Godfrey, First Elden Lord - From hero to exile
Hoarah Loux, the mighty warrior once known as Godfrey, stood as the very first Elden Lord and consort to Queen Marika the Eternal. Crowned by the Golden Order, he earned renown as the Lord of the Battlefield, his might and leadership carving the early fate of the Lands Between. Yet, in time, the Queen stripped him of his grace and cast him into exile, banishing him to the harsh and distant badlands.
Opening
Welcome back, lore-lovers. I'm Liandrug, and today, we journey through the ashes and glory of one of Elden Ring's most iconic legends. Prepare yourselves--for honor, exile, and the return to the Lands Between.
The Chronicle
Before he bore the name Godfrey, he was Hoarah Loux--a brutal and unrelenting warrior, consumed by an insatiable hunger for battle. His strength alone won him the right to rule, unmatched in might, unstoppable in war. But when he sought to become a lord, he made a solemn vow and took upon his back the spirit of Serosh, a great golden lion known as the Lord of Beasts. It was this act that marked his transformation--from a beast of war into a king.
Among the beastmen of Farum Azula, the five-fingered hand symbolized intellect--a rare and honored trait. The black nails of the Beastclaw Greathammer echoed Serosh's legacy. As Godfrey bore Serosh, the lion became his Beast Regent, a guide to restrain his wrath and lend wisdom to his reign. Serosh's influence extended beyond his lord; he counseled the descendants of Godfrey and Queen Marika, the Demigods of the Golden Lineage. His image became a relic of past glory, etched in golden armor, even inspiring the young Radahn, who adorned himself in the likeness of the lion and his king.
Even after Godfrey fell from grace and was exiled as Tarnished, Serosh remained by his side. Together, they wandered the Badlands. But when the Shattering split the world and the Guidance of Grace called to the exiled once more, Godfrey returned--with Serosh still bound to him.
At the Erdtree's burning roots, the former Elden Lord faced a Tarnished warrior. As the battle raged, Serosh began to manifest, poised to fight once again. Yet Godfrey halted him, offered thanks for his long service, and killed his Beast Regent with his own hands. Bathed in the lion's blood, he cast away his axe and reclaimed his old name--Hoarah Loux--and fought with unchained fury, until he fell.
Long before that final battle, in the Age of the Erdtree, Godfrey had led Queen Marika's golden legions in the War Against the Giants. The clash ended with the Giants' defeat and the sealing of the Fell God's flame. That war marked the rise of the Erdtree and the dawn of Order. In this time of conquest, Godfrey earned the name "Lord of the Battlefield."
He alone slew the Storm Lord and claimed Stormveil. At Castle Morne, he crushed a lone avenger wielding a grafted blade. As commander of the Crucible Knights, he placed his crest upon them--Ordovis and his warriors bore the mark of the axe.
From his union with Marika came the first Demigods--the Golden Lineage. Their bloodline was guided by the same emblem that once tamed Hoarah Loux: Serosh. Godfrey's twin-headed axe, born of a vow of restraint, became the enduring symbol of his line and their conquest across the Lands Between.
At the close of his final campaign, Lord Godfrey's golden hosts stood undefeated, their banners still high, their pride unbroken. But when the last of his foes fell, something within him faded--the golden gleam in his eyes dimmed, and his Grace slipped away, worn and diminished.
Queen Marika summoned him and his warriors, revealing the truth--they had been stripped of their Grace by her will. She cast them out of the Lands Between, commanding them to carry war to distant realms. There, she decreed, they would live as exiles and die in foreign lands. Yet she offered them a promise: through death and trial, they would regain what was lost, and one day return with the might to wield the Elden Ring once more.
So began the Long March.
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Godfrey, once Elden Lord, led his kin away from the Lands Between. They became the Tarnished--warriors cast adrift by fate. As the march dragged on, Godfrey shed his mantle of kingship and embraced once again the raw, primal identity of a warrior. He took up the name Hoarah Loux, and in battle, his axe shattered--a relic of war broken during the grueling pilgrimage.
In the Badlands, he rose as chieftain, leading fierce bands of warriors hardened by exile. His followers honored their fallen lord by wielding axes in his likeness, and these weapons became the chosen arms of Badlands warlords, their legacy echoing the name of Hoarah Loux.
Long after his exile and death, Hoarah Loux stirred once more. When the Elden Ring shattered in the wake of his son Godwyn's murder, Grace returned to the Tarnished who had perished beyond the Lands Between. From death, Hoarah Loux rose again--called not by glory, but by destiny.
Godwyn the Golden, born of Queen Marika and Godfrey, was once the pride of the Golden Lineage. During the War of the Ancient Dragons, when Gransax broke through the walls of Leyndell, Godwyn defended the Erdtree with unmatched valor. In time, he triumphed over Fortissax, a mighty ancient dragon, and forged a bond of friendship. Their alliance brought peace and gave birth to the Dragon Cult of Leyndell, whose reverence for lightning and gravel stones found a place within the Golden Order.
But peace did not last.
On the Night of Black Knives, Ranni, seeking to escape the fate forced upon her by the Greater Will, stole a fragment of the Rune of Death. She gave it to the Black Knife Assassins, who then crept into Leyndell. There, they struck down Godwyn, carving a rune of Destined Death into his flesh. Ranni's body died, her soul untouched; Godwyn's soul was destroyed, though his body lingered.
This event shattered the Erdtree's guardianship of life and death. The Tarnished, shaped by their trials beyond the Lands Between, were drawn back to the realm. Among them was Godfrey, once again answering the call of Grace.
As the Tarnished champion gathered the Great Runes and set fire to the Erdtree, they returned to Leyndell--now reduced to the Ashen Capital. At the foot of the Elden Throne, Godfrey stood once more, Serosh at his back, mourning his fallen son Morgott.
He turned to face the challenger. With solemn words, Godfrey declared his return, demanding audience once more. The two warriors clashed in battle. Though he fought with the power of a lord, Godfrey was driven back. Then, with blood and thunder, he seized Serosh, spoke words of gratitude, and tore the Beast Regent from his back.
Bathed in the beast's blood, he cast aside the name Godfrey and embraced his truest self--Hoarah Loux.
The two fought again, a brutal dance of strength and will. In the end, Hoarah Loux fell, his final words an acknowledgment of the Tarnished's might--a strength worthy of kingship. With the path now clear, the Tarnished passed into the Erdtree, where Queen Marika awaited.
Closing Words
And thus, the warrior fell--but his legacy remains etched in gold and ash. If this tale moved you, like it, share it with fellow lore-lovers, and subscribe to walk beside me on the next journey. Join our Discord to build a cozy campfire of stories--a space where lore-lovers like you and I gather to unravel the mysteries of the world. I'm Liandrug. Until next time, may Grace guide your path.
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