Elden Ring’s Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC is fast approaching, and with it, new lore. Fans got their first taste of what the expansion would be about via its first trailer, confirming certainElden Ringfan theories while introducing all-new characters, enemies, weapons, and more.
But the trailer also seems to have debunked a few long-running suspicions, with one of the most significant being aboutShadow of the Erdtree’s setting. Since the expansion was first announced, many fans have speculated that it would take place in the Badlands, a region referenced in the base game. The mysterious location is described as a brutal, unkind land characterized by inhospitable weather and constant battle. The Tarnished, along with Godfrey, were banished to the Badlands by Queen Marika long before the events of the base game, and with how important the region appears to be, it seemed like a reasonable choice for Shadow of the Erdtree’s setting. Alas, this appears not to be the case.
Rumors about a Badlands DLCwere supported by a ransomware attack on Bandai Namco, which leaked the title of a project calledBarbarians of the Badlands. This leak has since been widely regarded as a hoax.
Shadow of the Erdtree: No Badlands Shouldn’t Mean No Godfrey
Godfrey Is One of Elden Ring’s Most Interesting Characters
Former consort of Marika and father to the first Demigods,Godfrey, formerly known as Hoarah Loux, was a bloodthirsty warrior. His bloodlust was tempered by the lion Serosh, whose spirit rested on Godfrey’s back, controlling and counseling him. All of this made him more useful to Marika, who made him the first Elden Lord and leveraged him and his warriors during the War Against the Giants.
Godfrey defeated the Giants and trapped their flame in the mountains, which allowed the Erdtree to take shape, thus setting the Golden Order movement in motion. However, many factions wereagainst the Erdtree, and so Godfrey had to continue fighting. Upon defeating all opposition, Marika divested him and his followers of their Grace, turning them into the first Tarnished and banishing them to the Badlands to fight and die. Godfrey once again assumed the identity of Hoarah Loux and eventually died in battle. But when the Elden Ring was shattered, the concept of death was altered, and Godfrey and his Tarnished returned to the Lands Between.
Shadow of the Erdtree Can Shed More Light On Godfrey
Needless to say, Godfrey is one of the most important characters inElden Ring. He played an instrumental role in the institution of the Golden Order and the flourishing of the Erdtree, and Marika likely would not have reached such heights of power without his support. Although he ultimately meets his end at the hands of the player-character, he is an instrumental force in the lore, andShadow of the Erdtreeshould answer some lingering questionsabout him.
There’s a decent chance that the DLC will provide some additional information about Godfrey, as it appears to be focused heavily on the game’s central family. The DLC’s setting is described as “the land where the goddess Marika first set foot,” so perhaps there will be some clarification about why exactly she divested Godfrey and his kinfolk of Grace and banished them since this is somewhat unclear in the base game. The DLC could also provide more context aboutGodfrey and Serosh’s relationship, as the circumstances of their meeting and dynamic are similarly foggy. Regardless of how it takes shape, more information about Godfrey in Shadow of the Erdtree would certainly be warranted and valuable.
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
