#greatrunes

[chriscraigmusic]

A few official snaps from the @great_run half marathon last weekend. My first official half marathon and managed to finish in the top 500. Absolutely delighted with my run and will be aiming to top that next year 😁 Great day and experience 😁 #greatrun #greatrunsolo #scotland #halfmarathon #firsthalfmarathon #glasgow #glasgowhalfmarathon #top500 #runnersofinstagram #runninglasgow #running #runningselfie #finishline (at Glasgow, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjiTJlctLuW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[snarp]

The Elden Ring is a written word as well as a physical object. That's why the Runes (letters) are there. That's also why the item descriptions talk about the "base" of the ring: it's like the base of a kanji. The Greatrunes implicitly function like kanji radicals, meaning that some of them may be full words in themselves, while some may require the addition of a second (or third) rune to become a word. When a demigod or the Tarnished gets hold of a Greatrune, they're in some sense taking possession of a part of the language everyone is speaking.

[tarnishedinquirer]

The Throne of Godfrey

While Gostock vented his spleen on Godrick's corpse, I continued into the hall. The seat of the Golden Lineage's faded power. Here, I took a moment to reflect on what I had gained from the death of a demigod. It felt weird that I didn't feel that different, even though I was carrying conceptual items of such great power now.

Godrick's Greatrune The Great Rune of the shardbearer Godrick, devoid of any benediction. Seek the Divine Tower of Limgrave, which stands beyond the great bridge from Stormveil Castle.

Ah. Figures I'd have to do something else first. At least I can get there pretty quick now, rather than having to fight a giant lion.

Then there was his Remembrance

Remembrance of Godrick, the Grafted, hewn into the Erdtree. The power of its namesake can be unlocked by the Finger Reader. Alternatively, it can be used to gain a bounty of runes. A feeble man sought power through the grotesque act of grafting. "One day we'll return together, to our home, bathed in rays of gold."

So it seems like a remembrance is a large collection of runes that have imprinted on someone of great power. Not quite a soul, but near enough. I'll have to see what the Finger Reader can do for me with this.

That taken care of, I took a look around. The throne itself was massive. Out of curiosity I tried to sit in it and I felt like a child sitting in an adult's chair. Godrick was certainly of that size post-grafting, but originally he was probably a little smaller than me. This must be Godfrey's throne, then. He certainly looked massive enough in his painting.

The room was encircled by statues. Most of them the bald monk statues with their unflowered staves, but directly behind the throne was a statue of Godfrey himself. He looked younger and thinner than in his other depiction, and his axe was not broken. This must've been Godfrey as a young conqueror. He hadn't yet gained the decades, if not centuries, of layered bulk that only an aged warrior has. I could see this statue residing in the Church of Pilgrimage, and mae ybe anywhere else with a Radagon statue now.

However, behind him was something else. A bas-relief of a great lion. I'd seen that lion on his back in the feasting hall, but this looked different. It was out of scale and wasn't even really on his back, just behind him. The weathering was different, maybe even the material was different. They weren't even looking the same direction, and the lion's claws weren't on his shoulders, they were resting on the ground.

The bas-relief was here first.

The same thing was obvious with the monk statues. They were of an even more recent make and a much paler material. The bas-relief behind them was a repeating pattern of women holding shields. An order of shield maidens protecting their lord? But if their lord was not Godfrey, then who?

At the top of the alcove, there was a relief depicting some sort of ceremony involving women with pitchers. On the left, a woman hides behind a column, while another sulks and is comforted by a bearded man. However, the column she leans against warps strangely. Like there's something underneath it that caused difficulty for the sculptor. Indeed, some of the newer concrete has chipped off at the bottom, but even with the tip of my sword, I couldn't get it to chip any more. This is not the original art, but it's now impossible to see what's underneath.

I had to imagine this place in its heyday. Petitioners would line up outside, maybe even through the whole castle. They'd have to approach past graves... surely, those of his enemies. A dire warning to anyone who would cross the Lord of Gold. It was not a large room...maybe a handful of petitioners at most. Hell, maybe only one at a time. Godfrey would be sitting on the throne, with a statue of himself behind him. Sure, there would be guards and courtiers in the side chambers, but you'd basically be alone with a man whose power can break worlds. Think carefully before you ask him a boon.

One thing stuck out to me...

...where was Marika?

If Godfrey was her Lord Consort, then would she not be reigning with him? Yes, I know the capital is in Altus, but there should at least be space for a chair. And even if this was his personal castle, then there should be signs of her presence, given how much she outranked him. A statue or something.

Mentally, I peeled back the layers. I removed the monk statues first. Then, the plaster. I couldn't tell what was underneath, so I didn't focus on that. A vague outline and the alcove looked fine.

This was how Godfrey's chamber looked in the past. Almost seemed more tasteful, with the focus on him instead of... whoever was in the statues.

Hmm.... could the statues in some way represent Marika? They were androgynous, but they looked so withered and aged. Perhaps Marika pre-ascension to godhood?

I peeled back the next layer. Gone was the statue of Godfrey. Gone was the throne? It seemed so. What, then, would have been the center of the chamber?

Of course. A heraldic beast. Lion, wolf, or something else? Impossible to say without moving the throne. It resembles the crest on Godrick's axe. But if this beast was meant to be shown, then who could have reigned here? Surely any king would need a throne.

I turned my attention to the ark at the back of the chamber. It did not seem to open, but perhaps...

A crowned lion. The thing was decorated with crowned lions.

I stepped back and pictured it. Entering the chamber to entreat the lord of the castle. On the floor, at the center of the room, is a heraldic lion. Behind the lord is a lion. The dais in the back of the room is decorated with lions. And upon the dais is...

Could it be?

Yes. It's the only thing that makes sense if you think about it. If the symbol on the floor is supposed to be seen, there can't be a throne. A human would need a seat. But a beast can just perch on a rock if it has to, or, more likely, the dais at the back of the room.

Before Marika. Before Godfrey. Served by stormhawks, there was a literal king among beasts.

The original lord of this castle was a lion.

Is a remembrance just a collection of runes, or a soul? is there a difference?

What will happen when I activate the rune?

Is the bald monk Marika, in an earlier form?

Did Godfrey literally wear the former lord of this castle on his back?

Could a lion really have ruled this castle?

[sausage-rolll]

It's not really implied very heavily in lore but I've always subscribed to the theory that the greatrunes negatively affect their demi-gods, since most greatrune holders have been trapped into never ending cycles of trying to amass power/accomplish a specific goal.

Rykard, Mohg and Godrick are all similarly running in circles trying to gain power without actually doing anything with it and Rennala is endlessly trying to birth something before we take her greatrune off of her.

The only real exceptions to this are Radahn, because he's lost his mind, Malenia, because she's only just woken up for the first time since the shattering wars and Morgott because... IDK, I've got nothing for Morgott, he's just built different I guess. (Though you could argue that him hunting tarnished and perpetuating the status quo is his endless cycle)

All active people who own a greatrune shard, demi-god or not, have fallen into some sort of self destructive, never ending cycle.

fuck, if you really wanna push this theory Maliketh is holding a greatrune in the form of the rune of death and he's litterelly been stuck in a timeless structure for the entire shattering.

I feel like this is also implied because Ranni decided to cast aside her greatrune, this being significant because she’s the only demi-god who can actually accomplish their end goal by the finale of the game and isn't just running in circles.

[roachymochi]

Just finished a re-read of Siegfried, by Alex Alice, which is a graphic novel adaptation of the Ring of the Nibelung. And, as expected, it gave me the Elden Ring brainworm, specifically with the two Nibelung brothers, Mime and Fafnir :

Mime (with soup) on the left, Fafnir on the right

The two are underground creature, as Odin's law forbid their kind to ever see the light of day, lest they be turned to stone.

Mime is, despite this, a surface dweller. As such he is constantly held back by is nature, and end up bowing to the rule of Odin. He's in charge of raising Siegfried, a human child who, free from Odin's influence, will be able to slay the Dragon and free the world of his tiranny. Mime as an extremely bitter attitude about all this, and berates Siegfried constantly.

Fafnir, used to be the vilest of all Nibelung. Hated by everyone, he manage to steal the Gold and, cursing love in all its forms, use its power to become the tyrant of the underground world. He amasses countless riches, and the bigger his treasure, the monstrous he gets. He end up swallowing all the riches of the Earth, and turned into a dragon he slowly kill the Earth from the inside. Despite the threat he represents, Odin can't kill him because of his own divine Law.

Their general design, attitudes, and contrast remind me so much of the Omen twins.

Both underground creature forbidden to see the light of day as per the Golden Order's Law.

One is poor and dressed in rags, and turned bitter by is nature yet serving the very Law that cursed him.

The other fleeing his condition by digging even deeper underground and rejecting all his humanity in the search of power and "freedom", which is really just greed and vanity.

It's the "clinging to love and humanity despite all the pain it brings" vs the "reject love and humanity and become the monster that won't have to bow down to anyone, no matter how many will die". It's making me emotional okay.

Also the graphic novel does this really cool visual Leitmotiv thing where the color of character eye change if the gold is influencing them (like the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings movies).

You can just tell when it's the gold making him act and when his humanity and love for his adoptive son is holding him back, it's so cool.

And the exact same process is used in Elden Ring ! the demigods went mad from the taint of their newfound greatrune (paraphrasing the intro) and when we meet them several have this very unnatural golden eye and black sclera look to them. I think only the most mad with power are affected ? Radahn and Ryhkard have it, at least.

[ichorandpride]

What gear did you use for Malenia???? espec while naked?

just this shit. i did not use the shield at all i forgor to take it off

otherwise my weapon was Bloodhound Claws+25 on both hands. and i guess staff of the great beyond even though i only used it for putting bloodflame on my claws and immediately got rid of it, so idk if that counts

not necessarily naked this time. my two pieces of armour were uhhhh omensmirk mask (gives extra strength) and sanguine noble's waistcloth (does nothing but hide my asscheeks from her. out of respect, you see)

talismans: rotten winged sword heirloom, starscourge insignia, green turtle talisman, and dragoncrest greatshield talisman

btw these are my stats if you want it as well. do not tear me apart for my godawful "jack of all trades" build. i just love too many weapons to focus on minmaxxing into a single thing. yes i get my ass kicked but that's part of the fun

i didnt use the greatrune i have equipped. actually i dont think ive used it once because im kinda afraid to waste a bunch of rune arcs....

[theywontletmebeprincipal]

mohg greatrune. why so yonic

[miirshroom]

Renowned Tarnished and the Shardbearers they Champion

Why does the guidance of grace point towards the greatrunes, but also Millicent, Castle Sol, and Castle Morne? A process of elimination with the shardbearers philosophies and the renowned Tarnished of Elden Ring:

Firstly - ignore the Empyreans (and Rennala) for now. If Ranni is any example - the endings that align with their philosophies would have been something truly something unique. 

Secondly - assume that the endings are exactly as shown. The fractured and broken version of Marika is never repaired. The Elden Ring may be fixed, but she herself never is - in the four standard endings we become Lord to a dead god.

Mohg - Dung Eater - Mending Rune of the Fell Curse

Mohg revels in being an Omen. The Fell Curse aims to create a world where everyone lives a cursed existence. No notes. By which I mean, yes there is nuance to Mohg and I have many notes, but no I don't think it is needed context for this connection.

Morgott - Goldmask - Mending Rune of Perfect Order

Morgott is also called the veiled monarch, to hide that he is an Omen. Goldmask is hiding a frankly emaciated and undead looking face behind a brilliant mask of gold. Also notably, Goldmask is not aligned with the hunters of those who live in death. His goals and Fia's are not in opposition. Both Morgott and Goldmask see that there is an inherent problem with the Golden Order - but continue trying to prop it up by any means necessary rather than allowing for change to a new kind of Order. Marika is Radagon and we just killed them - god is dead, but let's put on a good face and pretend that all is well.

Godrick - Fia - Mending Rune of Death

This one is most easily understood through methods - they are both about reanimating corpses to restore a gruesome version of the Golden Lineage. Godrick grafts body parts onto himself with corpsewax. The yellow in the wings of Fortissax the lichdragon demonstrate that there is little difference between corpsewax, amber, and "gold". In all endings the rune of Destined Death is returned to the Elden Ring - but it's Fia's end that introduces the new centipede looking rune of Death. Those who live in death are exalted in the upcoming age.

Rykard - Sir Gideon Ofnir - Age of Fracture

They also actually have a lot in common, but it's subtle: Neither wants to restore the Elden Ring. Both are associated with orders of knights, both are only interested in prolonging combat. They've positioned themselves as arbiters of god's will - Gideon through claiming to know Marika's intent and Rykard through declaring himself a god wanting to devour and replace Marika. 

Radahn - Hoarah Loux - Relics of the Age of the Erdtree

It can't really be said that we meet "Radahn" in the game - his mind has long since been rotted away by Malenia. Similarly, when we first encounter Godfrey, his eyes have lost grace. He only regains the light of grace after the defeat of Morgott - who had been striving to prop up the failing Golden Order. Morgott is the face of the Golden Order as it is, and Godfrey the face of what it was at the height of its power. Also Radahn was said to idolize Godfrey, and they both have that lion theme. 

So, given that understanding of how we can unwittingly choose to side with various demi-gods through the renowned Tarnished, I think that the guidance of Grace has something to do with ideals. To fight any given shardbearer requires stepping into their domain - to consider the world from their point of view. Ideals are infectious - the act of engaging with them may be subtly influencing the perspective of the player Tarnished and impacting the ending that they choose to lock in.

This purpose would explain the presence of the 3 outlier guidance of grace: Millicent and Castle Sol are both important to understanding Malenia and Miquella's perspectives. Completing Irena's quest at Castle Morne is the mandatory first step in understanding the perspective that culminates in the Frenzied Flame. Which is also important to Miquella's - it is afterall his needle that can stop the frenzy flame ending. And for Melina, going through with the Frenzy Flame reveals a side of her that otherwise would not have been seen.

[beepartcollection]

sobbing into my hands engie and millicent (i love your elden ring au!! if you'd like, could you say a bit more about what sniper's up to in the lands between?)

Sure thing!

So Sniper, just like in canon material, is just kinda there. Not to say he's not important of course, he's the kinda guy who enjoys just being there. Unlike everyone else on the team, Sniper actually has survival skills, he knows how to set up a tent, make a fire, hunt for food, and more. Though the fact there's 9 people and 1 him makes things difficult. Plus, it's the lands between, so things are hunting them while they go about. I have this one idea for a chapter in the fic where they hunt a bear, and Heavy is like 'something doesn't feel right' and then they get attacked by a rune bear. For reference, a rune bear is this

Sniper, like the rest of the gang, would not have his weapons or gear with him, so he makes due- bow and arrow time. Canonically he at least knows how to use one, so he definitely would find the nearest shortbow and get to work sniping heads while everyone else distracts the enemy.

Eventually when Medic loses use of his legs (Deathblight), he's stuck to his horse, however, the horse only knows movement with stirrups and reigns, and Sniper lost his horse- an omen for how the rest of the au's gonna go- so they join forces, since both of them prefer to not be in range of enemy attacks. They don't like sharing the horse.

Also, Sniper's hair grows out! I just think he looks very attractive with long hair (blame @/queensqueercourt for getting me into it). He also by some miracle still has his aviators and hat by the end.

Speaking of the end! Spoilers for the fic and body horror ahead!

So, Sniper does eventually die in the fic, pretty late into it, but he does. The team needs all seven greatrunes to get home, so they have to beat Godrick, Morgott, Rennala, Mohg, Radahn, Malenia, and Rykard in order to get inside the Erdtree and restore the Elden Ring and all that. Now, Malenia, is, uh, Malenia is Malenia. She has +10 million kills of players over any other boss, and it took Jerma 4 hours to beat her (When I shared my au with friends, they asked if they can summon Let Me Solo Her. They cannot.)

So in the fight, there's Heavy, Scout, Pyro, and Sniper. Heavy uses fist weapons and he's slow and tanky, so against a boss like her yes he can hit hard, but he's also a liability in that she heals when she hits you. Pyro has fire spells, and that's fine and dandy, but she does eventually target them and Heavy has to protect them, cause Malenia is Malenia. Scout also moves fast, and can hit her, but Malenia is Malenia, and she will kill him before anyone can react. So Sniper, someone who stands back and takes shots, is perfect for this, and deals most of the damage and lands many status effects on her with some special arrows he made. But Malenia knows this, and after they beat her first phase, and she becomes an avatar of rot, she singles out Sniper, and, well.

However, after his corpse is thrown on the ground. He refuses to die. He has one last job to do, and snipers dont give up. He becomes an avatar of rot, and for the brief period of time he's got left, he's going to kill this bitch so the others can get home.

His eyes are rotten, the moths are eating him alive, and the rot is spreading throughout his body, but him and Scout work together, they've got to finish her before anyone else dies.

When Malenia finally dies, Sniper collapses, more than half of him is rotted, and it's spreading fast. Scout, Heavy, and Pyro say their final words to him, and Sniper says goodbye.

[foibles-fables]

Putting aside fan views of the Hunting Grounds, which do you think a young Talanah would've most enjoyed and, which do you think she struggled with the most?

Here’s the thing--when you consider the canonical history of the Sundom, young Talanah likely didn’t do any of them. Before Avad’s edicts changed the Lodge Bylaws, women weren’t allowed to partake in the hunt/Hunting Grounds. 

No matter how awesome Talavad was, I bear it in mind that he likely upheld the bylaws publicly, as was kind of his job...no matter how he felt about them. That doesn’t mean that he didn’t take Talanah on hunts sometimes and quietly--we see her training during the Liberation comic and with her own bow in the Sunhawk comic (this aspect of both of which I take with a hefty grain of salt anyway)--but I actually doubt she received a lot of training from him. It’s implied that Tarkas was the one who more formally taught her, and she likely didn’t earn any Suns until the edicts went into effect. 

Knowing her, I’m willing to bet the stealth trials in the Spurflints were NOT her thing, lmao. She probably likes the Greatrun trials best.

[bungerc0re]

i should eld ring but fire giant is a bit impenetrable. which means i should be hunting the snake greatrune man but i can't. find him.

[kunosoura]

the fact that the guidance of grace appears to urge you towards the end of the dlc is so funny too like among the other things we can only conclude Marika wants us to do (meet ranni, deal with her cringe corrupted greatrune-holding children, embrace and then purge the frenzied flame so Melina doesn't have to kermit) she also wants us to kill White Baby

[draconic-ichor]

So where's Maddox in relation to his daughter? In the same underground area, or did she ditch her poor blind dad? Is one protecting the other?

Keep in mind that this whole au is just fun and not actual plans for the Morgling’s futures…

But yes, Nenet and Maddox are in separate areas of the underground. I headcannon that holding a greatrune can corrupt oneself easily so not all of the ocs are still in their right minds.

Maddox would be in the Siofra Aqueduct, so technically within Nokron while Nenet is in Nokstella.

Specifically I want his boss area to be around the waterfall where a crucible knight can be found ingame. He would be able to hear every step of the player, getting enraged if the sound of the spirit bell plays.

Even though he is blind, Maddox is far from helpless. He would be very fast in his boss form, being able to dual-wield erdsteel daggers and knock the player down with his tail. He would mutter about the player being a trespasser, whisper his daughter’s name and upon death cry out for his lost love. Definitely a somber fight.

My plan for Nenet was for her boss area to be in the Nokstella, Eternal City. The highest room, in the audience chamber with the giant throne. The place were the tarnished can find the Moon of Nokstella trinket.

She would start out upon the throne, face obstructed by a veil, hiss out about the players filth drug down from the surface. Mind ate up and now worshiped by the remaining Nox, her fight would be of night magics. I also imagined her summoning mimics during the fight, becoming extras of herself. Horns stumps still dripping and leaving poisonous puddles on the ground.

Both her and her father would be optional bosses.

[dimitrscu]

I swear every couple of months there’s a post that goes around r*ddit saying “why does Malenia attack you on sight??” and I have to wonder if they are being serious or if it’s just another meme cause what are they on about? Of all the things to get mad at imagine getting mad at that lmao. My brother in christ its a video game and she is a boss. You quite literally break into her home and start killing her people wtf did you think she was going to do? Literally everyone and their mother attacks you on sight in this game apart from the friendly NPCs. Radahn snipes you the moment he sees you. Godfrey has an opener that is quite literally the same as Malenia’s only a little slower. Morgott cusses you out before immediately slapping the shit out of you. I mean it is common knowledge the tarnished is there to kill demigod’s and take their greatrunes right?

[sausage-rolll]

One thing I’ve been thinking about recently that I just cannot get out of my head is why Marika shattered the elden ring? I mean, it’s all well and good to just say “Oh it’s because she was driven mad by the death of Godwyn of course” but I just don’t think that’s quite right. Not only does it feel weird to assume the shattering was just some spur of the moment decision done in an emotional outburst when it was very clearly planned in quite a lot of detail but it also doesn’t really add up with the timeline since Godfrey was presumably sent out of the lands between long before Godwyn died and that seems to be a massive part of what Marika’s plan was.

I think I’ve come up with a semi possible alternative reason as to what could have driven Marika to destroy her own order.

Ok hear me out here.

What if she instead betrayed her order because of what happened to her omen children? I mean, think about it. They are still her children after all and she had to abandon both of them as infants to a life of hell because the greater will (or the golden order, could be both) doesn’t like Omens.

We know that the GW was a pretty controlling (and rather petty) god when it was in power so it definitely had the ability and motive to strong arm Marika into doing things she wouldn’t want to. Even if she did want to keep the twins with her, what choice would she have had with that sort of being looming over her head 24/7?

Imagine how much that would destroy your faith in a system. Her own children, subjected to a life of pain and ridicule because of the way they were born all because her god (or society) says so.

I find it hard to believe that she wouldn’t at least have some conflicted feelings over the whole ordeal.

-

I think the biggest evidence I have here is the fact that the omen twins were not only gifted greatrunes upon the rings shattering (something only granted to Marika’s offspring) but Morgott was even ‘given grace’, which is something Marika has a lot of control over.

Even after being born omens and being abandoned early on in their lives Marika still considered them enough of her kin to be given a chance in the shattering race. Now you could argue that them getting their greatrunes was just a happy accident but I really don’t think the same could be said about Morgott being grace given. That seems like a very conscious decision.

We can even see that Godfrey himself had some sense of fondness (or at least respect) for Morgott from the way he holds and speaks to him in his opening boss cutscene, is it really so out of the question that Marika may have felt the same?

-

TLDR

What if Marika having to abandon her Omen children because of the greater will and golden order was the catalyst that began her plot to shatter the ring and end her own order?

[dravetrunner]

#run #getup #greatrun #thursdayvibes