Elden Ring’s Erdtree can be seen across the entirety of the Lands Between, as it looms over the landscape. At a glance, the tree looks to be a glowing, golden symbol of the Golden Order’s rule over the land. However, the true nature of the Erdtree and the Outer Gods who sent it to the Lands Between is much more sinister.
By thoroughly investigating items and enemies related to the Erdtree and its mysterious past, players will discover that there was once a different tree that stood at the central point of Elden Ring. There are many clues that imply the Erdtree was sent to the Lands Between by the Outer Gods to act as a type of parasite, overtaking a powerful and ancient tree to began leeching off of the land and its inhabitants.
The Great Tree and Primordial Crucible
Though players are inclined to believe that the Erdtree governs all beings and life within the land, there is evidence of life in the Lands Between before the Erdtree came to be. The Root Resin item description mentions a tree other than the Erdtree, called the Great Tree. Though it seems this Great Tree and the Erdtree are one-and-the-same, more of the game’s lore explains that the Great Tree was a primordial tree that housed a crucible, which is defined as a melting pot in which different elements converge and interact to create something new. In the instance of the Great Tree, the crucible is likely how different forms of life came to be.
The most informative lore surrounding the Great Tree is found in the description of the Aspects of the Crucible Incantations, which are described as the primal force of the Erdtree’s energy and “an aspect of the primordial crucible, in which all life was once blended together.” This description implies that there was a life before the Erdtree that was all melded together. Though many of the aspects of this ancient time before the Erdtree have been forgotten, there are still items and characters in Elden Ring that prove the Crucible and Great Tree were vastly important to the Lands Between.
The characters that perhaps most obviously represent the Crucible are the Crucible Knights, who are few in number but present themselves as powerful opponents who possess the Aspects of the Crucible spells and utilize them in battle. The Omens and Misbegotten also have some relation to the Crucible, as their Spirit Ashes or dropped items describe them as worshippers of the Great Tree. However, it is important to note that all of these enemy types are either imprisoned, reviled, or shunned by worshippers of the Erdtree for their connection to the Great Tree.
It seems that any being who is aware of or worships the ancient Great Tree is kept away from the rest of the world. The Knot Talisman, which is made of a knotted vestige of the Crucible, describes the Great Tree as previously being a representation of the divine, but that it's now considered vile and impure as the world has advanced. The advancement is likely referring to the Greater Will’s involvement in the Lands Between and the erection of the Erdtree.
According to the spell Protection of the Erdtree, “In the beginning, everything was in opposition of the Erdtree, but through countless victories in war, it became the embodiment of Order.” This description clearly states that the Erdtree was not a natural part of the world, but instead had to take control of the land by force, which likely led to the fall of the Great Tree and its followers. The Great Tree and Crucible have been overtaken by the Erdtree, which means they must have been powerful forces that the Outer Gods wanted control of.
How The Erdtree is Affecting the Lands Between
Most players know the Erdtree as the final destination of Elden Ring, housing the Elden Ring itself. However, upon further investigation, the Erdtree seems to be more than a structure that protects Marika and the Elden Ring. The Greater Will sent the Elden Ring to the Lands Between for a reason, and the catacombs that strategically lead deep underground show what the tree’s purpose is.
At the end of every underground dungeon, players find a room that is full of tree roots with bodies tangled inside of them. Based on the game’s lore, all beings who die have their spirit returned to the Erdtree, which follows the philosophy of Destined Death established in the Lands Between after the Erdtree came to be. Essentially, the souls of anything that dies within the Lands Between are transported to the roots of the Erdtree via the catacombs and feed the tree, and in turn, the Greater Will. The Outer Gods likely saw potential in the Great Tree and sent the Elden Ring there as an attempt to gain more power and control.
The Destruction of the Erdtree
The Outer Gods assigned Queen Marika as an Empyrean to act as their physical presence in the Lands Between. With the ancient power of the Crucible and her powerful allies, Marika defeated the dragons and giants who once ruled the land, the latter of which controlled a fire that was able to burn even the Erdtree. With the enemies of the Greater Will defeated, Marika ushered in the age of the Erdtree and established an order that kept the Greater Will in control.
However, Marika eventually grew to question the purpose of the Erdtree and what it represents, going against the Outer Gods to shatter the Elden Ring. It was during this time that the Erdtree became vulnerable, as Marika knew the tree was absorbing life and that the flames of the Fire Giants Forge could destroy it. During this time, just before the Greater Will imprisons Marika, the queen calls the Tarnished back to the Lands Between and assigns Melina to guide the player to the Erdtree so they can become an Elden Lord.
Since history is dictated by the victors, it is assumed that the Erdtree and Greater Will are the epitome of order and have given life to the Lands Between. However, it seems the opposite is true, and the Erdtree is doing everything in its power to remain in control and absorb the souls of the dead. By the end of their journey in Elden Ring, the player is able to either carry on the Order established by the Greater Will or utilize the Frenzied Flame to engulf the Erdtree in flames and cleanse the world, thus melding everything together again as it was in the times of the Great Tree.
Elden Ring is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Series X/S.
