In the vast and enigmatic world of Elden Ring, the Roundtable Hold stands as a sanctuary and nexus for the Tarnished. This pivotal location, described as being "outside this world," serves as a crucial hub for weapon enhancement, spirit ash fortification, and gathering lore. However, as players progress towards the game's climactic events and undertake the monumental act of setting the Erdtree ablaze, the Roundtable Hold is also consumed by flames. The precise reason for this parallel destruction is never explicitly detailed within the game's narrative, leading to extensive speculation and debate within the community regarding the metaphysical connection between the Hold and the sacred tree.

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The Spatial Conundrum Theory

One of the most prevalent fan theories posits that the Roundtable Hold exists in a physical space within the Erdtree itself. Proponents of this idea argue that the Hold occupies a pocket dimension or a separate realm crafted by Queen Marika specifically for the Tarnished, nestled inside the massive tree. This would naturally explain the simultaneous combustion. As one player theorized, it could be "in the same realm as Marika, aka inside the Erdtree but a different bubble." This perspective attempts to reconcile the Hold's otherworldly description with a tangible, if hidden, physical location. The theory gained traction from observations about the Elden Beast's boss arena, which seems impossibly vast to fit within the tree's visible trunk, suggesting layered or compressed spaces.

Another compelling line of thought suggests the connection is not physical but existential and spiritual. In this view, the Roundtable Hold is tethered to the Erdtree on an astral or conceptual plane. Its stability and very existence are derived from the Erdtree's grace. Therefore, when the tree is burned and its grace begins to fade, the foundation of the Hold disintegrates, causing it to burn in sympathy. "I assumed it was connected to the tree on a spiritual/astral plane," one player explained, "so even if it wasn’t physically there, destroying the tree would destroy the Hold." This theory elegantly addresses the "outside this world" descriptor, framing the Hold as a manifestation of the Erdtree's power rather than a structure built from its wood.

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Additional Community Speculations

The player base has proposed various other interpretations, ranging from the profoundly cosmic to the amusingly literal:

  • The Greater Will Manifestation: Some theorize that the Erdtree is the physical manifestation of the Greater Will's influence. Burning it severs this cosmic entity's ability to maintain the Roundtable Hold as a tangible refuge in its plane of existence, causing it to collapse.

  • The Simple Explanation: A more straightforward, if less lore-heavy, suggestion humorously posits that the Hold burns simply because "there's a giant-ass tree on fire flinging embers everywhere."

  • Symbolic Purge: Others view the burning as a symbolic cleansing, representing the end of the old order that the Hold, as a haven for those guided by grace, represented.

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The Canonical Explanation from Hidetaka Miyazaki

While the in-game lore remains deliberately opaque, a definitive answer was provided by Elden Ring's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki. In the second volume of The Books of Knowledge, Miyazaki clarified the connection. He stated that the Roundtable Hold is indeed a place removed from the standard world, though it is modeled after the Fortified Manor in Leyndell. Crucially, its state and power originate from the Erdtree. This foundational link is the canonical reason for its fate: "This is why when the Erdtree burns, the Roundtable Hold burns as well."

This explanation aligns most closely with the spiritual link theory. It confirms that the Hold is not necessarily inside the tree physically but is an entity whose existence is parasitically or symbiotically tied to the Erdtree's vitality. The burning is not a result of physical proximity to flames but a consequence of the destruction of its source of power. The Hold is a reflection or an echo sustained by the Erdtree's grace; when that source is attacked, the reflection distorts and burns.

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Implications and Lasting Legacy

The conflagration of the Roundtable Hold is a powerful narrative and gameplay moment. It signifies a point of no return for the Tarnished, visually underscoring the total commitment to dismantling the old Golden Order. The loss of this safe haven forces the player to fully embrace their role as a solitary challenger in the endgame. Miyazaki's explanation enriches this moment, framing it not as a random catastrophe but as the inevitable collapse of a structure built upon a foundation now being destroyed.

The community's theories, from spatial dimensions to astral planes, showcase the depth of engagement with Elden Ring's lore. While the canonical reason leans towards a spiritual dependency, the ambiguity allowed for rich player-driven discourse, which remains a hallmark of FromSoftware's storytelling philosophy. The burning Hold stands as a poignant symbol of the interconnected, fragile reality of The Lands Between, where nothing, not even a sanctuary outside the world, is truly independent from the Erdtree's fate.