

When it comes to children, the disabled, or child-like characters in video games, creators have learned to tow the line or risk being banned in certain countries. Australia, the UK and the US are especially tough on stuff like that, and it's not worth it to make a several different versions of the same boss battles for different gaming markets.

[@caseychupinski7553]

I also think the fact that all of their eyes are jaundiced interesting. It seems like the rebirth affects more than their memory, and many of them are pale and sickly. Great video, zullie!

[@JustinL614]

Jaundice will develop in most infants from lack of sunlight. The scholars are always kept indoors so it makes dense they would design them with sunlight deprived features.

[@DeathnoteBB]

It would make sense as the video says they come back frailer, too

[@halcionjoy7]

The cut dialogue reminds me of the children who were turned into insect fairies in Berserk. Specifically the part where they played war games, ripping each other to shreds. Some of them even did "adult attacks" on each other.

[@starpegasusgamer8561]

Kinda fucked. But then again, most of Berserk is fucked to its core

[@sturmfall1050]

I mean, Miyazaki loves Berserk so it's not a huge stretch to think that was at least some of the inspiration.

[@halcionjoy7]

@@sturmfall1050 They even have a mother figure in the apostle who transformed them. Now that I think of it, they also undergo rebirth in eggs. They even have some gruesome illustrations of eggs getting split open with half-liquefied children inside.

[@SIGNOR-G]

I thought the exact same thing. Luckily here its just a problem of communication instead of "playing adult games". Last time didnt end very well.

[@makenaiyomi1083]

This was pretty though to read. Seeing Guts split open these eggs and be covered with blood and whatnot from these unborn....

[@Arkhavist_S]

Really digging the action shots of late. The little reconstructions as well, like 1:39 and such.

[@rupeeheartian6606]

Time for Zullie, therefore time for lore!

[@united_games]

invisible path ahead

[@Voc_spooksauce]

Praise the Witch! Also, time for liking

[@zodiacjun1723]

Behold witch

[@cranapple3367]

Try greatsword, then try watching.

[@JB-xl2jc]

Could this be a amazing something?

[@BaddoBadtzMaru]

People think they're creepy but I rather enjoyed them though the lore is sad. What really made me feel bad was the fact they are all gone after you defeat Rennala.

[@doctorhealsgood5456]

Where did they go? Did they die for real? Rennala is still there so she could still rebirth them. She rebirths you no problem (you have the privilege of the rune of the unborn) and she can do it with boc too... even if it doesn't end up that well for obvious reasons.

[@dragar0th]

They're just down for their naps, don't worry

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

@@doctorhealsgood5456 She no longer has the Rune of the Unborn. It seems to allow for perfect rebirth when held by a person, or imperfect rebirth when held in the egg.

[@Knight_Of_Eleum_Loyce]

they're*

[@funnygaming2672]

@@watchfulwanderer6443 so if she had the rune of the unborn, she could reborn Miquella has perfect?

[@TheKaleidobros]

I think the initial arrival dialogue they have and then the fight we have today with some extra giggles and whatnot would strike a good balance without it overwhelming the singing target.

[@TheVeryAngryShrimp]

0:21 yo i didn't even notice that rennala made a gasp when she was about to fall and shatter the barrier. That's so cool!

[@legoheyguy7580]

I don't think this is a very popular opinion, but Rennala's fight is one of my favorites. I'm happy to see this added level of depth to the fight, even though it was removed.

[@siegwardinspirit]

It's an okay fight, but the atmosphere is really good!

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

It's a good fight. I wish it was an end-game fight though, so we could see the real power that Rennala has, rather than the illusion of Rennala conjured by Ranni, who has not seen actual Rennala fight (actual Rennala almost certainly used a sword, and possibly armor as well, and definitely used actual Carian spells). The closest we have to an end-game archmage fight is Gideon.

[@95keat]

If I had to make a guess as to why this was removed it's because up to four people running around killing them and causing attacks would quickly become an audio nightmare with all their responses

[@TalkingVidya]

Remainds me of how they removed the death screams of Ocelotte from Dark Souls 3 because... they were REALLY disturbing

[@azadalamiq]

the death screams are still there, you hear the crying through out the fight, it was the body that was removed. ya just rewatched the fight crying is there through out after the poor thing gets smashed... hated this fight.

[@tarille1043]

What I find most interesting, is the image at 0:44 the close up on the face allows a good view at the eyes. Of which the irises are half blue and half gold. Likely a reference to being a child of Rennala (Blue) and Radagon (Gold). It also brings to mind another character who has a golden and blue eyes... Melina. I wonder if there's any connection there?

[@marybethsanford3541]

What i just noticed is that the scholar at .44 seems to also be cross eyed.

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

Melina's blue eye isn't the same shade of blue, and she has one eye each, rather than two colors in each eye. Hers is more likely a Destined Death thing.

[@Zyk0th]

It's the grace of gold. So many characters have gold in their irises, even Omen. Only the Tarnished don't, that's where the term "tarnished" came from.

[@chrisb9365]

I was hoping you would show more of the scholars' model. With how they crawl on the ground and stated imperfect rebirth I'm wondering if their bodies are malformed as well, or if their legs are fading similar to the Albinaurics.

[@sticky0159]

Reminds me of Nashandra in DS2, initially you thought they were peaceful people but behind the curtains, they actually perform some morbid stuff regardless if they're considered morally evil or not.

[@nightscout9979]

From the moment you can first learn that Nashandra exists, you can learn that she is responsible for messed up vibes and curses. She doesn't bother to hide being full of disdain and greed either.

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

Nashandra is really ominous from the first point you meet her, and her painting literally curses you. Also, she's Vendrick's queen, there's about a zero percent chance of her being a peaceful person. With Rennala, as well, you likely either heard from Miriel that she's doing something weird, or you didn't hear about her except for Gideon saying to go and take her rune. I don't see anything in the game that implies that Rennala will be at all friendly to you, and her first impression is "crazy floating women surrounded by creepy giggling floor mages". I realized she was more peaceful after I fought her, not before.

[@Holyknight777.O]

This just makes it all the more heartfelt,if you truly think about it,all the juvenile scholars are just poor attempts at recreating a body for ranni,even looking at the second phase when ranni’s voice echoes in defense of her mother ( didn’t know how to word it otherwise),this is just rennala’s attempt at bringing ranni back in the flesh.

[@nightscout9979]

Ranni is a redhead, so these juvenile scholars are probably just closer to clones of Rennala. They even have the same hair color and hair style.

[@fedgetfurious]

Its creepy and rather heart breaking at the same time.

[@inzanemonkey0510]

Them not valuing death and playfully trying to kill you reminds me of the elf kids from berserk’s lost children arc

[@johnmcgraw1475]

I had no idea the scholar channeling was the one signing. I have taken that fight every time just frantically looking around the arena

[@Suimega]

Man for once I think it's really a shame they decided to remove this particular idea from the game, whatever the reason was. It'd have made the fight even more striking and memorable.

[@raziej]

Thank you for your work Zullie! Despite some of the content being removed for the sake of anything between gameplay and storytelling reasons, your videos never fail to awaken imagination and help experience all the cut content as if it's been in the game all along. I am a big fan of the format of your videos and will continue to follow your efforts at elevating all of the subtle intricacies of FromSoft's games to our attention. I wish you the most engaged fanbase a youtuber can ask for.

[@spacepirate9055]

This boss just keeps getting more and more eerie

[@buddy4350]

Don't know whether to feel bad or not for the scholars. On a side note, never realized how derpy the face was lol

[@Knight_Of_Eleum_Loyce]

This is easily one of my favorite videos of yours. The ambience of Rennala's library while hearing this lore was a really interesting, surreal, spooky and sad experience (all at the same time). That lullaby is also really enchanting (but maybe it shouldn't be, lol).

[@TheEvilOmega]

I always figured that all the children look the same because they're Rennala's attempts at bringing her dear Ranni back to life, so they all look like what a kid Ranni would look like.

[@subject_of_ymir]

I still want to rest in Rennala's umbra.

[@jonathanscondrel4456]

Reminds me of the elf children in berserk, playing 'adult games' and being born in eggs, I think there's a connection there

[@NavajoNinja]

Thanks for showing us all of these videos. I played through ER twice and that was it. But that was a slow one and half month playthrough. Imo, its always best to snail crawl your 1st playthrough of any game that you've never played.

[@nurventilatoren]

The power of rebirth seems to grant her the power to instantly create clothes for them.

[@AT7outof10]

"Oh geez, the book I borrowed from the library is three months past due, I hope I can just return it without being turned into a creepy child."

[@ludeviguelemody863]

A reason for the cut was maybe that it would have been a problem for the non english speaking audience to read the subtitles during the fight. I may be wrong because we have seen speaking bosses before, but still with shorter texts

[@Squiggums799]

We've never had a Fromsoft boss with enough spoken dialogue in their fight to be anything more than fluff, so yeah. All of their games' dialogues (except Sekiro) are also exclusively in English.

[@IDECIDETHETRUTH]

@@Squiggums799 I think Bloodborne has Japanese dialogue as well if you toggle the settings.

[@Squiggums799]

Oh really? That's awesome if so. Too bad there's no PC port yet :(

[@Phil-xs5xq]

There is no subtitles for other languagues tho, not for these at least (i played it in spanish)

[@benjaminknight8041]

I'd love a more flesh out fight where they excitedly call out attacks in exchange for them being unavoidable without knowledge of the attack. To be forced to listen closely as they spoil the nature of their assault, sounds terrifying.

[@AqilDaiyan]

Do they have legs? I wonder if they are disfigured under their robes

[@ZullietheWitch]

Their animation skeleton has leg bones, but they don't have legs on their model itself.

[@The_Novu]

Still find it funny they can throw books at you with enough force to crush the bones of a guy in full heavy steel armor.

[@soulsatzero3788]

oh that's interesting. even though i think i like it without much more. the singing is much more eerie than them saying spooky children things.

[@Chamomileable]

I need this juvenile scholar screencap with the Batman Riddler "DOES HE KNOW???" meme overlay.

[@inkoursor2942]

bits of cut content like this always get my gears going on what Elden Ring was originally planned as. I interpret it as a fairly similar game to what we have, but with a larger emphasis on interacting with the Big Bosses of Elden ring as faction leaders instead.

[@trickster20644]

Let's be honest, it probably wasn't cut for unnerving the player, since from soft has done some pretty unnerving stuff. It probably cluttered the noise of the fight too much and made it to difficult to hear the lullaby sound cue of the scholar with the aura.

[@akoyash9964]

maybe players could use their eyes instead?

[@tyvb]

The dialogue was likely removed because the layers of audio might cover-up the channeling audio cue for the boss fight. The unused audio was probably left in there for data miners to give more context to their characters, but the gameplay took priority and thus no creepy audio that makes you question killing them.

[@dignelberrt]

You and thatpunchkid always post in time for me to watch y'all during lunch breaks and it's perfect

[@bearhustler]

I wish they'd left that in. So creepy and sad, a feeling that was common in Souls but felt less presence in ER.

[@theoemile2477]

Woah, this would have been one of the most human sounding voices we ever got in the series. I wouldn't have minded that, though I can see how it would have conflicted with the edgy and dramatic tone of every other character.

[@Rick586]

The talking makes that fight go from creepy to depressing.

[@MrSlug-ki9jl]

"Welcome one-and-all-acaust to Child Slaughterfest 2022!"- Max0r

[@cybertruckeralpha]

Best thing about this is that they're right about the Maidenless Tarnished not being able to die, even if accidentally.

[@Eyeball117]

The removed dialogue was probably meant to mess with the player during the fight but got removed after the devs realised that child-like innocence would stop us from murdering them to kill a boss and turn them into a weapon

[@watchfulwanderer6443]

Also, covering the sound cues. The sound cues for "here's the one to hit" and "chandelier about to fall" and "dodge those tombstones" are pretty important.

[@therealfriday13th]

..that changes Renalla from tragic but slightly disturbing to tragic and very disturbing...

[@HailKosm]

I'm guessing that it was removed for much of the same reason as why Ocelotte was removed more or less from the king Oceiros fight in Dark Souls 3. They were worried that it may be too disturbing or too violent that the game would struggle to be rated in certain countries. Also probably the player would feel too uncomfortable and refuse to fight them when you need to fight and kill them in order to progress the fight.

[@swiggster]

You really nailed the Thumbnail this time

[@kieranm.5471]

so weird how I'm just now realizing that they are all on their stomachs, in a crawling position... like an infant...

[@MrDevling]

They remind me of a concept found in the Hyperion Cantos, a village of people who are revived by a cruciform on their bodies over and over again until they're diminished into child-like idiots.

[@Facepalm9]

As if these things weren't already creepy enough. The whole Rennala thing is really unsettling. What's worse is that it's implied that Rennala, despite being some kind of mother figure to them during their endless cycles, has apparently "forgotten" one of the children. Grimrukh on Twitter mentions that "there is one sweeting in the back corner of the Library who will NEVER be chosen to protect Rennala's golden barrier. She has ID 14000830, but due to an event script typo, will never be able to serve her Queen." Of course, this could just be written off as some minor oversight, but with how much hidden depth there is in FromSoft games, I imagine that there may have been more to that story. Does Rennala not choose them to protect them because she favors that scholar? Or is it that Rennala is somehow punishing them by deeming them unfit to protect her because of some actions that they committed before their rebirth? A lot of people see Rennala as some intermediary aloof figure bound to serve the cycle of rebirth due to the rune that she bears, but I think she's way more sinister and manipulative than we get to see. Her dulcet tones are likely meant to make people feel comfortable and lower their guard so that she can gain their trust to fuel the cycle at the academy.

[@SIGNOR-G]

I believe that she might have been nice before Radagon left her but after shes just a bitter lunatic.

[@riccardocirielli]

you are reading way too much into it. it was just an oversight and Rennala is just completely crazy. she doesn't have any malicious intent

[@jik9693]

Most sane elden ring player

[@Facepalm9]

@@riccardocirielli This channel is literally all about "reading way too much into it." I see you're new here, so be sure to subscribe.

[@riccardocirielli]

@@Facepalm9 on the contrary, I have seen many of her videos. She actually discovers some interesting things and her assunptions are always very calculated and based at least partially on facts about the game. Yours is just rumbling

[@VitalityWolf]

I really like how they all look like children almost and look identical but the voices you heard in the unused dialogues are spoke with both a male and female voice at the same time. Reminds me of the voice they used for the claymation of "Satan" from Mark Twain .

[@tombroadhead2377]

I wish they'd kept this. It's haunting.

[@Shruggernauts]

My favorite boss fight of the game: Spending 3 hours bullying the math club in the library while their teacher watches.

[@bytz4742]

This makes me think of cyberpsychosis from cyberpunk. You get reborn too many times/get to many implants your mental state slips away

[@ZeriocTheTank]

They probably cut the dialogue to make it a tad easier to locate the one with the barrier. I'll be honest I didn't notice the singing right away & was wondering around aimlessly my first few tries.

[@youtubevoice1050]

The children are likely Rennala's actual children. Similar to clones if you will, as she is trying to rebirth Ranni.

[@doubleh3978]

I think most likely the dialogues were cut so that you can hear better who is singing the lullaby.

[@exbelion3543]

The fact that she "rebirths" them as inanimate objects just to casually throw them at me creeped me out the first time I fought her. Speaking of which, if somebody would ask me if I want to be rebirth as an animal I would choose a dog, a dolphin, or a dogphin

[@ziggyz8345]

Dark fantasy is always fascinating, rebirth, sorcery and creatures all associated with normal fantasy takes very dark forms

[@spottedslash4256]

Classic fantasy was always Dark. Old Folklore, Grimm Tales and such. But Modern times have changed and edited various tales so it can be more "Child friendly".

[@ziggyz8345]

@@spottedslash4256 when I say " normal fantasy " I visualize it as some of those cheery other worldly like scenes with trees as far as the eye can see, magic beasts and such not so much like folk lore tho and then I see dark fantasy as being like elden ring dark souls, thymesia etc, a realm in chaos with suffering, disease, twisted landscapes and creatures, basically a mirror version of what you call " classic fantasy "

[@spottedslash4256]

@@ziggyz8345 I see what you mean.

[@XSVguy1405]

I speculate it was removed simply because all of them talking at the player like that would have ruined the vibe of the boss fight.

[@ethanmcgehee7016]

Thank you for posting more content Zullie.

[@ProjectMathesar]

No other section of Elden Ring gave me chills like this without jump scares. Loved this fight.

[@the_ideal_grease5565]

Elden ring never ceases to unnerve me

[@Speeplonk]

I’m glad they cut those lines because if they didn’t I might’ve felt too guilty to fight Rennala

[@Nabo42]

"Man my in-laws are weird" - Ranni's Consort (probably)

[@grapplesauce9939]

It would have been *really* funny to hear “Catch!” moments before a chandelier falls on my characters head.

[@acorns-r-us]

I straight up unequip my right hand in this fight to avoid killing them. You still take out Rennala's barrier

[@LordTyrone1989]

Finally, I get your insight to Rennala and the juvenile scholars! TBH I already felt uncomfortable about striking them with my swords. They're kind of cute.

[@ServantofGod0000]

We need an upload every other day please

[@KosOrSomeSayKosmo]

Their eyes are half golden, half lunar blue. Cool detail!

[@The_Conundrum_Crew]

I never played this game, but every time I see something from the game it feels so out of this world and mystical.

[@Demokaze]

The old sorcerers/astrologers performed a ritual with primal glintstone blades to imbue their souls into primal glintstones (like what Sellen has done) and those can be transplanted into compatible bodies so they can keep on living. It's likely they did this because they wanted to complete their research on the primeval current, but their lifespan was to short and they used that method to extend it. And it's likely that the young sorcerers are using Rennala's rebirth as an alternative to that, but the downside is they lose their memories (and more).

[@erich1380]

that song give me goosebumps without all the background noise lol creepy af

[@christiankettlewell]

The Chosen Undead kills baby skeletons in the Tomb of the Giants in DS1. Bloodborne has a massive birthing scene in the One Reborn fight, not to mention the Queen's bloody belly in a white gown. I'm certain the dialogue was removed to make the singing clearer as a target for the player and not because FromSoft thought it would make us uncomfortable.

[@Ressel_]

a little off topic, the fact that they're so frail after being reborn, makes me think that the amber egg also play some part to the making of the albinauric. these scholars also unable to use their legs.

[@dardardarner]

I didnt even know you had to rely on the singing to find the scholar with the gold thingy. I just run around aimlessly until I find that one scholar

[@talongreenlee7704]

You can also tell where the one maintaining the barrier is because it’s the only one that throws books at you.

[@HeiressEllie]

Miyazaki works infanticide into yet another game, what a champion

[@rumplstiltztinkerstein]

I only noticed now how each of the characters has something to do with death and rebirth.

[@minzrandom2871]

Reminds me of Oceiros and the baby Ocelot, modelled in his grasp yet for some reason made invisible in the final product.

[@robertmcpherson138]

Well that just made everything 1000% more creepy.

[@Bumbum_Inspector]

Man I wish they kept this in. Makes it so much creepier.

[@gonzaloayalaibarre]

Deacons of the schoolyard.

[@childofcascadia]

The scholars shocked me the first time I fought Rennala. I was playing with a friend who gave me a super quick lore rundown (as we fought for our lives) about the Rennala and the Scholars. I just found their story so sad and creepy and epic. It led me on a lore quest to find out as much as I could about them.

[@Ratat0skr0]

Instantly thought of the children in Akira

[@crunglemcbungley]

This is so absolutely horrifying, and I want it back immediately

[@Zelariathenaga]

It makes sense for it to be just practical. Sometimes if the kid is far away it's hard to hear them so reducing noise for the fight seems like the best idea

[@funx24X7]

They're probably not aware of the dangers _in_ the library as well, what with the falling flaming chandeliers and all

[@mfd8346]

Little did they know i was about to Americanize their whole school system

[@nope8603]

Am I the only one that was so focused dodging books, that I didn't even hear the lullaby being sung? Think it would've been a lot cool with them talking to/about you

[@RorytheRomulan]

The reason it was cut might have also been because the extra voices could distract players trying to find the singer and hit them.