Elden Ring Lore - Why Do The Nobles Wander?

Why do the nobles wander the Lands Between? What is it they search for? Do they even remember? Let's explore the noble fodder found across the Lands Between together.
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[@irongolem123]

I kind of thought that the reason the nobles are looking in the dirt for something is because they're looking for the Rune of Death. They tend to cluster around the fallen ruins from Farum Azula, which they must know is where Maliketh is. They desperately want to die, so they're hoping to find the Rune of Death, but they're so old and senile that they don't really know what it is they're looking for. That's why they drop stuff like ruin fragments and rowa fruit: they're just collecting any old thing they find, dimly aware that they may, someday, find the thing that releases them from their suffering.

[@square-table-gaming]

I believe it was common knowledge that Maliketh sealed his sword which housed death in his body but I could be mistaken

[@irongolem123]

Yes, I think that was common knowledge. But if Farum Azula managed to completely crumble and fall from the sky, taking Maliketh with it, they'd still find it among the ruins. Theoretically, anyway. Not sure how that would work with the whole time-bubble thing Farum Azula has going on, but we do unseal the Rune of Death when Maliketh dies.@@square-table-gaming

[@kyle857]

My PC is also collecting any old things they find.

[@colossaltitan3546]

This becomes even more clear when you read the description text for Agheel's flame. They were lighting a bonfire in hopes of attracting Agheel so he'd fly overhead and burn them all to a cinder, to put them out of their misery. It's also why you hear them chanting and trying to call Agheel at the Dragon burnt ruins.

[@nebless-clem]

That or they are looking for their contact lenses?

[@caret_shell]

You can mock the noble sorcerers, but if you've ever gotten into trouble after taking random poise damage, pulled out your binoculars, and barely spotted some idiot noble sorcerer on a mountaintop a mile away throwing pebbles like Tim the Enchanter, you remember them.

[@joeymendez1442]

Me: Man that's sad. *While chasing the fleeing Noble*

[@jagoz7465]

That’s awful Me: lining up a 4 in a row multkill

[@spudthepug]

“Why are you here and why are you doing that?” *stabs* “Guess I’ll never know!”

[@griffiththechad9483]

350 hours in game and this was my first time hearing about a “treasure noble”…..

[@JayBandit2]

900hrs and just now hearing about it

[@d0paman3]

Ah shit, me too 😅

[@joemayo1589]

The caravan in Limgrave is definitely refugees from castle Morn trying to get to Stormvail castle. But they get stopped by immigration outside Gatefront ruins

[@KurwaRomek]

It's only a matter of paperwork. Once many thousands of moons have passed it will be in order

[@bigsneak4601]

Love this, there's a destroyed caravan on the road to castle Morn. Supports that they were fleeing from the Demi-Humans that attacked the castle. One caravan was destroyed. But one escaped to try to get protection or possibly reinforcements from Godrick.

[@borgmardunkleson2225]

Last time I was this early to an STG video Godwyn was still alive

[@marii2661]

same 😅

[@Beepers559]

I mean he’s technically still probably alive, he’s just seen better days

[@tack3411]

@@Beepers559he’s working on his shura ending

[@Invaders_Unite]

These guys carry my favorite sword in the game. Hard to get but it's well worth it. Nobles Slender Sword is one of the best pvp weapons in the game. They really may have been great duelist before the decaying effect of undeath. They're hollow basically.

[@Solibrae]

I'd say it fits them even better if they had the resources to purchase very fancy and well-made swords to show off their status, but not the skills to use them any better than an absolute beginner.

[@Invaders_Unite]

@@Solibrae with the nobles maybe but the aristocrats they look like they have something to hide. Alright everyone fine I'll be the only one that can fight. I'll have to do an aristocrat cosplay lol.

[@buffoonustroglodytus4688]

Why is this sword so good?

[@Solibrae]

@@buffoonustroglodytus4688 Good reach and high Dexterity scaling.

[@Invaders_Unite]

@@buffoonustroglodytus4688 it's a straight sword so it's fast and it has a 110 crit rating. I parry in pvp a lot.

[@NickCombs]

My guess is that the aristocrats left Leyndell due to Marika's imprisonment. Imagine you lived in a capitol with a flesh and blood goddess who bestowed prosperity, and that she disappears and then everything goes tits up. There's just no reason now to stay in the most contested place in the world. It would be like choosing to stay in Jerusalem if Jesus was alive, said "Christianity's not working, so I'm destroying it now," and was imprisoned by the Christian God for treason. As for their subsequent motives, I don't ascribe just one because they all seem to be doing different things in various regions. The caravans are interesting though. Maybe those aristocrats are guarding and honoring the tarnished who came before, aligning with them at some point in the past but now having mostly forgotten.

[@ABurntMuffin]

isn't a precession like a funeral march? I always assumed those big black boxes on wheels that have the chest on the back were like giant hearses with a ceremonial chest of personal belongings hanging onto the back.

[@iboildogsalive6535]

Well they are coffins, as stated at one of the Altus plateau graces. Hmmm

[@dadevi]

In New Orleans, a second line is a funeral march through the streets. The wandering nobles might be doing something similar.

[@erikreber3695]

Yes, they are called coffins. There is a ruined coffin grace!

[@being_adibahnaf]

Kenneth Height sounds very normal humanoid to me

[@square-table-gaming]

You could certainly argue Kenneth height is a humanoid noble, just one that never set out wandering. Its interesting he seems to suffer none of the negative issues these wandering nobles do.

[@Solibrae]

Perhaps it's his own sense of self-righteousness balanced by an ability to recognise his limits that kept him grounded and sane.

[@TheHarrisontemple]

@@square-table-gaming the wandering nobles are the citizens of Lyndell, Kenneth is a noble native to Limgrave

[@Paterrrr]

I believe that the nobles wander with the carriage (carrying valuable items) to make an offering to the Lord they are going to. In limgrave they stop before the gate, as if they wanted to climb up to Godrick. Same thing happens in front of Mt Gelmir and finally in front of the city that enables us to go to the Haligtree. It s as if they made gifts to the Lords in order to demand protection for their new home.

[@Ratat0skr0]

I’d probably wander about too if I lived forever and was kicked out of my home in the middle of a war.

[@stanronn]

Please explore what the lore is behind the yellough anix tunnel. There is such mystery in the whispers you hear when you wander the tunnels. Also, it seems to be the only tunnel that looks to have the aftermath of a great battle. I haven't been able to find any lore videos on this location. Thanks and love your videos.

[@AmbassadorofSalem]

Agreed. It always bothers me that there is a red dot on that location. Doesn't that mean there is a portal or something similar?

[@vanessaboyko1582]

It’s even creepier if you carry the Wing of Astel in that tunnel. Do eeet

[@AmbassadorofSalem]

@@vanessaboyko1582 I thought it was going to open some secret passage or something

[@OgieSifter]

3:33 I love how this implies that this is just the byproduct of erdtree respawn, like eventually they all just hollow out

[@epiccthulu]

I have two thoughts. The first is that the nobles are searching for both Runes and more importantly…for the knights they are related to so that they can give them the weapons they think will make them lords. My second thought is that these are hollows, actual Dark Souls hollows. I remind everyone reading this that Miyazaki only said the mimics were unconnected to the other settings…he never said the Land Between were disconnected. There is already the Land of Reeds ( Sekiro ) and….a Realm of the Sun that has seen better days.

[@seeon2661]

I think they wander in groups so that we can replenish the flasks 😂

[@earlbrown8304]

The art for your videos is awesome .

[@square-table-gaming]

Our artist Pat Gee is the absolute best

[@esther9433]

There are nobles dead on chairs with items like rune arcs, smithing stones and stone keys so I think they just look for valuable items to bring back to their castle for their demigod. The ghosts that you talk to are usually nobles simping for their respective demigod. I think they're trying to serve their demigod by bringing them items to make their armies stronger since they aren't good at fighting.

[@KingTalion]

I can't quite remember why but during my first playthrough I thought the caravans were funerary processions meant to bring the dead in a sort of hearse to either catacombs or heroes graves. The idea that they just house merchandise is interesting but seems almost too mundane for fromsoft. It would be great to see a deep dive on them though if such a thing were possible

[@square-table-gaming]

Unfortunately there's no real written lore associated with them, however I think most people are on the same train of thought as you with them being funeral processions. I will say that doesn't seem to make sense in every case but contextually yes it's probably the most likely idea.

[@error-zq8yo]

they lost their house keys and locked themselves out

[@kekmitkeks9328]

They want Agheel to give them a ride home

[@danielled8665]

😂😂😂 the ad before this: "extra crispy is back at kfc!" They sure are.

[@DaniH45]

I think the nobles can see the rays of grace and are all returning to the capital in anticipation of the arrival of a new Elden Lord

[@Klauspetergrandel]

They look and walk like me when I come home from school

[@OneStarRating]

They could also be looking for their gold which was separated from The Shattering, gold then collected around The Erd Tree and most of what was left created the artificial sun which the Nobles can not see

[@mshin291]

My impression was that they left because of Morgott. Sure Morgott tried very hard(and rather successfully) to hide the fact that the current king of Leyndell is an omen, but while the commoners and the soldiery may be easier to fool, you really can't get the entire aristocracy out of the picture for long. Considering things I'd expect that the aristocrats revolted(perhaps even siding with the more "worthy" lords like Godrick or Radhan) or otherwise went rogue, leading to either Morgott kicking them out, or themselves leaving in disgust. Fast forward to now, and these nobles are probably regretting that decision, at least the ones who retain some sentience

[@K1NG_of_ReVeNGe1]

Noble Slender Sword, especially powerstanced, is arguably the best Straight Sword funnily enough

[@sk8legendz]

*Why did the wandering noble cross the road?*

[@danielkubicek1323]

Why?

[@eoinmontague7671]

Because death will never embrace him

[@ethanwintersseveredhand]

To get to the other side if you know what I mean lol

[@darkhoodorderofgray6354]

Because the noble was holding the chest that the tarnished wanted. Run noble RUUUUUUN!

[@eddieford9373]

Because the tarnished was there and they wanted to die.

[@KingPangoLin]

You guys are incredible. About the graveyard thing? The ones with the golden runes

[@ElimGarakSpoonHead]

I like their hats.

[@zerogunblader3134]

hmmm the ones with the caravans. They could be such as noble's in the past, sent as diplomats to deliver gifts to one place or another and such and it's why they are with such a large group etc. I don't know, just a random thought before bed xD

[@cain9851]

I'm doing a Dragon Communion build, and Something I noticed is that theres a noble's ghost who seeks to be turning into a Magma Wyrm. It makes me think that not all Wyrms are Drake Knights

[@llab3903]

It’s got more to do with consuming hearts than it does who’s consuming them

[@beniron5807]

I had the same thought on the caster nobles. It’s happens in RL rich people pay a ton of money to gain some “skill” to impress their rich buddies and seem cultured.

[@mhiggs8001]

I’ve long pondered what these guys were searching for.

[@Dev_Six]

I'm not quite sure, but to me some of them seem to be meant for negotiations and such between castle Morne and Stormveil, messages from place A to place B

[@user-sp9ti6xe7t]

Я не знаю чего они ищут. Но я знаю одну группу разговорчивых вельмож. Их можно встретить в самом начале игры. Они просят дракона Агила сжечь их. Полагаю, они ищут... смерти? Жалкая попытка вырваться из этого бесконечного цикла.

[@FreeRunful]

I’m so excited for STG’s content on The Shadow of the Erdtree!

[@JC-ex3gp]

I think..in a poetic sense that the noble are looking for there lost standing in the world But lore wise I think at first they was trying to escape the wars and battles and set out looking for lost runes..

[@adriangreen5228]

I just watched a video ranking all of the sorcery schools and I thought it’d be cool if y’all did a video breaking down the lore and origins of all the sorcery schools and maybe even the incantations! I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of glinstone sorcery being able to splinter into so many unique schools of thought and would love to learn more about how they each came to be.

[@square-table-gaming]

We actually do have lore videos of every school from raya lucaria! We haven't pulled them into a compilation yet but it's coming.

[@adriangreen5228]

@@square-table-gaming yes I love those videos and a compilation would be amazing to watch while playing my mage builds 🤣 I just want to be unbound by terrestrial taboos and the toothless pedantry of the Carian Royal Family….🧙🏽‍♂️

[@adriangreen5228]

I think there’s so much more to learn about the origins of Gravity, night, magma, primeval, clayman, death, and the other heretical sorceries

[@square-table-gaming]

@@adriangreen5228 agreed! We definitely plan on covering gravity in the near future

[@MarkRenaud-qc3gx]

Great job can't wait to watch more of you're stuff. Keep up the great work!!

[@square-table-gaming]

Thank you so much!

[@o0TraceuR0o]

1:05 that bannerman was like bitch im fabulous

[@TRACTOOOOOOOOOR]

I will never get tired of these videos! Another banger.

[@MrSmido1]

I've been playing this shit and I've never seen a treasure noble. Holy hell

[@rynether9878]

I've only recently found your channel, but I love your videos so much, thank you :3

[@square-table-gaming]

Glad you like them!

[@mirkogander3998]

If this isnt mentioned but there are the noble casters that can turn invisible on the way to the giant blacksmith follower from ranni. So some knew other spells 😁

[@square-table-gaming]

Those are spirits much like those we find in selia

[@bmbterps]

I can’t be the only one to think about the implications that the player can see the guidance of grace, but character’s eyes don’t depict that they should be able to, meaning it is only something the player can see. Lot’s of implications with that…

[@eddieford9373]

I just started the elden lore Playlist. At this rate you'll have three more videos out before I get caught up. Still a month less than smough's library.

[@hosuff6267]

Stg > smough

[@jucalyun2099]

Have you seen the rune bear fighting against a pack of wolf on a river?111

[@zacharyesplin9292]

Excellent as always sir

[@edwarren7022]

My guess the DLC is going to take place in the past. Possibly before the shattering, i just finished a playthrough to get a character ready for the DLC.

[@HerraHissi]

The nobles wandering about with their huge luggage is clearly showing how little they know about the life outside of luxury.

[@QuandaleDingle-mm2rc]

Love when this channel drops 🙏

[@juicejay84]

Still convinced there is a secret to do with these guys

[@nismobug4076]

Its their car keys.... they're looking for their car keys

[@DefecTec]

I assume the lands between, since it’s actually considered a continent is 10xs bigger than what we see in game

[@andresleung8134]

As always…. An awesome video!

[@Memnoch_the_Devil]

Question: Why would a Mimic Tear disguise himself as a lone noble, then transform into a runebear??

[@robertjandejager6758]

Perhaps they did die already when they left, and were looking for a certain, now flying in a suspended time storm, mausoleum

[@obansari]

Video: Why do the wandering nobles wander. *Me still waiting for the Age before the Erdtree and videos on Placidusax and the dragons*

[@square-table-gaming]

We made a video on the magma Wyrms. As far as the other dragons, now that Vaati has covered them Im thinking of holding off until the dlc comes out to see if we learn anything new. The age before the Erdtree is also definitely going to be touched on in Shadow of the Erdtree so anything said now would have to be updated later.

[@obansari]

@square-table-gaming I don't know if you are friends or not, but BRO looks like he is on a mission to sell all his audio books....He is exactly the reason I was hoping you would do a dragon video too.

[@square-table-gaming]

@@obansari bro? You mean Vaati? If so nah. Maybe he knows we exist but we've never heard from him haha

[@obansari]

@square-table-gaming I like your vids because they stay grounded. Others like Smoughtown try to be too different and end up going too of the rails. Vaati releases are good but too infrequent. Hopefully, you guys can capitalize.

[@EpicShortBus]

I've NEVER seen the treasure Nobels

[@simonyakovlev5347]

Is this a Coincidence? I was just wondering about this questions today, and was collecting their Outfits. Also one of the Nobles have a bowler hat, which is can't be collected :(

[@kyle857]

One of the noble swords is actually really good.

[@wizardwolf1020]

I always wonder what Elden Rings explanation was for it’s “husk” enemies. Dark Souls has the explanation of people just going Hollow and Bloodborne has the explanation of people going mad from the Old Blood and beginning to transform into Beasts. But then Elden Ring just has residents turning decrepit looking and like hollows from Dark Souls yet there was no “Dark Sign” Curse to blame this on that could be easily seen

[@square-table-gaming]

I've always assumed this is a mix of eternal life and lack of food/runes. If you don't need to be nourished to live then you could just wither away

[@jingalls9142]

I wonder why they wander. Wonderful vid.

[@manuelkarlinger1272]

Why are two black knights guarding the caravan in the concentrated snowfield?

[@square-table-gaming]

That particular caravan had the flowing curved sword in it and we know the knights cavalry work for Morgott. Id have to assume they were either escorting it to Malenia due to her neutrality toward Leyndell or trying to bring it back to their master.

[@manuelkarlinger1272]

Thanks. Makes sense.

[@scienceguy2406]

They’re fun to mess with 😅 But why is the Tarnished a threat to them?

[@ClonserHalphalive]

I must know! I must know! Where the Noble Things Go!

[@MadAtreides1]

I don't think they would search for runes: runes are useless for those who are maidenless.

[@square-table-gaming]

Even so they were used as currency

[@AndresD.deLeon]

Lore daddy hath uploaded yet again!

[@square-table-gaming]

Hey look I made you some content

[@AndresD.deLeon]

@@square-table-gaming We like us some good content!

[@noamias4897]

How much wandering can a wandering noble wander if a wandering noble wanders?

[@g1998k]

I have been wondering in this channel for so long I have no recollection why I am here for.....

[@lexmortis5722]

Somebody has to search for my dad lol

[@the_agate_gate3782]

I have done three playthroughs of this game and have never seen/heard of the “treasure nobles”. Where are they?

[@square-table-gaming]

Altus Plateau, far west of the windmill village and down a cliff

[@williamkeys8310]

Wow I'm on ng+3 and don't recall ever seeing a treasure noble. Not saying they didn't exist just never recalled seeing one. Where are they usually at in game? Ps sorry square table I didn't wanna get rid of the ❤️ you gave me I just wanted to edit my comment to be more specific 😢

[@square-table-gaming]

No worries!

[@YATZIwastaken]

what about the limgrave noble that turns into a rune bear? Also di u guys make a video about the evergaol godfrey mark2? I cant remember how/why he exists

[@square-table-gaming]

The one that turns into a rune bear is a silver tear. The guy I think you're referring to is Godefroy the grafted. We discuss him in our video about the golden knights. He is a relation to godrick and helped him attack Leyndell in the first siege of the city.

[@thebrickmaster7403]

I don’t care how many runes those slender swords fetch, I ain’t wasting the 2 hours I spent grinding for that thing 😂

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

They wander because there's nothing else to do

[@destar1]

I have a question maybe you guys can adress: who and why summons the goddamned Malformed Dragonkill Solder at the Consecrated Snowfields

[@square-table-gaming]

No one summons them, for whatever reason that is where their spirits rest. It's similar to the giant skeleton that spawns on the way to castle sol.

[@destar1]

I thought some summoning snakes were invoking the giant skeletons...@@square-table-gaming

[@square-table-gaming]

@@destar1 not that I've found but it's possible

[@Cricket0021]

i like how the socerer noblemen have a much better version of glintstone pebble than the one we learn. theirs have insane range, ever see those noblemen at the belfry camp in liurnia? they're throwing that shit around like it has the range of rock sling lmfao

[@user-vp6po3el5c]

Caravan? Where the mutated Brahmin at?

[@AegisKHAOS]

The nobles wander because they needed to touch grass.

[@Mistercodmobilefan8378]

It's strange tho the nobles are always walking everywhere they go and there are some next to the kaiden soldiers that it's like the kaidwn soldiers want them to look for something in the dirt cuz i see that everywhere

[@square-table-gaming]

The kaiden sellswords are hired protection for the nobles

[@Mistercodmobilefan8378]

@square-table-gaming ohh ok thanks!

[@danieldempsey8297]

My question is about the nobles that can telliport

[@square-table-gaming]

The ghostly ones? Those are some Sellia shenanigans

[@gesu6220]

is marika alive when we became elden lord ?

[@square-table-gaming]

That is a loaded question. Id go with no because we restore the Elden Ring but we don't necessarily restore its vessel

[@gesu6220]

@@square-table-gaming so we alone on the throne?🥲

[@lorencalfe6446]

omg i thought they were peasants

[@Solibrae]

Did Godrick really assault Leyndell? I'm not sure that fits his cowardly nature. He'd probably be the same as all these Wandering Nobles if he didn't get addicted to grafting!

[@square-table-gaming]

He did indeed, the lore confirms it

[@Solibrae]

@@square-table-gaming Well fair enough if so, but I don't remember ever seeing that and, having checked online, I can see some people talking about it but not the source of the info. Is it just a very obscure detail?

[@square-table-gaming]

@@Solibrae Kenneth height says he escaped the capital after his attack on it hiding with the womanfolk. The mimics veil tells us, "When Godrick was hounded from Leyndell, the Royal Capital, this was one of a multitude of treasures he took with him." Also, dragon knight kristoffs ashes tell us, "After the First Defense of Leyndell, Kristoff earned the hero's honor of Erdtree Burial for the feat of capturing Godefroy the Grafted." So we can assume godrick attacked the capital with godefroy at the first defense of Leyndell, and having lost the battle, used the mimics veil to escape in disguise instead of being captured.

[@Solibrae]

@@square-table-gaming Thanks, that does make some sense but I always thought of Godrick fleeing the capital during Godefroy's or Radahn's attacks of their own, rather than that he was also involved in the aggression. I've seen that there is some evidence to suggest that there are Godrick Soldiers attacking the capital in the intro scene, which definitely supports him being an attacker at some point, unless Godefroy had the same crest on his soldiers.

[@Syntox]

This is so based.

[@kologrzmot7003]

Why they are undead at all?

[@square-table-gaming]

Because they've been alive for a millenia presumably without food and water

[@fatmansnacks4938]

So they’re pretty much like modern celebrities

[@Jasonmakesvideo]

they joined hogwarts for the scarf

[@N0ahSh1n]

My theory was that the noble sorcerers tried to be reborn by rennala, and they got exiled from the academy with only knowing glintstone pebble. Maybe they were trying to feel alive after living for so long and wanted to be reborn anew. They now just wander for no reason, looking for a purpose. They can’t be reborn anyway because no great rune

[@mrjostar1518]

Maleina is hot.

[@goldfish6720]

Potato

[@SucculentSpaz]

If I were you, I'd ditch the background music, it takes away from the video and makes it harder to focus on the subject, not to mention that it adds nothing.

[@square-table-gaming]

It's funny you say that since a solid number of the comments we receive are from people saying how much they like the background music and how it makes the video more relaxing.