Image: Tarnished vs. Wormface in the Autumn Graves of Altus Plateau

In this richly detailed fan art inspired by Elden Ring, a dramatic confrontation unfolds in the quiet, melancholic expanse of Altus Plateau. The setting is an autumn graveyard, where rows of weathered stone grave markers rise from the ground among vibrant washes of gold, orange, and rust-colored foliage. Tall trees, their leaves turning warm shades of amber, stretch upward and frame the misty background, their trunks dissolving into the soft haze that blankets the distant forest. The air feels still, yet charged with a sense of ancient dread.

At the center of the scene, a lone Tarnished clad in the sleek, shadowed Black Knife armor stands poised for battle. The armor is form-fitting yet ornate, composed of layered dark metal plates and flowing cloth elements that shift dynamically with the fighter's movement. A deep hood obscures most of the Tarnished’s features, enhancing the air of stealth and lethal precision. In each hand, the warrior grips a glowing golden blade—twin daggers radiating sharp, spectral light. Their luminous edges cast reflections across the armor and create a stark contrast against the earthy tones of the environment. The Tarnished’s stance is low and tense, signaling readiness to strike or evade in an instant.

Opposite the warrior looms the monstrous Wormface, an unsettling creature of immense size whose entire form seems sculpted from corrupted wood, decayed roots, and living rot. Its upper body is shrouded by a tattered, hood-like growth of bark or decayed cloth that droops over its hunched shoulders. Emerging from beneath the hood is a mass of writhing, rootlike tendrils that hang where a face should be, except for a single glowing orange eye that peers out with malevolent focus. Dark miasma drifts from its limbs—inky tendrils of deathly fog that taint the air around it. Its long arms end in gnarled, claw-like fingers, and its enormous legs resemble twisted tree trunks, grounding it like a blight upon the land.

The composition emphasizes the contrast between agility and monstrosity, light and darkness, life and decay. The Tarnished, small yet defiant, channels golden energy and controlled precision. Wormface, towering and grotesque, radiates corruption and looming threat. The fallen leaves and gravestones around them highlight both the history of the land and the inevitability of death—elements central to the world of Elden Ring. Despite the scene’s stillness, the tension is palpable; the next moment could explode into motion as the Tarnished prepares to confront the colossal horror standing in their path.

Overall, the artwork captures the eerie beauty of Altus Plateau and the mythic struggle of a lone warrior facing a nightmare born of decay. It evokes a sense of bravery against overwhelming odds, wrapped in the haunting, atmospheric aesthetic that defines Elden Ring.

The image is related to: Elden Ring: Wormface (Altus Plateau) Boss Fight