The Lordvessel
An item critical to the progression of <em>Dark Souls'</em> story.
A large, bowl shaped object with engravings around its side given to the player by Gwynevere, the daughter of Lord Gwyn. After it is placed on the Firelink Altar, a large flame ignites inside it. From then on, the Lordvessel acts as a Bonfire. Obtaining the Lordvessel is necessary for progressing through <em>Dark Souls</em>, and its importance is highlighted by multiple characters. According to Frampt, an ancient creature that acts as the player's guide, acquiring this item signifies that the player is to be the successor to Lord Gwyn, the previous ruler of the land. In this way, the Lordvessel acts as a physical symbol for a metaphorical passing of the mantle of rule. With the common theme of fire and the Lordvessel's specific connection to fire, it is easy to call its acquisition a passing of the torch. <br /><br />With the idea of fire in mind, the Lordvessel's symbolic significance is highlighted. Much of <em>Dark Souls</em> revolves around lighting fires to continue forward and prolong the end of this world the player exists in. The Lordvessel being obtained halfway through the player's journey and containing one of the larger fires in the game makes this purpose apparent. It serves to give the player a sense of accomplishment after all they have gone through, as well as give them a push forward to see the journey to its end. The Lordvessel uses and builds upon the idea of fire being a symbol of hope.
Hidetaka Miyazaki
Dark Souls
FromSoftware Inc.
Damian Kortus
Video Game
Fantasy
Abyss Greatsword
A greatsword that once belonged to Knight Artorias.
A grey greatsword tainted with blue and black splotches - presumably corruption from the Abyss. It can be seen wielded by Knight Artorias the Abysswalker in his boss fight. If Artorias is defeated, the player obtains his soul, which can then be used to craft the Abyss Greatsword. When the player wields the Abyss Greatsword, its strength increases as the player's Humanity statistic increases. <br /><br />Artorias, the original owner of this greatsword, was once a great knight that served the ruler of the land, Lord Gwyn. However, when a threat known as the Abyss began to encroach, Artorias went into it in an attempt to stop it. When the player encounters Artorias, he cannot be pacified or reasoned with. The once great knight lost his sanity trying to stop the Abyss. This is analogous to <em>Dark Souls</em>' concept of going hallow. Judging by references from in-game dialogue, to go hallow is to lose one's humanity, similar to Artorias' fate. <br /><br />The connection between humanity and Artorias' fate is made literal by the gameplay mechanics of his sword. The Abyss Greatsword growing stronger as the player's Humanity increases seem to imply this would be the case for Artorias. However, it is clear that he failed in his fight against the Abyss, and he ultimately ended up a weaker shell of his former self. He lost his humanity and his drive to continue, which is what resulted in his failure and descent into madness. By maintaining their humanity, the player can maintain their strength and determination, using the Abyss Greatsword to fend off the dangers of <em>Dark Souls</em>.
Hidetaka Miyazaki
Dark Souls
FromSoftware Inc.
Damian Kortus
Video Game
Fantasy
Peculiar Doll
A hidden item in <em>Dark Souls</em>.
A worn, featureless doll found tucked away in the Undead Asylum. The body and limbs are thin and angular, and the sickly green coloration gives the impression of age and rust. The item's description implies that the doll once belonged to an "abomination" that was drawn into a "painted world." The item is not able to be directly used, but having it on the player's person allows them to enter the Painted World. The Painted World is, as the doll's item description says, "cold and lonely." The only entity within it that isn't immediately hostile is a woman named Crossbreed Priscilla, the child of a human and a dragon. This information, combined with the fact that she lives in the Painted World, implies that she was the owner of the Peculiar Doll. <br /><br />Aside from a likely owner, little is known about this doll. It is not known how it acquired its world-traversing powers, it is not known how it made it out of the Painted World, and it is not known how it got into the fortified and isolated Undead Asylum. The Peculiar Doll almost serves as a microcosm of <em>Dark Souls</em>' style of story telling. Vague pieces of information are given through a discovery the player makes on their own, and the player is left to fill in the blanks.
Hidetaki Miyazaki
Dark Souls
FromSoftware Inc.
Damian Kortus
Video Game
Fantasy
Anor Londo
An important location in <em>Dark Souls</em>.
Anor Londo is the name for an explorable area in Dark Souls largely comprised of the city of the same name. Though the area is named after the city, the player can only reach a few major locations in the city. There is an elevated area branching off towards the main city and the Duke's Archives, and from there, the player can make their way to a large chapel. This building houses the painting leading to the Painted World. This Chapel allows access to a movable tower that allows the player to reach every accessible area in Anor Londo, including the tomb and cathedral. The cathedral is the largest, most complex, and most important area in Anor Londo. This cathedral is where the Lordvessel is obtained, which is crucial to the progression of <em>Dark Souls</em>. <br /><br />The grandeur of Anor Londo is highlighted by the low hanging sun shining on the polished, almost pristine stone of the city. In contrast to the worn and decrepit locations visited previously, Anor Londo is designed to inspire awe in the player. Its large scale given by both the size of the playable space and the city seen beyond makes the area seem larger than life. This is further emphasized by the large statues seen around the area. Warriors, princesses, and kings are immortalized in statues several times the player's size. Even the enemies the player first encounters in Anor Londo are huge and clad in armor as polished as the city around them. With a city of such size and riches, one would expect it to be bustling with people.<br /><br />The reality is, there are only two friendly characters in the whole of the city. Aside from the small groups of enemies dotted around the area, there are no signs of life in the huge buildings or in the smaller ones seen below. There is a sense of isolation when wandering the empty area of arrival and exploring the quiet halls of the cathedral. This is clearly meant to be a place of high honor and virtue, but now it is just another area filled with monsters and forgotten treasures. The state of the city becomes even clearer when one recognizes the figures the statues depict. Lord Gwyn and his children are displayed prominently in the chapel and cathedral, implying that Anor Londo is where the royalty of Lordran made their home. In spite of this, the king is nowhere to be found, and the esteemed daughter of Gwyn that provides the player with the Lordvessel is just an illusion. Anor Londo is perhaps the place where the degradation of Lordran and the inevitability of decay is most apparent. Even the great city housing kings and their knights will one day be abandoned and fall to ruin.
Hidetaki Miyazaki
Dark Souls
FromSoftware Inc.
Damian Kortus
Video Game
Fantasy