Elden Ring: Why D & Rogier Are The Best Supporting Characters
Elden Ring features many side characters with unique questlines and lore, but Sorcerer Rogier and D, Hunter of the Dead, provide interesting dialogue, quests, and companionship throughout the Lands Between. While quests in Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring can be convoluted, they often reveal hidden lore and events throughout the world. Players can encounter D and Rogier before leaving the game's first areas. Many Elden Ring NPCs have proved to be well-developed characters with meaningful adventures, but Rogier and D's relationship and shared past provide new depth to this pair.
Elden Ring is a Soulslike adventure game set in the Lands Between, after an event called the Shattering destroyed the natural order. Beings called Tarnished rise from the dead and follow the streams of Grace throughout the open world. Players must defeat dozens of bosses and claim their title as Elden Lord (or pursue one of the alternate endings) to complete the game. Many side characters present players with quests and storylines that lead to alternate endings, making interacting with them and satisfying their demands worthwhile. Though some NPCs hide themselves, Rogier and D can be found relatively quickly in the Lands Between.
Side quests and side characters in Elden Ring can be challenging to locate, with characters and objectives often moving around or not featuring an objective marker. This inherent mechanic forces players to adapt and explore the open world with greater attention to detail. However, Rogier and D are easy to find, even if players aren't searching for them. Rogier first appears as a summon before a boss fight and is located within the same area. Alternatively, D appears once players unlock Elden Ring's Roundtable, which is a location all Tarnished gain access to after an undisclosed amount of time.
Sorcerer Rogier appears as a Summon for Elden Ring's Margit, the Fell Omen boss battle, and can make the fight far easier with his powerful spells. Players can find Rogier again in the chapel within Stormveil Castle, where he shares relief at meeting another Tarnished and offers advice on avoiding the Hunters throughout the territory. He mentions that he is searching for something but doesn't provide any direction after that. Once players defeat Godrick the Grafted and return to Roundtable, Rogier sits on the balcony with a blanket covering his legs. Like many Tarnished in Elden Ring, Rogier couldn't conquer an enemy and suffered an extreme injury that left him paralyzed. Once there, Rogier can't assist players on the battlefield but can guide them to meet Ranni, one of Elden Ring's most essential characters.
Formerly a spellblade, Rogier once traveled alongside D, Hunter of the Dead (another side character), before Elden Ring starts. Each recounts their experience with the other fondly, but ideological differences eventually forced them apart. After defeating Godrick, Rogier gifts players his Rapier, which comes with a +8 upgrade and provides players with a dexterous weapon for spellcasters. However, it's Rogier's personality that truly shines above other NPCs. While many characters attempt to manipulate the player character to their side, Rogier recounts the reasoning behind his goals and wants to save Tarnished afflicted with an ailment called the cursemark. While D wanted these Tarnished killed, Rogier wishes to understand the cursemark and afflicts himself with similar conditions to try and cure these individuals. His self-sacrifice and noble goal set him apart from other characters in Roundtable. However, a shared past with D, Hunter of the Dead, also adds to Rogier's tragic story.
D, Hunter of the Dead, appears at the Roundtable of Elden Ring, which is likely the first place players will encounter him. Like Rogier, Players can also summon D before a boss fight. Players must discover the Black Knife Catacombs in the northeast of Liurnia of the Lakes and reach the dungeon's end before accessing his mark. D assists players in battling the Black Knife Assassin at the dungeon's end, which ties into the character's crusade against the cursemarked warriors scattered throughout the Lands Between. When interacted with at Roundtable, players quickly understand that D is a character with unwavering ideals and an unshakable honor. He laments the separation between himself and Rogier, though acknowledges their different ideals made cooperation impossible. D's questline takes a turn for the heartbreaking, as players can encounter other important figures in his life while restoring the Golden Order.
In Elden Ring, the Golden Order is described as loyalty to the Great Will outside the Lands Between. The Two Fingers are also intent on restoring the Golden Order by appointing a new Elden Lord. D, Hunter of the Dead, also shares this goal and is more strictly devout than Rogier. His blind loyalty to a destroyed order and inability to see the suffering and prejudice brought about by the Golden Order can make this character seem heartless at times. However, like Rogier, D occupies a necessary position in Elden Ring's narrative. Understanding both sides of an ideological argument ensures Tarnished can pursue the ending (and allegiance) they agree with most. During D's quest, players can also discover his twin brother within the Eternal City. He is naked and appears to have gone mad without his armor and brother.
Despite their many differences, Rogier and D personify an essential connection in Elden Ring. While the Sorcerer seeks to break tradition and find another way to coexist with the Lands Between's inhabitants, D aims to restore the natural order. Each character leads the Tarnished to a fundamentally different ending, while exploring a unique pair of intertwined questlines. Few characters share beneficial relationships in FromSoftware's titles, making Rogier and D an anomaly. Their estranged friendship and dialogue throughout their respective quests only tell players half the story between the Sorcerer and the Knight. However, these characters speak to (emphasize the subtlety in) FromSoftware's storytelling abilities.
While Rogier and D provide players with a fresh perspective in Elden Ring, they're not the game's only exciting side characters. Characters like Blaidd, Ranni, and Rodericka fill the Lands Between with interesting and tragic stories. Like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, Elden Ring is filled with powerful and hopeless characters that emphasize the inherent darkness and ambition of humanity. However, D and Rogier prove that differing viewpoints shouldn't hinder maintaining friendships and connections.
Elden Ring is available now for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC systems.