Ash Seeketh Ember The Lore of Dark Souls 3 PDF

Ash Seeketh Ember The Lore of Dark Souls 3
Ash Seeketh Ember

The Lore of DARK SOULS III
Asha Bardon
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Dark Souls III is property of From Software who publish the game in Japan. Internationally it
is published by Bandai Namco. They retain all rights to the game. This lore analysis is 100%
unofficial and based on personal opinions (my own) and the primary sources found within the
game itself, including item descriptions and dialogue.
This is the first edition (version 1.1) and will be updated periodically, including when DLC
for the game is released.
***
Asha Bardons backgroundwriting as Lesley Smithis as a freelance journalist

specialising in computer games, Japanese culture and anime/manga. Now she writes fiction
full time. She has a B.A. (Hons) in Theology and Religious Studies (including a year of
Classics and Creative Writing) from the University of Surrey and is a qualified teacher of
adult education. Asha also taught herself Japanese for her own amusement and is a huge geek
who has recently rediscovered a love of dissecting games lore for fun.
You can follow her on Twitter as @AshaBardon, support her writing short stories on Patreon
and visit her website at www.ashabardon.com to find out more about her fiction.
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NOTE: There will be spoilers! Lots of them. Seriously.
My undying thanks to FiGhTiNCoWboY, LoreMasterNojah and FXYusha (

,) for streaming and posting the earliest walkthroughs which
enabled me to do this project.
Also Aegon of Astora, Redgrave and EpicNameBro who made me realise how important
lore is in modern gaming narrative.
Thanks also to Reddit user TerrifiedOfGhosts who assisted with Dark Souls lore, helping me
check references to the original game.
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NOTES AND SOURCES
Like any good scholar, I know how important citing sources is. As a journalist not using
reliable sources and keeping records could get you sued for libel if you happened to say the
wrong thing and not have the gumption/records to back it up.
So I want to make a couple of things clear:
This is a fun project and 100% unofficial.
I did this because I wanted to, because the lore intrigued me enough to go what on Earth is
going on here? I never intend to profit in any way from this and, despite my journalistic
background, have no contacts within Bandai Namco (at least not anymore) or From Software.
I used YouTube streams and have not yet played the game myself.
The reason for this is two-fold.
The first is that Im able to stream easily and pause where applicable, allowing me to
screengrab or note down text freehand/revisit conversations. Streams have also, for the most
part, been done from the Japanese version of the game with Japanese text and an English
voiceover, allowing me to translate the true meaning of the dialogue but also understand
whats going on.
The second reason is down to my own circumstances; Im retired and, financially, a PS4
is a lot of money. Though I do intend to purchase one eventually, just not this second. I would
have livestreamed myself but the costs are currently prohibitive and if I dont feed my cats
they will eat me.
This side also relates to my own personal health problems: Im visually impaired which
makes playing games horrendously difficult as the graphics and insistence on depth
perception improved (hence my retirement from the industry). On a mental level, due to
manic depression (which leads me starting projects and questioning my sanity/mood levels
on a daily basis), I also no longer have the memory or the attention span to complete games
due to the side-effects of my medication.
Plus Dark Souls III is freaking hard and Id probably throw the console out my living
room window before defeating the first boss.
I am not fluent in Japanese, nor do I pretend to be.
I taught myself Japanese. Seriously. I took some classes, of course, but for the majority
learned via the immersion technique watching shedloads of anime, translating manga in order
to read it and playing Japanese games simply because they werent released in the west and I
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had access to publishers, code (aka: games) and dev(elopement) kits.
I am, however, very good at translating Japanese into English, even if Im rustier now
than I have been in the past.
If you want to learn Japanese then games are an awesome way to do it. Especially if its a
game you love. For me, keen to get back into good linguistics, it was Bloodborne. I
recommend either finding text books (Genki is an excellent, if pricy example, and Moekana is
just fun) but I also recommend TheLoremasterNojahs J-Souls series (which is perfect if
youre a Souls fan).
Otherwise, one of the best things you can do, is find a game lifestream on Twitch or
YouTube hosted by a Japanese person. (you can usually tell as it from Chinese as characters,
kanji, will be interspersed with particles like and ). Go in and, if you can, say hello
(konnichwa or ) and then listen to the chatter.
If you really want to show off, there are some good nice phrases like hajimemashite,
minna (; Hello everyone!) Most Japanese will be able to understand
you if you write in our alphabetcalled Romajieven if they dont speak much English. In
fact most will be pretty curious that a non-Japanese person is in the stream.
I watched my first playthrough doing this and ended up not only fielding non-Japanese
trolls who decided to crash the party but also ended up being expected and even had some fun
conversations with the Japanese people who did understand English. It was an awesome way
to spend a weekend.
Im covering the main aspects of the lore.
This is just version 1.0 of a guide which wont be complete until the final piece of DLC. I
plan to update it and so, at least for now, have stuck to the main aspects of the lore revolving
around the Lords of Cinder. For questions such as Who is Elizabeth? and Who is
Gertrude? look for later versions of the analysis where Ill go into more depths about
characters met solely within the item descriptions.
This is just the first iteration of a much longer project.
Below is a collection of the webpages, streams and sources used in the creation of this
analysis. Ive attempted to use the game itself and the items description as my primary source
mainly because it is the only official source of information which can be traced directly to
From Software themselves. Ive tried not to read other lore sources, except where attributed,
in order to allow me to draw my own conclusions:
Streams (English)
Aegon of Astora Dark Souls 3: Blind Playthrough
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Let's Play Dark Souls 3 with EpicNameBro
FiGhTiNCoWBoY Dark Souls 3 Lets Play
FiGhTiNCoWBoY Dark Souls 3 Walkthrough
FiGhTiNCoWBoY Dark Souls III Drunkthrough
Streams (Japanese)
TheLoremasterNojah Dark Souls Raw Stream Footage (Japanese with English

commentary)
TubeFX DARKSOULS3/3/
Trailers (Japanese)
DARK SOULS 2016.3
DARK SOULS 2016.2
Endings
Dark Souls III - Ending and Final Boss!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYwUBm6nAU
Item Descriptions
http://darksouls3items.herokuapp.com
http://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Equipment+&+Magic
Bonfire/Location Names (in English)
http://imgur.com/a/QVFHU
Achievements
http://www.xboxachievements.com/game/dark-souls-3/achievements/
Miscellaneous
http://www.darksouls.jp/topic_prologue.html
http://www.darksouls.jp/topic_character.html
Prima Official Dark Souls III Strategy Guide
http://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com
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INTRODUCTION
Yes, indeed, it is called Lothric, where the transitory lands of the Lords of Cinder converge.
In venturing north, the pilgrims discover the truth of the old words:
The fire fades and the Lords go without thrones.
When the link of fire is threatened, the bell tolls, unearthing the Lords of Cinder from
their graves: Aldritch, Saint of the Deep; Farrons Undead legion, the Abyss Watchers and
the reclusive Lord of the Profaned Capital: Yhorm the Giant.
Only, in truth, the Lords will abandon their thrones and the Unkindled will rise.
Nameless, accursed Undead unfit even to be cinder and so it is that ash seeketh ember.
The Narrator, Opening Cinematic
Im going to be honest; I never got Dark Souls, the graphics seemed far too basic for a game
that ran on last gen software (to the point where they annoyed me intensely). I was burned
out from my job as a journalist where Id play games for days and then review them for
anything between 25 and 100, depending on the piece, the medium and the number of
words. Time-wise, reviewing isnt exactly known for being an easy job and certainly not
when you factor in paying the bills.
I came into FromSoft fanship rather late as well, with Bloodborne; it was the eldritch
angle which caught me and never let go. I devoured videos, I tried to figure things out, read
The Paleblood Hunt by Redgrave and waited, impatiently for the DLC. The world entranced
me and the Lovecraft angle sealed the deal; along the way I discovered people like
EpicNameBro and Redgrave who were similarly enamoured with the lore of the games. Even
better, they tore into the games, finding every item and reading each description, they found
the smallest notes that no one, even a player who was on NG+7 hadnt noticed.
Then I got a little excited for Dark Souls III, not because it was gaming masochism on the
part of the players but because I knew it was the last in the series (in current form at least)
and so was probably going to offer up some answers. I started reading up on the lore and the
cycle of fire and dark caught my attention. Then my usual autistic OCD kicked in and I
became obsessed with the game, watching every trailer and every developer walkthrough.
I knew then I wanted to write a lore analysis on a part with The Paleblood Hunt. So I
decided to call it Ash Seeketh Ember (a line taken from the opening cinematic) and began
watching livestreams as soon as Bandai Namco allowed streaming and the game was released
in Japan.
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Unsurprisingly, as I no longer work in the industry, I didnt have access to preview code
(and why would I? Im not a journalist anymore). Im writing this purely for my own
entertainment, and possibly yours. Im going to attempt to talk lore, using the in-game
information, item descriptions and dialogue, as my primary sources. My thoughts will come,
a la Redgrave, at the end of each chapter of discussion.
Though Ive met many developers and am extremely familiar with games publishing,
localisation and whatnot, Ive never met nor interviewed Miyazaki-san.
Its easy to see Bloodborne in Dark Souls III, even though the teams that worked on it
were different. The set pieces are magnificent, the graphics absolutely gorgeous, the bosses
complex with some genuinely impressive phases (Im a particular fan of the Deacons of the
Deep and the Nameless King). Many of the bosses, obviously inspired by fights like Vicar
Amelia, the Orphan of Kos and Ludwig (in both his forms), have notably different phases
which force the player to radically shift their play-style mid-fight. Two bosses even get a
complete health regen which can see a fight turn nasty if you werent aware it was coming.
Dark Souls III has Aldrich, Iundex Gundyr, Yhorm and a dozen invading characters and
hard-core enemies (all nameless in game but still incredibly memorable for the number of
times they decimate even the most hardened player) who exist solely to make sure you have a
bad time exploring forgotten ruins, dungeons and towers. This is not and was never going to
be an easy game, despite Bloodbornes cheeky reference that shieldsa stable of the Dark
Souls universeengender passivity.
Similarly its hard to wander places like snowy Irithyll and not be reminded of Cainhurst
or the Grand Archives and Lothric Castle and not see sunset-washed Yharnam. The upgrade
in graphic between Dark Souls II and this latest iteration have obviously helped with the
parallel. The lore is similarly fluid, a key part of the the games mechanics, thanks to
Miyazaki-sans infamous childhood anecdote where he couldnt comprehend all of the books
he read and so took the basics and filled in the gaps himself.
That is the heart and soul of Dark Souls, right there for your enjoyment.
This is not a game which presents the lore on a tasty platter, it feeds you tidbits like hors
d'oeuvres and leaves you wanting more. Its human nature to want answers but here you have
to look for them, to draw your own conclusions. This does of course mean a lot of this work
is conjecture becausebar item descriptions and the odd nugget of dialogueeverything is
guesswork. Thats part of the popularity, split between those gaming masochists who want to
progress regardless of how they keep on dying and those, like me, who are intrigued by the
story and want to figure it out.
First of all, lets talk localisation for a second. This is where a game is taken from its
native language and localisedtranslated and sometimes fine-tuned, for a completely
different audience. FromSoft uses a British company called Frognation Ltd, which is why all
the voice actors sound so distinctly British in their games. Im a Brit myself so it makes a
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nice change to hear accents I recognise rather than the American tang.
But I digress.
Using the same company often also means actors will work on two or more games though
this doesnt mean the characters they play are connected. Several actors from Dark Souls
games also made their way into Bloodborne, for example. This doesnt, however, imply some
connection between Lothric and Yharnam and Patches is more of a series easter egg as he
continually appears (albeit with the same voice actor) in different forms across the individual
games.
So, the first step in localisation is translation. Japanese is a fun language in that much of
what you read relies on context. Youre not just turning a word like into English, you also
have to decide whether it should be rendered as fire or flame. Both share the same root but
can mean different things.
Because Dark Souls III is an adult game, as confirmed by its Cero rating (essentially the
Japanese version of the MPAA or PEGI; D being aimed at 17+), the game comprises of
borrowed Chinese characters called kanji and katakana, loan words taken from other
languages, mostly English. This are no furigana; hiragana above words which explain how
to pronounce them in Japanese. Gamers will be expected to know either by having learned
them because theyve had formal educations or by having played all the games.
This can make the games Japanese menus a nightmare for anyone who imported the
game though many fans are devoted enough to do it even though they might not speak a jot
of Japanese. Fortunately the fanbase is large enough that hobbyist translators and bilingual
speakers will often translate entire menus just to help out fellow fans.
The language used in the game mixes a very distinctive kind of Japanese and a certain
level of politeness, rendered into English like something out of Shakespeare with lots of
thy, thou and arts. This is an attempt at approximating a linguistic twist which simply
doesnt exist in English and enhances Dark Souls IIIs fantasy feel.
Bloodborne, as an example, was set in an almost Victorian city and didnt use this kind
language except when you were visiting Cainhurst Castle. Queen Annalise adopted it because
she was a monarch, sitting on her throne, and so a certain kind of formal language is almost
expected, the royal we for one.
Japanese is a language of respect and how you speak conveys social scale as well as
humility. An accustomed speaker will know where they sit on this scale just from how they
are spoken too. This scale, keigo or honorific language, tells you if you should address
someone as -san or -sama or which version of please, kudasai or onegaishimasu, fits for a
certain situation. Its also worth noting that as the Ashen One you are seldom addressed with
an honorific.
The bit I like about Japanese versions of games, especially if thats where they originally
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came from, are the little things lost in localisation. The iconic Kiln of the First Flame, for
example, is rendered in Japanese as : the Furnace of the First Fire.
In Japanese, therefore, this iconic location is not a kiln.
Kilns are used in making things, in heating glass and cooking clay to make ceramics. A
furnace, on the other hand, exists only to burn things and that fits perfectly with the locations
purpose and its role within the multi-game universe. It is there you go to link the flame, to
burn as kindling for the newborn fire.
Yet the localisation team decided kiln made a better fit. Why? Well never know but this
is the nature of translation. Just as I chose to translate it as Furnace of the First Fire, someone
else might choose to read the character hi, , as flame. The meaning is the same, its more a
stylistic choice.
At the same time characters often have a range of meaning so this collection of kanji also
infers that the location is somewhere far away from Firelink Shrine, a dimension on the edge
of known space, somewhere that youve had to travel a very long way to get to.
The translation into English loses much of the delicious subtly of Japanese. The boss and
character names, for example, have official names translated into English but are sometimes
different, either by inflection or intention from the original. Sometimes, however, they are
literal and we get to see the Soul of the creature were fighting.
Lets take another one.
The gender-neutrally titled but always female Fire Keeper () translates as

something like Fire Defending/Protecting Woman. She is specifically, in this case, given a
feminine gender but the Japanese also implies a that she is also capable of preventing the fire
from burning. This is an interesting twist considering one of the endings but well get to that
a bit later on.
Similarly the Lords of Cinder () translates better as Kings of Kindling/

Firewood. The suffix -tachi informs that they are a group, a collective bound by the same
purpose. As for the translation: Cinder means ash or something already burned while kindling
suggests fuel for the flame which perfectly sums up the five Lords purpose, especially given
what Ludleth says during his initial dialogue.
Localisation is an imperfect science, translation a fluid thing tied into the very core of
language. Its very personal and the good thing is, having used the same company for all
three games, the translation is much more consistent because the localisation team will have
been very familiar with the games universe by the time they came to work on Dark Souls III.
Now that the game is officially out and there are a host of Bandai Namco-approved
streams by members of the community, we have the official English translations of items,
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lore, bonfire names and locations. Most of the time Ill be referring to these but, occasionally,
when the etymology demands it, I might look at the Japanese and see if more can be gleaned.
But localisation isnt just translating, sometimes it can be a little more complicated, like
altering scenes or censoring sections. Dark Souls III, despite the violence, escaped unscathed
in that area and seems to be remarkable close to the Japanese release. Thats not to say it
wont give you nightmares, that you wont be haunted by certain enemies and monsters.
One thing worth mentioning is there was a wait of several weeks between the Japanese
release on March 24th 2016 and the NA/EU/rest of the world release on April 12th. This
caused a lot of angry fans, especially when streamers were allowed by Bandai Namco to
stream up to the Abyss Walkers on PC. The review embargo dropped on the 8th but the
company didnt allow streamers to use the US/EU version of the game to stream until April
11th.
Embargos are a pain, theyre what the publisher asks you to abide by in return for code.
While journalists have to keep to them, especially the ones who signed the paperwork, there
are always ways around them. Everyone with money and access to the internet just went and
bought the Japanese version (easily available with a free Japanese Xbox One/PS4 account
and some yen credit vouchers) but a lot of people dont understand the reasons for the
staggered launch, leading to fury and the entire game leaking onto the Internet via YouTube.
I want to explain that for a second so that everyone understand what happened because
the world of computer game publishing is a strange and sometimes fickle beast.
In Japan, the game was published by FromSoft (who made it) and the fiscal/academic and
working year ends on April 1st. So FromSoft wanted to get as many sales as possible to round
off their 2015-16 year. In the west, the fiscal year begins about a week later (here in the UK,
for example, its April 5th) and Bandai Namco, who are publishing the game in other
territories, obviously wanted to start their new financial year with their next triple AAA/
Game of the Year title. Thats why they chose to launch the game several weeks post-Japan.
Bandai Namco also reminded western gamers that there would be a day one patch, that
the Japanese edition was effectively unfinished and closer to a press build (with nerfed
bosses) than the final release. This excuse has a lot less weight now, in a digital age, where all
games are release unfinished, only to be patched repeatedly. Its also, in my mind, at least
disrespectful to the Japanese gamers who purchased Dark Souls III in March, expecting the
final game but instead getting something a lot closer to a press build demoed in San
Francisco.
But none of that really matters now the game is officially in the wild for non-Japanese
speaking gamers.
The bell is tolling, the fire is dying. Its time for us to begin.
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THE ASHEN ONE
Ashen One, to be unkindled is to be a vessel for souls. Sovereignless souls will become thy
strength. I will show thee how Bring me souls, plucked from thy vessels Very well,
touch the darkness inside of me.
The Fire Keeper
As is the case with Soulsborne games, you are a tangible concept, a vesselan avatarfor
whomever has the controller. The protagonists backstory is all but confined to class, origin
and imagination as you play with the character creation screen. I like to think if it much like
D&D, you can spin your own reasons for waking up in the Cemetery of Ash.
Its not important why your character is there, only that they are.
Because every story needs a hero even if this idea is sometimes subverted.
The opening cinematic talks of Lothric, of the Lords of Cinder (monstrous abominations
who have run from their thrones) and whom, it is suggested, the main character must retrieve
for reasons as yet unknown because the fate of the world is once more at stake. The bell is
tolling, the dead are rising and the fire is going out.
The end of the opening sees the player character dragging him or herself out of the dirt in
the Cemetery of Ash to the sound of a doom-intoning bell. You are, if the NPCs you meet, not
the first being in the game to do this: the Lords have also climbed from their graves, as have
other Unkindled.
The protagonist is given many names depending on who they speak; Unkindled and
Ashen One being the most popular. Both are used as names and titles, depending on the
appearance of capitals but its an appellation I like and the one by which were going to refer
to you, the player character. The Japanese, by the way, is hai no kata (; which roughly
translates to ashen or cremated one). This suggests the player character died and were
resurrected by something, maybe someone. Worse: they were burned, cremated and strewn,
only to somehow survived to return to life.
The Ashen One wanders the world with a number of weapons, sometimes the skills of a
cleric or a pyromancer, other times a knight or a herald. These things dont matter, only that
the player character is heading somewhere. Though this isnt obvious until entering Firelink
Shrine and meet the Fire Keeper, until the Ashen One sees magnificent Thrones of the Lords
of Cinder with his or her own eyes.
Initially, when the first trailers came out, it wasnt clear if this was the same world as the
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other Dark Souls games. Then screenshots dropped and revealed Firelink Shine in all its
glory. This was, of course, was the hub in the first game and is now much bigger and more
impressive. The next gen graphics really are superb, turning the Shrine is to an almost
cavernous place that becomes a hub for all the NPCs you meet on your journey, a mix of the
Hunters Dream and Oedon Chapel but with more age and decay.
There are two computer game analogies which will work.
The first one is to think of Lothric as we did for Bloodborne: Yharnam is an ancient city
built on the layered bones of lost, forgotten metropolises which are eventually rediscovered
as the Chalice Dungeons. Except imagine this on a country-size scale. Reminiscent of Skyrim
with its sweeping panoramas, as you step outside the shrine and view Lothric, seeing
mountains and settlements in the distance, its clear the journey wont be easy or short and
that is part of the appeal, I think.
Lothric and the lands around it are just like that. Time has passed, lands have changed,
boundaries have shifted and names have been forgotten but this is still the familiar world
once visited in the previous games. The world of Dark Souls III, the same as I and II but
much further forward in time. The land feels like its dying, like the clock has spun down and
now were approaching the true conclusion of the world. As Ludleth the Exiled/of Courland
the only remaining Lord to still be sitting on a thronespecifically says when the Ashen
One first meets him:
Five thrones will take five Lords, as kindling for the linking of the fire. The fast-fading
flame must be linked, to preserve this world. A re-enactment of the first linking of the fire
Thy purpose is to seek Lords and slay them.
The second analogy is that of the Silent Hill games. The first one focused on the cult
which overran the town, on the demons and a transient reality. The second game (one of my
personal favourites) wasnt a true sequel but was set in the same general area, though there
were no cameos or actual callbacks. The storyline, about James and Mary, went off in its
own direction, even if the shadow of the towns cult still hung long over the adventure. The
third game, meanwhile, returned directly to the content of the first game, continuing the story.
The same can easily be said for Dark Souls I-III, each being its own instalment but the
first and third games are more literal sequels than the first and second will ever be, even if
Dark Souls III does take the time to call back, specifically, to the second game and thus
confirm each world weve visited is the same land, rewritten by the ages.
So what is our task, our opening mandate for walking this world?
Why, its to find the absconded Lords in a world that is literally in its death throes.
The silver-haired Fire Keeper, eyes covered by a gilded crown, tasks the player character
with finding the missing Lords. She instructs the Ashen One to find the mark of the ash
which will lead you to the lands where the Lords have presumably scarpered to avoid their
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inevitable fate. At this point we dont know why theyve abandoned their thrones in Firelink
Shrine, only that they have. Oh and none of them are human, at least not anymore. In fact,
judging by the size of their thrones and the opening cinematic, some have degenerated into
monsters.
Its obvious from Ludleths somewhat depressing, initial dialogue that the cycle of fire
and dark has continued down the ages. This is the choice made in the first two games, to link
the fire or to let the world go cold. Now, however, we are coming to Lothrics final day and
something must be done before the world dies completely.
I find it odd were still having this discussion three games in but then the Dark Souls
games have never been about the conclusion or the ultimate choice made, rather how we get
the, the adventure and the many, many deaths. It firmly places the player-character into the
role of hero but at the same time tied in knots by predestination, it doesnt matter what you
do, the world will eventually end and theres nothing you or your wandering avatar can do to
stop it, only put it off for a little while if you so choose.
Estus, by the way, is Latin for heat and ties in nicely with the idea of fire and flame,
especially now youre the Ashen One rather than a nameless Hollow or an Undead hero.
Through the game you collect Estus Shards that Andre can turn into more flasks for you to
imbibe. Amusingly, theres even Estus Soup in a cauldron which seems the perfect food, in
liquid fire form sitting on a hearth.
Fire and its life-giving properties are a central crux of the game and this is even more
important; youre something else but still a champion. The game also introduces the idea of
embers which give your clothes a glowing, singed effect as if youre still burning making the
title of Ashen One all the more apt.
And so the player character is set on the path, a quest, and mindful purpose, even if we
had no idea where itll take us and the Ashen One.
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TRANSITORY LANDS
The flow of time itself is convoluted, with heroes centuries old phrasing in and out. The very
fabric waves, and relations shift and obscure. Theres no telling how longer your world and
mine will remain in contact.
Solaire of Astora
The question of whether the Lords lands are geographically based below Lothric Castle or
metaphysically is an interesting one never quite made clear. Solaire, Knight of Sunlight and
everybodys favourite NPC (Praise the Sun yall!), hinted that he comes from a different
world. The White Soapstone continues this, explaining online play in the lexicon of the Dark
Souls universe as:
Be summoned to another world as a phantom through your sign, and defeat the area boss
to gain the strength of flame. The nature of Lothric is murky, unclear. The White Sign
Soapstone allows Unkindled to assist one another.
This is perhaps better likened to a parallel one or a different dimension entirely, more akin
to the ones friends and other players the player character summon in to help with boss fights.
I find myself wondering if the dimensional breakdown is tied more to the dying of the fire, if
that heralds a thinning of realities. It certainly seems convenient then, aeons on, that the
Lords run from their thrones but never quite get far, as if metaphysically linked to them
beyond physical distance, tied by the strings of fate to their empty thrones.
They remain, perhaps by virtue of being Lords, tied to this world, the one in which
were playing and each of them can be found by somehow passing through Firelink Shrine.
The Shrine itself seems to serve almost as a nexus (an intentional pun given the Nexus is a
location in Demon Souls) where the various planes and dimensions converge. Just look what
happens when you sit down at a bonfire, the world phases out surrounded by a murky,
yellowish mist. The Ashen Ones Estus flasks (now in two varieties: one for HP, the other for
mana) are restored and the player character can use the power of the burning, coiled sword to
teleport.
At the same time parts of the world are reset when you regenerate at a bonfire. Almost as
if youve stepped into another version of reality or its been rewritten around the player-
character. Most enemies respawn, some NPCs and the bosses do not and we continue on,
renewed by the kindled fire.
Again, this world has much to remind you of the first time but filtered through the passage
of many, many years; civilisations like Drangleic, Lordran and Anor Londo have thrived and
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died, or still exist and are hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
There is no map in game and the ones produced with special editions are likely more
decorative than they are useful. All we have are place names connected to the bonfires
kindled along the way and, you know, when your player character looks out at a vista, that
eventually they will be able to wander the ruins you see far off on the horizon.
Bloodborne was a neatly coiled maze of streets and villages, forests and nightmare
dimensions. Dark Souls III retains that inter-connectedness by allowing shortcuts which lead
back to entirely different areas or a bonfire you kindled two hours before. Until you find the
shortcuts, though, its far to easy to get lost in a maze of passages followed by hostile
creatures.
It reminds me of the movie Cube, a cult horror classic in which the protagonists find
themselves in a small room with exits in each wall unable to remember how they got there.
They move from room to room, soon discovering each is a mirror of the first with the
addition of some truly wicked traps. Eventually, thanks to a mathematical genius with the
mind of a child, they realise too late that the original cube they woke up in was the exit from
a maze of traps. Except the cubes move and there is a certain moment where they line up and
allow people access or escape.
The world of Dark Souls III makes me think of just such an alignment as you discover
shortcut after shortcut which drastically cuts journey time and returns the player to the safety
of the familiar (and blessed bonfires). That dungeon your character just plowed through,
those monsters who killed you ten times and stole half your souls, they no longer matter as
you see the gently kindled light of a bonfire, coiled sword burning at its heart.
Lothric, both the castle, the area and Firelink Shrine, are essentially at the heart of a series
of tectonic plates which move and rub together except these arent lands but dimensions.
Each Lord has fled to their own world, an echo perhaps of the time from which they herald
and its quite likely that the four Lords the player-character has to hunt down and retrieve are
in fact the last four to be called. This would make a lot of sense, hence Lothrics title Last of
his Line which can refer both to his linage and his place in the line of Lords. He, and his
brother, are after all the last bosses we fight from an in-game timeline perspective.
Yet the lands are not safe. Dragons and giants have reappeared, despite having been all
but made extinct during the Age of Ancients. The former, in particular, are not friendly and
exhale fire in all directions, hanging off of buildings and burning everything that crosses their
paths (and we finally get to see the nook where they presumably waited out the ages). The
world has almost begun reverting to a state last seen in the Age of Ancients, this would
certainly explain the feeling of decay which is much more prevalent in this game than
previous instalments.
This is the last game for a reason. The end is finally coming.
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The Abyss
One thing which is more prevalent is the Abyss, that darkness beyond the world which
appeared in the first games. The Abyss is an expanse of blackness, populated by terrible
creatures. There are three places I believe it appears in-game:
The first is during High Lord Wolnirs fight. In the initial cut scene we see a crowned
skull turned into a goblet, smoking with blackness. As the fight begins, the boss room goes
totally dark, smoke flowing out of the skulls eye sockets and the entire fight is done in said
darkness. Only by hitting Wolnirs glowing gold bracelets can we defeat him, open the door
and progress to Irithyll of the Boreal Valley.
While his Soul focuses on his life and his desire to outlive his enemies, Wolnirs items
specifically say he was lost to the Abyss. His Greatsword says:
A holy sword eroded by the Abyss. When Wolnir fell to the Abyss, he was gripped by a
fear of true darkness, and pleaded to the gods for the first time. This holy sword, together
with three armlets stripped from the corpses of clerics, gave him some semblance of comfort.
Similarly, the Black Serpent pyromancy, the other item gained from his soul explains:
Pyromancy discovered from the Abyss by High Lord Wolnir that inspired the black arts of
the grave wardens.Releases undulating black flames that trace the ground. Be it sorcery or
pyromancy, all techniques that infringe on humanity lead to the same place. That is to say,
they all seek a will of their own.
In truth I believe that, rather than stepping into the Abyss to fight Wolnir, he has instead
brought it back with him. His cup, doubtless containing his own skull, is obviously cursed
and when hes defeated, the smoking darkness returned to its home within the skull. It
remains, smoking malevolently, almost the key to the door and doubtless other travellers will
have had to fight him in order to pass through into the valley below.
There is also the dark witch Karla to consider. One of the NPCs who populate Firelink
Shrine, shes one of the genuinely darker characters in game. If you kill her, her Ashes will
explain that her nature came from the Abyss itself:
The spurned child of the Abyss never dies, but phases in and out of its fringes. Only, there
is no one to search for her any longer.
Similarly, the Fire Keeper Set (found in the Bell Tower) continues this idea of the the
dark is a living, moving, primal thing, suggesting the Darkness and the Abyss were perhaps
one and the same, explaining that:
The Fire Keepers were robbed of light to better serve as vessels for souls. Only those who
cherish the writhing, searing darkness were given the keepers black attire.
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The second location is in the optional area found after defeating Oceiros, the Consumed
King, a former monarch of Lothric who never quite became a Lord and is lost to his madness
and mutation. Its not clear how exactly you come to this area, only that you need to defeat
the dragon-like mad king and perhaps thats part of the trick.
The Untended Graves, a pitch-black recreation of the Cemetery of Ash, leads to

Champion Gundyra warrior still, though this time unpossessed by the minions of the
Abyss. Then you go into Dark Firelink Shrine, a reskin of the hub but lacking light and all
NPCs, where you find Andre, for example, there is just the shining glow of an item. The
building has been lost to the dark and has truly fallen to ruin.
There are several Braille tomes in the game that go deeper into this idea of darkness,
especially as theyre readable only by Irina of Carim, an NPC found in the Undead
Settlement and then moves into Firelink Shrine. First off Braille is an interesting language,
most sighted people and most blind people, cant read it. It was invented by Louis Braille in
the nineteen century and is divided into two forms.
Grade two in which entire words (including numbers and punctuation) are transcribed
into the tactile language, and
Grade one, where common words are shortened to save space (because Braille takes
up about three times more than any other language as each letter is made up of a cell
with six dots).
Im legally blind (and have the dog/cane to prove it) and studied Braille for a period of
about six months before I gave up. I cant read it because you need very sensitive fingers and
its actually easier to use my remaining vision to do it. I can read half the alphabet and the
word Starbucks on my special edition US Reward card. Thats it.
The interesting thing, though, is that Braille is not a universal language. So, for example,
if I was to go to Japan (which I did and its covered in Braille), I wouldnt be able to read it
until Id studied the Japanese form which assigns completely different letters than in English
or American.
This actually has connotations in game as Irina is from Carim but most of the Tomes you
gain are actually from different places (though I dont expect anyone other than the visually
impaired to know this): Londor, Carim, Lothric and one belonging to the Deacons of the
Cathedral of the Deep. Each containing miracles relating to the Sable Church. This suggests
to me that Irina has some how learned several variants of a forbidden language by virtue of
her blindness and how you use that knowledgeand herultimate defines her fate.
Indeed her knowledge and learning appears to be more about Irinas country of origin
than her blindness. The Saints Ring explains more on the people of Caerim, explaining: In
Carim, the saints give voice to the ancient tales. They memorize countless cumbersome
sacred books and read them in sonorous tones, a function for which they are widely
18
renowned.
Irinas Ashes, which you get if you decide to kill her explains that she: was a frail woman.
This frailty led to her becoming a saint of Carim, and to her grand treachery.
The treachery is, of course, helping you and reading the tomes which affect her future. If
you ask her to read forbidden tomes and then buy all the dark miracles, she will lose herself
in the darkness. However, should you only buy holy miracles she achieves her dream and
becomes a Fire Keeper.
The Tower Key explains that the Bell Tower, a locked off area above the Shrine, is a
memorial to the Fire Keepers of the past and where Irina will one day be remembered: Key to
the decrepit tower behind Firelink Shrine which leads to the Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is
the grave of Fire Keepers past. When a Fire Keeper has served her purpose, she is led to true
darkness, where she enjoys a long-deserved sleep.
This is one of the few references to the darkness that does reference the Abyss or the
darkness itself as a dangerous, negative thing. Indeed it sounds almost peaceful.
The Sable Church is also interesting, its referred to in quite a few item descriptions
connected to Irina. Sable means black and is commonly used as a term in heraldry (which
fits nicely with the almost medieval world of Lothric). Given its mention in miracles and
tomes, Im curious as to whether it refers to black as a colour or as the darkness (which
would again fit with the fact Tomes are written in Braille, not a more conventional written
language, that can typically only be read by the visually impaired, like Fire Keepers).
The Londor Braille Divine Tome explains that it is: a Braille tome of Londor, first spoken
by Liliane of the Sable Church. Give this to a storyteller to learn miracles of Londor. This is
a forbidden tome, as it offers salvation to all Hollows, and conversely curses all things living.
This proves that the Church is also connected to Hollows and thus linked to the Abyss
and the darkness where the Fire Keepers sleep. The Deep Braille Divine Tome goes into this
in more detail, suggesting time has turned its words into something forbidden and that it was
originally:
Intended to teach divine protection to the deacons of the deep, but later, dark tales were
added to its pages, such that it is now considered a thing profane.
Dark Blade says that it is a: Miracle of the Sable Church of Londor The third daughter
Liliane, one of the founders of the Sable Church, is said to recount tales that portray the
suffering and conflict of Hollows.
Vow of Silence continues that: Members of the Sable Church are all trained swordsmen,
each sworn only to their weapons as they bear the leaden silence of Londor.
The Black Set confirms not only a connection to the Abyss but also that adherents were
more often than not female, with at least three founders, all of them siblings:
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Attire of the three mentors of the Sable Church of Londor:
This pitch-black dress resembles a mourning dress. (Dress)
These black leggings/gauntlets are hidden by the dress. (Leggings & gauntlets)
These maidens of a Primordial Serpent were renowned as founders of the Sable Church,
which offered salvation for Hollows. (Dress)
It is apparent that the women in black were highly skilled fences, capable of founding the
Sable Church between just the three of them. (Leggings and Gauntlets)
The final place is mentioned is the Deep. Now the Deep is fascinating, connected
intimately with Aldritch, who is defined as its Saint. He was, as NPCs tell us, confined to
the Cathedral of the Deep when he lost himself to cannibalism. The Cathedral is mentioned in
the Deep Ring which says:
In the Cathedral slumber things most terrible, and as such, the deacons require a grand
narrative, to ensure they do not falter in their duty. A philosophy, to ward away the madness
beckoned by the grotesqueries at hand.
Well talk about the boss later but the Deep is referenced in several items:
The Deep Gem warns: There is a darkness that lies beyond human ken.
The Miracle Deep Protection explains: The Deep was originally a peaceful and sacred
place, but became the final rest for many abhorrent things. This tale of the Deep offers
protection for those who worship amidst those horrors.
The Evangelists Set (whose large, Elizabethan ruffle-wearing female owners we meet to
get it) gives us a little more information on the way in which the Aldritch Faithfulas a
religious communityfunctioned: Robe of an evangelist sent from the cathedral. These
teachers, all women, came to enlighten inhabitants of the Undead Settlement and sent
carriers on the path of sacrifice
The Red Bug Pellet continues: Prepared in the Cathedral of the Deep by evangelists, who
dole them out to followers to ease their suffering when they burn.
This information gives us a clearer picture, suggesting not only are the sacrifices are taken
to the Cathedral, eventually to be consumed but that Aldritch prefers his mortal entrees to be
cooked before he devours them. Perhaps some are even willings, as demonstrated by the use
of followers.
Gods, typically, need believers to function. Faith is a powerful concept and one used
within the Dark Souls III stat screen. There are many faiths in Lothric, many belief systems.
Some are new, others ancient and most are reflected by the covenants the player character can
join along the way. Each is an expression of belief and faith in an order be it the Watchdogs
of Farron or the invaders of the Mound-makers and Rosarias Fingers.
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Fog Gates
These interest me perhaps more than they should. From a gaming point of view, fog gates
link the main game with fenced off, instanced, boss areas. This is done for various reasons,
not only to ensure load times but also so that bosses dont just go on a rampage and follow
you outside their assigned rooms.
Think, for example, about the epic load time for Bloodborne. These were purely because
half of Yharnam was being summoned from the depths of the coding sea in real time. Even
with its processors, the PS4 memory struggled, hence the loading screens.
Added to that, due to the way the game had been laid out and aligned so that you could
visit a particular, inoperable dooridentified with a shining pennyon both sides and it
would match up perfectly. That an awful lot of time, care and attention for an otherwise
minor locale. Im assuming this door was a shortcut which never got used but it attests to
exactly how much effort From Software put into the sprawling, interconnected streets of
Yharnam.
Dark Souls III is portioned up better, thanks in part of a lot more bonfires but its still a
massive, moving world which, between that and the graphics, are the reasons for the need for
a good console or a nice PC rig in order to truly appreciate it. There are still shortcuts but the
world isnt quite as maze-like, the areas more organic but still no less deadly. Its still a linear
place but it obviously more organised than Dark Souls but not as straightforward as Dark
Souls II.
All of From Softwares game invoke fog as having an important role to play: sometimes
to mark boss fights, sometimes a shift in dimensions.
From a magical perspective, fog is an important mechanic. It show you crossing planes
and dimensions going from A to B. Fog symbolises the blurring of space (and pops up
occasionally to indicate areas that havent fully loaded). Conversely when you sit at a bonfire,
the fog surrounds you and the space becomes safe, enemies can no longer follow you but, at
the same time, many will respawn as the world is reset with the restoration of your Estus
Flasks.
The price for a moments respite can often be heavy.
Fog also keeps the bosses in one spot, tied to their chosen areas. If you die to a boss, it
remains active but is unable, thanks to the joys of programming, to come after you. This
affords the player the choice of when to restart the fight but you can also use the fog to move
to another playeror another NPCs world. Then there are places where the fog obscures a
secret, such as the invisible barrier leading to Irithyll and Sulyvahns beloved pet on the
bridgewhich auto-spawns as you cross, ready to cut you down before you even realise its
there.
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Holding the silver figurine in your hand serves as a lodestone, a physical key to a
metaphysical lock, to take you from one plane to one right next to it. You can look and see
the city, with its snowy peaks and high spires, but unless you have the item, you can only see
and not touch. A thin layer of mist shrouds the city and the Boreal Valley, the little silver
talisman allowing you to pass into an otherwise unaccessible area in a similar way to the
Crown of Illusions in Bloodborne.
Fog though obscures the light and the dark, the idea of it as a mid-way point sits
somewhere between the primordial fog which fell over the world of Demon Souls and muting
the power of sunlight and fire. Its very tempting to turn a gaming mechanic into something
connected to the soul of the lore. Yet fog remains a key point of all of From Softwares
games so its definitely much more of a gaming mechanic as opposed to some kind of magic
governing the worlds in which you play.
That is, almost, a shame but if it keeps you alive then its a worthy sacrifice.
Lordran, Anor Londo and Drangleic
Dark Souls III quickly confirms it is set in the same world as the first two games.
Like the Silent Hill analogy we used earlier, it focuses more on making connections with
the first game. The locations mirror those you visit in the game, beginning with Firelink
Shine and ending at the Kiln of the First Flame. Even better there are mentions of dozens of
much-loved characters from Solaire, albeit indirectly, to little Dusk, Princess of Oolacile.
While the locales remind us of the first game, to the point where its possible to link places
like the Undead Settlement, the Grand Archives and Anor Londo with their previous forms in
the first game, that doesnt mean Dark Souls II is completely forgotten. Far from it.
Take, for example, the strange tree outside of Firelink Shrine, doesnt it look a bit like a
person with a shrouded hood? When you click on it the player character receives a note
which says: The seed of a Giant Tree yet to fall. This is a direct reference to the second
game. As is Caitha, the Goddess of Tears, and her protector Morne. What about Drangleic?
Well, if you wander in the Smouldering Lake, its possible to find the Dragonriders Bow
whose item description references the monarchy of Drangleic and reads: Longbow of the
Dragonriders, who served the Old King of Want. The Dragonriders were the Old King's
royal guard, and great strength was demanded of them.
Similarly you eventually gain the Drang Set and the Twinspears which explains their
origins, instantly reviving memories of Drangleic. The Twinspears are the:
Paired spears of the Drang Knights, proclaimed descendants from the land known for the
legend of the Linking of the Fire. When the Drang Knights disbanded, they scattered across
the lands as sellswords. They quickly became known for shieldless, aggressive tactics that
22
struck fear in the hearts of men.
The Drang Set reveals: The Drang knights were once feared sellswords, until treason
meant descending into the Abyss, and they were separated forever.
But thats not the only land of old mentioned here.
The game does actually have a map, printed right at the back of the Strategy Guide
released by Prima. It gives a relative distance between locals as well as showing the rough
route taken as you wind your way from Firelink through to Farron Keep, the Cathedral of the
Deep, Irithyll and, finally, Anor Londo.
The land, once sunlit, is now dark because Aldritch consumed Gwyndolin but it is still
steeped in history. The Devourer of Souls himself waits for you there and the rooms in which
you gift him, well it is one of the directest references to the first game. It goes so far as to
have you revisit places your spiritual ancestor walked. Anor Londo is city of the gods and a
god remains, albeit in the form of another, otherwise the city has become one of ghosts and
monsters which pass from existence as the player character passes through.
Worth mentioning, before we progress on our journey to retrieve the Lords of Cinder, is
Solaire of Astora who, sadly, doesnt appear in the game. Not physically anyway but he is
certainly there in spirit, in the form of a set of armour bearing his mark and a gesture that is
beloved of fans new and old: Praise the Sun.
Weve already discussed how, in spirit, Dark Souls III relies on the bones of Dark Souls,
over the second game. As weve seen though, that doesnt mean Drangleic has been
expunged but a long time has passed and its almost been forgotten. At the end of the game,
the Fire Keeper specifically speaks of Lordran and the old gods, Gwyn and his compatiots,
meaning they have endured the longest.
Every mythology has a creation myth, a primordial story which shapes faith and belief.
Darkness is mentioned in most, if not all, of the mythologies and religions Ive studied
because it is the default, the nothingness before something. Darkness is a formless state
which only ends when light enters the picture.
Such is the case in Dark Souls. In the beginning there was darkness and then came fire
As the Narrator says, recounting the creation mythos, in the Japanese launch trailer: But
then there was fire, and with fire came disparity. Heat and cold. Life and death. And, of
course, light and dark.
Yet it is only at the end of the game, in the Kiln of the Fire Flame, where we see the ruins
of the ages and a black sun leeching the light from the world that it becomes clear how
transitory the games and the various lands have been. The only true thing to endure, even as it
dies, is the fire and the Lordsand their Heirswho hold the key to reviving the world or
letting it pass back into darkness.
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Im reminded of entropy, of the heat death of the universe and the eternal return to
darkness on the day a sun dies. Perhaps the world on which Dark Souls is set, is actually,
physically, being dragged into the Black Sun, into a black hole where even light and the
sacred fore, cant escape. Its proof, at least, that fate and a final ending isnt something
anyone can escape.
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HEIRS OF FIRE
Heirdom taketh many forms indeed.
Yorshka
Dark Souls III bosses, like those in Bloodborne before it, are divided two types: the Lords of
Cinder and the Heirs of Fire, including the optional secret bosses. Bosses serve various
functions; some are there to advance the lore or call back to the other games, some are there
to simply kick your arse, others are beaten for pure gratification because they are there to be
conquered, like mountains on the journey across Lothric.
One thing worth noting is the Japanese version uses ou, , indiscriminately to mean
Lord or King, it has a particular level in Japanese society and language which cannot quite
be approximated in English. Some bosses, in English, are therefore Lords (High Lord Wolnir)
whilst others are Kings (Ocieros, the Nameless King etc).
Heirs of Fire are the minor bosses of the game, still important but not quite at Lord of
Cinder level (think Prey versus Nightmares, if youre a Bloodborne player). Yet despite the
distinction it is often the Heirs who are much more interesting than the Lords were hunting.
Take blind Ocieros, the Consumed King. He charges around his boss room, unable to see
you but still capable of doing a lot of damage. He calls out for his lost son, Ocelotte, who is
described by him as as being part dragon. Ocieros was also once a literal king of the land of
Lothric and now haunts a space half-transformed and bearing traits best akin to draconic, the
imaginary child cradled in his left arm. Not strong enough to be called a Lord but still a
mightyand vocalopponent.
Yorshka, Captain of the Darkmoon Knights (the precursor to the Blue Sentinels and one
of the games eight covenants or factions), best sums up what differentials the Heirs from the
Lords when she explains:
Long ago, our father, Gwyn, lamenting the waning of the fire, became cinder of his own
will. Now, the fire is linked by the champions who have come in his stead. Such is the will of
father and the gods.
The Lords are champions, the heirs those who would ascend to the mantle with all its
power and glory. She cryptically continues that: Heirdom taketh many forms indeed.
Its worth remembering, according to the ever-pessimistic Hawkwood, that Aldritch was
made a Lord of Cinder not because he earned the privilege but because hed become a
monster, best sealed away in the Cathedral of the Deep. He became a god, with followers
25
both mundane and magical, even going so far as to gain his very own covenant, not through
choice but necessity. He was a threat to every creature in Lothric and the surrounding lands
so they made him a god to stop him.
The Heirs are just that and its up to you to vanquish them.
Iundex Gundyr
The first boss is encountered just minutes into the game, a stone figure in the centre of an
arena who transforms into a sludge-like mass of tentacular nightmares straight out of bad
Japanese hentai. Gundyr is also the only boss we technically have to beat twice (assuming
NPCs or other player characters dont summon you into aid them in battles later in the game).
Hes become a stone statue with a strange sword thrust through his chest; you must reach in
and remove that to begin your first boss fight of the game.
Iundex itself is an odd word which which doesnt exactly trip over the tongue but then its
Latin so its not supposed to; its a word for judge and this immediately makes things
clearer as Gundyr holds the coiled sword. His Japanese name is , which is
best translated as Gundyr, Judge/Adjudicator of Ash, which, again, makes a little more sense
given his character. He is also the first bossa rite of passage in any Souls gameand so, in
a way, he is the perfect decision maker as to whether you should be elevated from just some
Unkindled to the Champion of Ash.
Yet theres something not right about this strange stone golem of a boss; he has some kind
of oozing black miasma at the back of his head. It moves though he does not and its soon
revealed this is some kind of dark Abyss creature which doesnt take kindly to being fought,
expanding and writhing through the bosss second phase. Nowhere in the game does it say
what this is but its not good, not one bit.
Other other thing of note is that Gundyr, perhaps on account of appearing later on in his
Champion form, is also the only Heir of Fire to not drop a Soul.
The moment he is defeated you gain the infamous coiled sword, used to ignite life-saving
bonfires and a staple of the series:
Sword missing from the shrine bonfire. Cannot be equipped as a weapon. Thrust into the
shrine bonfire to restore its power and enable travel between bonfires. This sword is only
bequeathed to chosen ash, as judged by the Iundex, who awaits the arrival of ash as a
scabbard.
I find this idea of the Ashen One being a scabbarda protective sheath used to keep a
sword blade sharp and untainted by rustis an interesting one. It suggests the player
characters body, their flesh at least, is just the vehicle for the soul, which as we later discover
is the true kindling for the First Flame. It hints that our arrival has been foretold and we are,
26
specifically, awaited and have a role to play in the coming story.
Vordt of the Boreal Valley
Referred to by Emma, Lothrics High Priestess, as a dog, Vordt is the second boss you face
and serves to guard the path between you and the wider world. Thats actually a pretty good
description as he runs around on all fours, wears a metal suit of armour, holds a hammer and
is literally smoking from cold.
When you first hear boreal, it summons up images of a frigid place that is so cold you
can see your breathe, which is quite apt by the time you reach ancient and snowy (and
Cainhurst-like) Irithyll. His Japanese name is is literally Vordt of the
Cold Valley and his Soul explains that:
Vordt served as an outrider knight, never far from the fleeting dancer.
The Dancer, is someone well be meeting a bit later on thought Vordt seems far from
home. You can, once you meet Ludleth and gain a Transposing Kiln, can buy two items if
you have enough souls which give you a little more detail on the watchdog. The first item, a
Great Hammer which bears his name, says:
Great Hammer wielded by Vordt, the outrider knight of the Boreal Valley. Weapon is
inbued with frost, and causes frostbite. Frost accumulates in the body causing frostbite,
which saps one's health, lowers absorbion, and slows stamina recovery.
The second item, the Pontiffs Left Eye, focuses on giving us facts that hint at later parts
of the game and future bosses. Its also, obviously, one of two Pontiffs Eye rings gained
during the game:
Bewitched ring that Pontiff Sulyvahn bestowed upon his knights. Recovers HP with
successive attacks. Knights who peer into the black orb are lured into battles of death,
transformed into frenzied beasts. No wonder the Pontiff only provides these rings to those
dispatched to foreign lands.
From this we can safely assume Vordt was once a mortal man, transformed by the rings
evil magics into something more canine. A dog set to hunting down whatever the Pontiff
wished. We can guess, therefore, that he was dispatched to Lothric but not why? Perhaps this
Pontiff will have answers, eh? Its a good job we meet him later.
The Cursed-Rotted Greatwood
Lore-wise theres not much to be said here but its a huge freaking tree, with hands as legs
and something very unpleasant (with hands of its own) inside the trunk. Youre not really
going to skip this one, are you? Technically this boss isnt really optional for both lore
27
reasons and the Transposing Kiln which you need to harvest Boss Souls into useful weapons
and miracles.
The lore suggests this tree is a totem, the sum of a hundred curses given animated form:
Ever since its establishment, all manner of curses have managed to seep into the Undead
Settlement. The worst of them were sealed away inside a spirit tree, but eventually the curses
took their toll.
The Greatsword offers a better hint and connects with both previous Dark Souls II, all but
confirming what we already suspected, that we are walking the same world in which both
Lordran and Drangleic existed. Its obvious from the description this sword was once wielded
by Lucatiel of Mirrah, the first of several mentions in-game:
Greatsword used for a lifetime by a masked knight. Harbours the fears that lurk within
the mind of Hollows, and is particularly effective against them. Bestowed to a proper Mirrah
knight long ago. Two-hand to execute special sword techniques.
This is also our first mention of the Hollows of the first two games, a mechanic which still
exists in Dark Souls III but is slightly different and connected to NPC quest lines and the
different endings its possible to achieve.
Crystal Sage
The twin Crystal Sages once serves as spiritual guides to the scholars of the Grand Archives,
and one went on to ally with the Undead Legion.
Though one of the most visually stunning of bosses (mainly because of the arcane
projectiles and the epic hat), the lore the Crystal Sage hints at is much more interesting than
the boss itself. This is our first mention of to important things: a location were going to visit
later in the game and a Lord of Cinder: Farrons Undead Legion, the Abyss Watchers. The
Crystal Sage is also the first proper magic wielding caster boss, specifically the arcane kind
(oh and we meet his brother later on).
Given that he spends most of the fight using a crystal orb to cast, summoning illusions to
confuse the player. The first item is an odd choice (even if the text explains its presence)a
rapier:
Thrusting Sword with tiny crystals scattered across its blade, used by the Crystal Sages
for self-defence. The crystals boost the magic damage inflicted by the sword, and the item
discovery of its wielder, fruit of the lifetime of research conducted by the sages.
The second is a lot more fitting, a sorcery:
Unique sorcery developed by extraordinary preacher twins known as the Crystal Sages.
Casts a cascade of small crystal soulmasses from above. Crystal soulmasses have piercing
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qualities. In a pact said to have been formed long ago, one of the Sages allied with the
Undead Legion in order to train the sorcerers of Farron.
The Sages Coal also references the link to Farron and the Undead Legion saying: The
white magic flame produced by this coal was given to the Undead Legion long ago by one of
the Crystal Sage twins.
These are the first times the Undead Legion are referred to specifically as sorcerers
which is an interesting nugget as, from the information weve gleaned (summarised in the
chapter: The Lords of Cinder), theyre a band of warriors. Adding magic into the Undead mix
just makes things a little more interesting and they are also the first Lord of Cinder who
appears to be multiple beings rather than a single, solitary soul.
The Deacons of the Deep
As explained in the next chapter, deacons are members of a religious clergy. In this case the
boss is of the hot potato variety where a red glow moves from deacon to deacon. Theyre, as
a collective, casters able to chant and use the power of their eldritch (get it?) faith to summon
nasty Abyss/Deep-related projectiles that are able to pass through anything in the boss room
and hit you. Its a fascinating fight simply because of the sheer numbers you have to face in
order to beat the boss but these creatures are wraith-like, washed out zombies who use their
faith against you.
Their Soul gives us more lore on the next Lord of Cinder were going to face as well as
explaining more about how Aldritch became Saint of the Deep and his origins:
After Aldrich left for the Boreal valley, Archdeacon Royce remained in the cathedral with
the high priests, to keep eternal watch over their master's coffin.
So we know Aldritch had, at some point, a coffin made even if he never occupied it. This
is curious given his desire to live forever and become a deity by eating gods. Some ancient
rites and rituals involve a fake burial as a form of ascension or as meditative act, a way to
commune with deities.
That said we know all four Lords of Cinder, thanks to the Narrator, did in fact die and
were resurrected, as the player character was, by the tolling of the bell. It is, therefore, much
more likely that Aldritch was preparing for the inevitable or had his coffin made prior to
being elevator to Lordship.
The covenantwhich you can join by speaking with Archdeacon McDonnell in a hidden
area in Irithryllare called Aldritch Faithful and offer some answers. The crest explains the
Deacons purpose:
The holy symbol of the Cathedral of the Deep, and crest of those who see beyond fire to
the age of deep waters. Equip to pledge oneself to the Aldrich Faithful covenant. The faithful
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ensure that Aldrich, Devourer of Gods, remains undisturbed, by taking the form of loyal
spirits and hunting down those who would trespass the ruined cathedral.
The two items received from their Soul give a little more colour to the religion that has
evolved around the Saint of the Deep. The Deep Soul explains that McDonnell was the one
who taught the Deacons their magic:
Sorcery of Archdeacon Royce and his deacons, said to have been imparted to them by
McDonnell of the Boreal Valley. Fires dark soul dregs. Souls which swell from the deep
pursue their target, drawn towards life.
Similarly the Clerics Candlestick is an interesting item (especially given the candle
monsters of the Grand Archives) as the Deep is suggested to be a place of aqueous darkness
and a candlestick is used for light and also symbolises their arcane revelation:
Candlestick used as both sword and catalyst. Used for worship by the Deacons of the
Deep. The deacons, under the guidance of Archdeacon McDonnell, became both Clergymen
and sorcerers. A candle provides a temporary source of light which reveals additional
guidance.
The Deacons are blinded by faith, bespelled by devotion and that is a powerful thing.
That said, the Japanese raises their level to something closer to bishops, a level above priests
but below the pontiff, the pope. This could easily explain their arcane magics and the
collective idea that we fight not one alone but all together. Regardless, the dank Cathedral of
the Deep holds many secrets that even the player-character cant discover because we are an
outside looking in. Best to send the Deacons back to the Deep and go find the creature they
call god.
High Lord Wolnir
As discussed earlier when looking at the Abyss and the transitory lands of Lothric, High Lord
Wolnir is a literal gatekeeper boss. His skull, crowned and turned into a goblet. Japanese uses
ou, , in his name so its unclear if he is actually a king. Im inclined to think so simply
because his mist-bleeding skull bears a crown.
We know from his items (see the discussion of the Abyss in the chapter on transitory
lands) that he wanted power became a conquerer of many lands, the Carthus Milkring states:
Ring worn by the warriors of the sand kingdom, Carthus The sword technique of
Carthus allows for fluid movement with a curved sword. Masters of the technique are said to
dazzle their opponents by moving as weightlessly as a grain of sand. They live for their High
Lord Wolnir, conqueror of most kingdoms known to their people.
We also know he ended up in the Abyss. Whether this was accident, punishment or his
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own stupidity well probably never know. Its likely though that hes stuck as he appealed to
the gods for help.
We dont know if they answeredor even if they could.
Old Demon King
Demons have always been a part of the series, a nod to Demon Souls, the original game to
which the three Dark Souls games serve as an almost spiritual successor, never linked until
now. Yet even this is cursory as the legend returns to that day, far in the part, when four
beings found four souls:
The Chaos Bed Vestiges, one of two weapons you can gain from the Demon Kings Soul,
is a direct reference to the Witch of Izalith, mother of demons and source of the scourge:
Traces of the tumultuous seedbed that birthed the beings known as Demons. Hurls chaos
flame that scorches vicinity. Demons born from fire bore its smouldering essence and
perished soon after. Man shares this rapport with the flames to this day.
The Demon King himselfa fire-based bossis described as: like a clump of burnt ash,
but he is the last living witness of the Chaos of Izalith.
This reference could be about both the Witch and the land which once bore her name. We
not only visit during Dark Souls III but is also referenced in the Izalith Pyromancy Tome and
the Izalith Staff, which also refers to the flame:
Ancient catalyst of the Witch of Izalith and her daughters, used long before the dawn of
chaos and of pyromancy. With the birth of the Chaos Flame, the flame witches were at once
both sorcerers and shamans. Faith adjusts the power of sorceries cast using this catalyst, and
the staff also seems to boost the power of dark sorceries.
Its worth mentioning that the Demon Kings Japanese is . The word
demon is in Katakana because Japanese doesnt really have demons in the Judaeo-Christian
sense used in the West or in the Dark/Demon Souls sense. Its also interesting to see that the
Demon King is a mix of Laurence and the Cleric Beast from Bloodborne, a fire-breathing
antlered monstrosity which exists solely to make sure you have a bad time.
The demonic connection with fire in-game also harkens back to the Witchs attempts to
rekindle the flame, albeit very unsuccessfully, and its almost reassuring to know that her
mistakes continue to roam Lothric, even at the end of the world.
Pontiff Sulyvahn
Forgive me but when I first saw the Pontiff, I was reminded of lightsabers and Darth Maul,
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oh and the poster for The Phantom Menace. The Pontiff duel wields glowing red and blue
swords dont tell me you didnt have the same thought.
Come on, admit it. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
Anyway, were going to cover the Pontiff properly when we discuss Aldritch and the
Deep later on. His Soul doesnt tell us anything about him as a being, rather focuses on
something he did: Pontiff Sulyvahn of Irithyll imprisoned a god of the old royalty in the
abandoned cathedral, to be fed to the devourer.
If the Cathedral of the Deep is the heart of Aldritchs worship then Irithyll of the Boreal
Valley appears to be the soul. Indeed one of the items we encounter is the game is the Small
Doll which serves as a key to the city (just watch out for Sulyvahns pet at the bridge) and
says:
Small silverwork doll depicting a young squire. In the legendary old city of Irithyll
situated in the Boreal Valley, the Pontiff Sulyvahn gave this doll to valued subjects, so that
they might use it to cross the barrier when they return home. Listen carefully, and you can
hear it say, Wherever you go, the moon still sets in Irithyll. Wherever you may be, Irithyll is
your home.
Irithyll is a beautiful city, Gothic and reminiscent of Cainhurst Castle in Bloodborne

thanks to the frigid weather. It has a strange lure and seems dominated by the faith of
Aldritch. Yet while it looks pretty, it still has an ugly interior in the form of a dungeon. But it
also has two lore-packed covenants: Yorshkas Darkmoon Blades and Archdeacon
McDonnells Aldritch Faithful.
One is the covenant of the sun god Gwyn, the other of Aldritch of the Deep. Its quite an
interesting juxtopostion, theologically speaking as its clear the city has been divided. Gwyn
and the other Old Gods are dying a slow death, their followers fading with the passing of
time and the dying of the fire. In its place are new deities like Aldritch, raised up from
mortality not by a Soulat least not originallybut by power and fear.
But Irithyll remains a divided city. The Archdeacon Set hints at a clash between the
Faithful and the Way of the White, Gywns clergy:
Armor worn by an Archdeacon of the Cathedral of the Deep. Presented solely to

delegates of the gods. Of the three Archdeacons of the Deep, one cast off his white crown and
left the cathedral to stand by Aldrich. (Hat)
A sign of the Way of White's highest rank. Of the three Archdeacons of the Deep, one
stood over Aldrich's casket, with hope that he would return one day. (Chest)
We know the names of these Archdeacons: First there is Royce, who is mentioned in the
Soul of Aldrich: After Aldrich left for the Boreal valley, Archdeacon Royce remained in the
cathedral with the high priests, to keep eternal watch over their master's coffin.
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McDonnell is head of the Faithful, which makes him the heretic who left to follow the
Saint of the Deep and embraced the dark sorceries that their lord and god uses, turning the
Aldrich Faithful into a fanatical cult which feeds on suffering and channels magics of the
Deep.
The Archdeacon Staff calls his apostasy a trespass (a nice archaic word for sin usually
found in the British version of the Lords Prayer): Large staff bestowed upon Archdeacons of
the Cathedral of the Deep. The Archdeacon McDonnells trespass, the sin of channeling faith
for sorcery, transformed what was once merely a symbol of ecclesiastic authority into a
catalyst of sorceries.
The final Archdeacons name is harder to find. The answer comes from Rosaria, who
leads the covenant of invaders called Rosarias Fingers, hidden away in the Cathedral of the
Deep: Sacred seal of Archdeacon Klimt, who served Rosaria, Mother of Rebirth. Equip to
pledge oneself to the Rosaria's Fingers covenant. Rosaria's Fingers collect tongues in her
name. Some do it to be reborn; others do it to help comfort their voiceless goddess.
The Saints Bident (a kind of two-pronged trident) also hints at Klimts past and his
apostasy in favour of Rosaria: A silver bident decorated by a holy symbol, formerly wielded
by Saint Klimt. He discarded this weapon, that draws upon one's faith, on the day that he put
his own faith behind him.
Rosaria herself, though named a goddess, is also called the Mother of Rebirth. Pale
tongues, her currency, say little but confirm her status:
Proof of a red orb invader's victory over a Host of Embers. Claiming tongues as trophies
was originally the practice of an infamous troupe of invaders, who offered them to their
speechless goddess.
So we have clerics of Gywns religion, all three of whom renounced their faith and went
their own ways to worshipping newer gods. We also have confirmation that, before his
imprisonment and ascension to true godhood, Aldritch resided in Irithyll. We also have it
confirmed that once three men led the Way of the White, though the new faith of Aldritch
Faithful talk of female evangelists so its clear the Irithylls new and dominant religion
believe in spending the word, whatever word that might be.
Perhaps the Deep offers some kind of salvation that not even Gwyn and the old gods of
Lordran could match.
As Pontiff, Sulyvahn is head of the church of Aldritch and, if various item descriptions
are to be believed, he is not a benevolent and beloved leader of the Aldritch Faithful. Rather
he is a sorcerer to be feared who wields awesome magical and religious might. Perhaps as a
symbol of his rule over Irithyll, which could technically be considered a theocracy, he wears
a crown reminiscent of a mitre.
The Irithyll Rapier speaks of the Pontiffs sorceries and explains what happens to all the
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knights of the snowy city: Thrusting sword bestowed upon the Outrider Knights of the Boreal
Valley. This weapon is shrouded in frost, and causes frostbite. Every Outrider Knight one day
devolves into a beast, constantly hounded by Pontiff Sulyvahn's black eyes
Once defeated, both of Sulyvahns swords become available to the player and hints at
some deeper connection with the old gods of Lordran and their covenants:
The Greatsword of Judgement is: A ceremonial sword, held in Pontiff Sulyvahn's left
hand, representing the judgment of the moon, but with magic far closer to sorcery than any
existing lunar power. Its dark blue hues, deeper than the darkest moon, reflect sorcerer
Sulyvahn's true nature.
Meanwhile the Profaned Greatsword is: A ceremonial sword, held in Pontiff Sulyvahn's
right hand, representing the Profaned Flame. Long ago, when Sulyvahn was yet a young
sorcerer, he discovered the Profaned Capital and an unfading flame below a distant tundra
of Irithyll, and a burning ambition took root within him.
What is the Profaned Flame? Thats an interesting question. Its named as a Pyromancy
which links directly into the next Lord of Cinder were going to meet: The Profaned Capital
was consumed by fire after Yhorm the Giant became a Lord of Cinder. The fire, born of the
sky, is said to have incinerated naught but human flesh.
The Eleonora, found amongst mutated enemies in the Capital, also mentions that: The
Profaned Flame was triggered by the curse of these women, relatives of a certain oracle, but
despite their culpability, they went on living, without any cares.
So we are left with more questions than answers which link Irithyll and the Profaned
Capital, indeed I wonder if the latter is merely the heart of the former. Regardless, Sulyvahn
remains both a fascinating boss and one who has roots which dig deep into the transitory
lands, stretching as far as the starting area to the end of the game. He is a symbol of the
change of the ages, of faiths lost and new ones found symbolised by the fading of the fire and
the slow decay of the world.
The Dragonslayer Armour
This boss is a curious one, armour animated by an outside force, the mysterious Pilgrim
Butterfly, a skeletal creature which drifts menacingly as you do battle. But its origins are not
completely obscured and we garner enough information to divine its true provenance:
The Dragonslayer Armour, controlled by the Pilgrim Butterfly, lost its master long ago,
but still remembers their sporting hunts.
Now it really would be simple to just say theres a link to Dark Souls and to Ornstein,
Captain of Gwyns Four Knights, here. Except, I dont believe this is actually Ornstein,
especially as the Dragonslayer Set (found later on Archdragon Peak) explains that:
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Golden lion armor associated with Dragonslayer Ornstein, from the age of gods, and
imbued with the strength of lightning. In the dragonless age, this knight, who long guarded
the ruined cathedral, left the land in search of the nameless king.
These two sets are not the same. The boss is the Dragonslayer Armour (note the u). The
Dragonslayer Armor is found one boss later after you defeat the Nameless King. Given the
locale and what we know from the next boss heres my theory (see the Nameless King entry
for the other item descriptions which will back this up).
I think this is the armour of the Nameless King, at least his original set while he was still
Gwyns Firstborn and the god of war.
Gwyn did battle with the dragons, his son switched sides and was stricken from memory.
I believe that, when the Firstborn first decided to turn traitor that he set aside his godly
armour almost as a sign of faith. This was armour that he had worn when hunting dragons
and so, naturally, it would be weird for him to continue wearing it while fighting for their
side.
The two items that you get from transposing the Armours Soul lend credence to this
theory. We know from lore that Gwyns Firstborn wielded lightening as part of his powers:
The shield is described as a: Melted iron shield that once formed part of the Dragonslayer
Armour. The shield offers high protection to lightning, which the Dragonslayer commanded
as his own, and its Skill has faint echoes of the Dragonslayer's own fighting style.
The Greataxe meanwhile: Melted iron greataxe that once formed part of the
Dragonslayer Armour. Thickly imbued with the power of lightning. Use skill to draw upon
the techniques used to slay the archdragons.
We know from visiting Archdragon Peak that Gwyns Firstborn is still aliveat least
until we kill him anyway. Ornsteins set specifically calls the Firstborn the nameless king
and Im convinced there was more than one Dragonslayer, in fact its almost certain there was
because theres no way Gwyneven deified by a Soulcould take on a species of dragons
all by himself. Hence the boss and the wearable armour being two separate individuals: the
first belonging to Gwyns Firstborn and the second to the Captain of Gwyns guards,
Ornstein, who went off on a quest to find him.
Im of the opinion that the brave knight eventually found his way to the Peak, was
reunited with his masters son and was then killed as his set is the only thing left of him. Its
found found shortly after the player character end Gwyns traitorous heir. There is, as far as I
can find, any sign of Ornstein as an NPC in game so I think its safe to assume hes gone
wherever the non-Hollow/Undead of Lothric go.
Oceiros, the Consumed King
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Oceiros is a sad tale of power, magic and grief. Its also an introduction to the mysterious
religion of Dragon worship which lingers even now at the closing of the age and the ending
of a world. Dragons are, of course, very important in Dark Souls lore. They were the primary
antagonists of an ancient war when Gwyn et al claimed the four Souls.
The Lightening Urn reminds us: Dragon-hunting tool used by Lothric knights. Explodes
upon contact, inflicting lightning damage. The knights of Lothric have since tamed dragons,
but were once hunters of dragons themselves. This explains their special hunting gear, and
why they worshipped the sun.
Both the sun and lightening are connected with Gwyn (and his Firstborn, who well get to
later) but the dragons remained and appear to have survived down the ages, at least once we
get to Archdragon Peak. To do that, you have to pass through Oceiros Garden and face the
man himself as youll gain a special gesture which will allow you access to the finaland
most awesomeoptional area of the game.
From his Soul, we learn that Oceiros himself: went mad trying to harness his royal blood
for a greater purpose, leading him to the heretics of the Grand Archives, where he discovered
the twisted worship of Seath the paledrake.
The Dragonscale ring continues that it was the: Ring of Oceiros, former king of Lothric.
Reduces damage from backstabs. In his later years, Oceiros became fascinated with dragons.
After going mad, he was more commonly known as the Consumed King. Many assassins were
dispatched to his domain, but none returned. The Consumed King ascribed his resilience to
the divine protection of the dragon scale.
The Consumed King is the most vocal of any enemy you face. He just wont shut up and
has a running monologue in which he pleas his son. Ocelotte, to reveal himself. The old king
is blind you see, his body twisted and the first time you see him he appears more draconic and
skeletal than he does human (particularly he looks very reminiscent of Seath in terms of
design and spectral appearance). Obviously hes been playing around with very dangerous
and forbidden magics which have backfired spectacularly, costing him his soul and his sanity.
White Dragon Breath links back to the dark sorceries of Big Hat Logan (who is discussed
when we talk about Irithyll)/ Its labeled as: Sorcery of the deluded Consumed King Oceiros.
Emits crystal breath of Seath the Scaleless. Crystal breath has piercing qualities. Seath's
research seemed to strike a chord with old Big Hat who, in his mad, disrobed state, made
divine works such as this, his own. Oceiros was no doubt edified by this.
Seath the Scaleless is of course the most well known dragon in Dark Souls lore. Hes the
dragon who turned traitor and taught Gwyn the secrets about dragon immortality which
allowed the Lord of Sunlight to end the dragons reign. Hes not in game but his legacy
remains and no more so than in the Consumed King.
This is, of course, where we find a stable and much beloved weapon of the Soulsborne
36
series: the Moonlight Greatsword. It is described as a: Legendary dragon weapon associated

with Seath the paledrake. Oceiros, the Consumed King, was infatuated with the search for
moonlight, but in the end, it never revealed itself to him.
His Japanese name better translates to the bewitched king and first the idea that Oceiros
madness lies with dragon magics. But, regardless, his son is his other obsession. The Divine
Blessing notes that Oceiros wife was initially elevated as a goddess before vanishing: The
Queen of Lothric, married to the former King Oceiros, was initially revered as a goddess of
fertility and bounty. After giving birth to Ocelotte, her youngest, she quietly disappeared.
The Consumed Kings dialogue tells us several things about the Kings son, even if he
doesnt appear in-game but for Oceiros delusions. The King spends the first half of his boss
fight cupping an invisible Ocelot in one arm, a tender gesture which explains his violence
towards the player character. Hes a father trying to protect his child and that makes his fight
a powerful mechanic as Oceiros charges blindly across the room.
His dialogue is just as revealing:
Ahh, you ignorant slaves. Finally taken notice have you? Of the power of my beloved
Ocelotte, child of dragons. Well, I will not give him up. For he is all that I have Ahh, dear
little Ocelotte. Where have you gone? Are you hiding from me? Come out, come out, don't
be afraid. You were born a child of dragons, what could you possibly fear? Now, now, show
yourself, Ocelotte. My dear, little Ocelotte.
Its hard not to wonder why Oceiros wife left him. She is presumed to be human and it
sounds like Oceiros engaged in some arcane magics around the time of either conception or
birth to turn a human child into one of dragons. Perhaps it was the transformation of
Oceiros into a half-dragon monster which resulted in Ocelottes mixed status. The Dark Gem,
which is picked up in this area, speaks of disembodied humanity which is used to make dark
weapons. Perhaps it is the Kings lost humanity which fuels them.
Frankly, if I was Oceiros wife, Id leave and take the child with me as well.
The Divine Blessing does however mention that he is her youngest child which suggests
Oceiros has other children wandering the world though there is no mention of them that I can
find. The King remains eaten away by his insanity and putting him out of his misery seems
almost a kindness when you consider his current state.
Champion Gundyr
Champion Gundyr is an odd boss; hes nearly identical to his Iundex incarnation except much
more powerful and he exists in a dark portion of Lothric which sees the player character
revisiting the Cemetery of Ash and Firelink Shrine, called the Untended Graves and Dark
Firelink Shrine. This is an area only accessible after defeating the Consumed King and I
37
wonder if the dark, dragon magics Oceiros was playing with might have warped the local
area or at least caused the Abyss to bleed into reality.
Gundyrs Soul directly references the location: Once, a champion came late to the
festivities, and was greeted by a shrine without fire, and a bell that would not toll.
That seems to be serious overkill for simply being late to a party and Gundyrs story
seems, at the very least, rather in-just. He becomes one of the important ones, people like the
player character and the Fire Keeper, who play key roles in the linking of the flame. His
armour goes into more detail: Gundyr, or the Belated Champion, was bested by an unknown
warrior. He then became sheath to a coiled sword in the hopes that someday, the first flame
would be linked once more.
His halberd posits a pre-destined fate: Halberd of Gundyr the Champion, received when
he was charged with his duty. This old cast-iron halberd has the power to break poise, and is
said to never crumble, seeming to suggest that Gundyr was fated to eternal service from the
beginning.
Finally, the very telling Prisoners Chain, a ring, reiterates that he never really had a
choice in the matter and was indeed fated, if indeed Gundyr himself does believe he is a fated
participant in the ancient ritual: Portion of a steel chain used to restrain Gundyr. Gain
vigour, endurance, and vitality, but take extra damage. A prisoner is one who has staked
everything on a belief, a proclivity most apparent in the greatest of champions.
This still doesnt explain why we meet him twice, except perhaps that the Champion is
his true form and that the Iundex is an older version. One a champion, the other a slave to
destiny and judge of Unkindled.
Dancer of the Boreal Valley
Emmas killer, the Dancer is perhaps one of the most formidable opponents with a grace and
poise which makes her stand out after hulking brutes and casters. She is also perhaps one of
the few characters whose history suggests Irithyll was once a monarchy, then a theocracy.
Her Soul explains that: The Pontiff Sulyvahn bestowed a double-slashing sword upon a
distant daughter of the formal royal family, ordering her to serve first as a dancer, and then
as an outrider knight, the equivalent to exile.
The reasons for her exile are unknown but she is noted in Vordts description as someone
he never far from the fleeting dancer. This suggest perhaps the two were in a relationship or
that Vordt, prior to his transformation, was perhaps her protector. Either way, the Pontiff
didnt like it and exiled both to the land of Lothric to the north.
But he didnt send her without weapons: Paired enchanted swords that Pontiff Sulyvahn
bestowed upon the Dancer of the Boreal Valley. These blades, symbolic of the Dancer's vows,
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are enchanted by dark magic in the right-hand, and fire in the left, mirroring the Pontiff.
So there were vows involved, suggesting she either became a dancer willingly or was
tricked into speaking vows (these are very important within the game universe; lots of NPCs
make them in connection with the player-character and they are usually binding). But the
addition of enchantments, identified as dark magic, suggests some kind of coercion.
Especially as her armour explains she, like Vordt, was twisted into something far from her
original being:
Armor worn by the Dancer of the Boreal Valley. The black eyes of the Pontiff eventually
transformed the Dancer into a beastly creature, her gauntlets fusing with her own hide.
The oddest item we find connected with the Dancer is Soothing Sunlight, a: Special
miracle granted to the maidens of the Princess of Sunlight. Restores a large amount of HP
for self and those in the general area. The miracles of Gwynevere, the princess cherished by
all, bestow their blessing on a great many warriors.
The Dancers Crown, however, makes a direct reference to the old gods of Anor Londo
and, remember, we know from various items that the Way of the White was once the
dominant religion in snowy Irithyll: Crown worn by the Dancer of the Boreal Valley. The
mirage-like aurora veil is said to be an article of the old gods, permitted only for direct
descendants of the old royal family.
This suggests a connection to Anor Londo and yet also that perhaps the Dancer was once
Gwyneveres handmaidens. We know Gwyns beloved daughter left the city of the gods and
went elsewhere, perhaps she found herself in Irithyll for a time? All we can do here is
speculate, even as Emmas blood pools and the Dancer falls and hope the DLC offers up
some answers.
Ancient Wyvern
Do you know the difference between a dragon and a wyvern? They might look the same
(giant, terrifying, fire-breathing, human eating reptiles) but there is actually a difference: a
wyvern has two legs while a dragon has four.
Yes, okay, its a small detail and said creature still wants to kill you. Found as part of
Archdragon Peak, a hidden optional area, the wyvern has a close connection with a hidden
religious tradition which revolves around the dragons.
Just as Gwyn was elevated to godhood, so the dragons he fought and destroyed had their
own followers and a secret place where they could hide while the world lived and died
around them.
Im assuming, here, that the dragons you come across early in the game came from
Archdragon Peak and that the place has become a sanctuary of sorts for the remaining few
39
who live in the world.
We know from the games lore that:
From ancient times, the path of dragon worship was walked by warriors. It is said they
envision Archdragon Peak in the depths of their meditation, and at times, they even hear the
distant sound of the great bell at the peak.
The original game had a dragon-centric covenant and dragons themselves are mentioned
as the rulers of the Age of Ancients. The Age of Fire was the result of Gwyn waging war
against them, helped by the traitor Seath the Scaleless. The Calamity Ring explains the
passing of this ring, which deals double damage (and should be called the Masochists Ring
on principle) became a sacred ritual:
This ring has no useful powers, and is merely a symbol of dragon worship, a thing quietly
passed down amongst its most fervent adherents, some of whom become convinced the task
has been bestowed upon them as a sacred duty.
But were not done yet. Archdragon Peak has another boss who though optional, explains
one of the core mysteries of Dark Souls lore.
The Nameless King
When youeventuallydefeat the Nameless King, you get to see the bluest sky in the game.
Archdragon Peak is without doubt the most beautiful area of the game, a lofty area of blue
skies, cloud and ancient ruins.
Archdragon Peak, despite its danger and ancient ruins, is striking because the world of
Lothric and its transitory lands are grey or misty comprising of mountain peaks, snowy
castles, and dank dungeons. This, however, is the most peaceful spot in the game, a rooftop
vista where silence reigns now the lord of storms has fallen.
Okay, spoiler alert but this has to be said: The Nameless King is Gwyns Firstborn.
Sorry.
I can hear you screaming: But what about Solaire?
If Dark Souls is a series where all we have are dots and must fill in the lines, this is the
most obvious shape we have to connect. The Nameless King, on his pet Stormdrake, is one of
the hardest bosses in the game but also one of the most iconic. Hes also not even easy to
find, being one of the optional bosses that you have to jump through hoops, or at least sit
meditating in front of an obscure statue, to find.
We know from the original Dark Souls that Gwyn had a firstborn son who did something
terrifically bad and had his name torn from legend. His statues were torn now, his name lost
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to time. The Nameless Kings items finally reveal what happened and why Gwyns Firstborn
was stricken from legend. His soul reads:
The Nameless King was once a dragon-slaying god of war, before he sacrificed
everything to ally himself with the ancient dragons.
You can then go to Ludleth and transpose the soul into a Greatsword which explains that:
The Nameless King, ally of the ancient dragons, fought beside the Stormdrake in countless
battles.When the great beast fell, the king claimed his soul, as was the custom in the age of
gods.
The Ring of the Suns Firstborn reminds that Gwyns eldest child inherited the light of
Gwyn, the first lord then goes on further to explain: The Sun's first born was once a god of
war, until he was stripped of his stature as punishment for his foolishness. No wonder his
very name has slipped from the annals of history.
The other item is the Dragonslayer Swordspear:
A dragon hunting weapon from the age of the gods. The earliest form of the cross spear,
serving as both a sword and a spear. Its owner was the Nameless King, a deific hunter of
dragons. The swordspear is imbued with lightning, of which he was the heir.
These two weapons give us vital information, especially when combined with the ring.
We know from Dark Souls that Gwyn had several children but one of them was God of War,
at least until somethingrevealed to be treachery in the war with the dragonssaw his name
stricken from history. Lightening is said to have been the weapon of Gwyns Firstborn.
Gods and men might have tried to wipe him from history, removing statues and striking
his true name from all accords but this single boss has answered one of the most perplexing
questions in the games lore, the perfect ending to the Heirs of Fire bosses because he is a
literal Heir, at least until Gwyn cast his son out and he fled to Archdragon Peak to make his
home amongst an adopted family.
Now, all that is know for certain it that there is only one true Heir left: the player
character.
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THE LORDS OF CINDER
You will not find the Lords of Cinder here. They have left, gone. To their churning homes,
converging at the base of this castle.
Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle
The opening cinematic for the game is an epic thing, beautifully rendered and luring you into
wanting to play the game as well as setting up the story and introducing your corpse as he, or
she, digs themselves out of their own grave in the Cemetery of Ashes.
Except it doesnt tell you everything. The Narrator, for example, speaks of only three
Lords of Cinder when there are, in fact, five of them.
The player-character discovers this upon arriving at Firelink Shrine where four of the five
thrones lie empty, lining the main room just above the Fire Keeper and the Shrines bonfire,
almost presented as a pastiche. Plaques on the back of the thrones inform you that the Lords
of Cinder are:
Ludleth the Exiled (called of Courland in the ending credits; he is the only Lord
present from the start of the game and who actively helps you by transposing souls,
creating weapons and miracles to aid you in your journey)
The Watchers of the Abyss
Saint Aldrich of the Deep
Yhorm, Lord of the Profane Capital
Holy King Lothric, Last of his Line
As expected, your task is to go fetch the Lords and if you cant do that well it is
Dark Souls III, what did you expect? Of course, these arent the only bosses: there are a
grand total of nineteen if you include the optional, well-hidden bosses. But they are the only
bosses where, when defeated, the screen proclaims Lord of Cinder Fallen.
Of the five, only Ludleth has remembered his duty. Indeed he actively assists you by
transposing the souls you bring to him to create powerful weapons and miracles. In the end,
he is immolated with the other Lords remains but, from the first time you meet him he knows
his duty. Perhaps its related to whatever incident saw him exiled, presumably from Courland.
I wonder if he once shirked his duty and now wishes to make up for past mistakes. He tells
you:
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Fear not, fret not, for here are my feet firmly planted. For I am a Lord and this is my
throne.
There is one question. In the series four has always been a magic number: four Souls,
four Lords. In Japanese, the kanji for the number fourhas two pronunciations: yon
and shi. Shi sounds like the word for death () and is usually avoided. For example you
wont see things, like dinner sets or household items, sold in fours, as is common in the UK
and US, whereas in Japan this is considered extremely unlucky.
In Dark Souls III, there are five, quite a departure for the series. I was wondering why this
was the case when I came across EpicNameBros second lets play video where hea noted
fan of the series who worked on the official guides for Bloodbornesuggest that perhaps the
reason for the number is to do with the original four Lords and the player character in the
original game who became Gwyns heir. Hes not suggesting any of the Lords are the player,
rather that they sit in homage. This fits beautifully with the established lore and does explain
a vexing point even if during the game we only have to retrieve four of the five. Ludleth,
perhaps, as the Lord Who Stayed, best represents the former player character who defeated
Gwyn and linked the fire.
But enough about him, lets talk about the Lords we do have to recover.
Saint Aldrich of the Deep
The most interesting Lord in terms of lore is, of course, Aldritch, Saint of the Deep. His name
and location instantly brings to mind eldritch, a word favoured by Lovecraftto whom
Bloodborne was practically made in homage, especially The Old Hunters DLC. It means
weird or sinister and is suggestive of the nightmarish creatures, gods and otherwise,
created by the now long-dead patron saint of horror. Indeed, in Japanese, his name is actually
Eldritch, Saint of the Deep.
When you look at the monster design, creatures like the ones whose bodies are made
from hands, its obvious that Miyazakis team has plumbed the darkness of the human mind
in their creation of beings who are genuinely unsettling as well as a nightmare to defeat.
Either way the creatures of the game rightly belong within the horror genre and the depths of
nightmares.
But lets get back to Aldritch shall we?
Hawkwoods dialogue introduces Aldritch as being the only one of the Lords who
obtained his standing out of fear:
Lets take Aldritch, for one. A right and proper cleric, only, he developed a habit of
devouring men. He ate so many that he bloated like a drowned pig, then softened into sludge,
so they stuck him in the Cathedral of the Deep. And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for
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virtue, but for might.
This dialogue gives us a lot of information. It tells us that Aldritch was a religious man, a
cleric, it tells us he was a cannibal who lost himself to his cravings. It tells us that he was
changed by his habits, literally transformed, and then, because hed become a monster, he
was elevated to near-godhead as a Lord and hidden away, deep below Lothric castle. And all
out of fear for his habits and his transformation.
Within the Dark Souls universe, gods are interesting. Rather than being omnipotent and
akin to the Abrahamic deity, they are instead fallible creatures who claimed their power and
their title, reminding me more of the deities of the ancient Greek pantheon. The original four
LordsGwyn, the Witch of Izalith, Nito and the Furtive Pigmythey were mortal creatures
until they found the Great Souls, the powers of which turned them into something other than
human.
English has one word for this: a god. That said however, they are referred to, at least in
the Japanese version using the word kami, . This better suggests their status, they are
divine but kami arent gods, at least in the Western sense and it is possible for anything to
become one, be they animal, human or an inanimate object. A kind of transformation which
has no opposite in Western religious traditions.
The creation myth tells us there was the grey Age of Ancients, when dragons ruled and
the world existed in misted shadow. The discovery of the First Flame and the Souls rewrote
the world, it thrust Gwyn and his compatriots into a new realm where they had power that
mortals eventually recognised as making the four more than mere mortals. It began the cycle
of flame and dark, life and death, ushering in the curse of the undead into the world
We also know the Big Four werent the only ones to become divine; in-game items speak
of other gods. Gwyns Firstborn became the God of War and his wife bore him heavenly
children, Gwyndolin and Gwynevere. But there were also other deities, like Velka, the
Goddess of Sin, who doesnt appear to be any relation of Gwyns, and Caitha, the goddess of
tears.
Aldritchs elevation seemingly confirms that while a Soul will make you a god, you dont
need one to gain the position. In Aldritchs case, his cannibalism became very specific and he
soon lost his last for mortal flesh, preferring to feast upon gods.
Every mythology on the planet has some story where someone has feasted upon another
and absorbed their power, either literally or figuratively. Once upon a time it was believed
that if your true name was known then your soul was at risk or that taking your photograph
would see your immortal core captured in the image.
In Egyptian myth, Seth gouged out the left eye of Horus and took his power. In Greek
tales, Zeus ate the goddess Metis to prevent a self-fulfilling prophecy that his son would
overthrow him as Zeus has his father. In turn he absorbed her wisdom and ended up with a
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migraine that saw Athene spring, fully-formed, from his head.
Aldritch was once a man of faith, what that faith was well never know (but can assume it
was probably the Way of the White), but we do know once he began eating people that they
became afraid of him. Out of fear, tried to put him out of the way but only succeeded in
giving the weak-willed a focal point for their misguided devotion. We also know that, as a
god, he became instrumental in creating his own cult.
The Road of Sacrifices is mentioned as being the main route by which carts brought
Aldritchs sacrifices and, considering its proximity to the Crucifixion Woods, its no stretch
to wonder if the tortured ended up on his plate as well. But how do we know he ate gods?
Well there are two telling agreements: When you fight him, its his boss title: Aldritch,
Devourer of Gods. The second is revealed with his demise.
When Aldritch, surprisingly not a gelatinous monster but a lithe, arcane spirit (wearing a
very familiar crown and wielding a glowing purple/fiery spear/halberd/scythe) is defeated,
you gain his Boss Soul and then find an important item in a near-by room which will be
familiar to players of the original game: The Sun Princess ring.
Belonging to Gwynevere, it reads:
Ring associated with Gwynevere, princess of sunlight and eldest daughter of Gwyn, the
First Lord. The ring is vaguely warm, like a beam of sunlight, and gradually restores HP.
Gwynevere left her home with a great many other deities and became a wife and mother,
raising several heavenly children.
The other item of note is the Darkmoon Longbow, which can be created by transposing
the Soul of Aldritch. Its description confirms the fate of at least one of Gwyns divine
children:
Longbow of Darkmoon Gwyndolin, who was gradually devoured by Aldrich. This golden
bow is imbued by powerful magic and is most impressive with Moonlight Arrows.
So we know from this that at least one of Gwyns children died at the foul monsters
hands. Except Gwyndolin was a master of illusions and there is a new NPC who claims
leadership of the Darkmoon Knights: Yorshka.
Yorshka is an interesting NPC who appears similar in appearancethat is, ethereal and
spirit-looking, also she has what appears to be a tailto Gwyndolin, her predecessor. She
also speaks in the same cadence, even some of the same dialogue, he used in the first game
and Im inclined to believe shes not a biological daughter of Gwyn but, rather, an illusion
created that somehow gained autonomy after Gwyndolin was devoured.
We know that the company which localises the games uses the same actors. Now Yorshka
and Gwyndolin dont share voice actors, hers is a pleasing feminine voice and his is female
but much deeper, more masculine, to reflect his true gender. Thats assuming he is actually a
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he and not a translator error, as sometimes happens with genders. Either that or hes video
gamings first transexual NPC. Really it doesnt matter however worth mentioning at this
point is the other item transposable from Aldritchs Boss Soul raises just as many questions.
Called the Lifehunt Scythe, its item description reads:
Miracle of Aldrich, Devourer of Gods. Steals HP of foes using an illusory scythe. Aldrich
dreamed as he slowly devoured the God of the Darkmoon, he perceived the form of a young,
pale girl in hiding.
I believe the description here is referring to Yorshka, leader of the Darkmoon covenant.
Shes a pale girl who seems younger than she istherefore a girl rather than a womanand
about as far from human as she can be, sitting atop a tower above the church that bears her
name. Indeed her model is far more similar to Gwyndolin than it is is to Gwynevere who,
though not real, appeared much more human than her sibling.
Gwyndolin, its worth remembering, was a son who appeared as a daughter at least if
were going by the English in-game narrative, raised as a girl despite her birth gender. The
Darkmoon covenant is closely connected with him and this wouldnt be the first time he has
created illusions, being responsible not only for the sunshine in Anor Londo but also a mirage
of his sibling, Gwynevere.
However the Darkmoon is a literal lunar covenant, represented by a dark crescent and an
arrow (even though a dark moon is technically the new moonalso known as the days when
the Earths shadow obscures our only satelliteat least on this planet). In mythology sun and
moon are often connected, they can be siblings like Apollo and Artemis or husband and wife.
Father and child is much rarer but would also fit given that Gwynevere is Princess of
Sunlight, having a brother who was Prince of the Darkmoon would work quite well
especially as the nameless Firstbornmore on him laterwas cast out and given the
moniker of God of War.
This could mean Yorshka is simply an illusion. Equally, she could another child of Gwyn
that weve not met, despite the naming disparity and we may not ever know the true answer.
Yorshka certainly embodies the spirit of the covenant, regardless of her true identity.
Her dialogue, thanks in part to the localisation team perhaps, is near identical to
Gwyndolins, right down to the use of Father Gwyn and Sister Gwynevere. Its notable
that she doesnt, however, refer to Gwyndolin, at least not in early dialogue despite her place
as leader of the covenant which just leaves further questions to be answer.
Yorshka is also quite obviously trapped in her tower. The only way you can get there is
via an Indiana Jones-like leap of faith. She sits on a chair, waiting for you and wonders aloud
if youre some kind of dragon or crow to be able to get to her. If you kill her, she will
whisper: Dear brother, forgive me.
She also explains more about her predicament if the player character doesnt yet have the
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criteria to join the Darkmoon Covenant:
Thou thinks to remain? This tower is a prison. Thy presence shall invoke the ire of the
tyrant Sulyvahn. I bid thee leave, anon. May the Darkmoon watch over thee.
However she does carry one item which might offer up some answers: Yorshkas Chime.
This bell drops if you decide to kill her and explains that:
A sacred chime belonging to Yorshka. Her brother, the former knight captain, presented
her with this medium along with another gift: her name. The ringing of the chime must have
done much to soothe her loneliness.
Finally, suggesting she is unaware of Gwyndolins fate, Yorshka says: I would speak to
my brother of this, one day.
Again, theres no indication if this a literal biological connection, if she really is Gwyns
daughter (which goes against previous game canon that said he only had the three children)
or whether she is an mirage left in place by Gwyndolin, spinner of illusions, to guard the
covenant in his stead. Personally I like to think the latter is the case and that, by naming her,
he some how also imparted a kind of sentience to his adopted sibling.
And so we return to Aldritch for answers; his power extends beyond a single boss fight
where he is an arcane sorcerer who wields the power of the cosmos and the souls of those
hes devoured to try to defeat you. Fans will note he is wearing Gwyndolins crown as if to
visually confirm the source of his godhood. There are the Deacons of the Deep and Pontiff
Sulyvahn to consider as well.
The Deacons fight is one of my favourite bosses in which a collective of around twenty
deacons try to swarm you to death. In keeping with Aldritchs role as a former cleric and now
deity, this word usually refers to ordained members of a religious tradition (normally
Catholicism or Church of England) who participate in worship and services but dont hold
the rank of priest.
The Deacons fight sees a single red soul jumping from body to body, which you then
have to destroy in order to deplete a group health pool. The Deacons themselves are wraith-
like zombies who wander around their boss room following you, lanterns in hand in a tactic
that reminds me of the spiders surrounding Rom in Bloodborne.
Similarly pontiff is another word for pope and a title used by the leader of
Catholicism, though it did once refer to the members of the college of cardinals. Pontiff
Sulyvahn is therefore, by his title, the leader of a religion, most probably the worship of
Aldritch, despite his placement in the Profane Capital. Yet he is also described as a knight and
a sorcerer who gave away his eyes in the form of two rings to two other bosses we meet on
the way.
When looking for more answers to confirm which god, which child of Gwyn met their
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fate in the stomach of the Saint of the Deep, we look to Sulyvahns soul item description
which clarifies his relationship to Aldrich but also offers a hint as to who captured
Gwyndolin:
One of the twisted souls, seeped in strength Pontiff Sulyvahn of Irithyll imprisoned a
god of the old royalty in the abandoned cathedral, to be fed to the devourer.
Yet its possible, as a Lord of Cinder, that Aldritch saw another way. Each of the Lords
has reacted differently to the coming end, to the choice to link the fire or let the world die in
darkness. Ludleth stepped up, his feet firmly planted. The brothers Lothric and Lorian chose
to watch, metaphorically fiddling while the land burned. Yhorm the Giant doesnt seem
particularly malevolent, we have little to suggest he did nothing but waited in the Profane
Capital for his fate to catch up to him. Aldritch, he became obsessed with the Deep, a
dimension that seems straight out of Lovecraftian lore and is described in various way in item
descriptions that weve already covered.
Aldritchs Soul reveals that: When Aldrich ruminated on the fading of the fire, it inspired
visions of a coming age of the deep sea. He knew the path would be arduous, but he had no
fear. He would devour the gods himself.
So we know from this that he sought a way out of the cycle of fire and dark. Personally
Im inclined to believe the Deep, as it is now is probably closer to the Abyss that it originally
appeared. The Abyss is a locale which calls denizens of the dark and malevolent creations, or
at least those of questionable allegiance, like Kaathe and Frampt respectively.
Remember we know from earlier that: The deep was originally a peaceful and sacred
place, but became the final rest for many abhorrent things. This tale of the Deep offers
protection for those who worship amidst those horrors.
So Aldritchs cannibalism was linked to his desire to find another way out, a third path
rather than the choice weve been dealing with in the previous games. Rather than link the
flame or let it die, he looked elsewhere and thought he found an answer, indeed only power
and madness.
Aldritch himself appears in the cinematic as a writhing sludge-monster but by the time we
meet him properly, hes very different. From what the games shows us, via bosses like Iundex
Gundyr, there are dark creatures of the Abyss and I wonder if Aldritch has become host to
something unspeakable from depths unknown.
I wonder if, perhaps, his desire to eat gods and absorb their power, was what saw him
confined, tangled up with his insanity and his vision of the depths. Especially given we know
Gwyndolin lost his life to the Devourer of Gods. Perhaps it was that which saw him
transmogrify from the demonic sludge seen in the opening cinematic to the arcane caster we
fight in Anor Londo?
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The Abyss Walkers
Farron and the Abyss Walkers were one of the bosses first mentioned in the opening
cinematic though we were given precious other information. Its really hard to tell if Farron is
a place or a person at first but as we advance things become clearer. There is only only place
(Farron Keep) that uses the name and the fact its singular and not Farrons Keep makes it
obvious these knights took their name from the place and not a person.
The Japanese for this area also suggests Farron is place name and not an individual
though it is actually harder to tell. Japanese doesnt differentiate particularly well between
singular and possessive (or genders, as weve already learned) when it comes to place names,
where we would use xs to suggest that the Keep belongs to Farron.
Plus we have a massive lore connection. The covenant specifically mentions it was
founded by the Wolf Lord and the leader of the Abyss Walkers. Im also inclined to believe
the Old Wolf of Farron is in fact Sif, companion to Artorias from Dark Souls because, well,
its a giant wolf. How many of those have there been in this series?
This means one thing: the Abyss Walkers owe their existence to a controversial character
and, indeed, attribute the wolfs blood to being the things which makes them, as a group, a
Lord of Cinder.
Their Cinders explain that: The Watchers of the Abyss swore upon their shared wolf's
blood, which also served as their mandate as lords.
Now Artorias is a loaded character, thanks to his central role in the Dark Souls I DLC. We
also know he was the Abysswalker and was accompanied, his tomb later guarded, by a large
wolf named Sif. You meet Sif, now known as the Old Wolf of Farron, when you explore the
keep and talking it to allows you entrance to their faction: the Watchdogs of Farron.
Watchdogs, as a name, references not just the wolf who is the groups mascot and sigil,
but also reminds of their purpose: to battle the denizens of the Abyss wherever they are
found. To use the classic alignment system, this firmly thrown them into good, albeit perhaps
neutral rather than lawful. The Abyss Watchers are a dedicated and loyal collective, excluding
Hawkwood of course, who are sworn to their duty.
Hawkwood was first described in screenshots as a fugitive of the group, a deserter, carries
one of the Abyss Watcher swords (actually a copy of the Greatsword of Artorias). He also has
much to say on the subject of his former affiliation, his words tinged by bitterness:
The Undead legion of Farron is a caravan of the Undead. Sworn by wolfs blood to
contain the Abyss, the Legion will bury a kingdom at the first sign of exposure. Joyous
bunch, really. Gaining admittance to the Legion is a matter of some ceremony. Inside their
keep, snuffing out the flame of three altars opens up the door to the wolfs blood. Even
accursed Undead want to believe theyre special, it seems.
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The Wolf Knight Set gives more information on the origins of this group of warriors:
Armorof a knight tainted by the dark of the Abyss. The twilight blue tassel is damp, and
will ever remain so. A vanquished knight left behind only wolf's blood, and legacy of duty.
The Undead Legion of Farron was formed to bear his torch, and the armour of these Abyss
Watchers suggests their own eventual end.
The boss fight sees you fighting a legion of Abyss Watchers, only for them to pour all
their power into a single, remaining warrior who you then fight for the second phase. Yet the
floor of the boss room remains strewn with swords and bodies and, should you follow
Hawkwoods quest line, you return here for a final showdown.
As a collective Lord of Cinder, the Abyss Watchers seem like they didnt run, rather they
returned home to do their duty and protect Farron from the darkness. They have a holy
purpose, steeped in Dark Souls lore and in a way, it seems almost blasphemous to kill these
guardians, even to return them to their throne. These are sworn warriors keeping to their
promises, which seem to transcend their Lordship, and made long before.
Their Soul, named the Blood of the Wolf, explain that: The blood was spread amongst the
Abyss Watchers, and their souls are one with the soul of the wolf blood master.
So, when you fight that one Abyss Watcher in the second phase of the fight, you are
actually fighting Artorias reincarnated. This is why a single knight rises to fight you and a
single skull comes into your possession to return to the thrones in Firelink Shrine. How cool
is that?
Yhorm the Giant of the Profaned Capital
Its hard to tell where Irithyll ends (or at least its dungeon) and where the Profaned Capital
begins. Are they the same place? The official map suggests yes, collecting Irithyll of the
Boreal Valley, its Dungeon and the Profaned Capital under a single marker. It certainly feels,
at least of Sulyvahns sorcery and his Archdeacons apostasy suggests.
Its Japanese name better translates as , the City of Sin. Profaned means sullied,
tainted either in the sense of blood or magic but it can also be used in a religious context.
This is the one Im inclined to use. Its a good adjective to put before a city like Irithyll, once
a religious bastion which fell from grace and was, literally, profaned. It seems like, once
Irithyll was a great city akin to Anor Londo, a capital of a new land and age. Yet, over time,
succumbed to a new, dark religion that focused on forbidden magics, turning from a
monarchy to a theocracy to an autocracy.
The Court Sorcerers Staff, found in the Capital, says that it was a: Catalyst used by the
court sorcerers of the Profaned Capital. Very powerful when wielded by an exceptionally
intelligent sorcerer. The court sorcerers laid claim to the legacy of the renowned Big Hat
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Logan, going so far as to emulate him with copies of the staff he used.
Big Hat Logan is, of course, an NPC from the original Dark Souls and a former member
of the Vinheim Dragon School, infamous for his literal big hat. He is a scholar who is
attempting for find records left by the so-called Father of Sorceries, Seath the Scaleless.
The Set continues: Armorworn by court sorcerers of the Profaned Capital. The tall, dark
headpiece andformal gold stitching suggests they may have also been oracles. There are
many sorcerers who claim to heirship to the great sage Big Hat Logan, and the Profaned
Capital houses one of two leading schools.
Now this is interesting. Big Hat is also referenced in connection with the Consumed
King, Oceiros whose sorcery, White Dragon Breath mentions him: Seath's research seemed
to strike a chord with old Big Hat who, in his mad, disrobed state, made divine works such as
this, his own. The Consumed King is found in an optional area, adjacent to the Profaned
Capital, called the Consumed Kings Garden.
Logan is also mentioned in a Scroll: Secret tome of the Profaned Capital court sorcerers,
containing sorceries of Logan. Give to a sorcerer to learn Logan's sorceries. The court
sorcerers used this scroll to claim heirship to Logan's legacy, though how that claim stands
up to closer scrutiny is another story.
This then unlocks two other items. The first says, the Soul Spear, says: Sorcery developed
by Big Hat Logan, the great sorcerer who left the Dragon School in an age long past. Fires a
soul spear. The spear boasts superior penetrating power, and is testament to Logan's
strength in battle.
The second is Homing Soulmass: Sorcery developed by Big Hat Logan, the great
sorcerer who left the Dragon School in an age long past. Releases a homing soulmass. This
sorcery may offer a clue as to what Logan sought, but further investigation suggests its
attraction to living things mirrors the nature of the dark.
So both Irithyll and the Profaned Capital are intrinsically linked with magics of a much
darker variety than miracles or the Way of White. I am convinced they are simply one and
the same and, perhaps, Yhorm the giant became their saviour, though he is the Lord on
whom we have the least information. His Soul says that he: is the descendant of an ancient
conqueror, but was asked by the very people once subjugated to lead them, serving as both a
weighty blade and a stone-hard shield.
I wonder if, perhaps, Yhorm and, presumably others of his race (there is one other Giant
in-game and its been confirmed Yhorm is a new character, never before encountered)
perhaps once tried to take over Irithyll. Great cities (as we know from real life history) are a
tasty morsel and there are always people who want to take them and this wouldnt be the first
time Giants wanted to claim a human city for themselves.
His Greatshield tells us that Yhorm was a warrior who lost someone important to him: As
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a lord, Yhorm risked everything and fought unflinchingly as a one-man vanguard. Following
the loss of the one he wished to protect, he forsook his shield.
His Machete focuses on his poise as a warrior: Yhorm once lumbered on the frontlines
with a greatshield. But one day, in place of his shield, a left-hand notch was added to his
machete, enabling the smashing technique that would become the legacy of his later years.
Giants were a staple of Dark Souls II. Remember Drangleic and Nashandras devious
plan? Vendrick invoked the ire of the Giants and they, in returned, swarmed the city to take as
their own. There is one other Giant in the game, in the Undead Settlement. Hes friendly, if
monosyllabic but does nothing to advance the plot, other than aid you in battle.
Yhorm is at the heart of the Profane Capital and his boss battle relies on him being fought
with a specific item, the Storm Ruler. Using this and charging it up allows you to radically
take down his health, up to a quarter per hit. The item description explains that this was a:
Greatsword with a broken blade, also known as the Giantslayer for the residual strength
of storm that brings giants to their knees. Yhorm the Giant once held two of these, but gave
one to the humans that doubted him, and left the other to a dear friend before facing his fate
as a Lord of Cinder.
So we know from this that Yhorm was a reluctant Lord but also one who faced his fate.
He began as an antagonist but eventually became autocrat of the Profaned Capital and
beloved of his human subjects. I think, perhaps, they may have elevated him to Lordship not
as a punishment but as a reward.
Holy King Lothric, Last of his Line
The final Lord of Cinder is an interesting one. As Yhorm falls, youre summoned by a dying
Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle, and asked to save its prince and namesake:
Prince Lothric is in your hands. Please, save his soul. Tell him what he must be. A Lord
Emma has been slaughtered by the Dancer of the Boreal Valley and once she is
dispatched, its time to wander the Grand Archives and the Castle interior until you find the
most mysterious namesake of the land youve spent dozens of hours exploring.
Except the game never mentioned Lothric has a twin.
The Cinders of a Lord offers up a little more detail than Emma, explaining that: The
Lothric bloodline was obsessed with creating a worthy heir, and when this proved
impossible, resorted to unspeakable means. Suffice it to say, the path to linking the fire is a
cursed one indeed.
So we know their is a curse and that Lothric is the king because hes the elder twin. The
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game doesnt actually confirm his kingship however, implying he ran from his destiny. As a
boss he is referred to as the younger prince, his brother Lorian as the elder prince. To
access the boss, you must defeat both but neither will go easily.
Typically in monarchies, the elder prince is the heir, the younger the spare. Yet Lothric is
clearly identified as the heir. Why? Lorian seems to have been the stronger of the two. From
the fact he wears a crownstrikingly similar to the one worn by the Fire KeeperI believe
he was heir to the kingdom and Lothric, dressed in swaddling and a long hood, was the heir
to the Throne of Cinder.
Lorians Ultra Greatsword states that: Before Lorian embraced his brother's curse, he was
a knight who single handedly slayed the demon prince, but the victoryeternally scorched his
sword with flame.
The cutscene reveals Lothric and he chides you, saying: Oh dear, another dogged
contender. Welcome, Unkindled One, purloiner of cinders. Mind you, the mantle of Lord
interests me none. The fire-linking curse, the legacy of Lords, let it all fade into nothing.
Youve done quite enough. Now have your rest.
Lorian is the first brother you fight, he drags his crowned corpse into the boss arena, a
particularly striking throne room, and then teleports as you try to kill him. Once dead,
however, Lothric joins the battle by climbing on his bothers back and resurrecting him. To
defeat the cursed twins you have to make sure your blows hit both of them.
After death, their Soul reveals that:
The two princes rejected their duty to become Lords of Cinder, and settled down far, far
away to watch the fire fade from a distance. A curse makes their souls nearly inseparable.
The Hood of Prayer gives us a little more background on the Younger Prince: (Lothric)
destined to be a Lord of Cinder, was cherished by the royal family, despite being born into
illness, a frail and shriveled child. His swaddling clothes were made of aged, coarse cloth
used in ancient prayer, and are all that he has ever worn.
So we have a cursed bloodline, a pair of brothers who had no desire for Lordship. Im
inclined to believe that, perhaps, theres more to this than meets the eye. Lothric was born
weakthe curseand unable and unwilling to take on the mantle of a Lord of Cinder.
Lothrics straight sword also reveals that: Young Lothric was meant to be a champion,
and was expected to wield this platinum sword, but some things will remain distant dreams
forever.
Lorians Armour set tells us: Lorian, raised as a knight, is said to have been left mute and
crippled by his younger brother's curse. It is also said that Lorian, in fact, wished it so.
Both brothers are shrivelled creaturesLorian teleports only because he cant walk.
Lothric also has mobility issues, hence why he spends the second half of the fight with long,
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distended arms, around his armoured brothers neck.
These two brothers seem locked in a cycle of misery, a destructive relationship which
shows no sign of ending, even after their deaths. Emma entreats you to remind the Younger
Prince and Last of his Line of his duty. However neither have any desire to do anything bar
watch the world die. Youre almost doing them a favour by putting the Twin Princes of
Lothric out of their misery.
Delivered to their Thrones
Each time you defeat one of the Lords, the player character receives their soul as well as the
Cinders of a Lord, an item appearing as a skull that is meant to be used as a totem in the ritual
that rekindles the First Flame. The item reads:
Cinders of a Lord left by the Abyss Watchers (et al). If the Lords will not return to their
thrones themselves, let them return as cinders.
Within ceremonial magic, its often possible to use an item in substitute of a person.
Normally its something the person holds valuable or has kept with them for a long period of
time, so long that a little of their essence, their soul, has been absorbed into it. In this case its
the bones of the fallen.
Dark Souls III, like the games before it, revolves around a ritual, the Linking of the Fire
and so, if the Lords have run from their duties, you will return them to their thrones in one
form or another, in this case their skulls, the physical manifestation of their souls, will sit
together once again.
Once youve fought all four, you can trigger the endgame by placing each skull upon a
throne. There Fire Keeper will then rise and trigger the final cutscene which will see the
essence of the Lords rise from their immolated bones (and Ludleths immolated corpse) and
be poured into the player character.
Were almost done, at least with the main storyline, but that doesnt mean your time in
Lothric is completed
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THOSE MET ALONG THE WAY
Well met.
Andre the Blacksmith
The heart of any game are the NPCs, especially those with quest lines. Dark Souls III
presents the Ashen One with a number of them who congregate in the sanctity of Firelink
Shine. From the crown-wearing, blinded Fire Keeper, to the merry and rotund Siegward of
Catarina (aka the latest incarnation of fan favourite Onion Bro), the gender-changing Anri
of Astora, jaded Hawkewood and, of course, tricksy, tricksy Patches, murderous staple of the
From Software games.
NPCs give a particular flavour to the game and Dark Souls III has twenty three which is
quite a substantial number. Most have quest lines with are connected with the games lore
where as others are callbacks to the earlier games or fan favourites. Some with aid your
quest, others will use you and some (hello, Patches, you glorious bastard) will just abuse you.
Each, though, has a role to play in the game and if you removed them Lothric would be a
lesser place.
One of my big complaints, personally, with Bloodborne was the quest lines and how a
couple (mainly Annalise) were just well you could easily see they were either tacked on or
from cut content that never made it to the official game. A single line reversing time does not
a good ending to a quest line make.
Dark Souls III, however is packed with people we want to meet and spend time with,
even to the point where its possible for the NPCs to summon you to help them. This is a
massive reversal where, in previous games, youd relying on that teach tag-team staple where
you go to a summon sign and get easy fodder to distract the boss while you butt-poke him.
Frankly, being summoned to help an NPC feels almost revelatory.
Many of the NPCs are vendors, offering up items like Titanite Shards, miracles or magic
in return for souls, which remains the dominant currency of the game, or a specific persons
ashes or ash. The Shrine Handmaid at Firelink Shrine, an old Undead woman, specifically
asks you from umbral ash in order to create more wares.
Umbral, as a word, comes from umbra, which refers to the shadows cast by a planet or a
moon, most notably during an eclipse (just look at the moon in Irithyll). This is a theme
which connects in nicely with the idea of the dying fire and the sun (Gwyns symbol) being
connected even now after so much time has passed. The sun is slow being eclipsed and, in the
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Kiln of the First Flame, we see it eaten whole by the Darksign.
Its hard to tell if several of the charactersexcluding Unbreakable Patches who is an

accepted easter egg across games and series, with the same voice actor each timeare simply
callbacks to the original game. Siegward of Catarina, for example, is a near-identical clone of
the Onion Knight, Siegmeyer, from Dark Souls.
Hes probably a descendant and and I wonder if Sieg is a family name rather than a
simple, cheeky call back (its likely a bit of both). Japanese use family name first so
Miyazaki-san would be addressed as Miyazaki Hidetaka so Siegward could easily be the
many times descendant of the original Onion Knight. The two characters also share a lot of
dialogue and a general chilled-outness towards life, as well as not being all that bright. He
does make a good Estus Soup though anddespite being Undeadhis own brand of beer
called Siegbrau.
Similarly, Andre, one of the first NPCs you come across in-game has left many people
confused as to whether he is the same Blacksmith or the formers descendant. Again he is
likely to be a call back to make fans of the previous games quietly nerdgasm. This game, its
all about the callbacks and the lore connections, it is after all the swansong for the series and
FromSoft certainly wanted to go out with a bang on many levels.
Just as the graphics and gameplay will bring many new players to the game, so it also
needs to be a fitting send off to the true fanbase, the legion of devoted gamers who have been
waiting so patiently for the final instalment in the Dark Souls trilogy. For this reason the
game is packed with mentions, some of which weve already covered, but also builds on the
mythos in new and unique ways.
Hawkwood, for example, was once an Abyss Watcher and serves to aid you in the game,
only so far however. Hes jaded and a realist who asks if you even have a sodding chance.
This is a man who has seen the world at its worst and decided running from his true self and
the wolfs blood is the only thing he can do. Yet he lingers in Firelink, occasionally offering
up useful information, but has a much darker purpose in mind.
Hawkwood, you see, wants to walk the path of dragons.
The Dragon Head Stone, one of several you collect as you pass through Lothric and visit
Archdragon Peak explains: From ancient times, the path of dragon worship was walked by
warriors. It is said they envision Archdragon Peak in the depths of their meditation, and at
times, they even hear the distant sound of the great bell at the peak.
He follows you, eventually the Peak and then, sensing perhaps youre his equal in
combat, leaves a message with Andre inviting you to return to Farron Keep. You fight
surrounded by the corpses of his former and fallen brothers and when he falls, you gain the
Twinkling Dragon Stone. This allows you to complete your physical metamorphosis, the
stone allows you to go from summoning the spirit, the mirage, of one of the mighty beasts to
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actually becoming one. Instead the plater character becomes able transform your physical
form into an, albeit anthropomorphised, dragon.
One of the fascinating things about the NPCs of the game is that some become hostile
depending on which other quest lines you complete. Sirris of the Sunless Realms is first
found in Firelink Shrine after you reach Farron Keep. As her names suggests, she is one of
Yorshkas Darkmoon Blades and appears to come from a place very different to Lothric.
Should you join certain covenants, such as Rosarias Fingers, she turns unpleasant andas
expected from a Bladeattempt to kill you.
But then you did decide to listen to Leonhard, the Ringfinger, who not only has a fitting
name but can be found lingering by the thrones, entreating you to give the dark covenant of
assassins a go. Hes the metaphorical devil on your shoulder, whispering dark things about
blood and tongues in your ear. Its a heady temptation but one which irrevocably changes
your standing with Sirris if you listen to him.
Then you have those who specifically swear vows and enter your service, not all with
good intentions. Greirat, for example, will become a fence who will steal things almost to
order, bringing you things pillaged from various locales. That said, hes not an immortal and
will die eventually, as all thieves will when caught unprepared.
Irina and, by extension Eygon of Carim, offer to serve you. She in order to become a Fire
Keeper and he as her protector. Yet only up to a certain point which depends on how you treat
his blind charge. Similarly, Cornyx will, should you employ his services, tutor you in
pyromancies while Yoel of Londor, a pilgrim who failed to die, offers you easy levels in
return for the taint of the Dark Sigil and Hollowing.
Yoel and, in turn, the Fire Keeper and Yuria of Londor (an NPC who appears should Yoel
expire, which happens once you get five levels from him) are intimately connected. As are the
Darksign and the Dark Sigil, both of which signify a Hollowed player character.
Easily confused, the Darksign is reminiscent of an eclipsed sun ringed by fire which acts
as a tool item:
The Darksign is the sign of an accursed Undead and returns its bearer to the last
bonfire rested at, or the bonfire at Firelink Shrine, but at the cost of all souls held. Carriers
of the Darksign are reborn after death, and eventually lose their minds, turn Hollow. And so
it is they are driven from their homeland.
The Dark Sigil, on the other hand, is a brandthe symbol of the cursewhich appears
on the flesh as the symbol of Hollowing and Undeath:
A black gaping hole in the flesh that resembles the brand of anUndead. The darkness of
humanityseeps from this bottomless pitch-back hole, the gap filled by the accumulation of the
curse.
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Regardless both are connected with Londor, home of the Hollowed, and the Usurper
ending. Hollowing can be healed, by offering souls to the Fire Keeper; health for a price if
you can afford it. Yet you need to be Hollowed in order to become Lord, as Yuria (a self-
described servant of Kaathe) entreats youthough not in to many wordsto kill the Fire
Keeper when the time comes and take the flame from her soul.
Not as Lord of Cinder but as Lord of Hollows, ushering a new age of hell on Lothric, a
final Age of Darkness.
Then theres the Nestling of Firelink, a talking hatchling bird who offers up items that can
help if you have the right one to exchange. Found up in the roofing of the Shrine, either by
using the tree jump cheat or by buying the Bell Tower key for a whopping twenty thousand
souls. This is also when you come across Unbreakable Patches who, as usual, tries to kill you
only to beg forgiveness and move into the shrine (offering up a number of items in return for
souls, including a bag of rubbish) as a vendor NPC needed to complete Siegwards quest
line.
Orbeck of Vinheim, a mage and scholar, is a sorceries vendor linked with an ancient
school of magic and found initially near the Crystal Sage, who as weve already covered was
once affiliated with the Grand Archives. Orbeck is, as a result, very interested in arcane and
forbidden tomes of magic which, fittingly sees him end his quest line in the archives he
sought. That if you dont listen to Yuria and kill him first.
Finally we have the Shrine Handmaid, an Undead vendor with an interest in ash, and
Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle. Though small parts, both have roles to play in the
storyline. The Handmaid appears in the Dark Shrine past the Untended Graves and its Emma
who helps you take the first steps to retrieve the Souls of the Lords before summoning you
back to Lothric Castle to deal with its namesake prince.
Most important, of course, are Anri and her silent companion Horace of Astora. Anris
gender changes depending on your own and wedding her/him leads to the usurpation ending.
Her/his quest line is also possibly the most complex in the entire game, involving countless
meetings and culminates, should you decide to wed her/him in an arcane ritual which will
give you the strength to become Lord of Hollows. Yet it will also cost Anri and Horace their
lives.
The NPCs are, in some ways, like to locations, the glue which binds the game together.
Some are beloved, others a curiosity. All will go down in the games history and lore for
different reasons but they add a depth to Lothric which is all the sweeter for the presence,
even if theyre not good people but have nefarious goals that go against your primary task
to bring the Lords back to their thrones.
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PRAISE THE (DARK) SUN
Ashen One, hearest thou my voice still?
The Fire Keeper
All that begins must also, one day, end. The game comes to its natural conclusion where we
started: Firelink Shrine.
Except now skulls sit on thrones where Lords of Cinder once were and your task is
almost done. The Fire Keeper has you light the bonfire and beseech the Lords to pass their
souls into you so you can do what they could not: link the flame and restore the world.
Whether you chose to or not, well there are a number of endings. Im not going to talk in
length about how you get the endings (thats for walkthroughs and the Official Guide), simply
that you can achieve them.
The final area is perhaps one of the most disturbing youll find; a large open area filled
with flowers and the half-destroyed ruins of ancient buildings all piled up on top of each
other. This is, undoubtably, Lothric on the final day of the world and, above you, a vein of fire
being siphoned into the black hole, reminiscent of an eclipsed sun and the Dark Sigil:
A black gaping hole in the flesh that resembles the brand of an Undead. The darkness of
humanity seeps from this bottomless pitch-black hole, the gap filled by the accumulation of
the curse. This Dark Sigil will never heal, but there is a tale told of a Fire Keeper who
returned from the Abyss, and brought great comfort to a bearer of the curse.
Similarly, the Fire Keepers Soul tells the other half of this story:
Soul of a Fire Keeper who is said to have returned from the Abyss. This Fire Keeper
preserves the bonfire, and serves its champion. She is said to have soothed and accepted the
dark sigil, which has gained her soul. And yet, her soul will one day embed itself in the
bosom of another Fire Keeper.
Ludleth, in his initial dialogue stream, warns you: Treat the Fire Keeper not with
discourtesy. She is much like thee. Prisoners, both, kept to link the fire.
This essentially means just as the world is trapped in a cycle revolving around the First
Flame, so is the Fire Keeper condemned to reincarnate over and over in each age. Both you
and she are trapped in the cycle of predestination, of destiny. Yet, just as this Fire Keeper can
be killed, so her successorin this case Irinawill one day be called to replace her should
the Age of Fire be restarted.
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There is still a choice to be made, even if it doesnt actually matter in the cycle of fire and
dark.
Perhaps the most interesting item pertinent to this place are the Eyes of a Fire Keeper,
found in the Bell Tower which is a memorial to Fire Keepers past. This particular item is
required for one of the endings but also explains why the gentle Fire Keeper in Firelink
Shrine wears a crown which blinds her:
A pair of dark eyes. Said to be the eyes of the first Fire Keeper, and the light that was lost
by all Fire Keepers to come. It reveals to the sightless Fire Keepers things that they should
never see.
Remember how we talked about the Japanese etymology for the name Fire Keeper? The
kanji used are , translating as something like Fire Defending/Protecting Woman.
This becomes much more important now were at the games end: Fire Keeper is a more
passive title, suggesting someone who only tends the flame and sees it continue to burn but
this is not her entire role.
Just as the Fire Keeper leads the ceremony to make the player character official heir to the
Lords thrones, so she has a role to play in several of the games endings:
Noble Lords of Cinder, the fire fades and the Lords go without thrones. Surrender your
fire to the true heir. Let him grant death to the old gods of Lordran, deliverers of the First
Flame.
So, essentially, the Fire Keeper wants to end the cycle once and for all, to give you the
power to commit deicide. Either you grant true death, you link the fire or you steal it. Yet her
language is odd: were going to fight a single boss who embodies one of the old gods of
Lordran, not all of them. Not the Witch, not Nito, not the Furtive Pigmy.
Plus, the Kiln of the First Flame is very different to how we once saw it, now it is the
entire planet. Ruins pile up, memories of lands lost and forgotten. White flowers dot the
ground and the entire arena when you fight the games final boss is littered with hundreds of
swords, stabbed into the ground. The entire planet, land or dimension, in which the games
take place is finally coming to the end of thousands of years of existence. The sun has gone
dark and the Soul of Cinder the only herald to the final decision that must be made.
The Soul of Cinder
First off its worth mentioning this is a terrible boss name. Weve been dealing with Souls of
the Lords of Cinder for an entire game. Calling the final boss the Soul of Cider is just
confusing, even if it does attempt to explain what the final boss actually is.
Implied by the English translation to be the soul of every Lord of Cinder amalgamated
into one, he/it is very hard to beat (and whose phrase two sees it/him regain health and adopt
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the move-set belonging to Gwyn, the original Lord himself). If you look carefully during
phrase one, youll see that the Soul changes his form several times, from using a sword to
casting arcane projectiles. It/he shifts through a variety, if not all, of the different classes until
you hit the fifty percent mark.
The Japanese name for this boss is a little clearer: or the Incarnation/
Amalgamation of Kings. This being is the literal avatar of every Lord from Gwyn down to
Lothric, serving as the final bulwark between you and the First Flame. I much prefer the
Japanese to the English as it offers much more clarity and it sounds better because,
remember, these are Kings of Kindling, fuel for the fire. The Soul dropped once you defeat
the boss helps with this:
Since Lord Gwyn, the first Lord of Cinder, many exalted Lords have linked the First
Flame, and it is their very souls that have manifested as defender of the flame.
So, yeah, technically we just fought Gwyn again. Awesome, no?
As with the other bosses, there are two options for transposition. The first is the Firelink
Greatsword, a wieldable version of the coiled sword:
The Lords of Cinder linked the First Flame, and this Greatsword was wielded by their
deific manifestation. This coiled sword, found thrust in the bonfire, existed long before the
throneless lords themselves.
Then there is the Sunlight Spear:
Miracle of Gwyn, the First Lord. Hurls a sunlight spear. The tales of Gwyns Archdragon
hunts describe the inception of the Age of Fire.
This really was the only boss we could have fought, the final guardian between us as the
true Heir to the Lords position. But once thats done you have, subject to met conditions, a
choice to make in order to achieve one of four endings. The names are taken directly from the
trophy achieved just before the credits begin to roll. Ive added the a note to each ending with
the names given in the Official Guide as these provide an idea of the cannon ending (as far as
a third party, albeit officially sanctioned guide, can be said to know about cannon).
Recently I came across a talk by a man called Alan Watts, one of the first Westerns to
embrace Buddhism and popularise it in the UK after a millennium of monotheistic
Christianity. He makes a good point about the nature of reincarnation and life/death which is
pertinent to Dark Souls III (the parenthesis are my own):
If youre liberated (from the cycle of reincarnation) youll understand that the past
doesnt exist, the future doesnt exist, there is only the present. Thats the only real you there
is.
At this final moment, the culmination of a thousand deaths and reawakenings, the Ashen
One literally holds the fate of the world in the palm of their hand but, really, there is no
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decision to be make. If you stoke the fire, it will still die and if you let it fade, it will one day
reignite.
There really is no choice, even as we have moments to decide.
To Link the First Flame (aka the Simple Ending)
With the Soul/Amalgamation fallen, you walk to the bonfire and link the flame. Fire ripples
over your Unkindled form and you sit in meditation as the fire burns youonce againto
cinders, the dark sun hanging in front of you.
The End of Fire (aka the True Ending)
Though marked as the True Ending in the guide, this one feels just a tiny bit like cheating.
As in the first two games, its clear that even if you dont link the fire, it never truly dies.
Rather than the fire, you turn to a glowing green sigil just next to it and call across the realms
for an old friend. The summoned Fire Keeper explains as she douses the flame and the screen
goes dark:
The first flame quickly fades. Darkness will shortly settle. But one day tiny flames will
dance across the darkness like embers linked by lords past. Ashen One, hearest thou my voice
still?
The screen fades to black and the game begins once more.
The Dead Fire Keeper (Theres no Achievement I can find for this ending, or an official
name; the Guide wrongly attributes this as the Usurping the Fire ending)
This ending is achieved directly after you summon the Fire Keeper. Just before the cutscene
kicks in, you have to kill her, taking her soul and the essence of fire within her. You get about
two seconds to attack her, she falls, still clutching the flame which you scoop from her cold,
dying fingers.
As you sit and raise the flame above your head, the Narrator intones her words from the
opening cinematic: Nameless, accursed Undead. Unfit even to be cinder. And so it is that ash
seeketh ember.
The Usurpation of Fire (aka the Lord of Hollows Ending)
This is probably the most complicated ending, involving the player character going Hollow,
following a complicating quest line and finishing with marriage to Anri of Astora (male or
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female, depending on your gender). This questline culminates in the ruins of Irithyll and a
certain tower. You are wed to her corpse in an ancient rite that sees you stab her with the
Sword of Avowal, an item that will make you Lord of Hollows:
Ceremonial sword of Londor. Cannot be equipped as a weapon. It is said that a rite of

wedlock will presage a true Hollow lord. Your spouse's name is Anri, who patiently awaits a
rightful lord, deep within the mausoleum.
After doing this, Yuria speaks to you and better explains the reasons why the people of
Londor need a Lord of Hollows:
Now thou art the true and deserving Lord of Hollows. With a spouse, the strength to
claim the fire is thine I, Yuria, and all Londor embrace thy pending Lordship. I prithy,
play the Usurper, when the time cometh to link the fire, wrest it from its mantle. The age of
old gods was founded and sustained by the linking of the fire. But the gods are no more and
the all-powerful fire deserves a new heir. Our Lord of Hollows, it shall be who weareth the
true face of mankind.
Usurpation means to steal or step in, to take something (in the case a throne and the fire)
that is not yours by right. This is the selfish ending, where a band of Hollows would see the
world suffer so they can live and climb the food chain. They want to become the undead
lords of a new world, in which the fire rests in a single being: you.
After defeating the Soul, the player character goes to link the fire and it ripples through
your Hollow, skeletal form. But rather than ending you, there is an obvious attempt at
fighting the flame in which you fall to the ground. Moments later, the flame usurped, you rise,
crowned Lord of Hollows. Two NPCs wait to watch you, heads bowing as your rise. Then, as
the screen goes dark, a voicebelonging to an old woman simply known as the Pilgrim or
the Old Woman of Londorwhispers:
Aaah, gracious Lord. Make Londor whole.
The last shot is of your character striding through a crowd of Hollows, lines of them on
either side, naked and bowing on all fours. As you walk into the camera, the black sun
continuing to burn behind you.
More Questions than Answers: The Nature of Dark Souls
I admit, I was expecting some kind of concrete conclusion. Actually answers but that isnt
Miyazaki-sans way. Its been widely publicised that if this isnt the final game in the series,
its the final one as we currently know it, suggesting there will be a radical shift in the next
game (though Im personally hoping FromSofts next point of focus is either for a new IP,
shorthand of intellectual property, aka a new game series) or Bloodborne 2.
The game leaves me with a sense of hopelessness, not because it wasnt a good game (it
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was awesome and is understandably garnering acclaim on all fronts) but because the
resolution wasnt really an ending at all. However, that said, it does fit perfectly with the
cycle theme that runs like dark thread through each of the titles in the series. When you think
about it, each of the endings fit eachs own way:
You link the fire, the world restarts and lives a little longer, a temporary reprieve
which is becoming shorter each time.
You dont link the flame and darkness is ushered in, only for the flame to sputter back
to life at some future point of its own accord as ash seeking embers.
You steal the flame, either by killing the Fire Keeper or by usurping it, and the world
shifts into a hell of your own making and you become a new god for a new, different
age. But this age will, one day, end as all those before it have done.
Dark Souls, as a series, is a lesson in finality and transitory nature of the world. There are
constants but even those will end one day. The game, the final one as the series currently
stands, is essentially preparing use for the end. Not just of Lordran and Lothric but of From
Softwaress most beloved and brutal IP.
Whatever the player character does, who they kill, what they chose, it doesnt matter. The
end has come in one form or in another. All you can do now is praise the sun and start New
Game+.
Because the cycle, it never really ends.
64

Ash Seeketh Ember The Lore of Dark Souls 3 PDF

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Ash Seeketh Ember The Lore of Dark Souls 3

Ash Seeketh Ember

Asha Bardons backgroundwriting as Lesley Smithis as a freelance journalist

NOTE: There will be spoilers! Lots of them. Seriously.

My undying thanks to FiGhTiNCoWboY, LoreMasterNojah and FXYusha (

NOTES AND SOURCES

So I want to make a couple of things clear:

This is a fun project and 100% unofficial.

The reason for this is two-fold.

I am not fluent in Japanese, nor do I pretend to be.

had access to publishers, code (aka: games) and dev(elopement) kits.

Im covering the main aspects of the lore.

This is just the first iteration of a much longer project.

Aegon of Astora Dark Souls 3: Blind Playthrough

Let's Play Dark Souls 3 with EpicNameBro

FiGhTiNCoWBoY Dark Souls 3 Lets Play

FiGhTiNCoWBoY Dark Souls 3 Walkthrough

FiGhTiNCoWBoY Dark Souls III Drunkthrough

TheLoremasterNojah Dark Souls Raw Stream Footage (Japanese with English

DARK SOULS 2016.3

DARK SOULS 2016.2

Dark Souls III - Ending and Final Boss!

Bonfire/Location Names (in English)

Prima Official Dark Souls III Strategy Guide

The fire fades and the Lords go without thrones.

The Narrator, Opening Cinematic

In Japanese, therefore, this iconic location is not a kiln.

Lets take another one.

The gender-neutrally titled but always female Fire Keeper () translates as

Similarly the Lords of Cinder () translates better as Kings of Kindling/

THE ASHEN ONE

The Fire Keeper

There are two computer game analogies which will work.

The Untended Graves, a pitch-black recreation of the Cemetery of Ash, leads to

Attire of the three mentors of the Sable Church of Londor:

This pitch-black dress resembles a mourning dress. (Dress)

The price for a moments respite can often be heavy.

Lordran, Anor Londo and Drangleic

struck fear in the hearts of men.

But thats not the only land of old mentioned here.

Heirdom taketh many forms indeed.

specifically, awaited and have a role to play in the coming story.

Vordt of the Boreal Valley

The Cursed-Rotted Greatwood

The second is a lot more fitting, a sorcery:

The Deacons of the Deep

High Lord Wolnir

We dont know if they answeredor even if they could.

Old Demon King

Irithyll is a beautiful city, Gothic and reminiscent of Cainhurst Castle in Bloodborne

Armor worn by an Archdeacon of the Cathedral of the Deep. Presented solely to

The Dragonslayer Armour

Oceiros, the Consumed King

series: the Moonlight Greatsword. It is described as a: Legendary dragon weapon associated

His dialogue is just as revealing:

Dancer of the Boreal Valley

who live in the world.

We know from the games lore that:

The Nameless King

I can hear you screaming: But what about Solaire?

The other item is the Dragonslayer Swordspear:

THE LORDS OF CINDER

Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle