The Tragic Truth Of Elden Ring's Singing Bats
"Elden Ring" follows the tradition of other FromSoftware games in that it doesn't adhere to obvious storytelling. Once players investigate even a minuscule amount, they discover a number of tragic details they missed lurking within the game's world. The hidden stories of "Elden Ring" are fascinating, however, and fans have dedicated their time in the game to deciphering the lore of the Lands Between. While the game's main bosses have inspired conversations about the mythology of Marika, Radagon, and their various consorts, some simple enemies also hold secrets about the world more broadly.
The Chanting Winged Dame – which some have begun calling the singing bat – sings a mournful song before engaging in battle, sitting quietly and filling its caves with its rich voice. The monster likely isn't a bat at all, but rather a harpy intended to lure in unsuspecting adventurers. One Twitter user posted a screenshot of the bat-woman, writing, "Just learned that the singing bats in Elden Ring are singing in Latin and their song is a huge bummer." While many FromSoftware games can be – as another fan pointed out – a "huge bummer," the harpy's song is particularly upsetting.
The lyrics are personal
The Chanting Winged Dame is singing in Latin, a long dead language. While gamers might expect the distinctly feminine creatures to unlock a bit of lore about the Lands Between or the event that transformed the world, they instead tell a more personal story. Translated by dedicated Reddit users Nyrun and Magister-Organi, the song tells a about the fate of the Lands Between from the point of view of the Chanting Winged Dames themselves.
They lament that they were once destined to live normal lives, becoming mothers and raising families in the lush, prosperous world that was the Lands Between. Something happened to disfigure them and now no one answers their cries, leaving them to sing their sad song. They ask, "Golden one, at whom were you so angry?" The Golden One referenced in the final line likely refers to Marika and the breaking of the Elden ring itself.
The creatures don't reveal any additional information about the Lands Between – aside from the obvious fact that something very bad happened there – but they do offer insight to how the breaking of the world affected everyone, not just the family of Marika and Radagon.