Elden Ring: Where is the Land of Shadow?

It's absolutely no surprise at all that Elden Ring: The Shadow of the Erdtree has resolved a huge number of burning questions we had since the base game itself first came out, years ago. For example, we now know exactly what was up with Miquella all along, we know what happened to Placidusax' third head, and who Marika's long-lost son really is. Thing is, though, that From Software still has a huge amount of explaining to do regardless, even if that might never end up happening, now that Elden Ring is effectively done and dusted.

For example, even though we have a pretty solid idea of how big the newly released Land of Shadow is, we have no hard information on the separation between it and the mainland continent, The Lands Between. Clearly, there is a magical and/or ontological veil between the two worlds or dimensions, but how does it work and where were the Lands of Shadow before Marika cast them off?

As it turns out, we may have just the answer, and it's all thanks to Redditor ZyzzGodAmongMen and their theory.

READ MORE: Messmer the Impaler Explained

The Land of Shadow might've been a part of The Lands Between

Anyone who's got any amount of familiarity with From Software's previous output will know that the worlds these games are set in don't behave by the same rules as our world does. For example, Elden Ring's entire ontological reality is based on a particular makeup of runic material that can, sometimes, be manipulated by mere mortals.

That's how The Lands Between lost death itself, in fact, as Marika removed the Rune of Death from the Elden Ring, thus making it impossible for most living creatures to permanently pass away.

With this in mind, the stage is set for the matter of The Lands of Shadow: are they literally removed from reality, only metaphysically removed from The Lands Between, or are they perhaps a wholly different dimension that exists separately from The Lands Between?

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According to the theory posited by ZyzzGodAmongMen, The Lands of Shadow were once just a regular part of the continent of the Lands Between, likely (and roughly) around the massive lake in the centre of the overworld. Note, however, that ZyzzGodAmongMen rotated the map to make it better fit the landmass geographically, which might not be the way to go. Whatever the case may be, this theory claims that the Lands of Shadow are spiked through the middle by the Suppressing Tower and surrounded by the mainland's Divine Towers.

Similarly, the centerpiece of The Lands of Shadow, the Scadutree (pronounced 'shadutree') is offset from the Erdtree proper as it's functionally a shadow of it.

Granted, this all is theorycrafting of the highest order, but it does make sense in regard to enemy placement, faction orientation, and the functionality of the world itself. The design team is likely to have played it fast and loose with the specific borders between Scadu and Between, but this definitely is the strongest contender for what might've gone down.

CHECK OUT: The True Story of Miquella the Kind in Elden Ring