Elden Ring players may have discovered a hidden element that is related to the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
Following the release of the latest trailer for Shadow of the Erdtree, which confirmed the DLC's release date, FromSoftware CEO and creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed that despite Elden Ring being out for two years, there remained "a small element that I feel has not yet been discovered."
Naturally, this information had hardcore Soulsborne fans on the hunt through The Lands Between in search of this "small element" and it looks like it could've already been found (via PCGamer).
User Cudakid210 shared their discovery on the game's Reddit page in a new post, showing the Candletree Wooden Shield, a light blue shield with a white tree symbol painted over it, which can be found hidden behind an illusory wall in the Sage's Cave found in Altus Plateau.
The item description reads, "A tall, medium-sized wooden shield. Light for its size, and easy to handle. Thought to represent a surreptitious prophecy of cardinal sin, the lit candle-tree design was forbidden."
NEW DISCOVERY! Candletree as the sigil of a faction in the land of shadow? Seriously how much of this was planned from the start!? from r/Eldenring
What's interesting about the otherwise ordinary shield is the fact that fans have spotted that the "candle-tree design" painted on the shield is the same one that shows up in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, and is the symbol of Messmer, the DLC's main antagonist and ruler of the Lands of Shadow.
The Redditor showed the comparison with screenshots from the trailer, and it's hard to mistake the very obvious clue for Shadow of the Erdtree that has been present in Elden Ring since the game launched and perhaps part of the lore written by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.
The other mention of "a surreptitious prophecy of cardinal sin" may also have some relevance to the plot of the upcoming DLC, but fans will have to wait and see.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is set to launch on June 21 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. FromSoftware has now confirmed that the DLC is the "largest expansion to date, where players must unravel the hidden mystery of the world from the acclaimed fantasy action RPG."
If you're looking for something similar to Elden Ring, be sure to check out our guides to the best Soulslike games, as well as our list of the best RPGs.
