Now that information about FromSoftware's highly anticipated new IP Elden Ring is available, there have been reveals surrounding the world and its lore. In stark contrast to the silence and secrecy surrounding the project, now there is a ton of transparency as FromSoftware is finally ready to share what it's been working on. The lore of the world, The Lands Between, is already deep and rich, but coming from Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R. R. Martin, no one is really surprised.
George R. R. Martin's involvement in Elden Ring is one of the most exciting aspects of it. Fans of Martin's work know how much depth he puts into his worldbuilding when it comes to his books and HBO's Game of Thrones adaptation, but his expertise has never been so prominently featured in a video game before.
Now that players can take a closer look at the Elden Ring lore, which was specifically crafted by Martin, it turns out that there are a couple of similarities between Elden Ring and Game of Thrones. Elden Ring's Erdtree and Game of Thrones' Weirwoods look very different, but there are a few things they have in common.
From the Mind of George R. R. Martin
The first and most obvious thing to point out is that both the Erdtree and the Weirwood trees were created by George R. R. Martin, which remains the greatest thing they have in common. George R. R. Martin is widely considered to be the master of modern fantasy. His knack for worldbuilding is unparalleled, and his skills clearly shine in both Game of Thrones and Elden Ring.
That said, Martin does have a very distinct style and signature. Elden Ring is very different from Game of Thrones, but it's not hard to tell that both fantasy worlds come from the same person. Specifically, Martin was responsible for creating Elden Ring's lore and setting the foundation for Miyazaki and FromSoftware to build upon. The Weirwood trees in Game of Thrones and the Erdtree in Elden Ring are just one example of that.
Trees have been a significant part of mythology for ages, way before George R. R. Martin started using them in his stories. The Erdtree probably has more in common with Norse mythology's Yggdrasil than it does with the Weirwood trees, but both play a significant role in their respective worlds. Mythology and lore are prominent in all of Martin's works, and both trees add quite a bit. While they have very different roles and represent different things, both trees are ancient and serve as foundations for Elden Ring and Game of Thrones.
Explaining Game of Thrones' Weirwood Trees
Weirwood trees are very ancient trees that grow all over Westeros, most prominently in the northern regions and beyond the wall. The trees have a rather striking appearance with white bark and blood-red leaves, and some of them have faces carved into the bark. Because of the deep cuts of the carvings, the sap within the trees can sometimes leak out and make the faces look like they're crying.
While they have a distinctive look and are carved with eerie faces, Weirwood trees on their own don't actually have a lot of power- they primarily symbolize the worship of the Old Gods. Fans of Game of Thrones know that there are two major religions in Westeros: the Old Gods by the Children of the Forest and the First Men, and the Seven brought to Westeros with the Andal invasion. Many Northerners still worship the Old Gods and cherish the remaining Weirwood trees, while most of Westeros has started to follow the Faith of the Seven.
The Children of the Forest are the original inhabitants of Westeros, and they are said to have carved the faces into the Weirwood trees. The tree that fans of the books or the show will be most familiar with is the one in Winterfell's Godswood, known as the "heart tree." Every Godswood has a heart tree, and the Godswood is a place of rest, sanctuary, and worship for those who frequent it.
Any magical properties possessed by Weirwood trees aren't many explicitly clear, though it is implied that they lessen the power of wights and White Walkers. The Starks' Weirwood tree could have played a small role in weakening the Night King enough for Arya to kill him in the Godswood - but the magic is definitely secondary to what the trees represent.
Explaining Elden Ring's Erdtree
So far, not everything has been revealed about Elden Ring's Erdtree, but it makes quite an impression in the gameplay trailer revealed at 2021's Summer Game Fest. The Erdtree is a massive, shining, golden tree that looms over the ruins of the Lands Between and is said to be the source of the Elden Ring.
What exactly that means is unclear, but it could be tied with the Golden Order referenced in the trailer as well. According to the trailer's narrator, both the Golden Order and the Elden Ring have been broken, but the Erdtree still stands tall and shines bright.
The Erdtree's imposing presence and the fact it is the source of the Elden Ring, the object that seemingly keeps everything together in the Lands Between, is very different from Game of Thrones' Weirwood trees. Where there are multiple Weirwood trees, there is only one Erdtree. While the Erdtree very obviously has magical properties, the power that Weirwood trees hold is mostly symbolic.
However, they both hold enormous significance in the worlds they inhabit and are ancient. As previously mentioned, the Erdtree is more of a "tree of life" like Yggdrasil than Weirwood trees are. That's not to understate the importance of the Weirwood trees, however; the trees in Game of Thrones are an ancient symbol of faith that many built their lives upon.
When Elden Ring releases, more similarities between the two trees could come to light, but for now, the greatest thing they have in common is George R. R. Martin and the foundation they lay for his worldbuilding. It's clear that Martin took some inspiration from Norse mythology for Elden Ring, but he also claimed to have taken significant inspiration from Tolkein's Lord of The Rings. The final product may have some similarities to Game of Thrones, but there are many other sources of inspiration he undoubtedly drew upon.
Elden Ring will release January 21, 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.