The Mysterious Fate of Iji 

Something to consider is that on release, the black knife skill would make enemies ignite with the gray-black flame instead of the pink-black flame of the projectile. They later patched this and made the burning animation reflect the pink-black associated with fragmented RoD. It's out of character for FROM but maybe they forgot to update Iji's burning corpse to the correct color. However, I'm pretty sure when black knives hit the player with their RoD projectile, it's used the correct pink burning color since release. Probably not what happened, but something to think about. FROM is very careful with the specific shades and colors of magic in their games.

(Speculation incoming but meh) After finishing off Blaidd, Iji hears from you about Blaidds consternation, which triggers Iji's death. If you hadn't told Iji about Blaidd maintaining his resolve, he would've been visited by the Black Knife Assassins soon anyway. I think Iji hired the Black Knife Assassins to take out Blaidd after you released him from the evergaol. The Black Knife Assassins would be the some of the few beings in the Lands Between who could possibly stop a shadow gone rogue, after already taking out a demigod. The BKA received half of their payment up front and were coming back for the rest. Iji felt so guilty about not trusting Blaidd and attempting to assassinate him, that he committed suicide by Black Knife Assassins by refusing payment. That's how Iji knew he would be joining Blaidd soon, and why his death is triggered by the dialogue option.

Based on various context clues in the game, it's my belief that the Numen women we come to know as the Black Knife assasins were servants of Merika not Ranni. While they and Ranni were co-conspirators on the night of the black knives, this was an alliance of convenience and their shared interests did not last. In fact, because Alecto is imprisoned in an Ever Gaol, I believe that the BKAs were manipulated or not given the full truth of Ranni's intent to use the murder of Godwyn as a means for Ranni to shed her emperian flesh. Moreso, I think the evidence points to the BKAs being used as scapegoats of sorts and blamed for the murder. If this is true, the surviving BKAs may have a valid reason to have a vendetta against Ranni and her known followers. This would explain why all of the assasins we encounter are immediately hostle and gives context as to why assasins would have a motive for attempting to murder both Blaide and Iji

The black flame must come from within. Dark souls hints at the flame residing within, and all of elden ring shows this, especially through humans and giants alike capable of casting flame. This is further reinforced the the black flames in both dark souls and elden ring having similar functions with extreme destructive power and coming from within.

Do think malikath would be present during marika’s imprisonment as she is seen impaired by a black red spear. The color of the destined death, something only malacalth’s chipped sword would have enough of to produce that effect. (Don’t see the black knifes having enough death to make a large spear, not to mention lock marika up as only the Elden beast the same crucifix attack )

I also think it’s very important for us to pay attention to the dynamic of what is happening between Ranni and her faithful subjects and why, because this has all happened before. Marika did this all, too.

I don't think blaidd goes feral because of the tarnished betraying him. You may free him from the evergaol, so it wouldn't make sense for him to hold a grudge against the tarnished. I don't think that the assassins were sent by ranni. Their leader alecto was apparently imprisoned by ranni. It makes sense that they would try to kill ranni and her followers. I think that ijis death is triggerd by the dialog after blaidds death because blaidd, while mad, was still able to fight off the assassins. Iji by himself wasn't able to defend against them. I've been considering the black flame to be ijis work. A sort of self sacrificial incant that took down the assassins with him. The reason why I consider this a possibility is because Ranni might actually be one half of the gloam eyed queen. (the other half beeing Melina) It's quite unlikely though.

Another great video! This makes a lot of sense, especially when you compare Blaidd to Maliketh

I think Iji is a puppet. Look at his death pose - it's the same as the other puppets but we were less likely to recognize it due to Iji's frame. How that comes into play with the rest of the events is a mystery to me otherwise though. I don't think Iji orchestrated the assassination - I think it's more likely that he knew something that we as a viewer or third party don't know. Hoping more gets explained in the DLC. That being said, I liked the video! Gave me some more things to think about and I didn't notice the different origins of the black and red flame in this context. Good point out!

I think the godskin nobles are actively seeking out the tune of death. The source of their power. I think when we find Iji dead along with the black knife assassins, those black knife assassins having died trying to defend Ranni and her movement because she would be the empyrean to bring about the age of stars. But the godskin nobles are attempting to bring back the age that they originate from as well as their cloak eyed Queen. But first they must seek out the source of her power. The tune of death. When they see that Ranni’s corpse is marked with the tune of death, they learn that whomever killed Ranni did so with destined death. So they literally guard her tower. They guard the divine tower in Caelid seeking out their Queen and the weapon she once wielded. Finally, they are found in farum azula either because that was their Queen’s seat of power and so they’ve always been up there, or because they suspect destined death may still be hidden there somewhere, as that may be the very place that Maliketh wrested it from the cloak eyed Queen to begin with or possibly both of these reasons. But basically, I believe it was the godskin nobles who killed the black knife assassins. I believe that they could not defeat Blaidd and fled. But they killed ijii and many of the assassins. That’s just my theory. I definitely don’t think Ijii had anything to do with the black flames, nor do I think the black knife assassins did. (Note to readers: forgive the typos. I wrote this from my mobile and it autocorrected a lot that I can’t be bothered to go back and fix on a phone, but it should be obvious what I meant when these instances occurred. 🤭)

I do not believe ijii killed himself with black flame incantation.

I know this game lore more deeply than one should for someone too unskilled to play the game. I never understood why we encounter a Baleful Shadow and defeated it BUT STILL Blaidd is at the Three Sisters. It’s obvious there’s something going on and that I think Iji intended to keep Blaidd safe from Ranni and himself in case he really got mad. It wasn’t the case. He sounds so remorseful. I think you have a great case if Iji, a giant, decided to go by using the Blackflame, as it was a known mark of a traitor within the Firemonks

Iji probably was killed by Melina who we believe to be the gloam eyed queen but the black knife were already after them and ranni because she betrayed them thus why Alecto is locked in a evergaul on moonlight alter

Iji was right about them going crazy because before he attack's you it shows him lose control and same thing probably happened to maliketh thus why he became garunq to hide thus why he attacks you

wow very interesting theory

That baleful shadow theory I find to be pretty plausible, iji probably fought a baleful shadow of his own and mistook it for blaidd. The reason blaidd turns on us at the end of his quest, I believe, it just due to pure anger and jealousy that the player became ranni's right hand and consort, not him. Bro really said "it should be me, not him, it's not fair"

You sound kinda sleepy and unmotivated when you speak. You ok? I hope life gets better friend.