FromSoftware's Dark Souls revolutionized modern storytelling in video games. Before Dark Souls, most developers opted to tell their stories through predetermined cutscenes. Cutscenes are an effective and cinematic way to tell a game's story. However, they often break immersion and many players simply skip them.
FromSoftware made understanding Dark Souls' story almost entirely optional. There were very few cutscenes in the game, and the story is predominantly told through optional character interactions and item descriptions. This innovative approach to storytelling would have been pointless if FromSoftware didn't create a fascinating world with great depth to its lore.
Thankfully, FromSoftware blessed Dark Souls with some of the deepest and most detailed lore in gaming history. The lore is so detailed, in fact, that it has entire YouTube channels dedicated to it.
The game's lore is detailed enough to write an entire book about, so this article will just focus on 10 of the most key questions about the main quest's lore.
10 What Is The Backstory?
One of Dark Souls' few cutscenes kicks the game off.
The world of Dark Souls began in darkness. There was no life, no light, just Everlasting Dragons.
Then, one day, fire came. This fire would become known as the First Flame as it contained four Lord Souls. These Souls were claimed by beings who, led by Lord Gwyn, waged war on the Everlasting Dragons. They were victories after Seath the Scaleless betrayed the Dragons, and an Age of Fire began. However, this fire is destined to one day extinguish, bringing an Age of Dark.
A curse, known as the Darksign, affects many of the characters in the game. It is a state of being undead, and those branded by it are reborn after death. Undead are doomed to one day lose hope and turn hollow. Once hollow, characters turn insane and are highly aggressive.
9 Who Are You?
The game begins with the playable character locked away in a cell, it is unknown how long they have been there. Thankfully, a Knight of Astora needs Oscar chucks a key down so players can escape the cell. The playable character is an undead cursed with the Darksign.
They are not just any undead though, players control the Chosen Undead. A prophecy once said that near the end of the Age of Fire, an undead will ring the Bells of Awakening.
8 Where Are You?
The dingy prison cell that players start the game in is within the Northern Undead Asylum. The Asylum was built to lock away those cursed with the Darksign.
Those imprisoned in the Asylum are doomed to await the end of the world. The tattered and deteriorating state of the Asylum implies that it has existed for many centuries. In an attempt to prevent any undead from leaving the prison, it is situated in an isolated location far North of the Bells of Awakening and Anor Londo. Furthermore, the Asylum is guarded by a demon, who acts as the game's first boss.
7 What Is Your Initial Goal And Why Are You Doing It?
Staying true to Dark Souls' ideology of optional storytelling. Players may completely miss two key interactions that teach players what their goal is.
The first is said by Oscar. He tells the player to ring the Bell of Awakening. Upon doing do "the fate of the undead thou shall know."
Later at Firelink Shrine, a character known as the Crestfallen Warrior will give the player some more vital information. The warrior will tell the player that there are actually two bells that need to be rung. "One's up above, in the Undead Church. The other is far, far below, in the ruins at the base of Blightown."
These instructions will make the player aware that their goal is to become the Chosen Undead who was spoken about in the prophecy.
6 What Is Anor Londo?
Once the player rings both Bells of Awakening, they may be stuck wondering what to do next. Thankfully, players will be greeted in Firelink Shrine by what looks like the world's scariest sock-puppet.
This character is a primordial serpent known as Kingseeker Frampt. Frampt has long awaited a human who will fulfill the prophecy, succeed Gwyn, and continue the Age of Fire. Frampt will instruct players to travel to Anor Londo and retrieve the Lordvessel. There is also another primordial serpent who we will get to later.
Anor Londo is the most iconic area in the Dark Souls series. It was built by Lord Gwyn and contains the throne where he once sat. Interestingly, the beauty of Anor Londo is just an illusion, created by Lord Gwyn to trick the chosen undead. As is Gwynevere, attacking the female illusion will reveal the true darkened state of the area.
5 What Is Your Goal After Anor Londo And Why Are You Doing It?
Obtaining the Lordvessel creates a fork in the road as players have two characters who they can take it to.
The first is the aforementioned Frampt. Frampt will be overjoyed if the player brings the vessel to him, believing that the prophecy is being fulfilled. He will instruct the player to fill the vessel with four powerful souls. They belong to Gravelord Nito, Seath The Scaleless, the Witch of Izalith, and the Four Kings of New Londo. Doing so will continue the prophecy and give players the chance to defeat Gwyn, take his place, and continue the Age of Fire.
As mentioned previously though, there is another primordial serpent. Darkstalker Kaathe is similar to Frampt in appearance but significantly differs in intention. Kaathe also wants the player to defeat Lord Gwyn, but to bring upon the Age of Dark instead. If the player brings the Lordvessel, Kaathe will also instruct the player to obtain the four powerful souls.
4 Who Are These Soul Bearers?
Gravelord Nito aided Lord Gwyn in the fight against the Everlasting Dragons. He is the lord of death. Seath the Scaleless is the aforementioned Dragon who betrayed his own kind and sided with Gywn. Unlike other Dragons, Seath is not immortal as he has no scales, the key to the Dragon's immortality. Gwyn rewarded Seath for his betrayal with the Primordial Crystal, which granted him immortality.
The Witch of Izalith also aided Gywn in the war against the Dragons. She attempted to use her Lord Souls to create a new First Flame, as she was fearful of it extinguishing. What she created was the suitability named Flame of Chaos, which wreaked havoc over Izalith and turned the witch into the Bed of Chaos. Finally, the Four Kings reside in the Abyss. Their successful leading of New Londo Ruins prompted Lord Gwyn to reward them with Lord Soul fragments.
3 Who Is Lord Gwyn?
Gywn, Lord of Cinder is the game's final boss. He was once a powerful god and the Lord of Sunlight.
When players enter the boss room to face Gwyn, they may be expecting an epic fight in a glorious arena like with adrenaline-pumping music. Instead, Gwyn is sat in a dingy cave guarding the First Flame, living in constant fear that it will one day extinguish. The soft piano loop that accompanies the fight drives home the idea that this is not a fight against a powerful ruler. But one against an old King who is fearfully awaiting his demise.
2 Why Are You On Fire In The End?
As Frampt told the player, rekindling the First Flame will indeed continue the Age of Fire and the Curse of the Undead will be broken.
What Frampt failed to mention, however, is that the cycle is destined to repeat itself. But this time, the player is in the role of Lord Gwyn and is who the new Chosen Undead will have to defeat.
1 What Is The Other Ending?
Annoyed at Frampt being a bid liar, players may instead choose to side with Kaathe and not rekindle the First Flame.
This is known as The Dark Lord ending. It will subsequently end the Age of Fire, and bring upon the Age of Dark. Many primordial serpents will bow to the player as the final cutscene plays, as they have become the aforementioned Dark Lord.
Because who needs a happy ending.