Queen Marika

The immortal keeper who shattered the Ring and was imprisoned within the Erdtree, leaving her demigods to war over succession and power.

Queen Marika is the immortal ruler who governed the Lands Between as the keeper of the Elden Ring, a powerful force that manifested as the physical concept of order. She acted as the sovereign during the Age of the Erdtree before a catastrophic event altered the realm forever. After shattering the Elden Ring, she was imprisoned within the Erdtree, her absence leaving the world fractured and summoning exiled Tarnished back to the Lands Between with the goal to repair the Ring and become the new Elden Lord.

Quick Facts

Role: Keeper of the Elden Ring
Relation: Radagon (One Being)
Children: Demigods

Lore & Background

Marika's reign defined the era before the Shattering, where she maintained order as the keeper of the Elden Ring. Her authority extended over several demigod children, who claimed territories across the Lands Between only after the Ring was shattered. When Marika shattered the Ring, it sparked a war for power and succession among her demigod children, who fought one another for dominance. The narrative reveals that Marika and Radagon are the same being; after the Tarnished defeats Radagon, the Elden Beast emerges as the final mandatory boss. Upon its defeat, the Tarnished mends the Elden Ring through Marika's body, confirming their unity. This duality suggests a complex existence where the Queen and her consort are intrinsically linked.

Reader's Guide

Queen Marika serves as the central figure whose actions drive the game's conflict. Players must navigate the Lands Between to collect Great Runes from her demigod children to reach the Erdtree. Her physical presence is encountered only at the very end, where she exists as a shattered corpse after Radagon and the Elden Beast are defeated. The Tarnished's interaction with Melina is crucial, as she grants the ability to turn runes into strength and provides the steed Torrent under the condition of reaching the Erdtree. Depending on whether the player harnesses the Frenzied Flame or the Flame of Ruin, Marika's fate and the world's future diverge significantly, leading to distinct endings that redefine the order she once held.

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