Elden Ring's DLC Reveals a Horrible Truth About Alexander the Iron Fist
Elden Ring's Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC adds a lot of new lore to the game, including a shocking revelation about some of the game's most popular NPCs: the Living Jars. While Alexander the Iron Fist and the rest of the Jarburg community are known for their kind personalities and helpful nature, the DLC reveals that they're actually the product of cruel human experimentation.
This information comes from various items found throughout the Land of Shadow, a new region added in the Dlc. Greater Potentate's Cookbooks detail how the original potentate was responsible for creating the Living Jars, a process that involved stuffing humans into pots. The Bonny Butchering Knife from Bonny Village further confirms this, indicating that it was used by the greater potentate to prepare human bodies for the jar transformation.
The Dlc also reveals that the Numen, a people connected to Marika, were often targeted for this practice. This connection is made through the Minor Erdtree incantation and a lock of Marika's hair found in the Shaman Village, and the Innard Meat item. It appears that the Hornsent, a group of people residing in the Land of Shadow, believed themselves superior to the Numen due to a blessing from the Crucible, and subjected them to this horrific transformation.
While the Living Jars in the Lands Between seem much kinder than their counterparts in the Land of Shadow, their origins are still the same. The difference appears to be cultural. The Numen saw being transformed into a Jar as a punishment, but the people of the Lands Between viewed it as an honor and a noble sacrifice.
This revelation adds a layer of complexity to the Living Jars in Elden Ring, but it doesn't diminish their likability. In fact, it makes their kindness even more admirable. After all, even in the face of such a brutal origin, the Living Jars remain friendly and welcoming to the player, and offer their help in any way they can.
