FromSoftware games are no stranger to convoluted, unclear stories, and Elden Ring is no different. Within the opening few minutes of the game, players may be left scratching their heads as to what is actually happening in Elden Ring's world of the Lands Between. As is FromSoftware tradition at this point, the opening cinematic of the game throws out a slew of fantastical words, with barely any explanation as to their meaning or importance. The word "Tarnished" is one such term.
In Elden Ring, players take control of someone known as a Tarnished. Regardless of which class the player chooses, or how they intend to play the game, they will always be deemed as a Tarnished. While fans of previous FromSoftware games might recognize some similarities between the Tarnished and the developers' previous protagonists, it's a likely bet that newcomers will be pretty confused as to what this title actually means.
What It Means to Be a Tarnished
Elden Ring takes place in a mystical place called the Lands Between. Many years ago, the Lands Between enjoyed an age of prosperity, brought upon by an omnipotent magical artifact known simply as the Elden Ring. This Elden Ring soon caused a magical tree to sprout from its resting place, named the Erdtree.
During this age of prosperity, the Erdtree would frequently shed some of its golden leaves, giving the Lands Between's inhabitants powerful blessings known as Grace. The Erdtree also granted inhabitants the ability to cast powerful Incantations, originally intended to heal the people of their ailments and illnesses.
But, where there is power, there will always be those who desire more of it. Queen Marika the Eternal, ruler of the Lands Between, had several children. War soon broke out amongst the siblings, with some desperate to claim the full power of the Elden Ring.
As the brutal and bloody war raged on, the Lands Between's inhabitants began to lose their way. For those that strayed too far, they were punished by the Erdtree, losing their Grace, and being banished from the Lands Between. Those that were banished were given the title of Tarnished.
As the war reached new devastating heights, the Elden Ring was shattered. With the Erdtree losing its source of magical power, its influence began to wane. Over time, the Tarnished began to return to the Lands Between, driven by an inherent need to claim the Elden Ring, and become an Elden Lord.
Comparing Elden Ring's Tarnished to Dark Souls
For fans of FromSoftware's Dark Souls series, the Tarnished may seem like an all too familiar concept. Generally speaking, the overall themes and backstory of Elden Ring's player-character is pretty similar to the protagonists found in Dark Souls, being people that have been cast out of society, only to return fueled by a greater purpose that wasn't present before.
Dark Souls' Chosen Undead, for instance, begins the game as a simple Undead, suffering from the curse that affected the entire Human population, caused by Gwyn's attempt to restart the Age of Fire. However, as the game progresses, the player learns that they are actually the prophesied Chosen Undead, who is said to either bring about an Age of Dark or start a new Age of Fire.
This general narrative is present in all Dark Souls games, with Dark Souls 2's Bearer of the Curse, and Dark Souls 3's Ashen One both starting the game as weak beings, only to go on and fulfill some lofty destiny. Elden Ring's Tarnished follows this same general pattern, starting the game with barely any direction or purpose, and finding one through the encouragement of others.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.