Image: Tarnished vs. Tree Sentinel: Before the First Strike
Published: February 13, 2026 at 4:36:18 PM UTC
High-resolution anime-style fan art from Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree showing the Tarnished in Black Knife armor confronting the Tree Sentinel wielding a golden halberd in a luminous Hinterland meadow.
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The image depicts a tense, cinematic moment just before combat begins between two iconic figures from Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, rendered as high-resolution anime-style fan art in a wide landscape composition. In the foreground on the left side of the frame stands the Tarnished, shown partially from behind to emphasize the player-character perspective. The Tarnished wears the Black Knife armor set: dark, layered leather and metal plates fitted closely to the body, with fine detailing along the vambraces, pauldrons, and greaves. A deep black hood and flowing cloak trail behind them, subtly lifted by a gentle breeze, adding motion and tension to the scene. Their posture is low and guarded, knees bent slightly, with their right hand holding a glowing blue dagger angled downward, its ethereal light contrasting sharply with the otherwise warm, golden palette of the environment.
Across the meadow, positioned to the right and slightly elevated, is the Tree Sentinel boss mounted atop a massive armored steed. The Sentinel is clad in ornate golden armor with intricate engravings, heavy pauldrons, and a crested helm topped with a flowing plume. The horse beneath it is equally imposing, wearing gilded barding that mirrors the Sentinel’s regal design. In the Sentinel’s grasp is a large golden halberd, clearly inspired by the classic Tree Sentinel weapon: a long shaft with an elaborate, crescent-bladed head that gleams in the sunlight. The halberd is held diagonally, signaling readiness but restraint, reinforcing the sense that combat has not yet begun.
The setting is a lush Hinterland meadow bathed in warm, late-afternoon light. Wildflowers in white, yellow, and violet blanket the ground, while patches of grass and a faint dirt path lead the eye between the two figures. Small glowing embers or golden motes drift through the air, adding a mystical atmosphere. In the background, ancient stone ruins peek through dense green foliage, and beyond them rises the luminous Erdtree, its radiant golden branches dominating the sky and casting soft light across the scene. The overall composition emphasizes distance, anticipation, and mutual awareness, capturing the exact moment of wary approach before violence erupts.
The image is related to: Elden Ring: Tree Sentinel (First) (Hinterland) Boss Fight (SOTE)