Elden Ring Player Discovers New Secret About Rykard
"Elden Ring," the latest Soulsborne game by FromSoftware, released back in February to widespread acclaim from critics and fans. Gamers have spent hours exploring the Lands Between and taking on the notoriously difficult (some practically impossible) bosses. They've also endeavored to unravel the mysteries of the world and find the various secrets and Easter eggs that are so common in Soulsborne games.
Since its release, players have unlocked and analyzed the numerous possible endings, found hidden stories throughout the world, discovered where the bosses go to hide, and revealed a lost coliseum that didn't make it into the game. Now, thanks to a dedicated fan and Redditor, yet another secret has been uncovered. It seems Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy went through a growth spurt in the past and left some evidence behind.
A video posted to Reddit revealed that if you go to the Prison Town inside the Volcano Manor and visit the church there, you can find a giant snake skin hanging over a massive throne. Climbing some stairs to a balcony above the skins and looking down offers a view of what looks like a face on the back of the skin. The Reddit post speculates that this is evidence that the skin belonged to Rykar who must have shed the skin before moving on to where he's ultimately encountered by the player.
Rykard shed his skin before the Tarnished found him
In the world of "Elden Ring," Rykard was a demigod who merged with a giant snake to obtain power and immortality. He thus became the God-Devouring Serpent and appears as a boss fight in the game. Players first defeat the serpent before Rykard reveals his face and begins a second phase of the fight. The discovery of the snake skin indicates that Rykard previously inhabited the church before moving on and that, before leaving, he grew out of and left behind his old skin.
A Godskin Noble can be found in the room where the snake skin appears which led some commenters on the video to speculate that the Godskin were attracted to the place by the skin and that it explains why the Godskin Noble possess a snake tail.
This discovery is yet another example of FromSoftware's penchant for environment storytelling and littering their games with secrets to discover years after release. In addition to speculating about the origin and meaning of the skin, Redditors also discussed their love for these elements of Soulsborne games and the years they get to spend uncovering every detail and piecing the full story together through numerous playthroughs and collaboration with other fans. This latest discovery is sure to provide another piece to the puzzle.