player's journey to becoming Elden Ring's Elden Lord, as it expands upon some of the hidden themes of the Lands Between and may even inform their decision over which ending to pursue.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Elden Ring.]
Long and convoluted questlines are common in Soulsborne games, with some of these quests being easily missed or so long they are forgotten, and the same can be said for Elden Ring. NPCs have their own questlines that often intersect with the main story or another NPC questline. The reason these quests are so worthwhile completing, though, is the revealed hidden lore.
Ranni, Fia, and Rogier are three NPCs the Tarnished can encounter in the Elden Ring. Fia is found in the Roundtable Hold, while one of Elden Ring's best-ing characters Rogier can first be found in Stormveil castle and will later move to the Roundtable Hold. Ranni is first encountered at the Church of Elleh, but there she goes by the name Renna. While each NPC has personal questlines and motives, the three NPCs' questlines intersect at various points.
Elden Ring - Rogier's Death-Filled Quest Reveals Key Story Details
Rogier’s quest in Elden Ring revolves around finding and learning about the cursemark of Destined Death. He is first encountered in Stormveil Castle and is available as a summon to fight Margit, the Fell Omen. After defeating Margit, Rogier will move to the Roundtable Hold and is found on the balcony.
To begin his quest, the Tarnished must find and defeat the secret Elden Ring boss under Stormveil and then approach the massive rotting head found behind where the boss appears. Near the head is a bloodstain that reveals Rogier being killed by Blighted Death. Going back to Rogier, he explains the giant head is a “sacred relic” from the black knives plot. During the Golden Age of the Erdtree, someone stole a piece of the Rune of Death from Maliketh, the Black Blade, and murdered Godwyn the Golden. Rogier continues to explain that the murder of Godwyn was the first recorded death of a demigod in history and the catalyst for the smashing of the Elden Ring and the Shattering.
Rogier will then need a black Knifeprint. Once that is retrieved, he will give more background information on the Black Knife assassins. They are an order made up entirely of women who wore the Elden Ring Black Knife Armor Set and whose knives held some power of the Rune of Death. Rogier asks to examine the Knifeprint to find who ordered the assassination, and because half of his body is suffused with death, he believes he can see it.
Once he has studied the Knifeprint, he reveals to the Tarnished that Lunar Princess Ranni conducted the rite and was behind the assassination. Because she performed the rite, Rogier explains that she will have the cursemark of Destined Death on her body. Rogier wants the player to find Ranni and get the cursemark. Shortly after this, Rogier will tell Elden Ring's Tarnished he will soon fall into a deep sleep. He does eventually fall into this sleep. It will take a few visits, but Rogier does eventually die.
Elden Ring - Fia's Involvement With Rogier
Elden Ring’s Fia, the Deathbed Companion, becomes involved in Rogier’s quest after he gives the Tarnished the history of the face beneath the castle. Fia is the one who gives the Tarnished a map that leads to the Black Knife Catacombs where a Black Knifeprint can be found inside. The boss that drops the Black Knifeprint is not the main boss of the dungeon and is hidden behind an illusionary wall.
Speaking to Fia after Rogier has studied the Knifeprint, she will mention that Rogier has been in a good mood since the Tarnished began helping him. His strong mental fortitude sustains him, despite having such “grievous wounds.” She comments that the Tarnished is a champion to Rogier and herself.
The last interaction between Fia and Rogier occurs towards the end of Fia's questline in Elden Ring. In the Deeproot Depths, the Tarnished will have to fight several ghostly bosses called Fia’s Champion. One of those ghostly champions is actually Rogier.
Elden Ring Ranni and Rogier Quest Overlap
When the Tarnished finds Ranni at Ranni’s Rise, the Tarnished says, “You must be Ranni the Witch, behind the Night of Black Knives.” As forward as that comment is, Ranni does not deny who she is or what she did. She its to being the one who stole the Rune of Death and made the godslaying black knives. However, the cursemark Rogier wants is not there because it lies on Ranni’s body, and Elden Ring’s Ranni doesn’t have a real body. Ranni refuses to tell the Tarnished where her body that bares that mark lies.
Upon hearing this, Rogier suggests that the Tarnished become one of Ranni’s vassals. He its he has no idea where her body could be, so entering her service to poke around is their best bet. Going back to Ranni and asking to serve her, she knows the Tarnished is doing it as a way to snoop and find the cursemark. However, she allows the Tarnished to enter her service, which also commences the journey to getting Elden Ring's Age of the Stars ending.
The Cursemark Of Destined Death's Connection In Elden Ring
The biggest connecting overlap between Rogier, Fia, and Ranni is the cursemark of Destined Death. Rogier wanted the cursemark to study. However, he dies before he gets the chance to see it. Fia, though, requires the cursemark later in her questline, and Ranni’s body is the only place in-game it is possible to find it.
If the cursemark is given to Fia (working for Elden Ring's Prince of Death), she explains she will lay with the Prince of Destined Death and bear his child. When the area is reloaded, she will be sleeping, and the Tarnished can enter her dream to fight a boss. After defeating the boss, the Tarnished will be able to pick up the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince. This rune will unlock an alternate Elden Ring ending, which demonstrates just how far-reaching and consequential these three questlines actually were.
