So. Yes. I’ve done all my favorite NPCs from past FromSoft games. Yesterday’s post was about Dark Souls III. Now, we’re up to the current one, Elden Ring, and it’s massive. There are so many NPCs, it’s mind-boggling. The current Roundtable Hold (accompanying video from RKG that comes out every other Sunday) is about Gav and Rory’s impressions on the various NPCs they’ve met so far, and it’s but a fraction of all the NPCs they’ll meet in the future.
It’s interesting to see how on or off their immediate reactions to the characters were. Gav is Welsh so of course he’s goin to be predisposed to like the Welsh chaaracters. He makes no bones about being very biased for his kins people, so I’m not telling tales out of school.
Rory, on the other hand, is very much predisposed to take people at surface value. For example, he loves Alexander (whom they call Alex) because he is jovial and bluff. Makes no difference that when you first meet him, he’s stcuk in a hole in the ground. You have to give him a good whack on the ass to un-stick him, and then he talks to you heartily of how he’s a warrion on an important journey.
Do you have any evidence of this? No. But because he’s so positive and booming, Rory immediately warms to him (as does Gav). Much like Solaire or the Onion Knight of the first Souls game. I’ve made it known that both are fine, but they’re not my faves.
I would say, though, that the way Rory and Gav are reacting to the characters is pretty true to lfe. Most people do make snap judgments on other people, me included. They may not admit it out loud, but it can be based on looks or voice or whatever else irrationally pushes your buttons. Personally, anyone who is too charming is suspect to me. Because my father is a narcissist–
By the way, I know it’s become an internet meme, calling people a narcissist, but my father truly is one. I’m not going to give up the word just because it’s become trendy. It’s a perfectly good word, and I’ve been using it for him for decades.
I also don’t like people who are too effusive for no reason. That’s a subset of the previous characterization, but it’s a bit more specific. Someone who is overly complimentary without knowing me is immediately a cause for concern.
So. Here we go. My favorite NPCs from Elden Ring. Take it for granted that Patches is on the list and that this is the best questline of his so far.
1. Blaidd the Half-Wolf. I know this is the easy pick, but he’s incredible. From the voice to the look to the pathos of his story, he has everything going for him. Even though I missed his introductory point in my first playthrough, I was able to catch up with him later.
I love that you run into him several times in the game. His storyline is entwined with Ranni’s, who’ll Ill get to in a second. I could put these two together because their questlines go together, but each NPC on their own is worthy of a placement.
I also love that you get to summon him twice. Once to help him in an Evergaol and one for the spectacle that is a middish game big boss fight. It’s easily the most ridiculously lavish boss fight in the game, and it’s just wild.
The end of Blaidd’s questline is a tearjerker, for sure, but his weapon is one of my faves.
2. Nepheli Loux. This might be controversial in the community, but she ranks above Ranni for me in terms of favorite female NPCs. The first time you meet her, she’s standing over a fallen warrior and sending him off with some sober words. A fallen warrior she’s dispatched, just to be clear.
This is in Stormveil Castle. Then, you can summon her for Goddrick. She’s a beast in that fight, by the way. Then, she’s in the Roundtable Hold and will give you a great talisman. At some point, she moves on. You’ll find out that she’s the adopted daughter of Gideon, though his tone about her is…odd. Then again, his tone about everyone is off.
You’ll see her elsewhere, and she’s involved in someone else’s questline, too. I’ve never done that part of the other NPC’s questline because it’s against everything I believe in. And I would never do anything to harm Nepheli Loux.
It’s interesting. In my initial playthrough, she becomes desolate in the basement of the Roundtable Hold at some point. That was the end of her questline. Then, either on that character or my second one, her questline expanded. You give her a certain special spirit ash, and then she becomes Lord/Lady of Stormveil/Limgrave/not exactly sure. She’s Kenneth Haight’s Champion, and it’s a very triumphant ending for her.
I have no idea when you have to do all the steps to her questline, but it’s one of my favorites by far. Even though Kenneth Haight is an insufferable twit.
3. Ranni the Witch. She’s an intriguing character because a lot of the action is at her behest. She’s behind the scenes, yes, but she’s manipulating people to do her bidding. She does not believe in the Golden Order, but it’s not clear what exactly she does believe in. She’s the daughter of a demi-god and a powerful witch, but is she bitter about her father leaving her mother? Probably.
She’s the community favorite, and I can see why. I love her outfit, and her spell, Ranni’s Dark Moon is incredible. It takes 68 Int. and 2 spell slots. She’s a very powerful being, and I do not mind being her consort. I do not mind at all.
4. Millicent. When you first meet her, she’s steeped in Scarlet Rot. You have to fight the field boss of the area so you can get the needle to prick her skin and let out the scarlet rot. Then, she decides to go on a journey to follow in the footsteps of Malenia, the hardest boss (so many say) in the game.
Why? Well, my theory is because Millicent is Malenia’s daughter. To support it, Millicent has been adopted by Gowry (along with four other women). She has red hair like Malenia, one arm, like Malenia, and uses Malenia’s lethal combo. Some call it her anime bullshit move.
On her journey, you can run into her several times. You can summon her a few times for a few field bosses as well. At one point, she asks you to do another little quest for her. Little. It’s not that little. Once you do that, then it’s off to the last optional area, which is the hardest area in my opinion. And you can help her fight her sisters or help her sisters fight her. I’ve done the former, which is too hard unless you do a certain thing, but I have not done the latter yet.
That’s all for now. I’ll probably do another post with a few more faves.