While Elden Ring Runes Ancient Dragons remained mysterious throughout the game, the upcoming DLC includes a chance to bring them into the spotlight.

The sparse role of the Ancient Dragons within the critically acclaimed Elden Ring by FromSoftware leaves lots of room for interpretation. While they're some of the most memorable encounters of Elden Ring, the Ancient Dragons find it difficult to find exactly the same plot relevancy his their humanoid counterparts. The upcoming DLC expansion, Shadow from the Erdtree, is the best opportunity to expand around the presence and lore of the Ancient Dragons. With several clues hidden in the base game, Shadow from the Erdtree seems poised to provide more in the Ancient Dragons.

The Ancient Dragons of Elden Ring aren't anything short of technical marvels, however, their minor role saw them often overlooked in support of all other iconic Elden Ring bosses. Most basic dragon enemies within the game reuse exactly the same base model with slight variations in abilities and appearances, causing fatigue common inside a game noted for its resourceful but repetitive asset recycling. The actual Ancient Dragon bosses are few in number, with very little backstory when compared to the rich histories of the other bosses.

The Shadow from the Erdtree Teaser Image Hints in a Godwyn Connection

Shadow from the Erdtree could provide more possibilities to shine for that massive creature. The Shadow from the Erdtree teaser image released by FromSoftware showcases a delicate blonde figure riding the ball player steed Torrent, with a few kinds of withered tree figures within the distance. The image might be considered vague, but you will find subtle details here that really hint at a potential link with the dragons.

Within the teaser image, what might appear to become a single withered tree leaking gold liquid actually appears to be two different withered trees twisted around one another. This is relevant since the demigod Godwyn’s undead corpse lies deep underground underneath the Erdtree. His corpse has been said to be the progenitor of Deathroot, a corrupted substance in Elden Ring that triggers the Deathblight status ailment. This withered tree might be the manifestation of Godwyn’s Deathroot wringing the life span out from the Erdtree.

The link between the teaser image and Godwyn is significant because the place where the ball player finds Godwyn’s corpse, the Deeproot Depths, is really also the place of one from the Ancient Dragon encounters, namely with Lichdragon Fortissax, an old ally of Godwyn's. Fortissax is supposedly encountered in a dream concerning the undead Godwyn. This is a part of the deeper lore implication that Godwyn was the originator of the Ancient Dragon Cult, a mysterious group with massive influence within the capital of The Lands Between.

Godwyn’s Ancient Dragon Cult Has Deep Ties towards the Lore

Due to the possible presence of Deathroot in the teaser image, the mysterious and underdeveloped Godwyn could enter into a far more prominent role. With his connections towards the Ancient Dragon Cult, Godwyn’s bigger role may likely mean bringing the Ancient Dragons towards the forefront at some point within the DLC. The teaser image seems to take place inside a different period of time than the base game, so connections may also be drawn towards the anachronistic encounter using the secret Elden Ring boss, Dragonlord Placidusax. Players may potentially see the Dragonlord in an even stronger form because he appeared far past his prime within the base game of Elden Ring.

Despite their limited role within the base game, the upcoming Shadow from the Erdtree has got the potential to expand around the significance of the Ancient Dragons and supply a more in-depth search for their lore. With the direct connections to Lichdragon Fortissax, it would appear that the dragons can play a far more prominent role within the DLC’s narrative. The expansion’s possible focus around the dragons would connect to the game's broader themes of life, death, and also the balance of power. Shadow from the Erdtree is set to become a mysterious new chapter within the buy elden ring runes story, and a link with the Ancient Dragons could be the key to some of the game’s electrifying moments yet.

Elden Ring can be obtained now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.