The Enchanting Realms Beyond Elden Ring's Lands Between

Highlights

Elden Ring's world-building extends beyond The Lands Between, featuring other societies and cultures hinted at through item descriptions and lore.

The Lands Between in Elden Ring is influenced by European-style fantasy, but the regions beyond offer a contrasting experience. The Badlands, for instance, is a harsh and lawless territory, while The Land of Reeds resembles Japan during its turbulent Warring States period. The Numen race, with their distinct appearance and ties to important figures, originates from a distant land separate from The Lands Between. These nations play a crucial part in the game's lore, adding depth and richness to the world of Elden Ring.

In Elden Ring, players have the opportunity to explore a vast and expansive world. This world is not limited to The Lands Between, as FromSoftware has intricately crafted various societies and cultures beyond this central realm. True to the studio's style, these external nations are alluded to through item descriptions and enigmatic lore delivery methods. While these nations may not be the primary focus of Elden Ring, they exhibit the same level of complexity and profound world-building that players have come to expect from FromSoftware.

Within Elden Ring, players engage in battles with mighty dragons, don traditional knight armor, and navigate medieval castles. These elements suggest a familiar, European-style fantasy backdrop. Much like the Dark Souls series, Elden Ring draws inspiration from traditional tales of wizards, knights, queens, and other classic fantasy motifs. However, the lands beyond The Lands Between possess a distinctive essence. The lore of Elden Ring implies that The Lands Between serves as a central nexus, connecting it to all other "lands." Nevertheless, it remains distinct from the other mentioned nations found throughout the game.

The Badlands Is A Lawless Region In Elden Ring

Most Elden Ring players are familiar with Godfrey as the initial Elden Lord and the ultimate boss of the game. However, he is also the character in Elden Ring who has the closest ties to The Badlands. The game's opening cinematic identifies him by his original name, Hoarah Loux, and refers to him as the "chieftain of The Badlands." Delving deeper into his history reveals that prior to becoming the first Elden Lord and Queen Marika's consort, he was a formidable warrior, almost beast-like in nature, who led an army of Tarnished to The Lands Between during an event known as The Long March.

Descriptions of The Badlands suggest that it is an unforgiving and brutal region, one that may potentially be explored in future Elden Ring DLC. During a questline involving Nepheli Loux, a relative of Godfrey's, she portrays the badlands as a place filled with violence, chaos, and constant warfare. She explains that the weak suffer under the rule of the strong and murder is commonplace. Nepheli also mentions the harsh weather conditions of The Badlands, describing bitter winds and storms. Nepheli's accounts, combined with information provided in item descriptions and Hoarah Loux's backstory, depict The Badlands as a realm completely isolated from modern civilization, lacking any form of societal structure or order, and giving rise to bloodthirsty warriors.

The Land Of Reeds Is Elden Ring's Version Of Japan

Elden Ring draws heavily from European influences for its weapons, armor, architecture, and world-building. However, amidst these European roots, there are notable exceptions such as the Moonveil Katana and Rivers of Blood, which appear to have Japanese origins. These weapons, along with traditional armor associated with ancient samurai warriors, originate from The Land of Reeds. This nation, resembling Japan during its Warring States period, has been caught in an enduring civil war predating the events of Elden Ring, causing it to isolate itself from external cultures and societies. Notable characters like Okina and Yura hail from The Land of Reeds, making it a potentially intriguing setting for the game's upcoming DLC.

The Numen Race Comes From Beyond The Lands Between

The nation that gave rise to the Numen is perhaps the most enigmatic in Elden Ring. These individuals, believed to have ties to Queen Marika, the Nox of the Eternal Cities, and the Black Knife Assassins, possess a unique appearance with their grayish skin, dark eyes, and distinctive bone structure. While they are humanoid, they are noticeably different from the standard human models in the game. Referred to as "long-lived but rarely born," they are believed to be descended from a distant land. Given the Numen's significant role and distinct appearance in the world of Elden Ring, it is evident that this distant land holds considerable influence and stands apart from The Lands Between.

While The Lands Between in Elden Ring is a captivating realm teeming with history, culture, and an eerie beauty, it is not the sole nation within the game's world. It may be the home of Marika, Radagon, The Golden Order, and the Erdtree, but it is undoubtedly influenced and affected by its neighboring lands. As players delve into The Shadow of the Erdtree or a potential Elden Ring sequel, more insights may be revealed regarding these mysterious nations.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Series X/S.