Elden Ring Candletree Shield Hints at Messmer's Faction

Praise the sun! The Elden Ring community might have found the final Shadow of the Erdtree clue hidden in the Lands Between, hinting towards the faction of Messmer the Impaler...the Candletree shield!

Before the release date announcement for Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki did tease that there's still "a small element" that has yet to be uncovered in the main game, sending fans into a frenzy.

Elden Ring Candletree Shield & Messmer

Messmer the Impaler is, of course, looking like the main enemy and final boss of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. This, of course, could be misdirection, but let's not go further down that rabbit hole. 

Let's take a look at the medium-sized blue shield's description in Elden Ring:

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.

That last part is what gets you pointing toward Messmer, who is shown with a bunch of candles in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer. Further, the symbol on the Shield is represented in the trailer multiple times. Well done, FromSoftware, well done!

cudakid210 on Reddit first posted the discovery and some comparisons of the symbol and images from the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, leaving little doubt that the Candletree Shield is somehow connected to Messmer the Impaler or a faction created to serve his wishes.

The original poster, as well as other fans, are speculating that the Candletree Shield description indicates Messmer was wiped from history in the Lands Between due to a cardinal sin committed. If that's the case, it definitely wouldn't be the first time FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki have pulled off such a move.

In case you've been trapped inside, let's say, a Mimic Chest and missed it somehow, then feast your eyes on the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree trailer below.

Do you think the Candletree Shield represents a faction in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion? We think it probably is, which means the DLC's planning goes back many, many years! It's exciting to think about, honestly, and we can't wait for the expansion's release on 21 June 2024.