Image: Expanded Caelid Encounter: Tarnished vs Putrid Avatar

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

This dark fantasy fan art presents a broader, more immersive view of a tense pre-battle moment from Elden Ring. Rendered in a realistic painterly style, the image depicts the Tarnished in Black Knife armor confronting the grotesque Putrid Avatar boss in the corrupted wastelands of Caelid. The composition is landscape-oriented and highly detailed, with the camera pulled back to reveal more of the surrounding terrain and atmosphere.

The Tarnished stands on the left side of the frame, seen from behind and slightly to the side. His silhouette is defined by a dark blue, tattered cloak that hangs heavily in the rain, its hood concealing his head and casting his face in shadow. Beneath the cloak, the Black Knife armor is visible—dark, weathered, and etched with feather-like engravings on the shoulder pauldron and vambrace. His right hand grips a slender, slightly curved sword held low in a ready stance. His posture is tense and deliberate, conveying caution and resolve.

On the right side of the frame looms the Putrid Avatar—a towering, monstrous entity composed of gnarled roots, decaying wood, and glowing red fungal growths. Its body is a chaotic mass of organic rot, with inflamed pustules and bioluminescent sores scattered across its limbs. The creature’s head is crowned with jagged branches forming a mane-like structure, and its glowing red eyes burn with malevolence. In its right hand, it wields a massive, rotting wooden club encrusted with skull fragments and clusters of glowing red fungus. Its stance is wide and aggressive, poised for attack.

The expanded view reveals more of Caelid’s corrupted landscape. The ground is cracked and parched, with patches of dry, reddish grass and fungal decay. Large, moss-covered stone urns lie half-buried to the right of the creature, partially obscured by tall, dead grass. Sparse, twisted trees with reddish-brown foliage stretch into the background, their silhouettes fading into the rain-soaked distance. The sky is dark and overcast, with heavy gray clouds and diagonal streaks of rain adding motion and gloom to the scene.

The color palette is dominated by muted earth tones—browns, grays, and deep reds—contrasted by the glowing pustules on the creature and the subtle highlights on the warrior’s armor. The lighting is subdued and diffused, with cool tones from the overcast sky casting soft shadows and enhancing the realism of the textures.

The composition is balanced and cinematic, with the warrior and creature positioned on opposite sides of the frame. The lines of the warrior’s sword and the creature’s club converge toward the center, drawing the viewer’s eye to the impending clash. The expanded perspective adds depth and context, emphasizing the scale of the confrontation and the desolation of the battlefield.

This illustration evokes the dread and determination of a lone warrior facing an overwhelming foe in a world steeped in decay and mystery. It pays homage to the brutal beauty of Caelid and the dark fantasy themes that define Elden Ring’s aesthetic.

The image is related to: Elden Ring: Putrid Avatar (Caelid) Boss Fight