The items Lucian selected were all of vital importance during the early stages of surviving in the Lands Between.
Nightfall in this world brought countless dangers, making a torch an absolute necessity for traveling in darkness or exploring caves and catacombs. The monocular telescope—while little more than a sightseeing tool in the game—had become invaluable now that the terrain had expanded so vastly. With it, Lucian could scout terrain and enemy positions from afar.
Then there was the tool satchel—a surprisingly useful acquisition. Packed with knives, cutting boards, mortars, and other basic implements, it would allow him to prepare hunted game and craft essential items. In a place like the Lands Between, this bag was practically a survival kit.
Finally, the two crafting cookbooks left behind by a nomadic warrior class were perhaps the most valuable of all. The first detailed how to craft bone arrows, fletched bone arrows, and bone bolts. The second explained how to make glowstones, cured meat, and cured white meat—all useful for lighting, healing, and stamina.
"Thank you for your purchase," said Kale the merchant. "That'll be 2,000 runes."
Lucian reached into his pouch—but quickly realized he didn't have enough physical runes on hand. When he had slain the Grafted Scion, its glowing golden essence had drifted into him, granting him a large number of runes. That much he remembered clearly. But now he was stuck: he had no idea how to actually use them.
"I've just arrived in the Lands Between," Lucian explained, scratching his head. "I defeated some enemies and gained runes, but they're... inside me. I don't know how to bring them out."
Kale, being a well-traveled merchant, took the question in stride. "Ah, so you're new," he said with a knowing smile. "Allow me to explain what runes are."
He leaned in slightly, speaking in a hushed but clear tone.
"Runes are the lingering blessings of the Erdtree," Kale said. "They dwell in the residents of the Lands Between, and they can be condensed into coin-like forms for trade—or shattered to return the blessing to one's body."
"When you slay someone, the golden essence you see drifting into you—that is their rune resonance, the blessing that remained after their death. It flows into your body, because you are now its new bearer."
He held out his hand.
"Place your hand here," Kale instructed.
Lucian complied. Almost instantly, he saw a gentle golden mist rise from his hand and flow toward Kale's palm. The sensation was faint, barely perceptible—yet he instinctively knew that, if he so chose, he could stop the transfer with a mere thought.
Kale absorbed roughly half the golden light before stopping on his own.
"There we go," Kale said, satisfied. "I've taken 2,050 runes. That extra 50 covers the cost of your rune education."
"You still have around 1,800 left inside you."
Lucian nodded in understanding. So runes could be traded like this as raw energy, even without being materialized into physical form.
But a new question emerged.
"If runes are the blessing of the Erdtree, why don't I feel weaker when they leave my body?"
Kale paused, gathering his thoughts. "Hmm. Think of it this way: to the golden citizens of the Lands Between, runes are a mark of identity and social standing. It's not that the runes make you strong—it's that the strong are granted runes in proportion to their might."
"However," Kale continued, "there's an old tale. It's said that the champions once blessed by Queen Marika herself—heroes of ancient days—were genuinely empowered by their runes. But such figures are long gone, and their stories don't hold much meaning anymore."
He sighed softly, gaze distant.
"To lose your runes in this land is to lose your recognition by the Erdtree. For a citizen of the Lands Between, that's akin to death itself. But you, the Tarnished… you're different."
"You were exiled and have returned. You don't need the Erdtree's blessing. You don't require its approval to exist here. That's why you can so freely transform runes into power."
"It's also why you don't feel pain when you lose them. Until you've internalized them—transformed them into your own strength—they're merely borrowed power."
Lucian's eyes narrowed in thought. That made sense now.
Runes were like emblems, badges of honor handed out by the Erdtree. For the locals, they were a sign of status, an irreplaceable part of their being.
But Tarnished like him? Outsiders. Wanderers. He didn't need the Erdtree's recognition—he had come to claim the Lands Between, not to assimilate into it.
"I see," Lucian murmured. "Then… is there any other way to convert runes into strength?"
He knew that this normally required a Finger Maiden—like the mysterious Melina. But perhaps Kale, as a veteran merchant, had heard of alternative methods.
Kale shook his head. "Only the Finger Readers—interpreter of the Two Fingers—know how to do that."
"After your king, Godfrey, rose as Elden Lord, the Finger Maidens assigned to Tarnished were selected from among your kin. When you were exiled, they left with you, taking the knowledge of rune conversion with them."
"Radagon's reign was too brief. The Two Fingers never chose new maidens before the Elden Ring shattered."
He gave a small shrug.
"Since then, this land has gone mad. Business nearly dried up—thank the Erdtree you lot came back, or I'd have starved by now."
Lucian filed all of this away. So that's why every Tarnished needed a maiden. But it also meant that other ways to channel runes might still exist—perhaps buried in forgotten eras, like the age when the ancient dragons ruled, or through beings like Melina, who was not a Tarnished herself.
He packed up his purchases. The telescope and tool satchel were small enough to fit into his travel pouch, and the torch was strapped to his waist.
Glancing upward, he noted the change in the Erdtree's light—it had dimmed slightly but still glowed strong. He estimated it to be around mid-afternoon.
He stepped to the center of the ruined church and activated the glowing site of grace. Its golden shimmer flared gently beneath his feet.
There was still time before nightfall. Lucian resolved to move on. His next destination was the Gatefront Ruins—hopefully, Melina would appear there.
"I'm Lucian" he said with a faint nod. "I'll be stopping by here often. Take care."
"Pleasure doing business with you," Kale replied with a wide smile. "I look forward to your next visit."
Lucian left the ruins of the Church of Elleh. Before him stretched a dense forest. Thick canopies wove together above, dimming the Erdtree's light and casting the woods in a perpetual gloom. Shrubs and undergrowth thrived beneath, hiding who-knew-what.
Climbing onto a broken wall, Lucian retrieved his newly purchased telescope and surveyed the forest.
'Two moving light sources,' he thought, focusing. 'Likely soldiers on patrol. And a larger glow—looks like a campfire.'
Seeing nothing more alarming, he dropped down and entered the woods.
Inside, it was dark—but not so dark that he couldn't see, which made it perfect for stealth. Creeping forward, Lucian quickly spotted one of the soldiers up close.
The man wore a bronze helmet and a half-colored surcoat. One side green, emblazoned with the ancient Erdtree; the other side golden yellow, beast regent, an emblem of the golden lineage. Both are symbols of glory now past.
The soldier held a torch in one hand, strolling lazily through the underbrush, completely unaware of the hunter now stalking him from the shadows.