How Powerful Is Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight? | Gwyn Respect Thread (2021)
By Azronger 2 Comments
This blog explores the true strength of the Great Lord Gwyn, the final boss of the original Dark Souls, back when he was still the Lord of Sunlight spoken of in the opening cinematic, eons before the Chosen Undead fights him in the game as a diminished Lord of Cinder. This divide between his peak self from the lore and his enfeebled state in the game is explained in the first section of the blog, whereas the second section demonstrates his paramountcy among the entire pantheon of Dark Souls characters, and lists the wank of notable characters whom he scales off of. The table of contents is as follows:
- LORD OF SUNLIGHT VS. LORD OF CINDER:
- The Other Lord Souls
- Fuel for the First Flame
- Life
- Light
- Time
- Space
- Conclusion
- Enduring the Kindling
- Apportioning His Power
- UNMITIGATED SUPREMACY:
- Gwyn’s Children
- The Firstborn Son
- Dark Sun Gwyndolin
- Filianore
- The Other Lords
- Dark Souls II
- Dark Souls III
- The Chosen Undead vs. The Ashen One
- Gwyn vs. The Soul of Cinder
- Gwyn vs. Gael
- Gwyn’s Children
Due to the cryptic and interpretive nature of the storytelling in Dark Souls, not all of my conclusions are incontrovertible fact. Thus, I am accepting of skepticism and alternate takes on the lore, but I’d require more sound reasoning than what I have presented in the blog itself for me to actually change its contents. Even though many of the conclusions drawn are simply my own subjective inferences, I will, nonetheless, attempt to reinforce them with evidence. Regardless, there is going to be wiggle room, and my final assessment of Gwyn will only be a rough approximation rather than an exact measurement.
Concerning the source material, I am aware of the mistranslations in the English versions of the games, but I will not be dismissing them on that basis. The English translations are featured in officially licensed and published products, and are therefore acceptable as valid interpretations of the lore in my eyes, even if they diverge from the original Japanese text. If the reader nonetheless wishes to disregard the ostensibly mistranslated material as non-canonical, that is their prerogative. I simply want to make clear I am not curtailed to this viewpoint.
Warning: This blog contains major spoilers for all three games, so if you haven't played them and intend to, click away. If, however, you have played the games or simply don't mind spoilers, enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVW5Z66-80k
I. LORD OF SUNLIGHT VS. LORD OF CINDER
Because there are no concrete feats for him (his involvement in the war with the ancient Archdragons is depicted very minimally), ascertaining how powerful Gwyn was in his prime comes down to powerscaling him from his Lord of Cinder incarnation in the game.
A) THE OTHER LORD SOULS
Even in his depleted state, the remaining power of Gwyn’s soul is said by Kingseeker Frampt to be "commensurate" (Oxford dictionary: "corresponding in size or degree; in proportion") to the souls of Gravelord Nito, the Witch of Izalith, Seath the Scaleless, and the Four Kings of New Londo, who are, lore-wise, the most powerful beings in the game with the possible exception of Manus, Father of the Abyss. The souls possessed by Seath and the Four Kings are actually portions of Gwyn's own soul he willingly bequeathed unto them for their service ages ago when his strength was still closer to its apex. Thus, if Gwyn’s remaining power is roughly equivalent to the power in the Lord Soul shards, then he must have at one time been at least thrice as powerful as he is in the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQabOtbIIvg&t=4m47s
“Very well. As Kingseeker, I shall now instruct you, the Lord’s successor, in your next task. To achieve your fate, fill the vessel with powerful souls, commensurate to the great soul of Gwyn. Scarce few possess such brilliant souls. Gravelord Nito, the Witch of Izalith, the Four Kings of New Londo, who inherited the shards of Gwyn’s soul… and Lord Gwyn’s former confidant, Seath the Scaleless. All of their souls are required to satiate the Lordvessel.”
Kingseeker Frampt
Soul of one of the Four Kings, who fell to Dark. A fragment of a Lord Soul discovered at the dawn of the Age of Fire.
Lord Gwyn recognized the foresight of these four great leaders of New Londo, and granted them their ranks and the fragments of a great soul. Although this is not a full Lord Soul, it can still satiate the Lordvessel.
Bequeathed Lord Soul Shard (Four Kings) item description
Soul of the albino Seath the Scaleless. A fragment of a Lord Soul discovered at the dawn of the Age of Fire.
Seath allied with Lord Gwyn and turned upon the dragons, and for this he was awarded Dukedom, embraced by the royalty, and given a fragment of a great soul. Although just a piece, it will still satiate the Lordvessel.
Bequeathed Lord Soul Shard (Seath the Scaleless) item description
B) FUEL FOR THE FIRST FLAME
However, by the time the Chosen Undead fights him, Gwyn has been burning as fuel for the First Flame for “a thousand years” according to Frampt. The power in his soul would have continuously dwindled in order to feed the fire for all that time. It is impossible to precisely quantify how much power Gwyn used up altogether, but his self-immolation kept the Age of Fire going for an additional millennium. To understand just how impressive this is, it must first be understood that the First Flame seems to uphold the metaphysical underpinnings of the world. The narration in the opening cinematic states the very idea of Disparity - heat and cold - life and death - Light and Dark - only came about with the advent of fire and did not exist in the Age of Ancients. Before there was just existence, but after genesis there were states of existence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQabOtbIIvg&t=2m16s
“Heavens! You have done it! You have retrieved the Lordvessel! After a thousand years! It is you, it really is you!”
Kingseeker Frampt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0l73vAlEBQ
“In the Age of Ancients, the world was unformed, shrouded by fog. A land of grey crags, archtrees, and everlasting dragons. But then there was Fire. And with Fire, came Disparity. Heat and cold, life and death, and of course… Light and Dark.”
The Narrator
I. LIFE
The Archdragons predating fire were not living beings in the conventional sense - they were more akin to minerals in the earth and, despite their sentience, inhabited “another plane of existence, which transcends life.” It was only with the advent of fire that the concept of life was introduced to the world. Congruent with this fact, Shanalotte, the Emerald Herald, states that whenever the fire is linked, “souls will flourish anew, and all of this will play out again.” Since “souls are the source of all life,” she effectively means that life itself will become more abundant and resplendent the brighter the First Flame burns, which is reflected in the cyclical rise of a new kingdom at the dawn of the linking and its inevitable collapse once the fire begins to fade that the second clause of her line refers to. Therefore, in giving his own soul to the First Flame, Gwyn indirectly divided it into innumerable fragments that were allotted to the creatures inhabiting the world - the potency of his soul was such that it sparked the reinvigoration of whole civilizations and revitalized the biosphere.
Stone imbued with the power of the dragons. Rite of apostles of the ancient dragons. Gain torso of dragon. Roar like a dragon.
The dragon apostles seek transcendence of life itself, attainable by transformation into an ancient dragon. This rite is only one step, but it cannot be reversed until death.
Dragon Torso Stone item description (Dark Souls)
Online play item. Find a player who has acquired a Dragon Scale and invade that player's world to pillage it.
An art of the transcendent apostles who pray to the ancient dragons. To be alive is to be vulnerable, and the fiery Gods are no exception. The apostles seek another plane of existence, which transcends life.
Dragon Eye item description
Isomura: “Onward to enemy characters… Why is the Stone Dragon 'OK' with its tail being cut off? Why doesn't he become hostile? The suspense was thrilling me! Compare it to Griggs, who doesn't get pissed with the Dark Hand R2, it must really have a heart of gold…!”
Miyazaki: “The Stone Dragon is not alive. The Ancient Dragons are half-living, half-element, so there's no pain for them. In the opening cinematic, it's shown that they were there before there was life. So yeah, they don't feel pain, kinda like Akuma Shogun.”
Isomura: “I thought the tail regrows.”
Murohashi: “It does.”
Isomura: “So it doesn't hurt?”
Miyazaki: “No, it's not like that. It's not painful. It's just beyond human understanding.”
Game no Shokutaku interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ4QEsQgQ34&t=3m18s
“So, how long was I sat petrified… Long enough for the old kingdom to have crumbled, I see. Long enough for Olaphis to rise, fall, and fade away, evidently. Why didn't anyone wake me sooner?! Heh heh…“Drangleic… I've never heard the name. Is that what they call this place now? Hah hah…Very good, very good indeed.“The cursed ones were imprisoned within this land. Of course, you came of your own free will. Heh heh…“The people feared the cursed ones like a plague. Some people would rather keep dreadful things out of sight, out of mind. In the end they swept them up and corralled them here. So very typical of meek minds, don't you think?“Once people became aware of their own frailty… They seized anybody they found undesirable, cursed or no, and impounded them here. Whoever posed even the slightest threat, was removed. All so that they could sleep better at night. They even turned the great Straid into a stone! Hah hah!“Many kingdoms rose and fell on this tract of earth; mine was by no means the first. Anything that has a beginning also has an end. No flame, however brilliant, does not one day splutter and fade. But then, from the ashes, the flame reignites, and a new kingdom is born, sporting a new face. It is all a curse! Heh heh heh! And it is your cursed flesh that will inherit the flame. Heh heh…”
Straid of Olaphis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IREEG1iN2r4&t=2m44s
“Now listen here. When do you think this all happened? Long ago, when this very land was called something else… We say Drangleic now, but… Countless kingdoms have risen and fallen on this very spot… And this won't be the last… oh no…”
Laddersmith Gilligan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK8-lgaEPmA&t=3m25s
“You know how they call this place Drangleic, right? Well, in the old lore, in stories and the like, they said it had another name… What was it? Well… I don't know, it's just something I heard. Since long, long ago, many kingdoms have risen and fallen on this very spot. Each like a great flame, that turns to soot. Maybe that's why people don't remember much about the past…”
Stone Trader Chloanne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4wNx3T3At4
“You, who link the fire, you, who bear the curse… Once the fire is linked, souls will flourish anew, and all of this will play out again. It is your choice… To embrace, or renounce this… Great Sovereign, take your throne. What lies ahead, only you can see.”
Shanalotte, the Emerald Herald
Soul of a lost Undead who has long ago gone Hollow.
Use to acquire souls.
Souls are the source of all life, and whether Undead, or even Hollow, one continues to seek them.
Soul of a Lost Undead item description
II. LIGHT
The First Flame also brought Light and Dark to the world. This is very literal: as seen in one of the endings of Dark Souls III where the First Flame is extinguished forever, light will totally disappear, leaving behind abject blackness akin to the Abyss, where only a smattering of embers remain. Between the events of the first and third game, the fire almost faded completely, and the darkness came to cover the world, albeit not totally - one could still see a few meters in front of them. This was the era in which Gundyr, the Belated Champion, was set to link the fire but never found his Fire Keeper - it is confirmed to be the past in the item descriptions for Gundyr’s soul and gear, not merely an alternate reality, so it’s possible for darkness to blanket the land even with the First Flame still dimly burning. It is likely the world reached this dismal state in Gwyn’s time, as Darkstalker Kaathe speaks of the Age of Dark as having already come in past tense. Unlike some of the other facets of Gwyn’s strength, this aspect of his feat can be roughly quantified by calculating the luminosity required to illuminate the whole world for a thousand years as Gwyn did by repelling the Dark. However, I’ll leave that to more scientifically literate people than myself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRgKolp7LQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3552jy3UF6Q&t=4m46s
“The eyes show a world destitute of fire, a barren plane of endless darkness. A place born of betrayal. So I will'd myself Lord, to link the fire, to paint a new vision. What is thine intent?"
Ludleth of Courland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SrOXqJflX0
Soul of champion Gundyr. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire many souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
Once, a champion came late to the festivities, and was greeted by a shrine without fire, and a bell that would not toll.
Soul of Champion Gundyr item description
Ancient chest piece of a set of cast iron armor, belonging to Champion Gundyr. Modeled after a former king.
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.
Gundyr's Armor item description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuxmVEjUBNg&t=2m3s (2:03)
“Hmm… You are astonishing. The truth I shall share, without sentiment. After the advent of Fire, the ancient Lords found the three souls. But your progenitor found a fourth, unique soul. The Dark Soul. Your ancestor claimed the Dark Soul, and waited for Fire to subside. Soon, the flames did fade, and only Dark remained. Thus began the age of men, the age of Dark. However… Lord Gwyn trembled at the Dark. Clinging to his Age of Fire, and in dire fear of humans, and the Dark Lord who would one day be born amongst them, Lord Gwyn resisted the course of nature. By sacrificing himself to link the Fire, and commanding his children to shepherd the humans, Gwyn has blurred your past, to prevent the birth of the Dark Lord.”
Darkstalker Kaathe
III. TIME
Per the item description of the Repair miracle in Dark Souls III, light is synonymous with time in the series. It therefore follows that with the fading of the light of the First Flame, time itself would also contort. Solaire of Astora states “the flow of time is convoluted; with heroes centuries old phasing in and out. The very fabric wavers, and relations shift and obscure,” in essence meaning the flow of time across the entire multiverse is disturbed and non-linear, which is used as the lore justification for the gameplay mechanics of multiplayer summoning and invading, bloodstains, and messages. Further evidence for the rupturing of time being connected to the First Flame are the bonfires: other players that are elsewhere seen running around as transparent, monochromatic phantoms begin to resemble their real forms around the light of bonfires; and the Chosen Undead can warp between present day and ancient Oolacile uninhibited; as can the Bearer of the Curse between Eleum Loyce, which is frozen in time, and the rest of the world; as can the Ashen One between the past, present and future Firelink Shrine, and the wasteland at the end of all civilization where they fight Slave Knight Gael. Bonfires thus appear to be fulcrums around which the flow of time is concentrated, almost as if the flame is pulling in adjacent timelines closer together as its light fades. It’s therefore probable that a newly-lit, blazing fire would have the opposite effect of pushing these timelines apart so that the flow of time can reassume normalcy. If so, then the power in Gwyn’s soul accomplished just that when it was used as kindling for the First Flame.
Lost sorcery from Oolacile, land of ancient golden sorceries.
Repairs equipped weapons and armor. Includes weapons with exhausted durability.
While the effects of this spell are rather subtle, its foundations are a well-guarded secret. Light is time, and the reversal of its effects is a forbidden art.
Repair item description (Dark Souls III)
--Repair item description (Dark Souls III)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXyl07yfRaQ&t=62s
"We are amidst strange beings, in a strange land. The flow of time itself is convoluted; with heroes centuries old phasing in and out. The very fabric wavers, and relations shift and obscure. There's no telling how much longer your world and mine will remain in contact. But, use this, to summon one another as spirits, cross the gaps between the worlds, and engage in jolly co-operation!"
Solaire of Astora
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzV6oS3PQg&t=395s
“Did you notice any letters on the ground on the way here? These are messages that have jumped the fissures between worlds. In Drangleic, the flow of time is convoluted. Things shift and waver, twist and turn. Poignant wishes, dashed dreams… The messages convey our very inner thoughts. If your will to soldier on falters, try leaving a message. Somebody out there is sure to listen.”
Crestfallen Saulden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzV6oS3PQg&t=435s
“You may notice symbols that appear upon the ground. These are summon signatures… They call upon spirits from other worlds through the schisms in time. If you fear Hollows, find summon signatures to call upon spirits to help you.”
Crestfallen Saulden
IV. SPACE
The waning First Flame doesn’t just contort the flow of time; it also twists the dimension of space and shrinks the world seemingly into a singularity (if the advent of fire can be likened to the Big Bang, its extinguishment can be likened to a collapsing star or a black hole). The nonsensical world design of Dark Souls II is emblematic of this: the elevator at top of Earthen Peak leads to the Iron Keep, a castle that has sunken into lava yet is simultaneously floating in the sky; Drangleic Castle is visible from multiple areas but somehow teleports around when one gets near it, and also sits in an isolated pocket of rain that does not manifest anywhere else even if it visually should; several areas like Aldia’s Keep and the Shaded Woods literally exists inside of one another in a way that defies all logic and spatial coherence; and so on. Dark Souls III makes this a diegetic part of the story:Emma, the High Priestess of Lothric, describes the homelands of the Lords of Cinder as “churning” (Oxford dictionary: “move or cause to move about vigorously”) and converging at the base of Lothric Castle; Cornyx of the Great Swamp states Izalith “drifts” ever closer; and the High Wall of Lothric one day simply “appeared,” obstructing the path from the Castle to the Undead Settlement. The most extreme version of this is seen in The Ringed City DLC, set in the far future, where the buildings and rubble from all lands and eras have become crammed together in an impossibly warped quagmire where even gravity seems to only apply selectively.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAC3Yq-Iwm0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXXhFK4ktgk&t=6m45s
“Ahh, the wait has been long, Unkindled One. I am Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle. Allow me to speak frankly. You will not find the Lords of Cinder here. They have left, gone. To their churning homes, converging at the base of this castle. Head to the bottom of the High Wall. Forge on through the great gate, and raise this banner to proceed.”
Emma, High Priestess of Lothric Castle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pHE1Oy2a88&t=3m49s
"If you seek pyromancy tomes, take this sage advice. The lands of the Lords converge upon Lothric. The home of pyromancies drifts comparatively close, as well. At least, that is what pyromancers of the Great Swamp believe. The place is called Izalith. Oh how I wish to behold a primal pyromancy. Well, these are old tales. No one knows where the truth begins, or ends."
Cornyx of the Great Swamp
Small banner held by Lothric messengers.
Hold up outside the main castle gate to be greeted by an escort.
When the High Wall appeared, the path to the Undead Settlement was blocked, and messengers came bearing this banner. They were sent out with a duty, but had no way of returning.
Small Lothric Banner item description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_sNDr5Kigw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwsgKdWwC9w&t=1m9s
“At the close of the Age of Fire, all lands meet at the end of the earth. Great kingdoms and anaemic townships will be one and the same. The great tide of human enterprise, all for naught. That's why I'm so taken by this grand sight. This must be what it's like to be a god.”
Stone-humped Hag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nscfOO-4hI&t=1m55s
“This really is a dreg-heap at the world’s end. Mangled remnants from every age, and every land… It actually sort of lends credence to the old rumors. That the Ringed City rests below it all.”
Amnesiac Lapp
V. CONCLUSION
In summary, all the laws of nature seem to be upended when the fire begins to dim. Time and space begin to fold in on themselves, and life and death cease to exist. Gwyn’s soul had enough potency to prevent this by metaphysically sustaining the logic of the world for an entire millennium. One could think of it as a single, grand act of global reality-warping stretched across a thousand years. Not to say Gwyn himself is a reality-warper, merely that his soul contained enough power to enable such a feat.
C) ENDURING THE KINDLING
There is also Gwyn’s durability feat right as he kindled the Flame. If the Chosen Undead chooses to link the fire themselves after defeating Gwyn, an explosion that covers the entire screen occurs after they are set alight. It is likely an explosion happened when Gwyn linked the Flame as well - it would explain why the Kiln of the First Flame is covered in ashes and why the structures are destroyed and blackened, as if they were exposed to fire. Furthermore, the item descriptions of the Black Knight armor set found in the Kiln reveal that "The knights followed Lord Gwyn when he departed to link the Fire but they were burned to ashes in the newly kindled flame, wandering the world as disembodied spirits ever after." Essentially, Gwyn stood at ground zero of a miniature nuke that incinerated all of his Black Knights and obliterated all nearby structures, covering the Kiln in ash as far as the eye can see. As the entity closest to the detonation, he would have endured by far the most energy, but given how his soul retained enough power to sustain the Age of Fire for a millennium, it's safe to say tanking the conflagration was a casual feat for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPXMR1DioZU
Armor of the Black Knights who haunt Lordran.
The knights followed Lord Gwyn when he departed to link the Fire, but they were burned to ashes in the newly kindled flame, wandering the world as disembodied spirits ever after.
Black Knight Armor item description
D) APPORTIONING HIS POWER
Finally, there is a small but significant piece of trivia in the item description of Gwyn’s soul in the first game: “Lord Gwyn bequeathed most of his power to the Gods, and burned as cinder for the First Flame, but even so, Lord Gwyn’s soul is a powerful thing indeed.” The item description of his greatsword clarifies that the act of sharing his power amongst his divine children occurred before he linked the fire, confirming the two as distinct events. By definition, “most of his power” indicates more than half, meaning he gave more of his power away to his children than was contained in the shards of his soul he bestowed to Seath and the Four Kings, he spent on tanking the initial conflagration from linking the Flame, and burning as its fuel for a millennium, combined. His full strength would therefore have been more than double of all those feats together in addition to the power he still has left in the game.
Soul of Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight and Cinder, who linked the First Flame.
Lord Gwyn bequeathed most of his power to the Gods, and burned as cinder for the First Flame, but even so, Lord Gwyn’s soul is a powerful thing indeed.
Soul of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder item description
Greatsword born from the soul of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. As bearer of the ultimate soul, Gwyn wielded the bolts of the sun, but before linking the fire, divided that power amongst his children, and set off with only this greatsword as his companion.
Great Lord Greatsword item description
II. UNMITIGATED SUPREMACY
Gwyn in his prime is not only the most powerful being in the lore of the first Dark Souls, but likely of the entire franchise. The subsequent entries in the series have enough connective tissue to allow for inter-game powerscaling. Thus, Gwyn’s status in the context of Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III ought to be highlighted as well.
A) GWYN’S CHILDREN
Gwyn allotted parts of his soul to his children. They are therefore eligible as scaling fodder for Gwyn himself, and their wank should be examined to that end.
I. THE FIRSTBORN SON
His first son, the God of War, is all but confirmed to be the Nameless King from Dark Souls III, who inherited the power of his father’s sunlight. Before his betrayal, Faraam (implied to be his real name in the Faraam armor set) was renowned as a legendary slayer of Archdragons. According to Hawkeye Gough, three score Silver Knights fell in the act of conquering even one of them, yet Faraam’s mettle was so great in comparison he came to be worshipped as a “deific hunter of dragons” (Oxford dictionary: “resembling a god in qualities such as power or beauty; divine”) and the God of War. Even Ornstein, another prolific dragonslayer who served under Faraam and later as the captain of Gwyn’s Four Elite Knights (meaning he ranked above Artorias the Abysswalker, Gough, and Lord’s Blade Ciaran), respected him so much that he abandoned his duty as Anor Londo’s guardian to search for his former master, remaining faithful even long after his repudiation of Gwyn. To show what this kind of reputation indicates about Faraam’s strength with more specificity, the carcass of a true Archdragon (all other draconic creatures in the games are vestigial descendants of the beings depicted in the opening cinematic of the first game) can be seen from a cliffside on Archdragon Peak, approaching a mountain in size.
Ring of the Sun's first born, who inherited the light of Gwyn, the first lord.
Greatly boosts miracles.
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.
Ring of the Sun's Firstborn item description (Dark Souls III)
Soul of the Nameless King. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire many souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
The Nameless King was once a dragon-slaying god of war, before he sacrificed everything to ally himself with the ancient dragons.
Soul of the Nameless King item description
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.
Skill: Falling Bolt
Hold swordspear high in the air to summon fierce lightning that descends upon distant foes.
Dragonslayer Swordspear item description
Miracle wielded by Lord Gwyn's firstborn. Boost right weapon with rays of Sun.
The power of sunlight, manifested as lightning, is very effective against dragons. When the eldest son was stripped of his deific status, he left this on his father's coffin, perhaps as a final farewell.
Sunlight Blade item description (Dark Souls)
An ancient miracle of the sun.
Reinforces weapon in other hand with sunlight, a form of lightning.
The sun grants life to all things upon the earth, even if the worshipers of sunlight no longer bless the surface with their presence.
Sunlight Blade item description (Dark Souls II)
Crown of a nameless king who was ally to the ancient dragons.
This golden crown, buried amidst long strands of bristling ash, is said to closely resemble that of the First Lord.
Golden Crown item description
Helmet blessed by the war god Faraam.
This helmet is designed in the style of the Lion Knights, a once-mighty order from Forossa. Although the Lion Knights wore heavy armor, they were feared for their nimble two-handed swordplay.
Faraam Helm item description (Dark Souls II)
Helm named after a god of war.
The armor of the Forossa Lion Knights was preserved even after the destruction of their homeland, and is mentioned in numerous legends, alongside the names of those who are said to have gone beyond death.
Faraam Helm item description (Dark Souls III)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR6ydb3LJjg&t=7m14s
“The dragons shall never be forgotten… We knights fought valiantly, but for every one of them, we lost three score of our own. Exhilaration, pride, hatred, rage… The dragons teased out our dearest emotions… Thou will understand, one day. At thy twilight, old thoughts return, in great waves of nostalgia.”
Hawkeye Gough
Helm of the dragonslayer Ornstein, who guards the cathedral in the forsaken city of Anor Londo. Ornstein is believed to be the captain of the Four Knights.
His golden lion helm is imbued with the power of lightning and should provide good protection against it.
Ornstein's Helm item description
Golden lion helm 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.
Dragonslayer Helm item description
Ring associated with Dragon Slayer Ornstein, one of the Four Knights of Gwyn, the First Lord.
Strengthens thrust weapon counter attacks.
Ornstein was the first knight of the sun's eldest born, and his cross spear is said to have pierced scales made of stone.
Leo Ring item description (Dark Souls III)
Miracle of those chosen by the Sunlight covenant.
Temporarily boosts attack and damage absorption for self and those in vicinity.
This is the tale of the Sun's firstborn, his faithful first knight, and the brave dragonslayer who served them both.
Sacred Oath item description (Dark Souls III)
II. DARK SUN GWYNDOLIN
Then there is Gwyndolin, God of the Darkmoon, and Gwyn's third child. After his father left to link the fire, Gwyndolin continued to rule Anor Londo from the shadows. In the first Dark Souls, the sun which illuminates the city is entirely an illusion forged by him, as are the effigies of his sister Gwynevere and nearly all the enemies in Anor Londo, evidenced by their sudden disappearance if the illusory Gwynevere is attacked by the Chosen Undead. Item descriptions in Dark Souls III reveal Smough was the last remaining knight in defense of the cathedral and that Ornstein had departed in search of Faraam, confirming the speculation that Ornstein in the first game is an illusion as well, suggesting the Old Dragonslayer boss in Dark Souls II is the real one. It's unclear whether Gwyndolin needed to actively maintain these illusions, or if they stayed in place permanently once he created them - the fact the phantasms remain even if Gwyndolin is killed by the Chosen Undead indicates the latter, although it's possible that even Gwyndolin himself was an illusion as Dark Souls III confirms he was devoured by Aldrich, Saint of the Deep (alternatively, the third game simply takes place in a timeline where he wasn't killed by the Chosen Undead, as the flow of time is not linear). Whatever the case, Gwyndolin's power enabled him to create not just optical, but auditory and tactile illusions as well, automatons of beings even as strong as Ornstein, capable of inflicting physical damage and killing (the item descriptions of the Follower Javelin and Crow Quills confirm illusions can assume corporeal form). Gwyndolin created such apparitions, as well as the sun, on a city-wide scale, and could instantly dispel them all with a snap of his fingers. Yet based on Frampt's commentary, his soul was not strong enough to satiate the Lordvessel, as only the "scarce few" with souls commensurate in strength to Gwyn's own would suffice. One might rightly point out Frampt was allied with Gwyndolin, but Kaathe certainly was not, and his hit list does not include Gwyndolin either. This indicates Gwyndolin's soul was paltry next to even his much weakened father's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlpjVQtxCFM
Shield of the Silver Knights of Anor Londo. A flowing canal is carved deep into its face.
The Silver Knights stayed behind in Anor Londo to defend the illusory goddess, and their shields are blessed with her divine protection.
Silver Knight Shield item description (Dark Souls)
Twisted great Hammer associated with Smough, the last knight to remain at his post, guarding the ruined cathedral.
Restore HP while attacking, a carryover from Smough’s past as an executioner.
Skill: Perseverance
Anchor weapon in earth to temporarily boost poise. Damage reduced while activated.
Smough's Great Hammer item description (Dark Souls III)
Golden lion helm 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.
Dragonslayer Helm item description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=car57gigy_A
Light spear wielded by the Farron Followers. Balanced to allow for throwing.
The Followers attack in groups, surrounding foes, shielding themselves, and thrusting their spears at their foes. On a final command, they hurls their spears at their fallen foe, to give the retired warrior an honorable send-off.
Skill: Hurl Spear
Emulate the practice of the Followers by throwing an illusory spear that assumes temporary form.
Follower Javelin item description
Thrusting sword wielded by Corvian Knights, and a special paired weapon. When twin-handed, brandish four thing-edged blades in the left hand.
In their infatuation with Sister Friede, the Corvian Knights swore to protect the painting from fire, and to this end, took the execution of their own brethren.
Skill: Quill Dart
Simultaneously throw temporary substantial illusions of the four thin-edged blades wielded in the left hand.
Crow Quills item description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuxmVEjUBNg&t=5m4s
“Very well. Once the vessel is filled with souls, the gate to Gwyn shall open. Seek Gravelord Nito, the Witch of Izalith, and the traitor Seath the Scaleless. Fill this vessel with their souls. Then, the gate will open… so that you may kill Gwyn.”
Darkstalker Kaathe
III. FILIANORE
Gwyn’s lastborn child, the sleeping princess Filianore, was gifted to the pygmies of the Ringed City at the dawn of the Age of Fire. Gwyn put her in a deep slumber and promised her he would return for her one day. In truth, he never intended to see his daughter again, for the Ringed City was a prison for the possessors of the Dark Soul, disguised as a gift for their contributions in the war against the Archdragons. Filianore herself was used as a medium for a spell that kept the Ringed City locked in time - evinced by the fact that the city is seemingly immune to the force which is pulling all the lands together, and when she is awoken by the Ashen One in Dark Souls III, a blinding light transports them to the end of time when the world is an ashen wasteland and Filianore herself dies in both the present and future simultaneously (reminder: light is synonymous with time). Faith carries tangible power in the Dark Souls universe - miracles are parables of the Gods, and the strength of one’s belief in the fable allows one to manifest apposite magical abilities. It is likely Filianore’s faith in her father’s return maintained a perpetual miracle that froze the Ringed City in time, which crumbled when she beheld the face of a stranger in lieu of her father’s upon waking up, causing the spell to break. Although this level of power and temporal influence is considerable, Gwyn’s own might would logically vastly exceed his daughter's.
The small banner used by envoys of Great Lord Gwyn in the days of yore.
Face the ringed cliff and hold the banner high to summon facilitators of transport.
For the pygmies, who took the dark soul, the Great Lord gifted the Ringed City, an isolated place at world's end, and his beloved youngest daughter, promising her that he would come for her when the day came.
Small Envoy Banner item description
“Why, where did you hear that name, love? Oh, it doesn't matter. I'll tell you what I know. The Ringed City is said to be at world's end. Past this heap of rubbish, as far as one can go. But you'd better think twice. The forsaken Ringed City was walled off by the gods to contain the pygmies. And the dark soul is better left well alone.
“Ahh, yes, it's just what you'd guess. Legend says that the Ringed City lies at the end of the earth. This heap of everything, you're looking right at it. But be warned. The pygmies were exiled to the Ringed City. And no one should go near the dark soul.”
Small Envoy Banner item description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87FypRGv33k&t=3m10s
“If it is the dark soul thou desirest… Then seek Filianore’s church, at the base of the cliff. There wilt thou the sleeping Princess waken. Her slumber is a deceit… a lid covering an overgrown privy; a prop to keep thee from the dark soul of thine desire.”
Random Undead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li6psJOjKOM
Elementary miracle cast by clerics. Restores HP.
To cast a miracle, the caster learns a tale of the Gods, and says a prayer to be blessed by its revelations. Heal is the shortest of such miraculous tales.
Heal item description (Dark Souls)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4GFsXvJmxc&t=1m2s
“Now, let me share my Miracles. Only, their ultimate effectiveness will be determined by your efforts, and your faith.”
Petrus of Thorolund
B) THE OTHER LORDS
Gwyn inherited “the ultimate soul” from the First Flame, meaning his Light Soul is greater than any other Lord Soul. This scales his prime iteration directly above Nito, the Witch of Izalith, and the full Dark Soul as well as any of its fragments, in whoever’s possession they may be.
Greatsword born from the soul of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. As bearer of the ultimate soul, Gwyn wielded the bolts of the sun, but before linking the fire, divided that power amongst his children, and set off with only this greatsword as his companion.
Great Lord Greatsword item description
I. GRAVELORD NITO
Gravelord Nito “administers the death of all manner of beings.” In essence, without his Death Soul, death as a concept would not exist in the world, and everything would be everlasting; he is either directly or indirectly responsible for killing almost every single being that has ever inhabited the world, from the Archdragons of yore to all manner of humanoids as well as fauna and flora - only other deities seem to be inoculated from aging, yet they are still vulnerable to being vanquished by means of arms (Nito himself is not exempt from this, as he is slain by the Chosen Undead and the Death Soul simply passes on to other owners). Although this administration of death is not a passive process; much of Nito’s power “has already been offered to death,” denoting a finite supply of energy he can draw from to fulfill his purpose. However, this fact confirms the properties of the Death Soul are in keeping with the law of conservation of energy and are subject to entropy - the energy Nito possessed in the beginning of the Age of Fire can, in theory, be scientifically quantified by calculating what it takes for decillions of organisms to die and decay. Gwyn in his prime scales above this total amount of energy.
Soul of Gravelord Nito, first of the dead. This Lord Soul was discovered at the dawn of the Age of Fire.
Gravelord Nito administers the death of all manner of beings. The power of this soul is so great that it satiates the Lordvessel, despite the fact that much of its energy has already been offered to death.
Lord Soul (Gravelord Nito) item description
Miracle known only by the servants of the first dead, Gravelord Nito. Giant Gravelord swords jut out in vicinity.
Nito sleeps deep within the Giant Catacombs, quietly overseeing all death, and waiting for his servants to usher in the Eye of Death.
Gravelord Sword Dance item description
Nito also is the originator of all things noxious in the world: poison, disease, rot, etc. - instruments through which he perpetrates his objective. He can personally conjure miasmata which instantly disintegrate Archdragon flesh and are implied to be the primary culprit for their near-extinction after Gwyn’s knights peeled apart their stone scales of immortality and the flame witches burned down their archtrees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0l73vAlEBQ&t=133s
“With the Strength of Lords, they challenged the dragons. Gwyn’s mighty bolts peeled apart their stone scales. The witches weaved great firestorms. Nito unleashed a miasma of death and disease. And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own, and the dragons were no more.”
The Narrator
Sword wielded only by servants of Gravelord Nito, the first of the dead. Crafted from the bones of the fallen.
The miasma of death exudes from the sword, a veritable toxin to any living being.
Gravelord Sword item description
Curiously, Nito also possesses the ability to reanimate the deceased, in essence reversing the ostensible finality of death. During his boss fight, he reanimates hordes of skeletons ad infinitum and has seemingly afforded them small fractions of his soul which cannot be claimed by a third party until Nito himself is destroyed - a microcosm of this can be observed with the necromancers occupying the Catacombs where the skeletons under their thrall reanimate endlessly and do not grant souls until the death of the necromancer in question or unless they are struck down with a divine weapon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrClUJyHY-o
One of the three masks of the Pinwheel, the necromancer who stole the power of the Gravelord, and reigns over the Catacombs. This mask, belonging to the valiant father, slightly raises equipment load.
Mask of the Father item description
II. THE WITCH OF IZALITH
The Witch of Izalith is the Lord of Life, inheritor of the Life Soul, and the godmother of pyromancy. During the Age of Ancients, she and her seven daughters “weaved great firestorms” that burned down the archtrees, the homes of the ancient Archdragons. While not all of the archtrees were burned as dozens are found in Ash Lake and visible from the Tomb of the Giants, the opening cinematic depicts the witches’ inferno stretching out as far as the eye can see. Moreover, the fact that archtrees are only ever seen in these two locations whereas during the Age of Ancients the entire world was covered in them in itself shows the efficacy of their efforts - the witches essentially caused global deforestation of trees that are hundreds if not thousands of meters tall. Gwyn in his prime scales directly to this feat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0l73vAlEBQ&t=125s
“With the Strength of Lords, they challenged the dragons. Gwyn’s mighty bolts peeled apart their stone scales. The witches weaved great firestorms. Nito unleashed a miasma of death and disease. And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own, and the dragons were no more.”
The Narrator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muh2-y1DQiA
A voyage inside a hollow archtree leading to Ash Lake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_02sH8E6RGU
A hollowed trunk of an archtree seen in the beginning of the video
During the Age of Fire, the Witch of Izalith attempted to duplicate the First Flame with the power of her Life Soul. While the attempt was unsuccessful in that it backfired, the Flame of Chaos it created was the power source for spawning all of enough lesser ones like Stray, Taurus and Capra Demons to do battle with Gwyn’s army of Silver Knights, and some greater demons like the Old Demon King and the Demon Prince. Eons later the remnants of Chaos were enough to threaten the whole kingdom of Forossa, inspiring the Ivory King to construct Eleum Loyce right on its doorstep with the power of his own soul. However, even what little was left of Chaos was too strong for the Ivory King, so the power in his soul was drained and Eleum Loyce consequently became trapped in a temporal bubble, segregated from the rest of the world, indicating Chaos held dominion over forces of time as well. After this the Ivory King and at least 50 of his most loyal knights plunged into the heart of Chaos in an attempt to quell it, but failed and were burned in perpetual torment. It required Alsanna, a reincarnation of a shard of Manus capable of freezing over and thawing the entire city in an instant, to devote herself to constant ritual to placate Chaos until the arrival of the Bearer of the Curse. It took from a thousand years before the first game all the way across countless eras to The Ringed City DLC for the spark of Chaos to fully dwindle with the death of the Demon Prince. Gwyn in his prime scales to the feat of creating the Flame of Chaos, and even his depleted form in the game scales vastly above any manifestation of Chaos from Dark Souls II and III.
Soul of the Bed of Chaos and the mother of all demons. This Lord Soul was found at the dawn of the Age of Fire.
The Witch of Izalith attempted to duplicate the First Flame from a soul, but instead created a distorted being of chaos and fire. Its power formed a bed of life which would become the source for all demons, and is more than enough to satiate the Lordvessel.
Lord Soul (Bed of Chaos) item description
Shield of the Black Knights that wander Lordan. A flowing canal is chiseled deeply into its face.
Long ago, the black knights faced the chaos demons, and were charred black, but their shields became highly resistant to fire.
Black Knight Shield item description (Dark Souls)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZiNXHC2HR4
“You, approaching Eleum Loyce. Turn back. The old Chaos hungers still.
“This dead city has nothing to offer. Go back. Do not seek the old Chaos, nor its twisted flame.
“To think Aava could be bested… Who are you?
“This land is barren. Cursed, by the old Chaos. It gave birth to atrocities, and the people fled in fear. Until our lord, the Ivory King, came.
“My dear lord, a most true king. It was with his magnificent soul that he built Eleum Loyce… and contained the spread of Chaos. But the Chaos would not be sated, and the King gave his own soul.
“Inevitably, the King was drained of vigour, and into the Chaos’ heart. Eleum Loyce was frozen in time, its leader lost… I remain here, to contain the Chaos, honouring my Lord’s wishes. Perhaps one day, he will return… There is nothing here, save that accursed flame.
“I have but one wish. That my dear Lord might be freed from that unspeakable Chaos. I haven’t the strength to help him myself, but perhaps one such as you… Though I am yet to know your name, stranger, will you lend me your strength?”
Alsanna, the Silent Oracle
Alsanna’s seal is undone, and the winds of Eleum Loyce are ceased
The text upon Alsanna opening the path to Chaos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZiNXHC2HR4&t=5m40s
“You've granted my one wish… Now, I have no regrets. I was born amidst the Dark. Long ago, in the depths of the Abyss, my Father perished. The Dark shattered into tiny pieces, one of which was me. How frightened I was. A frail thing, born from but a splinter of Dark. I felt that I might simply disappear… I am, in fact, the incarnation of my Father's fears. I sought an anchor, and I saw that a King of this land was strong. I sought him only to sustain myself, to smother my fears… Now, I realize that he may have known all along. I was born of fear, and my Lord provided comfort. And so here I remain, heiress to my Lord's wishes, watching over Chaos… until the end of time.”
Alsanna, the Silent Oracle
Soul of Alsanna, oracle of Eleum Loyce, who prays in silent vigilance.
This child of Dark, in reverence of the apocalypse, devotes herself to a ritual in hopes of appeasing the raging flame.
The wondrous soul of this augur of fear can be used to acquire numerous souls, or to create something of great worth.
Soul of Alsanna, Silent Oracle item description
The demons, birthed from a common Chaos, share almost everything between them, even the pride of their prince, and his nearly-faded flame.
So that the last demon standing may rekindle it.
Soul of the Demon Prince item description
The Witch of Izalith and two of her daughters were able to keep the Flame of Chaos at bay with what remained of her Lord Soul. The central, humanoid figure at the forefront of the Bed of Chaos is an animated effigy of the Witch of Izalith, and the two orbs flanking her each contain one of her daughters. The brown branches protruding from the orbs are visually similar to Izalith catalysts that the flame witches used. When the Chosen Undead destroys an orb, its respective staff breaks as well, releasing a part of the Flame of Chaos. So while Chaos was initially volatile, deforming the Witch and her children into the Bed of Chaos and demons like what Quelaag, the Fair Lady, and Ceaseless Discharge have become, the fact that it’s only released once the orbs are destroyed indicates the Bed was eventually able to wrest it under control. Gwyn, even in his diminished state in the game, scales to this feat as his remaining soul was “commensurate” to the Witch of Izalith’s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUCzgiucoxA
III. SEATH THE SCALELESS
Seath the Scaleless is an albino dragon who was born without the stone scales of immortality his brethren possessed. Due to envy and bitterness, he betrayed his kin by allying with the Gods against the dragons. In the opening cinematic, he is seen standing on top of a pile of Archdragon corpses, crushing a stone scale in his fist, covered in blood - the implication is that he fought and slew all the other dragons in the pile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0l73vAlEBQ&t=141s
“With the Strength of Lords, they challenged the dragons. Gwyn’s mighty bolts peeled apart their stone scales. The witches weaved great firestorms. Nito unleashed a miasma of death and disease. And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own, and the dragons were no more.”
The Narrator
For his fealty, Gwyn granted Seath a portion of his soul - a shard “commensurate” to the souls of Nito, the Witch of Izalith, the Four Kings, and Gwyn himself in the game - that enhanced his preexisting strength. Seath was also granted dukedom and a research facility to uncover immortality for himself. His studies into the arcane arts lead to him discovering the symbiotic relationship between souls and crystals, namely that the latter augments the power of the former, which he used to invent crystal sorceries that are “on par with the armaments of the ancient lords” and “superior to the most finely sharpened weapons.” Seath’s research was later extolled and used by the already-legendary master sorcerer Big Hat Logan - whose strength “is said to be on par with Lord Gwyn’s lightning” (obviously exaggerated, but conveys the gravity of his reputation) - who appropriated the paledrake’s crystal sorceries for his own.
Soul of the albino Seath the Scaleless. A fragment of a Lord Soul discovered at the dawn of the Age of Fire.
Seath allied with Lord Gwyn and turned upon the dragons, and for this he was awarded Dukedom, embraced by the royalty, and given a fragment of a great soul. Although just a piece, it will still satiate the Lordvessel.
Bequeathed Lord Soul Shard (Seath the Scaleless) item description
Soulbeads made more lethal with crystallization.
When fired, they home in on their target.
Crystallization makes souls and sorceries all the more powerful.
Homing Crystal Soulmass item description (Dark Souls II)
Imbues weapon in other hand with crystal magic. More powerful than standard magic reinforcement.
The utilization of crystals to enhance soul power is an ancient form of magical reinforcement.
Crystal Magic Weapon item description (Dark Souls II)
Secret crystal scroll of the Grand Archives of Lothric.
Give to a sorcerer to learn crystal sorceries.
These sorceries are the work of the paledrake, Seath the Scaleless, whom Logan is said to have met, a branch of sorcery that has been carried on by the Crystal Sages.
Crystal Scroll item description
Sorcery developed by Big Hat Logan. Fire piercing soul spear.
A symbol of Logan's strength, the soul spear is referenced repeatedly in the legends, and is said to be on par with Lord Gwyn's lightning.
Soul Spear item description (Dark Souls)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJY0WnmwL1A&t=420s
“The tomes stored in these archives are truly magnificent. A great pool of knowledge, the fruits of superior wisdom and an unquenchable desire for truth. Some would say Seath had an unsound fixation… But his work is a beautiful, invaluable resource. All progress demands sacrifice. And I certainly bear no antipathy for that wonderful scaleless beast.”
Big Hat Logan
Sorcery boosted by the knowledge Logan acquired at the Regal Archives. Fire homing crystal soulmass.
The mysteries of souls, crystals, and the sorceries are deeply intertwined.
Homing Crystal Soulmass item description (Dark Souls)
Sorcery boosted by the knowledge Logan acquired at the Regal Archives. Fire piercing crystal soul spear.
These pale magic spears, sharpened through crystallization, are on par with the armaments of the ancient lords.
Crystal Soul Spear item description (Dark Souls)
Soul spear sharpened through crystallization.
Pierces enemies, causing heavy damage. Superior to the most finely sharpened weapons. When wielded precisely, it can take down several enemies at once.
Crystal Soul Spear item description (Dark Souls II)
C) DARK SOULS II
The Lord Souls make an appearance in Dark Souls II. They were not wholly consumed when the Chosen Undead offered them to the Lordvessel; their power was merely diminished, and they seeped into the land itself and continued to influence it for untold years afterwards (pieces of the splintered Lordvessel can even be found in the basement of an abandoned house in Majula). The game features different art on boss souls depending on their magnitude. Greater souls, like those belonging to the Four Old Ones and King Vendrick, are depicted as more brilliant than lesser boss souls, and the Lord Souls are drawn as even more grandiose than that, indicating their power transcends that of any other soul in the game (another clue is that they can only be acquired in New Game Plus or through the use of a Bonfire Ascetic, an item that intentionally empowers enemies). This is despite the fact that all of their item descriptions describe them as "once-magnificent" and state that “the eons have reduced” them to mere “remnants,” even in the case of Seath’s soul which in itself was originally a shard of Gwyn’s soul. Essentially, even as they are in the first Dark Souls, the enfeebled Gwyn, weakened Nito, declined Witch of Izalith, Seath, and the Four Kings are all far more powerful than any entity in all of Dark Souls II.
Soul of the ineffable.
This once-magnificent soul continues to exert influence over the land, even after the eons have reduced it to these remnants.
Use it to acquire numerous souls, or to create something of great worth.
Old Witch Soul/Old Paledrake Soul/Old King Soul/Old Dead One Soul item description
D) DARK SOULS III
Gwyn is more powerful than any being in Dark Souls III too. There are many avenues to prove this which serve to reinforce one another, although they all function independently as well.
I. THE CHOSEN UNDEAD VS. THE ASHEN ONE
When the Chosen Undead links the fire, it causes a massive explosion; when the Ashen One does it, it is only a small flicker. This indicates the soul of the Chosen Undead is far greater than that of the Ashen One, as the radiance of the First Flame is directly proportional to the power of the soul fueling it. Furthermore, the Ashen One did not just require their own soul, but the ashes of four previous Lords of Cinder to link the fire: Farron’s Undead Legion, the Abyss Watchers; Aldrich, Devourer of Gods; Yhorm, the Lonely Ruler; and Ludleth of Courland, the Exiled; as well as the ashes of Prince Lothric, who was fated to be a Lord of Cinder. While it’s not strictly clear how the battles of the respective champions went in the lore, the ludonarrative of Dark Souls is far more emphasized than in virtually any other game series: the story is often relayed through facets of gameplay, and there is a canonical multiverse where other players’ characters reside. So while it’s possible to beat the games at Soul Level 1 without taking any damage and without wearing any weapons or armor, most characters canonically do not accomplish this - there is even dialogue acknowledging the player’s failure and repeated tries from the likes of Lautrec of Carim, Consumed King Oceiros, Lothric and Sister Friede. The whole conceit of the games is that the player character dies over and over only to eventually triumph over their adversary through trial and error as well as sheer statistical probability. And it’s a fact that even in timelines where the Chosen Undead struggles immensely with Gwyn, their soul still carries more energy for the First Flame than the Ashen One in timelines where the latter effortlessly breezes through the game without equipment or leveling up. The weakened Gwyn can therefore be scaled above any foe the Ashen One defeats by proxy of challenging an infinitely more powerful being than the Ashen One themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPXMR1DioZU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_XhXDaCEpc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3552jy3UF6Q&t=48s
“Knowest thou of our purpose? 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. So it is, I became a Lord of Cinder. I may be but small, but I will die a colossus.”
Ludleth of Courland
“So, here we go again! How many times will these lambs rush to slaughter? Well, let's get it over with.”
Lautrec of Carim after the Chosen Undead returns to him after being killed by him
“This spot marks our grave, but you may rest here too, if you would like…”
Prince Lothric upon killing the Ashen One
II. GWYN VS. THE SOUL OF CINDER
As revealed in the item description of the Soul of the Lords, “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 themselves as defender of the flame,” called the Soul of Cinder, “a deific manifestation of the Lords of Cinder.” It’s therefore understandable should one assume it to be stronger than just a lone Lord of Cinder like Gwyn. However, the Soul of Cinder merely embodies the vestiges of the foregone Lords; it is not a cumulative entity akin to the Avatar in Avatar: The Last Airbender or Darth Sidious in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker where they wield the collective essence of all previous constituent beings. Rather, when a Lord of Cinder sacrifices themselves, most of their power is spent on fueling the fire, and only a small imprint of their being is left behind for the Soul of Cinder. Moreover, when the Lords of Cinder are resurrected in Dark Souls III, they arise in corporeal forms with their souls still “seeped in strength,” able to be transposed into powerful weapons and artifacts. The Soul of Cinder cannot therefore be scaled above Gwyn.
Soul of the Lords. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire numerous souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
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 themselves as defender of the flame.
Soul of the Lords item description
Helm of the Soul of Cinder, a deific manifestation of the Lords of Cinder, who linked the First Flame.
It resembles a knight's helm, but bears hideous burns and contortions. A misshapen crown can be seen upon its rear.
It exists as a symbol of the great Lords and the noble act of linking the fire, though it is no more than an empty husk.
Firelink Helm item description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRBpd3ghVG4&t=58s
“When the link of fire is threatened, the bell tolls, unearthing the old Lords of Cinder from their graves. Aldrich, Saint of the Deep. Farron’s Undead Legion, the Abyss Watchers. And the reclusive lord of the Profaned Capital, Yhorm the Giant.”
The Narrator
Soul of the Blood of the Wolf. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire numerous souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
The blood was spread amongst the Abyss Watchers, and their souls are one with the soul of the wolf blood master.
Soul of the Blood of the Wolf item description
Soul of Aldrich. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire many souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
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.
Soul of Aldrich item description
Soul of Yhorm the Giant. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire numerous souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
Yhorm 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.
Soul of Yhorm the Giant item description
However, the reverse is very much possible. When the Chosen Undead enters the Kiln, only Gwyn himself is there to confront him, and the Soul of Cinder is nowhere to be found, denoting that whatever fragment of Gwyn’s soul it came to possess was nowhere near as strong as the fading deity himself. This is significant because the Soul of Cinder has two phases in its boss fight, during the first of which it utilizes an eclectic mixture of the abilities and moves of multiple previous Lords of Cinder, but during its second phase it channels Gwyn’s power exclusively. The latter phase triggers once the Soul of Cinder’s health bar has been depleted, upon which it gains another full health bar and transitions into Gwyn’s moveset, accompanied by music redolent of his theme from the first game. So as half of the Soul of Cinder fight is Gwyn’s essence, it indicates the remnant of his power is equal to the remnants of all the other Lords of Cinder combined. By extension, Gwyn as he linked the fire a thousand years prior to the first game was as strong as all the subsequent Lords of Cinder together, including the Chosen Undead, the Bearer of the Curse, Ludleth, the Abyss Watchers, Aldrich, Yhorm, and countless others (the Fire Keepers’ grave contains piles of corpses of past Fire Keepers, suggesting the First Flame has been kindled dozens if not hundreds of times); and if the imprint of Gwyn is 50% of the Soul of Cinder but only, let’s say, 1% of the power he had as he linked the fire, then Gwyn at that stage in his life would be 50 times as powerful as the Soul of Cinder is in the game, and in his prime more than a hundred times; and in game he would still be vastly superior to his imprint which constituted half of the Soul of Cinder, and therefore likely superior to the Lords’ amalgamation altogether.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsJM_xT5lE4
III. GWYN VS. GAEL
The case for Gael’s supremacy stems from the fact that he consumed large portions of the Dark Soul by ingesting the blood of the pygmy lords wherein it was housed. Some argue he is implied to have consumed all of humanity’s Dark Soul fragments as he seems to be still thriving despite all other civilizations having crumbled and sentient life being reduced to a handful, and he demands the Ashen One for their piece, supposedly evidencing that his cannibalism streak wasn’t limited to the pygmies. However, whether he literally acquired all the fragments of the Dark Soul is disputable, as there is nothing suggesting all of humanity died by his hand rather than by other causes. Further, the item description for his soul and the Blood of the Dark Soul state he specifically “sought the blood of the dark soul” and only consumed the Dark Soul upon discovering the pygmies, with no mention of the rest of humanity, so that is a flimsy assumption. There are even other humans at Filianore’s Rest alongside Gael and the Ashen One, such as Shira and a lone Ringed Knight, making it possible more may have subsisted in other parts of the world (there are still castles dotting the landscape). Moreover, Gwyn is referred to as having inherited “the ultimate soul” from the First Flame, meaning his Light Soul was the greatest of all the Lord Souls even before the others waned, including the Dark Soul. The first, furtive pygmy divided the Dark Soul into fragments which became the rest of humanity, so the pygmy lords Gael ate contained even less of the power of the whole Dark Soul which was already inferior to Gwyn’s Light Soul. So while it’s possible Gael might surpass Gwyn from the game given he survived battling ceaselessly till the end of time, accumulated colossal portions of the Dark Soul, and defeated all of their bearers (still unlikely, though; see the segment detailing the Chosen Undead vs. the Ashen One), he is certainly lesser than Gwyn in his prime.
Soul of Slave Knight Gael. One of the twisted souls, steeped in strength.
Use to acquire many souls, or transpose to extract its true strength.
The red-hooded, wandering slave knight Gael sought the blood of the dark soul as pigment for the Painted World. But Gael knew he was no Champion, that the dark soul would likely ruin him and that he had little hope of a safe return.
Soul of Slave Knight Gael item description
Blood of the dark soul that seeped from the hole within Slave Knight Gael.
Used as pigment by his lady in Ariandel to depict a painted world.
When Gael came upon the pygmy lords, he discovered that their blood had long ago dried, and so consumed the dark soul.
Blood of the Dark Soul item description
Greatsword born from the soul of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. As bearer of the ultimate soul, Gwyn wielded the bolts of the sun, but before linking the fire, divided that power amongst his children, and set off with only this greatsword as his companion.
Great Lord Greatsword item description
“It isn’t written anywhere, but the image is something like the human’s ancestor. It found the Lord Soul, fragmented it, and humanity is like the fragments of it. Kinda like an ancestor, yeah. So the descendants, the humans, have a part of that Lord Soul.”
Game no Shokutaku interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki
THANKS FOR READING
