Where Does Elden Ring REALLY Take Place? (No, It’s Not Ohio)

Elden Ring has received the 2022 Game of the Year award, and its story and lore are a big reason why.

However, many players are confused as to where Elden Ring takes place, especially after rumors went around that the events happen in Ohio. Elden Ring does not take place in Ohio but instead in a fictional world known as The Lands Between.

In this article, I will explain where Elden Ring takes place and go through the game’s story and lore to help you understand the background of The Lands Between.

Table of Contents:

1. Where Does Elden Ring Take Place?
2. The Difference Between Lore and Story in Elden Ring
3. Elden Ring Lore Explained - Before the Shattering
4. Elden Ring Story Explained - After the Shattering
5. Wrapping up

Where Does Elden Ring Take Place?

Contrary to popular rumors, Elden Ring does not take place in Ohio but instead in a realm known as ‘The Lands Between.’

This realm was formerly ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal and thrived under the Elden Ring and the Erdtree, which were controlled by a greater deity from another world known as The Greater Will.

But what exactly happened in The Lands Between, and what events take place now, during the main story of the game? Let’s examine both the lore and the story of this world.

The Difference Between Lore and Story in Elden Ring

The main difference between lore and story is timing. Lore refers to events that happened in the past before the actual gameplay begins. On the other hand, the story refers to everything that happens in the duration of the gameplay and thus is affected by the player’s choices.

The main event where the lore ends and the story begins for Elden Ring is the Shattering. But what exactly is that? Let’s start with Elden Ring’s lore and all the events leading to the Shattering.

Elden Ring Lore Explained - Before the Shattering

The lore begins with the description of an entity known as The Greater Will, which sent envoys to The Lands Between to help enforce its will. These entities included the Elden Ring, the Erdtree, the Elden Beast, and the Two Fingers.

Queen Marika, the most central name to Elden Ring’s history and a prominent figure in The Lands Between, was chosen by the Two Fingers to become an Empyrean (a candidate for becoming a god). The main characteristic of Empyreans is that they are accompanied by a shadow, which obeys them at all costs. For Marika, that shadow was Maliketh (the boss). Ranni is also an Empyrear, with Blythe as her shadow.

Marika used her shadow to lock away Destined Death (Rune of Death). She locked the rune at Maliketh’s blade and thus removed death from The Lands Between while also making sure she was the only one able to control it. Due to that, any monster that died didn’t disappear; instead, its soul returned to the Erdtree.

After removing death, Marika created the Golden Order, which ruled The Lands Between. The Golden Order is a law that governs the world in the shape of a philosophical and theological movement.

To strengthen her forces, Marika married Godfrey, who became the first Elden Lord.

Together, they had three children who were the first demigods:

• Godwyn the Golden (more on his story below)
• Morgott, the Omen King (World Boss)
• Mohg, Lord of Blood (World Boss)

Godfrey had an elite group of soldiers known as the Crucible Knights, who use the power of the Erdtree to enhance their strength.

Then, the war began between The Golden Order (Age of the Erdtree), who wanted to rule The Lands Between, and local enemies such as Giants, Dragons, and Liurnia (House of the Moon). The head of the Erdtree’s army was Radagon, who faced Lady Renala, the head of the House of the Moon.

However, Radagon fell in love with Renala, and as mentioned in the game by Miriel, Pastor of Vows “repented his territorial aggressions and swore his love to Renala. The order of the Erdtree and the fate of the moon were conjoined, and all the wounds of war forgiven.”

From there, Radagon and Renala had three children:

• Lunar Princess Ranni (Moon Magic - Side Story)
• Radahn (Gravitational Magic - World Boss)
• Rykard (Hex Sorceries - World Boss)

However, after the war, Godfrey was robbed of his grace, and Marika sent him and his Tarnished army away to fight and die in a land far away in what is known as The Long March of the Tarnished.

With Godfrey gone, Radagon left Renala and returned to the Erdtree. There, he became Marika’s husband and thus the second Elden Lord (after Godfrey).

Together, they had two children:

• Miquella (cursed with eternal childhood)
• Malenia (was rotten within)

Both children were selected as Empyreans despite their shortcomings.

Due to Radagon’s betrayal and Renala’s weakness, Liurnia went into a civil war.

At this point, Ranni stole a fragment of the Rune of Death from Maliketh and used it to kill a demigod, Marika’s first son, Godwyn the Golden (Rumors say that Marika was behind this plot).

After these events, Marika went to shatter the Elden Ring in an attempt to reduce the influence of The Greater Will in The Lands Between. At the same time, Radagon tried to repair the Elden Ring but with no success.

There is lore as to why Marika decided to shatter the Elden Ring and thus betray The Greater Will, but it is only assumptions and fan theories. For more details on this part, check out how and why Marika betrays The Greater Will.

As punishment, Marika was imprisoned inside the Erdtree. However, she remained a vessel for the Elden Ring and was united with Radagon in the same body.

The huge plot twist is that Radagon IS Marika (or became Marika). This part of the story of the union between Radagon and Marika is an open-ended part, and only rumors and fan theories exist.

With the Shattering of the Elden Ring, its pieces were scattered all across The Lands Between, the Greater Will abandoned this world, and the Golden Order was disbanded. Then, we move on from the lore to the current events of the story.

Elden Ring Story Explained - After the Shattering

The Elden Ring, which was described in the first trailer as “that which commanded the stars, giving life its fullest brilliance,” is the linking part between Elden Ring’s lore and story. The current events take place in a world filled with monsters that took over after the shattering of the Elden Ring.

Elden Ring’s story begins when the Elden Ring was shattered. At that moment, those closest to the Erdtree either died or took pieces of the ring for themselves and gained immense power at the cost of losing their sanity.

This led to a huge war in The Lands Between, whose remains players explore now. The most accurate elements of this war can be seen when exploring Stormveil and Leyndell Castles, which are abandoned battlefields.

During the shattering, Queen Marika, the Golden Order, and The Greater Will disappeared. The loss of order led the world into chaos and destruction.

In this destroyed world amongst devious monsters and demigods with pieces of the Ring, players arrive as a Tarnished.

Tarnished are people who lost the grace of the Erdtree and thus were banished with Godfrey by Queen Marika. Most Tarnished are unable to perceive grace, which leaves them hopeless.

However, there are also special Tarnished guided by grace to unite the Ring pieces again. This is the role of the player in Elden Ring: to find all of the Ring’s pieces and bring them together under the Erdtree to become the Elden Lord.

Keep in mind that you are not the only Tarnished seeking the Elden Ring. During your journey, you will be called to face other Tarnished, such as Dung Eater, Fia the Deathbed Companion, Sir Gideon Ofnir the All-Knowing, Sorcerer Rogier, and more. For a full list of all known and possible Tarnished, check out the Tarnished wiki page.

All the Tarnished are summoned in the Roundtable Hold, a safe zone that includes all the Tarnished and their maidens.

With all these, players are tasked with finding pieces of the Elden Ring and defeating Demigods in an attempt to become Elden Lord and restore some kind of order to this world.

Wrapping up

I hope this guide helped you understand exactly where Elden Ring takes place (and dispel the rumors about Elden Ring taking place in Ohio). This is everything you need to know about the story and lore of Elden Ring to better understand why the game takes place in The Lands Between and what exactly is this world.

What’s your favorite part of Elden Ring’s story and lore? Do you understand The Lands Between world better now? Let us know in the comments below.

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of the game’s story and lore consider checking out ourultimate Elden Ring bosses guide, which ranks the hardest bosses in the game.