Elden Ring DLC's Man-Flies: Are They Truly Humans?
Man-Flies by Elden Ring Were Once HumanIn Elden Ring's DLC, the most peculiar foes conceal a horrifying truth. Like many other Soulsborne titles from FromSoft, the bulk of the game's lore is revealed through cryptic flavor text on hard-to-find items and esoteric dialogue. This is also true in the base game. Players are required to believe that there is a semi-logical, internally consistent, and entirely reasonable explanation for the existence of every opponent kind and their motivation to murder the Tarnished, even though it isn't always clear from looking at them where foes are coming from. And there practically is in every case.The strange new enemy kinds introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree give the Land of Shadow a lot of personality. In addition to being a huge source of frustration for a lot of gamers when it comes to Elden Ring's DLC, they also play a significant role in the DLC's story and have multiple connections to the main game. But other foes, while not necessary crucial to the main plot surrounding Messmer, Miquella, and Marika, have a lot of legend of their own. A key component of the Elden Ring experience is learning the horrible secrets that lie behind their existence, which doubles the terror of the location and its denizens.The Man-Fly Illness of Elden Ring Sounds More Like a CurseHowever, the flavor text of another item explains that the man-fly transformations didn't spread like a typical sickness; instead, they resemble a curse from a fairy tale. The Ailment Talisman indicates that only the strong underwent the transformation into man-flies; the "weak" perished at once. It is located in the abandoned Ailing Village, north of the Ellac Greatbridge. Hornsent make up a large portion of their population because only the strong were able to endure long enough to transform. (That also explains why they take such a strong and enthusiastic stance against the Tarnished.)Furthermore, individuals who disregarded the original man-flies also experienced change. The Ailing Talisman goes on to say that the only villagers who became immune to the man-fly sickness were those who took care of the sick and buried them properly when they passed away. This points to a nearly karmic mode of transmission: anyone who, in the face of the terrible pandemic, shown acceptance and generosity were spared, provided they could get out of the way of the man-fly's aggressiveness. People who discriminated against and were afraid of the diseased were also at risk of contracting the disease.How Hornsent in the DLC Changed Into MonstersThe man-flies that prowl the wastelands watched over by the Scadutree are among the most repulsive foes revealed in Elden Ring's DLC; they are essentially humans in disguise. The Man-Flies may be heard calling out, even wailing, in remarkably human sounds if the player spends some time skulking outside of their gathering spots and lurks around them. They live in warped replicas of the neighborhoods they once called home, in and around run-down homes in places like the Abandoned Ailing Village.A set of Man-Fly Ashes, or Elden Ring's Spirit Ashes, which enable the player to call a swarm of three man-flies in battle, may also be found if they search the Village of Flies, which is situated along the banks of the Recluses River, closely. However, this item's flavor description discloses another horrifying fact about man-flies: they were formerly Hornsent. These once-venerable figurines suffered from a disease that transformed them into a mix of human and insect.What Man-Flies Can Learn From The Ailment TalismanWhen navigating poison marshes or facing enemies that cause status effects (such as Elden Ring's Divine Beast Dancing Lion), the Ailment Talisman might be helpful as it provides resistance to the previous status ailment that the player experienced.The man-fly sickness appears to cause aggressiveness in addition to the change. At times, they glow with the spectral red light that typically denotes the usage of blood-related magic in Elden Ring, and they cry and attack the Tarnished upon sight. The rest of the tale tells itself: the sickness killed a great number of people as it spread throughout these formerly tranquil villages. After changing into man-flies, the survivors turned hostile and started attacking their neighbors. The man-flies took over the remains of their homes and drove them away, forcing them to relocate. However, without someone to care for them, the communities decayed until a lowly Tarnished happened upon them once more.