Ash Lake, Havel, and the Plot against the Gods | Dark Souls Lore

Welcome to another episode of Rediscover Dark Souls Lore for the Lore Enthusiast! This time covering Ash Lake, the Nameless Blacksmith Deity, Seath, the Plot against the Gods... a lot of previously unsolved subjects. These lore secrets were hard to find, so we hope you enjoy - in classic movie-length style!
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Hawkshaw.

[@Hawkshaw]

Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/user?u=3372968 May grace guide us all.. ✨ Hawkshaw

[@navnishbhardwaj3436]

Ash lake, another common thread apart from moonlight greateword continued in elden ring

[@ButcherGod]

Do you think the Nameless Blacksmith Deity could have been fragmented (by his own hand or by defeat) into weaker forms of himself, such as Andre (?) The Blacksmith and his "brothers"? I still can't understand why they turn to stone upon death, because he wasn't petrified with curse, he had no grey shards growing out of his stone body after the Moonlight Butterfly fight.... I think we have known the Nameless Deity all along.

[@indecay8756]

aw man, the old thumbnail was a lot better

[@michaelwerkov3438]

a recent pin? so you did change the thumbnail! anyway. this general theory perspective doesnt get enough credit

[@epineda1124]

@@navnishbhardwaj3436 prolly pp

[@bigroxxor420]

*puts on titanite foil hat*

[@punished7030]

@Waldzwölfe GRANT US LORE

[@GtheMVP]

You have a heart of foil, don't let them take it from you.

[@rat4992]

Funny af

[@jeffreysammon4119]

*puts on sack

[@NathanielDoherty]

Oh man...I love this comment.

[@DaBobbyShurmda]

“I forge.” “We talk.” “You good friend.” “I very happy.” Favorite character

[@Thalidal]

Cried when I came across him in the next game. I probably would have preferred to just not ever meet him again if I had to meet him like that.

[@yurinoworry]

@@Thalidal all things have their end :(

[@spangler3901]

Gavlan wheel, Gavlan deal.

[@dethbedsmolzwhent.t6498]

Was big sadge when I saw him dead in DS lll

[@aceclover758]

In my head canon, while the giant blacksmith doesn’t like to talk, he likes to hear others like the Chosen Undead do so.

[@captainozannus6090]

When you mentioned that the flowers were on Gywn's armor in the original designs, my mind immediately went to DS 3's DLC, The Ringed City where there is a statue of Gywn crowning a pigmy lord and from that statue you get Chloranthy ring +3

[@abysschef5078]

Oh shit!

[@guyman9655]

It's all coming together, almost completely unrelated but in ds3 when hawkwood leaves firelink he leaves his shield infront of a gravestone with a farron greatsword on it, also in the dark firelink the hornet ring is also infront of the same grave

[@minecraftmaster12245]

@@guyman9655 ? That was that Farron Greatsword, not artorias’s, remember hawkwood was part of the undead legion

[@guyman9655]

@@minecraftmaster12245 yes he is part of farron's but it's not the farron gs. It's artorias' greatsword. I'm not trying to be rude but I looked over that sword a few times and it is the abyss greatsword.

[@MikeCosimano]

Also if you look at a high-rez version of the Soul of Cinder art , it has the flower symbol on its helmet and armor!

[@mandos6145]

Imagine spending countless ages, playing sides against each other until they destroyed each other, hiding away and carrying out hideous experiments that took many failures to achieve only to get sparked out by some dumbass undead with nothing but a toothpick and the will to die again and again and again and again, a pathetic hollowing corpse who's willpower made them far more immortal than you ever were

[@schnoz2372]

True what a beta dragon

[@water-poweredmachine8291]

He's a hollow of focus, commitment and SHEER FUCKIN WILL

[@IAmDdie1]

@@schnoz2372 acts of the beta dragon that identify it as a beta dragon: betrayal, experiments, being scaleless, being a little baby b*tch boy

[@DaddyVeo1911]

"How's it feeeel Seeth?" "To be a bitch."

[@imperialwalker]

It’s about drive It’s about power Seath stays hungry We devour Put in the souls Put in the hours And take what’s ours

[@valentin5852]

Imagine creating a 1hour, detailed theory based on one random ring that gives stam regen

[@Nachotaco101]

To be fair it is one of the best rings

[@danielchequer5842]

Imagine beeing a DS Lore enthusiast and freaking out about it

[@redpandarampage2191]

@@Nachotaco101 Nah it's not the best in ds1, due to the fact there are only 2 ring slots. Grass crest shield is enough if you want stam regen. You can fill both slots with generally more essential rings like F.a.P, wolf, havel, bellowing dragoncrest, etc.

[@thatonepsyconaute622]

@@punman5392 fap is faith and protection, it always takes one of my ring slots. The other ring I use depends on what I need to do. Rusted iron ring for blight town, havel or wolf ring for most of the game.

[@pwegulian5351]

@@thatonepsyconaute622 favor and protection*

[@topichu970]

"babe its 11 pm, time for your rewatch" "yes youtube recommendations"

[@Mannnnnnnn]

Watched this 3 times now

[@bigjimbo9231]

4 words IVE GOOOOOTTTTTTT BOSSSSS WEEEEAAAAPONS

[@deadmeme9980]

@@bigjimbo9231 but that's 5 words

[@tingle2958]

@@deadmeme9980 n.. no it's not..

[@deadmeme9980]

@@tingle2958 I've got boss weapons --> I have got boss weapons. 5 words

[@Soumein]

"You can't put Havel in a cell." You have to admit: it's pretty pathetic he can't bash open a wooden door.

[@sptony2718]

He's only giving them a headstart.

[@ashencometmom5291]

even more proof that he's some other guy covering for havel, honestly. as a decoy, you wouldn't want the gods looking for an escaped havel because that means they'd have a chance of finding the real one

[@henrypaleveda7760]

Seeing as how Havel has followers whom were also given rings to wear the armor, I think that the various Havel knights we encounter throughout the franchise might be his followers and not the man himself.

[@Slender_Man_186]

@@henrypaleveda7760 Old Soldier Varg in DS2’s Sunken City (he’s a member of the fucking gank boss) is a good example.

[@arealhumanbean3058]

@@Slender_Man_186 Which is quite funny when you consider you find the Gank Squad in Shulva, a city that has one of the last living everlasting dragons

[@aceclover758]

41:21 Last year, there was a message next to the skull in Ash Lake that said “Blacksmith”

[@aceclover758]

I was very confused but cannot be coincidence now :O

[@joster09]

i think smough's armour is miyazaki's favorite because its one of his jokes, you know how the elevator in blighttown is masive but its powered by just a dog in a wheel, or in sens fun house, when you are going through you might think, man this rolling balls mechanism is a pain in the ass, then you get to the control lever and its full of cogs turning making you think that is complicated machinery then you see the top and its just a giant throwing the ball down, so there is concept art of smough's armour and in one of the pictures he is super buff and jacked inside his armour and not fat at all, in fact siegmeyer is like that, he is not fat, its just the armour that looks like that. so i guess that's why smough's armour is miyazaki's favorite cause he just giggles at the fact that the armour looks like a fat guy but inside is a super buff man.

[@CigaretteCrayon]

I also really appreciate the illusory nature of the armor in where the eye holes are placed on the helmet. The entire face is false. You see from under the jaw or chin.

[@ivankrylov6270]

The way it flexes make it seem more like a container than battle armor Smough's true shape is probably that of Aldritch in ds3

[@CigaretteCrayon]

@@ivankrylov6270 you may be onto something, because that's how Aldrich got his goopy body. 🤔

[@ivankrylov6270]

@@CigaretteCrayon and there's the mass of souls in new londo

[@CigaretteCrayon]

@@ivankrylov6270 curious enemy there. The Darkwraiths were apparently locked away by the flood tides of New Londo's Sealers. They were engaged in stealing humanity from other humans to end the Age of Fire, as Kaathe leads them into the new Age of Dark. It seems like we only get so much insight on this in DS3, and perhaps this is just a personal theory: the protagonist of DS3 has been described as "Unkindled" that means they are not Undead at all. They seem to be engaged in pursuing Undead who do not kindle the flame. For those engaged in starting the Age of Dark, the Way of White seems to have a contingency plan already in place.

[@Banana-senpai]

I came back one year later to leave a comment Godspeed Hawksaw team, keep shining wherever you are

[@memoriblewerd]

Whoa they gave you a heart

[@jacksonwes]

@@memoriblewerd They live!

[@astonedindian4421]

1 year later... “agreed”

[@brandonthomas6602]

Where are you

[@darkslayer1161]

He's still active boi's.

[@bigmac137]

A couple years late, however I’d like to mention that the titanite slabs were translated, and were found to have text speaking of the age of dark being an inevitability. If we believe that the nameless blacksmith harvested slabs from the arch trees, it could be theorized that he wrote these as a sort of warning to the gods, a threat of sorts.

[@joshuakim5240]

Blacksmith Deity: "Okay, guys, here's the big deal: our age can't last forever so when it ends, don't resist too much or else a TON of horrible suffering and unnecessary destruction will happen to everyone, especially us. I am going to straight up write this edict onto the materials used to make our gear as a permanent reminder not to be a bunch of stubborn idiots." Gwyn: "Hey guys, our age is ending. Let's resist it as hard as possible in the most unnecessarily stubborn manner conceivable!" Blacksmith Deity: "Oh for the love of-"

[@cbl1199]

​@@joshuakim5240 The king architect was trusted to built walls that went as high as the very clouds and could protect even the gods, and he did built them, yet he wasn't trusted when even he said that flames don't last forever, despite being the one who worked their forges. Jokes on Gwin tho, because while he was the first to go as to prevent the inevitable dark, the architect works managed to last across the many ages of dark and fire, to the point that aeons after his passing the grandiose palace he had built for the gods was still standing proud and solid, the archives still used and maintained by the royalty it hosted, and even at the very end of time his handiwork protruded from the ashes that the world had become, no one even left to appreciate them.

[@sergmanprime]

@@cbl1199 10/10 nice comment, would read again

[@karenamyx2205]

@@joshuakim5240 Blacksmith: writes important message on indestructible tablet, so that the warning will be heeded. Me: tape it on my sword to make it big strong!

[@discipleofdagon8195]

"The fire will fade inevitably." "Gwyn can suck my hammer's shaft" "Humanz rule" "Lautrec did nothing wrong" "Seath is real and he tried to eat my estus" [carving of a phallus] "Fuck Patches all my cooperators hate Patches" - Inscriptions from several titanite slabs throughout the ages

[@I_V_X]

It's basically archeology at this point and that's why I love it

[@TrumpCardMAGA]

Misconstrued fact: "Seath the Scaleless" was just a nickname the mean girls gave him in high school. His real name was "Alan Beano" or just "Al Beano, the Dragon" for short.

[@morsnihil]

Wait, albino joke right? lmao

[@neo4479]

hahaha no wonder he betrayed his kind

[@albino5995]

Makes sense lol

[@BboyDschafar]

Back then, this really was the Highlife... except for Seath... XD

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

@@BboyDschafar how's it feeeeel, Seath? To be a ~bitch~?

[@artcrime2999]

Chloranthy ring- Chlorophyll- plants ability to turn Co2 and GLORIOUS INCANDESCENCE into sugar- sugar=energy=stamina Results: Praise the Sun

[@wesley5729]

Are you saying that the chloranthy ring is solar powered?

[@romywebster7728]

You mean Solaire-powered.

[@thepurpleshade486]

Romy Webster OOOOH SHIIIT

[@gidioter]

Reminds me of The End in mgs3 who was also powered by photosynthesis and his suit can be used to regain stamina by snake when he stands in sunlight.

[@smyleypop8857]

I... think you use brain too hard, friend :)

[@syon2509]

I rewatch this video now and again because I always pick up something new... But man every time I hear him say " this is our last planned video" my heart drops a little. Goodbye my favourite lore channel, you re-kindle that thrill of darksouls for me everytime I watch.

[@yurinoworry]

He’s back!!!!

[@JumpinJack3769]

what rings u got bicth?

[@Terrivian_Vess]

He's really back

[@SteezyMPeezy]

I hope you’ve managed to find your way back and watch their new videos

[@Julio_Gomes]

I share the sentiment so much... This video made me emotional

[@EddyOfTheMaelstrom]

Basically, to me, it seems as if the entire world of Dark Souls is formed on top of a canopy of giant trees, and ash lake goes on forever at the the bottom of the world.

[@illseeyaonthedarksideofthemoon]

At the bottom is the deep, a realm of the deep sea described as the bedrock of the world

[@djenniomaricon]

Like Nausicaa of the Valley

[@memenazi7078]

Seems like the world isn’t held up by much. Also where’s the void? Under the lake?

[@EddyOfTheMaelstrom]

@@memenazi7078 the void(abyss?) would be in the canopy. It would be in the bottom of the canopy, where places like new londo are found. Ash Lake is at the very bottom of everything. Literally everything.

[@carlosdario9810]

Oh sure you are the only one to ever think that. Thanks for sharing your original thoughts, it is so valuable.

[@cattibingo]

How's it feeeeel Seath?

[@sunlightspear7000]

To be a bitccccchhhhh

[@tassadar101r]

Bitch ain't got no legs. Ain't even got legs.

[@aagh8714]

LllllllllIGHTNING

[@benjaminjenkins2384]

to be fooooooooorever aloooone

[@aagh8714]

@Smoke_from_Mortalkombat i ain't sayin Gwyn a gold digger

[@BanditOMG]

"... gives us his heirloom: A titanite slab" *Big swell of emotional strings* That was godlike timing

[@silverdragon7385]

It's also such a great payoff. Feature length movie theory, all culminating in this

[@tommasoragghianti7735]

me: it's impossible to love Siegmeyer even more Hawkshaw: hold my research

[@nimroad5042]

gave me chills.

[@DevinDTV]

what's the significance of the titanite slab? it's related to the unnamed blacksmith god, but what of it?

[@silverdragon7385]

@@DevinDTV We learn throughout the video, that places with titanite are places that was important to the unknown blacksmith god. Siegmeyer having inherited the slab from his wife, who also had a connection with Ashlake, points to his wife most likely being a part of the rebellion. Up til that point, the rebellion members were distant. We could learn about them, but they were not people we were connected with. But Sigmeyer inherited the slab, symbolically inheriting not necessarily the fight, but the understanding of how important it was to his wife. His adventure brought him to everywhere the rebellion had a foot. And we followed him on that journey. So when we get the slab, it's basically us carrying the torch left behind by others. The rebellion to fight for humanity lives on in us

[@lukeaxx6911]

Havel being with the Nameless King in Ds3 makes the plot against the gods seem accurate. He must have escaped.

[@brendanjoyce645]

I think your kinda right but it also alludes to his dragon worship as he’s right their in ds3 worshipping a dragon

[@phsycoc8768]

@@brendanjoyce645 maybe he killed that dragon

[@brendanjoyce645]

@@phsycoc8768 Havel and his followers were friends of dragons he just hated seath

[@williamhall9271]

It wasn't him though, last time I checked.

[@lukeaxx6911]

@@williamhall9271 The only theory I have heard regarding this is that followers/worshippers/decendants of Havel might visit the Namesless King for some reason. Regardless of it being the actual Havel, I think the fact that a person in Havel's armour in that location supports my earlier comment.

[@StephanuSneed]

Actually, the difference between Oolacile's sorceries and Vinheim's (and most others), is that Oolacile's manipulate light: create illusions, achieve a degree of invisibility, reverse time (which is deeply intertwined with light). They also require less intelligence and don't scale with it. They are essentially a middle point between miracles and other kinds of sorceries. Meanwhile, other schools of sorcery use intelligence to manipulate the user's soul and even crystalize it. When Dusk says that her land's sorceries are less self-centered, she means that they don't play with one's soul, at least not directly.

[@kuunt6065]

ironically self centered means self sacrificing or self reliant in this context

[@1OaKind]

Interestingly enough, despite Havel being an asset in the war against the Dragons, apparently being able to take one down and then get it's tooth, Gwyn does not award him and his followers. The Knights of Gwyn got armor and prestige; the Four Kings were given a city and bequeathed a piece of Gwyn's soul; even a treaturous dragon, Seath, was given Dukedom and a piece of the Lord soul as well. What did Havel get in return for fighting? Nothing. This could be one of the driving reasons for his hatred towards Seath, his link to the God conspiracy, as well as the Way of white migrating away from Gwyn and the Lords and seeking more heretical sources of power (undeath, the Rite of kindling from Nito, cracked red eye orbs).

[@IdToaster]

Given what the Ringed City in 3 says about Gwyn treated his other human allies, I couldn't blame Havel.

[@maxentirunos]

@@IdToaster The soul of dark, humanity great soul, is the cause of the abyss and the direct opposite of Gwyn Power. Because of that, he always hated humanity. Hell, even the four kings doesn't seems to be humans in the first place, but bastards. Gwyn try to reign control of the dark soul by isolating and controlling humanity. Abyss should have broken out eons ago, in direct competiton with Gwyn, but didn't until one of the deadliest dragon take residence around an human city. Despair push humans into trying to become stronger and fight it by harvesting humanities (fragments of DS) until they made the very mistake of trying to harvest a primordial human one.

[@josetomascamposrobledano4618]

maxentirunos remember Manus was nothing more but one of many Lords from the Ringed City. If Gael didn’t complete his quest we might have fought against many Manus-like monsters or worst monsters of the Abyss

[@lucascelistre4181]

goes to show that gwin didn't gift havel cause he wasn't afraid of him

[@mothsforeyes]

Gwyn's gifts would have been strategic and politically motivated - assuring the continuation of his own power, fostering allegiances, diplomacy and placating possible enemies. I highly doubt Gwyn did much out of a sense of selflessness or duty to others, being the legacy obsessed narcissist that he was, and Havel's loyalty to the gods at the time would have meant Gwyn did not have to win him over with grand gestures.

[@wesley5729]

Is lordran a giant treehouse?

[@worldcolonyinitiativ]

Yes, all of Lordran is held up by Trees

[@zphoenix2922]

Without Horns wait seriously?

[@River_StGrey]

@@zphoenix2922 Yup, Ash Lake is the bottom of the world, and the trees form the ground above it, above which is the sky.

[@hkprx6911]

@@River_StGrey It is the first impression we all had while visiting this area I suppose but I dont think it is correct. Before the last zone of the Tomb of Giants, you have a good view on another part of the Ash Lake, at this location we are at the same level of the middle of the trees but the entire zone of Nito is just big caves in the rock, not trees at all. So even if this is possible, the trees are not the basis of everything, you also have some real ground at the same level of the trees. Before that you also have a view on Izalith below, so again at the same level of the Lake... Same shit if you look on a 3d map of the game, the bed of chaos is at the same level of the Ash Lake and even not so far from it but you cant see the Bed of Chaos from the Ash Lake. For me the only way to explain that is the convolution of space and time in Lordran, as in DS2 and even more in DS3.

[@River_StGrey]

@@hkprx6911 You kind of extrapolated a lot that I didn't say there. Izalith is perfectly capable of being at the the bottom along with Ash Lake, because I didn't say the trees were the basis of everything. Rather, in place of leaves and complete branches, there is rock and earth and caves, which is why the idea is interesting-- it replaces the typical forest canopy with the ground. In the opening cinematic we see that there are caves beneath the arch trees, so there's a subterranean, on top of which are the trees, on top of which is Lordran, parallel with Izalith. So, I guess I could have said, ash lake is at the bottom of Lordran, rather than the bottom of the world, since that's what the question was about anyway.

[@halcyon62277]

I've watched this video more times than I can count in 3 years. I love it. It seems every time I watch it something else clicks in my head that makes me realize Hawkshaw has it right. Here's the one I literally just thought of now. Eidas is proposed to be a disciple or direct student of the Nameless blacksmith Deity. Later in the video, Hawkshaw says that the Crystal Ember (which Eidas is using to create weapons for Seath), is "only usable by the giant God's blacksmiths". Hawkshaw goes on to say that clearly this means that the nameless Blacksmith deity is a giant but it also points out that the whole REASON that Eidas can use the Crystal Ember is because he was trained by the Nameless Blacksmith Deity. Another compelling reason why Seath HAS to use Eidas with mind controlling crystals and can't just kill him like other rebels have been killed. Hawkshaw, I cant thank you enough for expanding my mind to the lore. Even after 3 years this video has come out (and I watched it the day it came out), I still pick up and create links to why you're correct on all of this.

[@daegannlongstrider1293]

Just got an ad for a product called Solaire, the precision adjustable sleep system. Deepest lore.

[@mikeomrad1187]

Daegann Longstrider - praise the snore

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

Calling it "Siegmeyer" would've been better

[@420Ruger]

I think Hawkshaw has legit figured out and solved the lore to Dark Souls, someone needs to get Miyasaki to see this.

[@Houdm]

Force Ghostin I know! I’d love for him to see this

[@thefourofapocalypse7955]

Many of his speculation about the demons are plain wrong

[@patback5760]

@@thefourofapocalypse7955 the whole story is how you personally think it happens

[@Exxt3R]

Or... Miyazaki is leading the Hawkshaw team from the dark! DUN DUN DUUUUUN~~~~

[@applenewmoon4402]

The Four of Apocalypse nah

[@luke_of_astora]

54:17 the skull lantern and ring of fog seems clear to me - the lantern reveals one's surroundings, while the ring obscures one from their surroundings. It's a trade of opposites.

[@grfrjiglstan]

On the subject of the blue Tearstone ring holder, I remembered something from DS3. Greirat asks you to give one such ring to Loretta, an old woman. The implication is that its "near death" boost to defense also applies to the end of one's natural life. So it might make sense that its old owner was of advanced age, which Sieglinde's mother would've been.

[@KyleLyre13]

"As random as one might think, we think not." Perfect summary of this entire channel.

[@pyrefly7575]

Pls my man comeback , I just discovered you but I'm already in love with this channel

[@cupoflean8697]

Me too man. Me too

[@kubhak]

@@cupoflean8697 pls give me cheese sandwich im hungry

[@williamgeorge3111]

Wish granted.

[@Games-mb8cc]

Maybe to add to this great video: Dragon scales only work for their owner, hence Seath‘s cry of agony. You can trace the Gaping Dragon‘s nest through bent iron bars to the Blighttown swamp bonfire. The Effigy Shield shows a head that fits on a Titanite Demon and has fangs like the Ash Lake skull.

[@nunoosorio3832]

You might be onto something.

[@cookies3350]

4 years later... I did not expect to tear up again from Siegmeyer's questline. This was a beautifully well made video. Thank you.

[@felipeguzzonsenhorini1051]

I wasn't going to leave a comment but seeing you liking other comments means you still read them Man it has been 2 years already, i discovered your channel through the time line video and you had uploaded the nito video recently so i watched this whole spectacle of yours unfold right in front of me. And what a spectacle it was. Many cite vaatividya as the ultimate Soulsborne lore and i do agree but just because you stopped. For DS1 lore you are my number 1 the depth and the insights you guys had are beyond normal and truly embody the meaning of your noun. What you did in this channel was a work of art be proud of it for ever. You don't need to come back, that's not the point of this comment. What you had was a mission and a passion combined with masterful digging and searching and connecting things, like a 80s detective. This thing here was beautiful and part of the beauty is that it ends. Nothing lasts forever no matter how passionate and amazing it was, this here for me is that, and i am happy you never looked at youtube as revenue but as art. But hey if you want to paint another painting i will be here waiting, i didn't mind the wait back then and wont in the future. I remained a subscriber as to never forget your work, and that won't change. Thank you for your channel.

[@felipeguzzonsenhorini1051]

@Judge Death Praise the sun

[@WhiskeyTango76s]

Vaati isn't the "ultimate" in Soulsborne lore, he gets the basics across to a much wider audience, likely those who just got into the series or those who don't know much about the lore(and those who rely completely on others for digging into the lore). Think of Vaati as an elementary school teacher(of Soulsborne lore), most people have one and they teach the basics, think of this guy, JSF, and some others as the college professors(of Soulsborne lore) that dig deeper than the basics but knowing these basics taught by elementary/high school teachers helps with understanding the more advanced subjects. Entry-level vs. Advanced, essentially.

[@JEMRocker]

Agree wholeheartedly. These guys are so underrated

[@Skellybr0]

Wow what a lovely comment ❤️ this is how you know you did great work, when people feel compelled to write things such as this

[@Reese_Calloway]

1:30:00 "Now on to the Plot of the Gods" - Agni Kai starts playing in the background. Truly, a man of culture.

[@GentIemanThief]

10:36 The Giant Blacksmith has supposedly never seen a crossbow, and yet there is a crossbow right behind him, not ten feet away.

[@DrClock-il8ij]

​@@TheFreshTakerI think there's a point where we have to admit the devs fucked up lol

[@baronbacku9984]

the first half of the video felt like it had a LOT of stretches, so i doubt its accuracy to the canon, but it was still really entertaining to watch

[@notspaceghost8412]

I can only imagine how much time it took to make these with so much in depth research, but goddamn I wish there were more videos. This game, this channel, this lore is absolutely fascinating

[@flashpone7910]

hey man, nice pfp

[@davidrominger6670]

There's more speculation in this video than an Ancient Aliens episode.

[@pigpotty]

David Rominger so zero!

[@psterud]

LOL

[@alexradice8163]

@@pigpotty woke

[@TheBeastr]

@@blazaybla22 exactly! Especially when hollows began to be active after the first flame...well flared up?

[@trnrred489]

timecage do you have evidence to the contrary from ds1?

[@theirresponsibleghost7748]

I truly do hope you return with a vengeance when elden ring is released. The lore in that game is gonna be tackled by the old lords of lore whom have lead the community to a level of understanding previously never thought possible. Praise the sun

[@deadkey]

And this is exactly what I love about dark souls. How almost behind every single item is a big story. The story telling of the game is so subtle but can get so deep and interesting.

[@joaovitorreginattodasilva8840]

The witches aren't attacking the dragons in the intro, they're burning down the trees.

[@StephanuSneed]

The way the intro presents it, they are doing so as part of a joined campaign: "With the strength of lords, they challenged the dragons" or the Japanese version "They acquired the power of Kings and challenged the archdragons to battle". And then it lists what the lords are doing, as part of that challenge.

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

Trees are technically the houses of the dragons

[@brentloy131]

Truth

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

The trees which are supposedly the places where the dragons nest.

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

@@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS not supposedly They actually lived there. The intro tells you this

[@antonsimachkov6255]

Don't leave the research! Give us at least some hope of more lore vidoes!

[@carsonsims6365]

Yeah it’s been a year dont think it’s happening

[@Spectrik]

Carson Sims maybe once more the sun will shine again

[@owoberon4947]

i came from the future to say that he's back

[@rmartinez1993]

@@owoberon4947 sorta...

[@C4lmaria]

If the guy we kill might be covering for havel, could it be that the guy on havel armor we find in ds3 is actually...

[@darkstalkerkaathe4582]

I choose to think that Havel outlived them all, and it's just more fun to imagine that you are facing the legend himself

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

@@darkstalkerkaathe4582 I think it would've been cooler if Havel just stopped being this super cool warrior and just became an actor in various stage plays

[@manjackson2772]

No, both the DS1 and DS3 enemies are "Havel Knight".

[@toastytoast9800]

i personally think that you only fight a havel knight in ds1 and havel is actually the dragon slayer armor

[@dutchvanderlinde248]

@@toastytoast9800 Unfortunately, as cool as it would be, that makes no sense. For one, what would Havel be doing in the ass end of Lothric wielding an entirely different weapon and wearing armor that is inferior in every way in terms of stats? For two, the description of the Dragonslayer Armor set you get for slaying the Armor for the second time in the Ringed City Swamp states quite clearly that it was a possessed piece of armor.

[@stevecti]

Incredible video, but I have something to point out. What would prevent Havel's mistress from being the mother of Priscilla? The wedlock elements make sense, and that would also provide Havel with an even greater hatred for Seath, who bastardized his child and killed his lover...

[@memenazi7078]

What if it’s siegmeyer’s daughter? That’s why priscilla is neglected

[@TheOnlyNightmare]

I think Eidas wielding a greatsword and a rather big shield covered with crystals is an indicator of his strength which he would possess either as a god or a blacksmith. Also as the other enemies in the archives are covered in crystals as well and their clothes being rotten and fallen off while his clothes do not, also point to his special clothes and maybe status. Another thought about the placement of the crystals on his person. The left side of his helmet is covered in crystals. If one assumes the crystals allow for some kind of magical control and the left brain half being associated with analytical thought, it could mean that his ability to comprehend his situation is impaired while his creative - weapon creating- side is unimpaired. Also if one believes that he is right handed, it could stand to reason that using the crystal ember will cause its spark to be crystalline as well. If you hold down the thing you work on with your left hand while hammering away with your right, the sparks will likely get to your right hand, left shoulder, right foot etc. Also facing away from the ember to work on your creation explains the crystals on his back side. Just a few thoughts though. Thank you for your thought provoking work.

[@thelocdesiringentryintoyou3686]

Note7Central holy shit you right

[@smyleypop8857]

Dude that is a lot of thought thank you for this new found insight into Eidas being the crystalline knight, friend

[@mikeclarke3990]

Be the smallest "God" in souls then.

[@memenazi7078]

No artorias is the lefty no one else is. But what you said could definitely contribute to why he’s crazy. He could also be two-faced

[@jeoster7400]

I would say that the titanite demons head also seems like an anvil or so it looks to me

[@dawidwojda3996]

Yeah, to me as well.

[@MAD2CANS]

Always thought the anvils they crafted the weapons of gods on rose up w/ some kind of magic

[@apophisstr6719]

This is the first time that such an ambitious interpretation of the lore being so convincing that I religiously believe to be the true story within Miyazaki's mind.

[@tristanneal9552]

Years late, but I believe you're right about the flower symbol. I think it is a chrysanthemum, and it's the symbol of Gwyn. In Japan, the country From Software is from, the chrysanthemum is the symbol of the Emperor and the royal family. Some interesting tidbits from Wikipedia: "In Japan, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of the Emperor and the Imperial family. In particular, a "chrysanthemum crest" (菊花紋章, kikukamonshō or kikkamonshō), i.e. a mon of chrysanthemum blossom design, indicates a link to the Emperor; there are more than 150 patterns of this design. Notable uses of and reference to the Imperial chrysanthemum include: The Imperial Seal of Japan is used by members of the Japanese imperial family. In 1869, a two-layered, 16-petal design was designated as the symbol of the emperor. Princes used a simpler, single-layer pattern.[34] The Chrysanthemum Throne is the name given to the position of Japanese Emperor and the throne. The Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum is a Japanese honor awarded by the emperor on the advice of the Japanese government. In imperial Japan, small arms were required to be stamped with the imperial chrysanthemum, as they were considered the personal property of the emperor."

[@PintsofGuinness]

1:33:44 i could be misremembering but i wanna say the undead merchant did not sell purging stones until a patch a few weeks after release. i remember having to hike it all the way up to oswald in the very early days.

[@K13xK3k5]

True!

[@rip_screw]

Why did they give it to her in the patch couldn't they give it to anyone?

[@Yawyna124]

@@rip_screw She's the closest general merchant to the hub. She also otherwise specializes primarily in consumables.

[@DonnyKirkMusic]

I see that this may have been an accidental retcon by the devs that they did and, themselves, didn't notice, and also because I believe they treat some things about Velka as "cut content". As in, Velka was going to have her own covenant that iirc Oswald was a part of. There's about 3 things (off the top of my head) unused related to Velka. They decided being lore-friendly wasn't as important as the game's playability, and they feared that the curse mechanic was too much for some players.

[@Yawyna124]

@@DonnyKirkMusic Yeah, they nerfed curse quite a bit, lol. Though I never got a chance to play it pre-Prepare to Die, allegedly it originally cut your health in half repeatedly.

[@hmmmooops]

This man chose to PREVENT a world with fluffy dragon waifus? Quite mad, I say!

[@Exxt3R]

Maybe this was why he was called mad. Everyone wanted a fluffy dragon waifu, dammit! xDDDD

[@evagriusponticus4080]

Terrible Biscuit..........is that you?

[@thatonegayfurry4177]

no he didn't

[@billy-gl4gp]

Your reddit gold sir

[@aidynh5995]

not everyone is a furry animorph lover

[@Kartoffelbroetchen]

I thought I knew about lore before I discovered this channel, but holy shit. The storytelling, the deep-dive into any detail however mundane it may seem, the astonishing connections uncovered, the accurate presentation of source material and in game footage. I am completely in love. Thank you for existing wonderful Hawkshaw Team. My Jaw dropped all the way to the basement and I got goosebumps when I heard the Avatar music together with “…a Titanite Slab” MY GOD it was so absolutely beautiful.

[@WatPatat]

Hawkshaw, my dudes. This channel is in my top 5 favorite channels of all time. I keep coming back to these videos even though I've seen them many times. I'm so happy you're back! Even though you said this might be the last video, I was not ready to be without Hawkshaw videos for the rest of my life. Much love from the Netherlands

[@notSiD]

Is it just me or is it obvious that the giant skull in ashen lake belonged to the blacksmith deity who was executed after fraternizing with the demons. 1. The horns and fangs on the skull being an obvious sign that he partook from the chaos flame. 2. Ceaseless Discharge sounds like a giant. (and is big like one too.) 3. The flower sign of the blacksmith's deity's work is found all over Izalith's structures, including the kiln for the bed of chaos. 4. When the nameless blacksmith deity passed, from several Slabs, great beasts arose. 5. The blacksmith deity is missing a leg. 6. The blacksmith deity was also expunged from the annals of history for his betrayal against Gwyn. 7. He was executed and his head was cut off, spawning titanite demons without their left leg or head.(conjecture) 8. titanite demons are just slabs with demonic runes written on them, cursed to spawn at the moment of the blacksmith deity's death. (another sign of his betrayal against Gwyn, siding with the demons; and a sign that he even planned for his own death with these cursed slabs. One of the titanite demons is guarding the original entrance to Izalith, the only one in the game that happens to respawn.) I know a lot of these hints are covered in the video, but Hawkshaw never fully explains why the skull actually belonged to the blacksmith diety or how these clues connect. I thought I'd offer my opinion here on the lore I found thanks to these videos.

[@ThoughtlessBrainlessEyeless]

holy shit youre a god

[@swordierre9341]

That sounds pretty spot on. Nameless blacksmith deity was executed for siding with the demons also rhymes thematically, with the Nameless god of war being banished for siding with the dragons. If this is true Smough is certainly the executiner. The are/were 4 powerful souls in the cathedral of anorlondo (the first born, gwynevere, ornstein, and smough) and there are also 4 rooms that we can explore. If we assume each room is dedicated to one of them then it makes most sense for the room with the titanite demon be smough's room. If we think about this geographically its next to ornsteins trophy room(which parrales the boss fight), Perpendicular to the firstborns bed room (the room with the demon titinote chest) which is next to gwynevere's. If the blacksmith deity died there it makes sense for his remains to create a tit demon. It would also explain why the tit demon there is more powerfull than all the others

[@Block_91]

freaking underrated comment

[@KarmasAB123]

@@swordierre9341 I don't think that's Smough's room. It's built more like a parish.

[@swordierre9341]

@@KarmasAB123 Hmm maybe.But it also looks like a courtroom. the circle in the middle being where executions would take place. It is rather small though, although i think thats more of a budget issue.

[@soquality9405]

Although i find a lot of what was said in this video to be a huge logical leap, the plot against the gods theory seems really strong. Its crazy how something like this gets figured out a decade after the game releases. Seigmeyers' wifes last words are especially convincing though and i do have a new appreciation for the game, might even play it through one more time

[@henrypaleveda7760]

can you tell me her last wors again or give me a timestamp from the video, I seem to have forgotten.

[@Jbjackson320]

@@henrypaleveda7760 1:36:35 but the exact words are never said but you do get to hear some banging The Last Airbender music

[@kwonderland89]

All I am saying is: ● Knees shaking ● Palms sweaty ● There's estus on his armor already ● Yhorm's machete ● He's unkindled, but on the surface he looks calm and ready ● To link flames, but he keeps on forgetting ● What he took down, the undead groan so loud ● Horace opens his mouth, but the words won't come out Thank you gentleman for making my night. It was a lovely video and I enjoyed every bit of it.

[@josephlicano8701]

Bro....😂😂😂💀❤

[@decoherant]

So many good insights in this video -- the cloranthy flower, the links between the occult plot and the nameless blacksmith god, and all the concealed items. Isn't their a simpler, more direct explanation of how all of these things could be related though? When Gwyn cast his firstborn son out of Anor Londo, he destroyed his statues, erased his name from records -- tried to remove the god of war from memory. Does this not sound like what happened to the nameless blacksmith god as well? Perhaps the nameless blacksmith god, who stood by Gwyn at the dawn of history in his war against the dragons once had a name, but betrayed Gwyn long ago and was erased from history, in much the same way his son would later rebel against Gwyn's tyranny. But who was this nameless god? Well there's nothing in the game to tell you, but there is a shape formed by the information that is missing from the game. Someone else about whom we would expect to have information but we never see a mention of. Someone who was with Gwyn from early on, before the birth of his children, perhaps at the very beginning. Someone who was a giant, or at least a giant kin, like Gwyn was. Someone who was once revered as a god or something close enough to one to warrant having statues throughout Lordran, even if most are now long forgotten and overgrown, save one in firelink shrine and one in the shrine of the firstborn. All of these roles are filled by a character we know conspicuously little about: the mother of Gwyn's children, his wife who must once have ruled beside him in Anor Londo. Who bore him four divine children but was later erased from history to such an extent that her name is never mentioned or referred to. She, of course, was the nameless blacksmith god. A giant of unparalleled skill, master of iron, stone, clockworks, sorcery indeed seemingly any art that could be devised by human hands or minds. The blacksmith god is nameless, presumably because of their assistance given to the occult rebellion, for which Gwyn exiled them from his realm and removed them from history. But the nameless blacksmith god is never referred to in the past tense, and there are no stories of them being destroyed by Gwyn. Surely a tale of a war that ended in the death of a god would resound through history as the story of the black knights has. Instead, the nameless blacksmith god must have left Anor Londo and gone elsewhere, but continued to live on. Perhaps to assist in the rebellion or even organize it. Perhaps to provide the rebellion with something it couldn't get anywhere else, something that had to be hidden from the gods because it was foreign to them, having never been seen before. Something that would have taken mastery of sorcery and craftsmanship beyond human limits to create. Something that could slay the gods. The Black Ember. But the Black Ember came from a different god! A rogue god who opposed the gods of Anor Londo, and put the relentless Chosen Undead on a path to slay them. A god who hid the Black Ember both beyond the site of the gods and right under their noses in the Painted World. A god who's corvid messengers are found throughout the world, acting as spies and messengers, but are most often seen within Ariamas, watching over the Ember. Velka. A goddess who we know little about other than to know that her creations harm the gods, that the gods fear her, and that her miracles, which are more like sorceries, can nullify the sorcery of Seath, the Miracles of Gwyn and the Pyromancy of the Witch. Perhaps the smith god was not so nameless after all.

[@Eric-md3mp]

I see seath's reaction to be anger that he could not gain immorality by stealing the scales of the other dragons, crushing the scale in his hand out of frustration

[@joshj1953]

Oh so you mean the exact same thing that was said in the video? Cool dude

[@kedarunzi9139]

@@joshj1953 Oh so you mean the exact same thing that was commented on the video? Cool dude

[@BarrEr]

@@kedarunzi9139 Oh so you mean the exact same thing that was said, commented on, and further extrapolated on the video? Cool dude

[@Flagdread]

@@BarrEr ah so you refer to the previous comment that was mentioned and was then discussed in detail by another commentator above about a part that was said in the video

[@memenazi7078]

I just came to repeat first comment and ruin your stupid joke

[@Nezxmi]

"Never seen a crossbow" and "Never made a crossbow" but HAS ONE IN HIS WORKSHOP 10:34 left of the barrel

[@Quis_Ut_Deus_Sullivan]

That could imply he is blind, or not, just a thought

[@swordierre9341]

gough confirmed.

[@Angenano]

given to him after he made the bolts?

[@swordierre9341]

​@@Angenano "has never seen a crossbow" not "had never seen a crossbow"

[@dragonitaslavedon1745]

That is clearly not a crossbow, but a gunbow smh

[@KlokLogic]

Best lore video on youtube. Paying attention to environment and armor is something not often seen in lore videos and I've learned a lot of new information regarding the lore thanks to this video. Hope you continue doing this for Dark Souls 2 and 3.

[@liberifatali666]

Haha, FYI sir, DS2 was NOT made by Miyazaki ;)

[@wazzup9179]

@@liberifatali666 He still had influence on it but it wasnt made by him indeed since it was split in 2 parts. Dark souls 2 still has alot of cool details and still has alot of love in it, it just sucks since development was a disaster and ds2 is a shell of what it was supposed to be

[@MalandroGato]

This id BASED my man, holy shit, that was good, when the Indra song hit in 34:58 minutes I knew that I was in the deep secret of mankind.

[@BlackLightAttack]

I don't know if this is related at all to the Chloranthy/Green Flower imagery, but The Ringed City DLC of DS3 went absolutely nuts with the young grass motif such as is found on the Grass Crest Shield, which was previously unexplained in DS1. It's found absolutely everywhere in the Ringed City, along with Filianore's crest which is plainly stated to be formed of young grass. We also see the Grass Crest patterning on the Harald Knight Curved Greatsword (inbetween spots of corrosion), though it's unknown how much they knew of Filianore before they set out for the dark soul as their gear states. They must have known at least something of the Ringed City if they knew where to find the dark soul, so it seems possible to me they adorned not their shields and armor, but their weapons, with Filianore's symbol, because they planned to make the two to meet. Why her crest is specifically "young" grass is easy to imagine - she is called Gwyn's youngest, has a youthful appearance, and has (still not totally understood) time-withholding - or "anti-aging" - powers. We have a potential link between the young grass crest and the green flower symbol in the green blossoms of each game, which always note they are a green weed that grows in the shape of a flower. This common herb occurs and is enjoyed throughout the ages and could certainly be the "green flower" that the Blacksmith Deity loves so much. Considering the architectural intricacies of the Ringed City I think it's incredibly likely that the N.B.S.D. built it, in addition to Anor Londo. Aside from a crown, what is Gwyn bestowing upon the Hollow in the statue just before the Church of Filianore? The Chloranthy Ring +3. I could not even attempt to explain the presence of this ring at all until my 3rd playthrough of the DLC and probably my 50th watchthrough of this video. Is it worth mentioning that Chloranthy is the process of flower material on a plant reverting to green leafy material? It's defined as a retrograde metamorphosis - this is basically a mature part of a plant reverting to something associated with youth, growth, and nourishment, instead of reproduction. Easy to see why it helps restore stamina. Less easy to see is why it is the N.B.S.D.'s signature symbol. For a bonus piece of wild speculation - note that Midir's arena's background is clearly the setting of Ash Lake/the DS1 intro cinematic. Is it possible that the Ringed City was the N.B.S.D.'s final task before being beheaded and disposed of, for some unknown reason? Is it possible that Midir, raised by the gods and tasked with consuming the dark, is the Young Ancient Dragon found in Ash Lake in DS1? I'm positive someone has suggested this last one before.

[@Togekab00m]

There's also a young green flower symbol in Archdragon Peak, possibly put there by the Nameless King to commemorate his lost sister. It makes me wonder if the Nameless Blacksmith Deity specifically chose the flower as his symbol to commemorate the loss of Filianore, who was 'beloved by all'

[@KoryGraphic]

The music from Berserk at 35:10 gave me chills! Didn't expect that

[@halcyon62277]

I continue to watch all these video at least a few times a month. I know all the lore presented here by heart but I cant get enough of the detail and observation used in these videos to flesh out the lore. It is still my fondest hope that Hawkshaw can do the other dark souls or bloodborne games as well. I still cant get enough of these videos.

[@Thedirtydives]

halcyon62277 Same here

[@Daniel_Schmaniel]

Hawkshaw has a way of stretching thin evidence even thinner, then when referencing that same thin evidence later in the video making it sound like fact.

[@Donjonneau]

He certainly feels "so thin" like in "Born under punches" by Talking Heads... ... ...

[@arglebargle42]

This is the video where I fell in love with your channel all those years ago. Thank you for making your Elden Ring content, though I still come back to your Dark Souls content all the time.

[@Hawkshaw]

Thank you! We really appreciate it. We have some bigger plans in the works which hopefully can scratch the same itch as this video did

[@renatamencari2918]

Velka, man, please.

[@Timebomb_19]

Vaati

[@punished7030]

crow cloaca

[@neewk]

caralho, dá pra achar br até nos confins das rodinhas mais ocultas da net gringa. daora

[@jpog96]

We're everywhere

[@awakenedcrusader8340]

That ending hit me right in the feels

[@sirornstein]

No matter how many times I watch this, when he says "gives us his heirloom, A titanite slab." I get chills

[@CoolSmoovie]

Maybe the Mushrooms are much more intelligent than we think. *Shows clip of a Mushroom falling on its face*

[@Ithinkso11]

The house boarded up at 27:20, as shown by Illusory Wall I believe it was, has evidence that it was originally intended to be explored. There is a sort of reserve space inside of it.

[@Tirishhai]

Now with the whole version, let me say: Marry Christmas, and i hope all of you have nice holydays and and a good new year. I seriously hope that well see another project of yours but for the time being i want to wish you good luck with, whatever you are up to next. I had a great time exploring this insanly awesome game with your most helpfull work. Its was more then facinating to see how much work and love for detail this game is build upon. thanks for working this out for us to enjoy. I am not quit involved yet but 2 of my closest persons are about to become game developers and being able to understand how this game was made such a unique experience will surely help others making better games aswell, and even maybe myself. So again: Thank you for your dedication and good luck for you and your contributors. Praise Hawkshaw ;)

[@SpeedfreakUK]

J. Marry her? I hardly know her!

[@ravenmead2864]

Could the undead wearing the sack be Precilla's Mother. it's in a near by cell that we find the Doll which allows us to enter the painted world

[@bobcanning6009]

I rewatch these videos every few months or so. They set my mind racing like no other. My thanks for creating this content. Praise the long form lore!

[@headglitch7003]

IDK if you see this but I'm a new souls player and completely lost when it comes to the lore. It's videos like this that help me understand the wonderful world im getting to experience. Thank you for the time and effort you put into this.

[@theblancmange1265]

I started playing 2 months ago. And I love these long form videos to begin with.

[@joahnaut]

I think the distended stomach of the gaping dragon comes from starvation, a common side effect.

[@LaxMonsta11]

seeing elden ring come out with a giant tree in the middle makes me really think about a lot of this all over again

[@Genasidal]

We know Miyazaki loves Beserk (manga/anime) with the connection through Artorias, but listening to this Havel part of the theory makes me believe IF even partially true that it was a massive inspiration for his story and makes me feel for him more! Amazing video!!!

[@WilliamScotch]

This is the best content I've seen in a long long time! Thank you sir for this 1:40:00 that flew by.

[@mokajones74]

28:45 damn, this kinda solidifies that Ledo was the friend who locked Havel away. He smashed the archway with that giant stone hammer

[@goldenelfgaming4327]

Says he's never seen a crossbow, yet there's one resting up against the wall behind him...

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

He also has no problems fixing and upgrading your crossbows

[@ranges787]

Bro you are a god the broken path to the watchtower fried my brain I dont think anybody loves the souls universe as much as you

[@hjorvarth2227]

Right I always wondered why it just ended there. I always assumed it was because they want you to run away from the night and fall. This game never ceases to amaze me

[@snakeknight2017]

This video is the dark souls of lore videos

[@oldschoolrpg]

Your explanation of the white seance ring's placement and meaning makes total sense as to why Havel was sworn enemies to Seath. Thank you for that, Havel is my favorite NPC.

[@wander_boi69]

Just rewatched this and even 5 years on, I think this is still my favourite SoulsBorneRing lore video. The detail this goes into to make its connections, sometimes making quite big leaps of faith, is astounding in how they were noticed in the first place, and it ultimately weaves an incredibly compelling narrative that, whilst perhaps never proveable as "right", is exactly in keeping with the nature of obscure Dark Souls canon: it makes enough sense to be possible, and that's what matters. And the musical swell on the final titanic slab is truly **chef's kiss**

[@KamiDesu7]

Nothing like Agni kai and some fire emblem ost to set the mood for some spicy lorr

[@Darthlicious]

Don't forget the Berserk soundtrack

[@xray0302]

I always thought seath was crushing dragon scales out of jealousy in the intro and his emotion was kind of like showing even with scales they all perished leaving him alive

[@core-nix1885]

I feel like he was experimented on by the dragons to try and create a new form of immortality. A redundancy to help defend them against the Gods. Perhaps he pilfered the primordial crystal from his captors.

[@sirornstein]

This video was so long I had to go back to remember why titanite slabs are so important

[@bwoooooooooop]

Ive never managed to watch this entire video because Hawkshaws voice is too damn soothing

[@aidanfurst8512]

Why would you be so convinced that the symbols on Smough's armour and weapon are flowers? Seems more reasonable to assume they're symbols of the sun, which would make an awful lot more sense.

[@ForeverLaxx]

One major problem many lore theorists run into in this and other games is the trap of confirmation bias. They already have a theory and end up (often without realizing it) interpreting or manufacturing evidence to suit what they already believe. I'm not saying that's the case here, but it's certainly something to watch out for.

[@r.tailik8357]

Cool, now give us your reasons why. Saw another comment like this about the demons but no reasons or details. Seems pointless to even comment. And no, I doesn't matter how obvious it may seem. It's a pointless comment if you don't give your reasons.

[@joselazo9799]

@@r.tailik8357 If you're replying to Aidan Furst than this seems like a needlessly defensive comment, here is why. He asked a viable question, and explained that the symbols seem more like an emblem of a sun, which makes sense in the context of the gods and their servants, when the big daddy is the god of the sun. So he picks one particular explanation and asked for clarification, you see the creator does jump to several conclusions with minimal evidence. Though I understand that is what Dark Souls lore is, asking a question and premising his position is not pointless, it has a point. He is asking for clarification, that is the point. What is the point of my comment? to help you comprehend the posed question and why your reply may have been needlessly defensive of the content creator, dismissing his comment because he doesn't detail why is fallacious.

[@z3bra_f0untain36]

Maybe the chloranthy ring is actually an artistic sun and not a flower. Most things are up for interpretation when it comes to Dark Souls lore, but it's interesting to note that the same symbols on Smough's armor are also on the crystal knight's armor. Then further more, the pattern on the crystal knight's armor is very similar to the pattern on the grass crest shield, the only other piece of equipment that boosts stamina regen. All these elements have possible links, but the truth is ultimately up for interpretation

[@A-G-F-]

@@r.tailik8357 He is an executioner of Anor Londo, the city of Gods, the city of Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight, and happens to also be one of the two guardians of the Princess of Sunlight.

[@coryhorton9220]

About the Avelyn: Avalon is an island featured in the pirmary sources of Arthurian legend and is said to be where Excalibur was forged. Translates to "the isle of fruit trees" and Excalibur itself is depicted as being adorned with floral motifs. Note also that giants featured prominently in Arthurian legend, often helpful to Merlin and Arthur. Please factor this in Hawkshaw!

[@mateusfolletto6142]

A very simple information that people never seen to consider regards the naming of the gods. Every child of Gwyn has Gwyn in their name: Gwynevere, Gwyndolin, so it's safe to assume the nameless king's name is Gwyn-something. Farran is a foreign name. Take this same template to the Witch of Izalith and her children. All her Daughter have Quel in ther names: Quelaag, Quelana, so we can assume her real name was Quel, and all the other unamed daughters also share the Quel-something sctructure. Izalith is just the name of the city. Gwyn isn't called Annor-londo, nor is Nito called Tomb of the Giants.

[@namelesswanderer3759]

What about Filianore?

[@mateusfolletto6142]

@@namelesswanderer3759 Dark Souls 1 lore is pretty much closed on itself. Dark Souls 2 and 3 acts more like a spiritual successors than reliable planned out sequeles. Dark Souls 2 brings in other existential themes, like the most import question in the whole game: What is it that you want? Meanwhile 3 was about how to resistance to change, stagnation and metamorphosis. Those who partake into crossing the abyss willingly metamorphoses into the trees of tomorrow. The whole franchise goes well together because of their themes, which are quite profound and needed nowadays. But that said, only the first game was planned. Dark Souls 2 was from other creative minds and 3 was the obligatory third game to finish the contract. So that's why everything in Dark Souls 3 should not be considered in retrospective to Dark Souls 1.

[@NeverUseAnApostrophe]

"Information" is a mass noun and needs no pluralization or singular articles. "A... information" is nonsensical.

[@greanbeen2816]

@@NeverUseAnApostrophe A piece of information. Was it that hard to fill in the blanks??

[@greanbeen2816]

@@mateusfolletto6142 Just because they weren’t planned doesn’t mean they don’t build on the lore. There are a lot of unanswered questions looked into more deeply, a lot of entirely new, related questions posed. The chronology may be shaky, but we can attribute it to something something time is fucky wucky because time.

[@mcchungusamungus8011]

Glad they acknowledged (even humorously) the sheer improbability of anyone forcing Havel to do anything.

[@TheLivingOdyssey]

I continue to rewatch these videos all the time. These combined with my intensive study of the game have lead to my friends calling my the “human wiki” of DS1. I love this games lore so much. Good luck wherever you are Hawkshaw team.

[@Dravianpn02]

This is seriously one of the best lore videos I’ve ever seen. The amount of effort you put into putting this together is admirable and beautiful. Thank you.

[@graylyhen9490]

Watching this again after almost a year. This is one of the greatest Dark Souls videos I've seen

[@hiroshiii6031]

I snoozed.. so did the onion knight forged the stamina ring 😂😂😂 imma rewatch

[@roglach4681]

Hawk, I wish you'd make more videos. Yours were hands down THE best Dark Souls videos I'd ever watched. I re-watched all of them multiple times.

[@rhynlock11]

as if Siegmeyer's story wasnt sad enough already before seeing this... but other questions arise when you think of DS3 like if Priscilla was a mistake and Seith went miles to ensure she is kept locked (and she doesnt seems eager to leave anyway) but in DS3 we meet Yorshka who is weirdly similar to Priscilla, enough to make us think they are related. So what happened there??? WE NEED MORE

[@Setnja92]

It is hard in some cases to say if the returning of characters in DS3 is fan service / reusing of concepts or continuation of story.

[@dawidwojda3996]

@@Setnja92 I have a filling about this game that there's a lot of fan service there. A shame :( A great game but not as deep as DS.

[@TheBeastr]

I still think its Priscilla given new form and has her memories wiped and muddled by dreams. Afterall, Gwyndelin was the captain of crescent moon knights

[@Setnja92]

@@TheBeastr The dream thing is more Bloodborne style. But it may be true.

[@jtisonecrazyman88t88]

Correct. 3 is actually my least favorite game in the soulsbornkiro series, with DS being my favorite game in the series, as well as of all time for almost 8 years now

[@bakojn1274]

Awesome video, very speculative, but really good. This must have taken ages to make, not only all research, but writing it into something that is easily comprehended and collecting all the footage! :D

[@Rakshael]

Chloranthy isn't photosynthesis, it's turning of petals, stems, etc that shouldn't be green, back into green. It's considered a plant disease. Idk how that fits into anything but it was interesting that it didn't mean just receiving energy from the sun.