The Greater Will

The Greater Will is an unseen character in Elden Ring. It is a mysterious entity hailing from the lightless void and serving as the dominant force in the cosmic pantheon (e.g. Outer Gods) of Elden Ring and the history of the Lands Between. Its vassals and envoys are central to the Golden Order. Its image boosted Intelligence and Arcane.^[1]

Background[]

Long ago, the Greater Will fractured the One Great, creating births and souls.^[2] The adherents of the Three Fingers consider this action to be a mistake, because it resulted in torment, despair, affliction, sins, and curses.

The Greater Will sent a star bearing its gleaming daughter to the Lands Between. It communicated with Metyr, Mother of Fingers, through the microcosm held between her tail fingers.^[3]^[4]^[5] Soon, a second, golden star containing an Elden Beast arrived in the Lands Between. This Elden Beast was the Greater Will's vision for Order, and it would later become the Elden Ring.^[6] This beast was its vassal, and the living incarnation of the concept of Order.^[7] The Greater Will has other vassals and envoys known as the Two Fingers,^[8] who speak in a cipher sign language of light.^[9]

Eternal Cities[]

Before the age of the Erdtree,^[10] the denizens of the Eternal Cities rebelled against the Greater Will. To shield themselves from its influence, the Nox donned ritual mirrorhelms to block its intervention and that of its vassals.^[11] In an act of blasphemy, they drew the ire of the Greater Will by wielding the Fingerslayer Blade against one of its vassals.^[12] In response to this transgression, the Greater Will unleashed Astel, whose destruction of the Eternal Cities condemned them to an existence underground.^[13]

Age of the Erdtree[]

During the age of the Erdtree begun by Queen Marika the Eternal^[14] and at least the era immediately preceding it, the Greater Will's envoy Two Fingers selected Empyreans as candidates to become the God of the coming age.^[15] Queen Marika was one such candidate, and created the Golden Order by confining the Rune of Death.^[16] However, Marika would eventually shatter the Elden Ring,^[17] leading to her demigod offspring inheriting the Great Runes which in turn would trigger a war known as the Shattering.^[18] The Greater Will abandoned the demigods following the Shattering, as none managed to claim title of Elden Lord.^[19]

According to the Two Fingers, the Greater Will has not abandoned the realm, nor the life that inhabits it, proclaiming this is why the Tarnished have been extended the Guidance of Grace.^[20] After the Tarnished returned to the Lands Between following the Shattering, the Two Fingers, at the behest of the Greater Will, bade them kill the demigods in order to claim their Great Runes to become Elden Lord by becoming Marika's consort,^[21] as the Greater Will had long since renounced the demigods.^[22]

In the time of The Tarnished (Protagonist), it was discovered that the entrance to the Erdtree was blocked by impenetrable thorns, preventing anyone from becoming the Elden Lord. This caused the Two Fingers to commune with the Greater Will in search of answers, which may take thousands or tens of thousands of moons.^[23]^[24] When The Tarnished (Protagonist) suggested burning the Erdtree, which would unbind Destined Death and slay the world itself,^[25] Finger Reader Enia exclaimed that the Fingers and the Greater Will would never allow it.^[26]

After The Tarnished (Protagonist) caused the Volcano Manor's recusants to disband following the defeat of Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, the recusant known as Knight Bernahl declared himself the inheritor of his comrade recusant's will. He declared their refusal to become the Greater Will's pawns and swore it would fall by his blade.^[27]

Notes[]

The Greater Will is never directly referred to as an Outer God in the game. Instead the Two Fingers selected both Ranni and her Dark Moon and Malenia and her Rot as potential candidates for godhood and to forge a new Order through the Elden Ring^[28]^[29]
The Nox Mirrorhelms presumably worked by reflecting the Greater Will and the Two Fingers' language of light.^[30]

Gallery[]

References[]

↑ High Priest Hat: "The circular design at the top represents the Greater Will and its lightless abyss, imparting increased intelligence and arcane to the wearer."
↑ Lightseeker Hyetta: "All that there is came from the One Great. Then came fractures, and births, and souls. But the Greater Will made a mistake. Torment, despair, affliction. Every sin, every curse. Every one, born of the mistake." (See Localisation Notes)
↑ Remembrance of the Mother of Fingers
↑ Staff of the Great Beyond
↑ Fleeting Microcosm
↑ Elden Stars
↑ Elden Remembrance
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "I interpret the words of the Fingers, envoys to the Greater Will."
↑ Coded Sword
↑ Map: Siofra River
↑ Nox Mirrorhelm
↑ Fingerslayer Blade
↑ Nox Monk Armor
↑ Melina: "In Marika's own words. Hark, brave warriors. Hark, my lord Godfrey. We commend your deeds. Guidance hath delivered ye through each ordeal, to the place ye stand. Put the Giants to the sword, and confine the flame atop the mount. Let a new epoch begin. An epoch glistening with life. Brandish the Elden Ring, for the Age of the Erdtree!"
↑ Ranni the Witch: "Each of us was chosen by our own Two Fingers, as a candidate to succeed Queen Marika, to become the new god of the coming age."
↑ Mending Rune of the Death-Prince
↑ Marika's Hammer
↑ Intro Cutscene: "Soon, Marika's offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring. The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering."
↑ Intro Cutscene: "The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering. A war from which no lord arose. A war leading to abandonment by the Greater Will."
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "The tragic corruption of the Order has taken its toll. Across the realm, life lies in ruin. Fallen to pieces. Foul curses and misery spread, unabating. But the Greater Will has not abandoned the realm, nor the life that inhabits it. So it is that the Tarnished are guided by grace. Called to act."
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "Marika's trespass demanded a heavy sentence. But even in shackles, she remains a god, and the vision's vessel. Confer Great Runes to become Elden Lord, and join Queen Marika as her consort."
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "The Greater Will has long renounced the demigods. Tarnished, show no mercy. Have their heads. Take all they have left."
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "You know what this means. The Erdtree has spurned you. The Fingers remain still. Shaken by this turn of events, they are busy consulting the Greater Will."
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "When they are finished, the Fingers will again offer their guidance. But thousands, if not tens of thousands, of moons must first pass. No matter for me. But you? How will you ever manage the wait..."
↑ Finger Reader Crone: "Hear me. The burning of the Erdtree is the first cardinal sin. Doing so will unbind Destined Death, and slay the world itself."
↑ Finger Reader Enia: "The Rune of Death goes by two names; the other is Destined Death. The forbidden shadow, plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation… Unleashing the rune now would be unthinkable... The Fingers would never permit it. Nor would the Greater Will."
↑ Knight Bernahl: "O Greater Will, hear my voice. I am the recusant Bernahl, inheritor of my brother's will, and you will fall to my blade. We refuse to become your pawns. Consider this fair warning." (See Localisation Notes.)
↑ Ranni the Witch/dialogue:"I was once an Empyrean. Of the demigods, only I, Miquella, and Malenia could claim that title. Each of us was chosen by our own Two Fingers, as a candidate to succeed Queen Marika, to become the new god of the coming age."
↑ Sage Gowry:"An Empyrean...is no mere demigod. In the age of the Elden Ring, and Queen Marika, the precious Empyrean was born. A new god to forge a new Order."
↑ Cipher Pata

[HighPriestHat-1] High Priest Hat: "The circular design at the top represents the Greater Will and its lightless abyss, imparting increased intelligence and arcane to the wearer."

[:0-2] Lightseeker Hyetta: "All that there is came from the One Great. Then came fractures, and births, and souls. But the Greater Will made a mistake. Torment, despair, affliction. Every sin, every curse. Every one, born of the mistake." (See Localisation Notes)

[3] Remembrance of the Mother of Fingers

[4] Staff of the Great Beyond

[5] Fleeting Microcosm

[6] Elden Stars

[7] Elden Remembrance

[8] Finger Reader Enia: "I interpret the words of the Fingers, envoys to the Greater Will."

[9] Coded Sword

[10] Map: Siofra River

[11] Nox Mirrorhelm

[12] Fingerslayer Blade

[13] Nox Monk Armor

[14] Melina: "In Marika's own words. Hark, brave warriors. Hark, my lord Godfrey. We commend your deeds. Guidance hath delivered ye through each ordeal, to the place ye stand. Put the Giants to the sword, and confine the flame atop the mount. Let a new epoch begin. An epoch glistening with life. Brandish the Elden Ring, for the Age of the Erdtree!"

[15] Ranni the Witch: "Each of us was chosen by our own Two Fingers, as a candidate to succeed Queen Marika, to become the new god of the coming age."

[16] Mending Rune of the Death-Prince

[17] Marika's Hammer

[18] Intro Cutscene: "Soon, Marika's offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring. The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering."

[19] Intro Cutscene: "The mad taint of their newfound strength triggered the Shattering. A war from which no lord arose. A war leading to abandonment by the Greater Will."

[20] Finger Reader Enia: "The tragic corruption of the Order has taken its toll. Across the realm, life lies in ruin. Fallen to pieces. Foul curses and misery spread, unabating. But the Greater Will has not abandoned the realm, nor the life that inhabits it. So it is that the Tarnished are guided by grace. Called to act."

[21] Finger Reader Enia: "Marika's trespass demanded a heavy sentence. But even in shackles, she remains a god, and the vision's vessel. Confer Great Runes to become Elden Lord, and join Queen Marika as her consort."

[22] Finger Reader Enia: "The Greater Will has long renounced the demigods. Tarnished, show no mercy. Have their heads. Take all they have left."

[23] Finger Reader Enia: "You know what this means. The Erdtree has spurned you. The Fingers remain still. Shaken by this turn of events, they are busy consulting the Greater Will."

[24] Finger Reader Enia: "When they are finished, the Fingers will again offer their guidance. But thousands, if not tens of thousands, of moons must first pass. No matter for me. But you? How will you ever manage the wait..."

[25] Finger Reader Crone: "Hear me. The burning of the Erdtree is the first cardinal sin. Doing so will unbind Destined Death, and slay the world itself."

[26] Finger Reader Enia: "The Rune of Death goes by two names; the other is Destined Death. The forbidden shadow, plucked from the Golden Order upon its creation… Unleashing the rune now would be unthinkable... The Fingers would never permit it. Nor would the Greater Will."

[27] Knight Bernahl: "O Greater Will, hear my voice. I am the recusant Bernahl, inheritor of my brother's will, and you will fall to my blade. We refuse to become your pawns. Consider this fair warning." (See Localisation Notes.)

[28] Ranni the Witch/dialogue:"I was once an Empyrean. Of the demigods, only I, Miquella, and Malenia could claim that title. Each of us was chosen by our own Two Fingers, as a candidate to succeed Queen Marika, to become the new god of the coming age."

[29] Sage Gowry:"An Empyrean...is no mere demigod. In the age of the Elden Ring, and Queen Marika, the precious Empyrean was born. A new god to forge a new Order."

[30] Cipher Pata

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