The world of Elden Ring is as brutal as it is beautifully complex—and nowhere is that complexity more apparent than in its tangled family tree. Since launch, fans have pored over the relationships between demigods, Empyreans, and their celestial progenitors. But now, with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC shaking things up, the lore has expanded even further, revealing new characters and recontextualizing old ones in ways that have reignited debate and fascination across the community.
From hidden siblings to long-lost royal ties, the Lands Between just got a lot more connected—and a little more disturbing.
The Core: Marika, Radagon, and Rennala
At the heart of Elden Ring’s family drama is Queen Marika the Eternal, a divine figure who shattered the Elden Ring and set the entire narrative in motion. She married Radagon—who was actually her male alter ego—making their children Malenia and Miquella both siblings and, bizarrely, offspring of the same being.
Before Radagon merged with Marika, he was married to Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, ruler of Raya Lucaria. Together they had three children: Ranni the Witch, Rykard, and General Radahn—each with their own twisted fates and god-like ambitions.
This complex triangle of divine partners (and selves) sets the stage for what has been jokingly called the “incestuous soap opera of the Lands Between.”
New Faces, New Threads: The Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion
The DLC introduces several key characters that expand the family tree:
Messmer the Impaler
One of the biggest revelations in Shadow of the Erdtree is the existence of Messmer, a new child of Marika. This makes him a sibling to Malenia and Miquella. But unlike his siblings, Messmer was left behind in the Land of Shadow, a place said to reflect the forgotten and repressed aspects of the Erdtree’s history. Marika seemingly exiled him to prevent his power—or his knowledge—from destabilizing her legacy.
Messmer’s fire-themed magic and vengeful aura have led many fans to speculate that he represents a more wrathful, violent side of Marika. His presence also raises new questions about how many children Marika truly had—and whether others remain hidden.
Rellana, Twin Moon Knight
Rellana is introduced as Rennala’s sister, making her the aunt of Ranni, Rykard, and Radahn. Her title, Twin Moon Knight, suggests a deep connection to the Carian royal lineage and perhaps even a counterpart to her sister’s Full Moon magic. She appears as a figure of order, duty, and unyielding strength—standing in contrast to the more chaotic paths taken by her nephews and niece.
Her inclusion also adds an interesting wrinkle to the Golden Order’s reach, suggesting that the Carian bloodline was even more influential than previously thought.
Revisiting Old Lore With New Light
Melina’s Origins
Speculation around Melina’s parentage has run rampant since the base game, but the DLC offers subtle clues that she may be another daughter of Marika—possibly a counterpart or fragment, much like Radagon. Her ties to the Erdtree and her cryptic dialogue about “burning” it further suggest a deeper role in the divine family hierarchy. Whether she is a full sibling to Miquella and Malenia or something more abstract remains to be seen, but the implications are huge for understanding the Erdtree’s hidden history.
Maliketh: Not Just a Brother
Once thought to be Marika’s half-brother, Maliketh the Black Blade is better understood now as her created shadow—a loyal beast bound to protect the Rune of Death. This redefinition places him not as a blood relative, but as a part of Marika’s divine arsenal. His story takes on more tragedy under this lens: a creature bound by duty, cast aside when no longer needed.
The Tree Might Actually Be a Circle
With all these new revelations, fans have been quick to update visual family trees—only to realize that the diagram now looks more like a circle than a branching tree. FromSoftware and George R.R. Martin clearly leaned into mythology’s love of cyclical bloodlines, reinforcing the idea that power in the Lands Between is inherited, recycled, and manipulated across generations.
One of the most comprehensive fan charts on Reddit now includes:
- Marika’s confirmed children (Malenia, Miquella, Messmer)
- Rellana and her tie to the Carian dynasty
- Melina’s suspected lineage
- Clarified definitions of “Empyrean,” “demigod,” and other divine roles
Final Thoughts
The Elden Ring family tree isn’t just a trivia point—it’s the backbone of the game’s themes: legacy, ambition, loss, and divine contradiction. With Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoftware hasn’t just added more names to the tree—they’ve transformed how we think about the entire divine lineage. In true Soulsborne fashion, each new answer only deepens the mystery.
If you’re diving into the DLC, keep your lore senses sharp. The Lands Between still have many secrets left to reveal.
Key Takeaways
- Fan-created family trees have been updated to include new characters from Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
- The complex relationships between Marika, Radagon, and other demigods form the backbone of Elden Ring’s narrative.
- Understanding the family connections provides crucial insight into the conflicts and motivations driving the story of the Lands Between.
Overview of Elden Ring
Elden Ring represents FromSoftware’s ambitious expansion into vast open-world design while maintaining their signature challenging combat. The game blends Hidetaka Miyazaki’s vision with George R.R. Martin’s worldbuilding to create a rich fantasy universe centered around a complex family tree of gods and demigods.
Gameplay Mechanics
Elden Ring introduces players to a seamless open world called the Lands Between. Players can freely explore diverse landscapes from sprawling fields to underground labyrinths. The combat system builds on FromSoftware’s previous titles with deliberate, tactical encounters requiring precise timing.
The game features a flexible character customization system allowing countless build options. Players can focus on strength, dexterity, intelligence, or faith-based skills. Unique to Elden Ring is the Torrent mount system, enabling horseback exploration and combat.
Spirit Ashes provide summonable allies during difficult encounters. Meanwhile, the crafting system lets players create useful items from gathered materials. These mechanics support multiple playstyles from direct melee combat to ranged spellcasting or stealth approaches.
Narrative and World-Building
The narrative revolves around the shattering of the Elden Ring and the subsequent war among demigods. These characters form a complex family tree with Queen Marika at its center. Her offspring and relations – including Empyreans Miquella and Malenia – shape the conflicts throughout the Lands Between.
George R.R. Martin crafted the foundational mythology while Miyazaki built the current-day narrative. This collaboration produced a rich tapestry of lore delivered through environmental storytelling rather than traditional exposition.
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expands this narrative framework by introducing new characters to the divine family tree. The world features distinct regions ruled by different demigods, each with unique visual identity and challenges.
FromSoftware’s approach to storytelling remains deliberately fragmented, encouraging players to piece together the history through item descriptions, dialogue, and environmental details.
The Lore of Elden Ring
The rich mythology of Elden Ring centers around powerful beings and cosmic forces that shape the Lands Between. The world’s history revolves around the Erdtree’s influence and the devastating war known as The Shattering.
Origins of the Erdtree
The Erdtree stands as the physical manifestation of the Elden Ring and the Golden Order in the Lands Between. It grew from the Crucible, the primordial form of the Erdtree and source of all life. The Greater Will, an Outer God, sent the Elden Beast to the Lands Between, which would eventually become the Elden Ring.
Queen Marika, chosen as an Empyrean, ascended to godhood and became the vessel of the Elden Ring. She ruled alongside her consort Godfrey, the first Elden Lord.
When Godfrey completed his purpose, Marika took Radagon as her second consort. This union produced the twins Miquella and Malenia, both born as Empyreans but afflicted with curses – Miquella with eternal childhood and Malenia with scarlet rot.
The Shattering and the Tarnished
The Shattering began when Queen Marika destroyed the Elden Ring. This cataclysmic event scattered Great Runes across the realm and sparked a war among her demigod children, each seeking to claim the fragments and become the new Elden Lord.
The demigods, including Godrick, Rennala, Radahn, and Rykard, fought relentlessly for power. This conflict left the Lands Between broken and corrupted, with no clear ruler to restore order.
The Tarnished were once exiled from the Lands Between, stripped of the Erdtree’s grace. Following the Shattering, they were called back to seek the Great Runes, mend the Elden Ring, and potentially become the new Elden Lord.
Those who undertake this journey face corrupted demigods, hostile environments, and competing factions, all while piecing together the fractured history of this fallen realm.
Elden Ring’s Key Characters
Elden Ring’s universe revolves around powerful figures whose actions have shaped the Lands Between. These characters form a complex web of relationships that players uncover throughout their journey.
Queen Marika the Eternal
Queen Marika stands at the center of Elden Ring’s sprawling family tree. As the vessel of the Elden Ring and a god in her own right, Marika’s decisions rippled throughout the Lands Between. She has a dual nature, also existing as Radagon, her male counterpart.
Marika’s children can be identified by their butterfly associations. Recent discoveries from Shadow of the Erdtree DLC confirm this pattern extends to all her offspring:
- Melina: Associated with smouldering butterflies
- Miquella: Connected to nascent butterflies
- Malenia: Linked to aeonian butterflies
- Messmer: Tied to Black Pyrefly (revealed in DLC)
Her actions, including shattering the Elden Ring, directly triggered the main events of the game. Marika’s complex motivations remain one of the most debated aspects of the lore.
Godfrey’s Lineage
Godfrey, the First Elden Lord and Marika’s first consort, fathered several important demigods. After being exiled and becoming known as Hoarah Loux, he left behind a powerful legacy.
His children with Marika include:
- Godwyn the Golden: The first demigod to die, whose assassination triggered the Night of Black Knives
- Morgott the Omen King: Ruler of Leyndell despite his omen curse
- Mohg, Lord of Blood: Founded the Mohgwyn Dynasty
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC adds new context to Godfrey’s lineage. His fighting style reflects his warrior heritage, with techniques that embrace both nobility and savagery.
Unlike other Soulsborne games, Elden Ring’s family connections directly influence gameplay mechanics and ending possibilities, making understanding these relationships crucial for players.
Expansions and DLC Content
Elden Ring has grown significantly since its initial release with major content updates that expand the game’s already vast world and complex narrative. The addition of new storylines has further enriched the intricate family tree of demigods that fans have been piecing together.
Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion
Shadow of the Erdtree marks the first major expansion for Elden Ring. Released after much anticipation, this DLC introduces players to the Land of Shadow, a mysterious new area filled with challenging dungeons and formidable enemies. The expansion adds significant depth to the game’s lore by introducing new key characters connected to the existing demigod family tree.
Two important new characters join the complex web of relationships in the Elden Ring universe. These additions have prompted fans to update their understanding of how the various demigods and powerful entities relate to one another. The expansion’s narrative explores previously untold stories that connect to the main game’s events.
Players can expect to encounter new bosses, weapons, and armor sets while exploring this shadowy realm.
Additional Game Content and Updates
Beyond the major Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, FromSoftware has continued supporting Elden Ring with smaller content updates and patches. These updates have refined gameplay mechanics and addressed balance issues throughout the game.
Some updates have added subtle lore elements that sharp-eyed players have incorporated into their understanding of the game’s family connections. Community discoveries continue to reshape how players understand the relationships between characters like the snake-transformed demigods and monstrous entities mentioned in the game.
The ongoing support has maintained player interest in untangling the complex web of family relations. FromSoftware’s approach of leaving much to player interpretation has created a vibrant community of lore enthusiasts who regularly share updated family trees and new theories.
Gameplay Experience
Elden Ring’s gameplay blends challenging combat with exploration of its vast world, where family connections often appear during key encounters. Players face difficult battles that test their skills and strategic thinking.
Combat and Challenges
Elden Ring delivers a punishing yet rewarding combat experience that connects directly to its complex family narrative. Players must master timing-based attacks and defensive maneuvers to survive encounters with the game’s many family-connected bosses.
The combat system features both melee and magical options, allowing players to create builds that suit their preferred playstyle. Many challenging areas contain clues about the game’s intricate family relationships.
Environmental hazards add another layer of difficulty, forcing players to stay alert. The game’s open-world design means players can often approach challenges in different orders, sometimes encountering family members earlier or later than expected.
Weapons and Bosses
The expansive arsenal includes weapons with unique ties to the game’s family tree. Legendary armaments like the Blasphemous Blade and Moonveil Katana connect directly to specific family lineages, with lore descriptions revealing important story details.
Boss encounters often pit players against corrupted family members or those who’ve undergone dramatic transformations. These battles serve as major story moments where players witness the consequences of familial conflicts firsthand.
Some notable boss encounters include:
- Malenia, Blade of Miquella – One of Marika’s children
- Godrick the Grafted – Distant descendant of Godfrey
- Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy – A demigod who transformed into a serpent
These challenging fights require mastery of hand-to-hand combat techniques while revealing crucial aspects of the game’s family dynamics through cutscenes and dialog.
Platform Availability and Technical Aspects
Elden Ring continues to be accessible across multiple gaming platforms, maintaining its broad reach to players worldwide. Technical specifications vary by platform, with each version offering different performance profiles.
Console and PC Launch
Elden Ring launched simultaneously on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on February 25, 2022. This multi-platform approach ensured the game’s availability to a wide audience regardless of their preferred gaming system.
The newly released DLC follows this same pattern, being available across all original platforms. This consistent approach helps maintain the game’s large player base without fragmenting the community.
Players should note that while the base game and DLC are available on previous generation consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), these versions may have certain technical limitations compared to their current-gen counterparts.
Performance and Cross-Compatibility
Performance varies significantly between platforms. The current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X) offer the most consistent console experience with higher framerates and resolution options.
PC players benefit from scalable graphics settings that can be adjusted based on their hardware capabilities. However, some users reported optimization issues at launch that required patches to address.
Cross-platform save compatibility is not supported between different ecosystem families. PlayStation saves cannot transfer to Xbox or PC, and vice versa. However, there is generational compatibility within the same family (PS4 to PS5, Xbox One to Series X/S).
Load times show substantial improvement on SSD-equipped systems like PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and modern PCs compared to previous generation hardware.
Fan Engagement and Community Contributions
The Elden Ring community has shown remarkable dedication through fan theories and financial support for creators. Recent events highlight how FromSoftware fans unite not just around game lore but also to help community members in need.
Fan Theories and Speculations
Players have created detailed family trees tracking the complex relationships between Elden Ring characters. These charts have been continuously updated since the game’s release, with significant revisions following the DLC launch. The community has identified fascinating connections, including characters transforming into snakes, others affected by plagues, and some becoming puppets or monsters.
Fan theories often explore the deeper meaning behind these transformations. Many speculate about the relationships between demigods and other powerful entities within the Lands Between.
These theories demonstrate the depth of engagement with FromSoftware’s world-building techniques, which share similarities with their earlier works like Dark Souls and Bloodborne.
Community-Driven Storytelling
The Soulsborne community recently demonstrated their unity by raising over $30,000 for a beloved content creator facing medical expenses. This fundraising effort happened remarkably quickly, with thousands of dollars donated within hours to cover private healthcare costs.
This support extends beyond financial contributions. Fans actively create and share their interpretations of the game’s narrative through:
- Fan fiction exploring character backgrounds
- Art depicting key moments and characters
- Lore videos examining hidden connections
- Modding communities that expand the game’s world
FromSoftware appears to be acknowledging these community contributions in their “Elden Ring Nightreign” update, which seems to incorporate elements inspired by nearly three years of mods and fan requests.
Elden Ring Market Performance
Elden Ring has become one of FromSoftware’s biggest commercial successes since its launch. The game continues to perform exceptionally well in the market, reaching new sales milestones and maintaining strong pricing power.
Sales and Price Trends
Elden Ring has achieved remarkable commercial success, selling over 28.6 million copies worldwide as of September 2024. This impressive figure demonstrates the game’s enduring appeal more than three years after its initial release.
The base game has maintained a relatively stable price point, typically selling for $59.99, with occasional sales dropping to around $39.99. The release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has helped sustain the game’s value proposition, allowing FromSoftware to maintain premium pricing longer than many other titles.
Digital sales continue to dominate, though physical copies remain popular among collectors seeking the limited editions with additional merchandise.
Comparison with Predecessors
Elden Ring has significantly outperformed FromSoftware’s previous titles in the Soulsborne genre. Dark Souls 3, previously the company’s best-selling title, reached approximately 10 million units in its lifetime—a figure Elden Ring surpassed within its first year.
In the broader Soulslike category, Elden Ring has set a new benchmark for commercial success. The game’s open-world approach attracted a wider audience than previous titles like Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
As a Role-Playing Game, Elden Ring competes favorably with other major RPG franchises. Its sales numbers rival those of established series like The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher, despite being a newer IP.
The game’s consistent performance has boosted FromSoftware’s market position and solidified Elden Ring as their flagship franchise.
Noteworthy Mentions
The Elden Ring family tree continues to evolve with new information from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Beyond the core relationships, several interesting elements have emerged that shed light on the complex web of connections in the Lands Between.
Cameo Appearances and Easter Eggs
The latest updates to the Elden Ring family tree include subtle nods to characters previously thought unrelated. Messmer, a mysterious figure introduced in the DLC, appears to have unexpected ties to existing bloodlines. Players have discovered hidden dialogue that suggests connections to the Empyreans.
Several optional bosses contain visual elements that reference family relationships not explicitly stated in the main story. These visual hints include shared weapon designs and similar magic styles that only careful players might notice.
The updated family tree also reveals that certain Radahn armor pieces contain symbols matching those of other demigods, hinting at closer relationships than previously understood. This detail has sparked new theories about the true extent of godly connections.
Anticipated Future Developments
Data miners have uncovered unused dialogue files suggesting FromSoftware may have planned additional family revelations for future content. These files contain references to previously unknown offspring of Marika that could expand the family tree further.
Community speculation centers around potential DLC expansions that might explore the ancestral origins of the Golden Order and reveal more about Marika’s past before becoming a vessel for the Elden Ring. These additions would significantly reshape our understanding of the timeline.
Several subtle hints in the Shadow of the Erdtree point to unexplored branches of the family tree. Item descriptions for new artifacts mention “forgotten heirs” and “children of shadow” that may become important in upcoming content updates or sequels, potentially expanding the already complex family dynamics.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Elden Ring family tree reveals complex relationships among demigods and other key characters in the Lands Between. These connections impact the game’s lore and storyline in significant ways, with many subtle details emerging through item descriptions and environmental storytelling.
How does Radagon relate to the greater family tree in the latest Elden Ring lore?
Radagon occupies a unique position in the Elden Ring family tree as both consort to Queen Marika and, as later revealed, an aspect of Marika herself. This duality creates a complex web of relationships with other characters.
Radagon first married Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, with whom he had three children: Radahn, Ranni, and Rykard. Later, he left Rennala to become Marika’s consort, having three more children: Miquella, Malenia, and possibly Godwyn.
Recent lore interpretations suggest Radagon was created as a separate entity specifically to serve as Marika’s masculine counterpart. This adds layers to understanding the demigod lineage.
What are the implications of the family tree in the potential Elden Ring DLC?
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, scheduled for May 2025, promises to expand on the complex family connections established in the base game. Players expect to learn more about Miquella’s role and his connections to other family members.
Leaks suggest the DLC will explore branches of the family tree that were only hinted at previously. This may include deeper dives into Marika’s past and possibly reveal unknown offspring or relatives.
Family rivalries and alliances will likely drive key plot points in the expansion. The demigod family dynamics have always created fertile ground for FromSoftware’s storytelling approach.
What role does Godwyn play within the Elden Ring ancestral lineage?
Godwyn the Golden, firstborn of Marika and her first consort Godfrey, holds significant importance in the family lineage despite being dead in body but not in soul. His murder triggered the Night of the Black Knives and the Shattering.
As Marika’s first child, Godwyn represented the pinnacle of the Golden Order’s ideals. His death created the first of Those Who Live in Death, fundamentally altering the cycle of life and death in the Lands Between.
Recent lore discussions suggest Godwyn’s corrupted form beneath Stormveil Castle may have greater significance than initially thought. His continued existence in this state has implications for the entire family tree.
How are Marika’s descendants interconnected in the family tree of Elden Ring?
Marika’s descendants form complex relationships through two marriages – first to Godfrey, then to Radagon. This created two sets of demigod children with different powers and allegiances.
The offspring from Marika and Godfrey include Godwyn, Morgott, and Mohg. Her children with Radagon are Miquella and Malenia. Each child inherited different aspects of divine power.
Complications arise because Radagon is revealed to be part of Marika herself, making Miquella and Malenia born of a single divine entity. This self-coupling created unique traits in these offspring, such as Miquella’s eternal youth and Malenia’s scarlet rot.
Can we expect any expansions to the Elden Ring family tree lore in upcoming updates or releases?
With Shadow of the Erdtree launching in May 2025 and rumors of additional DLC, fans can expect significant expansions to the family tree lore. The recent announcement of Elden Ring Nightreign also hints at more revelations.
FromSoftware typically uses expansions to fill narrative gaps and deepen existing storylines. The complex family dynamics provide ample opportunity for new content and revelations.
Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has indicated that future content will explore previously untouched aspects of the Lands Between’s history. This suggests we may learn about unknown branches of the family tree or ancestors predating Marika.
What are the familial connections between Mohg, Morgott, and the other demigods?
Mohg and Morgott are twin Omen brothers born to Marika and Godfrey. Despite their royal lineage, they were shunned because of their Omen curses and imprisoned beneath Leyndell.
Morgott remained loyal to the Golden Order despite his rejection, eventually becoming the king defending Leyndell. Mohg, conversely, pledged himself to the Formless Mother and sought to create a new dynasty with Miquella.
Their half-siblings include Godwyn (from Marika and Godfrey) and Miquella and Malenia (from Marika/Radagon). These complex relationships created political tensions that contributed to the Shattering and the war of the demigods.
