Lore

The Four Rings
Understanding the world of Elden Ring starts with understanding its cosmology. The state of the universe is prescribed by four cosmic entities, heavenly rings that bestow heroism and power upon those under their influence. The three lesser rings around the outside are the sources of life, love, and peace, which can exist alone or together. At the center of it all, the Elden Ring joins them together and is the source of humanity itself. Its effects are much harder to quantify, as there are many. These effects are determined by glyphs inscribed upon its altar, the meaning of which is known only to the Ringsmiths who crafted them.

The Great Cataclysm
With the power of the Elden Ring behind it, humanity rose to new heights. Its old enemies, deities, and strife all fell away at the peak of the human's power. However, two Ringsmiths, Ilfang and Iracil, saw that as humanity's nobility grew so too did their lust for power. Feeling their power threatened, they betrayed their fellow Ringsmiths and shattered the Elden Ring, releasing upon the land both its fragments and the fiery wrath of the heavens. Since the fate of the Ringsmiths is tied to the fate of the Elden Ring, the smiths also fell from their deity status and, wracked by failure and corruption, sought shelter among the most powerful humans.

This is where our hero enters the story. In order to restore humanity's nobility, he must restore the fragments of the Elden Ring to their home, often by force. Abominations and human lords have hoarded the fragments for themselves in order to harness their power, and must be defeated if the world is to return to its rightful state. His journey is marked by his encounters with the fallen Ringsmiths, whether good or evil, as he seeks to uncover the meaning behind the glyphs that determine the fate of the world. Only then will he be able to ascend to the Altar of the Elden Ring and face the betrayers of humanity.