#⟪ rykard ⟫ → ❝ brother of mine ❞

[mohgreal]

how the demigods would react to you coming out becauese im unfunny (canon obviously, mohgreal knows all)

morgott: thou tarnished...are opposing thy golden order with thee 'ki-seing men' [smacks you with stick]

mohg: yes tarnished gae pride 🤑🌈🌈!!11 varre get me my pride blood coloured corpse to celebrate

messmer: tarnished...i doth not want to kisseth thou...not because thou art a man, but because thou art a tarnished.

radagon: [silently calls you a slur because no voicelines]

marika: changing gender? don't we all sometimes?

miquella: i accept all brave tarnished...though i perfer when the men in question art mine brother-

malenia: ok [waterfowl dance]

godwyn: no response becausee hes dead

radahn: disgsudyung..[miquella whispers something in his ear] on second thought tarnished, why don't i give you a hug?

rykard: same but don't tell tanith

ranni: doth this mean thou will not be mineth consort? [comet azur]

rennala: how nice sweeting (she wasn't listening)

[swallowtail-ageha]

Miquella voice mine own half brother rykard... he commits the most dreadful deeds towards the meek and innocents... he is said to hang heretics in a cage and slowly torture them to death leda who just got so wet at the thought she could sink the rest of liurnia voice yes sir thats horrible

[deathblightprince]

"O, Prince." Knelt down to address him. "You spoke of Maliketh when first we met, and him holding Destined Death. Do you know where - or how - I am able to reach him?"

@eldenlordofdragons [Elysia] (hewwo)

"Elysia, I am glad we meet again." He offers a small, polite bow in response. He watched her body language carefully. While she may have dedicated herself to his cause now, he had yet to fully put his trust in her. She killed his brother, Rykard for God's sakes. By all means he should be furious with her, but seeing what he became —and Ranni's thoughts on her new form— it sounded like an act of mercy more than a murder in cold blood.

"Maliketh resides deep within Farum Azula. For most, if not all tarnished, is impossible to reach Farum Azula on their own. Their is a portal to reach it within the Mountain Tops of the Giants. However, mine deathroot has reached Farum Azula long ago. That means I, along with anyone I send can reach Farum Azula in relative ease."

[stxrscrge]

tag dump 2: People

[whatdoyoumeanitsnotcanon]

The shenanigans of the Culver Clique, Part II: You can't spell wingman without WIN but dammit, Radahn!: Ranni wasn't surprised to see the excitement on Radahn's face. It was a nice respite from their earlier bickering and his exasperation over her nosiness curiosity. ("Sister, do you not have affairs of your own to tend to?" "Your affairs are my affairs, Radahn.") He readily agreed to help out because everything else he tried failed spectacularly. She forbade him from speaking to Rykard about this and swore to never again tease him about his bad dye job in return, though this would later became null and void when he tried his hand at cutting his own hair. Father always said to leave the preening to the professionals.

And so, despite Rykard's hypervigilance, they managed to find out more about the object of his affections. Hm... a very comely girl with a love for books, especially poetry. Just like Rykard. Minus the comely part. How nice. And dull. "Ah yes... what better way to express one's affections," Radahn grinned, "I have wooed many a heart with such. Patience, my sister, and I will have one fit to help our brother."

Oh...

Wait a minute, since when was Radahn a poet?

To Ranni's surprise, it wasn't but a few hours later that he returned with one, written in the finest penmanship and on the finest parchment. She read it. And was impressed. Looks can be deceiving after all. "You are of passing skill as a poet it seems..." (See what I did thar?)

"Nay sister, the glory goes to Father." Radahn crossed his arms and smiled triumphantly.

".........."

What?!

She read it again. And one more time just to be sure. Of course Father wrote it. Of course. She should've known Radahn didn't have the talent to compose this. He wouldn't even know what half of those words meant and his writing was rougher than Blaidd's fur when he'd forget to brush it out. And since when was Father a poet?!

"...And those other poems...?"

"To Father I give my thanks as well. He is eager to share his ballads with me." Ranni stared blankly. "Do not give me that look. Jealousy is unbecoming of you, sister mine. You need only ask and he will indulge you." In typical Radahn fashion, he clapped her shoulder (he does know he's incredibly strong, right?) and laughed heartily. And Ranni glared. And Rykard popped his head in, eyeing his two siblings suspiciously.

By the moon, it paid to be the brains of the trio.

[stxrscrge]

@blasphering

[stxrscrge]

@blasphering , @rage-reloaded

[hipandhorrific]

oh i actually know some of these

putting it under a cut cause long and spoilers

you can find ranni’s dead body on the top of her divine tower if you haven’t already, it gives you a decentish idea of what she looked like in life- like having red hair like her brother, half sister and father

there’s no current connection between ranni and melina with the given in game lore but there’s lots of theories.

a bit of dialogue implies it is ranni that sends the black knife assassins after blaidd and iji but it’s open for interpretation. When you talk to the miniature ranni doll in on of the nekro cities it tells you about emperyans and how the two fingers give them a shadow and how they’re both loyal but also assassins in disguise for the greater will, implying she knows blaidd is going to betray her- even if he doesn’t want to. then there’s another bit where she says:

"Blaidd, and Iji both... Art willing to give too much to me. Yet they both understand. What lieth beyond the dark path... That I must betray everything, and rid the world of what came before."

again, totally open to interpretation but hinting that she may have to scorch earth her past life to ascend to godhood.

radagon is presumably cursed by the fire giants - there’s some item descriptions, specifically on a whip that hints at this. he’s said to despise his own red hair because of it so there’s a good possibility of radahn being Big hinting at that too.

radagon and marika is also up for interpretation but there are a lot of hints that they were always one and the same. marika directly calls him “mine other self” when you speak to melina in.. uh... the bed chambers in leyndel i think? but in the same sentance she says “thou art yet to become me”, but this could mean that he hasn’t become the dominent part of her will/being. there’s implications that his marriage to rennala was orchestrated by the greater will in order to subdue luirnia and bring them under the golden order rather than war with them, which would imply he’s always been under the greater wills directive and therefore has always been marika. plus the time in farum azul acts weird so it’s entirely possible for radagon and marika to be two places at once even if they are the same person.

currently melina has no connection to the three fingers in the given lore. she actively despises the thought of giving the world over to chaos and vows to kill you if you grab the frenzied flame ending.

por que no los dos? re: renala’s students. i mean, i look like my mom so it’s entirely possible ranni looks like hers.

there is a theory that malenia and miquelle slayed their shadows because neither wanted to be under the influence of the outer gods (miquelle the unalloyed, etc. etc.) and then malenia took on the role of miquelle’s shadow but that’s all just theory at this point.

Malenia just wants to help her brother the way he helped her. There’s a lot of item descriptions and little dialogue tidbits that’s basically like Malenia believing Miquelle is the wisest and strongest emperyan and the only one worthy to become elden lord. she really had no desire for power, only to help him realize his potential. she is at a STARK contrast to mohg which i think is such a neat bit of writing.

Radahn admired the golden order and specifically godfrey. there’s a lot of hints that his loyalty is what brought him to fight malenia and stop her and miquelle’s campaign to claim the throne in the shattering as he, himself, didn’t aim to become elden lord. there’s also some speculation that he was holding back the stars in part to halt the fate of the carian royals/ranni, and/or the city of nekron itself which was trying to develop weapons that could kill gods. So basically Radahn is a Golden Order poster boy while Ranni and Rykard are very against it. gives you some idea of their relationship to one another.

the sculptor may not have been the first person to “glimpse” this secret! There’s an item description of a mask or helm or something.. the perceptor’s set i think? basically it’s like “radagon ordered all his closest perceptors to wear these so their secrets were kept secret”. maybe he just kinda changes back and forth at times??? or like.. small little changes? there’s a lot of shifts in the promotion and the opening of the game there like one moment it’s marika and the other it’s radagon, maybe it’s more than visual story telling and a hint that this is what would happen? we see that in the final fight too if i remember right.

Malenia’s arm, legs and eyes were all taken by the rot. She wasn’t born blind. Malecint is hinted at mirroring the way “her mom” succumbed to the rot.

EVERYTHING ELSE I HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR but i hope some of this is satisfying!

Elden Ring questions I have that sometimes keep me up at night:

What happened to Renna (presumably the name of Ranni’s teacher)?

What did Ranni look like in life? We can guess by her heritage and corpse that she was a tall red-head, but beyond that who knows.

What is Ranni’s connection to Melina?

What is Melina’s connection to the Black Knives?

Why do the Black Knives betray Ranni? Or alternatively, why does Ranni send Black Knives to kill both Blaidd and Iji (this being unlikely as it’s extremely apparent that she hold deep affection for them)?

During the Night of the Black Knives, was Godwyn the intended target by Ranni for the half the rune of death, or was he just the one the assassins got to first?

Were Marika and Radagon always one in the same, or were they two that became one?

Is Radagon part giant?

What is Melina’s connection to the Three Fingers?

Are Rennala’s students reborn to resemble her or Ranni?

Who are Miquella’s and Malenia’s empyrean shadows?

Since Malenia is referred to as The Blade of Miquella, is she serving in the stead of his shadow, wants to be his consort, and/or just wants to help her brother realize his ambitions?

What was Radahn’s relationship with Rykard and Ranni?

How much free will is Marika actually able to exercise with the Elden Ring being a part of her?

With the previous question in mind, was The Shattering simply a suicide attempt?

How did that one sculptor find out that Radagon is Marika?

How did Malenia loose her arm and legs?

Was Malenia born blind or was her sight taken later in life due to the scarlet rot spreading?

[deathblightprince]

At least Godwyn was not the only one whose anger would seep out into their conversation.

The time Godwyn waited for any information weighed so heavily on him. It kept him on edge, waiting for that reach of communion to come and tell him who might have done it. It something that filled him with so much dread, but he longed to know so he could seek some form of justice if it's not too late. He could begin the healing process, and maybe live at peace as the Prince of Death.

But Ariko's began to list names of his siblings that were suspects, and his heart dropped to his feet. Only 3 siblings, Ranni, Rykard, and Miquella, but it felt like his whole shelf was crumbling before him. He mine as well had said all of their names, because that what it felt like to him. He was now attempting to keep the shelf stable. There was no way, no how. All he could do was deny to keep himself sane.

"There is absolutely no chance Miquella could have ever done it. He may be a powerful empyrean alongside his sister, but his was cursed with eternal childhood. He still possessed the body of a child when I last saw him. Our relationship was not frayed nor cross, for I was his brother in arms. If Malenia was not there, I was. He would have no reason to slay me." His voice only grew more shaky from here. His voice reflecting the intensity of his emotions. The sound of dripping within the channel they spoke through began to speed up.

"Rykard and I didn't have much a relationship, but he had no reason to be cross with me. I had been nothing but kind to him, I would even give him barely and fruit seeds for his own beer and wine cellars! I was not even involved in his political scandals! He couldn't fight Maliketh for the rune of death on his own, he was too weak physically. Maliketh would stomp on him with Rykard just using his sorceries alone. 'Tis no wonder why he let himself get consumed by a snake, he could barely swing a damn sword." The writing sounds of roots intensified with the ferocity of Godwyn's words and emotions. It all sounded like it a storm, roaring and looming.

"Of course Ranni and Rykard spoke to each other through letters often. They were close to each other as siblings, they often shared the same goals and aspirations. Luckily for thee, I know why Ranni stopped writing before the shattering. A tarnished who had spoken to Queen Rennala had informed me that she was a victim of them as well, presumably slain or mortally wounded after I was murdered."

At first, Arikos hesitated momentarily, gripping the Deathroot in his hands. It wasn't a matter of its efficacy that concerned him; but rather, knowing that if anyone found him in this state, less able to hear the world outside, he would be much less able to defend himself. Even as slim as the chances of discovering him, hidden away in the lower city was.

And then, eventually, his tremulous grip on the various barbs surrounding the strangely eye-like growth made the decision before him. Everything grew strangely quiet, calm, still, sans for the still-strange feeling of dripping water and the buzzing of flies.

And so, he took a deep breath (in spite of not needing it in this space) and reached out in his mind. "...Hello. I'm not quite done here yet, but I've found many things of interest. Most immediately relevant, the situation around investigating the manor has changed."

@deathblightprince

[deathblightprince]

"I am no longer the Golden Prince. That was stripped from me when mine grace was stripped as well." A more elegant and subtle way of saying I gained a new title when I died and lost my grace because I was hopelessly corrupted by destined death.

"I am referred to now as Godwyn, The Prince of Death. That is the title I prefer now." Now that was overwith, he can appreciate the tremendous amount of respect being given to him. He has yet to be met with such a large amount of respect since his rebirth. He wondered if any tarnished knew how to greet royalty, turns out very few know.

"Elysia of Dompierre, may I ask what bringeth thee here specifically? I can see the blood of mine fellow brother, Rykard, on thy hands and clothes. Thou show a great amount of power, but I must ask if this is a sign for mineself to be wary of thy prowess?" Did he feel a tad bit threatened by the fact that she slayed Rykard? A little bit. He's more powerful, much more powerful than Rykard ever was, but the fact that she not only killed him, but came forth to Godwyn with his blood still staining her made it feel like she was trying to intimidate him for her own means. She does, however, seem guideless. A tarnished with no guidance was a dangerous one.

"Fret not, for thou journey is not fruitless. The Rune of Death has alluded me, for it is guarded by Maliketh, The Black Blade. He is the shadow of mine mother, who was shut away after being ordered to seal destined death. He lives deep within Farum Azula, far away from reach of most, if not all tarnished as I hath yet to meet one who visited the fabled place."

"No turning back now..."

Elysia, Deathroot clenched in her fists, approaches Godwyn's corpse, suspecting this positioning is the best way to reach him. A little bird tweeted that she would be able to find what she seeks here, where the Prince of Death supposedly lay.

The Volcano Manor's influence is long gone from her, Rykard and Tanith's blood still reeking on her clothes. With the Manor collapsed she has nowhere to turn, and thus a fresh start in her journey for answers, for some clue of what to do or where to go... Rather, the means to do and go whatever and wherever.

I will seek what is mine to wield...

Taking a deep breath, she presses the Deathroot tightly into herself, until the thorns pierce her body. Crying out, she drops into a kneel, before collapsing altogether.

It is done.

Now the path to her fate lies in the hands of His Highness.

@eldenlordofdragons [Elysia!]

Well, that was quite the show.

Of all people who have attempted to commune with him, he's never witnessed someone show this much effort. She even arrived to his tomb! One of the most dangerous places to be right now, because of the deathroot is so aggressive at the entrance. He suprised she managed to get this close in pristine condition. She must be an exceptional warrior, he thought to himself.

She would know she was successful in communion when the world became silent. Complete silence. No water, no flies, not even the sound of the singing and chanting TWLD could't even break through the now impenetrable sound barrier. A dense, dark fog slowly enveloped everything around her. She could see nothing, she could hear nothing, and now the pain from the briars on the deathroot began to fade, and the floor beneath her floated away. It was like she was about to die herself. Perhaps she didn't commune at all, and just met her fate instead.

Then she heard a water droplet hitting the floor. Then another one, and another one. The room looked like it was widening as the fog appeared to climb away from her. She watched the fog suddenly part, and the sound of faint signing in the background, a more pleasant sound than what was heard by the TWLD. It sounded so peaceful, meaningful, as if it was church choir singing hymns.

Then saw him. His tall imposing figure stood as the fog parted itself wide for him. He began to approach her, and soft light shone above them. She could finally see the Prince's features. He was still in the same regalia that he was murdered and put in the tomb with. The only difference is a more tall crown of deathroot and its thorns that sat on his head. Blood trickles down his head from the thorns, leaving thin trails down his pale face and faded golden locks. However, it was clear there was another injury that lead to blood trailing down his robes and onto the floor as he approached her; his back bled profusely behind him, leaving a heavy trail of blood he moved.

He watched her with his dark grey eyes. His soft voice echoed around the area they stood. "Thou art a brave one for coming to mine tomb if thy only reason was to commune with me." Did no one tell her she could commune on the surface?

[deathblightprince]

Giving him a courteous warning about her supposed wrath was appreciative to Godwyn, but it did little to intimidate him. He's not fully aware of how powerful Rykard truly was in this serpent form of his before he was slain, but he always knew rykard as more of a scandalous diplomat for his family rather than a warrior. He stood in the shadow of his brother Radahn power-wise, while also being dwarfed by the intelligence and magnificence of his sister Ranni. He was the unfortunate middle child that was so invisible, he used blasphemy and let himself get swallowed by a serpent so people would take him seriously. In Godwyn's mind, going from Rykard to himself, was like slaying Godrick to going straight towards Malenia. She would have a very difficult time trying to slay Godwyn.

Besides that, she did speak with enough conviction in her voice to make her trade sound very appealing. Godwyn, however, wasn't one to just jump in to something like this. If she really wanted to wield the blade of death, she would need to follow Godwyn up to Farum Azula to slay Maliketh, along with any one else that stood in her way. He's been lead to believe Godskin apostles, followers of the Gloam Eyed Queen, also wander Farum Azula. Not to mention dragons roam around there too. It is not a place to roam aimlessly.

If she wanted to do all that work to just kill people that are on her list for destined death, then he's not sure if he would want to agree to that.

"The Journey to unbinding the Rune of Death is an long, unforgiving trek. Farum Azula is riddled with foes of all kinds on top of dealing with Maliketh, The Black Blade. Ancient dragons, more powerful and aggressive forms of Those Who Live in Death, and possibly Godskin apostles wander those crumbling grounds. If thou only wish to take on this quest to kill a several people who hath wrong thee, then I cannot take this deal..."

His unshakably firm disposition only gives out for a minute. If he wanted her to understand that deal he wanted, he would have to explain more his side of things.

"I understand thine pain and suffering, for I was murdered as well and mine killer was never identified. 'Tis brought me nothing but sorrow ever since I had regained mine soul. But destined death should never be used to only kill others who hath wrong thee. No, there is a legal system and different punishments for that. The main reason one should wish to unbind the Rune of Death is to bring back balance of life and death in The Lands Between."

He then gestures to his subjects, Those Who Live in Death that sang in the distance, the fog parting so their souls could be seen.

"Ever since mine mother ordered the Rune of Death to be sealed, the balance of life and death has been broken and no living creature cannot die normally here. Most souls go back to the Erdtree for reincarnation, but those souls that do not go back to the Erdtree usually end up as Those Who Live in Death. They only exist because they died just outside the bounds of The Golden Order, even if they themselves hath done nothing wrong."

Then he gestures back to himself. "When the Rune of Death was bound, It became nearly impossible to kill Demigods and Gods. Combine that fact and the great runes mine siblings and mineself hath received, and we were an unstoppable force. It took a dire plot, where mine murderer had to steal a piece of death to imbue it into a dagger to slay me and my sister." Oh, if only he knew. This story would be told with a lot more pain in his eyes, and more harsher tones as the rage and hurt of betrayal would be coursing through him.

"I believe justice and finding the truth is important, but looking to bring back balance goes first. I will only accept thy offer If thou'rt willing to take this as a lifelong commitment to bringing back a delicate balance and preserving it."

"No turning back now..."

Elysia, Deathroot clenched in her fists, approaches Godwyn's corpse, suspecting this positioning is the best way to reach him. A little bird tweeted that she would be able to find what she seeks here, where the Prince of Death supposedly lay.

The Volcano Manor's influence is long gone from her, Rykard and Tanith's blood still reeking on her clothes. With the Manor collapsed she has nowhere to turn, and thus a fresh start in her journey for answers, for some clue of what to do or where to go... Rather, the means to do and go whatever and wherever.

I will seek what is mine to wield...

Taking a deep breath, she presses the Deathroot tightly into herself, until the thorns pierce her body. Crying out, she drops into a kneel, before collapsing altogether.

It is done.

Now the path to her fate lies in the hands of His Highness.

@eldenlordofdragons [Elysia!]

Well, that was quite the show.

Of all people who have attempted to commune with him, he's never witnessed someone show this much effort. She even arrived to his tomb! One of the most dangerous places to be right now, because of the deathroot is so aggressive at the entrance. He suprised she managed to get this close in pristine condition. She must be an exceptional warrior, he thought to himself.

She would know she was successful in communion when the world became silent. Complete silence. No water, no flies, not even the sound of the singing and chanting TWLD could't even break through the now impenetrable sound barrier. A dense, dark fog slowly enveloped everything around her. She could see nothing, she could hear nothing, and now the pain from the briars on the deathroot began to fade, and the floor beneath her floated away. It was like she was about to die herself. Perhaps she didn't commune at all, and just met her fate instead.

Then she heard a water droplet hitting the floor. Then another one, and another one. The room looked like it was widening as the fog appeared to climb away from her. She watched the fog suddenly part, and the sound of faint signing in the background, a more pleasant sound than what was heard by the TWLD. It sounded so peaceful, meaningful, as if it was church choir singing hymns.

Then saw him. His tall imposing figure stood as the fog parted itself wide for him. He began to approach her, and soft light shone above them. She could finally see the Prince's features. He was still in the same regalia that he was murdered and put in the tomb with. The only difference is a more tall crown of deathroot and its thorns that sat on his head. Blood trickles down his head from the thorns, leaving thin trails down his pale face and faded golden locks. However, it was clear there was another injury that lead to blood trailing down his robes and onto the floor as he approached her; his back bled profusely behind him, leaving a heavy trail of blood he moved.

He watched her with his dark grey eyes. His soft voice echoed around the area they stood. "Thou art a brave one for coming to mine tomb if thy only reason was to commune with me." Did no one tell her she could commune on the surface?