Elden Ring has no shortage of DLC-worthy stories to expand upon, but there is one particular arc that fans might love to see fleshed out by Shadow of the Erdtree. FromSoftware has shared very little about the DLC, save for a gorgeous piece of art, which has unsurprisingly launched fans into the exciting mini-game of trying to determine what Elden Ring's Lands Between will unleash next. Among the many unique characters and surrounding events that the DLC could delve into, one particular character stands out.
Players might recognize Vyke from the cover of the game, as he's the armor-clad man kneeled over a sword. His appearance on the cover might seem innocent enough, though Souls games have a habit of using a boss or player-substitute in their key art. As it turns out, Roundtable Knight Vyke was a tarnished that had nearly claimed the throne before straying from his path. Players can find Roundtable Knight Vyke in the Contender's Evergaol on the Mountaintops of the Giants, an aptly named prison for the rogue knight. However, players who were invaded by the scorched facade of Vyke at the Church of Inhibition were given a glimpse of the very thing that led him astray. The hints lie in Vyke's flame-imbued war spear and tattered armor.
Vyke Was Seduced By The Frenzied Flame
Vyke, much like the player, adopts the goal of becoming Elden Lord. In his pursuit of the throne, he managed to get to the entrance of the Erdtree before heading beneath the capital. Players who made it as far as Vyke would know that the roots must be burned away in order to enter the tree, and there are two ways to achieve this. The first method is that of the maiden's own destiny. By sacrificing their body as kindling, the roots will be cleared for the tarnished knight to complete their quest. However, should the tarnished choose to forfeit themselves for whatever reason, they could embrace the Frenzied Flame. Players who follow through with the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending are greeted by a brief post-credit scene in which their own maiden, Melina, vows to hunt and kill them.
The Vyke players meet at the cleverly titled Church of Inhibition is dressed in burned armor, marked by three large fingerprints. His breastplate and helmet are dented and warped, as if he was grasped by a large molten hand. It's clear that Vyke, whether to spare his maiden or prove himself capable, embraced the Frenzied Flame and become a carrier of chaos. This concept of player-substitute turned villain might sound especially familiar to players of Dark Souls 3. The final boss, Soul of Cinder, was an amalgamation of all who linked the flame before the player's arrival—including the protagonist and final boss of Dark Souls. Additionally, Dark Souls 3's two DLC introduce an NPC named Gael who gained power by consuming pygmy souls before consuming the Dark Soul of the Furtive Pygmy itself, granting him unimaginable power in exchange for his humanity.
There is still a lot of mystery surrounding Vyke; his relationship with the ancient dragon Lansseax, the reason he chose the Frenzied Flame instead of letting his maiden sacrifice herself, how he knew of the three fingers' location. Following the Dark Souls trilogy's affinity for rekindling flames, Elden Ring could see players opposing the uncontrollable spread of eternal flame. Perhaps Vyke and the Frenzied Flame will serve a similar purpose as the Soul of Cinder or Gael. There are plenty of fun things Shadow of the Erdtree can do with Elden Ring.
Dark Souls 3 put a nice bow on the trilogy by bringing closure to the Dark Soul and pitting the player against a facsimile of the previous lords or cursed undead who bound their twisted souls in linking the flame. Given its already massive scale, it's entirely possible the DLC could wrap up Elden Ring.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
