What's With the Veil Over the Tree in the Elden Ring DLC Trailer?

It's officially Elden Ring theory crafting season. FromSoftware’s announcement of the Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC has ignited a flurry of discussions and theories among its player base, especially after the launch trailer was revealed on Feb 21, 2024. Despite the trailer’s brief duration of just over 3 minutes, it has given rise to a plethora of intriguing topics, one of which we'll explore in this article.

The theory that has caught the attention of many revolves around the veil-like structure in the sky, seemingly sprung over by a gigantic Erdtree-like entity. For the sake of this discussion, we’ll refer to it as the ‘New Tree’, given that its official name remains unknown. Some speculate it to be the Haligtree, as it appeared in the past, but this remains unconfirmed. Here’s a quick summary for those eager for the details:

The veil is speculated to be the underside of the cloud located at the center of the original game’s map, held aloft by the five divine towers. The New Tree is believed to exist in a completely different ‘banished realm’, having once incurred the wrath of The Greater Will.

The Heart of the Map

The theory suggests that the Divine Towers serve as anchors or supports for the Veil. According to this theory, the Towers’ divine power keeps the Veil in place, maintaining the separation between realms. If you observe the position of the divine towers, you’ll notice that they intersect right over the cloud at the center of Elden Ring’s map. This cloud has been a point of interest since the original game’s launch, spawning numerous similar theories. However, it now appears that players may have been right from the beginning about something being hidden there - a whole new realm in The Lands Between.

The area beneath the cloud appears to be an endless sea, surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs. There are no visible beaches leading down to the sea in the middle of the map. This serves as a visual cue that this area has been ‘cut off’, both literally - as a DLC, and figuratively - banished to another realm.

Shadow Of The Erdtree: A New Perspective

While the general play area of the DLC might not rise from the sea like the lost city of Atlantis, there could be a smaller yet significant addition, such as a new Divine Tower. This tower could serve as a teleportation point to the new area. Many players speculate that touching Miquella’s hand, which hangs out from the cocoon in Mohgwyn Palace, will be the entry point of the DLC content. This seems to be also supported by the trailer itself, which begins with the player walking up to the protruding hand. However, another teleportation point might exist, and it could be located right under that cloud.

In the original game, Divine Towers were utilized as a way to cash in on the Great Runes of demigods that players defeated as they progressed through the game. Given that we’ll likely be facing more demigods in the upcoming DLC, it stands to reason that new Divine Towers must rise. These towers could potentially serve a similar purpose, providing players with a means to utilize the power of the Great Runes they acquire from vanquishing these formidable foes.

This theory adds another layer of anticipation for the upcoming DLC. As players, we can only speculate and theorize until the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree. Until then, these theories serve as a testament to the rich lore and intricate world design of Elden Ring that continues to captivate its player base.