Summary
- Elden Ring's story is open for players to discover, with various characters vying for the title of Elden Lord.
- Former Elden Lords (or those closest to it) include Morgott, Vyke, Elden Beast, Dragonlord Placidusax, Godfrey, and Radagon.
- Multiple endings allow the Tarnished to become the current Elden Lord, or the consort of Ranni, or the Frenzied Flame.
FromSoftware might not paint as direct of a main storyline as other games, but there is indeed one there in their Soulsborne series. Mostly delivered through the lore of their games, FromSoft storylines are often vague and open to interpretation, but some, such as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, do have a more traditional linear narrative focus.
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With Elden Ring, the story is more so for the player to find and piece together, but a main aspect of the game and world that is often mention is who holds the title of Elden Lord. Throughout the game, there are various mentions of such a lordship, be it for the player Tarnished to achieve, or via bosses that hold (or held) the title. There have been several Elden Lords, both during the time of the Erdtree and before, with some other characters that were either close to becoming ruler, or are more powerful than those rulers.
Honorable Mention - Morgott
The Demigod Closest To Attaining Elden Lord
- Can be fought as a boss at the Elden Throne in Leyndell, Royal Capital.
Perhaps Morgott would never have become the demigod Elden Lord if the Shattering had never occurred, with the title most likely going to one of his contemporaries, maybe either Godwyn or Radahn. However, in the years following the Shattering, Morgott was the closest to becoming Elden Lord, while the other demigods warred with each other or distanced themselves from the throne.
Notably, Morgott defended Leyndell, proclaiming himself the Omen King despite the Golden Order's abandonment of his kind. When defeating him, he reveals to the player that he attempted to achieve the title of Elden Lord, but that he was met with failure due to the wall of thorns blocking the Erdtree. Instead, he guarded the door to the throne with his life, never wavering from his dedication to the Golden Order.
Honorable Mention - Vyke
The Tarnished Closest To Becoming Elden Lord Before The Player
- Can be fought as an invader at the Church of Inhibition, and as a boss in the Lord Contender's Evergaol.
FromSoft usually likes to make the player character the underdog of the story; a regular person managing to go toe-to-toe with the gods and legendary beings of the world. However, in Elden Ring, before the events of the game and the player's arrival, Vyke was a Tarnished, just like the player, and very nearly became Elden Lord.
Obviously, he didn't attain the title, as a result of accepting the Frenzied Flame to protect his maiden from sacrificing herself. In the game, he can be found as an invader wielding the Frenzied Flame, and as an Evergaol boss resembling his former self, before he embraced the Three Fingers. He serves as a cautionary tale to the player character that Melina must sacrifice herself if they want to become Elden Lord.
Honorable Mention - Elden Beast
The Vassal Of The Greater Will
- Can be fought as a boss inside the Erdtree.
While Queen Marika and her ilk were the ones to rule the Lands Between, the Greater Will was the true being in charge of the world. As an Outer God, the Greater Will sent down another entity via a golden star to become its vassal of the Lands Between, and that being was the Elden Beast.
Despite not ruling over the Lands Between, the Elden Beast is the one keeping an eye on things, and an incarnation of order. After Marika shattered the Elden Ring, the Elden Beast is implied to be the one that imprisoned her. It is also one of, if not the most powerful being in Elden Ring, described as being a God and a nigh impossible creature to defeat, as alluded to by Gideon Ofnir.
4 Dragonlord Placidusax, The Original Elden Lord
An Elden Lord Before The Time Of The Erdtree
- Can be fought as a boss in Crumbling Farum Azula.
While the more iconic Elden Lords existed during the time of the Erdtree, the title itself existed long before the age of Queen Marika and the Golden Order. 
Dragonlord Placidusax was the ruler of the dragons, and the original Elden Lord.
However, in the events of the game, Placidusax and his kingdom have decayed significantly, with his own body in ruin, while his kingdom is broken. Yet he remained there, where he has awaited his god's return. Before Shadow of the Erdtree, it was theorized that the 
Elden Beast had harmed Placidusax, but now it is understood that Bayle the Dread was the one to enfeeble the Dragonlord, further causing the downfall of the true first Elden Lord.
3 Godfrey, First Elden Lord
The First Elden Lord Of The Erdtree
- Can be fought as a boss at the Elden Throne in Leyndell, Royal Capital.
Godfrey is by far the most recognizable of the Elden Lords, with the game, and himself, clearly stating who he was. Despite being Elden Lord, he lost the title once he became the first Tarnished, leading his kind into the Badlands.
He appears as a boss twice, once as an illusion weaved by Morgott, and then as himself proper at the end of the game, where he demonstrates strength befitting that of a ruler. Through his actions, the Lands Between started to unite under the rule of the Golden Order, as he fought campaigns against the Fire Giants, and the Storm Lord, both dangerous enemies to the Erdtree. And of course, he wasn't always the Elden Lord, as he was first the bloodthirsty warrior Hoarah Loux, yet he became Godfrey when he took the Beast Regent Serosh to suppress his violence.
2 Radagon, The Second Elden Lord
The Other Half Of Marika
- Can be fought as a boss inside the Erdtree.
There might not be as much direct reference to Radagon's status as Elden Lord compared to Godfrey, but his marriage to Queen Marika made him the King Consort, and second Elden Lord. In addition to him becoming Elden Lord, a key part of Radagon's story is the secret that he is actually Marika, her male counterpart; two separate entities sharing the same body.
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He also appears to be in opposition to Marika, as Radagon attempted to repair the Elden Ring, despite Marika shattering it, and he stands against the player to maintain the Golden Order as they try to create their own age. He is also responsible for a lot of the events in the Lands Between, as he sired many of the demigods, including Miquella, and, as a result, is resposible for the events of Shadow of the Erdtree as well.
1 The Tarnished, The Current Elden Lord
Multiple Endings Allow The Player To Become Elden Lord
Attaining the mantle of Elden Lord is built up throughout Elden Ring to be a monumental task, with the previous holders of the title being god-like beings and powerful heroes. Compared to the Tarnished, it seems almost like a fairy tale to achieve such a feat, yet if players are able to beat the game, numerous endings offer them the chance to rule the Lands Between.
The Age of the Stars and the Lord of Frenzied Flame endings don't allow players to become Elden Lord, becoming the consort of Ranni and the inheritor of the Frenzied Flame, respectively. It is unknown what rule is like under the Tarnished in their time as Elden Lord, but perhaps if there were a sequel to Elden Ring, FromSoft would reveal if they were a benevolent or malevolent ruler.
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
