Why is the sky in Caelid red? An in-depth investigation

Hey friend! Terry here, back again to nerd out over another aspect of Elden Ring lore. This time, we‘re diving deep into one of the game‘s most striking visual mysteries – why is the sky in Caelid always blood red? I‘ve done some digging into lore, fan theories, real-world science, and game design to crack this case. Read on for the full scoop!

Overview: Caelid‘s disturbing red sky

First, for anyone unfamiliar with Elden Ring, here‘s a quick recap on Caelid. It‘s a region located in the northeast of the game‘s world, the Lands Between. Caelid is accessible pretty early on but it recommended for higher level players, as the enemies here hit hard!

Now, Caelid is known for being ravaged by Scarlet Rot. The earth is rocky and barren, the water is blood red, and strange humanoid insects and animals roam the land. It has a very dystopian, almost post-apocalyptic vibe. Not a fun vacation spot.

But the most striking thing visually about Caelid is its sky. While other areas in Elden Ring have blue skies or cloudy gray skies, Caelid‘s sky is permanently blood red. The red fills the sky morning, noon and night. So what exactly caused this creepy crimson sky? Let‘s break down some theories!

The Battle of Aeonia: Rot unleashed

After digging into the lore, it seems the sky wasn‘t always red. So what happened? Well, most fingers point to a key event: The Battle of Aeonia between General Radahn and Malenia, the Blade of Miquella.

These were two demigod children of Queen Marika and fierce warriors. Radahn studied gravity sorcery and was an unbeatable champion. Malenia served her brother Miquella and was regarded as the most skilled swordsman in the Lands Between, also undefeated.

The two clashed violently in Caelid, likely vying for control of the region. But neither could best the other in combat. Their godlike strength resulted in a stalemate.

As a last ditch effort, Malenia unleashed the Scarlet Rot within her, blooming the Aeonia flower. This absolutely nuked Caelid, infecting all living things with rot. Malenia fell into a coma from the effort. Radahn survived but was corrupted.

So in the aftermath, Caelid was left utterly devastated by unleashed Scarlet Rot. The land was blighted, the water poisoned, and rot spread. And somehow in the chaos, the sky itself turned blood red!

Theories on why the sky turned red

Exactly how the Battle of Aeonia turned the skies red remains a mystery. But Elden Ring fans have some compelling theories I‘ve analyzed:

Scarlet rot particles – The unleashed Rot could have dispersed microscopic particles into the air that filtered sunlight, causing the red hue. These particles may have a blood-like pigment.

Battle aftermath – The violence between demigods was so severe, it permanently stained Caelid‘s sky red. The color reflects the carnage and bloodshed.

Malenia‘s sacrifice – Malenia‘s self sacrifice may have directly caused the color change. The red sky is a permanent mark of her power and curse on Caelid.

Omen of corruption – As rot spread, the red sky emerged as an omen symbolizing the Scarlet Rot‘s complete corruption of Caelid.

Personally, I think the first two theories are most plausible. The released Scarlet Rot could have physically altered the atmosphere and sunlight. And the sheer bloodshed between demigods may have mysteriously produced the red color. Either way, it‘s clear the sky changed after the pivotal Battle of Aeonia.

Real world examples of red skies

While a permanently red sky is fantastical, red skies do occasionally occur in the real world from natural or man-made causes. Here are some examples that game designers likely draw inspiration from:

• Dust storms – Wind can carry red sand particles into the air, causing blood red hazy skies in desert regions.

• Volcanic eruptions – Ash and particles from volcanic eruptions can temporarily turn skies red and orange.

• Forest fires – Smoke and soot from massive fires also add red/orange hues to the sky.

• Pollution – Air pollution from factories or other sources contributes particles that scatter more red light.

• Sunrise/sunset – The sun‘s light passes through more atmosphere at sunrise/sunset, allowing more red wavelengths to reach the eye.

Now, a permanent blood red sky is definitely exaggerated fantasy. But red skies do symbolize disasters and danger in real life, which game creators utilize to set a scene. Pretty neat!

What design themes does the red sky evoke?

Beyond the in-game lore explanations, Caelid‘s blood red sky is clearly meant to evoke certain emotions and themes for players:

• Danger – Red subconsciously makes us feel anger, danger or unease. The red warns players of threats.

• Hellishness – Red skies are associated with Hell, devils, and fire. It makes Caelid feel truly infernal.

• Death – The color red intrinsically links to blood, gore and violence. Fitting for Caelid‘s bloody history.

• Corruption – Red also represents corruption, sin, and moral degradation. The red sky reflects Caelid‘s tainted state.

So while the red sky stems from Scarlet Rot in the story, it also serves as effective visual shorthand for designers to make Caelid feel dangerous and foreboding. The color instantly tells us something is very wrong here. Well done, Miyazaki!

Red skies across fiction

Caelid is far from the first fictional work to utilize a blood red sky to create a sense of danger and dread. Here are some other great examples:

• The Matrix – The matrix‘s artificial sky turned red to foreshadow the coming machine assault on Zion.

• The Legend of Zelda – In Breath of the Wild, the sky bled red over the ruins of old Hyrule, representing its fallen state.

• Harry Potter – The Dark Mark spell produced a red sky when cast, signaling impending danger and evil.

• Star Wars – On volcanic Mustafar, the red skies reflected the planet‘s chaos and Obi-Wan and Anakin‘s intense duel.

• The Planet Mars – Mars‘ iconic red skies and surface frequently represent an alien, hazardous world in sci-fi.

So in visual media, red skies are clearly a handy shorthand for creators to make viewers feel uneasy and signal that something is wrong in the world. It‘s a versatile visual tool.

The blood red sky sets the tone for Caelid

Now, after all this analysis, we still don‘t know exactly what particles or phenomena turn Caelid‘s sky red. But we do know the color plays a major role in establishing Caelid‘s tone and themes.

The ominous blood red color instantly tells us that Caelid isn‘t a pleasant place. It signals danger, death, hellish landscapes, moral corruption, and the presence of eldritch rot. The red invokes a feeling of unease and dread.

So from a design perspective, the crimson sky is visual shorthand to immerse players in Caelid‘s dark themes. It‘s a constant reminder that these lands are twisted and tainted. And it looks super cool!

The red skies bind together the visual look, emotions, and lore of Caelid into one striking package. So next time you look up at the sky in Elden Ring, think about both its in-game origins and how the color subconsciously makes you feel. That‘s the mark of great visual design. Let me know if you have any other theories on the meaning behind Caelid‘s red sky!