Summary
Elden Ringplayers are likely more than a little familiar with the Misbegotten. The terrifying chimeric creatures can pose a significant threat to players at many points in their adventure, regardless of their variation. Like most creatures in FromSoftware games, the Misbegotten are closely tied to thehistory ofElden Ring’s world, and examining the lore behind them can help shed a bit of light on the Golden Order’s prejudiced reign and the very nature of reality in The Lands Between.
While humanity, as it exists in the real world, is present in The Lands Between, they share the lands with other intelligent beings. These non-human entities can range from reviled creatures like the demi-humans all the way up to demi-gods and Outer Gods, which possess powers beyond comprehension. The Misbegotten are positioned near the bottom of this hierarchy, generally considered to be unworthy of respect, freedom, and basic decency. They have much incommon withElden Ring’s Omen, in that they are ostracized and despised primarily due to their connection to the Primordial Crucible.
The Lore Behind Elden Ring’s Misbegotten
Based on their appearance alone, it would be easy to intuit why the Misbegotten draw such ire from citizens of The Lands Between. However, there are many inhuman creatures in the world ofElden Ring, and the Misbegotten are often treated worse than others. They are treated as slaves for their entire lives, as evidenced by the Misbegotten uprising at Castle Morne and, perhaps even more notably, Master Smith Hewg, an imprisoned Misbegotten who has a close relationship with the player-character, serving as the primary source of weapon upgrades.
The Misbegotten are chimeras, amalgamations of different human and animal traits. There are a few different variants, with the most common beingthe Leonine Misbegotten elitesand the smaller, goblin-like creatures. Because they are hybrid beings whose human characteristics mingle with fur, wings, scales, and draconic features, they suffer from the same prejudiced treatment as the Omen. They are hated because of their apparent ties to the era of the Primordial Crucible, when all life was blended together and there were no firm distinctions between species. Like the Omen, not much is known about the Misbegotten, though there is room to theorize.
Misbegotten, Radagon, and the Primordial Crucible
Although thePrimordial Crucible was once considered sacred, all connections to it were thought of as blasphemous following the establishment of Radagon and Marika’s Golden Order. This explains why the Misbegotten, who represent the Crucible, are treated so poorly. But, like so many things inElden Ring, things are not as simple as they first seem.
Though they are not even second-class citizens, they possess a surprising amount of power. Specifically, they control a number of legendary armaments, with little to no explanation as to how they managed to get them. The most significant of these weapons isthe Golden Order Greatsword, which is wielded by aLeonine Misbegottenin the Cave of Forlorn. This sword was gifted to Radagon by Rennala, his first wife, so it doesn’t quite add up that players find it in the hands of a Misbegotten.
One possible explanation for the Misbegotten-Radagon connection could have to do with Godfrey, Marika’s first husband. The Crucible Knights served Godfrey, and since these knights are often seen fighting alongside Misbegotten, it’s not too much of a stretch to assume that they served Godfrey as well. It’s revealed that Marika and Radagon are the same person, which connects Radagon to the Misbegotten, albeit in a convoluted way. This connection could have led to a Misbegotten attaining the Golden Order Greatsword through any number of avenues.
There are issues with this theory, mainly as it pertains to the sequence of events in theElden Ringstory. That said, ifShadow of the Erdtree alters the timeline, as some speculate it could, it may provide an explanation as to how the Misbegotten attained such legendary weaponry, alongside myriad other unanswered questions.
Elden Ring
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
