About this Video

• Video Title: Crucible, Spirit Essence, Great Tree - SOTE Updated Lore discussion | Elden Ring
• Channel: erebons
• Speakers: erebons
• Duration: 00:09:02

Introduction

This video discusses three interconnected concepts in Elden Ring's lore: the Crucible, Spirit Essence, and Great Trees. The speaker analyzes their roles, interactions, and significance within the game's narrative, focusing on their impact on life, death, and the world's interconnected systems.

Key Takeaways

• The Crucible: A primordial force causing growths from other species on living beings. This effect, understood by factions like the Crucible Knights and Hornsent, is considered the origin of life and operates outside the influence of gods or men. The Hornsent uses it in reverse to fuse different bodies, creating "saints".
• Spirit Essence: An essence present in all living beings in the Lands Between, persisting after death. It's a valuable resource consumed by various entities: the Erdtree absorbs it at its roots, Rykard devours it to gain power, and the Tarnished uses it in shadow fragments and ash. Spirit essence is the currency of death, used in Spirit Ashes and Ashes of War.
• Great Trees: Different types of Great Trees exist, the most prominent being the Erdtree. The Erdtree, planted by Marika, feeds on death, turning it into a new form of life. The Haligtree, a relic of a past age, seems to be nourished by scarlet rot. The Scadu tree, a lifeless remnant, strengthens spirits that consume its essence. Great Trees serve as a means for rulers to sustain their cultures and possibly achieve immortality, often through morally ambiguous means. The interaction of Great Trees with the Crucible can create unique life forms, such as the tree spirit avatars and potentially even the shaman. Godwin's unusual death left his body without spirit essence, making it susceptible to Crucible effects.

The speaker posits that all living things in the Lands Between possess "spirit essence," a metaphysical element existing alongside the physical body. This essence isn't directly defined as a specific substance or energy, but rather its effects and interactions are described.

Metaphysical Concept:

Spirit essence is intrinsically linked to life and death. While it coexists with the physical body during life, it persists after death. The speaker differentiates between "natural" death, where both body and spirit essence cease to exist together, and "unnatural" deaths. Unnatural deaths leave either the body or the spirit essence (or both) in a lingering state, available for interaction and manipulation.

This lingering state is key. The spirit essence isn't simply dissipated upon death; it remains as a potent, usable force. This implies a sort of metaphysical continuity. The essence doesn't simply vanish; it transforms into a different form, accessible through various means.

Mechanical Functioning:

The speaker details several "mechanical" interactions with spirit essence:

1. Consumption and Absorption: The Erdtree, at its roots, absorbs spirit essence from the dead, transforming this death into sustenance and growth for itself. Rykard also directly consumes it to gain power and abilities. Even the Tarnished, through consuming shadow fragments and ash, indirectly interacts with spirit essence. This implies a fundamental transfer of metaphysical energy. Death becomes a form of nourishment, cycling through the ecosystem.

2. Summoning and Application: Spirit Ashes allow for temporary summoning of deceased spirits to aid the summoner. Ashes of War extract weapon skills from a deceased being's spirit essence and imbue them into another weapon. This represents a transfer of abilities and memories, suggesting a deeper connection between spirit essence and individual capabilities.

3. Transformation and Creation: The speaker suggests that a living Great Tree, fueled by spirit essence, can undergo transformations, potentially even creating new life forms. This process is intertwined with the Crucible, hinting at a synergy between metaphysical essence and the creative forces shaping life in the Lands Between.

4. Removal and Disconnection: Godwin's unique death, where his spirit essence was entirely removed, highlights another aspect. His body, devoid of spirit essence, becomes susceptible to the transformative power of the Crucible, undergoing unusual biological changes. This indicates that spirit essence isn't just an independent element, but it's also essential for maintaining the integrity of a being's existence within the larger metaphysical system.

Overall Cycle:

The speaker suggests a continuous cycle of death, transformation, and renewal. Death doesn't represent a final end but rather a transition where spirit essence is released and utilized by other entities or systems. This cycle, fueled by the consumption and absorption of spirit essence, sustains both life and the Great Trees. The Crucible's influence adds another layer, capable of transforming even spiritless bodies. The mechanics aren't explicitly defined as a physical process but instead as a series of observable effects hinting at this underlying metaphysical system.

It's crucial to note that the speaker's explanation is based on observation and interpretation within the Elden Ring world, not on a scientifically-based model. The mechanics are presented as a narrative explanation, providing context and depth to the game's lore.