Image: Tarnished vs Golden Hippopotamus: Shadow Keep Standoff

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

Image description

This anime-style fan art captures a dramatic prelude to battle in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, set within the haunting depths of Shadow Keep. The composition is landscape-oriented, rendered in high resolution with meticulous detail and cinematic flair.

On the left stands the Tarnished, clad in the sleek, ominous Black Knife armor. The armor is rendered with sharp, angular contours and a matte black finish, accented by subtle silver trims and ethereal blue glows at the seams. The Tarnished’s hooded visage is obscured, adding mystery and menace. In one hand, they grip a curved dagger with a spectral shimmer, held low in a ready stance. Their posture is tense yet composed, knees slightly bent, cloak fluttering in the dungeon’s cold air.

Opposite, the Golden Hippopotamus boss looms large, its grotesque form occupying the right side of the frame. The creature’s body is a fusion of ancient armor plating and organic mass, with a hide that glistens in muted gold and tarnished bronze. Its back bristles with jagged, spine-like appendages that arc outward like a crown of spears, each rendered with layered textures and subtle lighting effects. Its eyes glow with a baleful amber light, and its maw is slightly open, revealing rows of jagged teeth. The creature’s stance is low and aggressive, muscles coiled, claws digging into the cracked stone floor.

The environment is a ruined chamber deep within Shadow Keep, with towering stone pillars, shattered archways, and mist swirling across the ground. Light filters in from unseen sources, casting long shadows and illuminating the fog in shafts of pale blue and gray. The floor is uneven, littered with debris and shallow pools that reflect the figures and ambient light.

The composition emphasizes the tension of the moment: both combatants are frozen in a wary approach, eyes locked, poised to strike. The image’s color palette balances cool dungeon tones with the warm metallic hues of the boss and the spectral accents of the Tarnished’s gear.

This fan art pays homage to the epic scale and atmospheric storytelling of Elden Ring, blending anime aesthetics with dark fantasy realism. It evokes the thrill of imminent combat and the eerie beauty of the game’s world, making it a striking tribute for fans of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

The image is related to: Elden Ring: Golden Hippopotamus (Shadow Keep) Boss Fight (SOTE)