The Night of the Black Knives is one of the most important events in the story of Elden Ring.

However, we can see little about the Night of the Black Knives.

In this article, the auther, native Japanese, explained the Night of the Black Knives in detail, taking the Japanese backgrounds into consideration.

目次 (Contents)

Summrize of What Happend during the Night
The Plans of Rykard, Ranni, and Marika
Postscript

Summrize of What Happend during the Night

Let’s start with seeing the timeline of the Night of the Black Knives.

1, The Rune of Death Was Stolen from Maliketh

The Night of the Black Knives started with stealing the Rune of Death from Maliketh.

Maliketh have been sealing the Rune of Death inside himself as Marika desired.

However, Marika betrayed Maliketh and stole the fragment of the Rune of Death from him during the Night of the Black Knives.

The texts below also indicates the fact that Marika betrayed Maliketh and plotted the Night of the Black Knives.

Remembrance of the Black Blade
Maliketh was a shadowbound beast given to his Empyrean.
Marika’s sole need of her shadow was a vessel to lock away Destined Death.
Even then, she betrayed him.

Black Knife Armor
The assassins that carried out the deeds of the Night of the Black Knives were all women, and rumored to be Numen who had close ties with Marika herself.

Gurranq
Marika…why…wouldst thou…gull me? Why…shatter…

In addition, the plotter of the Night of the Black Knives is not only Marika.

The texts below indicate that Ranni and Rykard are also the plotters.

Rogier
Now, I have a fairly good idea who performed the rite upon the blade. The person who orchestrated the Night of the Black Knives.
Lunar Princess Ranni. One of the children born to King Consort Radagon and his first wife, Rennala. Demigod and sister to General Radahn and Praetor Rykard. Her’s was the name I discovered in the imprint.

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.

Blasphemous Claw
A slab of rock engraved with traces of the Rune of Death.
Can deflect the power of the Black Blade.
On the night of the dire plot, Ranni rewarded Praetor Rykard with these traces. Should the coming trespass one day transpire, they would serve as a last-resort foil, allowing Rykard to challenge Maliketh the Black Blade, the black beast of Destined Death.

Ranni’s pure confession clearly indicates that Ranni is the one of the plotters of the Night of the Black Knives.

In addition, the text “Ranni rewarded Praetor Rykard with these traces” indicates Rykard is also the one of the plotters.

2, Ranni Made and Handed over the Knives Imbued with the Rune of Death

Next, Ranni imbued the fragment of the stolen Rune of Death with knives and handed them over to the assasins carrying out the deed.

From the Ranni’s confession before and the flavor text of Black Knife below, we can conclude that Ranni made and handed over the Black Knife.

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.

Black Knife
Dagger once belonging to one of the assassins who murdered Godwyn the Golden on the Night of the Black Knives.
A ritual performed on the oddly misshapen blade imbued it with the power of the stolen Rune of Death.

In addition, these assasins, the Black Knives, were all women and Numen who had close ties with Marika, as described in the flavor text of Black Knife Armor.

Black Knife Armor
The assassins that carried out the deeds of the Night of the Black Knives were all women, and rumored to be Numen who had close ties with Marika herself.

3, The Godwyn’s Soul and Ranni’s Flesh Were Dead

At the end of the Night, the assasins killed the Godwyn with the Black Knives received from Ranni.

However the death of Godwyn was incomplete.

In other words, only the soul of Godwyn was dead.

The Rune of Death would contain the two components, the Rune killing souls alone and that killing fleshes alone.

Ranni would have imbued the Rune of Death killing souls and this is the reason why only the soul of Godwyn was dead.

On the other hand, the other Rune of Death killed the flesh of Ranni herself.

The flavor text of Cursemark of Death fact that the Rune of Death killed the Godwyn’s soul and the flesh of Ranni.

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.

Those are the summarize of what happend on the Night of Black Knives.

The Plans of Rykard, Ranni, and Marika

Next, let’s think about the reasons why Rykard Ranni, and Marika plotted the Night of Black Knives.

The Plans of Rykard

The reason why Rykard potted the Night of Black Knives is to obtain the Blasphemous Claw.

The text above indicates that Rykard needed the Blasphemous Claw that can deflect the power of the Black Blade in order to challenge Maliketh.

And, the reason why Rykard wants to challenge Maliketh is to robb not the fragment but the all of the Rune of Death and eat gods by using it.

Rykard
Join the Serpent King, as family… Together, we will devour the very gods!

In short, Rykard needed the all of the Rune of Death to kill and eat gods.

Actually, the dialogue below indicates Rykard really hates Two Fingers and gods associated with the Golden Order.

Tanith
Now, perhaps the time has come to tell you. Of the true ruler of this manor, Lord Rykard. The Erdtree blessed the Tarnished with grace. But it was all too meagre, in the fate of the enormity of their task. The Tarnished were forced to scavenge, squabbling for crumbs. Like the shardbearers, vying for power in the wake of the Shattering. Our Lord, indignant, had refused. To scurry about, fighting over what miserly scraps they allow us. If the Erdtree, and indeed the very gods, would debase us so, then we are willing to raise the banner of resistance, even if it means heresy. We at the Volcano Manor, under Lord Rykard, have sworn no rest until it is done. If you follow this heroic path, one day the Lord will see you. The Lord’s visits with our champions are always a spectacle. I cannot come a day too soon!

Those would be the reason why Rykard took part in Ranni on the Night of the Black Knives.

The Plans of Ranni

The reason why Ranni plotted the Night of the Black Blade would be to get out of the Two Fingers’ control.

The Ranni’s dialogue and below indicates Ranni killed her flesh to escape from the control of Two Fingers.

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.

Actually, some texts below imply the Two Fingers’ ability to control others.

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.

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.

The control of Two Fingers seems so strong that Ranni had no choise but to kill herself to escape from the control.

However, Ranni wished to remove the Order from the Lands Between and could not die in order to complete the wish.

This article is explaining the Ranni’s order.

Therefore, Ranni needed the Rune of Death to kill her flesh alone and transfer her soul into a doll.

Those would be the reason why plotted the Night of the Black Knives.

The Plans of Marika

I think the reason why Marika plotted the Night of the Black Knives would be to obrain the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince from the Godwyn’s death.

Mending Rune of the Death-Prince
Formed of the two hallowbrand half-wheels combined, it will embed the principle of life within Death into Order.
The Golden Order was created by confining Destined Death. Thus, this new Order will be one of Death restored.

The flavor text of Cursemark of Death indicates the first death of a Demigod gives “the shape of a circle“, the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.

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 short, Marika wanted to restore the Death to the Golden Order and killed the Godwyn to obtain the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince from his death.

I will explain a little more clearly.

The text “The Golden Order was created by confining Destined Death” indicates the Golden Order has no Destined Death.

In other words, the essence of the Golden Order is the eternity of lives.

However, this eternity of the Golden Order caused the unexpected problems, stagnation and decay, as described in the flavor text of Blue Cloth Vest.

Blue Cloth Vest
The blue color of its fabric symbolizes brisk waters, as fluid and flowing as the sword in the hand of its wearer.
Just as still waters turn foul, stagnation leads to decay.
Warriors must remain ever drifting.

The stagnation and decay cursed Miquella and Malenia, Marika’s children, with eternal childhood and rot.

Remembrance of the Rot Goddess
Miquella and Malenia are both the children of a single god. As such they are both Empyreans, but suffered afflictions from birth. One was cursed with eternal childhood, and the other harbored rot within.

So, Marika planned to mend the Elden Ring with the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince to return the Destined Death into the Golden Order to end it.

However, Marika’s plan failed because of the Ranni‘s unexpected actions.

As a result, Marika could not get the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince and resorted to shatter the Elden Ring.

This article is explaining the reason why Marika shatterd the Elden Ring.

Postscript

This article is about “The Lore of the Night of the Black Knives Explained by a Native Japanese”.