What’s hiding behind Marika in Elden Ring? - Lore Theory, History, Science and Art

Giant Ants, Grafted storm hawks and Marika oh my!
In this first episode of Elden Ring: Lore & Learning, we are digging deep and uncovering both some interesting pieces of lore and mysteries from the game as well as how it ties to real world facts, history and art.
If you’ve ever wondered…
What’s up with the giant ant colonies and the eternal cities?
What the heck is the weird shape behind Marika’s statues?
Who thought it would be cool to strap blades onto birds?
Then strap on in and let’s learn some stuff.
Hyped for the shadow of the erdtree dlc!
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Kyousai Kawanabe’s Falconry Book Via Museum of Fine Arts Boston:
collections.mfa.org/objects/1...
#EldenRing #DLC #Mystery #Lore #Gaming #VideoGames #Speculation #Adventure #Fantasy #RPG #FromSoftware #Exploration #BossBattles #Action #Magic #Mystery #EldenRingGame #Gameplay #Shadowoftheerdtree #Gamers

[@ZayftheScholar]

Hi Everyone, trying something a little different this time! Hope you are interested in learning about some interesting lore as well as some ties to real-world history, art and science. If not...well this might be the only episode I make haha. Hit the like button and let me know what you think!

[@Krotas_DeityofConflicts]

you can get those blades on their feet too. i dnt remember if it's dropped by them or a loot.

[@Psychx_]

Replacing the birds' talons with swords yields warbirds and fowl feet for crafting rune/item discovery buffs. Win-win and clever recycling.

[@ZayftheScholar]

haha! I didn't think of that but maybe that's why there are bird feet everywhere! Nice catch!

[@user-hs9jx6wj9d]

D: I'm not eating those pickled feet next time

[@charlesthompson5645]

I honestly believe marika represents non dualism and is to be trusted and also worth betraying much like Griffith is. I’m guessing miquella will try to Marika if he can. If you honor emotion you’ll see the path of betraying marika as righteous but if you value absolute faith you side with her non dualism. The shattering is the sparks of life in motion it’s not a negative or positive reason just the reason. It’s the state of the world and you can either trust it hate it or birth anew in your own intention. Messmer seems to love the chaotic feminine side of the tree and is Griffiths torture

[@ZayftheScholar]

I tried some at a Chinese place before. Wasn't bad!

[@FoxBatinaHat]

11:50. In asian myth, there is a shawl which flows behind the neck of deific beings. The celestial raiment is based on the Chinese pibo (披帛), pei (帔), or pizi (帔子). Most all Celestial being are portrayed with it. Its a flowing shawl and an equivalent to a halo for angels. In Japanese it is calles Hagoromo (羽衣, translated to "feather robe" and many yokai, kami ascended human being etc... have it flowing just around/behind the shoulders.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Wow thanks so much for the insightful comment @foxbatinahat! I am very unfamiliar with Chinese myth but those are great points!

[@Erox006]

OH WOW , it's very common in asian video games , the flowing scarf thingy , why did i never think of that ? thanks man

[@adamblue2980]

There's even an analog to this in the Dark Souls series. Only characters aligned with the Gods of Anor Londo have environments that feature a fine, transparent gossamer material. You can see it in the chapel of Anor Londo in DS 3, Rosaria's chamber in cathedral of the deep, etc.

[@Iffem]

a good example of it in modern media is Luffy from One Piece in his Gear 4 and 5 forms

[@dynamicflashy]

I think the relationship with the Nox and the ants are still not a peaceful one. The Nox are riding and controlling the ants using a Bewitching Branch, or certainly similar magic. The Purple glow in the ants' eyes is similar to that we see in enemies we use the Bewitching Branch on. Also, if you knock a Nox rider off an ant, the ant sometimes turns on the Nox and their eyes stop glowing.

[@Dioptase26]

The birds story is even more tragic when you factor in they are descendants of the storm lord who Godfrey respected and it also shows how depraved Godrick is.

[@ZayftheScholar]

That's a very good point @Dioptase26! I feel bad for making a joke out of it but Godrick is just so absurd about grafting I couldn't help it haha

[@phanlee4621]

haha, king of all that is golden !! in land between even excrement is golden Godrick still find something belong to him

[@drsubtracto]

Diallos actually drops a Numen's Rune after he dies in Jarbug. Meaning that he and therefore his brother Juno Hoslow are also Numens.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Either that or I am wrong and Rune drops are abitrary. 😅 Can you think of any other Numen Rune drops? I actually never noticed the ones you mentioned!

[@strawhatshinigami9190]

​@@ZayftheScholarjust the ants from what I've seen .

[@ZayftheScholar]

Good to hear @strawhatshinigami9190! I was starting to worry maybe there are a ton of things that drop them haha

[@eldenringpvpenthusiast1710]

I never did his quest line, but what you say justify my fears. That he killed that maiden because she was dirty in his eyes or something, to me there is no surprise when he says he got invited to volcano manor. The tale of Hoslow is told in blood... funny way to say a family of murderers. His armor has a blood flower at the center of his chest and you only see those in places with themes of murder. I believe the whip freak that horrifies me on ng7, is also near a dead maiden. I think those are their maidens claimed runes, with no maiden like us to convert it to strength, because they killed them. I know its a bit darker, like my, we fell from the sky too hard when we start the game, where our maiden was waiting for us theory. But it's a very dark series of games.

[@ZayftheScholar]

On an unrelated note, Your avatar reminds me, I quit watching Death Note when L died! He was my favorite. @eldenringpvpenthusiast1710

[@NickCombs]

It makes me wish we had Elden Ring in my history classes :)

[@ZayftheScholar]

Why not right? :] Thanks for watching @NickCombs!

[@dylearium]

THANK YOU for discussing Marika's background piece. I have been wondering about that since I first stated playing. It seems SO prominent but so abstyat the same time. Radagon statues have his trellis behind him, but Marika's background accompaniment is so much more abstract & enigmatic. Seems IMPORTANT but so hard to decipher

[@ZayftheScholar]

Agreed! I'm sorry I couldn't say anything more profound about it, but it was at least somewhat satisfying to see what likely inspired its design. :]

[@beansnrice321]

Another thought to me was that the larval tears almost look like ant larva. Also, people keep calling them ants when I think termites might make more sense, like they are eating the dead rooted wood of the late erd tree.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I've always wondered about the design of the larval tears...it might be pareidolia on my part but it almost looks you can see a fetal face in it.

[@clemenscohn7371]

It's because it's called ANTspur Rapier and not TERMITEspur Rapier.

[@briannenurse4640]

Please do more! I love this kind of thing!

[@ZayftheScholar]

I would like to! Hopefully other people are into it as well. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment Brianne!

[@NickCombs]

100% Over time, the cultural connections have become my favorite part of this game.

[@briannenurse4640]

Crossing my fingers that others enjoyed it as much as I did!

[@arglebargle42]

Excellent work, Marika's swirly thing has always made me curious. Loved your side by side examples of game content and historic art styles.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment arglebarlge42!

[@LilB0pete]

On the subject of Nox and Numen- there is a Nox statue above aground in the church of vows of all places.T This lead me to think the Nox and Numen were split apart factions of the same origin race! Another interesting thing to think about is the night sky/astrology connection between the Carian and Nox empires, I wonder if the Nox had actually had some kind of hand in the formation of Raya Lucaria itself.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I definitely have been thinking a lot about Raya Lucaria lately! Thanks for the great comment @LilB0pete

[@zokisan9554]

oh, do you think such split could also hexplain the demarcation between Uld and Uhl?

[@LilB0pete]

@@zokisan9554 I really think so

[@zokisan9554]

you just triggered something@@LilB0pete tell me, i must've heard it somewhere before but... Numen Nu Men New Men??? bc now you got me thinking if Uld (Old) and Uhl were split by the arrival of the New Men, part of the NewMen joining Uld and the other Uhl who then turned Nox (no x = no Cross NOKRON)?!

[@BrassPetals3Voices]

Watching your video sparked something when it comes to Marika. Looking at her model and at the condition we find her in, her hair is parted in the middle, with a long braid on one side and a short braid on the other. On the short braid side, there is a gouged out area that the spear does not go through. Her body with the gouged out area reminds me of the hole left in the Haligtree after Miquella had been torn from it.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Interesting take! I'm seriously curious to learn about the connection between Marika/Miquella, the erdtree/haligtree in the DLC! Thanks for watching and commenting @brasspetals3voices

[@RationalGamers]

You're gonna give Vaati Vidya a run for his money with videos like this. Good work.

[@ZayftheScholar]

No way I'm at that level but that's insanely flattering, thank you!

[@zfezzani]

These types of videos are what I've come to love about the Elden Ring lore community. Ever since I've started to watch Tarnished Archeologist, Hakshaw, Quelaag and Zullie, I've realized how deep and profound the lore and the work behind it were. So many minute details that keep blowing my mind. I did not know you before this video, but i definitely want to some more of this type :D Here, get yourself a well deserved sub ♥

[@vitalvisionary]

Gotta add Vaatividya my friend. He was one of the first theory crafters to get significant with Dark Souls and he's kept up with FromSoftware since. His Bloodborne videos are what got me to try one of the studio's games and I've been a sycophant ever since!

[@zfezzani]

@@vitalvisionary No need to mention Lord Vaati ♥♥♥ I wouldn't be here in the first place if not for his prepare to cry series on dark souls 3. Binged everything after that ^^'

[@mohammedrazaesmail6934]

Wow. This is a lot of new stuff I haven’t seen anywhere else… keep it coming…

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you Mohammed! I'm not sure how new the info is but it was all at least new to me! haha

[@mohammedrazaesmail6934]

@@ZayftheScholar it was new to me. And I have watched almost every elden ring lore out there.

[@AshKingChannel]

I have a theory that Numen is a race of Uhl/Uld dynasty, who in ancient times sailed to the Lands Between on boats as it depicted on their tablets, and that is why they considered from another world. And Eternal cities and Nox are their direct descendants, for many things tied them together. For example bearded man with tablet on dynasty's statues has a unique depiction on the Four Belfries. Yes, mages of Caria and Raya Lucaria must be too relatives of Eternal City culture, locations and storytelling of Ranni's questline shows that. Sellia was town of Academy's glintstone sorceries and Sellia are descendants of Nocron city underneath as Gowry told. And Four Belfries itself posesses nox's Bell-summoning technology and sorcerers/nox portals.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I am honestly still trying to work out in my head what is going on with the Uld dynasty...so many questions and so few concrete answers to sink your teeth into. Your ideas seem to make a lot of sense though! Can you elaborate on your last sentence about the belfries, bell summoning and nox portals?

[@AshKingChannel]

@@ZayftheScholar each of Four Belfries has a bell atop of it. Bells are always associated with spirit calling in Elden Ring. Ranni gives us such bell to call spirit ashes, and she's a Carian. At Four Belfries we see headless spirit trolls stalking around. And headless spirit knights lurks around Wandering Mausoleums, which clearly of Nox architecture style, and mausoleums ring in giant bells. One of mausoleums even located in Nameless Eternal City. Those two mausoleums at Uld Palace Ruins that don't have a bell coincidentally not surrounded by headless spirits. Worth to mention that Raya Lucaria has giant bell chapel, Church of Vows with Miriel has bell same as at Four Belfries and this location is of Nox culture (statue of nox swordstress), one bell is in lower Layndell above church, and Lower Layndell is part of the city with Selian architecture, probably it was part of Nameless Eternal City same as Sellia to Nokron. About portals its simple. They are the same at Four Belfries, Liurnia, Academy and in Nox cities. One of portals at Belfries even leads us to Nokron fringes. I think its one of evidences that glintstone sorcerers and nox are from the same culture.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write that up AshKing! I will definitely be looking into this further. The mausoleums have really interested me for a long time now and I hope to make a video about them soon.

[@AshKingChannel]

@@ZayftheScholar you're welcome :)

[@ZayftheScholar]

Dude you have so many subscribers!

[@ryanwalker5723]

Throwing out a crazy idea, but I thought Merika's backing looks something like some kind of hide. Snakeskin maybe?

[@a-rah9001]

This was awsome to watch as a middle eastern,you pointing out the cultural inspiration made me look through my own searche about "Chiken"fighting and also the Warhawks called shahin

[@ZayftheScholar]

Glad you enjoyed @a-rah9001! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@seldoonxib]

Ever noticed all the gravestones? I believe they have something to do with the fundamental way life is reborn in the Lands Between. The statues of the old man in Eternal Cities is holding one. Rennala transforms some of her minions into gravestones and says it is perfect for rebirth. They jut out of the ground in places in weird angles, almost like they are growing, or like the ground itself is made of them. Trolls have tombstones woven into their stomachs. And many are sticking perpendicular out of cliffs like platforms. These always seem to have green dragonflies resting on them. The green color implies they are freshly molted, like they just emerged from a larval form. Like they've been reborn

[@ZayftheScholar]

I have noticed all the gravestones but I dunno what to make of them! It's pretty weird that in a world without destined death such clear representations of death are still everywhere.

[@Kampfire_0]

The garment used to portray Marika as a velificans is flowing to form an upward infinity symbol or 8, which seems to allude directly to her epithet as The Eternal.

[@ZayftheScholar]

that's a nice catch kampfire_0, I can see the resemblance to the infinity. It definitely also does look like the elden ring a bit as well though.

[@Kampfire_0]

@@ZayftheScholar Yes, I can see that too but felt it could be a bit of a stretch. Sometimes the answer is right under our eyes and it makes it so difficult to see.

[@jerryb216]

OH MY GOD I AGREE ABOUT THE GOD DAMN ANTS! Giant bugs have always been one thing I do not do well with at all. I dislike the ants more than any giant spider I've ever seen in a game.

[@shogomakishima7224]

Sellia is a city beloning to the Nox culture and Gowry tells us that: "Sellians, are the descendants of the Eternal." Interestingly enough Marika herself is called the Eternal which also corresponds to the name of Eternal Cities inhabited by the Nox. Finally the location of the Nameless Eternal city is right below the part of Leyndell that is covered by a basin of water... which to me suggests that it is a part of Leyndell that was banished underground just like the other Eternal Cities were. Yes i thin you are right and Noxes are basically the banished Numen.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I keep meaning to bring up that bit about the basins of water! Thanks for the great comment @shogomakishima7224!

[@Greaseball01]

I don't know if I buy nokron being teleported underground, like if it was teleported there then why are there lifts leading to it? The inverted towers are built into the top of the cavern, what would they be built into above ground? I like the theory of the one in Leyndell but nokron and novikron don't add up for me, like raya lucaria and the surrounding towns are similar architecture and there's that lift connecting to Raya lucaria from the underground, so it seems to me the nox had the underground in tandem with overground settlements/cities. I think that's why they're known as eternal - because they survived the colonisation by the golden order.

[@Dioptase26]

I think Tarnished Archeologist did a video where he shows that the failed part of the city was that underground eternal city

[@shogomakishima7224]

@@Greaseball01 ​ @ZayftheScholar The simplest explanation is that parts of the architecture were built after they were banished underground. You can even see that there is still a Nox statue remaining in the Church of Vows that is located above Nokstella. There is also the curious case of Uhl/Uld Palace Ruins where one is located above the other. This and the similarity in name clearly suggests that they were once the same complex located above ground. This would also tie up nicely with all of the meteor monsters that we can find underground.

[@Greaseball01]

@@shogomakishima7224 I don't man, like what about the aqueducts and the rivers? Like are we saying the rivers got teleported underground too? They're described as underground rivers, and if they were teleported underground shouldnt there be traces above ground? Dried up river beds? Why is the one in the Leyndell the only one that produced a hole in the ground it was sucked into? And isn't that statue from church of vows also in the albinauric church in consecrated snowfield? There's nothing under it, and the liturgical town looks like nox architecture too, their fingerprints are dotted all across the surface and the underground. I just think the design of the places doesn't really match this theory for a number of reasons, I think the reason it and the Uld ruins are underground is because theyre really incredibly ancient, and I do believe they were built underground, not moved there.

[@steamedhamlet]

One detail about the hanging limbs in stormveil: they are in the form of the triskelion knot. A celtic knot of which we find many other kinds in the game of course. From Marika's braids and the chain around her and Radagon's waists, celtic knots abound. But in no way is one mythology the basis for the lore. It's actually all mythologies. I'm sure people from different countries have probably noticed different stories of their culture in the game from East to West. Messmer for example reminds me of Zahhak of the shoulder snakes (rough translation!) From Persian mythology. Whatever country you're from I promise there's something in there. Because the lands between are really our inner worlds.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks for the very informative post @steamedhamlet! I know nothing about Celtic knots so that was cool to learn

[@LoredFOMO]

Great video man!! Keep these videos coming, this was easily in the top 1% of most fascinating ER videos.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Wow you’re being way too nice but thank you! 🙏

[@dgalloway107]

This shit's been confusing me since the banished knights took over leyndell.

[@ZayftheScholar]

banished knights?

[@walkerbrewington2397]

@@ZayftheScholarBros I’m laying 1.0

[@ltrain420000]

Yes , more lore videos! Loving it. I had the same thought process with the grafted storm hawks.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment @ltrain420000!

[@galaxsija4591]

excellent video, mate! I hope your channel blows up

[@ZayftheScholar]

Aw You're too kind, galaxsija4591! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and give your thoughts.

[@stevenjohnson3212]

Just found you man. Love your videos. The fight seen on the land of reeds video between you and Okina was dope lol 😂 subbed

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks so much man! I really enjoyed editing the fight scene so I'm stoked you enjoyed it!

[@ZugzugZugzugson]

3:15 i was hoping you would have tilted the camera up when you walked into this room. the troll hanging above has one of his arms removed and this troll also happens to be the only troll we can find which is missing a limb... and curiously, one of Godrick's arms is enormous as well... the arm Godrick chops off when he grafts the dragon head to his arm, is very likely the arm of this dead troll, which implies Godrick is on a constant search for the perfect limb... now, this isn't exactly a revelation as we're pretty much told this directly, but its an interesting detail. its also interesting to note that there's only one other troll in Stormveil - the one guarding Godrick's arena. and this is important because normally when we come across trolls there's usually two of them... this one likely escaped the fate of grafting by entering into Godrick's service only to later be killed by our tarnished... these two trolls were clearly part of Roderika's group, and the one we kill is the only surviving member of the group... its also curious to note that trolls, in the lore, are mischievous optimists - they are commonly known to be treacherous creatures.

[@olebjerknesrutle339]

U truly are good at making these videos man. Its nice to have Elden Ring Lore videos thats not an hour long :D keep at it dude

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you for the kind words @olebjerknesrutle339! I'd actually like to make some longer ones but working a full time job sucks haha ;-;

[@KitsuneShapeShifter]

This is some really good stuff, I would definitely enjoy more of this :D

[@StarlingInSpace]

Nice video, I agree with your interpretation. I also think it represents the transition from the crucible/great tree to the period of marika and the erdtree. The base of the statue looks like the base of a tree and it’s roots, similar to the other statues depicting the figure holding the one individual flower that is blossoming gold amidst the other more wild branches. Just the marika statue doesn’t depict the tree aside from the shape of the Elden ring being a tree behind her, and her taking the shape of a rune arc This statue focuses on her in a rune arc/crucifixion pose which I’d interpret as sacrifice or some form of benevolence. maybe representing her connection to the greater will and her being the goddess that provided the age of plenty. though unlike Christ there is no punishment or burden that she’s been given so I’d say that the statues were made by her/or the golden order before she was imprisoned inside the erdtree. The statue also looks more like “worship me not the tree”. If so I’d say the Elden beast/greater will mocked her hubris by imprisoning her in the same pose as her self centred statues once she broke the Elden ring If you’re still reading this check out the ancient goddess Inanna/Ishtar and the poems about her huluppu tree and descent into the underworld

[@the1384]

We know Messmer is a Snake Boy, so maybe Marika is Snake realated, like shedding skin

[@Gord-writesGhost]

Messmer is St Trina son

[@the1384]

@@Gord-writesGhost Noo GEQ would be his Mother Because of the Godskin Apostle who are also Snake Boys and GEQ( Gloam-Eyed Queen) cradled them. Also Miranda is Marikas Mother and Rosus her Father, we see a Portrait in the DLC Trailer

[@Victoria-vd2li]

Can I hire a falconer to hunt the squirrels in my neighbourhood thank you

[@CharLacey]

Malekith also has it. A very similar fabric is hanging on the ceiling in Farum Azula where we fight the godskin duo.

[@tontulu420]

Imagine those storm hawk talons in assassins creed.

[@Kodama666]

in regards to the center of the map being veiled, i think i can say without almost any shadow of a doubt that the massive "crater" in the center of the whole map almost certainly predates marika by an unfathomable amount of time, same goes for the creation of the divine towers which encircle this crater and i say this with such confidence because it is quite literally a crater, and from a design standpoint, this was chosen to represent deep time. I suspect that the culture that originally created the divine towers and was around during the time the crater impact occured, was the "titans" (super giants that we find buried deep in the ground which is another way of symbolizing deep time) and/or the alabaster/onyx lords the reasoning for this being that not only are both of these cultures mentioned to have existed in deep antiquity, as well as their placement in the strata. but also because both of their religious/spiritual iconography is in the same shape as the designs on the divine tower, being a sphere encircled by other spheres. this is the image of the fel god, and also the image of many astronomical findings in the lands between such as the meteor impacts where u find alabaster/onyx lords and their worshippers when all this evidence is viewed together its almost impossible to say otherwise and i wholeheartedly doubt that the land of shadow is just in the middle of this crater, rather like miyazaki himself has stated, it is a land outside the lands between

[@knyght27]

Another point about historical falconry - sometimes, instead of using a small leather hood to obscure the falcon's vision, the falconer would actually sew the bird's eyelids shut. Which, you could argue, is kind of in the same category as grafting

[@ZayftheScholar]

aww that just makes me sad, @knyght27 😢 Worse than the grafting since it's real!

[@ScarletEdge]

TBH, I know all item descriptions by heart at this point. There is still space for stuff that wasn't described. Although, you entering Tarnished Archeologist territory. Which is good.

[@TheRealChacorta]

I like to believe that there lies, somewhere, a SoulsBorne, Sek, and ER bible that has the actual answers for which we are searching

[@ctyoro5086]

3:45 Not sure why, but I expected Godrick to actually say "Lend me thy strength......BIRDS!"

[@ZayftheScholar]

I'm happy someone finally commented on that part! I made myself laugh editing that 😂

[@adubseven]

A very well constructed video style. GL

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you kindly adubseven! Appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment.

[@dbfzato-1327]

bit unrelated but, i was playing a little while ago n the finger reader outside Leyndell's main gate, she says "the tree that enshrouds the heavens" i think it's like a layer situation, is a land of light, a lands between (between what?) and a land of shadow, a bit like bloodbournes layers of dreams and nightmares, even looks like trees growing on top of each other on the erdtree itself

[@ZayftheScholar]

I really like that idea @dbfzato-1327! Very curious to see how things stack up, so to speak, once the DLC launches!

[@dbfzato-1327]

@@ZayftheScholar im so excited for the dlc, tho i know its probably not gonna answer all questions one i'm hoping has more ties to the dlc is melina, she is still a mystery and your main companion, seems she is linked to fire and the erdtree, fingers 🤣crossed she gets some love what i mean by on the erdtree btw, there is some artwork on the tree the wooden bit, looks like a tree growing from the top of another, just to clarify it wasn't clear aha great vid btw! liked the theories and good editing, these games are so deep in lore its nuts they hide all of it aha, i hated demon's souls on ps3 but since bloodborne loved all the games! even demons souls ps5 lol

[@ZayftheScholar]

100%! So much is still left unresolved regarding Melina and her past. Demon's Souls on PS3 was what got me into the series but I can understand you not liking it! Was still pretty rough around the edges. Nice Guilty Gear Avatar btw!

[@zokisan9554]

the way the numen corpses are piled up makes it look as if they were scattered there intentionally; made me think of Tibetan rituals in the Himalayan mountains where instead of ground burial corpses are being left out in the open for birds to feed on! the Ant version is underground tunnels. This sounds suspiciously close to what could've transmogrified into (great-)erdtree burials where it's mushrooms and Grace bacteria or sum 🚬🌚 great video looking forward, Ladies Love ER Lore Lessons 💜 would love to hear your take on why all the Marika statues and icons look differently around the lands (like her hairstyle as The Centered Tarnished pointed out).

[@zokisan9554]

OH and the clothing (around 11:46) giving a baldachin resemblance... very that. dare i say almost like ~foreshadowing~.

[@ZayftheScholar]

A really interesting point LSP! I never would have thought of that but you are right...you think maybe it wasn't the ants that dropped them there but rather they were dumped there? Seems plausible considering that there are actually coffins in some of these areas too.

[@zokisan9554]

hexactly@@ZayftheScholar, while i am no biology savant from what i remember observing ants, it's more of a "swarming over prey" to dissect and then carry bits back to the lair rather than carrying bodies in one piece, more safe in case of an attack too. corpses seem definitely laced i mean placed rather than accrued by the ants. maybe it is a numen tithe type of rite, will have to take another close look at lands in between down under now as well 👀

[@falconnatb]

I'm pretty much hooked on the veil theory on the land of shadow but I have a question about that you might find interesting. Do you think this land got veiled because it a was a land of shadows already, ( a place filled with blasphemy for example) Or is it a place that had been created because someone (Marika, the greater will or else) saw this as a way to cast away the blasphemous?

[@DefecTec]

Maybe it’s me detoxing my brain from degeneracy but when I read the first half the title I immediately thought ‘me, I’m behind Marika’

[@ZayftheScholar]

It's degeneracy but it's okay 😂

[@Krotas_DeityofConflicts]

Rooster's naturally fight when they are in close proximity to each other.

[@ZayftheScholar]

They do indeed! I wonder who the first guy was who was like "hmm I should tie blades to their legs and watch em kill each other." 😅

[@ricklubbers1526]

What if the cloth is conceiling snakes. Like messmer has snakes.

[@ZayftheScholar]

It does have a serpent like quality doesn't it?

[@Idontevenknowman779]

It’s interesting how many people forget that George RR Martin made all of this. And that Miyazaki just twisted everything into a dark fantasy/high fantasy hybrid that is Elden Ring the game

[@ZayftheScholar]

Didn't forget, just was talking about some very specific visual things in this video that I have no knowledge of GRRM having had a hand in. GRRM very much deserves a ton of credit for setting up the larger setting though! Thanks for watching and commenting @Idontevenknowman779

[@Idontevenknowman779]

@@ZayftheScholar ye i wasn’t even talking bout you. Jus sum i thought about fr.

[@Idontevenknowman779]

@@ZayftheScholar isn’t it cool that he named it “the lands between” i wonder what made Martin call it that. Always love to see that it came from his mind

[@GenghisTron]

Need more videos like this.

[@ZayftheScholar]

aw thanks @GenghisTron! Appreciate you taking the time to watch.

[@spendoro525]

The ants the nox are riding will actually fight the Nox if you can manage to parry them and knock their riders off, implying that they are not willingly being ridden

[@capollyon]

Came for Marika's veil. Got seminar on falconery.

[@GunRunner106]

i wonder if marika could be the blue dancer, that helped seal away the rot god.... hmm

[@ZayftheScholar]

Interesting! What makes you say that?

[@GunRunner106]

@@ZayftheScholar well in the one picture that we have of her that is in colour, she is wearing a blue dress, while doing the crucifixion pose, the way the dress is swirling around her also makes it look like she is in a dance move position in that promo pic. her appearing as a "fairy" - illusion/small doll or smths else - from the shadow lands before making a full big appearance evtl later or simultaneously/prior who knows considering how other actors in the setting love donning other names - multiple times even - her having another person prior/during or after her proper appearance to set the stage wouldnt be that surprising, but there isnt also much else to go on by otherwise, i think? a speculation at best?

[@ZayftheScholar]

Definitely wouldn't be the first time Marika disguised herself as something else!

[@taylororourke2525]

😱 *Elden Ring Lore & Learning!?* How did you know this is EXACTLY what I wanted! ❤️

[@ZayftheScholar]

Hope you enjoy it, Taylor!

[@taylororourke2525]

@@ZayftheScholar Keep up the great work! 😊🙏 If you ever get around to making Caelid the subject of one of your videos, you totally have my full permission to use my video! Ik shameless plug, I’m sorry, but it sums the place up in a nutshell so well. 😅

[@ZayftheScholar]

I dunno how you lived through all that in the video 😂

[@taylororourke2525]

@@ZayftheScholar I definitely felt victorious after my blood pressure came back down. 😂 **walks out of cave with wolf head** ✊🐺

[@maidros85]

Just today I wondered about this!

[@BAHTATS]

I really loved this video, you should definitly do

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks @Bahtats! Hoping there is interest from the community for more.

[@lauty.980]

Awesome vid ! :)

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks so much, Lauty!

[@reyrapids63]

10:20 sometimes the lore and descriptions in game are lies or propaganda. What if the Numen are not "Seldom Born"? What if Marika killed all the other Numen, throwing their corpses down river of the Erdtree where they flowed into the River below the capital? The nameless city near Godwyns corpse is also of Nox origin, and it is directly below a large section of Lyndell that appears to have fallen off (or was broken off intentionally) Knowing that those big piles of corpses are likely all of the same race... I can't help but compare it to the Merchants in the subterranean shunning grounds. It feels like an intentional ethnic cleansing, the bodies ending up in a gutter far below the earth to become food for scavengers.

[@beansnrice321]

Very cool. The historical inspirations found in From soft games are half the reason I love them. I generally prefer this type of video because the games themselves deliberately leave so much out. To me people who are too pedantic about a From Soft game are missing the point. A from Software game is the video game equivalent of taking a urinal, signing it R. Mutt and calling it a fountain. In other words, From Soft games are art and should be critiqued that way. Bravo! PS: I'm only a little surprised that you didn't also mention the band of the hawk from Berserk and also the falconers in Dark Souls2. All good though, this is Elden Ring and not Dark Souls. =)

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks for the great comment as always beansnrice321! I honestly forgot about the falconers in DS2! I really love that game though (haters be damned).

[@beansnrice321]

@@ZayftheScholar Since you're on the subject of hawks, you might also dig Illusory Wall's recent video on snuggly the crow. Apparently Demon's Souls version of that character was called, "hawk girl." It was apparently in reference to the twin winged hawks in the area. Not sure how much of a tie in that is but it's interesting that hawk symbolism has gone that far back in their games.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I just watched it yesterday! Thought it was a funny coincidence that hawks were popping up there too 😅

[@Victoria-vd2li]

Maybe the ants were being domesticated, but something happened, and they turned on their masters

[@Krotas_DeityofConflicts]

you can get those blades on their feet too. i dnt remember if it's dropped by them or a loot.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I didn't realize that! Do you remember what they're called?

[@kellydonohue9030]

@@ZayftheScholarwarhawks talon is name o weapon. Best if you farm 2 hehe

[@unverantw0rtungslos]

How about the numen where the original residents in the subterrain citys, untill the nox came with theyr ants and found free real estate. or the numen only occupied the eternal city with no name untill the ant-people came for them. My guess is that the namless city and nokron may bee totaly unrelated to nokstella and or each other. nokstella (

[@thanashs]

Cloth look like the Godslayer Greatsword

[@k1xnt]

Pronounced Sekiro properly, subscribed.

[@ZayftheScholar]

haha thank you @k1xnt!

[@harrybenson6731]

Hi, The story of ants raiding the eternal city makes no sense at all to me. This is what I think happened. 1. In the night of the black knives, most of Marika's family, numen full of runes all, get killed off and dumped in a ditch. 2. Normal ants find the bodies and feed on them, then they grow huge because of the runes they eat. I guess the bodies still haven't decomposed because of all the runes and gold in them. For better or for worse, the golden excrement remains as it is.

[@christinebaker8754]

7:24 take the birds out with a bow. Or a firebomb, since they like fire 😀

[@Travar1410]

Not trying to be a downer or anything but, when you say the birds "talons" got replaced, that only means just that. The talons are the birds nails. So with that, the birds new "sword(nail replacement)", is again, only just that. A nail replacement. Not a leg replacement.

[@vitalvisionary]

Except the whole foot is gone when you look at the model.

[@nbmoleminer5051]

❤

[@ZayftheScholar]

[@nasimacdnanovic1196]

Without the sun there is no shadow of the erdtree Maybe thats what they wanted to do in castle sol The eclipse I know its not connected to the video but i love to share this idea

[@ZayftheScholar]

Sorry, I'm not following you mate. What do you think they wanted to do?

[@taylororourke2525]

Pretty sure the plan at Castle Sol was to revive Godwyn. That’s a good point though, what exactly is the moon eclipsing if there is no sun, because of the whole Erdtree-thing… 🤔

[@LUCIFERwatchh]

Dis you know you can use your sword with 2 hands ? 🤣

[@ZayftheScholar]

why you gotta attack me bro 😭

[@ETERNALXGAMEPLAY]

Hey can you maybe touch on a few topics in future videos Naming each war in order and the cause and effect of each one A in-depth look at the order of events that lead to the shattering starting with Marika and Godfrey marriage and maybe a bit what lead up to them being married And lastly My theory is that the land of shadow where marika first stepped foot And farum Azula we’re connected and we’re located in the center of the map Around the cloud, erdtree, and beastial sanctum somewhere in that area If u can see where I’m coming from can u do a video on that BECAUSE I believe there are a few bridges that are broken Question is why and how My point is I wonder if marika shattering the ring created a earthquake further more distorting the land

[@ZayftheScholar]

Noted these down! Thank you man!

[@ETERNALXGAMEPLAY]

Ps. To go along with my theory, it was the Greater Will that made Marika shatter the ring; Radagon was trying to stop it, but basically she “died” for the sins of her daughter And the greater will shattered the ring So that we would come and destroy all her kids Thus keeping the golden order in charge Marika mocking Radagon was c Actually the greater will mocking her rebellious side And her to have no mercy for the Demi gods Is actually the greater will speaking to us

[@ETERNALXGAMEPLAY]

I feel like the outer gods were once part of the crucible ring until the lands between inhabits starting to looking into other practices Through time and all the wars we are left with the current image of the elden ring With destine death being the last to be removed by the greater will

[@ll13gaming]

I just wish the combat was more engaging ☹️ cuz I love the world... Nioh 2 spoiled me

[@ZayftheScholar]

I've never played the Nioh series but you have me intrigued!

[@epiccthulu]

great video, but I think you really ignored the work that George R R Martin put into it. In Miyazaki’s own words, Martin wrote everything except the Player’s actions

[@ZayftheScholar]

Hi @epiccthulu! Thanks for the comment! Because the subject of the video was very specific visual elements, I couldn't see where to fit in a mention of GRRM. BUT I am planning a future video with a specific focus on both GRRM(and to a lesser degree Tolkien). Is that something you would be interested in watching?

[@epiccthulu]

@@ZayftheScholar yea! I’ll watch it :)

[@ZayftheScholar]

Great! Dunno when it will come out but stay tuned :]

[@falgalhutkinsmarzcal3962]

More art that likely inspired Elden Ring: Max Ernst's "The Angel of the Home" looks like Godrick while he is doing his stomp. It is an anti-fascist painting, and Godtick is extremely fascist. Johfra Bosschart's paintings seem to have influenced the design of Nokron, Nokstella, and the Lands Between, as well as provided motifs of gnosticism, Sophia, and the Tree of Life (along with Alchemy, gnosis, astrology, astronomy, etc.). "Unio Mystica" is particularly relevant. His Zodiac paintings could hold significance, also. Much like Miura of the Berzerk series, Miyazaki adores Gustave Dore, and Dore's illustration of Caliban's face is very similar to the Misbegotten.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks for the heads up @falgalhutkinsmarzcal3962! All new references to me.

[@730ways]

In the castle all about /grafting/ this guy's like, wow the SUBTLE grafting is so SUBTLE.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Well, I was trying to say there are a lot of subtler things (e.g., the bird legs) that reinforce the overall grafting idea. Maybe I didn't convey that well. 😅

[@fumomofumosarum5893]

hmm... very obvious things in this video to be honest. nothing that i don'r remember learning at school decades back. ^^ still, good luck with more content , it's well read.

[@Gord-writesGhost]

Its not a headpiece its biological and seen elsewhere