A new Shadow of the Erdtree promo image is almost 100% our first look at one of Elden Ring's most mysterious characters

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Though one eagle-eyed observer noticed that they also made a brief appearance in the first gameplay trailer.

Androgynous knight in intricate armor holding sword partially obscuring face while holding helmet in other hand
(Image credit: FromSoftware)

FromSoftware has finally started ramping up its Elden Ring expansion pack hype train with less than a month to go until Shadow of the Erdtree's release. Hot on the heels of Tuesday's pre-rendered story trailer, FromSoft has shared promo art of a new NPC, and I think we already know exactly who they are.

The image shows a feminine knight with long, braided hair, a helmet cradled in their left arm and an intricately gold filigreed sword raised in the right, partially covering their face. The knight's armor has detailed feathery scrollwork across most of its surfaces, while a thick white and gold cloak is draped over their shoulders.

(Image credit: FromSoftware)

And friend, if this isn't Elden Ring lore sicko favorite St. Trina of the Cradlesong, I'll eat my dang hat. For those less freakishly plugged into Elden Ring item description esoterica, St. Trina is an androgynous knight of sleep and dreams frequently mentioned in the descriptions of weapons and tools that inflict the "sleep" status on enemies. It's been a popular fan theory for some time that she's a Batman-like alter ego to Miquella, the demigod at the center of Shadow of the Erdtree's story.

And just look at that hairdo⁠—this knight's a ringer for the first image of Miquella we got with Shadow of the Erdtree's announcement. What remains to be seen is whether St. Trina is just Miquella wearing a suit of armor to disguise his identity, or if there's something more mystical or metaphysical going on with doppelgangers, alternate selves, and the like. Given that Miquella's ma and pa are the same person, a primeval deity with two identities, the male half of which didn't seem fully aware of this fact, my money's on there being a Tulpa-style situation here for sure.

User IcePopsicleDragon on the Elden Ring subreddit also pointed out that we have seen this knight before: they briefly showed up in Shadow of the Erdtree's gameplay reveal trailer, kneeling before a glowing gold symbol and large fortress city. I find myself wondering if they're one of the narrators of that trailer as well, the one who talks about "the losing side of a war." We'll find out for sure (or as sure as we ever get about FromSoft lore) when Shadow of the Erdtree releases on June 21. 

Ted Litchfield
Associate Editor

Ted has been thinking about PC games and bothering anyone who would listen with his thoughts on them ever since he booted up his sister's copy of Neverwinter Nights on the family computer. He is obsessed with all things CRPG and CRPG-adjacent, but has also covered esports, modding, and rare game collecting. When he's not playing or writing about games, you can find Ted lifting weights on his back porch. You can follow Ted on Bluesky.