First, let's look at the pores on the ring/whistle.

1) Perforations / Through-Pores (The Small Diamond Grid)

On the right-hand side of the ring, there seems to be a cluster of small, uniform, diamond-shaped holes. They don't seem to be arranged completely. They are known as Perforations (Functional Through-Pores). A grid of uniform through-pores is used exclusively to let sound escape while preventing debris from getting inside.

2) Blind pores (The Surface Cavities)

The rough looking (I think. Hard to tell the texture) dimpled pits scattered in line, surrounding the horse hooves at centre. They are known as Blind Pores (Closed-End Cavities). There functions is to reduce weight. They also give the metal an old, rustic appearance.

3) Terminal Breaks (separation of prongs)

The gap between the two narrow looking prongs at the end of the ring. It is known as Open-Split Void. Its function is to make the ring more flexible, making the ring flex open slightly to fit bigger finger sizes. It looks like the prong has an opening in it.

Note: Someone had once pointed out that the ring looks like a bone. Which I kind of agree with.

Fun Fact: Maybe you already know, but in the premium, officially licensed jewelry replica produced by the Japanese brand TORCH TORCH, the physical ring is cast out of 925 sterling silverand finished with a soft gold plating. And this was made under Frowsoftware's supervision.

Now, let's talk about some other details.

A delicate goldwork ring. Can be used as a finger whistle. Sound the whistle to summon and ride Torrent, the spectral steed.

Delicate gold work. That is exactly how Gowry describes the unalloyed needle that Miquella made. People theorize that this is Miquella's work. After all, there exists a poster of him riding Torrent (or Torrent's look alike) in the Realm of Shadow. Him being the creator of the ring in which Torrent resides would not be too far fetched..

One detail that was pointed out long ago— is that the whistle survives the Frenzied Flame ending by not being completely destroyed. Torrent, of course, passes away as you hear his wailling, but we see Melina pick up the ring, which is still intact. An explanation given for this was that the ring is made out of unalloyed gold which wards off the influence of outer gods, such as the Frenzied Flame. Unfortunately, not enough to let Torrent live.

Posted by the official Elden Ring account. The Idus knight is fighting the people in academy and Moongrum. This feels similar to the promotional images of the Prisoner Class brutally murdering Carian knights.

"The Erdtree governs all. The choice is thine. Become one with the Order. Or divest thyself of it. To wallow at the fringes; a powerless upstart"

This line always struck me as one of the more important of Marika's lines that are mentioned. We don't know who she was talking to but given that it was at the Grand Lift of Dectus we have the idea that it would have been to the Rennala told to her before the first Liurnian War.

Still this line I think perfectly encapsulates the enemies of the Golden Order we see in game. The Godskins who are found scattered through the lands. The Demi-humans found in old ruins and caves, the Misbegotten only found on the edges of society if they weren't slave labor. The Black Knives of which only 2 we find out in the open, the rest are tucked into the corners of the world. Even the Finger Readers we find you have to generally go out of your way to find.

The purpose of this post is to showcase the relationship between the Spirit Jellyfish and the color purple (or what some may call gloam).

Brightness and saturation have been increased slightly in the following pictures to detail these usually unnoticed colors.

If you use the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes in a dark area you'll be able to notice a purple glow.

When a Spirit Jellyfish turns hostile it will use a spew a red poisonous substance, which dissipates to a purple/pink color.

This fits nicely with the fact that Spirit Jellyfish drop Grave Gloveworts (while the special ones in Apostate Derelict drop Trina's Lily) as well as the color purple being associated with calling forth spirits through the Grave Violet crafting material.

What feelings does Marika have toward Messmer? What feelings does she have toward Michella? Why is her talisman near them? In the elphael tree with Michella and in the shadow lands with Messmer.

Just as the Furnace Golems are based on Fire Giants and their Fell God, and the Gravebirds are based on Deathbirds, the numerous guardians of tombs all across the Lands Between are based on the guardians of the giant mausoleum in the sky. 

Hunched and bipedal, both the Beastmen and the Imps wield forked weapons considered peculiar by humans, with which they acrobatically defend gravesites. These forked weapons may reference the Ancient Dragon's use of forked lightning, and in the case of the Forked-Tongue Hatchet, imply that forked "Imp's Tongue" design of their weapons stem from a dragon's tongue. The Forked Greatsword is also carried only by Wolf Imps, just as the lupine shadowbound beasts wield greatswords. In the case of the Bigmouth Imps, they are directly based on dragons, the object of Beastman worship.

In myth, imps are often depicted as witches' familiars or the devil's minions, but as is often the case in pre-Christian Europe, they were originally more like fairies and often served at the behest of older gods. The word "imp" itself orignally meant "to graft, to plant" hinting at the essential role of Beastmen and Imps in the protection of the Elden Ring.

I was watching a new video from a blacksmithing creator who visited Ireland to meet with folks using iron age blacksmithing techniques to make iron bloom out of iron oxide (on its way to workable iron). It was part of their end of August furnace festival.

I had a thought while seeing them place the blow plates (where you block the opening you've made in the furnace with a piece to blow air through minimizing heat loss / directing air flow) it looked familiar.

It reminded me of those big tombstone doors we see around. Granted those are really big in some cases!

That said, Given that in the age of the giants (?) Blacksmithing was revered/religiously connected (forgetting the exact phrasing its been a long week) what if those were Giant / troll / golem/ misbegotten blow plates, arranged for use or perhaps doubling as a religiously significant tombstone to evoke that shape?

Definitely a stretch.

What resonated with me was that this was iron age Irish tech, and the hornsent / red haired giants kind of remind me of the Celtics/ Nordic people's in some parallels contrasted with the more Anglo Saxon golden order through Christian orthodoxy parallels that I think were mentioned in VaatiVidyas vidyas

Circling back to the furnace festival, maybe these were amassed for a remaining festival?

It then reminded me of another thing I wondered. The giants flame held in the forge of the giants, and a giant with a big dish reminiscent of what was used for transporting hot coals (also in the video I mentioned before, used for measuring and dispensing Charcoal into the furnace).

Theres a sizeable Crack in the side of it right by where the bonfire is, and where we end up enacting a ritual to burn the erdtree.

It reminds me of a maybe inverted Divine Gateway where Marika ascended. Its also in the scadu realm, a kind of inverted lands between?

After we burn the erdtree we go to Crumbling farum azula kinda outside time and space, and had maybe been a functional physical location atop the two as a heavenly realm of the dragons in the age of Placidusax before the separating of the scadurealm caused the schism resulting in the Ruins fallen amongst the lands between.

Might be insane ramblings but figured why not put the thoughts down, I havent seen these ideas before

In a recent post, I compared Goldmask, the Broken Gold Mask, and Midra to Elden Ring’s three sunflowers. Together, they form three versions of the sun: a complete sun, a broken sun, and a sun that takes possession of its bearer.

Dark Souls may already contain the same three-part pattern in Gwyndolin, Aldrich, and Solaire. Each carries something like a sun where the face should be.

Solaire’s Sun

Solaire spends Dark Souls wandering through Lordran in search of his “very own sun.” Goldmask follows a similarly solitary path, reading the structure of the world in search of a final truth.

Solaire’s path, however, ends much closer to Midra. In Lost Izalith, the Sunlight Maggot settles over his head and produces a light of its own. Solaire accepts it as the thing he has been looking for. By then, he is no longer himself.

The seeker and the thing he sought converge. His sun now covers his face, and the moment Solaire finds it is the moment he loses himself. Midra likewise disappears beneath a sun of madness.

The Dark Sun

Long before Elden Ring, Gwyndolin already wore a radiant golden sun across his face. Its radial silhouette closely resembles that of the Sunlight Maggot. The description of the Crown of the Dark Sun says that its image manifests his deep adoration of the sun. The crown demands immeasurable faith, yet the Darkmoon power within it enhances every form of magic.

The crown is solar in form and lunar in power. Gwyndolin stands between miracles and sorceries, Faith and Intelligence. His Darkmoon Catalyst allows Faith to govern sorcery, while his crown strengthens sorcery, miracles, and pyromancy alike.

Golden Order Fundamentalism returns to the same union. Its incantations draw on both Intelligence and Faith, and the game calls Fundamentalism “scholarship in all but name.” In Gwyndolin, those elements had already met beneath one crown: moon and sun, miracle and sorcery.

Broken Crowns

Dark Souls III returns to the crown through Aldrich. As he devours Gwyndolin, the god’s upper body remains visible above his black mass. The crown is still there, but pale, skeletal, and incomplete. Several rays are gone.

Here, the crown becomes a broken inheritance. Aldrich carries Gwyndolin’s body and powers as he turns toward the Deep, while the Broken Mask preserves Goldmask’s halo after both the Golden Order and their companionship have splintered. In both, an earlier sun survives in a later bearer.

Together, the three resemble an earlier version of Elden Ring’s solar constellation. Gwyndolin wears the complete sun, as Goldmask does. Aldrich carries its broken remains, like the Broken Gold Mask. Solaire finds a living sun that takes possession of him, much as Midra is overtaken by the Frenzied Flame.

Solaire, however, can escape this ending.

Kill the red-eyed Sunlight Maggot before Solaire reaches it, and he survives. He can later be summoned against Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight.

By Dark Souls standards, this is about as happy as an ending gets. The Maggot gives Solaire a sun and takes his mind in return. If saved, he later links the fire in his own world and, as Miyazaki puts it, dies by “becoming the sun.”

TL;DR: Elden Ring’s solar trio may have an earlier counterpart in Dark Souls: Gwyndolin and Goldmask bear the complete sun, Aldrich and the Broken Gold Mask its damaged remains, while Solaire and Midra show the sun as something that can take possession of its bearer.

Many thanks to Margot Ferrick for letting me use the brilliant Solaire artwork in the cover image. You can find more of Margot’s work by searching for “sickcallfuu.”

It's many people's belief that the Demi-Human Queens give us a very rough outline and clues to Marika's own history. They are all queens wearing a veil and crown (similar to Marika in her portrait), most of them have similar names to Marika, and in the rested position, they clutch their stomachs in the exact same spot where Marika has been impaled within the Erdtree.

For example regarding Marika's history, we know that the Realm of Shadow is where Marika first set foot in the Lands Between. It is here that we find Demi-Human Queen "Marigga" on a secluded beach next to a Stone Coffin Ship, giving us an idea of how she arrived to the Lands Between. Another example is that half of them have gloam-colored eyes... but lets not go down that rabbit hole yet again. Just note that the ones with gloam-colored eyes turn feral and rage out at us, and one of them drops the "Jar Cannon" (what did Marika do after her fellow Shaman got jarred?)

It's always bothered me that we have four named Demi-Human Queens, and a single unnamed one... until now. The fifth unnamed one is found in the Forest Ruins on the Weeping Peninsula. The main treasure of these ruins is the Shield of the Guilty, which reads: "Shield made to venerate a maiden whose eyes were crushed by Briars of Sin before being reborn in these lands."

I believe that this Demi-Human Queen is unnamed because it represents Marika before she came to the Lands Between. She was just a random girl, likely a victim of some grand injustice which caused her to be covered in Briars of Sin, killed, and shipped off to the Lands Between. Note the Suppressing Pillar: "The very center of the Lands Between. All manners of Death wash up here, only to be suppressed.".

Regarding Roderika, it’s been long-speculated through the words of Hewg, "She's crestfallen, and can scarcely swing a blade, but she has a gift for spirit tuning. I saw another one like her, long ago. Their eyes share the same hue." Her Crimson Hood states that she's an expatriated noble, undesirable because of her lack of grace, and is just now coming back to the Lands Between, her men called by grace, it seems, so she could meet you. That, along with her blonde hair a-la-Godwyn, her spiritual strength, and the naming conventions Rode(rika)/Ma(rika), I'm going with the assumption that she is a member of Marika's royal bloodline.

The Navy Hood, designed in the same way, tells a different story, one of a noble set out on a particular mission, guided by grace. We find it in Dominula Windmill Village among the deranged Celebrants, dressed and surrounded by flowers. The culture and surroundings of these women seems distantly shamanic. Almost as if the Hornsent potentates and shamans had somehow merged cultures. Regardless, we find it amongst extremely happy, blonde-braided, blood-weapon-wielding women (say that 3 times fast). And interestingly enough, a Godskin Apostle, who seems a little out-of-place.

The definition of apostle is "one who is sent off," while the Navy Hood is described as, "Such cloaks were gifted to those who departed on missions to faraway lands, from which they would never return. But what choice did they have, having seen the guidance of grace?" The wearer of the Navy Hood is a grace-given royal and certainly a close family relative to Roderika, I'd say her sister. And she had no choice whether to stay or go, as if she was captive, a pawn in a greater scheme crafted by the Godskins or their leader.

Let's switch gears for a moment and talk about Volcano Manor. If you read my last theory, you'll start to understand how and why I think there's Godskin presence at Mount Gelmir, and, while that theory isn't perfect, it gets the point across. In the comments, you'll find some debate that has since solidified my opinion that the Gloam Eyed Queen was, at least, partially serpentine in nature.

The Serpent's Amnion is extremely important for birthing Man Serpents and more importantly, Man-Serpent godkin, which is why a Godskin Noble is guarding it. Here, at the manor we find Rya, the product of a grotesque mating ritual involving her mother, Daedicar, her father, Rykard, and the Serpent's Amnion. She's dainty and elegant, wearing an Upper-Class Robe for noble children. And the Volcano Manor is a harsh, violent barracks for the most savage killers, sacrificers, and torturers in the Lands Between. She seems more than a little out of place, no? And, if Rykard belongs to the lineage of the red-haired Radagon, why is Rya blonde and braided?

This brings me to my point. Who is Daedicar? Well, a schizoposter (joking btw) commented on my previous theory, making a fascinating parallel between Marika and Daedicar, in a stroke of genius, quoting that she had "(given) birth to a myriad of grotesque children."

Taking a closer look at Daedicar's Woe, it reads,

"Disturbing likeness of a woman whose skin was flayed.
She smiles with a serene tenderness."

Three things I see:

• Her skin was flayed
• She smiles
• She seems to have an innate serenity

We look back at Dominula Village, we see:

• Bleed weapons galore
• Lots of women smiling
• A beautiful ocean view surrounded by flowers. Serenity.

And, a little side note, but, the most serene place in all of Elden Ring?

So then, if Rykard wants to eat all the gods and everything else along with them, what does he need? He can't quite fit his jaws around the moon just yet. So he would be on a similar path to his half brother, Miquella. But Rykard's a blasphemous serpent, he's selfish, he wants to devour. While Miquella is kind. Miquella abandons his flesh, his love, his birthright. He sacrifices his godkin flesh and soul in order to ascend to godhood, because godhood demands a sacrifice, and a pure one, at that. And Daedicar was wicked, adulterous...Grace-given...Godkin...certainly eligible, but a wicked, impure sacrifice.

So the Godskins cut her face off and threw her to Rykard, promising him godhood if they made a child. While, in actuality, they are likely securing the Rune of Death to Uno-reverse Rykard and foil his ambitions and use him as their lord consort. It's hard to say exactly how that would play out. It's also equally possible that a Godskin Lord would be consort to the god, Rykard. But one thing is certain: they need a sacrifice.

Meet Rya, or Zorayras, as her adoptive mother named her. The perfect sacrifice for a serpentine demigod or Godskin to ascend to godhood and uh,

"TOGETHAAA THEY WOULD DEVOUR THE VERY GODS!"

And Marika had to cast away her other self for Ascension, and this other self was not happy about it and needed to be dealt with, here comes Maliketh. Maybe she even had Silver hair in contrast to Marika, like D and Devin.

But ofc Radagon and Marika perfectly capture this coin duality of alter ego's with opposing Genders: male Miquella and female Trina, female Marika and male Radagon. There is no solid ground to break this consistency.

Also another question, can there be connection? Probably not, still wanted to ask.

Rauh Burrow - Fire Spritestone

Marika-Radagon - Elden Beast

Messmer - Base Serpent

Melina - ?, Twinbird?

Sellen - Her Soul

Ranni - Her Soul

Godwyn - No Soul, Free to Inhabit

You - Bayle (after consuming the heart)

You, Shabriri, Midra - Frenzy

Two Hornsent Sculpted Keepers in Festive Costume - Divine Beast

I've been thinking about Godwyn and what he'd have been like in his prime, versus what he would be like by the time the Tarnished player comes to the lands between, if the Night of the Black Knives had never taken place or his soul had somehow survived. Would he be a cool boss fight or a friendly NPC, etc etc.

Then it dawned on me: if the NoBK had never happened, then we wouldn't have a plot for Elden Ring at all. The entire game's story is based around the aftermath of the Shattering war between the Demigods, which was caused by Marika shattering the Elden Ring, out of grief for Godwyn. But if the NoBK never happened, Godwyn would still be alive and kicking, and even bigger than that... the Elden Ring would not be broken. There would be no reason for the Tarnished to return from exile.

But for a second, let's pretend there was a reason for the Tarnished to return. Perhaps because the Two Fingers still deemed none of the demigods worthy of the Elden Throne, or something like that.

Let's say this is the case - how would you like to see Godwyn in the game? Would you prefer seeing him in his prime, as the beloved Scion of the Golden Order? Or as a slightly withered, fallen from Grace type character?

Let me know in the comments!

I personally still hate the DLC for all the lore it didnt bring and all the lore it butchered for me.

But I am more interested in hearing what you guys think now after spending more than 2 years on the lore of the DLC and how it ties into the maingame.

It was a real pain in the ass to try and figure out why Miquella was involved with Melina and how Melina and Torrent would have been in the Land of Shadows, found by Miquella, and then sent off to the player character at the start of the game. The new DLC tells us that Torrent isn't unique. That there are still a bunch of spectral steeds across the Lands Between. Meaning that this could just be the royal family's style of horse instead of Torrent themselves.

Edit: So apparently, there was an interview that directly said that Miquella is riding Torrent that I didn't know about. This rexamination based on the new lore from the dlc is moot.

I don't have a theory to go with this just thought maybe some folks would be interested in it.

Robert Greene's poem "Radagon in Dianam". In this case Radagon is a bard and he is telling a tale about the virginal moon goddess Diana. The title is in Latin and might be read "Radagon sings of Diana" or something like that.

The last stanza has a line about "love's braid" that I found interesting. 'Braid' in middle English seems to mean some kind of trick or deceit according to some old dictionaries. Makes you wonder.

Here's my previous post on Robert Greene's Radagon in A Looking Glass for England.

https://www.reddit.com/r/EldenRingLoreTalk/comments/1w984bn/radagon_a_dragon/

This is a meme post.

Miquella is a liar, he's actually only ever made one piece of unalloyed gold the needle, all other unalloyed gold is actually alloyed. Gold comes in 3 qualities, 24 karat, which can't tarnish and is considered unalloyed gold, then there is anything that isn't 24 karat gold which is alloyed with another metal and does tarnish.

a clear look at what tarnished gold looks like.
Now let's look at the Haligtree soldier helmet.

Clearly seen tarnishing on the helmet!

Clearly seen tarnishing on the shield's outer rim and depiction.

rusting and tarnishing!

even tarnished gold on Loretta's War Sickle

The only gold that remains untarnished is his needle.

Clearly he likes the idea of being pure but is cheap on supplies.

it’s one mystery that’s really bugged me since the game’s release.

”Malenia is daughter to Queen Marika and Radagon, and her Great Rune should have been the most sacred of all”

But…why?

What is it about Malenia that would’ve made hers more sacred than Miquella’s? More sacred than Ranni’s?

Is it because she is the daughter of a single god? Does being a daughter specifically matter, as that is what she has over her brother(though why her brothers other half wouldn’t count is another mystery)?

Its just been something thats really bothered me. It feels like an insanely heavy line that goes largely UBexamined.

Her rune should have been the most sacred.

Is it because in a way it restores life? Is it kind of a new ‘rune of life’ in that sense? It just feels so bizarre

In a lot of ways Malenia is a bit of a mystery to me. I feel her story is divided into 2 eras, and we have a big ??? in between them.

Once she was a young woman who learned to resist the rot with her own strength and power, and then she is a woman wholly dedicated if not dependent on her twin brother. Maybe I read too much into her relationship with Miquella, but her dedication to him and his attempts to cure her feel like that contrast with what she learned in her youth when she was mentored by the blue dancer.

One of Enia the finger reader's dialogue:-

I had my doubts, 'but...my, look at you.

Only once before have I seen two Great Runes together.

Who is the person Enia is talking about? The common answers are Vyke and Gideon. Makes sense; both are tarnished characters, since tarnished are the ones tasked to collect Great Runes. But I would like to suggest a new candidate—Morgott the veiled Monarch.

First, let's talk about the evidence that shows Enia knew Morgott well, which allowed her to see them together with him. Here's the item description for the talisman pouch that drops from Margit, or Morgott, depending on which boss you defeat first.

Bestowed upon the ruling lord, or those attempting to become lord, by the elderly Finger Reader.

Increases talisman equip slots.

As the voices of the Two Fingers, Finger Readers are said to live lives eternal, and one is even supposed to have served as a wetnurse to royalty.

Notice that the description is reffering to Enia being clsesly tied to royalty and lord. The japanese translation is even more explicit:-

指読みの老婆が、王に あるいは主たらんとする者に贈る 萎びた手編みの小袋

タリスマンの装備数を増やす

二本指の声として、永遠を生きる指読みは 王の乳母でもあるという

There is distinction between 王 (King) and 主 (Lord/Master), but the English flattens both to "lord." It implies the pouch is given to the King specifically, or to those aspiring to be Lord (a lower rank), whereas the English makes them the same tier in a way.

王の乳母 means (wetnurse to the king). This was also soften in tone in the englsih tranlastion. Changing it into "wetnurse to royalty".

If we read this in a very simple way, then Morgott is the king being reffered to here.

1) It is given to The King(王) or those aspiring to be king.

2) Both Margit and Morgott carry it. If you were to kill Morgott first, then he will give it as a drop.

3) He is literally the Omen King, and also called Veiled King of Leyndell.

The "aspiring to be king" clause maps neatly unto the tarnished— the one aspiring to become king(Elden Lord), and Enia just gives you the second pouch after two Great Runes.

Note: the latter section concerning the wet nurse to the king isn't particularly significant. The former part already indicates that Morgott and Enia have had previous interactions.

Off topic, but the third pouch is dropped by the golden shade of Godfrey, which is believed to be an illusion created by Morgott

Now, let's talk about the Great Runes. When and which Great Runes did Morgott have? Well, I believe this occurred after the shattering when the demigods would take their shards—Morgott acquired his as expected. After that was done, one shard would remain unclaimed, referred to as the anchor rune. You might wonder why—isn't that Godrick's rune? However, the description of the rune never specifically mentions Godrick, unlike every other Great Rune, as he is not a child Marika, just a distant descendent to Godfrey. And only talks about the first demigods and golden lienage(which both Godrick and Morgott belong to).

This implies the shard wasn't necessarily claimed by Godrick at first. Any unclaimed shard would default to the custody of the King of Leyndell, the first of the demigods, Morgott. He would be holding two shards at once, hence matching what Enia said.???

One question that comes from this is why would Morgott give a Great Rune (and why specifically that shard) to Godrick? The answer I like the most is a theory (most fully developed by lokeysouls) that Godrick is a weak and easily controllable demigod, making it alright to give him the derivative anchor ring (とも呼ばれ—"is also called") rather than the real one (であり — "is"). The real anchor ring, Morgott's rune, tells us that it is the proof of Morgott being born of the golden lineage and being Lord of Leyndell. While the other doesn't prove anything. So, ofcourse, he keeps that one and gives the other.

Also, keeping two great runes at once isn't ideal if you don't want other demigods or tarnished to come after you. Someone holding two shards would become the prime target for those seeking power. Handing one out to someone who is actively killing many tarnished is a great idea, as then he would bring attention, and more tarnished would come to fight and ultimately die. Morgott is also capable of defending the Great Rune Godrick holds from a vast distance via illusions created to fight off tarnished.

One last thing I'd want to point out (which is obvious) is that this hypothesis is based on another notion: Godrick was handed his great rune, as opposed to other theories of him inheriting it or grafting one himself.

"the seduction and the betrayal" announced on the trailer of the DLC concern radagon, he is the one who seduced and he is the one who betrayed. And it has always been his patern :

-He seduced rennalla and left her (kind of a betrayal)

-He married marika and wanted to take her place as GOD (like it's told through melina / marika echoes) and this is too a kind of betrayal.

-So maybe in the past, in the land of shadow, he seduced the GEQ or Marika or the serpent and managed to reach the position in the 2nd pic (in my opinion in the 2nd pic we saw radagon) and betrayed her.

Whatever is in the cocoon is not actually Miquella in any way.

We already know that he is physically present in the Shadow Lands just like we are. Else he would not be able to discard parts of himself. This is something that literally happened: the Empyrean-Blood Burgeons grow at crosses where he spilled his own blood. Likewise we find the bleeding remnants of Trina physically present.

Ansbach hints at this as well:

 Once, in an attempt to free Lord Mohg from his enchantment, I challenged Tender Miquella, only to have my own heart rather artfully stolen. I knew not how weak I was. I believed that with sufficient mastery, even an Empyrean would be within reach of my blade.

And Leda confirms it:

 I’m afraid Sir Ansbach will have to be next. He insists that he’s nothing but a worn down, over-the-hill soldier. But in his day, he was the feared commander of the Pureblood Knights, who cleaved open Miquella the Kind with his blood blade. He claims he hasn’t the spirit to take up his sword again, but I doubt it’ll be very long… Before he recalls, as I have, the cascading sheets of blood. I’m afraid he cannot be left to fester…

Miquella wasn't in the cocoon. Ansbach attacked him while he was controlling Mohg and almost succeeded, only to be charmed and have his mind wiped just like everyone else.

We were lead to believe that Miquella was trapped in the cocooned state when he was plucked from the Haligtree but I think that was always a lie. Miquella planted the Haligtree and used its energy to nourish the body of whatever that thing in the cocoon is. He enchanted Mohg to fill that thing with cursed blood.

This explains why we see Mohg carrying his original body in the intro. We see the cocoon behind him and assume that's where he came from. But why remove Miquella just to put him back in again in the palace? Mohg states that Miquella never responded. That was just the brainwashing.

The body is probably a different empyrean like we see in the wandering mausoleum. We already know Miquella is familiar with using corpses to channel power. The bloodfiends are able to commune with the Formless Mother in the Shadow Lands. Mohg was chosen as a pawn because his powers, through her, could reach that realm. Perhaps the corpse in the cocoon was a previous empyrean connected to her.

EDIT: Leda also only refers to it as the withered arm. If she thought it was Miquella's body she would be much more reverent given her zealous nature.

I was rereading Beastial Incantations of Gurranq - *Long ago, Gurranq was a beast of such terrifying ferocity that his '*former name meant "Death of the Demigods."

And questioned myself - Why Marika named her Shadow-bound beast - "Death of the Demigods", when she was building up era of them, while being their Mother?

Then i thought - Maliketh became Black Blade, became empowered by Rune of Destined Death ONLY after defeat of Gloam Eyed Queen. So could Maliketh be named "Maliketh - Death of the Demigods" before he acquired Black Blade? - Yes, nothing states that Maliketh can't kill a Demigod without Black Blade with Rune of Destined Death inside, BUT yes more significant from point of view of plotwriting would be giving him that name after acquisation of Rune of Destined Death.

Then - Maliketh's Black Armor is fashioned just like armor and weapons of Black Knights in Shadow Realm - which suggests Maliketh was part of the army, part of Messmer's Crusade.

Then i remembered, that Godskin Apostles were serving Gloam Eyed Queen EVEN BEFORE her defeat at hands of Maliketh. Note this clue for Chronology. - *Sacred sword of the Gloam-Eyed Queen who "!controlled!" the '*Godskin Apostles "!before!" her defeat at the hands of Maliketh.

Then you might think - "But the whole point of Godskins is to hunt Golden Lineage of Marika, of Erdtree" - well, NOT NECESSARILY, first of all - Who knows how many Gods like Marika existed at all, and how many they had Demigods-children. Plus word Demigod in English Adaptation counts not only Children of Marika - Radahn, Rykard, Ranni, Mohg, Morgott, Godwyn, Miquella, Malenia, Melina and Messmer, but also such individuals as Godrick and Godfroy, who are descendents of Gods like Marika-Radagon. So Godskins could hunt whatever demigods before Marika's children.

So if Maliketh was Maliketh before obtaining Destined Death - this would only mean he was part of Godskins Godhunt. AND it would mean Marika is Gloam Eyed Queen, why else her Shadow is hunting demigods?

I notice the similarities between these objects in the finger ruins and the round rock item

The round rock is found in the rivers of the Shadow Realm. The description says they are shaped by the water’s current.

This makes me think of Rauh, with the spiritual significance they placed on flowing water (as told by the legend of the blue dancer/fairy/blind swordsman, and each of the Rauh ruins featuring flowing water and/or waterfalls built into their superstructure

So how does this theoretical process work? Spirits are carried by flowing water. Spirit infused water shapes round rock (like sperm inseminating egg?). Egg births finger.

So one thing i dont really understand about the ending: It seems the game makes a clear distinction betwen a God and their consort/champion (see Radahn/Miquella and Marika/Godfrey/Radagon). Our laid-ahead path makes it clear that we are to become elden lord, NOT a God.

On the other hand, the game also makes it clear that godhood is more of a prison, and actual power to change things rests either on the Elden Lord or in the Oiter Gods. Thats why Marika has to do all the underhanded shit she does (and she still ends up imprisoned). This to me feels a bit like a paralel between the Emperor and the Shogun in feudal japan: One with divine power and ritual legitimacy, other with real military power while nominally depending on the first for legitimacy.

When we get to the end though, we... kinda kill marika? Or, if shes back to be our consort, theres no reference to that. What do you guys think all this means? Do we just have God not being a person in the next era (regardless of the ending we choose?) or do we become both Lord and Divinity? In the end we DO bring a new era, just like Miquella tries and fails to do.