“
|
It is not to be meddled with. It is chaos, devouring life and thought unending. - Melina
|
”
|
The Frenzied Flame (狂い火, Kurui Hi), also called Yellow Flame of Frenzy (黄色い狂い火, Kiiroi Kurui Hi)[1][2][3][4][5] and Yellow Flame of Chaos (混沌の黄色い火, Konton no Kiiroi Hi),[6] is a force that manifests in the eyes of those stricken by maddening grief and suffering. It is feared by many for its uncanny ability to destroy individuality, capable of melting away even eternal spirits. Those deeply stricken by its folly develop an insatiable need to spread its influence further, willingly seeking to infect others with it. These afflicted, known by some as Chaos Followers, yearn for the arrival of their lord so that they may incinerate all that divides and distinguishes.
Overview[]
One of the unique properties of the flame, destroying individuality, manifests mainly in its ability to seemingly brainwash those it has afflicted. Many afflicted repeat the same cries and phrases despite never having interacted with one another (the most notable of these phrases being "Melt it all away..." and "May chaos take the world!" repeated ad nauseam). Seemingly blending their minds into a single, hivemind-like state.
A chosen few of those afflicted are capable of transforming into the Lord of Frenzied Flame after an apparent death, or some sort of transformation or rebirth process, it's not clearly stated and left to speculation. The strength of a lord can seemingly vary depending on who its original host was, with several individuals having proven capable of becoming one. However many of the afflicted were either too non-committal or physically feeble to accomplish anything, causing them to be considered frauds and failures in the eyes of their followers. Once a Lord of Frenzied Flame manifests, the head of the original host is replaced by a black hole with yellow flames spewing out of its core, completely erasing any trace of the original host's identity. However, if the Tarnished manages to inherit the flame, it's unclear whether his identity is truly erased. Given his ability to subdue demigods and gods like the Elden Beast, it is plausible that he did not succumb to the Flame, but instead mastered it—fusing with it rather than being consumed.
The origins of the flame are unclear, as the flame itself is said to have made its first appearance in the empty eye sockets of Shabriri, after his eyes were gouged out in punishment for slander. However, its incantations, the most powerful means that the flame manifests itself through, are also said to have come from the Three Fingers. It is also the clasp of Three Fingers that appoints a specific subject to become a Lord of Frenzied Flame.
Even without direct influence of the Three Fingers, the flame is capable of appearing on its own in sites of great suffering, such as the ninth campsite of Mt. Gelmir, where it has appeared in the eyes of Leyndell Soldiers suffering from the trauma of a particularly appalling battle. It has also appeared in the eyes of the surface-dwelling Nomadic Merchants, and while they are unable to settle and are forced to move around the lands constantly, their relative freedom gives them enough comfort to endure only minor symptoms, allowing some of them to have fairly normal conversations with passersby. They utter the mantras of the Chaos Followers only when attacked or dying.
Some have willingly pursued the Frenzied Flame in an attempt to use it as a powerful weapon, however every attempt to control the flame has ended in failure and left those who pursued it irreparably psychologically damaged. That said, even if the Tarnished chooses to purge himself from the Flame, he can still use the frenzy incantations in the pure form of a weapon, yet still susceptible to madness, however.
In a cruel twist of fate, the fear the world has for the flame has only supported its growth, as any attempt to quell it through the punishment and subjugation of its subjects has only intensified and worsened their symptoms, allowing the flame to fester more deeply into its hosts, becoming more powerful and widespread as their suffering increases. Primary example of this being the Golden Order's punishment of the Great Caravan, after they were accused of heretical beliefs, and the Hornsent's damnation of Midra and his entourage, after their attempt of studying of the flame. Both events would eventually lead to the near-or-complete successful manifestation of the Lord of Frenzied Flame.
Trivia[]
- The flame's ability to blend minds together may have been more apparent in an earlier version of Elden Ring. As the brotherhood of Nomadic Merchants that can be encountered throughout the world would mention that they fear going to sleep, as while asleep, they would feel as if their minds would rapidly drift and switch between each other, leaving all of them bewildered and confused on who they really are when they wake up.
Gallery[]
.png "ER Icon Armor Nomadic Merchant's Finery (Altered).png (1.08 MB)"){kind=icon}
.png "ER Icon Armor Fingerprint Armor (Altered).png (837 KB)"){kind=icon}
Screenshots[]
See Also[]
References[]
|