Ranni the Witch is said to be the heroine of Elden Ring.

However, she plotted the Night of the Black Knives to kill Godwyn.

In this article, the native Japanese author explained the lore of Ranni the Witch, taking the Japanese backgrounds into consideration.

目次 (Contents)

Basic Information about Ranni the Witch
Killing a Two Fingers
Plotting the Night of the Black Knives
The Age of the Stars Ending
Postscript

Basic Information about Ranni the Witch

First, basic information about Ranni the Witch was summarized below.

A Child of Radagon and Rennala

Ranni is a child of Radagon and Rennala.

Radagon is a god because he is the same person as Marika (= god) while Rennala is not a god, which means Ranni is a demigod.

And Radagon and Rennala are in conflict because Radagon abandoned Rennala to return to the Erdtree Capital, becoming Queen Marika’s second husband and King Consort when Godfrey was hounded from the Lands Between.

Miriel
However, when Godfrey, first Elden Lord, was hounded from the Lands Between, Radagon left Rennala to return to the Erdtree Capital, becoming Queen Marika’s second husband and King Consort, taking the title…of second Elden Lord.
The mystery endures, to this day… As to why Lord Radagon would cast Lady Rennala aside… and moreover…why a mere champion would be chosen for the seat of Elden Lord.

In the shock of being abandoned by Radagon, Rennala became a cripple and to devote herself to a forbidden rite; the grim art of reincarnation.

Miriel
You wish to know more of Lady Rennala?
She is Queen, head of the Carian royal family, and governor of the Academy of Raya Lucaria.
The great and beautiful Full Moon Witch.
Sadly, her heart was broken when Lord Radagon left her.
And then, when the academy rebelled against the royals, she was locked away in the grand library.
In the end, Lady Rennala was left alone, cradling the amber egg Lord Radagon bequeathed her.
Now she devotes herself to it through forbidden rite; the grim art of reincarnation.
You would do well to remember… Severing a vow, strongest of bonds, has consequences ever more dire”

Ranni protected Rennala at Raya Lucaria academy, which indicates Ranni loves her mother, Rennala.

Ranni
Upon my name as Ranni the Witch.
Mother’s rich slumber shall not be disturbed by thee.
Foul trespasser.
Send word far and wide.
Of the last Queen of Caria, Rennala of the Full Moon.
And the majesty of the night she conjureth.

And it is thought that Ranni hates Radagon because he abandoned Rennala for selfish reasons and made Rennala a cripple.

Confliction with Two Fingers

Ranni is in conflict with Two Fingers.

Ranni
O Shadow, thou’rt the last.
Tell the Two Fingers, that Ranni the Witch cometh, to rend thy flesh.

Ranni
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. Which is when I received Blaidd. In the form of a vassal tailored for an Empyrean.
But I would not acquiesce to the Two Fingers.
I stole the Rune of Death, slew mine own Empyrean flesh, casting it away.
I would not be controlled by that thing.
The Two Fingers and I have been cursing each other ever since… And the Baleful Shadows… are their assassins.

The lore of Two Fingers was explained here.

The reason why Ranni and Two Fingers are in conflict is because Ranni’s order is not of gold.

Ranni
I thought I might expound a little further… Upon the order I envision.
Mine will be an order not of gold, but the stars and moon of the chill night.

Due to the difference in the orders, Ranni killed herself being chosen by Two Fingers, and since then Ranni and Two Fingers have been cursing each other.

In addition, what Radagon did to Rennala may also be one of the causes of the conflict between Ranni and Two Fingers.

Ranni’s Soul is Settled on a Doll

Ranni looks like a doll because her body is dead and her soul settled on the doll.

The reason why Ranni’s body is dead is because Ranni killed her own body.

So why did Rani kill her own body?

The reaseon is explained by herself.

In other words, Ranni killed her own body to escape the control of Two Fingers.

The control of Two Fingers means “the intervention of the Greater Will and its vassal Fingers” described in the text of Iji’s Mirrorhelm.

Iji’s Mirrorhelm
Helm fashioned from a crystal looking-glass, said to have never left War Counselor Iji’s head.
Easily broken and weak against striking attacks.
Worn by those committed to high treason, it wards off the intervention of the Greater Will and its vassal Fingers.
Iji was afraid. Terrified of his own treachery.

From the text above, we can see that Two Fingers can manipulate the thoughts of others.

In fact, Ranni’s subordinate, Blaidd, was almost controlled by Two Fingers.

Iji
I presume you’ve spoken with Blaidd? Very well.
There is something you should know.
The Two Fingers gave Blaidd to Lady Ranni, as a faithful follower.
Her very shadow, incapable of treachery. But if Lady Ranni, as an Empyrean, reists being an instrument of the Two Fingers, the shadow will go mad, transforming from a follower into a horrid curse. But such is his destiny.
In such matters, Blaidd’s own thoughts hold no weight.
It pains me so, but he must be neutralised.
For Lady Ranni’s sake.

In summrize, Ranni killed her own body to escape the control of Two Fingers.

Killing a Two Fingers

Late in the game, Ranni killed a Two Fingers and we can see her sitting on its cadaver.

In addition, the Fingerslayer Blade that we handed over to Ranni would be used for this killing.

Actually, the Fingerslayer Blade is said to be able to harm the Greater Will and its vassals in the text below.

Fingerslayer Blade
The hidden treasure of the Eternal City of Nokron; a blade said to have been born of a corpse.
This blood-drenched fetish is proof of the high treason committed by the Eternal City and symbolizes its downfall.
Cannot be wielded by those without a fate, but is said to be able to harm the Greater Will and its vassals.

That is the reason why Ranni have been searching for the Fingerslayer Blade to kill the Two Fingers.

Ranni’s resentment towards Two Fingers seems to be quite deep…

Plotting the Night of the Black Knives

Ranni is the very plotter of the Night of the Black Knives.

It is certain from what Ranni herself said as follows.

Ranni
I stole a fragment of the Rune of Death, and used it to forge the godslaying black knives through fearsome rite.
I did it all.

What a pure confession…

The Rune of Death is a power that can even kill an immortal god and was sealed in Maliketh‘s sword.

Ranni stole the Rune of Death from Maliketh and killed her immortal body.

On the Night of the Black Knives, Ranni handed over the blades imbued with a part of the Rune of Death killing only a soul to Black Knife Assassins and the soul of Godwyn was killed by the blades

As a result, Godwyn became the one of Those Who Live in Death, whose soul have already perished while the body is still alive.

The fact that only a soul of Godwyn perished is described in the text of “Cursemark of Death”.

Cursemark of Death
Cursemark carved into the discarded flesh of Ranni the Witch. Also known as the half-wheel wound of the centipede.
This cursemark was carved at the moment of Death of the first demigod, and should have taken the shape of a circle.
However, two demigods perished at the same time, breaking the cursemark into two half-wheels.
Ranni was the first of the demigods whose flesh perished, while the Prince of Death perished in soul alone.

In summary, Ranni killed her own flesh and successfully escaped from the control of Two Fingers by killing the soul of Godwyn.

The Age of the Stars Ending

Finally, the Age of the Stars Ending is explained.

So, the short version of the explanation is here.

The key to interpret the the Age of the Stars Ending is the Ranni’s dialogue below.

Ranni
I thought I might expound a little further… Upon the order I envision.
Mine will be an order not of gold, but the stars and moon of the chill night.
I would keep them far from the earth beneath our feet. As it is now, life, and souls, and order are bound tightly together, but I would have them at great remove.
And have the certainties of sight, emotion, faith, and touch… All become impossibilities.
Which is why I would abandon this soil, with mine order.
Wouldst thou come to me, even now, my one and only lord?

Put simply, Ranni’s order of the stars and moon of the chill night represents the life cycle where the souls change into the stars and they fall into the Lands Between with the guaidance of the moon

And Rannni said “I would have them at great remove“, which means that Ranni take the moon far away from the earth.

In the world of Elden Ring, the moon is thought to guaide the stars.

So, if the moon went far away, it would take a 1,000 years for the souls indide the stars to return to Lands Between.

With those points in mind, let’s interpret the Ranni’s last dialogue.

Ranni
…The battle is over, I see.
To every living being, and every living soul.
Now cometh the age of the stars.
A thousand year voyage under the wisdom of the Moon Here beginneth the chill night that encompasses all, reaching the great beyond.
Into fear, doubt, and loneliness… As the path stretcheth into darkness.
Well then. Shall we? My dear consort, eternal.

“Now cometh the age of the stars. “
→This is the Age in which the stars fall into the Lands Between over a 1,000 years.

“A thousand year voyage under the wisdom of the Moon Here beginneth the chill night that encompasses all, reaching the great beyond. “
→The distant moon Ranni took away guaids the cycle of the stars(= souls) over 1,000 years.

“Into fear, doubt, and loneliness… As the path stretcheth into darkness. Well then. Shall we? My dear consort, eternal.”
→The way taking the moon far is dreadful and perplexing, lonely and dark, but let us go together, my King.

At the end of the Age of the Sars Ending, Ranni seems to go to the moon while holding hands with the main character, which means that Ranni and the main character will abandon the Lands Between together.

This also means that Ranni and the main character get married.

This marriage is also implied in the scene where the Dark Moon Ring was attached to Ranni’s finger.

Dark Moon Ring
Ring depicting a leaden full moon. Symbolic of a cold oath, the ring is supposed to be given by Lunar Princess Ranni to her consort.
Ranni is an Empyrean, meaning her consort would by rights earn the title of lord.
A warning is engraved within; “Whoever thou mayest be, take not the ring from this place, the solitude beyond the night is better mine alone.“

The text of “the solitude beyond the night is better mine alone.” suggests Ranni originally intended to bring the moon far away alone, even though the way is filled with fear, doubt, and loneliness.

How cool she is…

Postscript

This is the article about “The Lore of Ranni the Witch Explained by a Native Japanese”.