Much of Elden Ring is not what it seems. From Software approaches game design that's full of mystery, intrigue, and surprise with an almost nefarious glee. Whether it's gameplay, story, or setting, there are twists and secrets spread throughout Elden Ring for players to discover. Many of these surprises are thematically unified, delivering on Elden Ring's atmosphere of despair and tragedy. Sometimes, however, even From Software has to have a little fun. One Elden Ring player captured such a moment in a clip they shared online.
It's not uncommon in Elden Ring to pass something strange while riding Torrent across The Lands Between. There are soldiers cannibalizing each other, all manner of monsters, cults up to strange rituals, and so much more. Rarer yet are things are not just strange, but also silly. For example, as Redditor SeesawAffectionate11 recorded, a spot in the snow where a Wandering Noble appears to have been caught in a snowdrift.
The Elden Ring player rides Torrent around the encounter, investigating it. There's a Noble half-buried in the snow and another that looks like they're trying to dig their friend out. A third Wandering Noble standing nearby holds up a torch. It's ridiculous, and an easy setup for some free runes. The Wandering Nobles will never see it coming. Unfortunately, that's exactly what From Software wanted players to think when they passed by these Nobles.
After clearing out the first two Wandering Nobles, the torch one and the digging one, the player strikes the Noble half-stuck in the snow. Instead of striking Wandering Noble, however, they strike something different -- a Runebear. From Software made the Wandering Noble an illusion for a much more threatening situation, since Runebears are one of the most challenging non-boss enemies in Elden Ring. The Runebear gets two good hits on the player before they manage to escape on Torrent.
What makes the encounter so amazing is that it's genuinely hilarious. This is a blatant trap made by From Software, made for no other reason than to troll Elden Ring players. And that's such a rare event in Elden Ring, as it's just a fun and funny thing. There's no apparent tragedy involved, outside of becoming the victim of a Runebear.
There's a meta element to this encounter that deserves to be recognized, too. From Software's trap only works if it knows that Elden Ring players will stop to kill these Wandering Nobles just for the runes. It's only so audacious because From Software knows Runebears are such a challenging enemy. Encounters like this only work so well because From Software's created a relationship with its players where it can mix tragedy and fun and have it be embraced freely.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.