Who Are These Dead Giants in Elden Ring?: Lore Theory and Speculation on The Nox and Eternal Cities

In this video, I dig into the topic of the mysterious chair crypts and discuss the prominent theories relating to their origin as well as the history of the Nox.
I'm a one man team so please like and subscribe and consider supporting the channel with membership/patreon.
/ zayfthescholar
I hope you enjoy the video!
I would like to thank Reddit user RagnaBreaker for a post that sparked my initial interest in this topic.
I would also like to shoutout this excellent thread by user NamelessSinger that goes into a lot of detail about the architectural connections between Sellia, Ordina and the Eternal Cities.
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Gameplay Capture, Edit, Script and Narration by ZayftheScholar
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#eldenring #eldenringlore #fromsoftware #Cinematic #Lore #Speculation #Mystery #Theory #Nox #Gaming #shadow #shadowoftheerdtree #erdtree

[@bobbydavis4144]

Honestly, when I found them in game I was ready to have an epic boss fight. Was so disappointed. lol

[@devinguy]

Regarding Marika's title of "the Eternal": might be one of those double-meaning things as she kinda exists perpetually in that state of stone we eventually find her in, but if she has ties to the Numens (who are also described as Scions of the Eternal City by Rogier) then it's possible that Marika also has ties to the Eternal Cities as well.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I completely overlooked the numen being described that way! Thanks for the knowledge drop friend :)

[@Khoditsky]

Marika isnt just related to the nox, but to the giants. Her golden hair and fair skin looks exactly like the northerner race, who are said to be mixed with giants. She looks nothing like a pure numen. Her alter ego Radagon has red giant hair and has an affinity for smithing and fire, her inner giant cant help but expose her origins. After all, blood is truth, as the formless mother makes it clear.

[@Nemo12417]

Personally I think the Nox are descended from the Numen rather than the two being synonymous.

[@ret2156]

Emperyons also have stone skin and I think merika is one.

[@WanderedIn]

Well, except that it’s not the version we see in the end who was (as the Elden Beast’s sword description notes) ‘supposed to live eternally’ - she was the Eternal because her Order was supposed to last forever, with her as god. It did not.

[@Asterati]

My first thought when I saw the bodies in the chairs was actually Renalla. The Carian seal is almost identical to the Night, bubble, and Crystallian magic seals, which makes me think that the Nox that didn't get sealed became the Carian astrologers.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I like that idea!

[@Usagi33353]

But we know the Carians were descendants from astrologers from the mountain

[@ZayftheScholar]

I don't think those two points are mutually exclusive. The exact text in game reads that "Astrologers, who preceded the sorcerers, established themselves in mountaintops that nearly touched the sky". "established themselves" to me would suggest they started elsewhere but made their home in the mountains. @@Usagi33353

[@paro1946]

Naturally, the Nox didn't get trapped with no escape. The drama with them is that when Astel attached their night stars to his body, to his body specifically, it had to do the same with the Moon of Nosktella. Now when you look at the Moons in the game, the stars attached to Astel's body are nowhere near the size of a Moon, there's no Moon there. That's because the Moon of Nosktella was hidden and saved at the top of Liurnia. The Moon of Nosktella then died and its fragments were dispersed within the towers you find throughout the map. The Astrologers were normal people and descend and followed the vision of the abyss that one of their own had, and so there's no relation there with the Nox, not until Rennala found the Moon when she was a mere astrologer of no distinction. Mind you, Rennala did not find the Moon the of Nosktella, she found another Moon; there are different Moons because the Moon has cycles that give a different direction to the Stars they guide (linked to the people with a "fate" tied to a specific Star). That was the Order of the Nox, that Astel took away, the main plot of their drama. On the other hand, when Marika knew that the order of the Nox persisted within Liurnia it attacked it; that's a whole another story and mainly the reason behind the actions of Radhan and other stuff related to the witch that Ranni uses as a body, the preceptor with the big hat and the potion they used to prepare to control the demi-gods and other interesting little things. I wrote a huge essay about all of this that I never finished. By the way, the Lord of night mentioned by Zayf is no other that the Tarnished when he chooses Ranni's ending because it's re-establishing the order the night, the Stars and the Moon: the order of the eternal city.

[@TRACTOOOOOOOOOR]

I can't help but notice the shape of the symbol also kinda matches the thing that that man is pulling through his head in the DLC trailer

[@ZayftheScholar]

I had the same thought but was worried my brain was cooked from looking at all these symbols for so long! haha Thank you for pointing it out @TRACTOOOOOOOOOR !

[@Ka0ziun]

Nah i had the same thought its not 1:1 but it awfully looks the same and that sigil seems to be opposing directly the golden order beliefs. So we're 3 seeing things or it might actually connects

[@friendalex7384]

I agree! It is also reminiscent of the golden bit inside of the elden beast. Very curious.

[@teagancombest6049]

It's also just like... A rib cage. Everyone else sees that right? Or maybe a spinal cord/ nervous system diagram?

[@johnsmiley4215]

I feel like it also looks kinda like Godwin's corpse face.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Took me quite a while to record all the footage and edit but hopefully you guys enjoy! Who do you think sits in the chairs?

[@LilB0pete]

Early giants who passed on knowledge from the outer gods seems most likely.

[@Gesh7]

I get vati vibes from your video. Enjoyed it 👍

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you@@Gesh7 !

[@G7VEHEAD]

the back of the thrones kinda looks like godwyn from under stormvile

[@NickCombs]

The symbology on the back of the chair looks specfically like tree roots to me. Rather fitting for a people that now live underground, yet rather strange if the chairs precede their banishment.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I agree, it does resemble roots. As you say though, it is weird that they would be fond of roots if they were above ground at one point and we don't have Erdtree worship to help explain it either. Mysterious...

[@Nemo12417]

Tarnished Archeologist noticed that it resembles certain aquatic creatures who shun sunlight but will surface at night.

[@NickCombs]

@@Nemo12417 that rings a bell! Oh no, now I'll have to revisit his video :)

[@gavinreksyoutube8075]

Idk what it would mean at all and maybe I’m just seeing things, but my first thought was it looked like the veil we see in the new trailer or the veil in the bedchambers in leyndell, and if it is anything to do with that it could further improve the connection between the giants in the chairs and the guy in the new trailer

[@RexusBlade]

I believe that the giants in the chair are similar to the Large Albinauric woman at the Apostate Derelict. In order to make the Dragonkin Soldiers, the large blended creature needed to be birthed from a large womb.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I didn't make a connection to Apostate Derelict but that's a really interesting idea @RexusBlade, thanks for sharing!

[@Jeskgames]

@@ZayftheScholaryes the giant woman is also wearing something on her chest that looks similar to the image on the giant chairs. Also Latenna gives her something and says something about there being hope?

[@kevingettemy5203]

The Nox are decedent's of the emprian. Decedent's of Marika herself

[@AtillaTheSean]

This is definitely it. They're the previous "towering sisters" who birthed the previous generations of Albinaurics.

[@samlemos2737]

All your videos are really great man. Right up there in quality with Vaati and Smough, and TA, etc. Keep posting and I’ll keep watching and liking! Thanks for making these!

[@ZayftheScholar]

Definitely not at that level yet 😂, but I really appreciate it @samlemos2737!

[@stellataylor7436]

With the line of “the eternal” the Numen came to mind immediately. They’re not eternal but they live long lives, the Nox are descended from them, and Queen Marika is one of them.

[@lolidiot4656]

The symbol on the chair is a tree - specifically a conifer tree, probably the same type of tree that left behind the petrified tree trunks we find underground and in various other places. Conifer trees (Pines) are traditionally symbols of rebirth and renewal.

[@ZayftheScholar]

That makes sense! Where can we find these underground?

[@lolidiot4656]

@@ZayftheScholar Sorry YT didn't notify me of this comment - they can be found in the water near the ancestral followers area, they're also found around Moghwyn Palace and in a few other places, it's the trunks only but most likely conifer trees as they are tall and straight (like the ones in the consecrated snowfields etc)

[@GuyyDude]

Hey, great work! This is a question I've had for a while so it's good to see others asking it! My take on these giant figures is, well, they were giants. I know in caelid you can find the remains of giants not too far from the chair there, and I know there's some lore that suggest the first sorcerers were astrologers who befriended the giants. Perhaps the Nox had a relationship like this with the giants where both revered the stars, and together, both rebelled against the Erdtree. One with the flame of ruin, the other with mimicky and the fingerslayer blade. Food for thought!

[@dastick78]

Based on another theory I saw, I think it's less "they were banished underground" and more "their entire civilization, cities and all, were PUSHED underground". That makes their time of relevance MUCH closer to the events of the game. The opening cutscene shows an army advancing on the main gate of the capital- a gate that leads to nothing but a drop into water. Directly under the map from there is Godwyn's corpse and the nameless Eternal City.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I'm not familiar with that theory drastic78 but it sounds interesting!

[@HelderB]

Zayf, I discover your channel by some tarnished algorithm and I just loved. As an old generation scholar from symbol and illustration as you. I say that the Nox, uses the primordial idea of the Eldenbeast in their *crest*, maybe the Eldenbeast is connected with all this ancient tragedy. _Zayf, congratulations for this amazing spectacular visual journey_

[@ALaz502]

Your editing and delivery is too notch. I'll subscribe. Good luck on the KZbin grind sir!

[@ZayftheScholar]

@ALaz502 Thank you kindly!

[@DeadDeadDeadski]

Such a good find on the Noxian chair images in the seal and seal breaker, love this stuff! Instant like and sub. Keep it up! I still want to know what all the large warped humanoid statues sticking out of buildings and grounds are in the underground. It's a bit visually reminiscent of Yhorm and his burnt and melted subjects in the Profaned Capital of DS3 and the wall people of Yahar'gul in BB. Perhaps there was an event that occurred during the experimentation to create a new lord similar to that of the Profaned Flame incident or the botched Mensis Rituals. We all know how FromSoft loves to recycle a good idea!

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you so much @DeadDeadDeadski! Totally agreed on those warped humanoids; what are those?? It's outside of the SoulsBorne universe but if you have ever seen the movie Alien Covenant (not a great film tbh but I digress) there is a really cool alien temple that has been long abandoned filled with messed up looking petrified humanoid corpses. Definitely gives me similar vibes.

[@DeadDeadDeadski]

@@ZayftheScholar Yes, very similar in look and agreed on the quality of that movie. The Alien films should go back to "people dealing with aliens" drama and leave the lore dumps alone. While interesting, there's too much to exposit in 2 hours while doing everything else.

[@ZayftheScholar]

@DeadDeadDeadski 100% agree! I don't know why they felt the need to explain literally EVERYTHING. It was precisely the fact that we didn't know everything that added to the intrigue and suspense of the earlier films.

[@JoaoPedrFF7]

Great video man. You're already one of my favourite lore channels

[@lapushka9388]

I think the giant skeletons are the very first Albanaurics that gave birth to the other Albanaurics. The giant Albanauric in Lattenna's quest that will give birth to normal Albanauric has a similar size to it. Also, the giant Albanauric/ Albanaurics in general came from the eternal cities.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Lots of people in the comments making connections to the Albanaruics! It hadn't occurred to me but I think it's a sensible interpretation. I'll have to look into it further. Thanks @lapushka9388!

[@AtillaTheSean]

Plus there's 4 thrones and 4 generations of albinaurics (old crawling men, frogs, young crawling women, mimic tears). Their thrones are also all in places that a giant would not be able to enter so the implication to me is that they couldn't walk and the walls were built around them as protection.

[@0The_Farlander0]

Wow, what a trip. I was playing through it again and just yesterday came across that giant corpse and was reminded I still don't know who the hell they are. Left an in game message about it to the best of my ability for others to wonder as well. Funny this video coming out in such a serendipitous fashion.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Serendipitous indeed! Hopefully it helped :]

[@bloodprincesyde9334]

I love how you made and present the video, you deserve a big subscription

[@foxcross]

Love the voice and style! Keep it up and I'll check out every video you upload! Thanks for all the hard work.

[@ZayftheScholar]

aww you're too kind @foxcross! sincerely means a lot to me. :]

[@IPH-sd1zv]

was just pondering this yesterday when i was clearing nokron, crazy timing on the vid

[@ZayftheScholar]

Great, I hope you enjoyed it @IPH-sd1zv!

[@flanberry]

Love seeing your video take off :) Excellent theories, and great breakdown! Can't wait for more!

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks again, @Flanberry!

[@ZayftheScholar]

You'll always be able to say you were here from the start!

[@kayabrokenlutestrings6946]

As far as the perceived connection to Miquella in Ordina, I think those shrines *used* to be dedicated to the symbol from the eternal cities. But at some point Miquella and his worshippers co-oped the shrines and covered the old motif.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I think that makes a lot of sense!

[@Deadgye]

The entire town is evergaol'd, and we find multiple black knife assassins in that evergaol. It would be interesting if the town was a religious offshoot of the eternal cities, and if it tied into the theory that astrologers descended from the eternal. After all, we know that the eternal / Sellian highways in the overworld were laid before the floating sky city was destroyed and before the age of the erdtree. And the carians descended from (or were) astrologers, and the carian symbol is very similar to the ancient eternal symbol.

[@void.lawyer]

That Elden Beast type of shape on the thrones ans seals looks like the thing that dead guy is pulling out of him self. Like a blade version of it. Imo

[@ZayftheScholar]

I honestly thought the same but I thought I might get roasted for saying it. I'm glad you brought it up :D

[@deathsshadow7656]

I love the video, and I just wanna say you did a great job on the intro. Great at pulling someone in, instant subsribe.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you so much @deathsshadow7656! I am new to the KZbin thing so I appreciate the kind words!

[@Panda-ch3lz]

loving these lore & the topic you pick! keep it up

[@hailkingragnarr788]

Bruh i am almost looking more forward for the dlc for the story then for the gameplay 😂😂

[@iindigoprotagonist2068]

You not even lying

[@cornthdl]

This mystery drives me nuts!

[@kirkginoabolafia3650]

In genuine awe at the quality and research of this video for someone with 5.6K subs. I hope that number gets much higher soon.

[@NickCombs]

My speculation is that they are decendents of the titans embedded in the Lands Between, like a sibling branch of the Giants geneologically that have always lived underground. They might be tied to Elden John (who's always depicted at about the same size) and the Ancient Dynasty.

[@ZayftheScholar]

@NickCombs I swear I think I need your help with my scripts haha. A well of knowledge

[@dapaps8858]

Wow you're right I forgot about the giants skeletons in caelid

[@daf3625]

Who is Elden John

[@NickCombs]

@@daf3625 That's the "John Doe" name given to the tall statue of the a bearded man found in places like the Uld Palace Ruins, Grand Cloister, Ancestral Woods, and Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum. He's holding a tablet of a tree and has cast down a tablet of science at his feet. This is a depiction of a real-world Babylonian tablet in the British Museum. There are definite Moses-from-the-bible vibes and he's indicating a shift away from mere observation towards faith in the Great Tree. Funny enough, there was also a meme of "John Dark Souls" back in the day, so the name also comes from there. But it's really a placeholder until we find out who this dude really is.

[@ale_caz]

Great videos, keep up the good work, btw i was your 1k subscriber!

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you @ale_caz! You were the cause of me cheering outloud! 🤣

[@SVVVYEDITS]

Good quality video man didnt expect you to have so little subscribers

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you kindly @SVVVYEDITS! Just started the channel so your support means a lot

[@gus2368]

Honestly, it's a breath of fresh air to see your channel... and not the community favorite VaatiVidya. Something is seriously off with him. Anyway! Loved your video! Keep it up!

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank so much, Gus! I would be curious to know what you don't like about his videos actually 😅

[@gus2368]

Well... His channel has a lot of things I don't like. It goes from the editing style to the fact that he sells fan art based on souls games that came from smaller artists... And there's also the whole plagiarism thing. Today he is seen as a great source of knowledge when it comes to souls games, but he used a number of people as stepping stones to get to where he is.

[@scionofchaoz]

very high quality, looking forward for more :)

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you very much @scionofchaoz! I really appreciate the encouragement

[@mralabbad7]

in gowry's quote "decendaants of the eternal" he's probably referring to the eternal cities. which makes total sense seeing sellia's architecture and some nox and even the giant chair there.

[@apocalypsedogs]

love the video, looking forward to more!! :0

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks so much, @apocalypsedogs! I'm new so the encouragement means a lot to me :]

[@TheAjmos]

Tarnished archeologist did a video about how the hold in Lindell is older then the rest of the city because of the architecture and it was repurposed for Marikas empire. Ordina might just be an old Nox town being reused by Miquella worshippers with no direct connection.

[@glorper842]

The fingerslayer blade looks eerily similar to the Sacred Relic Sword, the sword created from the corpse of Radagon by the Elden Beast. You can even see the faint shape of a human body in the handle. I'm not sure what the implications for that are, but nevertheless, it could provide some insight into what it means to create a blade "from a corpse," and it could also give insight into why the Nox were banished. Perhaps they possessed power that rivaled the Greater Will?

[@DeathWatchChampion]

I would be interested to see tarnished archaeologist speculate on this, idk if youve seen his lore videos on elden ring but hes completely uprooted everyones ideas about the history of the lands between using archaeology. Hes got a theory about the eternal cities and the nox and how they relate to Marika

[@kevingettemy5203]

I believe the giants in the chairs are the what the underground cities are named after. Hence why the nameless city is nameless. No one took or made a throne there.

[@orly4672]

What about Godwyn?

[@kevingettemy5203]

@@orly4672 I think the nameless city was there before Godwyn descended into the depths. And maybe that there is a crucible knight there might indicate so. The crucible knights pre date the Erdtree.

[@dawsonjustus6277]

i think there’s a cool similarity to the different magic seals that could provide some insight into them. The most notable to me is the fact that they made their own night sky despite being banished, because the astrologers and sorcerers believe that the stars told their fates.

[@richizzle39]

The design on the back of the chairs look similar to the golden spike/spine being pulled out of the dlc guy, further relating it to Miquella, or at the very least the shadow. Another great video!

[@ZayftheScholar]

You're not the only one who thinks so @richizzle39! Appreciate your support!

[@stevenboddy4232]

I just wanted mommy melania to love and live. Shame we killed her and now we gotta chill with her brother

[@TheBallsbreakers]

Very interesting. Good video. Keep it up, bud.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you so much @TheBallsbreakers! Genuinely appreciate the support and glad you didn't break my balls 😂

[@TheBallsbreakers]

Haha will follow your channel from hereon out! @@ZayftheScholar

[@stephenmoore7749]

I think the line Gowry says is referring to the Sellians being descendants of the Eternal Cities, which would explain why we see their architecture and those Nox bosses there.

[@tomhutchins7495]

The blade "born of a corpse"... is this meant to be the blade used in the Night of the Black Knives? If so, could that corpse be the one under Stormveil? That would fit with it being "a relic"

[@ShadeStormXD]

Also the robed man in the dlc trailer has the knife/rune thing run through him and its got a similar appearance to the seal marks on the top of the chair/floor of ordina

[@Vitomano-vd2sv]

7:40 the knife is similar to the sacred relic sword, you can see the rib cage and how the legs create a "spiral"

[@DPD232]

I always took the Eternals as the way to refer to citizens inside Nokron, as its full name is Nokron the eternal city. And I thought they nickednamed them eternal city as in eternal night but in reality the idea that the eternals are the big fellas and they are rules of the city, while the rest are just their people, making it their city, as in the city inhabited by eternals (The eternal city)

[@diesel_tech_three4332]

The Nox were an offshoot of the Numens. The numens, of which Marika was one, were a long lived race hence the moniker Eternal. My personal theory is that the land in the shadow of the erdtree is in fact the original land of the numen race. In the lore, it says the shadow lands are were Marika first set foot...meaning to me that they sre were she is from.

[@destar1]

Helllo great video! I have some ideas that might be interesting. 1. Its resonable for Ordina to have Nox/Sellian arquitecture because its a town of, mostly, Albinaurics and the albinaurica were created by the Nox... Regarding the Fingerslayer blade, its very interesting how some of its unique design features that matches another weapon: the Sacred Relic Sword. Both weapons have a twisting double helix and were crafted from corpses. So, the question that remain is who is the corse behind the Fingerslayer Blade? was it a champion, saint, lord or even a God?

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thanks for the comment @destar1! I think those are all great points. I actually did bring up the visual similarity between the sacred relic sword and finger slayer blade 😅. Did you also notice the how it looks similar to the Gleam Eyed Queen's godslayer's great sword? Really interesting that all these weapons related to killing gods adopt a twisting helix pattern. Dunno what to say about it, but cool!

[@octosalias5785]

My personal theory is that the lineage of the Eternal Cities is like a hive. They cannot breed on their own, they must have a Queen (royal jelly female), whom died out when TGW attacked, as seen from all the distorted corpses. Albinaurics are a manufactured attempt to revive their people. Philia the large Albinauric is likely the last survivor and its why she is so important, she is quite literally the last chance for the albinaurics to procreate. These are so enshrined because monarchs are the most sacred things in Nox society.

[@ZayftheScholar]

There is sort of a nest or hive like quality to some of the architecture isn't there...

[@teagancombest6049]

​@@ZayftheScholarnot to mention their connection to ants

[@krib4785]

I like the theory of the giants being the Eternals and the progenitors of the Nox and Sellians, because it also aligns very closely with Latenna's questline and the giant Albinaruic woman in the Apostate Derelict right near Ordina. I always thought there might be some connection between the "towering sister" and the giants in the chairs, but it didn't make a ton of sense until you mentioned the giants as forebearers to the Nox and Sellians. (I think it's widely theorized/believed that the giant Albinauric is a sort of progenitor for the race, though not the original one as these giants may have been to the Nox/Sellians, and not overtly stated in-game iirc)

[@Victoria-vd2li]

7:45 it's a bit weird that the 'spine' of the blade splits into two, and the tip of it is shining, lovely and sharp

[@PowerfulSquirrel]

Only now realizing the two large chairs are empty - makes me wonder if they may somehow be related to the two and three fingers. They may be against the greater will, but still have a direct connection. Were they sacrificed/killed somehow and their hands/fingers maintained the connection to the greater will? Pure speculation!

[@errantvice7335]

My skull is gonna explode if I try to phrase this correctly but! The Nox seek to defy the greater will, which perhaps lives amidst the stars. The realm of the stars is called the primeval current, current like a flow of water. For a group that seeks to defy the greater will, to defy fate per say, I find it cool that they have aqueducts in their cities. Like they’re even declaring their intent by symbolically controlling the flow of water the same way they seek to control their fate

[@ZayftheScholar]

I think you phrased it beautifully! I'm always blown away by how knowledgeable this community is. edit: love the avvy too.

[@alexcoroian3983]

i think the giants on the thrones used to play a similar role to the two fingers. like they were the envoys of the lord of night, god of the nox, like the two fingers are envoys to the greater will, god of the golden order. or how the three fingers are envoys to the flame of frenzy, god of the scorned. feel me

[@pkthunder416]

I swear when I got the game in the first week that it still had the old description because I had joked to my coworker that between melted mushrooms being underground and turtle neck saying what it said that nobody is bathing or fucking in the Lands Between

[@pkthunder416]

Damnit this was supposed to go to a video I was watching about turtle necks, but your video (which was good too) came up next in my playlist and took the comment 🤪

[@dadevi]

To me, the corpse on the throne bit is a nod to Dark Souls and the Lords of Cinder being forced to be enthroned after being destroyed by our Ashen One. It's also a foreboding warning to the player character as well, because we end up on a throne at the end of the game. Is this the true fate of a Lord?

[@jason-hh6lu]

Nice video mate.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you kindly @Jason-hh6lu! appreciate your support!

[@scandodavey7317]

was the guy at 8:03 like impaled or ran through by the fully intact elden ring or what cause the ring add up if you look at the elden ring cover

[@triplebog]

Holy moly, the symbol on the back of the chairs is on the helmet of the dudes from the new story dlc trailer

[@FartMansion]

Great video i just subscribed 😊

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you so much @Caledken! Appreciate your support 🥹

[@user-dx8dy1uo8b]

If you look closer the fingers layer is a distorted version of the weapon the Elden beasts creates from Radagon’s corpse, so perhaps the blade IS the Lord of Night

[@SpiritOfDestiny]

i would assume the two that are missing from their respective thrones, were possibly employed by marika herself, to create the veil for the shadow of the erdtree, and to protect and watch over it

[@liammcconnell9322]

I’m fairly convinced that the image on the thrones is that of a conifer tree, which is a symbol predating the erdtree if I recall correctly.

[@nobody2416]

For me the new character from the dlc trailer in the blue hall is likely tied to the nox and lives underground. But maybe both caria and nox? Why did caria and the academy really separate, maybe there is another reason

[@cheyennestarr1186]

There is also a statue of a Nox Swordstress in the Church of vows in Liurnia.

[@Hasbro246]

I wonder if Iji's mirrorhelm has any relation to the Nox Mirrorhelm. It would be interesting to see what kinda ties he may have to the eternal cities and if perhaps he was a former citizen. Maybe he's how Ranni knows about the the fingerslayer blade also found in the eternal city.

[@Lyonatan]

The undead boat guy also summons giant skeletons to attack

[@littellenny1728]

I love the nox and something about them remindes me of new londo

[@danielsolomon63]

That chair model is also engraved on all the Devine Towers doors. Also when Gowry refers to the "eternal" i think he refers to the Eternal City of Nokron people.

[@MexicanTeTe]

I think the symbol on the thrones is of Elden Beast. Elden beasts design is based on Laniakea, a formation of hundreds of thousands of galaxies including the milky way. If the Nox worship the stars enough to create false night skies in the caverns they were banished to, it names sense that they'd worship the beast made up of billions of stars. Additionally, the nameless eternal city was likely originally part of Leyndell itself. The area past the blocked main entrance is an abyss full of fog. The nameless eternal city was likely located in that abyss before being banished underground. This is why you can access it through the Leyndell sewers. I think the location of that eternal city gives a vague explanation as to why elden beast might be found in the erdtree boss room. Finally, there's been some speculation that Radagon might be a mimic. The whole "Radagon is Marika" thing is never explained fully, but the mimics are the only beings in Elden Ring which can take on new forms. If Radagon were a mimic with ties to the eternal cities (which we know the eternal cities and the sorcery cities were close with one another and he even married Rennala) it might actually explain why we fight Radagon in phase one and then he transforms into the elden beast for phase two. No idea who the giants on the thrones are. My initial assumption was that the fingers belonged to giants like them. There's a whole bunch of giant skeletons in Caelid, so it's safe to assume that the entire lands between had giants living there at some point in history. The giants might not be so significant, themselves.

[@ZayftheScholar]

What an insightful comment! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your knowledge @MexicanTeTe

[@TheArchangel314]

My question is: could they even have ties to the Fingers we see? Could the Fingers be last half living remnants of those sacrificed when the “Greater Will” came? Whose fingers do you think those fingers were? I think the Sages of Nokstella as we see many buildings that could accommodate such large gentle giants. And not the same Bigfoot giants which were banished to the north or be carriage carriers. Im just thinking that those two Sages that were missing were killed for their fingers and thats how the Greater Will got its (I don’t think the Will is even a living thing, more like the Thing in the Thing movies)vassals in the first place. Also, in-game, I am a Night Sorcerer with a St. Miquella twist. I have his sword and also honor Radagon despite his full-on treachery with the discus of light he/Marika made. The true light/Night Sage of the Eternals. We will have to investigate this further.

[@stevenboddy4232]

I wonder how much story lore we'll get in the DLC. Theres a ton still to get to the bottom of.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I'm so hyped man!

[@carpetworms_]

KZbin fucked yup not recommending you sooner. Instant sub.

[@ShadeStormXD]

I think Gowry reference to the Sellians associated witht he Eternal is tying them firmly to the Eternal Cities

[@AkioJunichiro]

The pictogram on the chair is clearly a fusion between the representation of a tree and a rib cage.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Lots of people seem to agree with you, Akio! Thanks for sharing your take

[@teagancombest6049]

Or maybe a diagram of a nervous system

[@cyber_crysis_]

The Nox seal is also found on Ranni’s Discarded Palace Key, and she begins the Age of the Stars. Could Ranni have a connection with the Nox or her teacher, the Snow Witch? I mean, how did she know to send Blaidd underground for Nokron, I highly doubt that information is widely available. This is really interesting

[@Burblekut]

Can you tell me why? There is giant as waterfall stretching from north behind bestial sanctum if you traverse down you would see it. I believe it has something to do with farum azuli being connected to the piece of between mountain top and caelid would also make sense since there is trex dogs in both places and, giant dead giant gods? Almost like the nox giants. And farum reloacted would be next to the east side of the map from the center of where all divine towers make a circle which is the location theorised to be where the shadow of the erdtree takes place where it has instead been hidden from reality with a veil. Also in the shot of the trailer during the lion dance the arena looks alot like farum also the boss looks to be using ancient dragon lightning and from it throwing it like a spear. Also there was another shot in the trailer that had a long bridge sticking off the side of the building which looks like it would connect to the bridge se of farum which where all the deathblight monsters are. Anyways thats my basic theory i would also like to mention a couple things ive noticed which seem interesing from what ive talked about so far. One most if not all the deathblight you collect is on edge of the coast near the gulf which would surround the dlc map. And also if just find it funny you travel under the gulf from the siofra river to deeproot depths. Anyways thankyou that is it and i dont know what more to say. Bye

[@Burblekut]

Also where is all the water coming from if the waterfall is on the othe side of the gulf?😮

[@kirkginoabolafia3650]

One other piece of info to mention: why the odd placement of the thrones? There are three eternal cities and four thrones, yet Nokstella has two, Nokron has one, and Sellia (a city we don't believe necessarily belongs to the Nox). Why doesn't the nameless eternal city in the deeproot depths hold one? Does it have anything to do with Astel's destruction of the city? So many questions...

[@dynamicflashy]

Do the symbols on the chair crypts resemble the golden spikes that NPC in the DLC trailer was pulling from his head?

[@ZayftheScholar]

I think they do! I didn't bring it up because I was afraid it was me seeing patterns that weren't there...

[@dirmusloner7963]

Even so Marika called the eternal, I will share my thoughts, does anyone catches the ghostflame that enlighten the rooms in eternal cities? If yes does anyone know some entity before the age of Erdtree that has been taming to death? If you guess glowmite queen you have your answers

[@jonsmith6331]

I’ve been convinced for a while that the 2 and 3 fingers were stollen from these giant lords and and are worshiped out of ignorance.

[@PluPerfective]

Is it a stretch to think perhaps those giants hands are the same size as the vessel of the greater will, the 2-3 fingers?

[@ShinStriderHiryu]

Marika loves banning things to undeground huh, anyways excelent voice and video, keep up, specially when DLC comes

[@ZayftheScholar]

Appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment @ShinStriderHiryu! Stay tuned :)

[@richarddaigle8777]

The giants are the Ancients that established the world and its magic before the time of the Order and the Tree. They are the ones that gave birth to all the beings that evolved into the beasts and men we come across in Elden ring. The current "gods" attain godhood when they receive a sliver of the ancient power the creators once held, which can also be stolen from them when they are defeated. I believe these ancients created a lesser being before leaving their corporeal form, which the inhabitants of the world call the greater will.

[@Idontevenknowman779]

Dope vid

[@ZayftheScholar]

Thank you man!

[@scarvello]

As soon as I saw this thing is was constantly wondering who it was and what had happened here. Also those huge dragon knights in the game.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Same! My first playthrough I kept seeing the load screen and wondering when I would learn about them...

[@tonysack-a-titanite7497]

Who, him? That’s Dave. Cool dude- kinda quiet but he’s all good.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Dave's a total bro

[@iruamak8225]

Hear me out , that concept are at the end where the dead guys look like they're grafting towards the last eternal... similar to how marika golden order chose to restore life

[@argonaught]

I don't think the skeletons in the thrones were sacrificial because they're seated on a throne. But one thing is the albanuric woman we bring Latenna to seems to be giants like the skeletons in the thrones. So im wondering if there is some correlation there?

[@jessiesewell4076]

These giants must've been the root stock of the female Albinaurics. Idk something seems similar to the large Albinauric girl in the Northern church near Liturgical Town. Maybe these women did what Marika did with the Erdsap during the Age of Abundance and gave out libations made of Silver or they birthed Nightfolk. Many possibilities and all are interesting.

[@LilB0pete]

Really good video, but I’m not sure if the Nox were actually the “builders” of their era. What if the early giants built them after the Elden ring- which appears to be the oldest structures around. And I think the last survivors of the giant kin are seated down in the depths of the lands between, likely worshipped by the Nox and possibly some Numen. And I think that the Nox are likely actually a counterpart of the Numen, so I’m hoping the DLC shows us hints of these two peoples coming from the Land of Shadows. I’m also hoping FS plays more into how these groups celebrated the outer gods.

[@ZayftheScholar]

That's a very good point LilB0pete. I kind of took for granted that the cities were builders of the eternal cities. Possible they predate the Nox themselves. My reasoning was that if the giants built the cities the doorways and such would probably be larger.

[@PraiseTheGreatVoid]

Damn, I’m fucking with these videos

[@ZayftheScholar]

Appreciate it @PraiseTheGreatVoid! Just getting started

[@Acidreflux714]

I thoughtnitnmight be that dragon from lore that morphed into a human to become closer friends with humans.

[@ZayftheScholar]

Are you maybe thinking of Lansseax? "Lansseax was the sister of Fortissax. It is said that she took the form of a human to commune with the knights as a priestess of the ancient dragon cult." - Lansseax's Glaive

[@Acidreflux714]

@ZayftheScholar Yes. I think so. I remember thinking of the giant skeleton on the throne when I heard that description.

[@Victoria-vd2li]

Maybe the Big Beings are successful Nox versions of Lords?

[@x9Raven6x]

but they are women aren't they, wouldn't that make them empyreans instead? .. they are in need of a lord after all

[@Demokaze]

The lord of night isn't a rival outer god. It's the one who will become consort to the empyrean chosen by the moon. The nox wanted the order of the stars and the moon to come about by usurping the golden order. Their attempts at creating a lord was to tempt fate fulfill itself but fate was in stasis thanks to Radahn. All those silver tears we find at Night's Sacred Ground were unable to open the chest with the fingerslayer blade and our tarnished too won't be able to open this chest if they aren't destined to as the message "you are not destined to open this" will be on display if you attempt to take the fingerslayer before Ranni asks you about it.

[@ZayftheScholar]

First to admit when I make a mistake! Noted! So in this interpretation, the moon itself is more akin to the greater will?

[@Demokaze]

​@@ZayftheScholar The Greater Will doesn't seem to care who inherits the Elden Ring as even Malenia who harbors the curse of the outer god of scarlet rot in her was a valid candidate to replace Marika. In other words it's not picky about which Order replaces the Golden Order so long as it's achieved through its Elden Ring. I think Hyetta explains why when she translates the words of the Three Fingers. She says that EVERY curse came from the Greater Will's mistake. And Malenia's curse is pretty much the essence of an outer god. So if all curses are the product of the Greater Will then the outer gods are its children or extensions of it. Therefore the dark moon is no exception considering the next in line to replace Marika was Ranni. However, Ranni killed her empyrean flesh because she didn't want to become the Elden Ring's next vessel and in her ending it doesn't look like she's absorbing the Elden Ring, more like dispersing it with Marika's body. Not to mention we do not mend it in that ending which means it wouldn't be of use anyway and Ranni herself has no need of its shards as she discarded her Great Rune. I think this is why the Greater Will banished the Nox underground as their plan involved completely removing its influence from the Lands Between which is reinforced by the fact they made weapons that can kill its vassals the Two Fingers.

[@ZayftheScholar]

I appreciate you taking the time to write that out @Demokaze. It all seems logically sound and I take your point about the Greater Will even being to accept Malenia as an empyrean. I honestly hadn't heard someone make that point before. I will have to look further into those lines from Hyetta; it sounds really important but I honestly don't remember that at all 😅

[@rbelljr29]

The Nameless Eternal city looks to be the fallen section of Leyndell.

[@nemesisundead83]

I was always wondering about those tall people

[@nemesisundead83]

We could learn the name of the nameless city in the DLC

[@nemesisundead83]

From what I'm hearing we might be able to go to the castle in the sun realm shield the worshippers of the Sun

[@nemesisundead83]

I wonder if the Snowy Crone that trained Ranni under the dark moon was a Nox, the game never really mentioned that