There's some question of how exactly Scadutree is meant to be pronounced, but a plausible idea is that, like the "Erd" in Erdtree, it's taken from Old English, where the letter c would be used as more of an ea sound, and appropriately enough "Scadu" is essentially just an archaic rendering of the word "Shadow".
This video really does highlight the contrast of the two trees, especially when you put them together. Also the irony that the Scadutree despite being shriveled, brittle, and pitiful compared to its counterpart still provides boons to the people while the Erdtree despite all its and brilliance grandeur can't even claim that capability anymore.
It looks like the Erdtree was burnt down, and what we see is just the image of it. The entrance of the tree is the only part that doesn't glow like the rest, and there is ash all over Leyndell even before you burn it down.
I don’t think that’s true. Maybe not as bountiful as before but the Erdtree provides. It’s still the source of the Crimson and Cerulean Tears, various tears for the Physik, and showers of golden leaves that grant runes. Many endings see it reborn after the burning stronger than before.
@@DuBaas007i've been thinking about this too, but i think it makes more sense that the ashes we see in Leyndell are the residue from the fight with the dragons that allowed Godwyn to essentially ally with Placidusax (we know from new dragon NPC that he taught humans how to comune with the dragons). Afterall, there's Grandsax right smack in the middle of Leyndell and ancient dragons do use lightning... which causes burning.
@@gunsevenwhillans420 shadu is pronounced like the sha in sharp and the du part is pronounced like doo or do as in "to do". shadow sounds quite different.
@@BobbinRobbin777there are minor hints about Marika having some connection to flame of frenzy 🔥 1)Count Ymir about the golden lineage being mired with madness 2)This is a stake of Marika in Abyssal woods These aren’t solid evidences, but are still worth pondering about
It kinda looks like the Scadutree is bending and breaking under the weight of those 'sheets' that hang over the sky itself. Like the sky is pressing down on it and it's breaking under the weight.
Shadows differ in size depending on the angle of the light on the subject. The more “level” the light is compared to the object, the more stretched out the shadow will be. So, indeed it makes sense that the scadutree is larger than the erdtree, that the more severe bending in the trunk of the scadutree could be analogous. Of course, you could also say that the light of the world, the greater will, the guidance of grace, is setting on the erdtree, and the shadow counterpart is growing larger because of it.
One of the trunks is an exact replica of the Sealing Tree, just scaled up! I'm pretty sure that's how Marika hid the Lands in shadow (as the smaller Sealing Tree hides Enir-Ilim in shadow). I argue therefore, that the Scadutree is only the straight trunk that is standing at an angle (which makes sense, considering it's supposed to be the shadow of the Erdtree and the Erdtree also is straight and at an angle).
Very interesting detail. Especially interesting when you consider that the only part of the Scadutree that serves a worldwide function is the straight-middle tree, leaking bountiful sap. And the coiling tree literally does nothing. So it’s interesting to think that the tree that does nothing (the coiling tree) is actually serving the purpose of choking out the light of the Erdtree, and henceforth spawning its shadow, as well as spawning the shadow of the Lands Between - the Land of Shadow. That sealing tree sealed the deal for me (pun intended), really neat stuff. Thanks
@@HeevaEgo yes this is a great catch. Personally I'm convinced that the coiled tree is part of marikas betrayal. I didnt realize it could be sealing its power, I thought it was squeezing out the sap of the erdtree and using that to fuel the golden order, while the erdtree is just an illusion to cover up marikas scheme. The scadutree is in turn fueled by all of the dead hornsent, which is the source of the omen, and also why everything looks dead in the shadowlands, it's running out of hornsent to use as fuel. But that's just the theory that makes the most sense to me anyways
It makes lore sense why the DLC is harder than the base game. The Scadutree is still potent and giving off its "bounty" and blessing those living near it and powering them up, similar to how we get buffed when we consume Scadutree fragments. While those in the Lands Between have lost the Erdtree's blessing hence they aren't getting a buff from it like those in the Shadow Realm.
imagine what they could've done with the aesthetic of the inside. and then they could have had the scadutree avatar boss fight there at the end of the dungeon instead
Literally climbed the shadowtree last night using 'special' methods last night, because I wanted to know how big it is. Uhm You know that image on the map of the tree that's almost like the size of a whole zone? That's how large it is. Took me like 40 min to scale it with normal running. The peeps that made this game weren't playing around.
It's interesting to me how the Erdtree, the one that is ostensibly the 'true' tree, looks very... ephemeral. Like an illusion woven out of golden light. The Scadutree, in contrast, looks much more solid, more _real,_ which contrasts heavily against the surreal sky curtains that seem to be draped across it.
I think the Erdtree is an illusion and the Scadu tree is the real one In the Frenzied flame ending the illusion was destroyed but no one noticed. The Frennzy burnt remains of the Erdtree tree in that ending are shaped much like the Scadu tree when viewed from the northwest.
@@gerrywinzor1103that's because the tree was burned long before we see it as showcased by the ash in Leyndell Edit - only the stump remains made or if wood
The main part of the Scadutree looks just like a physical version of the Erdtree but it's wrapped around with another tree so that has to be connected.
That's because it is an illusion, you're correct, it was burned a while ago and all that's left is the spirit of the tree(hence why there's no more sap flowing from it) and only certain people can see it.
I'm glad the game ended up having a real counterpart to the Erdtree, because the whole setting hit me as a reference to the early stages of things in the Silmarillion, and while the Haligtree kinda gave that vibe, it never came across as something of equal power to the Erdtree. Now the Scadutree is the counterpart, much more in line with the two trees of Valinor.
I've been thinking for some weeks now that the Scadutree is simply what remains of the crucible after the erdtree was broken off of it. As the realms of the Lands Between and the Lands of Shadow were divided, so were the trees of the crucible spiral separated by Marika's spell. It's the inversion of what Griffith did in Berserk.
That was my theory too. The erdtree is a cutting taken from the great tree/crucible/scadutree. I mean, we're even told in the base game that their roots were intertwinned at some point in the past.
All the new info in the DLC has really made me want to do a write-up cataloguing all the instances of spirals and helices in this game and how they relate to almost anything godly: the crucible, godslaying, omen and hornsent, the scadutree, Miquella’s needle, and so many more concepts, characters, and items. I would go so far as to say that the braids of Marika and Miquella’s hair were done to tie into this concept too.
Have you done a catalogue? And have you watched Kitetales’ videos? She connected hair braids with the spiral concept. The spiral concept is also heavily used in Enir Ilim more than anywhere else in the dlc. The pillars, the statues, the pots, the depiction of the tree on stone tablets, and the ropes on the Divinity Gate. I recently discovered that the hilts of the weapons at the grace of the Roundtable hold are also all spiral. I agree with Zullie in this video when she points out that the spiral in the present days reminds the Hornsent about Marika. The description of the Hornsent Set says “Ragged black cloth overlaid with braided cord. Attire of a vengeance-seeking hornsent. The braided cord ties together the vow of the revenger with the victims' grudges. It must never come undone.”
Y’know, given how the Realm of Shadows was once the heart of the Lands Between (as shown by the stone carving on top of the Supressing Pillar) and the resemblance between depictions of the Crucible and the Scadutree, it’s possible that this was originally the great tree in The Lands Between that was burned and sealed away by Marika’s crusade. Notice how the Erdtree’s trunk is bent and the Erdtree itself is only a phantom above it? Given how the Scaudtree is awkwardly floating in the ocean and bent over and gnarled, it almost seems like the tree was literally uprooted from the spot and replaced by the Erdtree before being sealed away in the Realm of Shadows. It would explain the massive gap in the center of the Lands Between and it would also explain why the Scadutree is the Erdtree’s Shadow. Because it was the Erdtree before it was cast away into the Realm of Shadows.
I think this is also when the Erdtree's sap/blessings "stopped" flowing. The "real" tree (Scadutree and/or Greattree) was replaced by the phantom Erdtree. It also explains why the Haligtree is all gnarled and failed to grow into an Erdtree. It was basically on the path to become like the Scadutree, not the Erdtree
This is a western problem: if you look at japanese descritions there was no great tree before the Erdtree. The erdtree was the only big one in the lands between and before the golden order it was the crucible itself. The Scadutree is literally the shadow of the erdtree but i think nothing more, it's just different because i think it represent everything that Marika didn't want in her golden order
@@TheCrewExpendable the real tree was always the erdtree but not how we see it. No replacement. Miquella's haligtree failed because miquella itself is a symbol of failure: can't help her sister, can't kill radahn because of the sister's rot, can't become a god...
The Scadutree looks more "welcoming" than the erdtree, which is rigid,perfect,lonely, the scadutree is 2 trees in a tender embrace just like the statues of 2 lovers embraced by branches/roots in Enir-Ilim depict it. The tree looks like a couple embracing eachother in their final moment frozen in time, one desperately trying to keep the other from falling, closing its massive wound, pushing itself to its limits in the process. The erdtree just glows menacingly 24/7 untill we commit arson
The entwining trunks imagery also calls to mind a particular dragon, with its two necks wrapped around each other. As well as a particular weapon we can get from the Elden Beast. Hm.
The Scadutree is the shadow of the Erdtree not just symbolically, but also in a more literal sense. In the description of its avatar, it says it is fragile and bent, which makes me think that the realm of shadows itself is how the Lands Between would look at their worst moment.
There's no proof it is meant this way, but if you align the two full maps, the land of shadow takes up roughly the correct space of the large sea between north and south lands between
It makes sense that the tree will continue leaking its golden sap, since the land of shadows is supposed to be some type of limbo for the dead where they can never find peace in.🐱
I have a theory. We know that the Mother of Fingers and the Elden Beast are both creatures of the Greater Will, but the Mother of Fingers is "broken" in some unknown way. I think the Mother of Fingers it is broken in the same way as the Scadutree: It can't put forth a golden illusion to disguise its true nature. The Scadutree is the Erdtree with all the gold paint scraped off to reveal the rot underneath.
The mother of fingers is covered in slashes and curs with the worst being the giant wound on its chest. The leading theory on this is that it was attacked with the finger slaying blade in the past (Killing it is possibly the reason the blade was created) and since then it has been unable to commune with the greater will or give birth to new two-fingers, instead only being able to birth more simple-minded finger creepers. If true then this attack on the mother of fingers might also be the act that caused the Knox to be banished underground.
@@rwberger6I mean if the shadow realm is where all manner of death washes up then there’s discussion of who’s there due to death in the first place. Metyr could’ve been successfully killed with the finger slayer blade and washed up there naturally, leaving her body covered in slashes
@@rwberger6 While possible, I am not so sure. Everything that comes crashing down from the heavens appears to be fundamentally broken in some way. The Malformed Star Beasts have it in their name, but even the boss enemies from the cosmos appear really messed up. Even the Elden Beast, however, appears to have not escaped this problem, because by all accounts, it isn't getting any signals from the Greater Will, either. Apparently, falling from the sky at terminal velocity is really painful and damaging. I think the Nox did catch on and did wound the Mother of Fingers like you said, but then afterwards tried to call down a new emissary of the Greater Will. However, enough time had passed that they'd forgotten what that entails, and learned the hard way why you should call an orbital strike on your own location.
@@rwberger6 Apparently she was cut off from The Greater Will very early on, I don't think the finger slayer blade has anything to do with the Greater Will abandoning the Lands Between. I believe that is meant to be a parallel to the myths of creator Gods IRL, that regardless of what brought life, or order or whatever to the world it left long ago and anyone speaking in it's name is just full of it.
Personally, I think it's based on how the maps of the game were made. The Erdtree awkwardly towers at a lower point of the map, hiding a part of Leyndell, which would limit its size on the map itself. While the Scadutree can be as large as the artist wants it to be, being at the top of the map. Just a thought tho, as there are probably other reasons for this.
@@zeratai2465 I agree. I think the artists were just able to be more flexible in the Scadutree design with it being in the ocean rather than being part of the Land like the Erdtree is. I also think that, geographically, it makes more sense that for the Erdtree to cast a shadow over the Lands, it first needs to be distanced from the Land. It’s the main reason why I think the Scadutree is far from the Lands and in the ocean, because it’s a giant object that’s blocking the entrance of the Erdtree’s light from touching the Land of Shadow, as a whole and in its entirety
@@HeevaEgo seeing the land of shadow is literally the center of the lands between, that marika hid, I think its also not a strech to think that the scadutree used to be where the erdtree is now, the erdtree's placement always was wierd to me, why is it so close to the ocean?, but if we think of the 2 trees as 2 sides of the same coin, and if wwe combine the lands, well, it now makes sense, both why the erdtree is where it is, and the scadutree.
I love how like the Yin Yang, the Scadutree is dark but with a light golden sap falling from it while the Erdtree is glowing white but is depleted and holds loads of darkness of its own
Makes you think if Malenia abandoned her Empyrean title to become Miquella’s shadow, her loyalty resembles Maliketh and Blaidd’s And I use “title”/“position” because she didn’t abandoned her Empyrean flesh, still being subject to become a Goddess of Rot
I love your videos on Godwyn, he is such an interesting character to me for some reason and i'm glad that you have expressed your interest in him as well, keep it up!
I'd be interested to see a direct comparison between the twisted tree in the Scadutree model and the Sealing Tree you get to after Romina. Far as I can tell by eye-balling, they are EERILY similar, which would have some implications for the nature of the Scadutree.
Thanks for this one Zullie, been craving to see your thoughts on the new stuff in the DLC this was edited really nicely. Appreciate you putting things like this together
I feel like the spiral shape was intentional on Marika's part since she seems to have done every single thing in her power to traumatize and mock the Hornsent and Omens; what better insult than to take the most sacred symbol of their religion and make her own dark and twisted version that dominates the sky and says, "I rule this land now."
Bit of lore, the use of "scadu" may refer to "scathach", the irish word for shadow. The letter "D" is derived from the thorn, the letter originally used to denote "th" sounds.
The Scadutree Fragment mechanic is brilliant; gameplay-wise it prevents even hyper-optimized Builds from the base game from just steamrolling the DLC, and narratively it communicates that you've left the Erdtree's domain, cut off from it's graceful light. To prevail in the Land of Shadow, you literally have to beg for mercy, and get one little shred of it at a time.
It's a no-brainer to keep the balance consistent with base game. Simple, elegant. They offer a reason to explore the corners, even if there are more empty corners than in the base game.
a fun thing is that they have a big 'yin and yang' thing going on. inside the erdtree (where we fight radagon/marika) it's dark. but we can see inside the scadutree there's light flowing from it.
Honestly Zullie I have found myself dozing off to sleep every night watching your videos, absolutely brilliant dude lore explained details uncovered everything in your videos is like watching an interactive Book, imagine when opening a book to read a fantasy Story images and lore and background would pop out with text allowing you to not only read but also help visualise, that’s exactly what you are doing here Zullie I absolutely 100% support your channel dude please don’t stop 🎉
0:42 the theory goes that the Scadutree looked more healthy once upon a time, that this is what remains of the Greattree. Its current state is likely why it’s a symbol of revenge
The symbol of the helix is also embedded in the body of Metyr, Mother of Fingers, as her tail, where at the top is clasped the microcosm that receives messages from the Greater Will. The Erdtree Seed +1 talismans also depict 2 fingers clasped around the seed of the Erdtree, suggesting in their description that it may reference the birth of the Erdtree. There are also helical figures in the base game that seem at least tangentially related to reaching into the realm of the gods, like the Gloam Eyed Queen's Godslayer Blade and the Bolt of Gransax that was the only breach of Leyndell that had ever happened. The description of the Spira incantation and of the Staff of the Great Beyond may draw a lineage between the two, what with the spiral of the staff actually reaching the gods...
2:00 that shot makes the Scadutree look like the tree ladies from the Ashes of Ariandel DLC for DS3. At least, it reminds me of them with the hunchbacked appearance.
The Erdtree reminds me of the "gilding" of the "Gilded Age" -- gold veneer over wood made to look more grand and expensive, while underneath there's a less impressive wooden core. Or a rotten core. Gold and good hiding rot and lackluster. Meanwhile, the Scadutree looks broken and dark from the outside but still oozes gold from the inside. A rough exterior hiding a heart of gold. It's a very interesting juxtaposition.
To hide the Land of Shadows I can only imagine how powerful Marika was at her peak of divinity. And how nefarious he was to quickly get rid of a son who fought a war in his name. After playing the DLC, the endings of Ranni and the Frenzy Flame took on new meanings for me. It's not just Miquella who is a monster.
@@MethodMain there actually is a point to the Frenzied Flame ending. The FF appears to those who yearn for an end to suffering, an end to disparity and pain. To take everything back to square one. Unfortunately, that means destroying everything, including joy and prosperity.
The Scadutree Avatar looks like a sunflower so perhaps the coiling tree is twisting the sap out out the primary tree. The sap does look like sunflower oil being squezzed out.
The Scadutree really reminds me of the World Tree in Berserk, and that's also called the World Spiral Tree or Great Helix Tree. Makes me wonder if it inspired them.
Still surprised no one has done a video on the statue in messmers arena. It's holding a child, but the little you can make of the features seems... wrong.
I know it's meant to be pronounced 'Shadow Tree', but I like pronouncing it Skadoo Tree. Because I get to envision Steve from Blue's Clues searching The Lands Between for the Blue Skadoo Tree.
0:27 I'm going to disagree on this point. The sealing tree is very clearly a small version of only the twisted part of the scadutree. There is some difference between the two, and the only thing that currently makes sense to me is if the straight tree is literally the shadow of the Erdtree, like the shades are shadows of their living selves. The shapes are the same, and the dripping sap is something we've seen a lot references to about the Erdtree when it was doing well. No such references with the scadutree, even though we can clearly see sap falling. This one looks perhaps burned, which we also know happened to it in the past. If the angle is more canted, there's a pretty obvious culprit.
It makes sense for the Scadutree to be made of multiple trees if both it and the erdtree basically originate from a original root stock. And that root stocks image may be the origin of the spiral as it was a big part of the crucible before the Erdtree became the "dominant" tree espoused.
I'm kinda sad that the Scadutree is only a set piece. Though I understand why that is. Rather, it seems like the Scadutree takes the same place of the Erdtree when you overlay the 2 maps. If that were the case it would make sense that you literally can't get to it because the Realm of Shadow is cut off from the rest of The Lands Between.
Now that i remeber, you can see some branches poking out of the sea just below the Erdtree. It's probably an broken erdtree branch, but it almost feels like the Scadutree is poking out of the sea
Hey! Just want to point out there is a mistake in the first sentence. It's actually read and pronounced ''ska-doo'' tree. But some use the old English pronunciation ''Ski-bi-di'' Tree No need to ping this correction I am sure you will edit this video soon to fix it! Cheers
Demon souls character creation ost does a good job at painting this serene, yet haunting feeling. As if overarching structures within the landscape beckons you to follow but warns you to be prepared... I dont see a lot of ppl appreciating DeS soundtrack so I might as well do it ❤
What I don't understand is why Scadutree fragments are at Miquella's Crosses. I assumed we follow the path he wandered and at first thought the fragments were the flesh he shed. But he must've grabbed the fragments and spread them, possibly for his followers
The comparison of the two trees helps out with the background of the scadutree avatar, probably my new favorite boss in the game. Since although rejected and abandoned, it still struggles on with spiteful stubbornness (similarly to us in a way). While its spoiled counterpart has given up long ago, and is rotten to the core in more ways than one.
Seeing your deep dives on elden ring has inspired me with ideas for when I make a game. Imagine, a great mangrove with roots stretching into the water deeper than can be seen. Evidence can be seen: bite marks in the roots. Impossibly large and, more concerning, fresh.
This actually makes me think: is the Scadutree twisted this way as it's a shadow of how the Crucible Tree could/would have grown? We already have hints from the base game that the Erdtree was grown from the base of the Crucible, and that the Crucible was the 'primordial Erdtree'. This tree is obviously too big to be hidden within the Erdtree as we know it, but perhaps it's form is that of a spiral specifically to reflect the Crucible aspect that was glossed over and hidden when Marika took over with her new order. It could be that this tree is effectively the Erdtree's version of Radagon or St Trina, a split off separate being from the whole.
The scadutree has no leaves and that makes it look like roots in a way, I also will point to the roots of the erdtree, as seen in catacombs, taking the dead. The land of shadows is the land where death meets. I think the thought is interesting so I am leaving this here for you guys.
A theory that I have about why the DLC is much more difficult than the Lands Between lore wise, is because the Scadutree is still dropping its blessings in the form of the fragments, and the inhabitants are still collecting on those blessings. Where as in The Lands Between, the Erdtree no longer offers its sap. Just an idea I had about the huge difficulty spike
I can't believe you posted this ON THE DAY I was googling answers for "is the scadutree taller than the erdtree?" Thank you for the comprehensive answer!
![Shadow of The Erdtree | Story & Ending Explained [Lore]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/StWOECzhSik/mqdefault.jpg)
There's some question of how exactly Scadutree is meant to be pronounced, but a plausible idea is that, like the "Erd" in Erdtree, it's taken from Old English, where the letter c would be used as more of an ea sound, and appropriately enough "Scadu" is essentially just an archaic rendering of the word "Shadow".
You are correct. The game leans heavily into Anglo-Saxon myth and poetry even in the base game, so it's the safest assumption you could make.
'Scadu' is also similair to the Dutch word for shadow, 'Schaduw'
Meanwhile as a dutchman I will just say schaduw with the english-hating CH sound.
Do none of the NPCs pronounce Scadutree?
@@Overqualification Somehow, no, they managed to avoid having it spoken aloud the entire time.
2:43 "As the Scadutree is the shadow of the Erdtree"
She did it, she said the thing!
"She is in boys, she did it, she said it!"
What?
Roll credits!
@@the_infinexosDangit, I was gonna say roll credits!
It’s pronounced Sha-du not Sca-du
Little fun fact
The tree was very lonely and had no one who would hug it or hold it, not even the Erdtree.
So it decided to hug itself.
Bob Ross would not stand for this travesty!
This is just marika
I didn't know that I would randomly have wholesome thoughts about the Scadutree, but now I'm rooting for my silly not-so--little shadow tree
Aaaaaw
Kaiba
This video really does highlight the contrast of the two trees, especially when you put them together. Also the irony that the Scadutree despite being shriveled, brittle, and pitiful compared to its counterpart still provides boons to the people while the Erdtree despite all its and brilliance grandeur can't even claim that capability anymore.
It looks like the Erdtree was burnt down, and what we see is just the image of it. The entrance of the tree is the only part that doesn't glow like the rest, and there is ash all over Leyndell even before you burn it down.
I don’t think that’s true. Maybe not as bountiful as before but the Erdtree provides. It’s still the source of the Crimson and Cerulean Tears, various tears for the Physik, and showers of golden leaves that grant runes. Many endings see it reborn after the burning stronger than before.
This happen when some dumb Goddess removes the Rune of Death and turn the most radiant and alive thing in nothing more than a shiny lamp.
@@themaniae4803It looks really cool tho...
It was worth it just for the aesthetic lmao
@@DuBaas007i've been thinking about this too, but i think it makes more sense that the ashes we see in Leyndell are the residue from the fight with the dragons that allowed Godwyn to essentially ally with Placidusax (we know from new dragon NPC that he taught humans how to comune with the dragons). Afterall, there's Grandsax right smack in the middle of Leyndell and ancient dragons do use lightning... which causes burning.
Taller than an average human I’d say
Just barely
No just the short friend
Taller than TWO humans, even
what about a couple of em in a trenchcoat
Are you sure? Where’s your proof?
1:09 The sap of the Skadutree flowing into Marika's decapitated head is such a cool angle. Huge props
It's writ as "Scadutree" and read as "Shadow Tree" FYI
@@gunsevenwhillans420 Nope, it's pronounced "Shadutree" not" Shadowtree"
@@TheStickMachine I suppose you are right but there isn't really any noticeable difference between the two pronounciations.
@@gunsevenwhillans420 shadu is pronounced like the sha in sharp and the du part is pronounced like doo or do as in "to do".
shadow sounds quite different.
@@rikusschulze6249 I know how du in shadu is pronounced. And no it doesn't really sound all that different
ooh the shot of scadu sap pouring into headless marika 🤌
It almost looks like if Marika became a Lord of Frenzied Flame…
Definitely has 0 lore significance, but that’s just how I felt.
@@BobbinRobbin777there are minor hints about Marika having some connection to flame of frenzy 🔥
1)Count Ymir about the golden lineage being mired with madness
2)This is a stake of Marika in Abyssal woods
These aren’t solid evidences, but are still worth pondering about
It kinda looks like the Scadutree is bending and breaking under the weight of those 'sheets' that hang over the sky itself. Like the sky is pressing down on it and it's breaking under the weight.
It kinda makes sense that the Scadutree is taller than the Erdtree. After all, shadows tend to be bigger than the things casting them.
Never considered that, very good point
Shadows differ in size depending on the angle of the light on the subject. The more “level” the light is compared to the object, the more stretched out the shadow will be.
So, indeed it makes sense that the scadutree is larger than the erdtree, that the more severe bending in the trunk of the scadutree could be analogous.
Of course, you could also say that the light of the world, the greater will, the guidance of grace, is setting on the erdtree, and the shadow counterpart is growing larger because of it.
@@GestaIter it is theorised that the land of shadow is around the middle empty part of the lands between map, so that could make sense
And shadows can warp, looking nothing like the object casting them!
not really, depends of where the source of light relative to the object
One of the trunks is an exact replica of the Sealing Tree, just scaled up! I'm pretty sure that's how Marika hid the Lands in shadow (as the smaller Sealing Tree hides Enir-Ilim in shadow). I argue therefore, that the Scadutree is only the straight trunk that is standing at an angle (which makes sense, considering it's supposed to be the shadow of the Erdtree and the Erdtree also is straight and at an angle).
Very interesting detail. Especially interesting when you consider that the only part of the Scadutree that serves a worldwide function is the straight-middle tree, leaking bountiful sap. And the coiling tree literally does nothing.
So it’s interesting to think that the tree that does nothing (the coiling tree) is actually serving the purpose of choking out the light of the Erdtree, and henceforth spawning its shadow, as well as spawning the shadow of the Lands Between - the Land of Shadow. That sealing tree sealed the deal for me (pun intended), really neat stuff. Thanks
@@HeevaEgo yes this is a great catch. Personally I'm convinced that the coiled tree is part of marikas betrayal. I didnt realize it could be sealing its power, I thought it was squeezing out the sap of the erdtree and using that to fuel the golden order, while the erdtree is just an illusion to cover up marikas scheme. The scadutree is in turn fueled by all of the dead hornsent, which is the source of the omen, and also why everything looks dead in the shadowlands, it's running out of hornsent to use as fuel.
But that's just the theory that makes the most sense to me anyways
It makes lore sense why the DLC is harder than the base game. The Scadutree is still potent and giving off its "bounty" and blessing those living near it and powering them up, similar to how we get buffed when we consume Scadutree fragments. While those in the Lands Between have lost the Erdtree's blessing hence they aren't getting a buff from it like those in the Shadow Realm.
How i wish the scadutree was a legacy dungeon..
Oh, you remind me of the invaders at the haligtree... INVADERSSSsss! VILE INVADERSSSSsss!!!
Same.
imagine what they could've done with the aesthetic of the inside. and then they could have had the scadutree avatar boss fight there at the end of the dungeon instead
Nah im good man, ive seen what miyazaki did with the great hollow, i dont want a great hollow 2
FS is lacking with ideas nowaday.
Literally climbed the shadowtree last night using 'special' methods last night, because I wanted to know how big it is. Uhm You know that image on the map of the tree that's almost like the size of a whole zone? That's how large it is. Took me like 40 min to scale it with normal running. The peeps that made this game weren't playing around.
Now take one of the little cars from AC6 and drive it around on the space station! 30 year road trip!
You said last night twice haha
It's interesting to me how the Erdtree, the one that is ostensibly the 'true' tree, looks very... ephemeral. Like an illusion woven out of golden light. The Scadutree, in contrast, looks much more solid, more _real,_ which contrasts heavily against the surreal sky curtains that seem to be draped across it.
I think the Erdtree is an illusion and the Scadu tree is the real one
In the Frenzied flame ending the illusion was destroyed but no one noticed. The Frennzy burnt remains of the Erdtree tree in that ending are shaped much like the Scadu tree when viewed from the northwest.
@@gerrywinzor1103that's because the tree was burned long before we see it as showcased by the ash in Leyndell
Edit - only the stump remains made or if wood
The main part of the Scadutree looks just like a physical version of the Erdtree but it's wrapped around with another tree so that has to be connected.
Quite funny thinking maybe the Scadutree could be the original form of the Erdtree, snapped by Marika.
That's because it is an illusion, you're correct, it was burned a while ago and all that's left is the spirit of the tree(hence why there's no more sap flowing from it) and only certain people can see it.
“It’s bigger than that Chris, it’s large.”
"We're pressed for time, can you sum it up in a word?"
"No."
"A sound?"
“Wuuurrrrgggghhhhh”
Peter thank you.
Fromsoft missed an opportunity to make a scadutree level where there's a ton of breakable floors that lead to basilisk infested poison pools.
It took ten employees holding down Miyazaki screaming and kicking to keep him from doing this
Still can't believe they didn't do a sleep swamp full of enemies with grab attacks
@@HeckYep The birds in one of the poison swamp areas can grab you.
@@HeckYep i was really truly expecting a sleep swamp somewhere
I'm still bummed we didn't get the deathblight swamp...maybe in the Godwyn DLC or the Sequel Game.
I'm glad the game ended up having a real counterpart to the Erdtree, because the whole setting hit me as a reference to the early stages of things in the Silmarillion, and while the Haligtree kinda gave that vibe, it never came across as something of equal power to the Erdtree. Now the Scadutree is the counterpart, much more in line with the two trees of Valinor.
I've been thinking for some weeks now that the Scadutree is simply what remains of the crucible after the erdtree was broken off of it. As the realms of the Lands Between and the Lands of Shadow were divided, so were the trees of the crucible spiral separated by Marika's spell. It's the inversion of what Griffith did in Berserk.
That was my theory too. The erdtree is a cutting taken from the great tree/crucible/scadutree. I mean, we're even told in the base game that their roots were intertwinned at some point in the past.
All the new info in the DLC has really made me want to do a write-up cataloguing all the instances of spirals and helices in this game and how they relate to almost anything godly: the crucible, godslaying, omen and hornsent, the scadutree, Miquella’s needle, and so many more concepts, characters, and items. I would go so far as to say that the braids of Marika and Miquella’s hair were done to tie into this concept too.
🧬 There's so many secrets, even entertwining serpents 🐍🐍
Don't forget Glintstone Helix!
Have you done a catalogue?
And have you watched Kitetales’ videos? She connected hair braids with the spiral concept.
The spiral concept is also heavily used in Enir Ilim more than anywhere else in the dlc. The pillars, the statues, the pots, the depiction of the tree on stone tablets, and the ropes on the Divinity Gate.
I recently discovered that the hilts of the weapons at the grace of the Roundtable hold are also all spiral.
I agree with Zullie in this video when she points out that the spiral in the present days reminds the Hornsent about Marika. The description of the Hornsent Set says “Ragged black cloth overlaid with braided cord. Attire of a vengeance-seeking hornsent. The braided cord ties together the vow of the revenger with the victims' grudges. It must never come undone.”
Y’know, given how the Realm of Shadows was once the heart of the Lands Between (as shown by the stone carving on top of the Supressing Pillar) and the resemblance between depictions of the Crucible and the Scadutree, it’s possible that this was originally the great tree in The Lands Between that was burned and sealed away by Marika’s crusade. Notice how the Erdtree’s trunk is bent and the Erdtree itself is only a phantom above it? Given how the Scaudtree is awkwardly floating in the ocean and bent over and gnarled, it almost seems like the tree was literally uprooted from the spot and replaced by the Erdtree before being sealed away in the Realm of Shadows.
It would explain the massive gap in the center of the Lands Between and it would also explain why the Scadutree is the Erdtree’s Shadow. Because it was the Erdtree before it was cast away into the Realm of Shadows.
Makes sense
I think this is also when the Erdtree's sap/blessings "stopped" flowing. The "real" tree (Scadutree and/or Greattree) was replaced by the phantom Erdtree. It also explains why the Haligtree is all gnarled and failed to grow into an Erdtree. It was basically on the path to become like the Scadutree, not the Erdtree
I also thought that. But there the whole ancient dragonlord being the Elden lord before Godfrey. So was the Scadutree where the elden ring was.
This is a western problem: if you look at japanese descritions there was no great tree before the Erdtree. The erdtree was the only big one in the lands between and before the golden order it was the crucible itself. The Scadutree is literally the shadow of the erdtree but i think nothing more, it's just different because i think it represent everything that Marika didn't want in her golden order
@@TheCrewExpendable the real tree was always the erdtree but not how we see it. No replacement. Miquella's haligtree failed because miquella itself is a symbol of failure: can't help her sister, can't kill radahn because of the sister's rot, can't become a god...
one other piece of trivia: the shape of the scadutree matches the alchemical symbol for Crucible
The Scadutree looks more "welcoming" than the erdtree, which is rigid,perfect,lonely, the scadutree is 2 trees in a tender embrace just like the statues of 2 lovers embraced by branches/roots in Enir-Ilim depict it. The tree looks like a couple embracing eachother in their final moment frozen in time, one desperately trying to keep the other from falling, closing its massive wound, pushing itself to its limits in the process. The erdtree just glows menacingly 24/7 untill we commit arson
The entwining trunks imagery also calls to mind a particular dragon, with its two necks wrapped around each other. As well as a particular weapon we can get from the Elden Beast. Hm.
@@JetBalrog Metyr, and The Crucible too
D and his sword and his armor. Also deathblight roots when you die by deathblight
2:33 so that's what all the "I want to go home and then edge" messages meant
The way the Scadutree crumbles reminds me a lot of the Twilight Realm from Twilight Princess
the correct way is: *scooby-doo-tree*
The Scadutree is the shadow of the Erdtree not just symbolically, but also in a more literal sense. In the description of its avatar, it says it is fragile and bent, which makes me think that the realm of shadows itself is how the Lands Between would look at their worst moment.
There's no proof it is meant this way, but if you align the two full maps, the land of shadow takes up roughly the correct space of the large sea between north and south lands between
Fun fact :The Original map looks like a furled finger, bent and fragile
"...One made ever darker the more radiant the other is."
Beautifully said.
'The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes"
Okay so it's definitely bigger than a breadbox, got it.
It makes sense that the tree will continue leaking its golden sap, since the land of shadows is supposed to be some type of limbo for the dead where they can never find peace in.🐱
I have a theory. We know that the Mother of Fingers and the Elden Beast are both creatures of the Greater Will, but the Mother of Fingers is "broken" in some unknown way. I think the Mother of Fingers it is broken in the same way as the Scadutree: It can't put forth a golden illusion to disguise its true nature. The Scadutree is the Erdtree with all the gold paint scraped off to reveal the rot underneath.
The mother of fingers is covered in slashes and curs with the worst being the giant wound on its chest. The leading theory on this is that it was attacked with the finger slaying blade in the past (Killing it is possibly the reason the blade was created) and since then it has been unable to commune with the greater will or give birth to new two-fingers, instead only being able to birth more simple-minded finger creepers. If true then this attack on the mother of fingers might also be the act that caused the Knox to be banished underground.
@@rwberger6I mean if the shadow realm is where all manner of death washes up then there’s discussion of who’s there due to death in the first place.
Metyr could’ve been successfully killed with the finger slayer blade and washed up there naturally, leaving her body covered in slashes
@rwberger6 Considering it spews finger creepers from the big "wound" on it's front, I doubt that it's actually a wound.
@@rwberger6 While possible, I am not so sure. Everything that comes crashing down from the heavens appears to be fundamentally broken in some way. The Malformed Star Beasts have it in their name, but even the boss enemies from the cosmos appear really messed up. Even the Elden Beast, however, appears to have not escaped this problem, because by all accounts, it isn't getting any signals from the Greater Will, either. Apparently, falling from the sky at terminal velocity is really painful and damaging.
I think the Nox did catch on and did wound the Mother of Fingers like you said, but then afterwards tried to call down a new emissary of the Greater Will. However, enough time had passed that they'd forgotten what that entails, and learned the hard way why you should call an orbital strike on your own location.
@@rwberger6 Apparently she was cut off from The Greater Will very early on, I don't think the finger slayer blade has anything to do with the Greater Will abandoning the Lands Between.
I believe that is meant to be a parallel to the myths of creator Gods IRL, that regardless of what brought life, or order or whatever to the world it left long ago and anyone speaking in it's name is just full of it.
I never get tired of the Demon's Souls menu music.
I think the tree being in the ocean is an odd choice, I expected we would go inside it at some point
Personally, I think it's based on how the maps of the game were made. The Erdtree awkwardly towers at a lower point of the map, hiding a part of Leyndell, which would limit its size on the map itself. While the Scadutree can be as large as the artist wants it to be, being at the top of the map. Just a thought tho, as there are probably other reasons for this.
@@zeratai2465 I agree. I think the artists were just able to be more flexible in the Scadutree design with it being in the ocean rather than being part of the Land like the Erdtree is.
I also think that, geographically, it makes more sense that for the Erdtree to cast a shadow over the Lands, it first needs to be distanced from the Land. It’s the main reason why I think the Scadutree is far from the Lands and in the ocean, because it’s a giant object that’s blocking the entrance of the Erdtree’s light from touching the Land of Shadow, as a whole and in its entirety
@@HeevaEgo seeing the land of shadow is literally the center of the lands between, that marika hid, I think its also not a strech to think that the scadutree used to be where the erdtree is now, the erdtree's placement always was wierd to me, why is it so close to the ocean?, but if we think of the 2 trees as 2 sides of the same coin, and if wwe combine the lands, well, it now makes sense, both why the erdtree is where it is, and the scadutree.
I love how like the Yin Yang, the Scadutree is dark but with a light golden sap falling from it while the Erdtree is glowing white but is depleted and holds loads of darkness of its own
Always thought that what Blaidd is to Ranni and Maliketh to Marika, the same is the Scadutree to the Erdtree
It makes sense, given there's a big thing about Shadows of something. Ig we should've seen this coming before the first announcement then.
@@TheGravityShifter I mean it is literally called Shadow of the Erdtree, it kinda makes sense
Wait so the Erdtree is an Empyrean?
@@DaisyBee11 Only kind of. Since usually, Shadows only happen with Empyreans.
Makes you think if Malenia abandoned her Empyrean title to become Miquella’s shadow, her loyalty resembles Maliketh and Blaidd’s
And I use “title”/“position” because she didn’t abandoned her Empyrean flesh, still being subject to become a Goddess of Rot
I love your videos on Godwyn, he is such an interesting character to me for some reason and i'm glad that you have expressed your interest in him as well, keep it up!
Totally agree. While I'm happy with the DLC as is, I was really hoping to get some lore or a side quest focused on Godwyn.
Imo it would've beel a lot more satisfying (both narratively and gameplay wise) for Godwyn to have been Miquella's consort and the final boss
Post that shit on a Godwyn video instead
@@briarwillow I was CONVINCED he would be up until the last second. Nope. We got silent Radahn, so lame.
@@HeckYep That's because you don't understand the base game's lore.
I'd be interested to see a direct comparison between the twisted tree in the Scadutree model and the Sealing Tree you get to after Romina.
Far as I can tell by eye-balling, they are EERILY similar, which would have some implications for the nature of the Scadutree.
Yes they are the same, i think it was in a tweet but i saw it in VaatiVidya video
Be interesting to know what that one's sealing away, wouldn't it?
@@lactofermentation the Sealing tree is veiling the Tower of Divinity. Just as how the Coiling tree of the Scadutree is veiling the Land in its shadow
Important to note, the size difference may be due age difference, as Scadutree was probably around for way more time than the Erdtree.
The Scadutree is the shadow of the Erdtree, and a shadow can't exist without the thing that casts it.
@deheavon6670 Marika sealed it away so it was infact older than the erdtree
Thanks for this one Zullie, been craving to see your thoughts on the new stuff in the DLC this was edited really nicely. Appreciate you putting things like this together
Now you'll summon a billion people arguing it's pronounced "Skadutree" and a biliion more arguing for "Shadutree", oh no
Scadoo sounds funnier so it's more correct
Shadu is correct, its old english
On a serious note, it's like Gaol = Jail
It's literally like Gaol all over again.
Meanwhile the Portuguese versions calling it Umbrárvore (based)
I feel like the spiral shape was intentional on Marika's part since she seems to have done every single thing in her power to traumatize and mock the Hornsent and Omens; what better insult than to take the most sacred symbol of their religion and make her own dark and twisted version that dominates the sky and says, "I rule this land now."
the Scadutree kinda reminds me of Mangroves, a plant that lives in coastal areas and can grow in seawater, and provide a base for a lot of food webs
0:07 (read as "Shadutree") No, I don't think I will. Its "Scoobydootree" and nobody can tell me otherwise.
Skibiditree
Skadooshtree
Bit of lore, the use of "scadu" may refer to "scathach", the irish word for shadow. The letter "D" is derived from the thorn, the letter originally used to denote "th" sounds.
The tree she tells you not to worry about
I just wanna say again how much I enjoy your videos, Zullie. Just very enjoyable to watch and read. Thanks for all your hard work.
The Scadutree has dandruff
"A wound in the sky above" is one hell of a line.
The Scadutree Fragment mechanic is brilliant; gameplay-wise it prevents even hyper-optimized Builds from the base game from just steamrolling the DLC, and narratively it communicates that you've left the Erdtree's domain, cut off from it's graceful light. To prevail in the Land of Shadow, you literally have to beg for mercy, and get one little shred of it at a time.
It's a no-brainer to keep the balance consistent with base game. Simple, elegant. They offer a reason to explore the corners, even if there are more empty corners than in the base game.
a fun thing is that they have a big 'yin and yang' thing going on. inside the erdtree (where we fight radagon/marika) it's dark. but we can see inside the scadutree there's light flowing from it.
gotta thank the scadutree for giving us the big buffs fr 🗣️🗣️
Honestly Zullie I have found myself dozing off to sleep every night watching your videos, absolutely brilliant dude lore explained details uncovered everything in your videos is like watching an interactive Book, imagine when opening a book to read a fantasy Story images and lore and background would pop out with text allowing you to not only read but also help visualise, that’s exactly what you are doing here Zullie I absolutely 100% support your channel dude please don’t stop 🎉
0:42 the theory goes that the Scadutree looked more healthy once upon a time, that this is what remains of the Greattree. Its current state is likely why it’s a symbol of revenge
The symbol of the helix is also embedded in the body of Metyr, Mother of Fingers, as her tail, where at the top is clasped the microcosm that receives messages from the Greater Will. The Erdtree Seed +1 talismans also depict 2 fingers clasped around the seed of the Erdtree, suggesting in their description that it may reference the birth of the Erdtree.
There are also helical figures in the base game that seem at least tangentially related to reaching into the realm of the gods, like the Gloam Eyed Queen's Godslayer Blade and the Bolt of Gransax that was the only breach of Leyndell that had ever happened. The description of the Spira incantation and of the Staff of the Great Beyond may draw a lineage between the two, what with the spiral of the staff actually reaching the gods...
1:04 awesome framing!
Its design is beautifully ambiguous. It’s not clear whether it’s being embraced or constricted.
"It was this 🫸 🫷 big bruv, larger than me 'and!"
"Oh, stop it mate, my scadutree isn't that 'uge." 😅
2:00 that shot makes the Scadutree look like the tree ladies from the Ashes of Ariandel DLC for DS3. At least, it reminds me of them with the hunchbacked appearance.
The 5'11 Scadutree virgin vs the 6'00 Erdtree gigahad.
2:20 That was probably what people saw in the sky before the veil was placed
Skibidi tree
No
Are you wearing a Hefty Rot Pot on your head by any chance?
This is correct
LOL 🤣
The mewing roots
The Erdtree reminds me of the "gilding" of the "Gilded Age" -- gold veneer over wood made to look more grand and expensive, while underneath there's a less impressive wooden core. Or a rotten core. Gold and good hiding rot and lackluster. Meanwhile, the Scadutree looks broken and dark from the outside but still oozes gold from the inside. A rough exterior hiding a heart of gold. It's a very interesting juxtaposition.
just subscribed a while ago, now a new video? woah :) thanks zullie!
A single sauce packet is around 0.07m tall therefor 82120 sauce packets are required to match the Scadutree
🌮🧐 "It's power level is *OVER 82,120?!"*
To hide the Land of Shadows I can only imagine how powerful Marika was at her peak of divinity. And how nefarious he was to quickly get rid of a son who fought a war in his name. After playing the DLC, the endings of Ranni and the Frenzy Flame took on new meanings for me. It's not just Miquella who is a monster.
FF ending is the stupidest, you just kill everybody for no reason...
@@MethodMain there actually is a point to the Frenzied Flame ending. The FF appears to those who yearn for an end to suffering, an end to disparity and pain. To take everything back to square one. Unfortunately, that means destroying everything, including joy and prosperity.
The Scadutree Avatar looks like a sunflower so perhaps the coiling tree is twisting the sap out out the primary tree. The sap does look like sunflower oil being squezzed out.
The Scadutree really reminds me of the World Tree in Berserk, and that's also called the World Spiral Tree or Great Helix Tree.
Makes me wonder if it inspired them.
dark souls and elden ring are chock full of berserk references, its a direct inspiration
@@DakkaBert yeee, pretty much. I just can't say for certain, but it makes sense
I want to know why the sky looks like it’s got curtain drapes on it
I'm going to keep calling it the skidoo tree and there's nothing you can do about it.
I mean you can call the skibiditree whatever you want
Still surprised no one has done a video on the statue in messmers arena. It's holding a child, but the little you can make of the features seems... wrong.
As an American, I need this measurement done in comparison to bananas and football fields.
It ain't bigger than Texas, I'll tell hwat. 🍻
Its height is equal to 55 football field lengths.
Or 34565.7 average-sized bananas.
@@Rafalskimilegend🦅🦅
Wow it's impressive how tall the Skibidi tree is
I know it's meant to be pronounced 'Shadow Tree', but I like pronouncing it Skadoo Tree. Because I get to envision Steve from Blue's Clues searching The Lands Between for the Blue Skadoo Tree.
"It's crumbling from within"
Same.
SKIBIDITREE
0:27 I'm going to disagree on this point. The sealing tree is very clearly a small version of only the twisted part of the scadutree. There is some difference between the two, and the only thing that currently makes sense to me is if the straight tree is literally the shadow of the Erdtree, like the shades are shadows of their living selves. The shapes are the same, and the dripping sap is something we've seen a lot references to about the Erdtree when it was doing well. No such references with the scadutree, even though we can clearly see sap falling. This one looks perhaps burned, which we also know happened to it in the past. If the angle is more canted, there's a pretty obvious culprit.
How tall is the Skibidi Tree?
Demon's Souls Creation Music never gets old😊
It's not surprising, but still very cool how they gave it roots even though those are unseen
Always so wholesome to watch your videos ♡
Remember everyone that it’s pronounced Skadoosh tree
It makes sense for the Scadutree to be made of multiple trees if both it and the erdtree basically originate from a original root stock. And that root stocks image may be the origin of the spiral as it was a big part of the crucible before the Erdtree became the "dominant" tree espoused.
Still mad we can't burn it even tho there's a chalice
I'm kinda sad that the Scadutree is only a set piece. Though I understand why that is. Rather, it seems like the Scadutree takes the same place of the Erdtree when you overlay the 2 maps. If that were the case it would make sense that you literally can't get to it because the Realm of Shadow is cut off from the rest of The Lands Between.
skibiditree
Now that i remeber, you can see some branches poking out of the sea just below the Erdtree.
It's probably an broken erdtree branch, but it almost feels like the Scadutree is poking out of the sea
Hey! Just want to point out there is a mistake in the first sentence.
It's actually read and pronounced ''ska-doo'' tree. But some use the old English pronunciation ''Ski-bi-di'' Tree
No need to ping this correction I am sure you will edit this video soon to fix it!
Cheers
Demon souls character creation ost does a good job at painting this serene, yet haunting feeling. As if overarching structures within the landscape beckons you to follow but warns you to be prepared...
I dont see a lot of ppl appreciating DeS soundtrack so I might as well do it ❤
Not as tall as me for sure 💯
What I don't understand is why Scadutree fragments are at Miquella's Crosses. I assumed we follow the path he wandered and at first thought the fragments were the flesh he shed. But he must've grabbed the fragments and spread them, possibly for his followers
It's so nice to hear Demon's Souls music. I reminds me of happier times about 15 years ago :O
I've been pronouncing it as skadu tree... really? It's been shadow tree this intire time?!
The comparison of the two trees helps out with the background of the scadutree avatar, probably my new favorite boss in the game.
Since although rejected and abandoned, it still struggles on with spiteful stubbornness (similarly to us in a way). While its spoiled counterpart has given up long ago, and is rotten to the core in more ways than one.
Seeing your deep dives on elden ring has inspired me with ideas for when I make a game.
Imagine, a great mangrove with roots stretching into the water deeper than can be seen. Evidence can be seen: bite marks in the roots. Impossibly large and, more concerning, fresh.
This actually makes me think: is the Scadutree twisted this way as it's a shadow of how the Crucible Tree could/would have grown? We already have hints from the base game that the Erdtree was grown from the base of the Crucible, and that the Crucible was the 'primordial Erdtree'. This tree is obviously too big to be hidden within the Erdtree as we know it, but perhaps it's form is that of a spiral specifically to reflect the Crucible aspect that was glossed over and hidden when Marika took over with her new order. It could be that this tree is effectively the Erdtree's version of Radagon or St Trina, a split off separate being from the whole.
The scadutree has no leaves and that makes it look like roots in a way, I also will point to the roots of the erdtree, as seen in catacombs, taking the dead. The land of shadows is the land where death meets. I think the thought is interesting so I am leaving this here for you guys.
When I look at the shadow tree I see a tree trunk getting drag by the other one that looks like a tentacle. Pulling it to the ground.
I still have no idea what the hell the scadutree is, how it got there, what it does, or why it's important.
I can answer the first question. It's the giant f*ck off tree in the Realm of Shadows.
A theory that I have about why the DLC is much more difficult than the Lands Between lore wise, is because the Scadutree is still dropping its blessings in the form of the fragments, and the inhabitants are still collecting on those blessings. Where as in The Lands Between, the Erdtree no longer offers its sap. Just an idea I had about the huge difficulty spike
the way the scadutree is bent reminds me of the way messmer’s spine looks misshapen
I can't believe you posted this ON THE DAY I was googling answers for "is the scadutree taller than the erdtree?" Thank you for the comprehensive answer!