A glanced-over line from Miquell’s Needle

Everything in this game should be looked over twice, as double entendres and double meanings are hidden in plain sight and throughout.

The one I present today is the status effect of Miquella’s Needle, the item used to pierce “the Heart of the Storm, outside of time”:

“Subdues a once-accepted frenzied flame”

Subtlely, the most direct meaning of this line reads as the game stating “you can only use this item only after you have accepted the Frenzied Flame.” Which is, of course, fair.

But what if… what if this state effect is trying to say something else? That Frenzied Flame, as heretical as it is,

was “once accepted”? That the Dragonlord of the Ancient Royal City may have once ruled in an age of abundance in the Beginning, where even blasphemy was permissible? I’d say it’s more likely than not, and only after a god Divinity (re:divine pillars, the Light of Miquella) *abandons* him, two of his lordly heads succumb to the Dread of his own mortality, and his once royal city Outside of Time, suffers from a Crumbling effect... over time.

We see a young girl, embraced by wolves in the shape of the three fingers, inside Maliketh’s chambers, vessel of stone. Notice the Old Lord’s Talisman— 4 wolf-like heads.

Perhaps the fourth wolf was Miquella’s promised vow, or a betrayal by Ranni— both are connected through the symbol of the bell, as Ranni gives you the three “lone wolf” ashes and a Spiritcaller bell, while Miquella’s influence is clear and apparent through the Four Belfries, as they connect to the Chapel of Anticipation, the Mohgwyn Palace, and Farum Azula.

I think the chaos flame presents the narrative through Shabriri’s interaction with the player: what would you do to save the life of your maiden?

Melina is burned and bodiless, and she insists you really don’t need to embrace this flame, and she will exact vengeance against you for killing Torrent.

Ranni made the choice to kill her body and to send her own soul on a Thousand-Year Voyage. Miquella vowed to become a god.

When you are told to soak the white cloth in the blood of the maiden, you have three options:

Option One: Kill Irina (seemingly blasphemic even to the notion Shabriri presents)

Option Two: The maiden of the Church of Inhibition (next to Shabriri’s village, this church is dedicated to the restraint of instinct— I personally speculate this is related Radagon’s own ascension as a hero of the Liurnian wars (the duty spoken of in Radagon’s soreseal and scarseal, and what makes the “Yellow” Maddening chaos flame so different from its gentler cousin, the “Golden” Orderly grace,) as well as Godfrey adorning the mantle of Serosh/his eyes fading upon equipping the Elden Lord Crown (thematically related to his eyes.)

Option Three: Through the Belfries, return to the Church of Inhibition, slay the Grafted Scion (re: Godwyn the Golden was Scion of the Golden Bough, and his lineage has been claimed and tainted by Godrick the Grafted/the Golden), and claim the blood of the maiden you were entombed with, and receive the ashes of the ungovernable Stormhawk King.

Miquella may shrive clean the hearts of men, but when one’s heart is full of chaos and frenzy like the Heart of the Storm is, such a needle can stave off even the madness, and a Lord shoulders the burden of grace.

This whole speculation could go further— The yellow/golden eyes of Dragon Communion be the consumption of dragon hearts, why governor Melina wields a Blade of Calling (re: Spiritcalling Bell), but I leave you with this:

Dryleaf Dane is my favorite NPC.

“He’s been in service to Miquella the Kind longer than I,” says Needle Knight Leda, “…We’ve been acquainted for some time, but even I am yet to hear his voice. Perhaps one day.”

Dryleaf Arts:

“The teachings of a group of spiritual seekers known as the Dryleaf Sect, revealed only to those of worthy valor and character. The practice of this martial art marks the dawn of an ascetic’s journey.”

“The fallen leaves tell a story.”

“Mighty dragon, thou’rt a trueborn heir. Deliver unto me greater heights…”

“I am the Lord of all that is Golden… and one day, we’ll return together… to our home, bathed in rays of gold.”

Go to the Tower of Return, and arrive at the Divine Bridge.

“Miquella spoke of the Beginning. Of seduction, and betrayal.”

“There is no need for words.” -Monk’s Missive