The story trailer for the Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, shed some light on the history of the Realm of Shadow. In classic From Software fashion, the information was delivered via obscure poetic prose and relied on extensive knowledge of Elden Ring lore to decipher.
The History of the Realm of Shadow
The Realm of Shadow is a new area in Elden Ring that will be introduced via the DLC. It’s not connected to the Lands Between, so what happens in either realm stays in the said realm. The Realm of Shadow is also the first place where Queen Marika set foot before leaving to become the goddess of The Lands Between.
The story trailer doesn’t have much dialogue: 14 sentences total. But these 79 words are more than enough to paint a clear picture of the history of the Realm of Shadow. Let’s break it down.
Miquella the Kind spoke of the beginning. The seduction. And the betrayal. An affair from which Gold arose. And so too was Shadow born.
These first few lines speak about the affair involving Rennala, Radagon, and Queen Marika. It also mentioned the Golden Order, a belief system created by Queen Marika that focuses on the Erdtree as a symbol of faith. The “shadow” mentioned is the Realm of Shadow, a place that exists in the shadow of the Erdtree.
What followed was a war unseen. One that could never be put to song. A purge without Grace or honour. The tyranny of Messmer’s flame.
While the Lands Between have been ravaged by war (namely Caelid), so too was the Realm of Shadow. However, because the Realm is hidden away from the outside world, this war went unnoticed. The war was won by the tyrant Messmer, who aims to kill those without Grace. For, with the absence of Grace, death is permanent.
The reason why players can respawn in the in-game lore is because they have Grace. So, when Mesmer purged the Realm of Shadow, he did so, knowing the lives he took could not come back.
And so Kindly Miquella would abandon everything. His golden flesh, his blinding strength. Even his fate.
It’s believed that Miquella died when Mohg ripped him from his cocoon in the Haligtree, but it can also be true that Miquella intended to die to transport himself to the Realm of Shadow. In doing so, he gave up his ability to become a god. Miquella is an imperion, a character that can succeed Marika and become a god, and Malenia states he is the strongest and most fearsome imperion.
So, it would seem that Miquella gave his life so that he could go to the Realm of Shadow, even if it meant he’d lose his eternal youth, unmatched strength, and birthright to become a god.
But we are not deterred. We choose to follow. Will you walk with us?
These lines are a declaration from someone we can only assume is some sort of historian or devout follower of Miquella, akin to Gideon the All-Knowing. If Miquella has come to the Realm of Shadow to free it from Mesmer, then these NPCs aim to help him succeed in his goal.
And, since Miquella needs a Lord (that’s you), they humbly request that you join them.
