When you first enter the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you are greeted with sweeping views over expansive plains and a beautiful yet somber-looking sky. It’s a sight that is both beautiful and ominous at the same time and sets the tone for the rest of the expansion.
Elden Ring players are finding a lot of lore about not only the Land of Shadow but also about characters and places encountered within the base game. One location, in particular, is shattering many assumptions players had made regarding some of the happy denizens in the Lands Between.
Shadow of the Erdtree Holds Morbid Origin Stories
When exploring the Lands Between, the player will find a small path in Liurnia that leads down to the village of Jarburg. While most other settlements in the realm are often abandoned and destroyed, Jarburg is a rare instance of a happy and peaceful location in a world mired in grief and suffering.
Sadly, this is a FromSoftware world, and good things rarely last. Not only is the story of Jarburg sad, but we the origins may be just as sordid. Within Shadow of the Erdtree’s opening region, there is a cave close to Belurat Tower that leads to the Belurat Gaol. However, this prison is unique, as the player will soon discover.
There are multiple pots left on the floor and even hanging from the ceiling by great chains. The player will also fight some, along with shades and a new type of enemy. This enemy was shown during the Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay previews and is what can only be described as a mass of flesh that inhabits and, ultimately, becomes the Living Jars.
These masses of flesh are found in the second half of the dungeon and attack by using ranged flesh projectiles and a large tentacle that can be used as a grab attack. A spirit can be heard pleading not to be placed within the jars, which implies the innards of Living Jars are made of unwilling prisoners who then become less than human as they spend more time inside their ceramic prisons.
The Dungeon Holds Many Secrets and Resources
Given the theme of the Gaol, one thing you can expect to find is Hefty Cracked Pots. These are a new crafting item in Shadow of the Erdtree that function similarly to Cracked Pots but offer higher damage and elemental build-up. There are also cookbooks to be found that can help you craft variations of these Pots.
While exploring, the player will also encounter these flesh-like abominations that have disguised themselves as pots. They will rush at the player and jump to attack. Avoid the jump and let the pot shatter before engaging in melee combat, as the pot deflects any strikes from regular weapons.
The words of the prisoner’s spirit also call into question what prisoners were used to create these pots. It seems the ones we fight are adults, but there are also some small pots running around the Gaol, which could hint at a much more morbid scenario.
Have you explored this location yet? Let us know your experiences after first seeing the innards in the comments below!
