Elden Ring Lore | Astel and Cosmic Mysteries

Thanks everyone for watching my take on Astel and other cosmic mysteries. Let me know your thoughts below!

Before I watch this whole video, I just wanna say I love Myazaki’s trend with Bloodborne and now Elden Ring of putting Aliens where we’d least expect them. Bloodborne was like “what if we put Aliens in a twisted Dickensian city. Then in Elden Ring he upped the ante and put like 4-5 alien species in a Northern European high fantasy. Dude is a menace, I love him.

I've always liked the theory that one of the reasons Radahn held the stars was to prevent fallingstar beasts and astels from entering the lands between. The fact that there is an imprisoned fallingstar in Sellia tunnel, as well as the meteor ore blade being specfically made to fight cosmic beings is found in Caelid, Radahn's home turf.

Astel is what made my Elden Ring experience game of the year. Going through hell for Ranni just to find an abomination hidden underground spooked me. Rotting bodies? Blood? I already expected that. I had my jaw dropped seeing it. It's horrifying but also beautiful in a way when looking at the arena, it's attacks, the tail area, and the track. It's a very odd combo that I hope is explored more. It's probably one of my favorite depictions of a cosmic level horror because it feels truly alien and on another plane.

I love how Miyazaki incorporates life’s natural laws and unnatural laws of nature in his games and how he makes it all fit together to make these masterpieces of art and story.

I think the reason for the Rotten Crystallians showing up inside the Haligtree is actually what you mentioned just a sentence or two later after bringing them up, they think. Some of the Crystalians you find are guarding the Rotten Crystal sword, which(similarly to the other rotten crystal weapon versions) lacks the description that the unrotten versions do, which talks about what their purpose is. To me, that seems like it would suggest the rotten ones have lost that purpose, and being self-aware, and knowing that the Haligtree is a home for all the unwanted and outcast, they may have chosen to go there in the hopes of finding a cure. After all, Scarlet Rot will cause you to rot, something distinctly biological, and yet they are somehow infected despite being entirely artificial beings. They are something that shouldn't be possible, and it may have scared them. Hearing that Miquella, the greatest of the Demi-gods was searching for a cure, I would imagine they would want to go and support him to both protect their non-rotten brethren from being infected like they were, as well as potentially to get a cure for themselves so they could return to their duties without fearing they'd spread the rot. Though this is reliant on the assumption that they are 100% able to act on their own desires, and not that they are "intelligent but still forced to serve the "programming" their creator gave them to guard the crystals".

Honestly, I never would’ve thought of Glintstone being like a radioactive element, that’s bloody brilliant!

I do like the idea of Astel being a sort of Smaug; due to the Nox meddling, he is beckoned similar to how greed beckons dragons in typical European mythology.

There is also the Golem Crafter in the description of the Crystal Dart as a possible option for the Crystallian’s creator. He even worked with Glintstone to make his known creations; likely the Golems, Imps, and Watchdogs. Another possible point of connection is their clothing. A red cape; something also worn by Sorcerer Watchdogs.

I’m glad you said something about Lusat’s crown when talking about astels “eye”. I thought it looked all too similar and the fact that there are 2 Nox guarding his staff under a chair crypt from the other eternal cities also that he is basically imprisoned behind a magic barrier near Sellia makes me think that Lusat may have had a hand in the appearance of Astel. He also gives the Stars of Ruin sorcery upon finding him h which states in the description that when he glimpsed the primeval current, he saw the end of a star cluster, possibly summoning Astel or creatures like them.

12:25 Another thing is that glintstones clearly have a larger range of color, as described by the staves. The Prince of Death has a yellow “sullied amber” which probably eludes to a glintstone corrupted by Death. And Gelmir and Metoerite has fiery red and purple glintstone respectively. Which I find fascinating, glintstone can not only be corrupted by external sources, but be different colors as well. What could this mean for the true potential of glintstone? Who knows.

The Onyx and Alabaster Lords having elf-like features is very fitting. The term Eldar was given to the first Elves that appeared in Tolkien's lore. People of the Stars. 40k fans should also get the reference as well.

Just regarding the naming of Astel, and the english translation - the term natural born can also be used to denote a bastard (also a term used quite readily by GRRM in some of his writings, with this meaning in mind).

Miyazaki is an absolute genius the way he manages to not only masterfully weave things like cosmic horror into high fantasy (the first Time I experienced the twist in bloodborne was phenomenal and blew my mind) but also the way he applies a deep understanding of alchemy and stuff is just unreal the amount of knowledge he puts into the smallest details

Wow you’ve really opened my eyes to the connection between Master Willem and Lhusat/Azur in their need to ascend to the beings among the stars, basically killing themselves in the process to do so. Willem with his eyes, Lhusat and Azur w the Glintstone.

Found a few of the pupae Astels this morning, such an ominous presence in the game. Makes me think there's so much more to this universe we don't see. I love this game.

the connection with the star scourge conflict and the onyx lord was my “holy shit!” Moment. I love your lore dives dude. Always drawing conclusions that sound so obvious after you say them. Keep up the great work

Wow, what a morning for me! I get to play my favorite game while listening to my favorite lore content creator. Thnx for the vid dude

Man, awesome work! I love it!!

good morning friends