Elden Ring has some of the most intriguing and mysterious NPCs that you’ll encounter throughout its campaign. Some of them are friendly and helpful, and some of them are here to watch you burn. And then, some of them are simply shady characters who sit cozily in a gray area, leaving you confused.
At the beginning of Elden Ring, we’re met with a similar figure who goes by the name of White Mast Varre and welcomes you to the game’s world in a bittersweet fashion. He may seem harmless at first, but there’s a lot to him that leaves room for a shadow of doubt.
The community isn’t his biggest fan, and there’s a reason why
To start off the game with a subtle statement that sounds like an insult to anyone who’s playing the game for the first time, White Mast Varre says this at the very start of your journey:
Oh yes… Tarnished, are we? Come to the Lands Between for the Elden Ring, hmm?
Of course you have. No shame in it.
Unfortunately for you, however, you are maidenless
Maidenless? Really? Well, he’s not wrong. Until we cross paths with Melina properly, we’re bound by the chains of a completely solo journey with no aid whatsoever. But, what if all this is happening because White Mask Varre was behind it all this time?
Towards the start of the game, players come across the Chapel of Anticipation, which showcases the lifeless body of a maiden. This is before players even cross paths with White Mask Varre, indicating speculation that it was indeed him who caused that death.
Furthermore, as the story progresses, players are tasked with White Masked Varre’s desire to motivate players into invading other worlds and fighting fellow Tarnished. It gets sketchier the more you play it, and overall, doesn’t paint White Mask Varre in a nice shade.
Who exactly is White Mask Varre in Elden Ring?
Upon first meeting White Mask Varre, players in Elden Ring are greeted by the concept of Finger Maidens and all that’s at play in the world. We meet him again after the fight against Godrick the Grafted, and he shares his beliefs and concerns about the Two Fingers. What passes as introspection for players turns out to be White Mask Varre’s intentions for having players accompany him.
If you choose to share his doubts, he tells you about his loyalty to Mogh, Lord of Blood. Without spoiling much, let’s just say that following his questline introduces you to a dynasty well-received by fans of blood (and bloodlust) and an entirely fresh realm within the world of Elden Ring.
Overall, Varre isn’t the type of person who’s much for order and chaos. Rather, he’s someone who asks you to challenge the notions of right and wrong, building on the rich narrative of the game. While there’s no official confirmation around this; one of the endings might make the most sense to you if you choose to share Varre’s belief system. For anyone else, well, welcome to the hate club.
Varre is one of the many questionable characters in Elden Ring who encourages you to challenge the world’s idea of correct and incorrect, leading you to take up multiple side-quests and form your own theories about what could go wrong in the Lands Between. Or, how you could save the world’s legacy as Elden Lord.
Such theories make you question the essence of how helpful any NPC in Souls games really is. Until we wait for Shadow of the Erdtree, these theories and a good amount of Soulslike games will have to keep us busy. What do you think of Varre and the maidenless theory? Let us know in the comments below.
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