Elden Ring: The Erdtree Explained

Image: FromSoftware Inc, Bandai Namco Entertainment via HGG

Human Made

My name is Gibson Vasela. I am a freelance writer who has been playing video games for almost 20 years now. I play all kinds of games, but I especially love immersive sims and RPGs.

Reviewed by Ashley Johnson

Elden Ring is the latest title to be released by FromSoftware, and boy does it do so much right. From the engaging and satisfying combat, to the robust RPG elements, to the fantastic world design, it’s a force to be reckoned with. One of the many great things about Elden Ring is its fascinating lore and rich world-building. And one of the most important aspects of Elden Ring lore is that of the golden Erdtree.

But just what exactly is the Erdtree? Why is this mysterious tree so important to the world? And what is the history behind it? We’ll be giving you a brief summary in this article for the Erdtree in Elden Ring explained.

Elden Ring Erdtree Explained

With all that out of the way, let’s jump right into the article!

What Is the Erdtree?

Let’s start out with the basics: What exactly is the Erdtree? The Erdtree is a massive deciduous tree that glows a brilliant shade of gold and white. It was planted around the capital city of the Lands Between, a place called Leyndell. The tree acts as a sort of secondary sun for the world, providing additional light for all of the plants and living creatures you’ll encounter in Elden Ring.

In addition to all of that, the Erdtree acts as a resting place for the souls that inhabited the Lands Between. Upon death, the souls of those who touched grace leave their earthly bodies to be absorbed by the tree. This process continued until a curse was brought upon the land, causing Those Who Live in Death to wreak terror upon the Lands Between.

You may be familiar with the organization the Golden Order. This is a large and very influential religious organization that controls the Lands Between. The Erdtree is one of several symbols for this organization, and thus the tree is seen as a very holy and sacred object. Buring the Erdtree’s branches is called a “cardinal sin” by one of the NPCs in the game.

What Is the Erdtree’s History?

As for the origins of the Erdtree, we don’t know much. There is no explicitly stated origin for it, just clues to the puzzle that we can find throughout the game. The Wrdtree is definitely not eternal. Before the rise of the Golden Order, the fates of the people in the Lands Between were determined by the stars, not the Greater Will, and the Erdtree didn’t exist.

And what is the Greater Will? It is a god of sorts that you can’t find in the game. It lives far away from the Lands Between, and it was the being who made the Erdtree. The Greater Will is also responsible for bringing the Tarnished back to life and calling them back to their homelands to mend the Elden Ring. Without doing that, your playable character would not exist.

But why did the Greater Will create the Erdtree, to begin with? Well, we already know its primary function — to reap the souls of the Lands Between. But what good does this do for the Greater Will? We’ve yet to find an answer, but hopefully, we will in future DLC for Elden Ring.

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