Analysis: Influences from Irish mythology are woven throughout the story and lore of the Elden Ring series and other Japanese games
One of the most popular videogames of recent years, the fantasy role-playing game Elden Ring holds several unexpected connections to Irish mythology and folklore. Both the game and its new spinoff Elden Ring: Nightreign (which has just gone on release) were developed by veteran Japanese games company FromSoftware, otherwise known for their Dark Souls series, as well as standalone classics such as Sekiro and Bloodborne. The story and lore of Elden Ring was written in conjunction with George R. R. Martin, creator of Game of Thrones.
Japanese pop culture occasionally looks to Ireland for inspiration: popular ongoing manga series such as Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi feature Irish language words as magical incantations for example. A recent chapter featured a battle involving an ability known as Claíomh Solais, in reference to the 'Sword of Light' in Celtic mythology.
Trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign
Indeed, Irish mythology seems especially prevalent in Japanese videogames. Franchises such as Final Fantasy allude to Irish names and monsters (the character Cait Sith is inspired by the Celtic creature of the same name), while the Nioh series centers on an Irish protagonist, cast adrift in 17th century Japan.
Nioh is a fascinating case. The series is based loosely on the story of the real-life William Adams, augmented to include both Japanese Yokai (demons) and Irish Sídhe (fairies). The real Adams was an English pirate and the inspiration for James Clavell's famous novel Shogun (and its recent 2024 FX/Disney Plus adaptation). The decision to change his nationality from English to Irish has never been explained.
Elden Ring’s Irish inspirations are worn particularly proudly. Several location names are derived from Irish, such as the stunning subterranean Siofra River Well, taken from an Irish word for fairy. Powerful enemies in the game are named Commander Niall and Commander O’Neill. The semi-divine character Malenia loses her arm in battle, only for it to be replaced by a golden mechanical arm, exactly like the ancient Irish hero Nuada. Countless characters even talk in Irish accents portrayed by a small army of Irish voice actors.
From IGN, review of Elden Ring Nightreign
But the connections run deeper than simply namedropping Irish culture. The game's mythos features an ancient race of superhumans, referred to as the Numen. This powerful race arrived long ago in the game’s setting, destabilizing the region and seizing control. They were divine, but dwindled in number and status.
If this sounds familiar, it should because the Numen read like a deliberate reference to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish myth. The Tuatha Dé Danann were a semi-divine race who reigned over Ireland, before their defeat at the hand of the Milesians. Following this, they were led underground, where they became the Sídhe.
This story is echoed in Elden Ring’s underground passages. The mysterious race of the Nox, speculated to be the mutated remains of the once all powerful Numen by some fans, lurk down in the murky depths of the underworld. This is a clear refraction of the relationship between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Sídhe.
From Ziostorm, explaining the Celtic mythology of Elden Ring
There is a deliberate lack of clarity in Elden Ring’s mythos and the roots of the game’s mythology are deliberately shrouded in mystery. FromSoftware tell stories in a manner not dissimilar to James Joyce's "scrupulous meanness", the term he used to refer to the allusive and vague nature of the stories in Dubliners.
Many of the stories in this collection refuse to divulge information to the reader, retaining a sense of sustained mystery that contributes to their enduring appeal. The Sisters may be the best example of this: there are suggestions of illness among the titular sisters, or improper behaviour on the part of a dead priest. But these suggestions largely remain just that. Dubliners reads like a series of snapshots, suggesting more than they reveal. Elden Ring is similarly "mean": the mythology is left to fans to decipher through obscure clues or using real-life myths to fill in narrative gaps.
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Celtic myth is uniquely helpful in doing this. The queen of the Numen, Marika, is said to have slain the one-eyed Fell God of the fire giants. This immediately calls to mind the one-eyed Balor of the Evil Eye, an Irish 'Fomorian’ (another mythic Irish race). When the player character confronts the last of the fire giants, an enormous eye opens in the creature's chest, as if Balor has returned. The namedropping mentioned earlier now seems like a signpost for navigating the mythology of the game.
There's no doubt that a signpost is needed. Even though George R.R. Martin contributed to the mythos of Elden Ring, his world-building is purposely obscured and buried by FromSoftware. In a way, this makes the game doubly interactive: you play it like any other, but you must also try to fit the pieces of the narrative together like a puzzle, with Celtic myth as one guiding force.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
