Crusade
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Miquella the Kind spoke of the beginning. The seduction. And the betrayal. An affair from which gold arose. What followed was a war unseen. One that could never be put to song. A purge without grace or honor. The tyranny of Messmer's flame. - Needle Knight Leda
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The Crusade refers to the genocidal purge against the Hornsent people carried out by Messmer the Impaler and his forces in the Realm of Shadow.
Prelude
Before ascending to godhood, Marika lived in the Shaman Village with her people,[1] the shamans, in the Hinterland. However, the hornsent, worshippers of the primordial Crucible, oppressed and persecuted the shamans, whom they saw as impure.[2] The Crucible was revered by the hornsent for its blending of life, and those without its blessings were butchered and placed in jars to undergo a divine rebirthing ritual to achieve sainthood.[3][4] The shamans' flesh was prized for its unique affinity to meld harmoniously with others.[5]
At some point, Marika was chosen as an Empyrean by the Greater Will and was given a Shadowbound Beast named Maliketh, though she was unaware that her guiding Two Fingers had long been broken.[6][7] Upon reaching the Gate of Divinity atop Enir-Ilim,[8] she ascended to godhood, becoming the divine vessel of the Elden Ring.[9] This event led to the birth of the Erdtree and its counterpart, the Scadutree,[10] an act the Hornsent saw as treachery.[11][12]
Purging the Realm of Shadow
During her rise to power, Marika waged war on the Hornsent and ordered her son Messmer to purge the Realm of Shadow, since it didn't bear the light of grace. The campaign proved to be such an appalling war where there was no honor nor mercy. Together with his army (which also consists of his primary force, the Black Knights, and Furnace Golems), Messmer laid waste to the Realm of Shadow, destroying everything in his path while slaughtering any Hornsent he would find. He was aided by his brother-in-arms Commander Gaius, who directed Messmer's soldiers while atop his boar steed.[citation needed]
Aside from the Hornsent, other inhabitants living in the Realm of Shadow also fell victim, as they were barbarically murdered simply because they were found to be impure and do not possess Marika's grace. As the Crusade raged on, Messmer's army came across the church of Romina, Saint of the Bud, which was put to the torch by Messmer's forces. During the campaign, Messmer would engage many foes in battle, including three Divine Beasts, who are revered by the Hornsent as messengers of the heavens. No matter how hard they tried to defend themselves, many of Messmer's enemies fell to the might and tyranny of his Flame. Triumphant, Messmer would impale his victims on spears, earning him the infamous cognomen, "Messmer the Impaler".[citation needed]
Aftermath
Marika the Eternal abandoned Messmer in the Realm of Shadow so he could continue the purge while Marika ceased all contact with him and severed all history related to the Crusade so nobody could know of her origins. Eventually, a Tarnished Champion entered the Land of Shadow. In traversing the lands, they came into contact with and frequently engaged Messmer's army, leading to the deaths of Gaius and eventually Messmer himself. With their leadership decapitated, the Crusade presumably came to an end.[citation needed]
Despite this, the Crusade continued to have a lasting impact on the Realm of Shadow, as surviving Hornsent hold the Erdtree in contempt, developing a deep grudge for or seeking revenge against Messmer and his forces for their betrayal. Because of how appalling and disgraceful the Crusade turned out to be, the war was deemed unworthy of being put to song.[citation needed]
Notes
Gallery
References
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