Elden Ring is filled with tragic tales, and many NPCs meet their ends off-screen, with players only learning about their fates through dialogue or clues scattered throughout the world. These characters' deaths reflect the desolate nature of the Lands Between and often contribute to the overarching sense of hopelessness and despair that permeates the game. Here's a deeper look at 9 NPCs who die off-screen in Elden Ring, adding to the game's sense of tragedy and the consequences of the player's journey:

9. Diallos - The Hope of Jarburg

Diallos is a nobleman who seeks to prove himself in a world that shows him no mercy. Despite his good intentions, he ultimately finds peace in Jarburg, the home of the Living Jars, where he is tragically slain off-screen by a poacher while defending the community. His death underscores the harsh reality that, in Elden Ring, even those with the best intentions can be brought down by forces they cannot control.

8. Corhyn - A Crisis of Faith

Corhyn, the priest in Roundtable Hold, embarks on a pilgrimage to seek answers about the truth of the Golden Order. His journey leads to a revelation about Radagon and Marika that causes him to lose faith. Off-screen, Corhyn dies, likely from despair, and his story symbolizes the shattering of faith and the existential crisis faced by many in the Lands Between.

7. Thops - A Tragic Blundstone

Thops is a well-meaning sorcerer with a passion for his craft, but his lack of skill and desperation to prove himself eventually lead to his demise. After helping the player access the Raya Lucaria Academy, Thops is found dead on the academy grounds, having seemingly worked himself to death in his pursuit of knowledge. His tragic end highlights the harsh realities of pursuing ambition in a world that offers little mercy.

6. D - Hunter of the Dead

D is a dedicated hunter who seeks to rid the world of undead threats. Unfortunately, his fate is sealed when Fia, the Deathbed Companion, gives him a mysterious dagger. D is then assassinated off-screen by Fia. His death is a poignant moment that showcases the intertwining of the Tarnished's journey with the destinies of other characters, particularly those caught in the web of Fia's influence.

5. Boc - A Troubled Tailor

Boc, the loyal and kind-hearted tailor, seeks to change his appearance and remake himself into a human. If the player helps him with this, Boc undergoes a failed rebirth through Queen Rennala, resulting in his tragic death. His death can be avoided if the player chooses to comfort him and tell him he is beautiful, showing how Elden Ring allows players to influence the fates of NPCs—yet many still face tragic ends, even when helped.

4. Rogier - A Doomed Scholar

Rogier is a scholarly sorcerer who assists the player in understanding the lore of Elden Ring while also suffering from the insidious Deathblight disease. Although Rogier is determined to uncover secrets about the death of Godwyn the Golden, he ultimately succumbs to the disease. His tragic end takes place off-screen, and he never sees the end of his quest, underscoring the inevitability of death in the Lands Between.

3. Irina - An Innocent Girl

Irina is a blind woman separated from her father, Edgar, by a violent uprising at Castle Morne. She pleads with the player to help her father, but by the time she is located, she is already dead. Her death is a quiet one, and it sets off Edgar's tragic spiral into madness, eventually leading to his death as well. Irina's story highlights the theme of helplessness and abandonment in Elden Ring.

2. Iji - A Noble Blacksmith

Iji, a loyal blacksmith who serves Ranni the Witch, is another character whose death occurs off-screen. As Ranni's schemes unfold, Iji takes protective measures to keep her safe, even locking away the half-wolf Blaidd. Ultimately, Iji is killed by Black Knife Assassins, a dark reflection of the covert and often invisible forces at work in the world of Elden Ring.

1. Millicent - A Mysterious Crimson Maiden

Millicent's questline is one of the most emotionally charged in the Elden Ring. After being afflicted with the Crimson Rot, Millicent's journey revolves around seeking a cure, confronting her origins, and ultimately confronting the demigod Malenia. In the end, Millicent rejects the false cure and chooses to die from the rot rather than let it consume her fully. Her death is not witnessed by the player but is an integral part of her tragic story, showcasing the game's focus on player choices and their consequences.

These NPCs, whose deaths often occur off-screen, contribute to Elden Ring's pervasive sense of loss, fate, and the inevitability of death. Each of their stories is tinged with tragedy, and their off-screen demises make the player feel the weight of their absence. It's a constant reminder that, in the Lands Between, not even the most interesting or well-meaning characters are safe from the horrors of this bleak world.

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