Ranni the Witch's Full Story Explained (Elden Ring Theory)

Ranni the Witch, Renna, the Storyteller - whatever name she goes by, she's one of Elden Ring's most recognizable, likeable, and mysterious characters. Here's my breakdown of all of Ranni's lore, plus a couple theories thrown in to connect the dots. Enjoy!
Marika's (and Radagon's) Story: • Queen Marika's Full St...
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[@BanditGames]

Do you think Ranni the Witch and Melina your Finger Maiden are connected in some way?

[@Cliffordlonghead]

Awesome video

[@Micolashcage1]

In most souls games there is a duality of faith vs intelligence. Faith being connected to religion in some way and intelligence being connected to Academia. In Demon's Souls it was the faith magic vs sorcery. Same with Dark Souls. Faith was tied to Gwyn, while Intelligence/sorcery was tied to Seath and The Grand Archives In Bloodborne it was insight vs blood use. The Healing Church vs Byrgenwerth college In Elden Ring it is here again. Faith tied with Marika and Intelligence tied with Renella. Hence why when you go to Mirial at the church of vows you an learn both incantations and sorcery from him. Because Radagon was the link between the two. Ranni is meant to represent INT while Melina represents faith. They are meant to mirror echother

[@hunterotte9555]

I got that impression due to their closed eye with a symbol and connection of mentioning torrent.

[@depthman1529]

Yeah probably related to the snow witch witch Ranni took inspiration for the puppet she like lives in and likes a lot

[@Cwronaga216]

@BanditGames . It seems to be implied that Ranni and Melina are two independent halves of the same being or that Melina is created by Ranni. They both have the same goal of ending the golden order though with different missions with Melina repeatedly saying her mission to burn the tree was given to her by her mother. They both speak in a similar manner with a very similar voice and Ranni's closed eye and spectral face line up with Melina's closed eye and face perfectly. (Spoilers) The biggest clue being the ending Opposite to Ranni's in which you burn the world with the frenzied flame resulting in Melina swearing to hunt you down and kill you before opening her eye and revealing Ranni's blue eye.

[@solomon9655]

The concept of the Empyreans having Shadows is so cool. I didn’t understand it at first, but they exist due to the Greater Will’s fear of its own creations. The Shadows are a fail-safe, a kill switch for Empyreans that step out of line. They’re loyal and sometimes amazing friends that are unable to defy the will of the Two Fingers no matter how hard they try. It’s freaky and downright depraved. Poor Blaidd, man.

[@unknownbenefactor8029]

That why Marika sent Maliketh away to Farum Azula with the rune of death.

[@SingingSealRiana]

wolfs in cheeps clothing, but more insidious for they themselfs are unaware of it (similar to the clones from Star Wars)

[@fenixchief7]

Not all Empyreans, only those chosen by the Two Fingers. Marika and Ranni are ascended Numen, imo and Ranni was to be Marikas successor. Malenia and Miquella are shadowless, as far as we know.

[@dickgraysonsdick6011]

So what happened to Malenia and Miquelas?

[@unknownbenefactor8029]

@@dickgraysonsdick6011 I wondering the same why those two didn't have Shadow

[@MrElvenbrother]

15:42- I can't help but think that the line "the cold bothered him anyway" is an intentional Frozen joke by the localizers. Especially since a Snow Witch is involved.

[@rachelr6157]

it says he was still vulnerable to cold despite wearing fur in the japanese item description essentially saying "despite wearing this, he was still bothered by the cold" maybe its a frozen joke in english but the essence of its meaning is true to the lore

[@MrElvenbrother]

@@rachelr6157 I never doubted the meaning to be correct. I simply said "I think they worded the English version the way they did to make an intentional joke."

[@Cwronaga216]

It seems to be implied that Ranni and Melina are two independent halves of the same being or that Melina is created by Ranni. They both have the same goal of ending the golden order though with different missions with Melina repeatedly saying her mission to burn the tree was given to her by her mother. They both speak in a similar manner with a very similar voice and Ranni's closed eye and spectral face line up with Melina's closed eye and face perfectly. (Spoilers) The biggest clue being the ending Opposite to Ranni's in which you burn the world with the frenzied flame resulting in Melina swearing to hunt you down and kill you before opening her eye and revealing Ranni's blue eye.

[@rianearth52]

I agree. Empyreans = Childrens of Marika and Radagon ("Single God") have letter "M" in their first name. Malenia, Miquella, Melina/Ranni. Ranni split his Empyrean body.

[@jacobwiles7729]

Also last night I talked to Melina at a grace on my second playthrough after a couple of graces, it gives you the option to repeatedly talk to her. Melina said she has cast away her body and it was burned up. Which is exactly what Ranni says she did with her body too

[@Trademarked26]

Ranni and Melina were originally the same person, called Renna, a final gift from Radagon to Rennala, but born of one God. Their split is probably due to the incomplete mark of death and her soul was torn in two and went to two separate locations, Melina, a Finger Maiden, and Ranni, stored in a doll. That's my theory at least, feel free to prove me wrong or build on it.

[@Cwronaga216]

@@Trademarked26 I believe Melina is the soul controlling the doll.

[@elmRoz]

@@Cwronaga216 I feel that Melina is the reborn body of Ranni, we know that the soul and the body can act independantly from one another from the Dung Eater quest. Where the soul of the Dung Eater asked you to free and then later feed/embed his body with the Seabed Curse. Could be that the seperation of the Rune of Death, could some weird stuff in reference of how soul and body work?

[@redjr9856]

Fun fact blaiid will constantly respawn at the ruins where you first meet him in limgrave saying what harm can come to a shadow.

[@romppy6596]

after you kill him at the end of Ranni's quest?

[@FecalMatador]

@@romppy6596 nah. If you kill him before then. You can find him at the start of the game. Alternatively, I skipped to Radahn in NG+ and killed him after the fight and he also Respawned on the Radahn battlefield

[@kscott2655]

I agree that the alternate suggestion for the meaning of Empyrean is not correct, for much the reason you state. To read it otherwise is to break the rules of English. Unless it is a very bad translation, I think we know Empyreans are from one god. Mothers can be mothers without giving birth. Lots of mothers and daughters exist without biological relationships and that's an accepted meaning. Ranni doesn't need to be related to Renalla to call her mother. I think it's far more likely that Ranni isn't a biological daughter of Renalla and Radogan than for us to have misunderstood the meaning of Empyrean.

[@liuzhaoqi2003]

I think this is some sort of genetic inheritance thing, because the twins are born form the pure GOD blood, there for they are both Empyrean. As of one Empyrean mate with others, they could born as a Empyrean or simply not. Thats why Ranni is so different to her siblings aka Radahn and Rhykard, because she won the “genetic lottery” and born as a Empyrean. I think the same happend for Marika and Godfrey, thier fist born son Godwyn “the Golden” is a Empyrean, and very different to the abomination like siblings Morgott and Mohg. And the fact Godwyn got so much attention from Marika, it get me the impression that Godwyn is way different than the other siblings. And Morgott and Mohg both has the theme of "not worthy" or "not meet the expectations". Morgott said he can never be the lord or someting the like, and I think Mohg's obsession with the Miquella also could interpreted as the longing of the older brotherly love. You born in to the same family but some of your brother just way better than you, and when that "Golden" child dead prematurely, you want to fill that hole what ever you can. So you stolen the closest thing. Also this explained why Ranni and Godwyn's death are tide together, they are both Empyrean. As the order of death demand one soul and one body, maybe Ranni know that, so she engraved the half death marker on her self and sent the black knife assassin to kill and engraved the other half of maker on Godwyn to cheat the order of death, so she can shake off the influence of the the greater will, also not become the next vessel.

[@kscott2655]

@@liuzhaoqi2003 - Godwyn is explicitly not Empyrean.

[@kscott2655]

@@liuzhaoqi2003 - I strongly disagree in your theory of genetic inheritance and random "genetic lottery". I'm not sure why you think Godwyn was Empyrean, but there's absolutely no evidence in the game to suggest he is and plenty of statements (including by Ranni) to say he is not. If this is the basis of your entire theory, I believe you are demonstrably mistaken. Godwyn is not and was not ever Empyrean.

[@liuzhaoqi2003]

​@@kscott2655 Godwyn was Empyrean thing just a theory to tide up Ranni‘s death with him(Why she choose him), he could have not been, is a minor detail. Also the "genetic lottery" with the "jealousy of siblings" is a common theme in those type fantasy, also in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. And in the soulsborne series, the GODs never as simple as some mythical higer being, is allways some kind diffent race or just aliens with magic power. So it make sense that you need some sort of special "blood"/genes to be the vessel of the elden beast(chosen by the two fingers), also I think Empyrean is a word play on Empyreal, basicaly saying they are a race from the highest sky(outer space) AKA they are aliens, Empyrean could just mean the offspring of the aliens or have aliens DNA in them so they can become vessel of the “celestial being” elden beast. Also, clearly the Greater Will is some kind alien being or alien god IN SPACE... Remember the eternal city of Nokron "An ancient city punished for high treason against the Greater Will", in the city you will fight Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, "A malformed star born in the flightless void far away. Once destroyed an Eternal City and took away their sky. An falling star of ill omen." Astel is a variant of the latin word Astra (star), and Naturalborn of the Void basicaly saying is a being from the space(Void).

[@lanceareadbhar]

The statement confirms that all children born from a single god is an empyrean, but it does not confirm nor deny that all empyreans were born from a single god. Being built by Honda, as such it is a car, could still mean a car was built by Toyota.

[@alexoelkers2292]

The reason you missed the dialog from Melina is because she doesn't just appear out of no where and start talking you when you rest at a Church of Marika. When you rest at a Church of Marika for the first time a option to "talk to Melina" will appear along with your usual options like flasks, memorize spells, so on. Its easy to miss that another option just appeared in the usual list of options. Same option to talk appears at various points during Ranni's questline as well.

[@cinnis5670]

Minor note: The "gravestones" comment from Rennala might refer to how anybody reborn by her will die soonafter without the Rune of the Unborn, rather than her using dead bodies. Have a gander at the description. "Great Rune of unborn demigods. Perfects those who have been born anew. Children born anew by Rennala are all frail and short-lived. Imperfect beings, each and all" If you've got the rune and you wanna get reborn, you're gucci. If you don't have the rune and you get reborn you die since your body is the equivalent of a multicolored misshapen lump of play-doh. That's my interpretation at least.

[@Hriedmarrj]

Makes sense considering what happens to Boc the Seamster if you give him a larval tear.

[@dallioncoker4127]

Witch explains her first phase fight very well

[@nuker6724]

But doesnt she also just fire gravestone projectiles at you made from some of the kids she converted?

[@Okil_Atlas]

I think want most people forget about is that the game takes place possible hundreds of years after the shattering. Absolutely, longer than single life time. Because the way the world is fallen apart.

[@BoolossusESP]

no one can die so its doesnt really matter

[@KH-cs7sj]

Both Ranni's Order (Dark Moon) and her mother's order (Full Moon) originate from Nokrons' belief, the Black Moon. Nokrons wanted to expel the Golden Order and restore their faith of the night. However, their scheme was found out and they were sunken underground as a punishment. Renalla and Ranni represents the Order by the other two moons. My guess is that there are in total three moons surrounding the "Earth", but they were trapped in place (as seen in the background of the Church of Elleh) by the Greater Will. If you help Ranni, she would successfully restore the Moon Order and have you as her consort.

[@lizday2381]

I love your Elden Ring videos! I don't play Elden Ring but they make me want to start a game and reference your videos.

[@lanceareadbhar]

You should play it. Try bosses yourself first, but know your limits and get help if you hit a wall. The game can be played by anyone with the only limitations being set by yourself.

[@bird5680]

There's another mysterious bit of lore with the egg. The great rune of the Unborn almost certainly belongs to a twin of Malenia. It is complementary to Malenia's rune. We see the same kind of similarity between Mohg & Morgott's rune. Also, if Ranni is their sibling, what is her affliction?

[@keskes1338]

You could argue that her affliction is irrelevant, considering she kills her "body."

[@marcogianesello6083]

That's probably radagon's rune inside the egg. Bit of a peculiarity considering who radagon is, but since the goal is to rebirth radagon through the egg, it would have to be his "essence" contained within the egg. Regarding Ranni, it's very likely that since her birth was not the product of some unholy self fucking between marika and radagon, she didn't suffer any affliction at birth. Or if she did, killing her physical body freed her of it

[@takedown205productions6]

In regards to why Melina didn't give the Tarnished Champion a spirit caller bell, after giving up Torrent, I think it could be simply answered as to why. The Tarnished, for a long time, have been brought back across the fog in a bid for the Greater Will. In an act of desperation, the Great Will would've summoned Merika's army once more, to repair the Elden Ring and undo the damage brought on by the shatter. Ranni likely knew this much about The Tarnished, and decided to carefully pick out the right person to carry out her will. She did an unneeded act of kindness at the Church of Elleh and, as Melina, kept a close eye on you until she can freely move about Lyndell; turning your runes into strength, giving you insight into a long lost past, and encouragement as well as praise. If anything, this was Ranni being as careful as she could, to keep the Two Fingers and Greater Will from becoming suspicious.

[@Big_Dai]

Easily the most detailed and in-depth video on the game so far.

[@907Shaman]

These are amazing thank you much for shedding light onto this story. Please keep it up

[@KDA_15]

Personally, I think ranni is the main character of the entire story. Everything starts with her, half of the game revolves around her questline, I even think her ending is the true ending

[@allentayoto7387]

19:15 There's a theory that Ranni and Melina are actually working together to bring forth Ranni's order. Which can explain why Ranni would give you the bell instead of Melina. Meeting Ranni here would be a good way to "earn" the tarnished's trust because she'll give you the bell and she'd reveal that she knows Torrent's former owner. Then, Ranni's Age of Stars would've been impossible to obtain because the Erdtree is blocked, but Melina just so happen to had found her purpose as the cinder maiden. Although, it could be argued that even if we didn't meet Ranni, Melina would still become a cinder maiden and as Ranni said, she doesn't really expect to meet us again.

[@lanceelopezz223]

They did Godwyn dirty.

[@delphidelion]

I'm not sure what triggers it specifically, but it is not just the churches that causes it. You can speak to her about a new area you have come to as far as I can tell, and sometimes that includes echoes of Merika's words.

[@seirahoshikoi5442]

I don't think Ranni is the leader of the Black Knives. She might have been involved with them, but if she's the leader, then Iji's death wouldn't make sense. The white-black flame is used by the Black Knives, though Ranni wanted us to tell Blaidd and Iji that she loved them. It doesn't make sense for her to say that only to have them both killed later on. Instead, the Black Knife assassin that Blaidd was crouched over is probably the assassin that was sent to kill Ranni as per the description of the Black Wolf Mask item and Blaidd killing him was his last act of loyalty before finally succumbing to the will of the Two Fingers. "A mask fashioned after the head of a black wolf. Relic of an assassin who assumed the guise of Ranni the Witch's loyal shadow. The likeness is striking." Looking at the corpse, the head is missing, making this connection highly plausible. Afterwards, Iji dies, perhaps because whoever sent the Black Knife assassin wished to completely wipe out all who were loyal to Ranni as they failed to kill Ranni herself, and Iji most likely knew this hence his quote. However, this begs the question: Who sent the assassins to wipe out Ranni and her entourage, and perhaps more importantly, why? I don't believe I can answer the latter question, but I believe that instead of Ranni being the leader of the Black Knives, a much more plausible candidate would be Melina. Not only is her moveset during the Morgott fight identical to that of the Black Knife Assassin's (outside of her two unique attacks), but her ability to ignite the Erdtree and the Three Fingered mark over her eye points toward this theory. The Three Fingers is connected to the Frenzied Flame, and not only does Melina possess a Three Fingered mark over her eye, but also burn marks and an understanding/knowledge of the Three Fingers that seems to be deeper than what she expounds upon. Perhaps she had dealt with it before in order to obtain the power of the Black Flame. Moreover, if you obtain her weapon, the "Blade of Calling", its description refers to its former owner (Melina) as the "kindling maiden," a word also associated with the Three Fingers as a part of one of Shabiri's lines. Specifically, "If you inherit the flame of frenzy, your flesh will serve as kindling..." Perhaps alluding to Melina acquiring the power of the Black Flame as Destined Death and granting that power to the Black Knife assassins before her defeat at the hands of Maliketh.

[@andrewlessman3403]

If finish Roderika's dialogue, she says she wants you to kill the god... Marika. That quote recontextualized a lot of Hewg's later dialogue for me.

[@calapsesathir4408]

Lol that " the allllllll knowing" got me. Couldn't stop laughing

[@micaiahms]

Late to the party, but the Japanese text of the remembrance does not imply Empyreans need to be single-god parents. it is "Miquella and Malenia are both born from a single God. They are both Empyreans, but suffer from afflictions since birth".

[@monroerobbins7551]

Honestly, I feel like out of all the deaths, Iji and Blaidd’s were the saddest. They loved Ranni, and wanted her future to happen, but the Greater Wills twisted them, and while Blaidd went mad, Iji tried to imprison his friend, anything to avoid killing him, and Iji dies as well, burning in the black flames of death. It makes me kinda hope that the two have an afterlife, beyond the greater wills, because Blaidd didn’t deserve that, Iji didn’t, no one does.

[@kablamy]

I believe Ranni got the name Renna from her former mentor, as you can find the snow witch set in "Renna's Rise", and had the doll body modelled after her mentor, so it would make a fair amount sense to connect dots together. Also I dont believe we get her mentor's name and it gives a nice reason behind the name.

[@bendelaughter]

Holy crap! Also missed that you can talk to her at her tower site of grace. Crazy.

[@TheLucipurr]

Im only halfway through the video but here's my theory as to why Ranni is Empyrean: Ranni and Melina are fairly obviously connected somehow. They both share the same scar on opposite sides of their face, and Ranni has like a soul hangin off her face from the scar. Melina is also confirmed as the daughter of queen Marika (as far as I'm aware) and Ranni is the daughter of Radagon. I believe Ranni and Melina are somehow different versions of the same person, making Ranni born from both Marika and Radagon

[@LJTang-rx3kg]

And have in mind that Miquella and Malenia, both have features that confirm that they are indeed the son/daughter of Marika and Radagon as a single god, perhaps through parthenogenesis, i.e. Miquella has blond hair as Marika, and Malenia red hair, as Radagon, a very small detail that serves as a kind of confirmation, specially considering they are twins, born at the side time, each reflecting a side of their single parent.

[@shablumps]

I don't know why Ranni would kill Iji though. I can buy Ranni sending assassins after Blaidd I guess, although it's weird she tells the tarnished that she loves them but still wants them killed?

[@thewoolydanith2088]

makes me wonder if they really are still serving Ranni, their armor does say they had close ties to Marika, and at this point would be Radagon too, which we know Radagon is still very much fighting for the Golden Order.

[@sharlesdaviskendy2391]

For the Empyrean talk. “They are both children of a single King. As such, they are both Princes, but suffered afflictions from birth.” It is possible for the sentence to say Empyreans are the children of TWO Gods. And these two Empyreans are born with afflictions because both those Gods are the same God. Empyreans seem to be beings with the potential to become a God. Miquella in his Cocoon as Mohgwyn attempts to turn him into a God. Milena said to be about to ascend into Godhood if her Rot flower blooms a third time (presumably second phase of the fight). One God, one mortal = Demigod. Two Gods = Empyrean One God = Empyrean with affliction.

[@samuelbarrett1082]

I wish you had mentioned why you think the black knife assassins killed Iji, though you did show it. Also, the dialog, when fighting Renalla, where she actually says she's Ranni the witch. Pretty good info. Liked the condensed version of the story, since it's extremely hard to follow and easily missed while actually playing the game. I understand having some cool secrets in games, but Fromsoft makes understanding anything or even progressing normally an enigma.

[@chubacca8450]

Thanks for explaining this. I played through the events but really wasn’t sure what was happening.

[@cthulhupolar60]

Empyreans are those who could become a god (take over for Marika). It's even stated by Ranni herself I beleive. Also if you look closely the body Blaidd is standing over is one of the Black Knife Assassins theres four dead ones all around him and after reporting his death to Igji when you come back he's dead and theres 3 dead Black Knife assassins around him. Someone was trying to stop Ranni but was a little late, and I think Igji fell in battle after removing his helmet.

[@MoonDisast]

My main theory was that with Marika getting tired of the Greater Will, she orchestrated things like the Black Knives, Ranni stealing the Death Rune, etc. My assumptions is derived from the following: 1. Ranni and Godwyn both died at the same time, and because they died at the same time that the cursemark was broken in half. From this, my understanding is, if only one were to die, e.g. Ranni, her body AND soul will perish. But since Ranni and Godwyn died at the same time, the cursemark split, so Ranni's body died and Godwyn's soul died. 2. Marika was working with the Black Knives. I thought the Black Knives was working with the Two Fingers, since they BK had Ranni's cohorts killed at the end of Ranni's questline. With that in mind, Marika should also have some power over the Black Knives. At least, some faction of the BK loyal to Marika rather than the Two Fingers. Apparently, the Two Fingers had confessors so there was no need for the Black Knives. 3. Ranni stole the rune of death. The rune of death is guarded by Maliketh. Maliketh was betrayed by Marika. In what order should this be considered? The ambiguity of it all lead me to believe that Marika had Ranni stole the rune of death. Maliketh failed to protect the rune of death, so was punished to starve for death. Hence the betrayal in the Maliketh remembrance description. But Maliketh doesn't seem to be aware of this. He appears to only be aware of the "punishment" of hunger Marika cursed him with. This is only going on the dialogue at the end of Maliketh's questline. ... 4. Ranni imbued the rune of death to the knives so she can kill herself to release her soul from her body. How does she know for a fact that this will be the outcome? How does she know this won't kill both her soul and her body? This lead me to the assumption that Marika told Ranni what to do. I.E. to have two demigods die at the same time so Ranni's body dies but her soul survives. This in turn, will cause the other demigod's soul to die, but their body to continue living. I also think Marika deliberately chose Godwyn to be the other demigod. Marika is fairly selfish and, if Godwyn is the "golden" boy he really was, an excellent fighter as seen from his defeat of Fortissax, but also very devout to the Two Fingers, then Godwyn might be a problem if left alive. This also gives Marika kind of like a coverup reason to eventually break the Elden Ring, as in "She is so wrought with grief and disillusionment of the Two Fingers to allow the death of her favourite child in such a horrible manner she broke the elden ring". ... 5. Why did Marika tell and work with Ranni in the first place? Well, Marika realised Ranni's disdain for the Two Fingers. So much so that she would willing kill herself, or at least part of herself, to escape the Two Fingers. Hence forth, Marika saw the potential in Ranni in carrying out a plan to be done with the Two Fingers so Marika worked wwith Ranni This is also the reason why I assumed that Marika kinda wanted Ranni to succeed in her Age of Stars

[@carlosjaviersilva4751]

This is such a good series of videos. Great job man

[@cma_mafia9544]

She calls Radagon her other self he's probably twins

[@krusader1268]

Foreshadowing... Ranni had Blaith as his shadow , just like Merika had Maliketh . She indicates the tarnished as her consort and she is already an Emperean .

[@TrueChiz19]

If you alter some armor you get different text. You might find other lore in there

[@kevinthedot]

Why do people keep cutting off important parts of the text to push their theories? First, Gideon's line isn't JUST "A Tarnished cannot become a Lord. Not even you." His next and final line, which is INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN CLARIFYING WHAT HE MEANS is "A man cannot kill a god." Gideon's death quote was him believing Marika's will to be impossible. That's why at the start of the fight he says Marika hopes "that we continue to struggle. Unto eternity." Gideon in the end was just weak. He refused to believe Marika's will was possible. He thought it an end that could not be. We proved him wrong. Second, the "single god" thing. You can't just cut off the sentence in the middle like that. The claim isn't "they're born of a single god. As such, they're empyrean..." it's "they're born of a single god. As such, they're empyrean, but cursed." The analogy used even falls apart in the same way. If I told someone "my vehicle is a Honda. As such, it's a car, but it stinks" then the obvious intent there is that Hondas are all stinky cars. Empyreans do not need to be born of a single god, merely chosen by the fingers. Being born of a single god just means it will be an Empyrean for sure, but also be cursed. Every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square. Miquella and Malenia are cursed empyreans. Ranni and the Gloam-Eyed Queen as far as we know have no curse but are/were Empyreans.

[@scheherazade2291]

For the empyrean debate, has anyone looked at any foreign language translations to see how it’s worded?

[@AuralAzure]

In the Black Flame Ritual incantation, it's stated that the Gloam-Eyed Queen was an Empyrean chosen by the two fingers. This is in direct opposition to the idea that Empyreans are birthed rather than chosen. But there's still nothing to deny that being born of a single god is a requirement. Radahn, being the most devoted and strongest, was still physically born of Rennala and Radagon, so him not being chosen is supported by the theory that they need to be born of a single god. I still think that warrants a sliver of doubt.

[@Tulip_bip]

well there were once more gods than just marika, so the gloam eyed queen was probably born from one of them. one that opposed the golden order just like the godskin apostles and nobles that serve her. and if empyreans were chosen, then why would malenia and miquella be chosen if neither were fit to replace her because of their defects?

[@stargazer3640]

You guys, I just noticed Ranni's name could be a reference to the Greek name Rania which is short for Urania meaning "of heaven" or "heavenly". Urania was a Greek mythological muse associated with astrology and could tell the future from the arrangement of the stars. O: Also, Urania's parents were Zeus and Mnemosyne the goddess of memory. An item description regarding Rennala's sweetings' robes says this: "...rebirth is as sleep to them, and with each awakening, memory fades into oblivion."

[@mikeportz3158]

All the main characters are named after George RR Martins initials. Godwyn, Godfrey, Godrick Ranni, Renalla, Radahn, Rykard, Radagon Marika, Melenia, Maquella, Mohg, Morgott, Margitt

[@MarceloAbans]

The minorest of nitpicks, Honda makes a lot of motor based stuff. There are Honda Lawn motors.

[@karanjoshi2662]

Please do a story on astel and beast that don't come under erd tree, and what is the tree and it's overall relationship to the elden ring and in marika video you said the two fingers are the greater will then three fingers must be so too but the opposite side of that will. One mends and the other burns, could be that all five fingers form the whole hand and hence greater will is just the consciousness of the world and beasts like elden beast and astel are here to control this world through the elden ring.

[@JesseMcCullough]

I don't think Blaidd was her shadow, not after she died and not if she wanted to replace Marika and take all of her power. I think that role is played by her mentor, Renna the Snow Witch. I don't think that was Ranni you first meet in the game. That's Renna, so that could explain why Ranni has no direct recollection of meeting you prior to the scene in her tower. Or she could have just meant she never actually told you she wanted you in her presence at that specific time. But you are there, so why not make yourself useful and prove you're worth sharing a bed with.

[@thatstarscourgebrother680]

It's so cute her real body clothes basically a copy of Rennala's, she adores her mama so much, like her brother idolized Godfrey

[@holokom3330]

Okay couple of Ideas here: 1) About the Empyrean: "Single God" .... Radagon is Marika.... but are they a single God? Not quite. As you pointed out already Radagon opposes Marika in parts , even if they are the same God they are not the same entity... i think this is why Miquella and Malenia are "flawed" ... because they are Empyreans but not in the "best way" 2) About Ranni. The place is called the "three Sisters" ... assuming that Ranni Rise is the first Sister (We call the Towers Sisters, since they are small elegant and similar).... we already know a Person with the Name of "Renna" has existed at some point because of her tower (Rennas Rise) Who is Renna? And the third Sister belongs to Seluvis, Rannis/Rennas Mentor. I suspect Radagon and Rennala had a normal Daughter called "Renna" ... but Renna died somehow quite early.... and as his last Gift Radagon used the Great Rune to "Rebirth" Renna... now under the name of Ranni. By that she would be the "Child" of a single God (Radagon) .... no meddeling of Marika like with Miquella and Malenia... and no "mortal Parent" (like Radahn and Rykard). Thats how she could be an empyrean, and not flawed.

[@LunarEspeon85]

I just had the random thought that Ranni might just be using her mother's nickname when she first introduces herself, since Renna is just Rennala without the la.

[@lillianhamlin6316]

I agree I think Ranni is of radagon and marika, but primarily radagon, and was made as a gift for rennala to love and vice versa especially w ranni being a moon sorcerer like her mother and protecting her even after her "death" like technically the rennalla fight is a fight against ranni - this is also why i think melina is simply ranni but isn't of radagon like the ranni we know, but is instead the marika half of ranni and she is only born when ranni destroys her flesh w the death rune, splitting soul from body and soul from soul - an empyrean is born from one god, however unlike miquela and melania, radagon and marika were separate entities when ranni was born which is why i think there are two halves to her soul bc she is made of two seperate halves of 1 god.

[@elijellison4097]

There’s an option to talk to Melina at church graces in the site menus

[@depoittier]

Well done video, but I disagree with the interpretation that Radagon is a rune/portion of Marika that was split off into independence. I think Marika having dual aspects was something that was inherent to her being. My basis for this is the link between Miquella and St. Trina - It's theorized that these are the same person as well (see the video by Smoughtown on this subject). I don't think Miquella would have had the same access to the Elden ring by carving out a rune to "clone" himself. Miquella/St. Trina seem to have been born with this duality, as perhaps was Merika.

[@salominhotheprince3790]

Great video!! the only part i didnt understand is the Honda example.

[@alexjgilpin]

VaatiVidya coming at us with another awesome Elden Ring lore vi- HEY *WAIT A SECOND*

[@coffeeonsteroids]

So there is a secret I think it was in a gameranx video (to 10 things you didn't know you could do in elden ring) it's smth like that and there is a message you can find that says "radagon is marika" and it was a message left by the devs

[@DyneTreal]

Except that the problem with your theory is that Ranni is a natural magic caster, not just from experience, but by birth and she has no sign of wielding incantations like her father. The idea that she was born from the egg is an interesting concept, but there's little evidence to support it. The Rune of Rebirth is not granted by the egg; it's the Great Rune inherited by the Dusk-Eyed Queen (Ranni's former self). When her father abandons them , the Dusk-Eyed Queen hunts down the Golden Order, seeking the Rune of Death to do so. As a result of her efforts she is split into Melina and Ranni as a result of being "killed" by Maliketh, but is then Reborn as Melina and Ranni. Melina inherits the spectral steed because she is Radagon's Empyrean and therefore closer to faith and spirit. Ranni returns to her body and further refines her talents under the tutelage of the Snow Witch, but not before giving her mother the Rune of Rebirth in order to stifle her onsetting madness. She then takes the spirit bell and seeks after Torrent, giving its rider the bell in hopes that the Tarnished riding him was her destined consort who would ascend to the rank of Elden Lord and help her slay the gods and thus bring upon the Age of Stars.

[@jamesweiner5288]

I had a thought regarding the Empyraens. Perhaps being the offspring of ONLY GODS is how an Empyraen comes to be. Maybe because Melania and Miquella are the children of a single god, they are still Empyraens because they only have godly parents. Is it possible that simply having only gods as parents is the requirement? Technically, when you have one parent, the requirement is satisfied, and that would explain why Malenia and Miquella are both defective. It isn’t being an Empyraen that makes them sick. It’s because they were born out of a desperation to meet the technical requirements. This could also explain why Ranni wasn’t born with defects. Perhaps she was the product of Radagon and another god. Im thinking the Gloom Eyed Queen could’ve been one. Would love to get thoughts!

[@iusethisnameformygoogleacc1013]

Hearing people argue in support of the "Children of a single god" thing is giving me flashbacks to the earliest days of dark souls lore where people took the phrase "lost the annals of history" at face value without recognizing it as an obvious typo. The original japanese version of the sentence exists, and would have to be written very strangely to contain the same syntactical ambiguity the English one does.

[@Mr.Silence.]

Nice! I was looking forward to this

[@darkhobo]

Bandit, I been around a while. I cant overstate how disappointed I am that when the blue lady Renna/Ranni gave us two names you didn't do a voiceover confusedly saying both names. Fie? Fye?

[@MilkJugA_]

Melina and Ranni seems deeply connected in some way. Melina seems to be Marika's daughter, with no connection to Radagon, while Ranni seems to be Radagon's daughter, and have little to do with Marika. Yet, they have the same eyemark. In the three fingers ending, Melina even gains the ability to open her eye for some reason, which is blue. I think that Ranni and Melina were the same being. The reason why Radagon and Rennala had children, was because Marika/Radagon needed an Empyreon that wasn't inbred. But this can't happen, since Rennala isnt a god. However, when the child was born (or during the birthing process), they somehow managed to concentrate pure godhood into one being, and the unpurity into another. The pure one became Ranni, while the other Melina. I'm not too confident about this, but it explains Melina a bit

[@HavocHounds1988]

I would like to see a full breakdown of Marika and Godfrey's children, because according to Morgott's great rune, he was of the Golden Lineage and so his twin brother Mohg must also have been. So does this mean that Marika and Godfrey had four children? Those being Godwyn, Godrick, Morgott and Mohg? The Golden Lineage from what I understand are the children of Godfrey.

[@Nostradankus]

Godrick is basically confirmed to not be a child of Godfrey, but rather a very distant descendant. Enia the finger reader calls him a "distant relation" to Marika and that his bloodline "sorely diluted". I'm sure other NPCs confirm this, but I can't remember who that was. So the sons of Marika and Godfrey would then be Godwyn, Morgott and Mohg.

[@HavocHounds1988]

@@Nostradankus Ah ok.

[@mr.spartacus6390]

Keep in mind there’s a lot of grievous mistranslations of rannis dialogue that completely change her motivations

[@thatstarscourgebrother680]

Awesome lore! Does Ranni the youngest demigod (she has the smallest throne, her parents both tall)? Was she born by Rennala, or by amber egg or is it actually her twin (Unborn)? Did Rennala imprisonment by involvement of Radagon (the seal on the academy gate, the red wolf, and baby cribs in the ceiling..)? How's GW choose the successor Emperyan, does born from single god not enough (because afflictions)? Therefore it's passed to Ranni (who prefers the moon rather than GW)?

[@leddmask]

I think the Ranni cloning theory is solid af

[@McDudes]

"Children of a single god. As such, they are both Empyreans" does in fact mean that being born of a single god makes you an Empyrean. BUT it doesn't mean thats the only way to become an Empyrean. Ranni also says that Empyreans are CHOSEN by the 2 fingers. Meaning you can be born from 1 god and instantly become eligible for being an Empyrean. Or you do something to earn it by the 2 fingers, which is the case of Ranni. Also you are even contradicting yourself. If Ranni was born of the Rune of the unborn DEMIGOD then how does that make her an EMPYRIAN and not a DEMIGOD?

[@RayearthIX]

Ranni's tower talk and her ending were mistranslated. In the English version, she states she is going to turn the world into one of the chill night and stars and make things such as touch and emotion an impossibility. However, the original Japanese text actually states that, instead, she is going to remove such things of "the Order" from the world. What her ending actually is is that she is going to create an order where the Greater Will or other Gods, or Demigods (or perhaps monsters), will be removed from the world of man and taken into the stars (with you, her Lord Tarnished at her side). Once there, the people of the world will no longer be able "to clearly see, feel, believe in, or touch the order..." Basically, she is freeing the world from the designs of those who rule over it, and allowing it to decide its own destiny and fate (instead of following the one predetermined by the Two Fingers).

[@patrickdunphy822]

Very fun video, blows me away how much story there is in Elden Ring that can just be missed if you're not looking for it. As a bit of devil's advocate on the 'as such' debate, though, I don't believe it's as cut and dry as "it only points to the first thing that follows every time." If I may offer an analogy of my own, "a child is born of a king and queen, who are also a brother and sister. As such, he is a prince, but is inbred." The first part of the 'as such' is based on some fundamental fact (king and queen), while the second is more related to a specific detail of the situation (brother and sister). In your analogy, the fundamental fact is more an implied one, that Honda is a company that makes cars. Therefore, the vehicle from them is a car. However, because it is specifically Honda who made the car, it has 'stanky seats' (sick burn on Honda, btw). As for the actual, relevant quote (paraphrased), "they are born of a single god. As such they are empyrian, but deformed," it could be meant that, as children of a god, they are empyrian, but because that god put it in nobody but themself, the kids got messed up. Or, maybe it's something implied, like because it was a specific god they're empyrian. If it doesn't make sense with the lore (I just hit with stick until I got to the credits, I don't know what's going on), fair enough, but the editor in me was nagging to mention it.

[@OmarCerdaDraw]

So, basically, when you think about it, Ranni is the witch of the cosmos.

[@tiltwaganza320]

Seems like Empyrian is a wordplay of impure since if you think about how such family relations are frowned upon. Just using a way to explain without using the word.

[@TheAdarkerglow]

You're trying to take the 'As such, they are both Empyreans' and the second half, 'but suffered afflictions', as though the two clauses are somehow independent. No. It's saying that they were Empyreans AND had afflictions because they were born of a single god. Ranni wasn't plagued by any affliction, because she wasn't incestuously born.

[@seanmcgrady8688]

*Me listening to BanditGames discuss family relations in Elden Ring.* Yep, I 100% believe George R. R. Martin wrote it.

[@Kymberleen15]

I think the Empyreans statement is only partly true. I think the "As such" part of it means that being born of a single god is a way to be an Empyrean, but not necessarily the only way. Just like a Honda is a car, but other makers can also be cars.

[@Kymberleen15]

Unrelated, but I always thought the gravestone reference by Rennala was a reference to how she kills some of the children in the fight and turns them into gravestones for a special attack.

[@czardeaner7713]

Anyone mention that Marika and Astel are the same species, same with the ants under the erdtree. The Queen ant is probably an imperian

[@jayjonesrgaming]

Just spit balling here but I think being twins may also have some connection to being an Empyrean; there's a lot of twin/duality symbology and characters in the game and the number 2 could essentially be considered a holy or "divine" number in this universe because of the Greater Will and it's Two Fingers. I think Marika and Radagon are/were twins or at least symbolize twins somehow. As for characters, I think Ranni and Melina either were or are twins, either biologically or spiritually, how does that make sense? I don't really know to be honest, but again spitballing - if Marika and Radagon are one and the same and Melina was made of Marika and Ranni of Radagon then essentially they are simultaneously related to both Marika and Radagon. As for other twin characters/symbology - Morgott & Mohg, Malenia & Miquella, Twin Maiden Husks, (possibly) Ranni & Melina, the D Twins. If there's more I'm missing please let me know! And for my final spitball; maybe Marika knew/learned about the connection to godhood and twinhood and tried to use it to her advantage but failed, or was punished/cursed for it, and that's why all the twins she bore came out w ailments (Morgott/Mohg & Malenia/Miquella). So she shattered the Elden Ring to release/create Radagon and then she somehow (using FromSoftware logic) was able to simultaneously bring a being into existence alongside Radagon (Ranni/Melina) making those two beings essentially twins but twins not born of one being (but also still born of one god since Marika and Radagon are the same). As for why Ranni & Melina didn't come out w some type of ailment maybe the shattering of the Elden Ring is what was necessary to break whatever curse was on Marika. Now a lot of this may not make sense lore-wise cause I literally just had a random "EUREKA" moment, but it kiiiinda makes sense if you think about it. Feel free to disprove it, add to it, etc cause I'm sure there are holes in the theory somewhere. But then again so many theories w this game has holes that leave you scratching your head.

[@mirielpastorofvows7098]

The timeline on ‘Ranni is egg’ theory seems pretty sketchy. It was when Radagon left and Rennala was heart broken that Academy realised she was no champion. That lead to Carian royalty and the academy going to war, beginning with academy locking Rennala in the grand library, where she still is. So when is she supposed to have taken young Ranni on moonlight walks as Dark moon spell says? Or happily approved of young Blaidd at the Carian manor? We know those of numen stock can become empyrean and not all numen are empyreans. So obviously a one way inference from Malenia remembrance. That is, one way to make empyreans is both parents as gods, clearly other ways exist. There is more to logic than an equal sign.

[@ethanmt537]

Remember, Shrek is love, shrek is life and Ranni is mommy..

[@gjbobert9208]

id love to know after all the stories of the demi gods and empyreans what about all the fingers. like the 3 fingers and and shabriri and all of that with total chaos being the focal point of it all.

[@Raspyturnip]

Marika is secretly Kami and Radagon is Piccolo.

[@Lacucarachadefuego]

If Radagon could produce an Empyrean offspring on his own, why did he need Merika to produce the twins?

[@dracorex426]

Literally all the quote about being born of a single god means is that all who are born of a single god are Empyreans. It does not say that all Empyreans are born of a single god. Just because every jumbo jet is an airplane does not mean every airplane is a jumbo jet. Not every car is made by Honda.

[@jordanbauerly8843]

I'd like to see how many death threats the designer of those finger spider recieved.

[@Rozar8702]

I'm a few days late, but I think we can make an assumption at the end of the video that Ranni did not send the black knives after Blaidd before we find him and put him down. What reason is there to have sent them after Iji?

[@futuratrunks6468]

Its the talk to melina option its pretty much only churches

[@denisgundogan1666]

I couldn't take Blaidd down seriously. My friends kept saying as I was fighting him "what the dog doin'?" and "Ya gotta put old fella down."

[@toasty9865]

KZbinr: Im gonna explain this in a way anyone can understand. Me (Who is not so good in english): Are you challenging me?

[@camillepepin8512]

I really wonder what Ranni's age or moon and star mean for the people. Did ahe make life the way we know it? Did she make an entirely new "universe" with it's own set of rules never seen in the lore yet? If so how much better or worse is it? Are you the good guy by helping her? The fact that we don't know sure leave and open ending but I would love to know.

[@joshuapatrick682]

So if Ranni modeled her new appearance on the snow witch that makes you wonder who the snow witch really is since apparently she and Melania look so much alike? Is the Snow Witch also the GEQ?

[@lillyclarity9699]

holy shit you pronounce Blaidd's name properly, I love u edit: and then you just tarnish my good will by saying "goal" with a hard g...it's pronounced "jail" my guy

[@TheEnigmaProductions]

This guy is better than vaati...subbed

[@thanhtuanoan1409]

Please, please please talk about Melania and Mequilla! Your vids are awesome!

[@citizenvulpes4562]

Are you saying that godwyn may have just been ranni's experiment to see which side of the mark would take the soul and which wouldn't?

[@mcgibs]

The way Ranni describes it, her ending sounds as bad as the frenzied flame ending. A world devoid of all life. I know it's actually a mistranslation, but I'm starting to think it's a deliberate change, since happy endings are kind of anathema from Fromsoft's generally nihilistic storytelling.

[@Fedico7000]

16:50 Fucking multiversal braingasm

[@soheilhajializadeh1980]

Did you hear about ranni's mistranslation from japanese?! This could some how change the meaning of age of star.... Waiting for your followup video on that😉

[@jameclockwork]

Literally just Subbed, and here we are…. Welp Ig I’m staying

[@Gamernutritionfacts]

Just 25 tries on radahn? I stopped counting after 60 tries but I might’ve gone into the triple digits on that one until I finally beat him

[@ProffessorYellow]

Ranni was born of rennala

[@lazystudentprojects]

but some things felt left out, like why did we have to defeat astel? was he simply just in the way? etc

[@Dickles_Pickles]

He completely ignored the fact that black knife assassins were also at ijis site of death. Kind of curious as to why…