This Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Connection Might Explain Shabriri’s Past

screenrant.com:

introduced a treasure trove of new lore to the already elaborate universe of , and one surprising mystery can be found in an unassuming dark corner of the Shadow Realm. The expansion of the Frenzied Flame lore includes an area that will drive Tarnished mad, quite literally: the terrifying Abyssal Woods, where even Torrent is afraid to roam. If Tarnished dare explore this area and manage to avoid the many difficult enemies — including the Aging Untouchables, who can only be defeated with a well-timed parry — they will find themselves at Midra's Manse.

A painting inside this minor Legacy Dungeon depicts Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame and his partner, Nanaya, a character about whom very little is known. By piecing together clues around the Shadow Realm, fans of the franchise have started theorizing that this painting provides details about a major NPC in the base game, Shabriri. As with all lore, the specifics are elusive, the details are difficult to piece together, and there may not be a conclusive answer to the questions raised about Shabriri's murky past.

The painting in Midra's Manse of an old, withered Midra shows Nanaya standing behind him with her hand draped across her belly, indicating she may be pregnant. This raises the question of whom this child could have been, pointing to items such as Nanaya's Torch inside the Manse for clues. This torch may have been a sort of vessel for the Frenzied Flame that allowed Shabriri to manifest in the Lands Between. Its description includes some peculiar phrasing (which may be intentional) and a vague explanation of what happened to Midra after he failed to become the Lord of Frenzied Flame:

One popular interpretation of this item description is that Midra was the "" after having failed to become its Lord, and in the same course of events, the child was lost, its "" used by Nanaya to forge this torch as a last-ditch effort to keep both of them alive. While the theory relies on many assumptions, one cannot help speculating