The Lordvessel

The Lordvessel

An item critical to the progression of Dark Souls' 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 Dark Souls, 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.

With the idea of fire in mind, the Lordvessel's symbolic significance is highlighted. Much of Dark Souls 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