Torrent (Elden Ring)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Torrent | |
|---|---|
 Concept art of Torrent | |
| First appearance | Elden Ring (2022) |
| Created by | FromSoftware |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Spectral steed |
Torrent is a fictional steed in the 2022 action role-playing game and soulslike Elden Ring developed by FromSoftware. A ghostly being known as a "spectral steed", Torrent chooses the player character as his new owner. He subsequently assists the player in their quest to become Elden Lord, the restorer of a magical artifact called the Elden Ring, by letting them more easily traverse the game's world, the Lands Between. The first rideable animal, or "mount", in the Soulsborne series, he can be summoned and sent away using a special gold whistle bequeathed to the player early on in the game by the character Melina.
Despite being called a horse, Torrent possesses numerous goat-like traits, such as horns. He has the ability to double-jump,[1] stand on narrow ledges, and scale tall cliffs through the use of magical "spiritsprings" scattered throughout the game world. The player may also heal Torrent using food created from Rowa, a fictional fruit. Used for the majority of the game, Torrent's appearance cannot be changed. Torrent has been praised by various critics as one of the best video game mounts due to his immediate summoning and responsive controls while on horseback, enabling significant freedom of movement. Players' reliance on Torrent was also noted as creating a significant emotional attachment to the character.
Torrent is first gained by the player very early in the game, when they rest at the three sites of graces in the Overworld. There, they are met by Melina, who, if her offered bargain is agreed to, agrees to be their Maiden, a form of guide, and presents them with the Spectral Steed Whistle. The whistle allows the player to immediately summon Torrent. Spirit springs located at fixed points in the overworld allow Torrent to jump far higher than normal, safely landing in otherwise inaccessible places.[2] Torrent can be made to gallop with a button press; constantly mashing said button enables the fastest speed possible when traversing the world.[3] Torrent has the ability to passively regenerate health slowly, though due to a developer oversight this has been noted as making him unable to restore his health fully in certain cases. The player can also restore Torrent's health immediately by using a Rowa item, or when they heal themselves using an item known as the Flask of Crimson Tears.[4]
In the game's lore, Torrent's provenance is unclear, but he serves as Melina's traveling companion before meeting the player. It is hinted that Torrent's former master is someone known to the character Ranni the Witch, who was given the Spirit Calling Bell and Lone Wolf Ashes by the same person. A teaser image for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC depicts a character thought to be the demigod Miquella riding Torrent, which caused fans to speculate that he was responsible for creating the Spectral Steed Whistle, if not being Torrent's former owner.[5]
Torrent is completely dedicated to the player's choices, willing to follow them even in the event the player chooses the apocalyptic Frenzied Flame ending and diverges from Melina, willingly sacrificing himself to said flame. In this ending, Melina is seen recovering the Spectral Steed Whistle from the ruined Erdtree before the whistle burns and turns to ash.[6]
