Despite his defeat during the events of the original Dark Souls, (DS1) Manus has persisted in one form or another. Even if the Chosen Undead vanquished the body and claimed its soul, much of that humanity had already been unleashed into the surrounding cavern. And while defeating the master halted the spread of the Abyss, […]
While we are told nothing of what this child of Dark had done prior, Nadalia, originally Nadola, (ナドラ) most assuredly contributed nothing positive to the world. As the apostle of “loneliness”, (孤独) her existence is defined by solitude, and the Chime of Screams derived from her soul implies this to bring her constant anxiety. Her […]
Wearing the heavily-armored form of knights, the pursuers wander the continent on the hunt for any bearing the Darksign. Some possess the Ring of Blades associated with Adgarz, the mad knight of Alken. The fact that multiple rings were made in the shape of his weapon of choice indicates that he is their source of […]
Before it became known as the “Forest of Hunting”, (狩猟の森) the copse south of Majula saw its start amidst the Great Shift. Looking at the official map, the area lies adjacent to Shaded Woods, separated by the western mountains. This begs the question: did parts of Darkroot Garden from the original Dark Souls (DS1) land […]
Though identified by the same term, the giants of Dark Souls II are unlikely to bear any relation to the giants of the original Dark Souls. Despite sharing a vaguely humanoid shape, New World giants are more top heavy, with gaping holes for faces. Moreover, they are native to another continent across the sea to […]
Among the numerous problems with Dark Souls II post-launch, the degrading integrity of its world was the most jarring. Already the game had an almost devil-may-care attitude with regards to item placement, with numerous hanging threads or plot holes further muddling the unambitious narrative. FromSoftware had clearly pinned their hopes on rectifying at least the […]
Preface When I first started working on this topic, I didn’t expect it to be as enamored with the subject as I ended up being. Alken and Venn are two kingdoms that have a very simple dynamic fleshed out to an absurd degree, comparable probably only to Drangleic itself. While their duality mostly plays out […]
Trot up to Cardinal Tower at the heart of Drangleic’s fortress, and we come upon a striking statue enshrined within. Beneath the overgrowth and murder of crows, 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 […]
Much like the Darkwraiths before them, the Brotherhood of Blood are a covenant dedicated to invasions, using the Cracked Red Eye Orbs they have collected to safely slaughter others as dark spirits. Unlike the Darkwraiths, however, they do it as “blood warriors” (血の戦士) in service to their God of Blood, Nahr Alma. As depicted in […]
Although described as short in stature in their helm’s Japanese description, the Gyrm’s size is exaggerated at best. The ones we encounter all stand roughly equal to us, either slightly shorter or even a little taller. Even accounting for their enormously thick armor, they are more bulky than physically modest. Indeed, these proportions make them […]
Lokey Lore 