Rickert who is among the last remaining soldiers
Let's get the obvious Berserk tribute off the table first.Elden Ring's vast world contains many areas I've nicknamed "sword field." Yes, the name isn't all that creative: They're literally just small fields adorned with swords. They all have been stabbed in the first place into Elden Ring Runes the ground in order to stand upright. In the middle of each is a bigger sword that has an inscription which generally provides some vague piece of information about the game's lore.
The first time I came across one of these fields, it immediately brought to mind me of Berserk's legendary Hill of Swords. In the manga and anime, there is a Hill of Swords is meant as a tribute to lost soldiers of the Band of the Hawk, a mercenary force that serves as the series' main characters for much of its initial run. Rickert who is among the last remaining soldiers, forges the countless blades of the Hill of Swords as tribute to his former compatriots.
I believe that Elden Ring's sword fields serve the similar purpose. I think they're intended to honor Miura who's passing profoundly affected all who are familiar with his work. The question is whether they were added to Elden Ring before or after the death of Miura, we'll never find out, but it's definitely a fitting tribute to the person who was a major influencer on Elden Ring Runes buy the game's predecessors.
