Image: The Tarnished Faces the Erdtree Avatar

Published: January 17, 2026 at 10:10:10 PM UTC
Last updated: January 17, 2026 at 10:12:36 PM UTC

High-resolution anime-style Elden Ring fan art depicting the Tarnished with a longsword facing an Erdtree Avatar in Liurnia of the Lakes, capturing a tense moment before battle.

Available versions of this image

Regular size (1,536 x 1,024): JPEG - WebP
Large size (3,072 x 2,048): JPEG - WebP

Image description

The image portrays a dramatic, anime-style prelude to battle set in the world of Elden Ring, capturing a quiet yet intense moment just before combat erupts. In the foreground stands the Tarnished, positioned slightly to the left, shown from a three-quarter rear angle that emphasizes readiness and tension. The Tarnished wears the Black Knife armor set, composed of dark, layered plates and leather that appear worn yet meticulously crafted. A deep black hood obscures the face, lending an air of anonymity and menace, while a long, flowing cloak trails behind, subtly lifted as if by a faint breeze. In the Tarnished’s hands is a longsword, its polished steel blade extended forward at waist height. The sword catches the ambient light, producing a soft gleam that contrasts sharply with the otherwise muted, shadow-heavy armor. The Tarnished’s stance is low and cautious, knees bent and shoulders angled, suggesting restraint, focus, and lethal intent rather than reckless aggression.

Opposite the Tarnished looms the Erdtree Avatar, a massive, humanoid figure formed from twisted bark, roots, and splintered wood. Its body is hunched and asymmetrical, with thick, gnarled limbs that give the impression of immense weight and strength. Faint orange embers glow from within cracks in its bark-like exterior, hinting at an ancient, supernatural force animating the creature. The Erdtree Avatar grips a colossal golden staff or hammer, intricately carved with ornate patterns and symbols. The weapon’s surface reflects warm highlights, standing out against the Avatar’s dark, ashen body. The creature leans forward slightly, its posture mirroring the Tarnished’s caution, as if both combatants are measuring one another in silence.

The environment is North-East Liurnia of the Lakes, depicted with a somber autumnal mood. The ground is uneven and littered with fallen leaves, dirt, and fragments of ancient stone ruins, suggesting a once-sacred site now abandoned and reclaimed by nature. Surrounding the clearing are tall trees with dense foliage in shades of gold, amber, and burnt orange, their leaves glowing softly under diffused light. In the background, rocky cliffs rise behind the Erdtree Avatar, adding vertical scale and reinforcing its towering presence.

Above, a heavy, cloud-filled sky casts subdued, cool-toned light across the scene. The lighting is soft yet directional, creating gentle highlights along the Tarnished’s sword edge, armor contours, and the Avatar’s weapon, while leaving deeper shadows in folds of fabric, bark, and stone. The overall composition emphasizes balance and anticipation, freezing the instant before violence begins. The image captures the melancholic, mythic tone of Elden Ring, where beauty, decay, and danger coexist, and every confrontation feels deliberate, solemn, and fated.