What does the Elden Ring family tree look like? While Elden Ring is a FromSoftware game with game director Hidetaka Miyazaki at least in part making the big decisions, it’s also a collaboration with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. As such, there are lots of complex themes hidden within item descriptions and lore-filled records that give context to the characters we meet.
We won’t be focusing on the entire history of Elden Ring here, but there are some striking similarities: most notably an inter-familial connection spanning three different dynasties. If you want to make sense of the RPG game‘s overall story, as well as see how each of the Elden Ring bosses are related, then read on.
Elden Ring family tree
Now, of course, we’re several years out from the days when HBO would broadcast a weekly dose of nudity and dragons. But if there’s one theme that links George R.R. Martin’s cultural zeitgeist, it’s that every character has a familial link. Elden Ring has some similarly close relationships between its characters. Here are all of the members of the godly Elden Ring family tree, starting out with the deity that links them all: Queen Marika.
Queen Marika the Eternal
Marika is perhaps the most important character we never truly meet in Elden Ring. Marika is an Empyrean of Numen Descent and is the divine sovereign in the Lands Between. Technically, she is both Marika and Radagon, which has some consequences later on.
To ascend to godhood, she needed to take on a consort, the first of which was Godfrey. They then had three children: Morgott, Mohg, and Godwyn, the latter of which had two descendants: Godrick and Godefroy. Godfrey was later banished by Marika after the light of his eyes faded upon defeating his last foe, robbing the lineage of their grace and creating the first Tarnished.
Radagon, who was previously married with three children to Queen Rennala of the Carian royal family, would then become Marika’s second consort. His children with her, Radahn, Rykard, and Ranni would ascend to demigod status, while Marika and Radagon would have twins, Malenia and Miquella. Ranni, Malenia, and Miquella are all Empyreans who could potentially succeed Marika’s throne, but due to Marika and Radagon being the same person separated for a long time without knowing it, Malenia was afflicted with the rotting sickness and Miquella was cursed to be a child for eternity.
Radagon of the Golden Order
Radagon is Queen Marika’s male other self. They separated at some point, but are now one person once more. He had previously married Queen Rennala, with whom he has three children: Radahn, Rykard, and Ranni.
Maliketh, the Black Blade
A shadowbound beast created as Queen Marika’s half-brother. He later assumes the name of Gurranq to keep the Rune of Death sealed away for eternity after the Night of Black Knives incident – orchestrated by Ranni the Witch.
Godfrey, First Elden Lord
Godfrey was the first consort of Marika. With her, he has three sons: Godwyn, Morgott, and Mohg. However, both Morgott and Mohg were accursed Omens and thus banished to the shunning grounds beneath Leyndell. After Godfrey’s exile, he became a chieftain of the Badlands and assumed the name of Hoarah Loux. Nepheli Loux is possibly related, but this is never stated outright.
Morgott, the Omen King
Morgott is the son of Godfrey and Marika, the elder brother of Godwyn, and the twin of fellow Omen Mohg. Unlike his twin, Morgott would seal away his accursed blood within a blade, which he would then conceal in a wooden staff. He assumed the name Margit the Fell Omen during the Shattering.
Mohg, Lord of Blood
Mohg is a demigod and shardbearer, and the son of Godfrey and Marika. He was sent to the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds when it was found he had accused Omen blood, and he soon made contact with the Formless Mother to help develop Bloodflame magic. He soon escaped his confinement and absconded with Miquella after he had embedded himself in the Haligtree to reverse his eternal youth, to raise Miquella to godhood and rule as his consort, though this plan seems not to have worked.
Godwyn the Golden
A son of Godfrey and Marika, and brother to Mohg and Morgott. He was murdered by the Black Knife Assassins in the Night of Black Knives in a plot orchestrated by Ranni the Witch.
Godrick the Grafted / Godefroy the Grafted
Two descendants from Godwyn the Golden who share the Golden Lineage. Godrick inherited the Great Rune after the Elden Ring was shattered by Queen Marika. Both are seen as distant relations with diluted blood. While Godrick lives on as the Tarnished protagonist begins their adventure, Godefroy was killed by Kristoff, the Ancient Dragon Knight.
Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
Queen Rennala first met her now former husband Radagon when Queen Marika the Eternal dispatched him to lead her armies against the Liurnia of the Lakes. Though the two stood on opposite sides for years, it was Radagon who made the first move by cleansing himself with a Celestial Dew and swearing his love for Rennala. She would, in turn, gift him a greatsword passed down by Carian queens to their spouses.
The two would have three children, Radahn, Rykard, and Ranni. After Radagon left her to become Queen Marika’s second consort, her children would also leave her to become demigods. As a result, she became heartbroken. Sensing weakness, the Academy would rebel against the Carian royal family, sealing her in the grand library. She would go mad, clutching an amber egg left to her by Radagon as the only real keepsake left, and would devote herself to reincarnation.
General Radahn
A shardbearer and demigod, he is one of the two sons of Queen Rennala and Radagon. Highly regarded as the mightiest of demigods, he has a bond with his beloved horse, Leonard. Because of this, he studied gravity magic in Sellia under an Alabaster Lord.
Following the Night of Black Knives and after the Elden Ring was shattered, there would be war between Marika’s descendants, with Radahn holding Redmane Castle in Caelid. He would soon be the last of his kind standing in a near-permanent state of undeath after his fight with Malenia ended in a stalemate. During the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, it’s implied that Radahn had initially rejected the proposal of Miquella to become his consort, but after being released from his curse by the Tarnished protagonist, we see that the two are united.
Ranni the Witch
Ranni is the daughter of Radagon and Queen Rennala, and the sister of Radahn and Rykard. Crucially, she’s also an Eymprean, implying the more godly nature of her father. Much like Maliketh was to Queen Marika, she was also granted a shadow half-sibling named Blaidd, who became her vassal. Ranni would also be the instigator of the Night of Black Knives.
Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy
Brother of Radahn and Ranni, Rykard is a demigod who commanded a company of inquisitors to persecute and torture heretics to the Golden Order. He would also play a part in Ranni’s murderous schemes during the Night of Black Knives, and base himself in Mt. Gelmir during the war following the Shattering, where he would descend into depravity by eating on his greatest champions. He would have a daughter, Rya, with his consort Tanith.
Malenia, Blade of Miquella
One of the two twins born of Radagon and Marika, she is cursed with the Scarlet Rot – an affliction that causes the decay and destruction of those it infects. She is an Empyrean, like her brother Miquella, but because Radagon and Marika are the same person, their blood is tainted. She shares a close relationship with her brother, swearing to be his protector.
Malenia would also participate in many battles during the war following the Shattering, but would soon find herself in a stalemate with General Radahn. After the battle, she was rescued by Finlay, one of her Cleanrot Knights, and brought to the Haligtree to await her brother’s rebirth, after he encased himself within to try and cure his curse.
Millicent and her four sisters, Amy, Mary, Maureen, and Polyanna, are descended from Malenia, though they are seen more as offshoots rather than biological daughters.
Miquella of the Haligtree
Also known in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC as Miquella the Kind, he is an Empyrean son of Queen Marika and Radagon, and the twin brother of Malenia. Because Marika and Radagon are the same person, both Miquella and his sister’s blood is cursed, with his burden being that he has an eternal child-like appearance. Nevertheless, he was close with Malenia and the two worked together to try and purge their respective curses. He sealed himself within the Haligtree to do this, but his body was extracted and kidnapped by Mohg.
In the DLC, we learn that while confined in the Haligtree, he stripped himself of his flesh to travel to the Realm of Shadows, and thanks to the Tarnished, he can now convince the recently resurrected soul of Radahn to become his consort.
Melina
Though never stated, we’re assuming that her mother is Queen Marika. Her body was burned, leaving her a roaming spirit with no memory of her purpose. She would meet the Tarnished protagonist and gift them the use of her magical steed, Torrent.
And that is everyone vital to the Elden Ring family tree. They’re a tough ol’ bunch too, well, the ones you fight anyway, so you should probably grab the best Elden Ring builds to overcome these bosses. If you’re just starting the DLC, we highly recommend you check all the Elden Ring Scadutree Fragment locations and the Elden Ring Revered Spirit Ashes locations to improve your endurance.