It's no secret that FromSoft is a proponent of action RPGs and dark fantasy settings. With each soul created, FromSoft raises its own standard when it comes to crafting rich environments filled with tantalizing insights. Many of these IPs often hide lore behind item flair text and contextual NPC interactions, leaving players wondering about the storytelling, but critically acclaimedalter Ringoffers some of the most distinctive lore we've seen in a Souls-like title. The title draws on a wealth of in-game assets to create the Lands Between, from solid text to numerous NPC quest lines with varied solutions. However, one element of surprise remains, adding an extra layer of mythos to the title as players battle their way to the Elden throne: intentional musical composition, which has important context in this world. Through the soundtrack and additional musical resources, Elden Ring reminds us that music has the power to transform environments and characters. The overall integration of the music into the title gives us an additional window into the Lands Between and even helps to shed light on the practices of this world and immerse players even more in the action. Singing bats, violin-playing nomads, and trumpet-wielding stuffed monsters (no one knows exactly what they're made of) serve to set the mood. The similar composition of themes to connect characters, NPC musical elements, and even enemy chants allows players to delve deeper into the storyline and setting. It's a testament to FromSoft's commitment to storytelling when so many musical details are seamlessly woven into the plot. Elden Ring invites us to sit back and listen to the strains of the Lands Between, so let's take a look at some of the title's most memorable historical compositions.This Checking the Score will dive into the lore of the Elden Ring, so beware of spoilers, Tarnished One.
Whether we're fighting our way through crumbling ruins or galloping across the plains, players are sure to encounter all sorts of threats. However, there are some enemies that we can hear first before we are aware of their appearance. When they're not trying to kill us, some threats in the Middle Lands go about their own business, adding even more life to the world around us. Inevitably, we can kill these threats to resources (we have to level up somehow), but sometimes a beautiful sadness accompanies these moments. Usually situated on rocky outcrops, if we listen carefully we can hear the story of a bygone era. The soft, somber sound of a woman's voice is heard, backed by the creaking of old wood and rusty gears as an elevator takes the player up a cliff. The words are difficult to understand, but they become clearer as we get closer. A pain echoing from the walls of the gorge in Latin emanates from a singing winged lady. The poem itself follows the same structure found in classical Latin poetry called elegiac couplets. Shakespeare liked to use pentameter as classical Latin poetry uses pentameter and hexameter. That is, it plays with more syllables and sounds in a single line. Usually this form of poetry expresses pain, sadness or love.
Composed by the minds behind the Bloodborne soundtrack, Tsukasa Siatoh's "Song of Lament" is a haunting acapella tune that gives us a glimpse into the world before The Shattering (the event that triggers the entire game). The interesting elements of this song are not only the out of place in the Middlelands where you find them, but also the little glimpse of history before Marika broke the Elden Ring. Grotesquely corrupted, these humanoid bats cry out of their plight:
Unfortunately, this once blessed land had now shrunk
We, destined to be mothers, are now defiling ourselves.
(Video) An Incorrect Summary of Elden Ring Reaction | Part 2 The King and the SerpentWe mourned and we shed tears.
But no one consoles us.
Dorado, who were you mad at?
(Video) Elden Ring - The Many Problems With Its Bosses
As is typical of FromSoft games, especially soul games, information about the world is gained rather than learned. This clue is usually in the flavor text of the items you pick up and will be sung to you as long as you can translate it. Dame's physical ability to not only articulate words, but to have breath support and change vocal tone with the melody. We know birds and bats usually have different animalistic sounds, but the world context, translation, and downscaled melody are a notch above what we'd get from a nonsensical animal. That leaves us with few options as to why he's in the game. Or these creatures that were once the people of the midlands, with strong effects on bat-like creatures that are predominantly female,NOsupport Marika's decision to break the Elden Ring as we are being led to believe in the Golden Order. Or these bat creatures are descendants of the humans of Middle-earth who were transformed as part of Marika's curse that broke the Golden Ring, and this song is so ingratiating with their communication structure as a species that it's simply their "nature". . ' Sound, similar to a bird call, warning of danger. Anyway, the way the melody is structured to give the words some emotional emphasis, especially with the scale of rising notes to imply hope. It then switches to a descending scale, ending the song on a lower note to suggest that hope has been dashed, disappointed, or "don't go anymore." From this we can certainly take an important perspective in the world of the Elden Ring: Contrary to what the living say, Marika's decision to break the Elden Ring was, like many rulers, unsupported by the masses. It also appears to be something that has had far-reaching and destructive consequences.
Enemies can torment us with their tunes, but the NPC vendors make up for it by bringing us a bit of warmth. While most traders are not immediately adjacent to a place of grace (a bonfire of souls in every sense), we often encounter them in the most remote of locations, usually sitting around their own campfire and playing their instrument. like a violin It warms us when we climb the mountainside or venture into the deepest caves. As humble helpers, these nomads were expelled to the Central Plateau. Found everywhere, there are actually different tunes played on your instrument depending on your location. Their lore suggests that their worship of the Three Fingers was considered blasphemy and they were persecuted for it. If players can get their hands on the Nomadic Merchant Set, they will receive additional lore in the form of Flavor Text: "These merchants were once successful as the Great Caravan, but after being accused of heretical beliefs, their entire clan were arrested and buried alive. very underground. Then they chanted a curse of despair and summoned the flame of frenzy."
It seems implied that the Merchants are responsible for the Raging Flame since the Three Fingers are associated with insanity. We also find a vendor note (recognizable by the small feathers attached to it) in a town overrun by the tainted suffering from the frenzy of madness that tells where to find three-fingered avatar. We can further connect this piece by finding a whole room full of corpses deep underground on the way to completing the Frenzied Flame questline. We see a downtrodden nomad playing an oddly soothing and delicate campfire tune that narrates the horrifying scene around us. Titled "Song of Despair," it's easy to see how this decaying dude in this catacomb could be mentally insane. How long has this lonely nomad been living among the hills of his dead brothers? Unable to escape from underground exile, the lonely nomad plays a different tune from other nomadic traders seen around the world. This little touch of having different tunes played by different nomads in different places reveals the backstory of a horrific inquisition long ago. It is an amazing detail to listen to these beautiful tones and to watch closely as the nomads are encouraged to play the exact notes on their stringed instrument. These are complicated lore that, once discovered, could even alter the player's in-game choices. Upon learning of her horrific experience, I myself followed Frenzy Flame, hoping to meet the Golden Order for following Marika as a 'true god' (despite the fact that she blew everything up out of defiance).
There are so many elements of musical tradition to be found in the world, but we can also hear the connections in the main themes. A notable example is the way the soundtrack connects two very important characters in the game. At the beginning of the game we encountered a big boss on our way to Stormveil Keep. We introduce ourselves as Margit, Fell Omen and assume we've seen the last of him once he's defeated. However, we inevitably learn that Omens are not that easy to put down. He reappears to us much later, this time shedding his disguise and reintroducing himself as Morgott, the King of Omens. Omens are reviled as impure cursed beings during this time and are often killed. However, omens of noble birth can live as long as they are hidden from the world. Depending on where players travel, some will find themselves deep underground, knee-deep in a lake of blood. Clearing the area will lead us to a boss fight where we'll come across a familiar-looking Omen. However, a color difference indicates that this is not Morgott at all. Instead, we encountered the realm of Mohg, Lord of Blood.
While their character designs are similar and the various in-game clues also confirm that Morgott and Mohg are twin brothers, we can sense an extra layer of confirmation in the way that each one's theme is made up of similar structures. Using the same choral and orchestral components, both themes have slight variations to describe the brothers. And because we've been playing around with the music and found here that when you play both tracks on top of each other at the same time, it's hard to tell them apart for half of each track. Both seem complementary, but also discordant, where one fills in the gaps of the other. Hearing that sounds like a sibling fight, which could well be the case. Morgott shines on the surface and guards the Elden Throne. Since Omen are born without the mercy of the Earth Tree, they cannot become Elden Lords themselves. While his brother tends to the throne, Mohg is trapped deep underground tending to the sleeping heir to the throne, Miquella. By kidnapping him, Mohg hopes to rightfully claim the throne with Miquela. Perhaps this could be something to explore in the future expansion announced by FromSoft. Listen and listen to Mohg's animosity belowMurgotts Triumphas successor.
The lore of Elden Ring runs deep and rich. Behind every creature, every location, and every boss fight is a piece of lore that creates a living world. But beyond the flavor texts and the readings, we find scattered some key elements that synthesize these virtues. Without the right soundtrack, much of the world building would be lost. Epic themes that we just didn't have time to discuss really make a difference in so many Elden Ring experiences. The use of a full orchestra and ethereal voices ties the game to its FromSoft predecessors while maintaining its own identity through lore-based composition. There are so many musical components in the game that it really shows the attention to detail that went into development. These musical components not only give structure to the world-building, but also provide direction to the players. The Elden Ring OST is composed to give players a glimpse of the world. We can tell if something is an enemy by the way it sounds. We can tell whether we have found a friendly NPC by the way it plays its music. We can also hear the battle of gods and kings every time we fight a boss. The music of Elden Ring is truly a master class in combining music composition and storytelling. We hope that the eventual expansion will bring us even more themes steeped in Elden lore.