Summary
The narrative ofElden Ringis deep and rich, from the expansive worldbuilding to the epic stakes of the Tarnished’s quest. One of the places where this narrative shines through the most is in its characters. The Lands Between are populated with deep, fascinating figures, whose decisions and motivations will leave a profound impact on the Tarnished’s journey to rebuild the Elden Ring.
From intimidating bosses to close allies,Elden Ringis home to some truly fascinating female characters. Some of these women come to life in intricate questlines, while others are major historical figures, whose legacy can only be learned through item descriptions and flavor text. Here are some of the most memorable female characters inElden Ring.
Updated July 17th, 2024, by Peter Morics:Elden Ring’s recent DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, added an expansive new region that’s rich in content and lore. Players have been learning a lot about the backstory of the Golden Order and the living gods that have shaped this region’s grim history. They’ve also been meeting some very significant new characters. The DLC includes several new female characters who have more than earned their place among the legendary figures from the base game. These characters include stalwart new allies, challenging new bosses, and figures with startling revelations to share about the nature of Elden Ring’s world itself, and they are now included on this list with its latest update.
14Rellana, Twin Moon Knight
An Enigmatic And Challenging Foe
WhileShadow of the Erdtreetakes players to a new realm with new lore and people, the major factions from the Lands Between still have an undeniable presence. This can especially be seen inRellana, a Carian noblewoman who forsook her noble destiny to aid Messmer in his campaign of destruction against the Hornsent.
The complex history of this mysterious figure can be teased out through item descriptions, but first,players will have to fight her. Rellana is absolutely brutal in combat, wielding a fearsome dual-blade technique that calls back to legendary bosses from past FromSoftware games likeBloodborne’s Lady Maria andDark Souls 3’s Pontiff Sulyvahn.
13Metyr, Mother of Fingers
A Key Piece Of The Game’s Lore Puzzle
Much ofElden Ring’s lore concerns the strange eldritch Outer Gods that meddle in the affairs of The Lands Between from beyond. These beings are often key to the most mysterious aspects of the game’s lore, and they’re very rarely encountered in person.Metyr, the Mother of Fingers, is a significant exception to this.
This sinister andgrotesque DLC bossis one of the most significant figures in the game’s history and cosmology, as she provides important context for the Two Fingers and their twisted role inElden Ring’s central religion. The sidequest required to reach her contains important and disturbing revelations about the game’s entire cosmology.
12Redmane Freyja
A Proud Knight With Important Secrets
The stalwart warriorRedmane Freyjais one of the first friendly NPCs most players will meet upon arrival in the Realm of Shadow. This proud knight fought alongside General Radahn, but was stricken with Scarlet Rot and left for dead. Miquella saved her and cured her affliction, giving her a second chance in life and causing her to swear her fealty to the enigmatic demigod.
Freyja can aid the Tarnished with a couple of the DLC’s dangerous and deadly bosses.As her sidequest progresses, she and the Tarnished will both learn some key bits of ancient lore concerning the relationship between Miquella and Radahn. While her fellow followers of Miquella are doomed to a tragic end, her aid remains invaluable while she and the Tarnished remain on the same side.
11Needle Knight Leda
A Zealous Follower Of Miquella The Kind
Needle Knight Ledais one of the most prominent NPCs in theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC. She leads Miquella’s band of followers across the war-torn region, seeking to serve their lord in his ascent to godhood. While she starts as a friendly NPC, and even aids the Tarnished against Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight, her zealotry and fanaticism never fade, and when Miquella’s enchantment begins to fade from her allies, her true nature springs forth.
Leda’s undying devotion to Miquella provides the Tarnished with a chilling look at the sort of world the demigod might create if he’s allowed to ascend to godhood. The inevitable but tragic conclusion of her deadly crusade culminates ina bitter and brutal standoffthat sees the bonds of loyalty and camaraderie pushed to the absolute limit.
10Queen Marika
The Enigmatic Goddess Within The Erdtree
Queen Marikathe Eternal is arguably the most important character inElden Ring. This divine figure conquered the Lands Between in ages long past and imposed her religion, the Golden Order, on the entire land. Her machinations set most of the events of the game into motion. When the Tarnished returns to the Lands Between, it’s in chaos because Queen Marika shattered the Elden Ring which imposed order on the realm. She subsequently vanished, disappearing deep within the Erdtree.
In addition to being one of the most influential characters inElden Ring, Queen Marika is also one of the most inscrutable. Her largely unknown motivations forshattering the Elden Ringand banishing the Tarnished are a point of considerable discussion and speculation among fans andElden Ringcharacters alike.
9Millicent
A Diseased Warrior With Great Potential
Millicent’squestline starts innocently enough. A sage asks the Tarnished for help procuring a gold needle that he believes will aid Millicent in her struggle with the Scarlet Rot, a deadly affliction which is present throughout the Lands Between. Once the needle is obtained and repaired, Millicent begins a journey across the Lands Between in order to confront her past.
As it turns out, this past is more sinister than it appears. Millicent is descended fromMaleniaherself, the source of the Scarlet Rot and the manifestation of its divinity. Gowry, the kindly sage who helped cure her in the first place, actually wishes to see the Scarlet Rot flourish in her and bloom, just as it has in Malenia. The Tarnished is faced with a choice toaid Millicent on her journeyor betray her, furthering the goals of the cult of rot.
8Hyetta
A Mysterious And Sinister Maiden
One of the most important aspects ofElden Ringis that the Greater Will, as represented by the Golden Order, is far from the only divine force meddling in the Lands Between. This is whereHyettacomes in. When the Tarnished first meets this kindly blind woman, she claims she is a humble Finger Maiden in search of a golden light. The fact that her journey requires a steady supply of Shabriri Grapes, which are diseased eyeballs, suggests that her quest isn’t quite as innocent as the Tarnished, and maybe even Hyetta, may have been led to believe.
Hyetta’s questline is one of the most sinister stories in the game, and a lot of it revolves around how strange she is as a character. Her uncanny resemblance to a different blind woman encountered earlier in the game leads some fans to speculate that Hyetta isn’t a person at all and that the body is simply a puppet for the malign force of the Frenzied Flame. This mystery, and the horrifying implications it has for the Lands Between, make Hyetta a truly compelling character.
7Sorceress Sellen
A Cunning Witch With A Checkered Past
Sellencan be encountered fairly early on inElden Ring. Spellcasting Tarnished will make good use of her, as she sells a good variety of Glinstone Sorceries. Like many other spell merchants, her inventory can even be expanded if she’s given more spellbooks found throughout the Tarnished’s travels.
However, Sellen’s story goes far beyond simply acting as a spell vendor. She’s the center of along and complex questlinethat will take the Tarnished all over the Lands Between. Pursuing this quest will teach the player about Sellen’s past as a sinister figure known as the Graven Witch. It also exposes some of the darkest secrets of the academy of Raya Lucaria and the nature of Glintstone Sorcery itself.
6Nepheli Loux
A Warrior Destined For Greatness
WhileElden Ringis a very open-ended game, most players will find themselves visiting Stormveil Castle as their first major dungeon. It is here one can meetNepheli Loux, a powerful warrior who is here to dethroneGodrick the Grafted. Nepheli can be summoned to help take down the monstrous lord, and her assistance in combat is invaluable. Her proper questline only begins after Godrick falls.
As the Tarnished befriends and accompanies Nepheli they will see some of the darkest corners of the Lands Between. Nepheli’s personal journey exposes her to corruption, manipulation, and atrocities. The player can either help her keep her resolve in the face of utter darkness or take advantage of her for personal gain. Aiding Nepheli helps herdevelop into a truly noble lord, who will rule over Limgrave with wisdom and justice.
5Rennala, Queen Of The Full Moon
The Tragic Queen Of Raya Lucaria
Rennalais one of the five shardbearers players can challenge for a piece of the Elden Ring, and she’s also one of the most tragic. As the leader of the Carian Royal Family, Rennala led her Academy against the Golden Order, in a series of brutal wars that only ended when she fell in love with the Order’s champion, Radagon. When Radagon abandoned her, her sorrow led to the collapse of Raya Lucaria, once one of the strongest factions in the realm.
By the timethe Tarnished confronts her, she’s become delusional, obsessed with rebirthing her scholars using the mystical Golden Egg Radagon gave her before he left. During the fight, the player must battle not only Rennala, but an illusion of the sorceress queen, representing Rennala at the height of her power. The stark contrast between these two forms highlights just how heartbreaking Rennala’s descent truly is.
