What Happens In Elden Ring? The Game's Story, Part. 5: Leyndell, Royal Capital

gamespot.com:

At the center of the Lands Between is Leyndell, the home of the Erdtree, and the most important place in all of Elden Ring. At the base of the massive tree, Marika built the seat of her power. Of all the places in the Lands Between, Leyndell probably remains in the best shape, with its walls still standing and knights waiting within. Once you have a few Great Runes, your journey inevitably takes you to Leyndell as you attempt to claim the Elden Ring and become Elden Lord. But there are other powers who still stand in your way--others who still wish to take the throne.

Your trip into Leyndell puts you closer to your goal than you've ever been, but there are also a few major revelations to be found here, as well. As we delve into the Erdtree capital, as always, there are spoilers within, although these are probably the biggest yet, with the greatest and weirdest lore implications for the overall story of the game. Here's what's happening as you explore Leyndell and try to lay claim on the title of Elden Lord.

More deep dives into Elden Ring's story

The journey to Leyndell first takes you across the Altus countryside. Though the city and its outskirts are largely intact, there's a lot to pay attention to in the surrounding area as you make your way toward it, and the Shattering has definitely not spared this place.

First, if you made your way up through the Ruin-Strewn Precipice, you were likely accosted by a dragon before you even really entered the Altus Plateau proper. Dragons are all over the place in the Lands Between, but they have a big connection to Leyndell in particular that we'll get into more a little later. The history and lore of Elden Ring includes a war between the Golden Order and the dragons, but at least