Saulden struggles to call Majula, original name Madula, (マデューラ) a settlement in its current state, but there is no denying that these ruins once belonged to a thriving village on the western corner of Drangleic. According to the description for the House Key, Majula was around when every “abominable” thing imaginable was being dumped down […]
Despite how closely Velstadt shadowed King Vendrick, he wasn’t the only knight to stand so near. That honor was shared with Raime, the other of the king’s “Twin Arms” (双腕) as his greatshield calls them both in its description. Aside from the obvious reference to King Allant’s Twin Fangs in Demon’s Souls, this title reveals […]
Every king needs his bodyguards, and Velstadt earned his name as the Royal Aegis. Like the title of “King’s Shield” (王の盾) might imply, the knight stood constantly by Vendrick’s side to protect him from any and all threats. This included when the king was out on campaign or expedition, as one of Elana’s conjured creations […]
Syan, original name Zyne, (ザイン) was already recognized as Vendrick’s most loyal vassal when the giants’ invaded. Clearly, the knight’s love for king and country was unmatched, and that gave him the courage to do whatever was required of the moment. In this case, the moment was possibly the swift destruction of his kingdom. With […]
Preface I have no fond memories of Tseldora, but I could say that for the entirety of Dark Souls II. What surprises me is that I found a lot more to like when finally committing to this analysis. Part of this is thanks to my love for Seath as a character, but he is just […]
Preface I have previously mentioned my reservations about Dark Souls II‘s main plot, and the Dragon Shrine is very much an extension of that. The area itself is somewhat iconic, essentially an island in the sky with a swarm of fearsome lizard that could swoop down and nab you at any given moment. It certainly […]
Preface I do not hide my personal antipathy for Dark Souls II, but that can be faulted primarily on the gameplay side of things. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that the story side of things are much better. Unlike the original Dark Souls, (DS1) “dense” doesn’t describe its sequel, with FromSoftware‘s smattering of ideas building an […]
Trot up to Cardinal Tower at the heart of the fortress in the Forest of Fallen Giants, and we come upon a striking statue enshrined within. The figure appears to be a holy woman — her dress and pose resembling depictions of the Virgin Mary — and exudes warmth, seeming inviting and motherly. Who is […]
Among the children of Dark, Nashandra, originally Dunashandra, (デュナシャンドラ) is the most uncomplicated. As the apostle of “craving”, (渇望) she embodies everything that makes these spawns of Dark what they are. She forever thirsts for one thing: power. According to Vendrick, the monster’s diminutive size as a fragment of Manus’ Abyss was the very reason […]
Preface Despite my public criticism of Dark Souls II in total, I can still recognize that Aldia is one of the best characters introduced into the franchise as a whole. He may not have as creative an appearance or backstory as Seath in the original Dark Souls, (DS1) but he nonetheless stands out among the […]
Lokey Lore 