Summary
Part of what makes Soulsborne games special is their creative yet creepy enemy designs, andElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeis no exception. These strange, grotesque and unique monsters are a staple, and seem to come from the mind of the legendary video game director and FromSoftware’s president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, but these monsters aren’t just weird for the sake of it. There is always a lore reason for these designs, even if it takes some time (and one of gaming’s biggest ever expansions) to actually explain it.
[Warning: Spoilers for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.]
Whether it be grand, ancient dragons likeBayle The Dreador alien creatures from the stars like Metyr, Mother of Fingers,Shadow of the Erdtreegoes out of its way to explain parts of the base game’s lore using some of its bosses. Sometimes, these bosses explain how a cult came into being or a fundamental element of something players thought they already knew well, like the Two Fingers and how they communicate with the Greater Will. Romina explains both, and why one of the game’s creepiest enemies roams the Lands Between.
Romina, Saint Of The Bud, Is The Source Of Elden Ring’s Creepiest Enemies
And Is Probably Malenia’s Biggest Fan
Romina is another one ofElden Ring’s many tragic characters, having suffered at the hands ofMessmer the Impalerand his crusade through the Land of Shadow. She was always a saint in a church in Rauh, but after Messmer and his forces reached her,they burned her church to the ground, leaving her as the sole survivor. The symbol of the church is a bud, so the name Church of the Bud is likely something that survived Messmer, as did the bud itself, since it later became Romina’s weapon.
After defeating Romina, players can trade the Remembrance of the Saint of the Bud to acquire the Poleblade of the Bud. This gives the player one of Romina’s attacks through its Ash of War, Romina’s Purification.
After the desolation of Messmer’s crusade and the near destruction of her church,Romina discovered a twisted Divine Element which she weaved into Scarlet Rot. The assumption is that this is what turned her into the grotesque, centipede-like monster that the Tarnished meets when venturing to the Church of the Bud, since Scarlet Rot and its butterflies are a built-in part of the fight. Romina is also seen in a more humanoid form in the cinematic trailer, holding the bud in front of a wall of flames, so she was human-like at one point.
From here, theSaint of the Budbecame a leader to the followers of the Scarlet Rot, likely starting the cult around it in the first place. Many of them flocked to her, hence whythe Tarnished will see many of the creepy Kindred of Rot enemies around her church. These Kindred of Rot can be seen throughout the Lands Between wherever the Scarlet Rot has a strong presence, such as the Swamp of Aeonia in Caelid (infected with Rot after Malenia bloomed) and the Lake of Rot deep underground.
Romina Is A Saint For The Sealed God
And Spreads The Scarlet Rot
Although it isn’t known how much power Romina commands over the Scarlet Rot,she is a leader that many creatures associated with the Rot flock toward. Deserted Kindred of Rot Pests act as her servants, and she also embraced the Scarlet Rot butterflies that were originally left by Malenia. These butterflies could have come from the Blade of Miquella’s first bloom, since she has more of them around her wings when she becomes the Goddess of Rot in the second phase of her boss fight.
Provided that the Outer Gods work similarly to the Greater Will and a single individual can become a representing god for them, like Marika,Malenia could be the representative for the Sealed God, who is associated with the Scarlet Rot. There is a prophecy about her becoming a god after her third bloom, and she is an Empyrean who is capable of becoming a god for the Greater Will. Romina has more of a Mohg role, spreading the word and leading a cult, but isn’t going to become a god any time soon.
Mohg was granted his powers after encountering an Outer God known as the Formless Mother. His goal was to raise Miquella to godhood and be his consort, but it was revealed inShadow of the Erdtreethat he had been enchanted by Miquella.
There are many links between Romina and Malenia, even if the Saint of the Bud has less lore to work with compared toElden Ring’s de facto mascot. It is unlikely that the two know about each other, since she is a victim of Messmer and his actions were wiped from the annals of history, but other than sharing Scarlet Rot butterflies, there are also similarities in the soundtracks played during their fights. The Saint of the Bud track shares a similar melody to the Goddess of Rot theme and is likely meant to tell the player that the two characters are connected.
Shadow Of The Erdtree Is Smart For Abandoning This Annoying Elden Ring Feature
One thing that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree leaves behind breaks tradition, but it definitely seems like the wisest course of action.
Elden Ring’s Creepy Kindred Of Rot Pests Flock To Romina
And Her Buds Have Been Afflicted With Scarlet Rot
With the once beautiful and secluded Church of the Bud,Romina provides a kind of bastion for these Kindred of Rot Pests. Plenty can be seen during the run to the Church of the Bud, Main Entrance Site of Grace, lurking in a corridor filled with Scarlet Rot. Although Scarlet Rot traditionally has associations with butterflies, due to Malenia’s wings, this might be more due to being a child of Marika, since there is apopularElden Ringbutterfly theoryaround her children.
Romina shows that centipedes, or at least many-legged insects, may be a more accurate association, sincethe creepy Kindred of Rot Pests have many limbs, and seem to be insect-like in nature. Romina herself has a centipede part of her body, as well as a scorpion part, and it is assumed that the Scarlet Rot changed her into this. She did also cause the Spider Scorpion creatures seen throughout the Land of Shadow to swell in size and become the terrifying creatures that the Tarnished can come across.
Although Romina isn’t as important as the likes of Messmer or Metyr inElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree,her inclusion expands upon the lore around the Scarlet Rot. Players learn more about the cult worshiping the Sealed God through her, as well as better understand the terrors caused by Messmer’s bloody and fiery crusade in his mother’s name. Romina was a victim that turned to extreme means to cope, becoming and attracting the game’s creepiest monsters through the use of the Scarlet Rot.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a popular game released by From Software, creators of games such as Armored Core, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne. Players assume the role of a Tarnished, a being once exiled to the Lands Between and has returned to repair the Elden Ring after the events of “The Shattering.” “The Shattering” occurred when the offspring of Queen Marika battled to claim the shards of the Elden Ring, known as Great Runes. Their war has brought lawlessness, destruction, and chaos to the land, and the player will challenge them with the assistance of a Maiden known as Melina as they travel towards the great Erd Tree to face their destiny and to become the one true Elden Lord. Players can tackle the game how they choose and can adventure across realms as they build their character how they want - be it a powerful magic caster or a brutal swordsman - they will have complete control over their build.
